Ghost Stocks

Chapter 37

Tao Muling was very nervous. She found some anti-inflammatory medicine and gauze, helped Feng Junzi sit down in a chair, and knelt down in front of him, carefully bandaging his wound. Feng Junzi's gaze was fixed on Tao Muling's exquisitely carved collarbone, and below, through the slightly open collar, was her bare chest—she wasn't wearing a bra at home! The full curves were fully visible, and at the apex, with the movement of Tao Muling's body, the rosy areolas and small protrusions were faintly visible. Feng Junzi forgot the sensation in his fingers; his body reacted strangely.

Tao Muling kept her head down and couldn't see Feng Junzi's gaze, but for some reason, her face suddenly turned red. She stood up and said to Feng Junzi, "Be careful not to get it wet, otherwise the wound will easily get infected... Your clothes are dirty, quickly change them and I'll wash them for you."

Neither of them noticed as they spoke that a drop of blood that had slipped from Feng Junzi's fingertip had landed on the jade pendant at his waist. Strangely, the blood disappeared immediately upon touching the pendant, as if it had been rapidly absorbed by something, and the bloodstain on the pendant became even more vibrant in color.

...

Heilongjing, Jinsha Village.

Feng Junzi found himself standing on a moonlit beach. There was no wind, no clouds, only a raging fire burning before him; not a single house in the entire village remained intact. He felt strange; his body was beyond his control, as if some other force in the air was propelling him forward—a feeling difficult to describe.

Feng Junzi walked through a village engulfed in flames when something blocked his path: a string of intestines, white and covered in congealed dark red blood. Looking up, he saw the corpse of a two- or three-year-old boy hanging from a tree branch, his stomach ripped open with a large cross. Feng Junzi was horrified, yet his body remained unresponsive, continuing to walk forward. Suddenly, he realized he was surrounded by corpses. Some were mutilated, others still burning and emitting a foul stench.

As he neared the village entrance, a corpse in the grass seemed to still be writhing. Feng Junzi felt an indescribable fear, yet his feet involuntarily led him closer. It was a naked woman, still breathing faintly, her eyes open, looking at him with a gaze that seemed both desperate and pleading. Feng Junzi wanted to close his eyes, unable to bear the sight of her body—what a gruesome scene! She looked as if she had been torn apart by a pack of wild dogs. Then he heard his own sigh, and saw a flash of sword light; the ravaged woman finally found release in her final agony.

At this moment, Feng Junzi suddenly realized that he was holding a sword in his hand. The blade, under the moonlight, resembled a pool of autumn water, reflecting a dark blue light. On the golden hilt were engraved two seal characters—"Heaven's Heart." Feng Junzi walked out of the village with the sword, bent down as if searching for something on the ground, and after a while seemed to have made a discovery. He then got up and ran swiftly towards the mountain behind the village.

Feng Junzi felt as light as a swallow, as if he were floating on clouds. Grass and treetops flew past beneath his feet, and he quickly reached the depths of the valley. Feng Junzi landed on a treetop, his sword flashing, piercing the back of a man's neck. The man fell silently to the ground, then leaped back onto a treetop and flew forward again. These were all actions beyond Feng Junzi's conscious control. He only had time to see what appeared to be a soldier in a yellow uniform, seemingly a sentry standing behind a large tree. He had assassinated several such sentries along the way, finally arriving at an open clearing in the valley.

Feng Junzi stood in the open space, sword in hand, and then he heard his own voice: "I'm here. You can come out now."

Suddenly, a large number of people appeared around the open space, and armed soldiers densely surrounded Feng Junzi in the center. Only then did Feng Junzi realize that the soldiers' attire was almost exactly the same as the Japanese devils he had seen in movies—droopy hats, yellow dog-skin-like uniforms, and long guns that looked like fire pokers.

The surrounding soldiers suddenly parted, creating an opening. A man who appeared to be an officer stepped out, followed by two soldiers supporting a woman. The woman's clothes were torn and illegible, but in the moonlight, her face startled Feng Junzi. What was Tao Muling doing here! Upon closer inspection, Feng Junzi realized it wasn't Tao Muling, only that the features were remarkably similar. This woman's face was noticeably thinner than Tao Muling's, and she appeared older, probably in her thirties.

At this moment, the officer spoke up: "Third Master Feng, you are indeed a man of your word, but you are foolish. Do you think you can still go back alive?"

Feng Junzi heard his own voice say, "Yes, I was foolish to expect you to keep your word. I just came from Jinsha Village, where all the villagers are dead. Why?"

Officer: "Foolish Chinese, do you think the Imperial Japanese Army will let them go because of your words? They died for a sacred cause. Everyone here, including myself, is ready to sacrifice ourselves for the Emperor. You should feel the greatest honor to die here today!"

Feng Junzi: "Mad dogs! Since you've taken Ms. Qingye hostage, why are you using the lives of all the villagers in Jinsha Village to blackmail me?"

Officer: "You're too naive. The villagers of Jinsha Village are going to die no matter what, and everyone around this secret is going to die. It doesn't matter whether you come or not."

At this moment, the woman named Qingye behind the officer said, "Master Feng, you really shouldn't have come."

Feng Junzi: "Qingye, you don't understand. A true man knows what to do and what not to do. Even though I'm just a bandit, I know what I should do."

Officer: "Stop talking nonsense. Did you bring the map? And where are the chopsticks?"

Feng Junzi: "Am I really that naive? Do you think I'd give it back to you?"

Officer: "You should know what we do to people who break their promises."

Feng Junzi: "You dare to talk to me about integrity? Let me tell you, I never intended to go back alive."

Officer: "Think about Ms. Aoba, what will happen to her after you die."

Feng Junzi: "Her fate was sealed long ago; there was no escaping it. The same goes for you. I never imagined so many people would come to die with us today!"

This conversation was between Feng Junzi and the officer, but Feng Junzi's consciousness was imprisoned within his body, unable to move. He seemed to be hearing the voice of another soul. The conversation abruptly ended there. Feng Junzi felt his left hand flick, and something flew out, striking Qingye in the left chest. Qingye let out a groan, like a sigh, and collapsed to the ground. A chorus of gunshots filled the air. Feng Junzi raised his sword and slashed at his own neck. Blood flowed down the blade, past his hand, staining the emerald green jade pendant attached to the sword tassel…

"No!" Feng Junzi finally shouted, waking up with a start. It was all a dream. Cold sweat soaked his body. He felt something slightly hot on his cheek; it was the jade pendant he'd taken off before bed, which had somehow ended up on his pillow. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Tao Muling called from outside, "Feng Junzi, what's wrong? Why are you shouting in the middle of the night?"

...

"I dreamt that I killed someone, how do you explain that?" Feng Junzi asked Tao Muling.

"Suppressed desires, hatred, guilt, anxiety, or even falling in love with someone can all cause this kind of dream. It depends on the specific situation and who you killed in the dream."

"This person looks a lot like you... Don't ask anymore, and don't try to pry into this dream, it's definitely an unpleasant experience."

Part 4: A Pair of Chopsticks, Episode 16: The Greatest Hero is Like This.

"Grandpa, did you hear that last night? The sword in the study made a sound again. How strange! Why was the sound so loud this time? It sounded like crying, or like screaming."

“I heard it. It’s possible that the owner of this sword is coming. It’s an ancient sword. It has a spirit and I can sense it.”

This was in the Xiao family's living room. Xiao Yunyi and her grandfather were talking, and Xiao Zhengrong was sitting beside them. As they were talking, the doorbell rang outside the courtyard. Xiao Yunyi went to open the door, and Feng Junzi, who looked haggard, entered—he clearly hadn't slept well the night before.

Grandpa Xiao seemed to have anticipated Feng Junzi's arrival and gestured for him to sit down. Feng Junzi appeared somewhat dazed, offering a brief greeting before sitting absentmindedly on the sofa. Xiao Yunyi seemed to have always been interested in Feng Junzi, and while pouring tea, she asked, "I heard from my brother that you went to Dragon King Pond. Did you find anything? Tell me about it, and let me go with you next time."

Feng Junzi seemed not to have heard her words, and looked up at Xiao Zhengrong, saying, "I originally wanted to find the old man, but since you're here, Xiao Zhengrong, that's even better." As he spoke, he suddenly flicked his left hand, and a chopstick flew straight at Xiao Zhengrong's face from nowhere. Feng Junzi's sneak attack was sudden, but Xiao Zhengrong reacted quickly, reaching out and gently catching the chopstick between his fingers.

Before anyone could react, Feng Junzi continued, "Xiao Zhengrong, look closely, isn't this the kind of kung fu you used at Dragon King Pond that day?"

Xiao Zhengrong said with a surprised look, "This is the Hidden Universe in the Sleeve that Grandpa taught me. How do you know it too?... Wait a minute, the hidden weapons you released had no internal energy at all. They were just the same technique. What's going on?"

Feng Junzi: "So it was Grandpa Xiao who taught you. I didn't know how either; I just imitated his movements. To be honest, I don't know if you can believe me, but I learned the technique in a dream last night. I had a dream in which I launched a hidden weapon like this."

Xiao Yunyi was the first to exclaim in surprise, "Is that so?! That's so interesting! Can you teach me too? My grandfather is biased; he only teaches my brother some things and not me. I didn't know you could learn things in your dreams. How did you dream like that?"

Grandpa Xiao finally spoke: "Yunyun, don't be silly. Your personality isn't suited for martial arts. Go to the study and get that sword."

Xiao Yunyi turned and went to the study to retrieve a long sword, placing it on the coffee table. The sword was sheathed, obscuring the blade, but two seal characters were clearly engraved on the golden hilt—"Heavenly Heart." This was the very long sword Feng Junzi had held in his dream. Upon seeing the sword, Feng Junzi involuntarily stood up: "I want to ask about the origin of this sword. How did it come to be with you, sir?"

Xiao Yunyi answered first: "This sword is quite old, older than any of us. It went to the battlefield with my grandfather and killed Japanese soldiers."

Grandpa Xiao didn't seem to be in a hurry to answer Feng Junzi's question. Instead, he said to Xiao Yunyi, "Actually, we didn't use swords much on the battlefield. We used broadswords more often."

Xiao Yunyi: "Yes, yes, isn't there a song called 'Slashing the Japanese Devils with a Broadsword'? Grandpa, you used to wield a broadsword too?"

Seeing that Xiao Yunyi was still entangled, Feng Junzi became a little anxious and interjected, "Grandpa, what I want to ask about is this sword."

Old Master Xiao: "Don't worry. As I mentioned before, I might give you something, which is this sword. You can take it back and study it at your leisure."

"What? You're giving it to him?" Xiao Zhengrong and his sister Xiao Yunyi were both taken aback. In their memory, this sword had always hung in the study, and the old man treated it like a treasure, not allowing anyone to touch it. Once, when Xiao Yunyi was a child, she took the sword down and brandished it outside, and even got a beating from her grandfather. Hearing that the old man Xiao was suddenly giving the sword to Feng Junzi, the two of them were quite surprised.

Feng Junzi was also taken aback and was speechless for a moment. He then heard Old Master Xiao explain, "This sword was never mine. I have only been keeping it safe for someone else for many years."

Feng Junzi: "Grandpa, this sword isn't mine either, why are you giving it to me?"

Old Xiao: "You'll understand once I finish telling you. This story is too long to tell, I don't even know where to begin. Let me start with the story of the big sword that cuts down the Japanese devils."

Feng Junzi was completely confused, but Xiao Yunyi cheered, "Great! Great! Grandpa never talks about these things, but today he finally spoke up."

Old Master Xiao ignored Xiao Yunyi and instead asked Xiao Zhengrong, "Zhengrong, you are a martial artist. I ask you, what school or sect did the army's assassination techniques originate from before liberation?"

Xiao Zhengrong: "Assassination techniques? This doesn't seem to be considered a profound martial art. What sect would you be talking about?"

Old Master Xiao: "You're wrong. I've taught you all of these things, but you just don't know it. I'll tell you about someone you might not know: Han Muxia, the great hero of the Guandong region in the past. Most of the assassination techniques used by the old army were passed down from him."

Feng Junzi: "Who is Han Muxia? What is his relationship with this sword?"

Old Master Xiao: "Let's not talk about this sword yet. Han Muxia's master was the famous martial artist Zhang Zhankui, and Zhang Zhankui's master was the renowned founder of Baguazhang, Dong Haichuan..."

Upon hearing the name Dong Haichuan, even someone like Feng Junzi who had never practiced martial arts had heard of him. Everyone stopped interrupting and listened as Elder Xiao continued: "Back then, Marshal Zhang Xueliang invited Han Muxia to be the army's martial arts instructor. Senior Han simplified the 108-style Xingyi Lianhuan Spear Technique into five moves: thrust, parry, lift, strike, and chop, which proved very practical on the battlefield. Later, when the Northeast Army disbanded, some of its members were incorporated into Song Zheyuan's 29th Army. At that time, the army was short of supplies and lacked bayonets, so the soldiers used broadswords for combat. Senior Han then compiled the 64-style Baguazhang into a set of sword techniques."

Xiao Zhengrong finally couldn't help but speak up: "Baguazhang doesn't seem suitable for combat on the battlefield, and besides, it's too difficult to learn."

Master Xiao: "Zhengrong, you're wrong. It seems your skills aren't up to par. This set of sword techniques only has four moves. The most difficult part of Baguazhang is footwork, but Master Han only used the four most basic footwork: stepping forward, stepping to the side, turning around, and stepping backward. The sword moves are: wrapping around the head, sweeping horizontally, opening up flowers to the left and right, and chopping the horse and splitting the stake."

As he spoke, Old Xiao stood up and demonstrated. Feng Junzi and Xiao Yunyi couldn't figure out what was going on, but Xiao Zhengrong exclaimed in amazement: "Truly worthy of being a renowned martial arts master, these four sword techniques not only simplify complex techniques but are also most suitable for close-quarters combat on the battlefield, and they are quick to learn."

Master Xiao: "Han Muxia was a true hero of modern times. There may be martial arts practitioners who are more skilled than him, but only he truly transformed martial arts into a national art. Although warfare has now moved away from cold weapons and we no longer need to use Xingyi Spear and Bagua Palm to fight the enemy, the spirit of martial arts remains unchanged. In comparison, we, master and disciples, are far inferior to our predecessor Han Muxia. No matter how good our martial arts are, it is nothing more than the bravery of a common man."

Xiao Yunyi suddenly asked, "Grandpa, you are also a war hero. I have never heard of you practicing martial arts. Who is more skilled in martial arts, you or that Han Muxia?"

Master Xiao: "I don't know since we haven't competed with each other, but I think my senior brother's skills are probably no less than those of Senior Han."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Grandpa, you have a senior brother?"

Mr. Xiao: "I have never talked about my lineage. Actually, my master and Han Muxia were from the same school, but their actions were very different. My master was not a bad person. His family had been imperial guards for generations, and they were always loyal to the Qing Dynasty. After the Qing emperor abdicated, he still lived in the Forbidden City, and my master stayed by Puyi's side to protect him from then on. In 1924, General Feng Yuxiang drove the young emperor to Tianjin, and my master also went to Tianjin. Han Muxia came to my master and asked him to join the army, but my master did not leave."

Later, Puyi was taken to Northeast China by the Japanese and became the emperor of the puppet state of Manchukuo. My master, loyal to his master, continued to serve as a palace guard in Manchukuo. My master had many disciples in Manchuria, but only two truly became his disciples: Brother Feng and me. We both later served as palace guards for Puyi alongside our master…”

At this point, Xiao Yunyi's eyes widened in surprise, "Grandpa, you used to do that—"

Old Xiao nodded and said calmly, "Yes, it's okay to say it directly. I have been the kind of traitor you described."

Xiao Zhengrong: "Grandpa, how did you later join the revolution? I've never heard of this part of history before."

Old Xiao: "If you had heard of this, you probably wouldn't be here now. After all, I experienced an era you can't even imagine. I didn't tell you about this experience not because I wanted to cover anything up, but because I wanted to protect my family. I remember during the political movements of the 1950s and 60s, many underground workers in the White areas were overthrown as soon as they confessed to the organization that they had worked in the White areas, and some even lost their lives. If I had told you about this history, you and your siblings probably wouldn't be here today."

Feng Junzi finally realized something and asked, "Grandpa, your senior brother's surname is Feng, right?"

Old Master Xiao: "That's right. My senior brother's surname is Feng, and his name is Feng Xingzhi. This sword is his personal sword. At that time, he was the number one expert in the inner palace of the puppet state of Manchukuo. Unfortunately, this title is not glorious now. My later experience of joining the revolution was also related to my senior brother's experience..."

Next, Elder Xiao slowly recounted a story about Feng Xingzhi from sixty years ago, transporting everyone back to that era of blood and fire. The following is Elder Xiao's narration—

Part Four: A Pair of Chopsticks, Episode 17: A Hero's Lament for National Humiliation

"At first, the Japanese only made Puyi the 'Regent' of the puppet state of Manchukuo, but later changed the title to 'Emperor' due to the needs of the war. Puyi was nominally the head of state of Manchukuo, but in reality, he was just the leader of third-class citizens... At that time in Manchukuo, Japanese military and political personnel were first-class citizens, Japanese immigrants such as the 'Reclamation Corps' organized by Japan and other foreign nationals were second-class citizens, and all the original Chinese were third-class citizens. Although Puyi was the so-called emperor, his every move was monitored and controlled by Japanese soldiers. Even a lowly Japanese officer could boss him around, not to mention the others around him, including us guards."

Looking back, it was truly humiliating. We generally tried to avoid conflicts with the Japanese soldiers… The palace not only housed Puyi's personal guards but also guards sent by the Japanese military. I remember once, a few Japanese guards, drunk, challenged the palace guards to a duel. Naturally, they won, as the palace guards dared not harm anyone. However, these Japanese warriors, unaware that their victory was dishonorable, proceeded to humiliate the guards, even insulting my master, who was also one of those guards' disciples. This was just one of countless conflicts, but this one particularly enraged one person: my senior brother, Feng Xingzhi.

By your standards, Brother Feng probably isn't a good person. His ancestors were bandits from beyond the Great Wall, what you'd call outlaws. Even bandits have their downfalls, and my master happened to be there. Seeing that his father was quite skilled, my master rescued him and persuaded him to walk the straight path. Later, Brother Feng's father quit his banditry, opened a security escort agency, and sent his son, Feng Xingzhi, to my master's tutelage.

Senior Brother Feng comes from an extremely wealthy family and also has the habits of a spoiled brat. He's done things like bullying men and women, and his ancestors had bandit tendencies. However, he's very loyal and also deeply respects our master. Our master knows he has many bad habits, so he's always kept him by his side to keep him in check. In Changchun, Senior Brother Feng behaved himself. This time, those Japanese samurai not only beat up the palace guards while drunk, but also verbally insulted our master. Senior Brother Feng finally couldn't take it anymore. The next day, he found those Japanese samurai and fought them one-on-one. None of them could last two moves against him; they were all brought down..."

When Grandpa Xiao finished speaking, Xiao Yunyi couldn't help but interject, "Grandpa, your Senior Brother Feng must be very skilled, right?"

Feng Junzi and Xiao Zhengrong both said, "Don't interrupt."

Old Master Xiao nodded and continued, “Brother Feng came to the master with his own skills. His family’s martial arts were already very good, and my master taught him all his skills. In the end, his skills were probably no less than my master’s. Zhengrong, your hidden arrow technique was not taught to me by my master, but by Brother Feng. It is his family’s secret technique… When Brother Feng was beating people, my master was out on business and not in the palace. We did not expect the consequences to be so serious. Later, the Japanese samurai who were beaten were reprimanded by their instructors. At that time, the instructor of the Japanese guard battalion was named Honda Taro, who was said to be a master of Japanese martial arts. He heard that his seven disciples combined were no match for Brother Feng, so he came to challenge him personally.”

We were all present at that competition, including the Japanese guard battalion. Honda, wielding a long sword, charged forward, slashing wildly, but Senior Brother Feng dodged them all. Later, without even drawing his sword, Senior Brother Feng kicked Honda to the ground and turned to leave. As Senior Brother Feng turned, Honda got up and launched a sneak attack with his sword, the tip already piercing his clothes. Fortunately, Senior Brother Feng reacted quickly, retaliating with a scabbard and breaking Honda's arm.

This incident escalated significantly. Because of the large crowd, the result of the duel spread among the people, and countless embellishments were passed down, describing the match as incredibly exciting, and Brother Feng's kung fu was portrayed as divine. Originally, in Manchukuo, ordinary Chinese people were oppressed, third-class citizens. The Japanese had always propagated the idea that the Chinese were an inferior race. Now, a Chinese person had defeated a Japanese martial arts master, and people privately felt incredibly proud. Now, they thought such pride was worthless… It was because of this incident that the subsequent duel took place.”

The three younger men asked almost in unison, "Is there another duel? Did Feng Xingzhi win again?"

Old Master Xiao shook his head and sighed, "Senior Brother Feng didn't win because he didn't even go to the duel."

The three asked again, "What happened?"

Master Xiao: "When Senior Brother Feng injured Honda Taro, the news spread among the people and the Japanese military was furious. Later, it was said that Momoki Kenjiro, the top martial arts expert in Xinjing, stepped forward to challenge Senior Brother Feng to a duel."

Xiao Yunyi: "What kind of place is Xinjing?"

Feng Junzi also asked, "Is that expert's surname Taomu?"

Xiao Zhengrong then asked, "Why wasn't the competition held?"

Old Master Xiao: "Don't be anxious, let me explain slowly. Xinjing is the present-day Changchun, a name changed by the Japanese in 1932. Such things were quite common at the time; wasn't Longwangtang also renamed Heilongjing? As for that Japanese samurai, he was Colonel Momoki, indeed a master swordsman. It is said that no one in Xinjing could rival him. The duel didn't happen because my master returned."

My master returned on the morning of the duel between Senior Brother Feng and Momoki Kenjiro. He had rushed back overnight after hearing about it. Senior Brother Feng was already ready to set off with his sword when my master stopped him. My master asked him if he knew the outcome of the duel. Senior Brother Feng said he would fight with all his might and refused to believe he couldn't defeat the Japanese. Later, my master said that Senior Brother Feng couldn't win this battle no matter what, because the Japanese wouldn't let him win. If Senior Brother Feng won, he would only die, and the Japanese would publicly declare that he died in a duel defeat. Moreover, if Senior Brother Feng died, his family in Xinjing would likely suffer a terrible fate.

Hearing his master's words, Senior Brother Feng hesitated, asking how to protect himself and his family. His master told him there was only one choice: surrender in the duel arena and declare that he was far inferior to the Japanese samurai. Although the duel was to be decided to the death, kneeling and begging for mercy might offer a chance of survival. He then asked Senior Brother Feng if he was willing to do so. Senior Brother Feng was incapable of such humiliation, but he also didn't want to risk his and his family's lives, so he asked his master if there was any other way. His master said there was only one way: don't go to the duel, hurry home, take your family, and leave. Perhaps it wouldn't be too late.

Hearing this, Xiao Yunyi interjected again: "Did your Senior Brother Feng leave with his family?"

Old Xiao shook his head and said, "No, my master thought too highly of the Japanese. They didn't leave Senior Brother Feng any choice at all. Senior Brother Feng didn't go to the martial arts competition but went straight home, but he was too late. His wife and children had already perished. I didn't see the scene, but it was extremely tragic. Senior Brother Feng was also ambushed by the Japanese military police at home. He drew his sword and killed the Japanese soldiers who ambushed him, but he was also shot and escaped wounded. I never saw him again after that."

Brother Feng killed the Japanese military police who ambushed him, but one person present escaped. This person was the very one who shot and wounded him; it was Honda Taro, whom he had previously defeated. Honda had brought all the killers with him. My master was also implicated in this incident, but fortunately, he was a long-time retainer of Puyi, so the Japanese haven't done anything to him yet.

The next evening, my master summoned me and said, "Tianhong, I have nothing more to teach you. Even if we martial artists reach the highest level, we are still just brutes. I regret not listening to your Uncle Han back then. A true man should learn from Guan Yu's loyalty and righteousness. I am old and can only remain loyal to the emperor, but you cannot follow my example. You must prioritize the greater good of the nation. So hurry up and leave. Join the National Revolutionary Army, come back to fight the Japanese, avenge your Brother Feng, and avenge all Chinese people." Later, I left and joined the revolution.