Bald Vulture was content, assuming that the sword must have entered Qian Long. Exchanging his own life for that of an Emperor made death seem worthwhile. Madame Guan ran to her husband as Bai Zhen hurriedly picked Qian Long up off the floor.
"Your Highness, are you all right?" he asked.
Qian Long was scared out of his wits, but he struggled to control himself. "At least I was well-prepared," he replied with a smile.
Bai Zhen could see the tip of Bald Vulture's sword extending six inches out of Ma's back and the rip on the front of Qian Long's gown, and he wondered in awe how the Emperor had avoided injury.
"Your Highness is very fortunate," he said. "Truly, the Son of Heaven has the protection of a hundred Gods."
What he did not know was that Qian Long had been so fearful of an assassination attempt as a result of his decision to break his pact with the Red Flower Society that he decided to wear a metallic vest at all times. It had saved his life.
Bai Zhen looked round and saw there was no longer anyone blocking the steps. He lifted Qian Long onto his back, the bodyguards fell in around him and they all ran straight downstairs. But just as they were about to pass through the pavilion's main entrance, Qian Long gave a shout of alarm and struggled free of Bai Zhen's grasp: standing in the doorway was Chen Jialuo. Behind him, their torches dancing and swords glinting, were several dozen kung fu fighters. The Emperor turned and ran straight back up the stairs. The bodyguards swarmed like bees after him with the Red flower Society heroes on their heels. Two of the guards who were slightly slower than the rest were intercepted by the Twin Knights and instantly killed.
Chen and the other heroes had had to fight their way through the palace to the Precious Moon Pavilion, and they were delighted to find that in spite of the delay, the Emperor had not yet escaped. Shouting in triumph, the heroes galloped up the stairs. Chen assigned men to watch the various exits. Priest Wu Chen stood with his sword at the ready at the head of the stair well on the third floor, while the Twin Knights guarded the bottom of the stairs. 'Buddha' Zhao and three of the Shaolin monks took up positions by the windows.
Huo Qingtong saw her teacher Madame Guan in a corner embracing Bald Vulture, blood welling in great surges from the gash in his back. She went over with Master Lu who took out some ointment. Bald Vulture smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"I'm sorry," he said to Madame Guan. "Because of me, you've been unhappy for all these years. When you return to the Muslim areas you must marry ... marry Brother Yuan ... and then I will be content in the afterworld. Brother Lu, you must make sure for me that this happy event takes place..."
Madame Guan's eyebrows flew up in outrage. "Do you mean to say," she demanded, "that you do not know how I have felt towards you in the past few months?"
Lu was just about to suggest it would be better for her to say a few comforting words to her dying husband rather than start another argument, when she jumped to her feet and shouted: "Well, I'll rest your mind at ease!" She raised her sword and drew it firmly across her throat. Lu and Huo Qingting were standing at her side, but neither was quick enough to save her. Bald Vulture let loose a wail of grief which was cut short as he also died. Huo Qingtong threw herself onto their corpses and sobbed uncontrollably.
Chen pointed his dagger at Qian Long. "Even forgetting the pact we made in the Six Harmonies Pagoda, we agreed on the dyke at Haining never to harm each other. And yet you use poisoned wine to try and get rid of me. What do you have to say?" He stepped forward and pointed the dagger's blade, glinting coldly, directly at Qian Long's heart. "You have decided to throw in your lot with the barbarians. You have cruelly oppressed the common people. You are the enemy of all good men under heaven," he announced in a formal tone. "Our fraternal bond is broken forever. Today, I will drink your blood to avenge all those who have been killed in your name."
Qian Long's face turned deathly pale and his whole body quivered with terror.
Heavenly Mirror strode forward. "We of the Shaolin Monastery led a simple life," he shouted. "We had no quarrels with the world. What justification did you have to send your evil underlings to burn our monastery to the ground? Today, I will disregard the sacred commandment against killing."
Chen helped Huo Qingtong up and placed his dagger in her hand. "Your father and mother, your brother and sister and countless members of your tribe died at the hands of this man," he said. "You kill him."
Huo Qingtong took the dagger and walked towards Qian Long. One of the bodyguards moved to intercept her, but Wen stopped him and with eight or nine swift blows broke all his ribs and his spine, so that he fell limply to the floor in a heap. A hubbub of voices rose from outside. 'Buddha' Zhao looked out and saw a sea of torches and faces around the pavilion.
Wen walked over to the window. "The Emperor is here," he called. "If anyone dares to come up here, I will kill him immediately." His tone was forceful and commanding, and a hush fell over the crowd. The heroes in the Precious Moon Pavilion also fell silent, and stared fixedly at the gleaming blade in Huo Qingtong's hand as she advanced step by step towards Qian Long.
Suddenly, a figure darted into the room and in front of Qian Long. Huo Qingtong stopped in surprise as she saw it was a Manchu officer holding a baby. He smiled and held up the white, chubby baby which was sucking its little fingers.
"Give me back my baby!" Zhou Qi screamed and lunged forward.
"Come on, then," the man shouted. "If you want a dead baby, come and get it."
Zhou Qi stopped in her tracks and stared at him in a daze.
The officer, surnamed Fang, had been commander of the troops sent by Qian Long to destroy the Shaolin Monastery. He knew of the Emperor's wish to get rid of the Red Flower Society, and during the night attack, his men had snatched Zhou Qi's baby son. Fang had recognised this as an achievement of great merit and made his way to Beijing for an audience with the Emperor.
Qian Long had questioned him closely that evening, wanting to ascertain for certain that no evidence relating to his origins could have survived at the Shaolin Monastery. When the Twin Eagles appeared, Fang had dodged behind a curtain, but he now recognised an opportunity to gain even greater merit.
"All of you leave the palace and I will return the child to you," Fang said.
"You devil!" Huo Qingtong shouted at him. "It's just a trick!" In her excitement the words came out in the Muslim and Fang looked at her uncomprehendingly.
The heroes had thought they finally had the Emperor in their grasp. But one man, clearly ignorant of kung fu and holding a baby, had left them powerless. They turned to Chen, waiting for his decision.
Chen looked at Huo Qingtong and thought of how Qian Long had forced Princess Fragrance to suicide. How could the deaths of her whole family remain unavenged? Looking round, he caught sight of the corpses of the Twin Eagles of Tianshan. Then he saw Xu's face, full of fear for his son, and glanced back at the child in Fang's arms. It was only two months old and was gurgling happily, stretching out its little fingers to feel the knobbly hand holding its neck. Chen looked at the other heroes: Heavenly Mirror's eyes radiated compassion, Lu Feiqing sighed and Lord Zhou's white beard shook as he trembled. Zhou Qi was standing with her mouth wide open, a crazed expression on her face.
Chen knew Lord Zhou's last son and heir had died as a result of the Red Flower Society and that the baby before them was his sole hereditory lifeline. But if they did not kill the Emperor today, they were unlikely to ever have another opportunity to gain revenge. So what to do?
Huo Qingtong turned and handed the dagger back to Chen.
Chen nodded. "All right," he said to Fang. "We will not harm the Emperor. Give the child to me." As he spoke, he replaced the dagger in its sheath and stretched out his hands.
"Huh! Who'd believe you?" Fang replied darkly. "I'll return the child only after you have left the palace."
Chen was furious. "We of the Red Flower Society hold to our word," he said. "Why would we bother to cheat an animal like you?"
"That's why I don't believe you."
"All right," Chen countered. "Then you leave the palace with us." Fang hesitated.
As soon as Qian Long heard Chen say that his life was spared, he was ecstatic with happiness and didn't care less what happened to Fang. "Go with them," he said. "You have gained great merit today. I will naturally not forget it."
Fang shivered as he heard the Emperor's tone, and realised that he was talking about honouring him posthumously. But all he could say was: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your benevolence." He turned to Chen. "If I leave the palace with you, what chance have I got to live?" He wanted Chen to promise to spare him.
"You've already done enough evil," Chen replied angrily. "You should have been consigned to Hell long ago."
Qian Long, worried that other complications could arise, and that Chen might change his mind, urged Fang on: "Quickly, leave with them now."
"But I'm afraid that once I've gone, they will try and harm Your Highness," Fang added.
"So what do you suggest?" Chen asked in exasperation.
"Allow his Imperial Highness to leave first and then I will accompany you out of the palace."
Chen could see they would have to let him go. "All right," he said to Qian Long. "Leave."
Qian Long did not concern himself further with the bearing an Emperor should maintain, and fled for the door as fast as his feet could carry him. Suddenly, Chen stretched out his right hand and grabbed him as he ran past, and boxed his ears sharply with his left hand --'bang, bang, bang!' the sound ringing out crisp and clearly. Qian Long's cheeks immediately began to swell up. The heroes were taken by surprise, and there was a brief silence before they roared out their approval.
"Do you still remember that poisonous oath you swore?" Chen demanded, but Qian Long did not dare to make any reply. With a contemptuous wave of his hand, Chen dismissed him, and Qian Long stumbled out of the room and down the stairs.
"Get the child!" Chen shouted.
'Buddha' Zhao was holding his poisonous darts and looking out of the window, waiting for the right moment. As soon as Chen had hold of the child, and Qian Long appeared down below, he would fire off several dozen projectiles at the Emperor's body.
Fang, meanwhile, was frantically looking around, trying to think of some way out for himself. "I want to see with my own eyes that His Highness is out of danger before I'll hand over the child," he said, shuffling slowly towards the nearest window.
"You Turtle! You're already a dead man," snarled one of the Twin Knights. They shadowed him, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Qian Long emerged from the main door of the pavilion, and the bodyguards waiting down below surged forward.
"You traitor," 'Buddha' Zhao muttered to himself. "You traitor."
Fang saw the several dozen bodyguards gathered below, and decided it was better to take a risk than to simply wait to die where he was. So in a sudden movement, he embraced the child and threw himself out of the window.
Taken completely unawares, a cry of surprise went up from the heroes. One of the Twin Knights flicked out his Flying Claw and hooked it round Fang's left leg, then tugged with all his might. Fang's body flew up, the baby left his hands and the two began to fall. 'Buddha' Zhao crouched down and launched himself like an arrow out of the window. As he flew through the air, his head pointing down and his feet up, he stretched out his left hand and grabbed hold of one of the child's tiny legs while at the same time throwing three of his poisonous darts at Fang, hitting him squarely on the head and chest.
A shout went up from both the heroes in the pavilion and the bodyguards down below. Zhao steeled himself, hugged the baby to his chest and landed firmly on his two feet. The Twin Knights, Lord Zhou and some of the other heroes jumped down from the pavilion and surrounded Zhao and the baby to protect them. Zhao looked down at the child in his arms and saw it kicking and waving its arms about, chuckling away in delight. It obviously thought the leap a moment ago that had almost ended its life had been great fun and wanted to do it again.
Chen pushed their hostage Commander Fu to the window and shouted: "Do you want him to live?"
Qian Long, once more under the protection of his bodyguards, caught sight of Fu in the torchlight. "Stop! Stop everything!" he shouted. The guards turned and waited for his directions.
Fu was in fact Qian Long's illegitimate son. The Emperor's first wife was the elder sister of a senior minister, whose beautiful wife Qian Long had spotted when she came to the palace one evening to pay her respects to the Empress and he had had illicit relations with her which resulted in the birth of Fu. Qian Long had many sons, but for some perverse reason he loved this illegitimate one more than all the rest. The great physical likeness between Fu and Chen was therefore the result of the fact that they were uncle and nephew.
Chen knew nothing of this, but was aware that the Emperor doted on Fu. He and the other heroes escorted their hostage downstairs. Zhou Qi ran over to Zhao and took the baby from him, almost crazy with happiness.
On one side, were the Red Flower Society heroes and the Shaolin monks, on the other, the mass of palace guards and Imperial bodyguards. Commander Li could see his forces vastly outnumbered the enemy, but he also knew how the Emperor felt about Fu.
"Great Helmsman Chen," he shouted. "Let Commander Fu go and we will allow you to leave the city peacefully."
"What does the Emperor say?" Chen shouted back.
Qian Long's cheeks were painful and swollen like over-ripe peaches as a result of Chen's blows, but seeing his beloved son in the hands of the enemy, he could only wave his hand and say: "You can go, you can go."
