his wife snapped back.
"If it was me, I"d die rather than take one of his pills. But you, you"d take one even if there was nothing wrong with you."
Madame Guan put the girl on her back, and started walking off north with Bald Vulture following behind, nattering ceaselessly.
They went to the old couple"s home on Precious Mountain. Huo Qingtong took another pill, then slept peacefully, and felt much refreshed when she woke. Madame Guan sat on the edge of the bed and asked her what she had been doing travelling alone and sick through the desert. Huo Qingtong told her about how the Manchu army had been destroyed and how she had met the Three Devils on the road, but did not say why she had left the camp. Madame Guan, however, was an impatient person and pressed her. Huo Qingtong respected her teacher more than anyone, and found it impossible to deceive her.
"He...he has become friendly with my sister," she sobbed. "And when I gave the orders to the troops before the battle, my father and everyone thought I was acting out of my own selfish interests."
Madame Guan jumped up. "Is it that Great Helmsman Chen that you gave the dagger to?" Huo Qingtong nodded. "Then he"s fickle-hearted and your sister has no sisterly feelings for you. They should both be killed!"
"No, no..." Huo Qingtong replied hastily.
"I"ll go and settle this for you," Madame Guan declared fiercely and rushed out of the room, almost bumping into her husband who had come to find out what the shouting was about.
"Come with me!" Madame Guan cried. "There"s two heartless ingrates that need to be killed!"
"Right!" he replied, and ran out after her.
Huo Qingtong jumped off the bed, wanting to explain, but she collapsed on the ground, and by the time she had recovered, they were already far away. She knew that together they could easily beat Chen, and was worried they actually would kill him and her sister. So disregarding her weakness, she climbed onto her horse and galloped off after them.
As they rode along, Madame Guan talked at length about how all the heartless men under heaven should be killed.
"That dagger that she gave him is a priceless treasure," she said angrily. "She gave it in good faith, but what notice has he taken of it? None. He ignores her and then decides he likes her sister instead. He should be carved into a thousand pieces!"
"And how could her sister be so shameless as to steal him away like that?" her husband added.
On the third day, the Twin Eagles spotted a dust cloud in the distance and saw two riders galloping from the south towards them.
"Ah!" Madame Guan exclaimed.
"What is it?" her husband asked, and then spotted Chen. He moved to draw his sword.
"Not so fast," Madame Guan said. "Let"s pretend we know nothing and take them by surprise."
Chen had also seen them and galloped over. He dismounted and bowed before them.
"It is fortunate that we have met you," he said. "Have you seen Mistress Huo Qingtong?"
"No," Madame Guan replied, secretly furious at his brazen behaviour. "What"s the matter?" Suddenly, her eyes opened wide as the other rider approached and she saw it was an extremely beautiful girl.
"This is your sister"s teacher," Chen said to Princess Fragrance. "Pay your respects to her." She dismounted and bowed before Madame Guan.
"My sister has often spoken of you both," she said, smiling. "Have you seen her?"
Bald Vulture was stunned by her beauty and thought: no wonder he changed his mind. She"s much more beautiful than Huo Qingtong.
Madame Guan was incensed at their craftiness, but her voice betrayed none of her feelings she asked again what was wrong. Chen told her.
"Let"s go and look for her together," Madame Guan said.
The four started out together heading north. That evening, they set up camp in the lee of a sand dune, and after dinner, sat around and talked. Princess Fragrance pulled a candle from her bag and lit it. The Twin Eagles looked at Chen and the girl in the candlelight, so young and good-looking, like figures from a mural, and wondered how they could be so evil.
"Are you sure my sister is not in any danger?"