Gods 070: Brother’s Betrayal
Politics turn blood relations into blood enemies.
Transcript
Welcome to the Chinese Lore Podcast, where I retell classic Chinese stories in English. This is episode 70 of Investiture of the Gods.
Last time, Jiang Ziya and company were faring well in their attempt to sack Border Placard Pass. But then a monk named Fa (3) Jie (4) showed up and caused some trouble by capturing Thunderbolt. No matter, though. Thanks to his staple of fine warriors, Jiang Ziya soon had Fa Jie as his prisoner and was just about to execute him when his snooty Buddhist friend, the Buddha Candi (Jandi) showed up.
Jiang Ziya and his crew went out to the camp gate to welcome Candi and invited him to come in. But he said, “There’s no need to enter your camp. I just have one thing to tell you. Even though Fa Jie resisted you in defiance of heaven, he is not destined to die. He shares a destiny with us in the West, so I have come to ask you to exercise compassion and mercy.”
So once again, somebody was too good to even accept these bloodthirsty Daoists’ hospitality and was just here on a recruitment tour. Nonetheless, Jiang Ziya said, “Master, since you have asked, how would I dare to refuse?”
And so he ordered Fa Jie be released. Candi helped Fa Jie to his feet and said, “My friend, our Western land is a paradise. Come with me.”
He then recited a few verses that extolled the virtues of the West.
So quiet and tranquil is the happy westland,
Bright moon, pleasant air, and mild wind.
White clouds lead the auspicious light.
Water sounds sweetly to please the mountain,
Apes call, birds chirp, and flowers bloom.
By the linden way the orchids grow,
Pine trees sweep away the smoke,
Bamboo branches flirt with pretty phoenixes.
A merry land in the forest of seven treasures,
A quiet pond of eight virtues,
The distant cliff as a screen,
The winding stream flows like music.
Cereus flowers give off fragrance,
Buddhist relics shine brightly everywhere.
Mount Kunlun has all things wonderful,
But ours are the most supreme.
Moved by this influencer’s endorsements — and the chance to keep his head — Fa Jie had no choice but to obey. So he followed Candi back to the West. The novel tells us that Fa Jie would go on to become a prince of a small state in the West and then a prominent Buddha. He would later return to China during the Han Dynasty to spread Buddhism. So, good for him.
Meanwhile, the Shang commander Xu Gai heard that Fa Jie had been captured, and he basically rejoiced because he had been contemplating surrender before Fa Jie showed up and put a wrench in those plans. Now, Xu Gai hurriedly released Thunderbolt and accompanied him to the Zhou camp to offer his surrender.
Jiang Ziya was delighted when he heard this news. Thunderbolt came in and told him, “Xu Gai had long wanted to surrender to the Zhou. But he was prevented from doing so by his officers. Now, he has come with me to surrender the pass. He dared enter and is waiting outside the camp.”
Jiang Ziya summoned Xu Gai into camp, and Xu Gai came in, kneeled, and said, “I have long wanted to submit to the Zhou, but my officers refused to go along with it. That forced me to offend you time and again. I have surrendered too late. I deserve to die! But I pray you can look past it.”
“General Xu, since you are surrendering in accordance with heaven’s will, it’s not too late,” Jiang Ziya said. “There is no offense.”
He then told Xu Gai to get up, and they entered the city. Jiang Ziya assembled his men in the main hall, sent word of his success to the Martial King, and reviewed the pass’s records of its population and treasury.
The next day, the Martial King Ji Fa arrived. After he was welcomed in, he told Jiang Ziya, “Minister Father, you have labored hard on this distant campaign, and it has prevented us from enjoying peace together. It makes me restless.”
“I am doing it for the sake of the people and the nobles of the land,” Jiang Ziya replied, “so I dare not put pleasure first in defiance of heaven.”
Jiang Ziya then introduced Xu Gai to the Martial King, who then rewarded him for surrendering. They celebrated that night, and the next day, Jiang Ziya ordered his army to march out for Cloud-Piercing Pass.
After 20-some miles, the Zhou army was approaching its target and paused to set up camp. Now, the commander of Cloud Piercing Pass just so happened to be Xu Gai’s younger brother Xu Fang (1). When Xu Fang got word that his brother had surrendered to the enemy, he was irate.
“Damn scoundrel!” he cursed. “You have disregarded your parents and your wife and children and surrendered to rebels for the sake of your rank. Your name will reek for all posterity!”
He then assembled his officers to discuss what to do.
“Unfortunately, my own brother has turned his back on his family and his lord for the sake of riches and rank,” Xu Fang told his men. “He has surrendered his pass and submitted to the rebels. My whole family will have to pay for his treason. The only thing I can do now is to capture that traitor to atone for his crime.”
His vanguard general, Long (2) Anji (1,2), said, “Commander, don’t worry. Let me go capture a few of their treasonous officers first and send them to the capital to atone for your brother’s crime, and then we’ll capture the rest of them to demonstrate your loyalty. Then you and your family will be ok.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too,” Xu Fang said. “I hope you and the other officers are of the same mind and will help me exterminate the traitors to repay our lord. That is my only wish and concern.”
The next day, in the Zhou camp, Jiang Ziya asked who would go take the first crack at Cloud-Piercing Pass. Xu Gai immediately spoke up: “The commander of the pass is my younger brother. There’s no need for arms. I will go convince him to surrender.”
Jiang Ziya was delighted. “General, if you’re willing to do so, then it would be a wondrous service to the state!”
So Xu Gai rode out to the foot of the pass and shouted for the guards to open up. The guards reported to Xu Fang that his brother was outside asking to be let in. Xu Fang was delighted and told them to let him in right away.
Momentarily, Xu Gai entered the pass, rode to Xu Fang’s office, dismounted, and came into the main hall. Xu Fang didn’t bother rising from his seat and just asked, “Who are you?”
“Brother, you see that it’s me, so why are you pretending to not recognize me?” Xu Gai asked.
“Guards, seize him!” Xu Fang shouted. And armed men immediately sprang out of hiding from both sides and captured Xu Gai.
Xu Fang now cursed him, “You dishonorable scoundrel! You disregarded your clan and surrendered to the traitors. Today, it must be the work of our ancestors’ spirits that you have come here on your own volition. Now our clan will not be wiped out!”
Xu Gai cursed back, “You ignorant scoundrel! All under heaven have submitted to the Zhou. King Zhou’s demise is imminent. How can your insignificant speck of land oppose an army of justice?! You say you want to be a loyal vassal? How do you compare with Su Hu and Flying Tiger? Or Hong (2) Jin (3) and Deng Jiugong? Since you’ve captured me, I don’t mind dying. But someone is bound to capture you to pay you back!”
Xu Fang now ordered his men to lock his brother up, to be delivered to the capital once he’s captured Jiang Ziya and the Martial King. Then, he asked which of his officers would go fight the first battle. One of his vanguard officers, Ma (3) Zhong (1), volunteered. So Ma Zhong rode out with an army and marched to the Zhou camp.
When Jiang Ziya heard that an army was outside demanding battle, he lamented, “Xu Gai must be in trouble!”
He hurriedly told Nezha to go face the challenger and to gather some intel about Xu Gai’s fate. Nezha rode out on his wind and fire wheels and saw Ma Zhong dressed in a red battle robe and golden armor, looking quite the warrior.
“Are you Nezha?” Ma Zhong shouted.
“Since you know my name, why don’t you surrender now?” Nezha shot back.
“You ignoramus!” Ma Zhong fumed. “Your lot dared to elevate your own king and betray heaven and the court, violating a vassal’s ethics, and encroaching on your lord’s territory. You cannot be forgiven. When I capture you all, you will be cut to pieces. Yet you still dare to wag your tongue here!”
Nezha chuckled. “I view your lot as nothing but toads and rats, soon to be reduced to ashes. You’re not even worth my breath!”
Ma Zhong became irate and charged at Nezha. After a few exchanges, Ma Zhong figured he better stage a preemptive strike. So he opened his mouth and shot out a gust of black smoke, enshrouding himself and his horse. Seeing this, Nezha quickly took to the air, twisted his body, and unveiled his recently acquired eight arms and three heads. Meanwhile, hiding in his smoke, Ma Zhong didn’t see Nezha anywhere, so he shut off his magic and was about to turn around and go back to the pass when suddenly, he heard Nezha shouting, “Ma Zhong, don’t you run! Here I come!”
Ma Zhong looked up and saw this multi-headed and many-limbed creature chasing him from the air. He was scared out of his mind. But before he could ride away, Nezha unleashed his Nine Dragon Sacred Fire Dome, which covered Ma Zhong. Nezha then clapped his hands, and the nine dragons on the dome came alive, surrounding their prey. Within moments, Ma Zhong had been reduced to cinder. Nezha then returned to camp and reported his victory.
Inside the pass, Xu Fang was incensed when he heard about Ma Zhong’s fate. But his vanguard general Long Anji said, “Ma Zhong didn’t know any better and thought that his little gust of smoke was powerful. That’s why he lost. Let me go capture a few traitors tomorrow and send them to the capital.”
The next day Long Anji rode out to challenge for battle. Flying Tiger came out to meet him. When they traded names, Long Anji cursed him, “So you’re Flying Tiger? I was just about to come arrest you for your treacherous betrayal!”
At that, Long Anji raised his battle ax and charged. Flying Tiger hoisted his spear and answered. They fought for 50-some bouts and were evenly matched. Seeing that he couldn’t get any advantage against Flying Tiger, Long Anji thought to himself, “Why should I waste more effort against him?”
At that, he parried a thrust, pulled out an object from his pouch, and tossed it into the air. It let out a tinkling sound like music.
“Flying Tiger, look at my treasure!” Long Anji shouted.
Flying Tiger didn’t know what that was, but the moment he looked up, he fell out of his saddle and was captured alive by enemy soldiers and taken into the pass.
When Zhou soldiers reported what happened to Jiang Ziya, he was quite alarmed and grumbled, “This must be more sorcery!”
Meanwhile, Long Anji brought Flying Tiger to see Xu Fang. Flying Tiger refused to kneel and said, “Since you’ve captured me with sorcery, I will gladly die to repay the kindness of my country.”
“What a scoundrel!” Xu Fang cursed. “You betrayed your lord and joined rebels. And yet you dare to say you want to repay your country? What nonsense is this?! Lock him up for now!”
When Flying Tiger was put in prison next to Xu Gai, the latter said, “My ignorant brother doesn’t know any better and is playing with sorcery. Alas, who knew he would put you in danger.”
Flying Tiger only nodded and sighed without saying a word. Meanwhile, Xu Fang rewarded Long Anji with wine, and sent him out again the next day. This time, the Zhou general Hong (2) Jin (3) went out to face him.
Now, Long Anji used to be a lieutenant under Hong Jin when the latter was still a Shang commander. So Hong Jin said to him, “Long Anji, you’re facing your former commander. Why aren’t you surrendering, and instead dare to resist me?”
Long Anji scoffed, “Hong Jin you traitor! No need for so many words! I was just about to come apprehend you and send you to the capital so that you may be punished. You don’t know any better, and yet you dare to run your mouth!”
And so they went at it with sharp pointy objects. After a few exchanges, Long Anji again unleashed his secret weapon. This turns out to be a pair of hoops, called the Paralyzing Rings. They spun around and tinkled together in the air. Anyone who saw them would feel their limbs go numb. Hong Jin was no exception, and he promptly fell off his horse and was captured.
When the guards brought Hong Jin to see Xu Fang, the latter was delighted and said, “Hong Jin, you went on a campaign on a royal decree. Why did you surrender to the traitors instead? How can you face the Shang king again?”
“Heaven has willed it so; no need for so many words,” Hong Jin shot back. “You may have captured me, but you have not subdued my spirit. I await my death!”
But Xu Fang again ordered his men to lock up Hong Jin with the other prisoners. The next day, Long Anji went out to challenge for battle again, and this time the general Nangong Kuo went out to face him. But after just a few exchanges, Long Anji against used his magic rings, and again his opponent fell off his horse and was captured. So now, Xu Fang had four enemy generals in his jail.
When word of the latest setback reached Jiang Ziya in the command tent, Nezha said, “Let me go face that Long Anji to see what sorcery he’s using to capture our officers.”
So Nezha went to the foot of the pass and shouted, “Tell your commander to send Long Anji out to face me!”
So Long Anji came out and saw Nezha riding on fire wheels. He thought to himself, “He must be a Daoist. If I don’t use my magic weapon first, it would be hard to beat him.”
So he rode out to the front line and asked, “Are you Nezha?”
But before Nezha could even answer, Long Anji thrusted his spear toward Nezha’s face. Nezha quickly countered, and after just one exchange, Long Anji unleashed his rings and shouted, “Nezha, look at my treasure!”
Nezha looked up, and up, and up, and was like, yeah, so? Hello, lotus body?
A minute later, the rings fell harmlessly to the ground. Now, Nezha said my turn, and unveiled his extra heads and arms. He shouted, “Let’s see how your rings stack up against mine!” As he spoke, he hurled his Universal Ring, and it struck Long Anji on the head and knocked him out of the his saddle. Nezha then finished him off with one thrust of the spear, cut off his head, and reported back to Jiang Ziya. All of which begs the question: Why would you even bother sending anyone else out the minute you realize you’re facing an enemy whos’ wielding one of those soul-scattering macguffins? Just send lotus boy out and be done with it, nevermind the plot padding.
Inside Cloud-Piercing Pass, Xu Fang got word that his top warrior was now headless, and he fretted, “I have no officers left, and the court isn’t sending any reinforcements. What should I do?”
As he rushed to send a letter to the capital to ask for help, word came that a Daoist was here to see him. Xu Fang called him in and saw that this man had three eyes, a blue face, red hair, and protruding teeth. Xu Fang greeted him and asked for his name.
“I am a Doaist from Nine Dragons Island,” the man said. “My name is Lü (3) Yue (4). I have an unsettled score with Jiang Ziya, so I have come to borrow your army to seek revenge.”
So let’s do a quick refresher, since one Jie sect Daoist pretty is like another in this novel, and they all run together after 70 episodes. Back in episodes 51 through 53, this Lü Yue took part in one of those ill-fated Shang sieges on the Zhou capital of Western Qi. He and his disciples unleashed a pestilence in the city, but they were eventually foiled. All four of Lü Yue’s disciples were killed, but he got away. So now, he’s back for more.
Xu Fang was delighted to have any help at all. He rejoiced and treated Lü Yue to wine. The next day, Lü Yue went out and demanded to speak with Jiang Ziya. Jiang Ziya and his officers went out, and the moment he saw who it was, he couldn’t help but laugh, while his Daoist disciples were all seething because they had not forgotten the ordeal they endured thanks to Lü Yue’s pestilence magic.
“My Daoist friend, you don’t know when to advance and when to retreat; how are you not ashamed?” Jiang Ziya said. “You managed to flee with your life before, so why have you returned to seek your doom?”
“Let’s see who will live and who will die this time!” Lü Yue shot back.
Thunderbolt couldn’t take it anymore. He cursed, “You damn scoundrel! Here I come!”
He now soared into the air and attacked with his golden staff. Lü Yue raised his sword to counter. And then a whole gaggle of Thunderbolt’s Daoist comrades also joined the fray and surrounded Lü Yue. Seeing this, he quickly unveiled his three heads and six arms. With one of his extra hands, he hurled his Pestilence Seal, which knocked Thunderbolt out of the air. While other Chan Daoists rescued him, Jiang Ziya unleashed his God-Beating Staff, and it struck Lü Yue in the back, making him cough up fire and sending him fleeing back into the pass. Despite the victory, however, Jiang Ziya was dismayed at Thunderbolt’s injury.
Inside the pass, Xu Fang asked Lü Yue what happened. Lü Yue said, “I went out too early today. Let me wait till a friend of mine shows up. Then I’ll go out and succeed for sure.”
A few days passed, and another Daoist showed up and requested an audience with Xu Fang. He was invited in and greeted Lü Yue and Xu Fang.
“This is my Daoist brother Chen (2) Geng (1),” Lü Yue said. “He has come to help you defeat Jiang Ziya and capture the Martial King.”
Xu Fang thanked his new visitor profusely and treated him to wine. Lü Yue then asked Chen Geng, “Brother, have you finished that treasure you were honing?”
“I was waiting to finish it before I came here,” Chen Geng said. “That’s why I was a bit late. Tomorrow, we can face Jiang Ziya.”
The next morning, Lü Yue asked Xu Fang to lead 3,000 soldiers and accompany him out to face Jiang Ziya. Just that morning, Jiang Ziya was warning his disciples to be careful in case Lü Yue came back, and just then, word came that the provisions officer Yang Jian had arrived. Jiang Ziya called him in, and after Yang Jian reported that his shipment had arrived without incident, Jiang Ziya told him that Lü Yue had come back for more.
“Lü Yue was already beaten, how dare he block our path again?” Yang Jian said.
Just then, word came that Lü Yue was back. So Jiang Ziya and his officers went out. Lü Yue shouted, “Jiang Ziya, you and I have a score to settle. But let’s forget about having our two sects face off. I have laid out a formation. If you can recognize what it is, then I will help the Zhou attack the Shang. But if you can’t, then we’ll know who’s better.”
“My Daoist friend,” Jiang Ziya replied, “you refuse to obey the Daoist edicts of peace and tranquility, and instead insist on stirring up trouble. This is not the act of a Daoist. But go ahead, show me your formation.”
So Lü Yue and Chen Geng went into their formation, and an hour later, they came back out and told Jiang Ziya that they were ready for him to take a look. So Jiang Ziya, protected by a few of his Daoist warriors, went forward. Yang Jiang said to Lü Yue, “Master Lü, don’t try to pull any dirty tricks while we’re looking at your formation.”
“What kind of villain are you?” Lü Yue scoffed. “My formation is on the up and up. I won’t try any dirty tricks.”
So Jiang Ziya and company went around and had a good look at the formation. But they had no idea what it was. Jiang Ziya started to panic. “This must be an impenetrable formation, more sorcery,” he thought to himself.
But then, he suddenly remembered two lines from the advice his master, Heavenly Primogenitor, had given him when he set out on this campaign. “My master said, ‘Trap to slaughter immortals at Border Placard Pass; Pestilence at Cloud Piercing Pass.’ Could this be the Pestilence Formation?”
So he discussed this with Yang Jian, and when they returned to the front lines, Lü Yue asked them if they knew the name of the formation. Yang Jian replied, “Master Lü, this is just a trifle of a trick.”
“Well then, what’s the name of the formation?” Lü Yue demanded.
“It’s the Pestilence Formation,” Yang Jian said with a laugh. “And you haven’t finished it yet. I’ll wait till you’re done before I come break it.”
Well, that shut Lü Yue up, and Jiang Ziya and company returned to camp and everyone praised Yang Jian. But Jiang Ziya said, “Even though we showed Lü Yue up for now, we still don’t know the intricacies of his formation. How can we break it?”
Nezha chimed in and said, “In any case, we’ve answered his challenge for now. Besides, we’ve broken more fearsome formations than this before. This is no concern.”
“That may be, but we must be on guard,” Jiang Ziya cautioned. “As the ancients said, ‘There’s always something to be worried about.’ We must not overlook it just because it’s a small formation.”
Just then, word came that Master of the Clouds, a Daoist who has been popping up in our narrative form time to time, had popped up outside the camp. All the Chan sect Daoists said, “The Martial King is truly blessed. This master has come to deal with this formation.”
Jiang Ziya rushed out to welcome Master of the Clouds, and they returned to the command tent hand in hand.
“Daoist brother, you must have come for the Pestilence Formation,” Jiang Ziya said.
Master of the Clouds smiled and answered in the affirmative. Jiang Ziya thanked him and asked how they should deal with the formation.
“You don’t need anyone else,” Master of the Clouds said. “But you do need to endure your preordained hundred-day calamity. Once that’s up, someone will come to break the formation. I will oversee military matters for you here. No need to be concerned about anything else.”
“Since you’ve said so, I am not afraid to die; everything will be fine,” Jiang Ziya said. He then handed over his command sword and seal to Master of the Clouds and sent word to the Martial King Ji Fa. When Ji Fa heard this, he rushed to the camp and said, “I can’t rest easy, having heard your plan. There’s been so much trouble on this campaign. Why don’t we turn back and just defend our territory and live in prosperity? Why do we need to do all this?”
Master of the Clouds said, “My good king, you don’t understand. This has been preordained. Men cannot escape their destiny. Don’t worry.” And that silenced Ji Fa.
Meanwhile, over at Cloud-Piercing Pass, Lü Yue and his Jie sect buddy Chen Geng were busy setting up 21 Pestilence Umbrellas in their formation. They then erected an earthen terrace and prepared charms for capturing enemy officers. Just then, word came that another Daoist was there to see them. Lü Yue summoned him in and recognized that this was one of his Daoist friends, Li (3) Ping (2).
“Daoist brother, you must have come to help me exterminate Ji Fa and Jiang Ziya,” he rejoiced.
“No,” Li Ping said, “I have come to advise you to stop. I heard that you had laid out the Pestilence Formation to block the Zhou army’s path. So I have come to convince you otherwise. King Zhou is wicked and tyrannical. All under heaven despise him. This is heaven wanting to end the Shang. The Martial King is a virtuous lord. He acts in accordance with heaven and men. He is an ascendant lord, not some wicked villain. Besides, a phoenix appeared on Qi Mountain, so Western Qi has long possessed the aura of kings. How can you alone turn back heaven’s will? Jiang Ziya is waging this campaign on heaven’s command to punish King Zhou on behalf of the people. He is going to meet up with the other nobles at Mengjin (4,1) to exterminate the Shang. Do you think I came here in defiance of your will for Ji Fa’s sake rather than for the sake of our sect? Listen to me: Withdraw your formation and let Ji Fa and Jiang Ziya go take the pass. You and I are men of religion. We don’t belong in this vulgar world. Let’s live free from the chains of honor and power.”
So will Lü Yue listen to his friend, or will he continue on his oh-so-predictably-misguided path? To find out, tune in to the next episode of the Chinese Lore Podcast. Thanks for listening.
Music in This Episode
- “Sao Meo” by Doug Maxwell / Zac Zinger
- “Desert City” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100536; Artist: http://incompetech.com/)
- “Ravines” by Elphnt (from YouTube audio library)