Peng Gong Case (Volume 1, 2, 3)

Author: (Qing) Tan Meng Dao Ren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: The early Republic of China performer You ShaoTai adapted and performed this story based on the same-named novel by Qing Tan Meng Dao Ren. It tells the tale of Huang Santai, a martial artist from Shaoxing during the Qing Dynasty, who learns that the Emperor Kangxi is ugly and wishes to see him. He travels to the capital, with the help of Wu Qi, the Flying Leopard, the ninth gate inspector, and impersonates a military official to accompany Kangxi on a hunting trip. When Kangxi encounters a tiger, Santai saves him with a golden spear, earning the imperial yellow horse robe as a reward. Upon returning home, Santai invites fellow martial artists to celebrate. Yang Xiangwu, however, becomes resentful and sneaks into the palace to steal the Nine Dragon Cup, intending to bring it to Shaoxing to challenge Santai's reputation. Unbeknownst to him, the cup is stolen by the thief Wang Boyan at a inn in Maozhou. Wang sells the cup to an outgoing official, who is then robbed by Yuan Long and Yuan Hu, the thieves of Erlang Mountain, and the cup is given to Zhou Yinglong, the master of the Yiyao Manor in Yangzhou. Kangxi loses the cup and orders the imperial envoy Peng Peng to investigate. Peng visits Santai and invites various martial artists to help find the cup. Yang and Wang reveal the truth, and the martial artists travel to Yangzhou to persuade Zhou Yinglong to return the cup. Zhou refuses, and Yang Xiangwu steals the cup again. The martial artists defeat the Yiyao Manor, and Zhou Yinglong flees to Zijin Mountain in Henan. Peng and Santai accompany Yang Xiangwu back to the capital to return the cup and apologize. The Prince of Xun does not believe Yang has the skill to steal the cup, so he orders Yang to steal it back from the Prince's palace. Yang Xiangwu steals the cup a third time, escaping punishment. To pursue Zhou Yinglong for refusing to return the cup, the martial artists break through Zijin Mountain and capture Zhou for trial. The master of Beixing Manor, Hua Deyu, harms the local area. Peng Peng leads the martial artists to raid Beixing Manor and eliminate Hua. Hua's brother Delei flees to Datong and takes over Xi Huang Manor. Peng Peng secretly visits Datong but is recognized and imprisoned by Delei, who plans to kill Peng to avenge his brother. The martial artists disguise themselves as actors and infiltrate Xi Huang Manor, killing Delei and freeing Peng Peng. The female thief Jiu Hua Niang sets up an enchanting brothel to lure young men. Peng Peng sends someone to investigate and defeats her, but Jiu Hua Niang escapes to Jianfeng Mountain, where she marries Jiao Xin, the fifth son of the leader Jiao Zhenyuan. Huang Santai, Zhu Biao, and others persuade Jiao Zhenyuan to give up Jiu Hua Niang, but he refuses. The martial artists then raid Jianfeng Mountain, capturing Jiao's father and son along with Jiu Hua Niang. The thief Han Deng from Feilong Island kidnaps Peng Peng and imprisons him on the island. The martial artists storm Feilong Island to rescue Peng Peng and then defeat Qing Shui Tan and Lianhuai Fortress. Bai Qiguo from Helan Mountain sets up a wooden sheep formation, and the martial artists suffer heavy casualties before they discover the formation's secret and break it. Peng Peng completes his mission and returns to the capital to report to the emperor. The successors of this repertoire include Zhu Yaoliang and Hu Tianru. Pan Boying also adapted and performed this story based on the novel in the early days, and his disciple Tang Junlin passed it on.