zhang kui vs yang Jian

The five generals circled around Zhang Kui, but even after thirty or forty rounds, there was no decisive victor. Chong Heihu then spurred his fiery-eyed beast out of the circle and ran away as if defeated. Realizing that Duke Chong meant to release his hawk, the four other generals also turned and ran. When he was two or three bow shots away, Zhang Kui patted the horn of his beast and in a wink was at the back of Wen Ping. General Zhang then lifted his cutlass and slashed him in two. Black Tiger Chong Heihu was cut to pieces in the same way, and had no time to open his gourd to release the magic hawk. When they saw that both Chong Heihu and Wen Ping had been slashed to death, Huang Feihu, Cui Ying and Jiang Xiong ran back to attack Zhang Kui once again. Suddenly, a woman general appeared on a peach-colored pony. It was Gao Lanying, Zhang Kui 's wife. After several rounds, she took a red gourd from her bag and picked out forty-nine Sun needles. When she threw them into the air, the three generals were blinded by the bright light, and in no time at all, slashed to bits by Zhang Kui. Five Zhou generals, Huang Feihu, Chong Heihu, Wen Ping, Cui Ying, and Jiang Xiong, lost their lives in this battle. They were deified soon thereafter as the five Gods of the five famous mountains in China (Mt. Song, Mt. Tai, Mt. Hua, and two Heng Mountains).

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Yang Jian and Zhang Kui fought fiercely, cutlass against cutlass. After about forty rounds, Yang Jian purposely let Zhang Kui bump him and take him captive.

Yang Jian was carried into the city, and when he refused to kneel before Zhang Kui, he was swiftly executed. It was soon reported that Yang Jian's head had been hung on a bamboo pole as a warning to the enemy, but moments later, Zhang Kui's horse boy came running in with fresh news. "Your riding beast's head suddenly dropped to the ground. It died instantly. We're completely baffled," the horse boy cried.

Zhang Kui paled with fright. He stamped his feet and pondered what might have caused his beast to lose its head. When it was reported that the Zhou general they had just executed was waiting again outside the city wall, he suddenly knew what had happened. 'That bloody rascal tricked me!" he cried with hatred. Zhang Kui rode out on a new steed with his long-handled cutlass. He cursed Yang Jian, "You damned rascal! You cruelly slaughtered my beast! I can't let you live any longer!" "You got so many of our generals with your wonderful beast, so I had to take care of it first. I'll get you soon enough," Yang Jian said with a smile. They fought again for twenty rounds until Yang Jian allowed himself to be captured a second time. Back in the city, Zhang Kui told his wife the story of his beast and how Yang Jian had fooled him. "I've captured him again, but what shall we do with him this time?" Zhang Kui asked Gao Lanying. "Let me see him with my own eyes," Gao said. When he was brought before her, Gao Lanying smiled and said, "I know how to deal with this sorcerer. Kill a black cock and a black dog. Mix their blood with human urine and feces, and after you've tied him up with a strong cord through his collar bone, we pour the dirty mixture over his head and body. You must stamp charms and spells first so he cannot escape with his witchcraft. You may finally cut his head off, and he will bother you no more." Zhang ordered his men to follow her instructions precisely. Gao stamped the spells herself, and when the executioner raised his sword and Yang's head fell with a thud, husband and wife smiled in delight at their success. Just as they were about to return to their quarters for a rest, a maid- servant rushed up. "Oh, General and Madam! Something terrible has happened! A few minutes ago, our old Madam was resting in her cham- ber when blood mixed with urine and feces suddenly poured from the air all over her head and body. Her head fell off, and she died at once," she cried excitedly.

"We've been tricked by Yang Jian again!" Zhang Kui roared. He then broke down and cried bitterly like a madman. "My dear mother! She died for my sake-it's all my fault! Oh, woe is me." Zhang Kui ordered a big funeral for his mother. He buried her in an expensive coffin. Yang Jian returned to camp to see Jiang Ziya and reported that he had slaughtered Zhang Kui's Black Smoke Beast and his mother, in the hope of driving the enemy crazy. Jiang Ziya listened to the news with delight.

Investiture of the Gods - Translated by Gu Zhizhong