Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.
Any characters such as Hu Sanniang and Lin Chong belong to Shi Nai'an's 'Outlaws of the Marsh'.
Chapter 8:
They left the village early the next morning, only saying goodbye to Lina, before they started their trek to Liangshan. Golden-Eye Husky and Mano clearly remembered the way there (thank goodness as they would've been sort of lost otherwise) and, mixed with Lin Chung's knowledge of the small area around the village where he grew up, they found their way there quickly.
The place was looming and intimidating.
"Whoa." Rosefinch breathed out as she looked upon the old wooden sign that indicated the entrance of Liangshan Marsh.
"Let's go." Lin Chung nodded at Golden-Eye Husky and Mano to lead them inside.
Both obediently did so.
The inside was barren with a slight chill. There were leaf piles around the place, kept neat only be the occasional group of volunteers who cleared the area in respect for the Outlaws. The atmosphere reminded them of Big Green, but relatively older. The huts in the area were made of stone and crumbling at the edges, though the foundation still stayed strong.
As they walked in and out of the various assembly halls for the Outlaws, it was clear that resources were scarce. Nothing adorned the walls, though the decorative pillars and ceiling planks more than made up for it. The decorations, surely once bright and colourful, was now faded and had lost some of its previous splendour.
Once done, they began their tour of the halls, they started walking to the individual huts which housed the 108 Outlaw commanders. The doors to each room were old, with a sort of step before they entered inside. Mano warned them not to step on them, as it was considered bad luck to do so. Kowloon snorted. "What do you mean?"
"Mighty Ray stepped on it by accident. He fell and nearly cracked his head if Mystique Sonia had not caught him."
This silenced Kowloon. He knew better than to try and test his luck.
Most of the huts were empty - to be expected after so long - and Mano led them to Hu Sanniang's hut first. Of course, she had shared the room with Wang Ying. The room was relatively simple. The bed was still standing, the desk dusty. There was a closet full of moths, and a weapons rack in the corner.
The group spread out, looking around at the many places.
Lady Green knelt down beside the bed and was about to stand up again, before she noticed a little cabinet under the bed, to the very corner; so far so that unless the light shone right, they wouldn't have be able to see it.
Calling to the others, Lin Chung, whose arms were slightly longer than hers, reached out underneath the bed and dragged the dusty small thing out.
It was made of metal and intricately carved, with a small door on one side. It was surprisingly strong, even after having been left there for so many years. Mano and Golden-Eye Husky seemed surprised - they hadn't seen the box the first time they were there.
Lady Green yanked the door open, but still with some respect. The dust clouded around, causing them to cough, before they looked into the box and tilted it to the side.
A small half-empty jar rolled out. It was a simple thing, made of glass and covered with a cloth, which had it's sides bound to the jar with string.
Lin Chung tentatively opened it, and they backed away slightly. He peered into the content, and hesitantly dipped his fingers in, sniffing at it. "A healing balm." He reassured them.
"A what?" Kowloon asked.
"A healing balm. I've seen some in my village - used it before. This is an older version, but the smell is still there."
"What would she do with healing balm?" Kowloon asked again, confused.
Lady Green frowned. "Well, she was a warrior. She must've gotten hurt in battle a lot." The jar was still in Lin Chung's hands. "Should we take that with us?"
Lin Chung looked at it, before nodding.
They moved out of the room, and headed further into the compound.
The other huts had nothing interesting and had the same basic layout - bed at the furthest corner in, wardrobe right beside it. Weapons rack in reachable distance. Different shapes of jars containing the healing balm were around, but none of the group felt compelled to carry them.
"Seems like each had their own unique jar." Rosefinch noted.
Finally, they reached Lin Chong's one.
Entering inside, they looked around. It was relatively neat and contained more dust inside it than the outside ones. They entered carefully.
"Be careful." Lin Chung noted. All of them followed his advice, carefully looking at the various furnitures and knick-knacks that had survived over the years. The weapon rack was empty, and the moths had long since finished the clothes inside.
After a while, Rosefinch frowned. "There's no jar."
They turned to her, now just realising the same thing.
"Maybe Lin Chong took his with him? And they never got the chance to take it back."
Lady Green shook her head. "I don't think so." She gestured to the jar that Lin Chung was still holding. "Look at that more carefully."
They gathered around the jar, squinting in the dark light.
"There's some writing on it." Kowloon noted. They peered at it. The letters were intricately carved into the jar with precision.
"林冲." Lin Chung read. Lady Green frowned. It sure as anything sounded a lot like Lin Chung's own name, just with a different pronunciation. But the pronunciation made the name more unique.
They stood in silence for a while, before Kowloon spoke. "Why would Hu Sanniang have Lin Chong's jar of healing balm?"
"Maybe he lent it to her? And she forgot to return it." Rosefinch suggested. "If he had given it to her right before they left, then she would never have had the opportunity to return it, right? Maybe she felt guilty and kept it."
"But why risk the fact of others thinking that both were having an affair?" Lady Green said. The looks given to her were strange ones. "It makes sense, doesn't it? Hu Sanniang had the jar of healing balm. As a warrior, she would have many injuries. Lin Chong too. We already saw that Wang Ying had his own jar. Why borrow from Lin Chong when Wang Ying would readily give her some? It would be suggestive back then as to her relationship with him."
Rosefinch frowned. "That's a good point, but there's no explanation."
Lin Chung was staring at it. "Maybe they did have an affair."
All looked sharply at him.
He stared steadily back at them. "Hu Sanniang could have gotten the healing balm from her husband at any time she wanted to. But she didn't. Assuming that Lin Chong gave her the healing cream - both of them then left for the village. Something was going on between her and Wang Ying, or she would've just asked him or it."
The silence was deafening. "You mean that…you think…that Wang Ying was…" Kowloon never finished the thought, but he didn't need to. Lady Green did.
"Abusive."
"Lin Chong?" Hu Sanniang called to the meditating warrior. He opened his eyes, almost lazily, and fixed his stare on her.
"Yes?"
They were spending their first night in the village. Quickly, the elder of the village had given both of them sections in her own home. After trying to refuse, the elder insisted, and had their things moved there before both could further protest.
Graciously, they finally accepted.
They had just finished their dinner, and Hu Sanniang was still trying to think how she felt for the exiled trainer of the Imperial Army.
"Are you alright?" Hu Sanniang realised how long she had been quiet.
"Um, yes."
Lin Chong invited her to sit next to him. She did so. "What is it?"
"Do you think about your wife?" the thought was rushed out before it could be fully thought out.
A moment of quiet. Hu Sanniang risked a look at Lin Chong, who was frowning slightly.
"Sometimes."
"Only sometimes?"
Lin Chong sighed. "We are constantly in battle, Hu Sanniang. It is hard to find a moment of peace around Liangshan."
"Right. I'm sorry." Hu Sanniang bit her lip. "May I ask you a question?"
"I believe you just did."
Hu Sanniang flushed, but quickly said something before her pride leapt out to her defence - by asking the question. "How do you think husbands should treat their wives and mistresses?"
Lin Chong blinked, taken aback.
And Hu Sanniang instantly knew that this was pretty much a confession as to what Wang Ying did to her. "Forget about it." She made to stand up and leave, but Lin Chong's voice interrupted her, and she turned back, startled.
"I believe that the husband should treat the wife the best. Gently, with the greatest care. The mistresses…the husband should stay loyal to the wife. I do not generally enjoy the company of people who have too many mistresses to count."
"Oh." Hu Sanniang looked down. "What of the wife's behaviour?"
"She should be dutiful, taking care of the husband."
Hu Sanniang peered at his face. "Was your wife like this?" she knew that she was stepping into dangerous territory. In fact, it was considered lucky that he even answered any of her questions.
Lin Chong suddenly turned to her. "Why are you asking me this?"
Hu Sanniang froze. Her mind frantically ran with excuses, but before she could voice any one of them, he spoke again, turning back to his meditation and closing his eyes.
"If something is bothering you, Hu Sanniang…talk to someone about it."
I just did. Hu Sanniang thought as she left. And I'm still not sure about what I should do.