Jinxiang Palace
Jinxiang Palace is located on Dongting Lake, overlooking Yueyang Tower, Junshan, and Fengyushan from afar. Since its establishment, it has sheltered unfortunate women who have suffered from societal prejudices.
Madam Wen has devoted herself to resisting the corrupt Confucian ideology, teaching the palace attendants to study literature and martial arts, to love and respect themselves, to have selfderogatory term "weak woman." She aims to challenge men and prove that women are equally capable.
It is widely known that due to past conflicts between and , members of the Nangong Clan have to lower their heads when passing through Jinxiang Palace's territory. Despite the initial support received when Jinxiang Palace was founded, interactions with the Nangong Clan still occur. However, there is little contact with the Tang Sect in Shu.
In the realm of martial arts, while the people of the Mud Sect follow earthly ways, Madam Wen is considered the earthly law queen, with only Dragon Xiang unaware of this fact.
Palace Tour
White water stretches to the sky at dusk, torrents flow with the sun. High winds and cloud dreams in the evening, moonlight fills Dongting in autumn. Fishermen's fires on the sand, merchants' boats in the mist. West garden and south shore, thousands of miles in leisure.
Originally known as Jinxiang Pavilion, the pavilion housed eleven disciples, each skilled in martial arts. About ten years ago, the immortal Rui Xing took the palace as her master and the pavilion relocated to Dongting.
The palace is built with highMadam Wen, painted red and polished, even the curtains and quilts are fragranced, very elegant, a treatment fit for royal nobility. Apart from guest rooms, it is divided into a study, martial arts hall, embroidery pavilion, fragrant pool, and music pavilion.
The study contains books not available for borrowing by guests. The embroidery pavilion is where clothes are woven, while the fragrant pool serves as the women's bathhouse. Men are restricted from these areas, and guests must request hot water for bathing and have privacy within the rooms.
The martial arts hall is where the palace attendants practice martial arts, unafraid of being imitated, as all martial arts in Jinxiang Palace are learned by women. Whether or not one is from Jinxiang Palace, women who learn these arts can defend themselves, without the need for secrecy. Men who learn these arts may become awkward, but if unashamed, they are welcome to learn.
The music pavilion is where musical instruments are played. Madam Wen requires that the palace attendants learn at least one instrument to soothe their minds. Gifted attendants can play up to four or five instruments each. Instruments include flutes, pipas, zithers, and more.
Jinxiang Palace serves board chestnutDragon Xiang as a delicacy, as they are located by the lake and mostly consume fish and shrimp. Chicken is a rare treat, enjoyed only every two to three days, with Dragon Xiang particularly fond of it.
In leisure time, one can take a boat to tour Dongting, especially if accompanied by a loved one.
Martial Arts
The palace attendants of Jinxiang Palace all learn martial arts for self-defense and to build confidence, not to be bullied.[1] The martial arts of Jinxiang Palace are learned from the Nangong Clan, the Yuwen Clan, and some are taught by Fearless Wen, with the initial eleven people also contributing.[2] The following are martial arts techniques mentioned in the story, with Bird Bear mentioning there are more techniques.[3]
- Sound Wave Technique: Playing instruments like the pipa and zither to incite emotions, those lacking internal strength and mental fortitude, even if not immediately driven mad, may suffer internal injuries, making it difficult to recover. Aside from harming enemies, it can also manipulate internal energy to regulate heartbeats and aid in healing.
- Graceful Snake TechniqueDragon Abyss Seven Mastersgile and unpredictable, seemingly delicate but difficult to defend against, capable of paralyzing opponents by acupoint manipulation. It is said to share similarities with the unique acupoint techniques of the Dragon Abyss Seven Masters.
- Soft Sword TechniqueDragon Xianghnique does not inflict fatal wounds, only causing a thin trickle of blood from the collar, precise and gentle. It is rumored that with the soft needle technique, it can even unlock doors. Dragon Xiang practiced by stabbing countless chickens to master this technique, making the sword even softer than a whip.
- Mysterious Candle Heart Sutra: When activated, it can calm the heart and temper fiery emotions, allowing the palace attendants to think clearly and make calm decisions.
Pipa Heart Inquiry
The rule for marrying a woman from Jinxiang Palace is to not take concubines or other wives, but to remain faithful to one.
There is a saying in the martial world, "True feelings or false pretenses, the pipa inquires the heart." Madam Wen is renowned for her Sound Wave Technique, and no martial artist dares to underestimate her, as many have suffered the consequences.
To marry a woman from Jinxiang Palace, one must first listen to Madam Wen play a pipa piece. If the listener lacks internal strength and mental fortitude, they will fall into an illusion, revealing their true nature, leading to embarrassment or even physical harm.
Flower Pity Command
"Following the master's orders to travel the martial world, using the Flower Pity Command to punish those who betray true love."
Before setting off to travel the martial world, Jinxiang Palace disciples are given a booklet by Madam Wen called the "Flower Pity Command." This booklet lists many scoundrels who have mistreated women, instructing the disciples to seek them out and verify the rumors. Depending on the severity of their actions, punishment can range from a beating to death.
While society may tolerate three wives and four concubines, Jinxiang Palace does not. Those who trample on people's hearts must have their names recorded in the Flower Pity Command.
For example, in Dragon Xiang's list, there is the incident involving Chen Xugong desecrating a temple, as well as the Tang Sect's .
Wind and Rain Mountain Incident
Drizzle falls incessantly, each drop landing in the heart. Twenty years have passed, yet there is no solution. The candles by the western window are extinguished, unable to tell the tale of sorrow. Tears are turned into poems, the zither strings express the unsaid.
As the court intervened in the martial world through the Shangguan Family's hands, Jinxiang Palace sought to protect itself, but it was no longer possible. Therefore, Madam Wen decided to dissolve Jinxiang Palace at the Wind and Rain Mountain martial arts assembly. Those with nowhere to go were entrusted to Zhao Huo to be taken in by the Tang Sect.
During the announcement of the dissolution at the assembly, the second son of the Nangong Clan, Nangong Qian, presented a secret letter from the Beggars' Sect, publicly accusing Madam Wen of being the earthly law queen of the Mud Sect. Despite Jinxiang Palace's honorable deeds in the martial world, once the word "Mud Sect" was mentioned, people distanced themselves, eager to kill.
Seeing this, the people of Jinxiang Palace immediately formed a windMadam Wenon, derived from Zhuge Liang's "Eight Trigrams" calculation, with a revolving eye that never ceased, allowing one person to draw their sword while the palace attendants covered each other's backs, facing off against the righteous martial world. Madam Wen invited Nangong Shen and Shangguan Jun for negotiations within the formation, seeking to submit to the court. However, the magistrate of Yuezhou intervened, halting the negotiations, leading to a breakdown.
Realizing the situation was dire, Madam Wen pleaded with Shangguan Jun to die honorably, taking the entire palace with her in a fire. Amidst the flames, Madam Wen picked up a zither, playing a melancholic tune. Suddenly, the melody changed, adding a different note to the original tune, using the zither strings to communicate—only understood by the people of Jinxiang Palace—a secret signal, informing Painted Fairy disguised as the real Madam Wen, while she pretended to be controlled by a demonic entity using a heartNangong Yuan, taking the blame for the earthly law teachings, and died together with Nangong Yuan.
Painted Fairy led the palace attendants to retreat and accept their fates, paying respects to the new leader. Due to the heavy losses suffered at Wind and Rain Mountain, the palace gates remained closed, rejecting all visitors and apologies.
Manuals
Notes
- The forehead makeup of the palace attendants should be a flower hairpin makeup. It doesn't signify anything, just a popular, aesthetic choice for fun. [4]
- Ideally, the Mysterious Candle Heart Sutra should help the palace attendants think calmly, but not everyone is proficient, wasting Madam Wen's efforts. [3:1]
- In certain story branches, Jinxiang Palace may relocate to an outpost of the Tang Sect. [3:2]
- After relocating to the Tang Sect outpost, martial arts and swordsmanship are still practiced, but not everyone is skilled; some may work in Tang Sect industries. [1:1]
- If the Tang Sect refuses to take in Jinxiang Palace, Painted Fairy will lead the palace attendants to leave the Central Plains and settle at the remote Lugu Lake, never to return.
- Regarding income, the women of Jinxiang Palace have various jobs, running restaurants and weaving in Yueyang, selling embroidery and knots. [5]
- Apart from sending gifts to Madam Wen on special occasions, Rui Xing does not provide additional support, as Madam Wen prefers the palace attendants to be self-sufficient. [5:1]
- The Soft Sword Technique can remove fish bones, but it is recommended to use chopsticks or hands. [6]
- There is a reason why the martial arts experts at the Wind and Rain Mountain battle did not break the formation. Bird Bear refuses to disclose it, believing it's better for everyone to figure it out themselves. [6:1]
- During the Song Dynasty, handwashing methods were limited, with most people using plain water. The palace attendants of Jinxiang Palace wash their hair with soapberry and mugwort-infused water. [7]
- Examinations on music or martial arts, if performed excellently, can earn extra pocket money and holidays. [2:1]
- Of the original eleven people, only Madam Wen, Ming Yu, and remain. [2:2]
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