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{{Quote|We have a mission for you, one that is of utmost importance to our cause.|Al Mualim to Altaïr after the village's siege.|Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles}}
==Biography==
{{Event
What follows is the legend of Jing Ke as recounted in [[Sima Qian]]'s ''[[Record of the Grand Historian|Records of the Grand Historian]]''.<ref name="Sima">Sima Qian. (94 BCE). "Biographies of Assassins". In ''Records of the Grand Historian''. ''Chinese Text Project''. Accessed 5 July 2023. https://ctext.org/shiji/ci-ke-lie-zhuan.</ref>
|width =
|prev = [[Assault on Masyaf]]
|next = [[Defense of Masyaf]]
|imageBG =
|image = [[File:Altair charging to the tower - ACAC.png|300px]]
|name = {{PAGENAME}}
|timeframe = Middle Ages
|conflict = [[Third Crusade]]
|date = 1190
|place = *[[Damascus]]
*[[Tyre]]
*[[Acre]]
*[[Jerusalem]]
|outcome =
|key = *[[Assassins]]
*[[Templars|Knights Templar]]
|participants = *[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]
*[[Rashid ad-Din Sinan|Al Mualim]]
*[[Adha]]
*[[Rafiq|The Rafiq]]
*[[Hamid]]
*[[Fajera]]
*[[Misbah]]
*[[Ayman]]
*[[Badr]]
*[[Tamir (1190)|Tamir]]
*[[Roland Napule]]
*[[Master of the Tower]]
*[[Master of the Tower's student|The Master's Student]]
*[[Basilisk|Lord Basilisk]]}}
The '''Quest for the Chalice''' was an event that occurred during the year 1190 wherein the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] conducted a search for [[Adha|the Chalice]], originally rumored to have been an object of mysterious powers capable of uniting the factions in the [[Third Crusade]] and housed inside the secret [[Temple of the Sand]].


==Return to Alep==
While Jing Ke was a native of {{wiki|Wey (state)|Wey}} (衛),<ref group="note" name="note1">The state Wèi (衛) is commonly spelled Wey in contravention of the {{wiki|Pinyin|Hanyu Pinyin}} romanization standard to distinguish from the more prominent state {{wiki|Wei (state)|Wèi}} (魏) because the two polities' modern {{wiki|Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin}} pronunciations are homophonic. In ancient times, their pronunciations were distinct and remain so in some other Chinese languages today.</ref> his ancestors originally lived in {{wiki|Qi (state)|Qi}}. To the people of Wey, he was called the Honorable Qing (慶卿). Only later among the people of {{wiki|Yan (state)|Yan}} (燕) was he known as the Honorable Jing (荊卿).<ref name="Sima" /> He was a well-educated adept of the [[sword]], but although he taught its art to Lord Yuan of Wey (衛元君), the ruler neglected to put it to use. Afterwards, [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] conquered the State of Wei (魏), established {{wiki|Dong Commandery}} (東郡, <small>lit.</small> "East Commandery") in its place, and forcibly relocated offspring of Lord Yuan residing there to {{wiki|Qinyang|Yewang}} (野王).<ref name="Sima" /><ref group="note" name="note2">These were specifically offspring not of Lord Yuan's legal wife.</ref>
===Village massacre===
{{Dialogue3|Altaïr|What happened?|Guard|The village... under attack!|Who is attacking the village?|Temp... [[Templars]]...|Altaïr and an injured guard, upon arriving at the village.|Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles}}
With the completion of a recent assignment, the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] traveled back to the Assassin fortress, [[Alep]]. En route to his destination, he passed through a settlement as he neared Alep, relieved to find a reprieve from his arduous journey. Here, he cautiously evaded the attention of the city's guards, as the settlement was under the control of the [[Knights Hospitalier]].


When he arrived at the far end of the city, however, he learned that the city gates were closed. As he scoured his surroundings, he spotted a nearby merchant that was absorbed in a conversation with another man. Correctly presuming that the merchant had free access to the gate, he [[pickpocketing|pickpocketed]] a key from the man's pouch and used it to unlock the gates.
Wandering to {{wiki|Yuci District|Yuci}} (榆次), Jing Ke engaged with a man named Gai Nie (蓋聶) in discourse about swordsmanship that soon turned sour. Noticing Gai Nie's angry glare, Jing Ke left. Someone suggested to Gai Nie that he call him back, to which Gai Nie replied, "''A moment ago as I talked swordsmanship with him, we found each other disagreeable, and I glared at him. You can try to go after him, but it was appropriate for him to leave, and he would not dare to stay.''" They sent a messenger to the host of Jing Ke's lodgings, but Jing Ke had already departed from Yuci on a [[wagon|carriage]]. When the messenger reported back, Gai Nie repeated, "''Of course he's gone. I frightened him away with my glare.''"<ref name="Sima" />


As he neared Alep, he was alarmed to discover smoke and fire emitting from the village near the citadel. He soon came across a mortally wounded fellow Assassin who informed him of the Templar attack on the village and with his dying words, gave him his [[swords and maces|sword]], asking him to avenge them.
Jing Ke travelled to {{wiki|Handan}}, where he and a man named Lu Goujian (魯勾踐) played a game of ''{{wiki|liubo|boxi}}'' (博戲) but ended up quarrelling over the way it should be played. His opponent furiously berated him, so Jing Ke silently slipped away never to meet him again. (i.e. He ghosted him!)<ref name="Sima" />


Altaïr hurried to the village but arrived too late to find its populace massacred with a contingent of [[Crusader]]s still in the midst of razing the settlement. The Crusaders, having expected no survivors, were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the Assassin, who began the process of slaying every knight he encountered.
Arriving in Yan, he became intimate friends with a [[dog]] butcher and Gao Jianlei (高漸離), a musician skilled at playing the ''{{Wiki|zhu (string instrument|zhu}}''. He enjoyed [[alcohol]], and everyday he would drink with them in the [[Beijing|city]]. Whenever the wine was sweet, and they were drunk but high in spirits, Gao Jianlei would play the ''zhu'', and Jing Ke would join in with a song to the city. They would share in merriment with one another and then likewise cry their woes away together, paying no mind to anyone else in the world. Though he was an alcoholic, he remained fond of engrossing himself in books, and he had formed connections with many a heroic and eminent individual during his travels through the feudal lands. Being in Yan, the local retired knight Sir Tian Guang (田光) entreated with him, for he intuited that Jing Ke was no ordinary person.<ref name="Sima" />


As Altaïr made his way deeper into the village, he soon found himself on the rooftops, scouting for a way through the burning ruins. There, he spotted a Templar [[crossbowmen|crossbowman]], of whom he demanded the reason for the brutal assault on the village. The crossbowman declared his resolve to die before speaking, but his claim proved false when he was unable to endure the Assassin's abuse of his pressure points. Nevertheless, the Templar was ignorant beyond the knowledge that his captain was under orders by Templar [[Grand Master]] [[Basilisk]] to hunt down a man of interest. The crossbowman then perished, and Altaïr continued the rest of the way through the village, killing more Crusaders that he encountered.
Shortly after, Yan's crown prince {{wiki|Crown Prince Dan|Dan}} escaped from [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] to return home in violation of his status as a collateral to the Qin. Originally, he had been a political hostage in {{Wiki|Zhao (state)|Zhao}} (趙), where [[Qin Shi Huang|Zheng]], the future King of Qin, was born. In their youth, Zheng was amicable to Dan, but after Zheng became king and Dan his hostage in Qin, Zheng treated him derisively. The resentful Dan fled and returned to Yan to beseech for reprisals against Qin, yet Yan was a small state too weak to commit to such endeavours. Meanwhile, Qin was daily fielding armies east out of the mountains, unleashing invasions against {{Wiki|Qi (state)|Qi}}, {{Wiki|Chu (state)|Chu}}, and the {{Wiki|Jin (Chinese state)|Three Jin}}<ref group="note" name="note3">i.e. {{Wiki|Han (state)|Han}} (韓), {{Wiki|Zhao (state)|Zhao}} (趙), and {{Wiki|Wei (state)|Wei}} (魏)</ref> and little by little swallowing all the princely states until they fast approached Yan. Lords and subjects of Yan alike feared the calamity upon them. Himself filled with trepidation, Crown Prince Dan asked his {{wiki|Three Ducal Ministers|tutor}} Ju Wu (鞠武) for counsel. Ju Wu replied:<ref name="Sima" /><ref name="Burton 1961">Sima Qian. (1961). "The Biography of Ching K'o", translated by J.R. Hightower. In ''Records of the Grand Historian of China'', edited by Burton Watson. 1st ed. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, pp. 106–117.</ref>


At the village gate, he sighted the commanding officer of the Templar detachment who was unaware of the Assassin's presence. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he assassinated the captain from behind with his [[Hidden Blade]], in the process saving the life of a woman that had been hiding nearby. The woman expressed her relief and gratitude for Altaïr's arrival before urging him to make haste to Alep and alert [[the Mentor]] [[Rashid ad-Din Sinan]] to the attack.
<blockquote>''Qin is expanding their territory across the world, menacing the Houses of Han, Zhao, and Wei. To their north, they have the strongholds at Sweet Springs (甘泉) and the Valley Mouth (谷口); to their south, the watery torrents of the {{wiki|Jing River|Jing}} (涇) and {{wiki|Wei River|Wei}} (渭). They boast the fertile soils of {{wiki|Ba (state)|Ba}} (巴) and {{wiki|Hanzhong|Han}} (漢); on their right, the mountains of {{wiki|Mount Liupan|Long}} (隴) and {{wiki|Shu (kingdom)|Shu}} (蜀); on their left, the chokepoints at the {{Wiki|Hangu Pass|[Hangu] Pass}} and {{wiki|Xiao Mountains|Mount Xiao}}. Their people are numerous, their troops rigorous, their implements of war in surplus. Should they have the intent to move further out, then there would be no place south of the [[Great Wall]] and north of the {{wiki|Yi County, Henan|Yi River}} (易水) that would be secure. So why would you desire to prick at their [[wikt:逆鱗|inverted scales]] just for having felt the sting of humiliation?!''<ref group="note" name="note4">"Inverted scales" is a metaphor for an individual's trigger. This line is translated less literally by J.R. Hightower in {{wiki|Burton Watson}}'s ''Records of the Grand Historian of China'' (1961) as: "''Angry as you are at the insults you have suffered, how can you dream of baiting such a dragon?''"</ref></blockquote>


===The assignment===
Dan asked, "''Then what should I do?''" to which his mentor responded, "''Please allow me to think it over.''"<ref name="Sima" />
{{Quote|Something that powerful must be kept away from the dealings of men. Altaïr, find it. Bring it here.|Al-Mualim telling Altaïr of the task.|Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles}}
A short while later, a Qin general, Fan Yuqi (樊於期), ran afoul of King Zheng and fled to Yan as well. Crown Prince Dan received him charitably, permitting him to make himself at home. Ju Wu remonstrated:<ref name="Sima" />
Arriving at the fortress of Alep, Altaïr rushed to Al-Mualim's study to notify him of the attack. Though Al-Mualim reassured him that the situation was under control, he regretfully informed that the Templars had succeeded in hunting down their "man of interest," an Assassin with vital information on a relic known as the [[Adha|Chalice]]. This legendary artifact, then in the Templars' possession, was rumored to possess the power to unite all factions in the Holy Land under one banner. Asserting that such an object must be hidden away from the temptations of humankind, Al-Mualim instructed Altaïr to retrieve the Chalice for the Assassins before the Templars can abuse it.
<blockquote>"''You cannot do this! With the Qin king's cruelty and the anger he has nursed against Yan, it is already enough to chill our hearts. And now you would even be receptive to General Fan being here? This is called 'Tossing meat onto the path of a hungry tiger'. There would certainly be no way to shake off the disaster! Even if you had {{wiki|Guan Zhong|Guan ''[Zhong]''}} and {{wiki|Yan Ying|Yan ''[Ying]''}} [for ministers], they still would not be able to concoct a plan out of it. I hope that the Crown Prince would send General Fan away to the [[Xiongnu]] to silence him and his affair. Please form a pact with the Three Jin to the west, connect with Qi and Chu to the south, and bargain with the Xiongnu to the north, after which we could then plan some more.''"</blockquote>
The crown prince replied:<ref name="Sima" />
<blockquote>"''The Grand Tutor's plan would extend the problem for far too many days. My mind is in turmoil. I fear I cannot last another moment. Besides, it is not solely because of this. General Fan, impoverished by hardship unto the very ends of the world, has turned himself over to me. I would never, for the sake of evading the powerful Qin, abandon a pitiable friend. To set him up to the Xiongnu must be when my life is at its end. I hope that the Grand Tutor will reconsider this.''"</blockquote>
Ji Wu remained displeased:<ref name="Sima" />
<blockquote>"''You tread in danger while asking for safety, foment disaster to beg for good fortune, are shallow in your plans yet deep in your grudges. You connect with one person, then call them a friend, without caring for the tremendous harm to the nation. This is called 'funding resentment to subsidize peril'. Torch a swan's feather on a charcoal stove, and it would be [gone in a wink] like nothing happened! Not to mention that with the raptor that is Qin driving its violent fury upon us, what road would there still be to walk?! Yan has one Sir Tian Guang, an individual with deep wisdom and profound courage. You might consult with him.''"</blockquote>
To this last advice, the crown prince was receptive: "''I would like to make the acquaintance of Sir Tian Guang through the Great Tutor. May I?''" "''You may''", said Ji Wu, and he went out to meet with Sir Tian, telling him, "''The Crown Prince wishes to plot a national affair with you, sir.''" Tian Guang replied, "''It would be my pleasure to advise,''" and accompanied him back to see the crown prince.<ref name="Sima" />


==Damascus==
Crown Prince Dan courteously invited Tian Guang inside, where he knelt down to prepare a seat for him. Once Tian Guang had settled in his seat, and they had ensured that no one else was around, Dan came off his own to humbly begin making his request, "''Yan and Qin cannot coexist. I hope that you sir can pay mind to this.''" Understanding his meaning, Tian Guang offered an alternative:<ref name="Sima" />
===The Rafiq's challenge===
<blockquote>"''I have heard that when fine steeds are at their prime, they can gallop 1,000 ''{{wiki|li (unit)|li}}'' in one day—until it has weakened with age, and then even the mangiest nag would advance ahead of it. Today, the Crown Prince has heard of the time when Tian Guang was at his prime, without knowing that his vigour has already withered away. Although I dare not plot a national affair with you, my good colleague the Honourable Jing may undertake this mission.''"</blockquote>
{{Dialogue|Altaïr|Old man, I have a message for you: A cat's dream is filled with mice.|Rafik|Not here, you fool! Ladies, you must excuse me!|Altaïr, upon meeting his contact in Damascus}}
As before, Crown Prince Dan asked, "''I would like to befriend the Honourable Jing through you, sir. May I?''" Tian Guang assented, and the two hastened out to find him. At Jing Ke's door, Dan warned Tian Guang, "''What I have reported to you and everything that you have said are vital affairs of the state. Please sir, do not divulge them to others!''" The old man bowed with a smile and said, "I promise".<ref name="Sima" />
Arriving at [[Damascus]], Altaïr located the Assassins' [[rafiq|Keeper]] of the city, a merchant by the name of [[Rafik]] who was in the midst of advertising silk to a group of women. Altaïr approached Rafik conspicuously, bluntly addressing him as "old man" while uttering the Assassins' password in front of the patrons. Reprimanding Altaïr for his improper timing, Rafik excused himself from his would-be customers and ushered the young Assassin into his store.


Inside the shop, the Keeper began his tirade, berating Altaïr for not only his indiscretion but also his disrespect. Thus doubting the young Assassin's abilities as well as deeming him to be, in his words, a "howling brat," he assigned Altaïr a preliminary task to test his skills. The challenge was simple: kill the man at the end of the street in front of the large gate and survive to meet the Keeper at the [[Assassin bureau]].
When Tian Guang saw Jing Ke, he arced his back low and said:<ref name="Sima" />
<blockquote>"''You and I have been cordial with one another—there is no one in Yan who does not know that. Now the Crown Prince had heard of the time when I was at my prime, without knowing that my physique is no longer up to par, and he honoured me with this instruction: 'Yan and Qin cannot coexist. I hope that you sir can pay mind to this.' I will not steal more of your time by treating you like a stranger. I have already spoken of you to the Crown Prince. Would you please go over to the Crown Prince at his palace?''"
</blockquote>
"''I would be much obliged,''" responded Jing Ke, and Tian Guang continued:<ref name="Sima" />
<blockquote>"''I have heard it said that when an elderly man takes action, he should not arouse others' suspicion. Today the Crown Prince told me, 'Everything we have said are vital affairs of the state. Please sir, do not divulge them to others!' This was the Crown Prince mistrusting me. For one to take action but arouse the suspicion of others, they would not be a [[youxia|hero]] of integrity.''"
</blockquote>
He wanted to use suicide to incite Jing Ke into action, and he gave him these final words, "''Please hurry over to the Crown Prince and tell him that Guang has already died, proving my silence.''" Thereupon, he slit his own throat and died.<ref name="Sima" />


[[File:Rafiq_and_Altair_-_ACAC.png|thumb|240px|The Rafiq giving Altaïr a task]]
Jing Ke accordingly went to see the Crown Prince and inform him that Tian Guang had died, imparting as well his last words. The Crown Prince bowed twice and then sank to his knees breaking down in tears. After a while had passed, he finally spoke up, "''I warned Sir Tian not to chatter only because I wished for us to succeed in this great plot. That Sir Tian Guang used death today to prove his silence—could that truly have been my intention?!''"
With his new orders, Altaïr [[freerunning|traversed]] the rooftops along the street to approach the man from above. Upon arriving near the gate, he promptly identified his target idling in solitude but stalled his assassination when he perceived a crossbowman on the roof overlooking the gate square. Aware that this guard could alert the adjacent barrack, he stealthily disposed of him with his Hidden Blade. Now presented a window of opportunity, he lowered himself down onto the street behind his target and plunged his Hidden Blade into the man's neck, killing him. The task thus accomplished, he escaped the area just as soldiers by the gate detected his deed.


Although Altaïr had alerted the guards, Rafik was impressed nonetheless and, convinced that he had misjudged the young Assassin, accepted him into the bureau to discuss Altaïr's mission.
Jing Ke sat still as he vented, and then the Crown Prince got off from his seat and tipped his head to him. He said:<ref name="Sima" /><ref name="Burton 1961" />
<blockquote>"''Sir Tian, not knowing how unworthy I am, brought me before you so that I may be so bold as to confer with you. This must be Heaven's pity for Yan such that it will not forsake us to a lonesome fate. Today, Qin harbours a greedy heart, and their desires can never be satisfied. Without having conquered all the land in the world and made servants out of all rulers within the four seas, their ambition would never be sated. Now Qin has already captured the King of Han and annexed his entire territory. They have raised troops and marched them south to invade Chu. To their north, they are bearing down on Zhao. {{Wiki|Wang Jian}}, leading several tens of thousands of soldiers, has reached the {{wiki|Zhang River}} and {{wiki|Linzhang County|Ye County}} (鄴縣). And as for {{Wiki|Li Xin (Qin general)|Li Xin}}, he has marched out of [[Taiyuan]] and {{wiki|Yunzhong Commandery|Yunzhong}} (雲中).''"</blockquote>


===Greed's end===
==Appearances==
{{Dialogue2|Tamir|My beautiful carpets! The Venetian Silverware! All gone!|Altaïr|Surely, you can buy them back....|What....Who's there!?|Tamir and Altaïr's initial meeting}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' {{Mo}}
Within the bureau, Altaïr told Rafik of his primary objective to find the artifact known as the Chalice. Rafik expected as much, for Altaïr was not the first man sent by Al-Mualim to find the artifact, but he cautioned that with the exception of the man hunted down by the Templars near Alep, all other Assassins assigned this task had returned empty-handed.


With regards to Assassin's first lead, Rafik suggested a wealthy oddities merchant by the name of [[Tamir (1190)|Tamir]] who had recently moved into Damascus. This man had close ties to the Templars and therefore may have knowledge of the Chalice. Rafik warned, however, that Tamir's residence was well-guarded, prompting Altaïr to suggest a way of circumnavigation. Praising Altaïr for his insight, Rafik supplied him with a [[grappling hook]] and advised him to seek a man named [[Misbah]] on Lowend Street who has had dealings with the merchant.
==Notes==
<references group="note"/>


On Lowend Street in the [[Damascus#Districts|Poor District]], Altaïr found that the grappling hook was indeed convenient for navigating the often dilapidated buildings of the slums. After bypassing a locked building with a key stolen from a watchtower guard, Altaïr managed to locate Misbah in a small market. Confronting Misbah, he claimed to have been directed by a mutual friend. This failed to dissolve Misbah's suspicions and when the man demanded to know the stranger's identity, Altaïr replied that he required information on Tamir. Without waiting for Misbah's response, Altaïr grappled him and began to abuse his pressure points.
==References==
 
{{Reflist}}
[[File:Hung3.jpg|thumb|250px|Misbah, desperately trying to hang on to a rope]]
Before Misbah could capitulate, however, nearby Crusader guards were alerted to the struggle and attempted to apprehend the Assassin. Misbah seized this opportunity to escape via the rooftops, but the soldiers failed to subdue Altaïr who soon enough was in hot pursuit of his target. The chase took Misbah to the roof of a decaying four-story building which crumbled as he tried to flee across a narrow beam. As the structure collapsed, Misbah desperately grabbed hold of a rope that dangled high off the ground. Faced with his fear of heights, he pleaded for Altaïr's assistance who complied on the condition that Misbah provided him with a means of bypassing the security around Tamir's house.
 
Misbah adamantly denied any knowledge of such means but upon further intimidation by Altaïr, realized that he was quite literally at the end of his rope. Thus acquiescing, Misbah, though insisting that he had never visited Tamir's home, suggested that Altaïr could flush Tamir out of his house by igniting the oil barrels on his terrace. Though grateful for his assistance, the Assassin retracted his end of the deal, leaving Misbah to his fate.
 
Now notorious owing to his conflict with Misbah, Altaïr was compelled to travel through the Rich District via the rooftops. Though he took care to avoid a large outdoor market, he was detected by civilians in a small square with a gazebo. He escaped them as they threw stones at him, eventually reaching Tamir's residence. True to Misbah's words, a shipment of pots filled with oil sat on the terrace of the house, and most conveniently, alongside a small box of fire torches. Infiltrating the terrace, Altaïr alighted the oil pots with the torches, setting the entire house ablaze as the barrels combusted.
 
As Tamir ejected himself from the burning building, his Hospitaller guards left the vicinity in search of water and people to assist. In the midst of grieving over his lost possessions, Tamir was confronted by Altaïr who demanded for information on the Chalice. Though startled by the sudden appearance of the Assassin, Tamir initially proved unyielding until Altaïr pointed out that Tamir was alone and utterly vulnerable. Resigning solemnly to his ordeal, Tamir divulged his understanding of the Chalice. 
[[File:Tamirdie.jpg|thumb|200px|Tamir's death]]
He revealed to Altaïr that while he was oblivious to the nature of the Chalice, he was aware that it lied in an [[Temple of the Sand|ancient temple]] in the midst of a desert. In order to gain access into the temple, one would require three keys, but of that, he claimed, he too possessed little knowledge. Consequently, he referenced [[Fajera]], a dancer he mused believed herself "a butterfly." Although Tamir had honestly divulged all that he knew concerning the Chalice, Altaïr closed their conversation by killing the merchant just as the guards returned to the scene. Altaïr, after escaping the guards, returned to Rafik seeking information on his new lead, Fajera.
 
===Circus act===
Returning to the bureau, Altaïr consulted with Rafik, asking him if he knew of a dancer named Fajera. Apparently finding this humorous, Rafik specified that Fajera was a circus dancer and thus would be located in the circus on Market Street.
[[File:AltairtalkingtoFajera-AltairsChronicles.png|thumb|left|250px|Altaïr confronting Fajera]]
Arriving at the circus tent, Altaïr confronted Fajera, who claimed that her cards foresaw the coming of the Assassin. Insisting on the futility of Altaïr's efforts, the dancer called for the attention of one of her circus friends, a brute named [[Badr]]. Badr warned Altaïr to disturb Fajera no further, but despite being overshadowed by the towering man, Altaïr was unyielding and a conflict became inevitable. Though the Badr's strength far eclipsed that of Altaïr, the Assassin employed his superior mobility to his advantage, allowing him to defeat the giant by smashing him against a support pillar.
 
Altaïr escaped the tent as it collapsed, leaving Badr under the rubble. Outside, he sighted Fajera on the rooftop and proceeded to give chase across the district. Though the nimble Assassin was swift on foot, his progress was retarded by hails of stones from angry civilians. After a long chase, Fajera traversed a river via a fragile, wooden bridge that promptly crumbled with her crossing, leaving Altaïr behind. Now seemingly out of her pursuer's reach, Fajera taunted the Assassin from across the river, before passing through a gated checkpoint. Altaïr, however, quickly found a solution in his grappling hook, which he used to swing himself across the river, killing a crossbowman as he landed on the opposing rooftop.
 
Bypassing the guarded checkpoint from the rooftops, Altaïr located Fajera by a well. Though Altaïr initially believed that he had cornered the dancer, Fajera calmly revealed that the scenario had been forecasted. Impressed by the Assassin's skills, the Romani explained to the confused Altaïr that she had merely been testing his resolve. She further clarified that, through her cards, she had foreseen his coming and therefore knew beforehand that the Assassin sought the Chalice. Voluntarily giving a key to the desert temple to Altaïr, she only requested that in return, the Assassin dispose of a man named [[Alaat]], who was at that moment engaged in the baths of the Noble District.
[[File:Alaatdie.jpg|thumb|230px|Altaïr finishes off Alaat inside the bathhouse]]
 
Consenting to her request, Altaïr was escorted by Fajera into the Noble District to a sewer entrance. Before parting, the dancer advised Altaïr to later seek a man in the hospital of Tyre who had once journeyed to the desert temple. As planned Altaïr navigated his way through the sewers, infiltrating the bathhouse of Upper Street from below. There, he identified Alaat, resting within the warm waters alone. Initially mistaking the Assassin for a beggar, Alaat began to catch on too late to the stranger's nature. As he desperately cried for help, he was swiftly killed by the Assassin before the guards could arrive.
 
As soldiers filed into the bathhouse, their captain ordered them to slay the Assassin. In this, they failed when their swordsmanship proved inferior to that of Altaïr. When the Assassin had dispatched the Crusaders, he met back up with Fajera, who acknowledged Altaïr's success before reminding him that his next step was to travel to Tyre to find the old man in the hospital. Bidding him good luck, the two parted ways as Altaïr departed for his journey to Tyre.
 
==Tyre==
===Underground navigation===
Arriving at Tyre, Altaïr cautiously noted that the amount of troops in the city had drastically increased since his last visit. He thus maintained a low profile as he contacted [[Hamid]], the Keeper of Tyre, who regularly assumed the public profession of a carpet merchant. Hamid clarified that the recent upsurge in soldiers was directly related to the reopening of the local hospital. When Altaïr explained that he required an entrance to this very same hospital, Hamid replied that they would have to re-meet at the hospital itself, albeit separately so as to maintain discretion.
 
Heeding Hamid's advice to avoid the streets, Altaïr traveled by the rooftops but nevertheless failed to elude guards when he ventured into a restricted building. Mistaken for a thief, the Assassin was attacked by two Hospitaller soldiers and their crossbowman [[Nazim]]. Though he dispatched them with ease, he was soon detected once more when he entered another prohibited area. A man on the roofs definitively identified him as an Assassin and proceeded to summon the guards, but despite this fiasco, Altaïr ultimately arrived at the hospital plaza unscathed and incognito.
 
At the rendezvous, Hamid instructed Altaïr to locate [[Roland Napule]], the man in charge of the hospital. According to Hamid, this doctor was a depraved man with a nefarious reputation that owed in part to his interrogations. He further remarked that Napule was obsessed with the acquisition of an unknown item, and that an Assassin sent into the hospital a few months prior had never returned. When asked for a way in, Hamid directed Altaïr to a large, drained fountain that connected to a sewage system beneath the city. Though the well was regularly sealed, a man in charge of up-keeping the well possessed the appropriate access key. This custodian was at that moment present in the courtyard, it being the usual hour to clean the well. [[Pickpocketing]] the key from this man, Altaïr managed to slip inside the locked sewer.
 
As he progressed through the old passageways, Altaïr encountered two stranded Hospitaller guards arguing over their predicament. Though Altaïr offered his assistance, the soldiers suspected deception and resolved to kill the Assassin. While Altaïr slayed the guards effortlessly, their presence revealed that the sewage route was not as secretive as the Assassins had presumed.
 
===The Templar Hospital===
{{Dialogue|Altaïr|End of the road, Templar!|Roland|I'll see you in hell, Assassin!|Roland's last words to Altaïr}}
The sewers shortly led Altaïr into the subterranean furnace chambers of the hospital. Despite his best efforts to elude the guards, his stealth was abruptly compromised when a wooden beam he was traversing failed to support his weight. Collapsing onto the floor in front of a Hospitaller soldier, he immediately alerted the room to his presence. A fully-armored Templar knight and his companion, alarmed by the cry of "intruder," arrived just in time to witness the slaying of the Hospitalier. Identifying the trespasser as an Assassin, the knight attacked Altaïr, but he and his fellow guard were killed all the same.
 
The debacle nevertheless placed the guards on high alert, and Altaïr was forced to rely on swordsmanship over stealth as he advanced through the various chambers. Eventually, he ventured into a particular furnace room with viscous tar spilled over the stone floor. From the upper walkways, he perceived that not only were the guards unaware of his presence but that the majority of them had heedlessly wandered onto the puddles of tar. Taking advantage of this, he rained fire torches down at the flammable tar, instantly incinerating a Hospitalier named [[Firas]] and two other soldiers. In the next room, he discovered a lever that not only unlocked a secret passageway but also released an imprisoned Templar knight, who, despite the liberation, was keen on murdering the Assassin. The maddened knight fell at Altaïr's blade.
Through the passageway, Altaïr stumbled upon an old Templar crypt. Disposing of the remaining guards, he deduced that the tomb was only a disguise for an access corridor, and finding the coffins suspicious, proceeded to ram each of the closed caskets into the apertures in the walls. This solved the crypt's apparent puzzle and triggered an old mechanism that activated a lift into the hospital.
 
The lift led him directly into the detention room where Roland Napule was in the midst of interrogating none other than the old man Altaïr had been instructed to find. His conspicuous entrance notwithstanding, the Assassin was at once spotted by the doctor, who barked at his guards to eliminate the intruder before fleeing to an upper level. Witnessing the swift slaughter of his guards, Roland realized that his fate was sealed. As if in affirmation, Altaïr climbed onto a chandelier and leapt from afar to kill him with his hidden blade.
 
With Roland dead, Altaïr approached the old man, who was at first frightened by the unfamiliarity of the Assassin. When Altaïr declared himself to be an Assassin, the prisoner expressed doubt, but Altaïr proved his allegiance by revealing that his left ring finger was severed. Reassured, the man provided Altaïr with a second key to the Temple of Sand but cautioned that the Templars had already discovered the method of entry into the Temple of Sand and that [[Basilisk]] possessed the last key.
 
==Jerusalem==
===The City Gardens===
{{Dialogue2|Altaïr|Tell me where the king is having his party this evening.|Ayman|I don't have to tell you anything, begone!|I'm not a Djinn for you to order around.|Altaïr and Ayman's exchange of words at the gardens of Jerusalem}}
[[File:Kadar_and_Altair_-_ACAC.png|thumb|Altaïr and Kadar discussing their plans]]
Altaïr arrived at the bureau in Jerusalem, and met up with the local rafiq, [[Kadar]], asking him where he could find Lord Basilisk. Kadar remarked that the man's fierceness and feral bravado in battle had earned him the trust of the King, meaning Basilisk was frequently idling in the King's audience. As the Assassin pondered over a way to get closer to his target, Kadar informed him of an upcoming party hosted by the King himself, which meant that he would be sending invitations to some of the citizens. In order to locate the location of the party, Altaïr needed to [[Eavesdropping|eavesdrop]] on some citizens.
 
Kadar then told Altaïr of the city gardens located in Jerusalem, where gossip was often exchanged. Learning the location, Altaïr headed off to the gardens. After dealing with the city guards, and crossing the rooftops of Jerusalem, Altaïr managed to make his way into the garden, which was filled with people. After listening in on a few conversations, he eventually caught information regarding one of the king's guests. One man made mention of someone named [[Ayman]], who had been invited to the king's party. Based on the civilian's words, Ayman was walking nearby, on the other side of the gardens. 
[[File:Altair_behind_his_Target_-_ACAC.png|thumb|left|Altaïr confronting a guest of the king]]
Learning what he needed, Altaïr crossed the small, curved stream that served as the gap between the two sides of the garden, evading the falling boulders that rolled down the path. Managing to avoid all the obstacles, he began to scour the area, until finally he located and confronted Ayman. The man, who was at first hesitant, eventually cracked, and told Altaïr of the party's location, which was at a villa north of the gardens. Upon gaining this information, Altaïr walked away as if nothing had happened. After making his way out of the gardens, Altaïr arrived at the front of the villa.
 
===Confrontation with Basilisk===
{{Dialogue|Basilisk|A challenge, finally!|Altaïr|Not really, Basilisk. I'm not here for you...|Altaïr and Basilisk, exchanging words at the underground area of the villa}}
As he inspected the villa, Altaïr noticed that the only way in was through the front entrance, which was guarded by several soldiers. With no other option, he fought his way past the front gate. After handling the guards and navigating through the rooftops of the villa, Altaïr fell through an unstable wooden platform that caused him to plummet down into the building. The guards that were stationed in the building caught sight of him, but were all quickly routed by the Assassin. As he inspected the area, Altaïr made contact with one of the king's men, who also happened to be one of the rafiq's own.
 
The man told the Assassin of a secret passage that was built for those who needed a concealed way in and out of the villa. He continued, telling Altaïr of an old mechanism that lay somewhere up ahead, which revealed the entrance to the passage after four floor panels were pressed down at the same time. Altaïr told the man that Kadar was looking for him, but he only replied that he could not leave for the time being. The man told Altaïr to assure Kadar that he is safe, and that he would return shortly. After this, the two parted ways, and Altaïr made his way further into the villa.
 
Seeing the way in from afar, which was submerged in water, Altaïr found a way to activate the mechanism by placing nearby wooden crates upon the four panels. After dispatching the guards and placing all of the crates, Altaïr made his way inside the secret passageway. Upon finding another mechanism, Altaïr needed to use a [[Throwing knives|throwing knifeinorder]] to activate the structure's trigger. Altaïr eventually arrived at a rotating stone wall at the end of the passageway and, triggering the hidden doorway, came out of the darkness. Here, he caught sight of the man he sought: Lord Basilisk. 
[[File:Altair_and_Basilisk_confrontation_-_ACAC.png|thumb|250px|Altaïr confronting Basilisk]]
Seeing a challenge within the Assassin, Basilisk drew his weapon and prepared to duel Altaïr. The Assassin, on the other hand, was not so eager to fight, as he only sought the key. Regardless, Basilisk engaged the Assassin in combat. Altaïr, barely holding Basilisk off, just managed to climb onto Basilisk's back and steal the key that was wrapped around his neck. The Assassin then fled, leaving Basilisk to watch him escape, and call desperately for the guards.
 
===Into the Tower===
As Altaïr set his foot onto the streets of Jerusalem once more, he made his way to the bureau in order to seek out the rafiq. However, he was greeted by the sight of Templars on the verge of murdering the rafiq. The soldiers told him to back off, and as they left, Altaïr came to aid of the rafiq, who was barely alive from his injuries. The man told him of a map that detailed the way to the [[Temple of the Sand]] that had been found by one of his men, but had just been taken by the Templars by force. He told the Assassin of their destination, a tall tower located somewhere in Jerusalem. Taking responsibility, Altaïr set off and searched the city for the Templars that had taken the map he needed.
 
[[File:Altair_Observing_-_ACAC.png|thumb|Altaïr observing the guards]]Locating the men, he eavesdropped on them from the rooftops as they discussed their next step. One of them decided that it was best to leave the map to the care of the fastest soldier among the three of them, while the other two took care of the Assassin. With a knight taking responsibility over the delivery of the map to the tower, Altaïr quickly fled the scene in order to intercept him. Fending off more of the guards, and evading a few violent civilians, Altaïr managed to catch up with the knight through the rooftops, but proved moments too late, for the knight managed to make his way into the heavily guarded military compound that lead to the tower.
 
As the knight warned his men of the Assassin's presence, Altaïr managed to sneak inside the compound undetected, but was soon spotted by several crossbowmen from afar. The knight managed to deliver the map as Altaïr made his way across the compound's winding passes, all the while evading the traps set by the soldiers. After dispatching the knight who took the map, and the soldiers with him, Altaïr made his way into the tower. There, he confronted the [[Master of the Tower|master of the tower]].
 
[[File:ACMasterTower.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr and the master's initial meeting]]The master, who was hugely impressed by Altaïr's skills, tried to persuade the Assassin into joining their ranks, stating that they shared the same Creed. Altaïr refused, much to the man's disappointment. Figuring that the Assassin would eventually change his mind, the master left Altaïr alone to deal with his men. After dispatching the guards, Altaïr confronted the master, who asked again if the Assassin was interested in joining, to which Altaïr reconfirmed his answer. Disappointed, the master faced Altaïr in a sword fight. Unable to fend off Altaïr, the master ran outside of the room's balcony in order to escape the area. After dealing with more of the guards, the Assassin pursued the master.
 
After scaling the side of the tower, and navigating through its complex structure, Altaïr soon found himself inside the tower's dungeon, filled with prisoners. As he scouted the area, he was greeted by the [[master of the Tower's student|the master's disciple]]. Mocking the Assassin, the student engaged Altaïr in combat, with some Templar soldiers in tow. After a hard-fought duel, Altaïr was able to defeat the student. By passing through more obstacles, Altaïr met up with the master for a third time, who once again engaged Altaïr in combat. After another brief duel, the master again fled in order to save his life. Altaïr followed, but was hindered by a trap set by the master. This, however, was not enough to stop him, for it did not take him long to bypass the obstacle.
 
Altaïr confronted the master for a final time in the room that held the map he sought, sealed within a stone casing and covered in glass. After a brief conversation, and a difficult duel, Altaïr managed to defeat the master, and took the map with him. After thoroughly reading the map, the Assassin set off to the Temple of the Sand.
 
==The sands of Syria==
===The Temple of the Sand===
{{Quote|Looking for something, assassin? This game of ours is amusing, but it's getting old rather quickly...|Lord Basilisk, upon meeting Altaïr at the Temple}}
 
Leaving Jerusalem, Altaïr made his way through the desert, and managed to locate the entrance to the temple. He navigated through the temple's obstacles, all the while evading the guards that were posted around the area, until he reached the upper areas, quite unscathed. However, he was stopped in his tracks upon finding the entrance barred with a lock that could only be opened after triggering the temple's unique mechanism. After interrogating the local patrol, Altaïr learned how to work the mechanism, and successfully did so. After this, he made his way further into the temple.
 
Arriving at the upper areas, Altaïr continued to search the temple, dispatching the guards that were patrolling the area as he did so. Through the crumbling structure and the falling debris, Altaïr finally managed to make his way to the Chalice's antechamber. There, he saw the shrine of the Chalice, wrought in gold and placed upon a stone pillar with four bridges stretching in four different directions. Altaïr carefully made his way to the center, cautious of the fire below the bridge.
 
To his surprise, the shrine was empty, devoid of all but dust. Here, a confused[[File:Shrine_of_the_Chalice_-_ACAC.png|thumb|The shrine of the Chalice]] Altaïr was greeted by Lord Basilisk, who had grown tired of their recent encounters. Basilisk, feeling he owed the Assassin an explanation, told him of the Chalice's true nature; that it was no artifact, but was in fact a woman, flesh and blood. Mocking the Assassin, Basilisk abruptly departed, ordering his men to finish off Altaïr within the chamber. Cornered, Altaïr fended off the soldiers, careful not to fall into the fire. Successfully doing so, Altaïr was blinded by the dust that enveloped the collapsing chamber, and soon found himself standing outside the rubble of the temple.
 
As he climbed to his feet, Altaïr was dumbfounded when he saw a powerful sandstorm ravaging the rubble behind him, slowly making its way towards him. The Assassin wasted no time in fleeing the scene, evading the obstacles formed by the fallen rubble of the temple. After a long travel, and some trouble with fleeing guards, Altaïr managed to escape the area. As he recalled what Basilisk had said at the Temple, he remembered him mentioning that he had some business at the city of Tyre. Wasting no time, Altaïr quickly left the area and made his way to the city.
 
===Basilisk in Tyre===
[[File:AltairMeetingHamid-AltairsChroniclesiPad.png|thumb|250px|left|Hamid requesting Altaïr's assistance]]
Upon arriving in Tyre once more, Altaïr was again greeted by [[Hamid]]. The assassin asked him if he knew of Basilisk's current location. Hamid told him he was inside one of Tyre's forts, hidden within its solid walls. As he told him of Basilisk's location, Hamid pointed him to an alternate route, which needed Altaïr to navigate through wooden beams and crates all above the deadly waters.
 
Altaïr was forced to take the route, but before doing so, he was told by Hamid of the existence of two members of the brotherhood imprisoned within the fort. Keeping this in mind, Altaïr made his way across the beams and platforms, all the while evading the water. After a long path, and brief conflicts between guards and patrols, Altaïr was able to make his way deeper into the fort.
 
As he did, Altaïr discovered the missing agents of Hamid, one trapped where the assassin was, and one trapped at the other side of the fort. After freeing the first agent, Altaïr navigated through the multiple obstacles in order to reach the other agent. After the last agent was set free, Altaïr was able to progress further into the fortress, with the agents' help.
 
==Duel on Lord Basilisk's ship==
{{Quote|Do you think you can take on an army all by yourself, Assassin?|A Templar guard to Altaïr.|Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles}}
[[File:AltaïrbattlingBasilisk-AltairsChronicles.png|thumb|250px|right|Altaïr dealing the final blow to Lord Basilisk]]
When Altaïr entered the fortress, he was stopped by Templars who questioned whether he would be able to fight through the Templar army that came between him and Basilisk, though they were quickly dispatched by Altaïr. Altaïr then ventured deeper into the fortress, fighting through the guards that lied in wait and traversed through the obstacles. Altaïr witnessed Adha being dragged down Tyre's ports, she screamed for him, and he ran to help her. However, he was confronted by Basilisk, who challenged him to a battle. Altaïr accepted this and fought long and hard, eventually overpowering Basilisk and killed him. Unknown to Altaïr at the time, the ship which Adha was on was leaving the docks. Altaïr tried to rescue her but did not make it in time; Basilisk's ship was set on fire and Altaïr quickly fled from the scene. Though the ship left the docks and Altaïr watched as it departed from the harbor.
 
==Reference==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''
{{ACAC}}
{{Timeline}}
[[Category:Timeline]]

Latest revision as of 04:32, 30 January 2024

Biography[edit | edit source]

What follows is the legend of Jing Ke as recounted in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian.[1]

While Jing Ke was a native of Wey (衛),[note 1] his ancestors originally lived in Qi. To the people of Wey, he was called the Honorable Qing (慶卿). Only later among the people of Yan (燕) was he known as the Honorable Jing (荊卿).[1] He was a well-educated adept of the sword, but although he taught its art to Lord Yuan of Wey (衛元君), the ruler neglected to put it to use. Afterwards, Qin conquered the State of Wei (魏), established Dong Commandery (東郡, lit. "East Commandery") in its place, and forcibly relocated offspring of Lord Yuan residing there to Yewang (野王).[1][note 2]

Wandering to Yuci (榆次), Jing Ke engaged with a man named Gai Nie (蓋聶) in discourse about swordsmanship that soon turned sour. Noticing Gai Nie's angry glare, Jing Ke left. Someone suggested to Gai Nie that he call him back, to which Gai Nie replied, "A moment ago as I talked swordsmanship with him, we found each other disagreeable, and I glared at him. You can try to go after him, but it was appropriate for him to leave, and he would not dare to stay." They sent a messenger to the host of Jing Ke's lodgings, but Jing Ke had already departed from Yuci on a carriage. When the messenger reported back, Gai Nie repeated, "Of course he's gone. I frightened him away with my glare."[1]

Jing Ke travelled to Handan, where he and a man named Lu Goujian (魯勾踐) played a game of boxi (博戲) but ended up quarrelling over the way it should be played. His opponent furiously berated him, so Jing Ke silently slipped away never to meet him again. (i.e. He ghosted him!)[1]

Arriving in Yan, he became intimate friends with a dog butcher and Gao Jianlei (高漸離), a musician skilled at playing the zhu. He enjoyed alcohol, and everyday he would drink with them in the city. Whenever the wine was sweet, and they were drunk but high in spirits, Gao Jianlei would play the zhu, and Jing Ke would join in with a song to the city. They would share in merriment with one another and then likewise cry their woes away together, paying no mind to anyone else in the world. Though he was an alcoholic, he remained fond of engrossing himself in books, and he had formed connections with many a heroic and eminent individual during his travels through the feudal lands. Being in Yan, the local retired knight Sir Tian Guang (田光) entreated with him, for he intuited that Jing Ke was no ordinary person.[1]

Shortly after, Yan's crown prince Dan escaped from Qin to return home in violation of his status as a collateral to the Qin. Originally, he had been a political hostage in Zhao (趙), where Zheng, the future King of Qin, was born. In their youth, Zheng was amicable to Dan, but after Zheng became king and Dan his hostage in Qin, Zheng treated him derisively. The resentful Dan fled and returned to Yan to beseech for reprisals against Qin, yet Yan was a small state too weak to commit to such endeavours. Meanwhile, Qin was daily fielding armies east out of the mountains, unleashing invasions against Qi, Chu, and the Three Jin[note 3] and little by little swallowing all the princely states until they fast approached Yan. Lords and subjects of Yan alike feared the calamity upon them. Himself filled with trepidation, Crown Prince Dan asked his tutor Ju Wu (鞠武) for counsel. Ju Wu replied:[1][2]

Qin is expanding their territory across the world, menacing the Houses of Han, Zhao, and Wei. To their north, they have the strongholds at Sweet Springs (甘泉) and the Valley Mouth (谷口); to their south, the watery torrents of the Jing (涇) and Wei (渭). They boast the fertile soils of Ba (巴) and Han (漢); on their right, the mountains of Long (隴) and Shu (蜀); on their left, the chokepoints at the [Hangu] Pass and Mount Xiao. Their people are numerous, their troops rigorous, their implements of war in surplus. Should they have the intent to move further out, then there would be no place south of the Great Wall and north of the Yi River (易水) that would be secure. So why would you desire to prick at their inverted scales just for having felt the sting of humiliation?![note 4]

Dan asked, "Then what should I do?" to which his mentor responded, "Please allow me to think it over."[1] A short while later, a Qin general, Fan Yuqi (樊於期), ran afoul of King Zheng and fled to Yan as well. Crown Prince Dan received him charitably, permitting him to make himself at home. Ju Wu remonstrated:[1]

"You cannot do this! With the Qin king's cruelty and the anger he has nursed against Yan, it is already enough to chill our hearts. And now you would even be receptive to General Fan being here? This is called 'Tossing meat onto the path of a hungry tiger'. There would certainly be no way to shake off the disaster! Even if you had Guan [Zhong] and Yan [Ying] [for ministers], they still would not be able to concoct a plan out of it. I hope that the Crown Prince would send General Fan away to the Xiongnu to silence him and his affair. Please form a pact with the Three Jin to the west, connect with Qi and Chu to the south, and bargain with the Xiongnu to the north, after which we could then plan some more."

The crown prince replied:[1]

"The Grand Tutor's plan would extend the problem for far too many days. My mind is in turmoil. I fear I cannot last another moment. Besides, it is not solely because of this. General Fan, impoverished by hardship unto the very ends of the world, has turned himself over to me. I would never, for the sake of evading the powerful Qin, abandon a pitiable friend. To set him up to the Xiongnu must be when my life is at its end. I hope that the Grand Tutor will reconsider this."

Ji Wu remained displeased:[1]

"You tread in danger while asking for safety, foment disaster to beg for good fortune, are shallow in your plans yet deep in your grudges. You connect with one person, then call them a friend, without caring for the tremendous harm to the nation. This is called 'funding resentment to subsidize peril'. Torch a swan's feather on a charcoal stove, and it would be [gone in a wink] like nothing happened! Not to mention that with the raptor that is Qin driving its violent fury upon us, what road would there still be to walk?! Yan has one Sir Tian Guang, an individual with deep wisdom and profound courage. You might consult with him."

To this last advice, the crown prince was receptive: "I would like to make the acquaintance of Sir Tian Guang through the Great Tutor. May I?" "You may", said Ji Wu, and he went out to meet with Sir Tian, telling him, "The Crown Prince wishes to plot a national affair with you, sir." Tian Guang replied, "It would be my pleasure to advise," and accompanied him back to see the crown prince.[1]

Crown Prince Dan courteously invited Tian Guang inside, where he knelt down to prepare a seat for him. Once Tian Guang had settled in his seat, and they had ensured that no one else was around, Dan came off his own to humbly begin making his request, "Yan and Qin cannot coexist. I hope that you sir can pay mind to this." Understanding his meaning, Tian Guang offered an alternative:[1]

"I have heard that when fine steeds are at their prime, they can gallop 1,000 li in one day—until it has weakened with age, and then even the mangiest nag would advance ahead of it. Today, the Crown Prince has heard of the time when Tian Guang was at his prime, without knowing that his vigour has already withered away. Although I dare not plot a national affair with you, my good colleague the Honourable Jing may undertake this mission."

As before, Crown Prince Dan asked, "I would like to befriend the Honourable Jing through you, sir. May I?" Tian Guang assented, and the two hastened out to find him. At Jing Ke's door, Dan warned Tian Guang, "What I have reported to you and everything that you have said are vital affairs of the state. Please sir, do not divulge them to others!" The old man bowed with a smile and said, "I promise".[1]

When Tian Guang saw Jing Ke, he arced his back low and said:[1]

"You and I have been cordial with one another—there is no one in Yan who does not know that. Now the Crown Prince had heard of the time when I was at my prime, without knowing that my physique is no longer up to par, and he honoured me with this instruction: 'Yan and Qin cannot coexist. I hope that you sir can pay mind to this.' I will not steal more of your time by treating you like a stranger. I have already spoken of you to the Crown Prince. Would you please go over to the Crown Prince at his palace?"

"I would be much obliged," responded Jing Ke, and Tian Guang continued:[1]

"I have heard it said that when an elderly man takes action, he should not arouse others' suspicion. Today the Crown Prince told me, 'Everything we have said are vital affairs of the state. Please sir, do not divulge them to others!' This was the Crown Prince mistrusting me. For one to take action but arouse the suspicion of others, they would not be a hero of integrity."

He wanted to use suicide to incite Jing Ke into action, and he gave him these final words, "Please hurry over to the Crown Prince and tell him that Guang has already died, proving my silence." Thereupon, he slit his own throat and died.[1]

Jing Ke accordingly went to see the Crown Prince and inform him that Tian Guang had died, imparting as well his last words. The Crown Prince bowed twice and then sank to his knees breaking down in tears. After a while had passed, he finally spoke up, "I warned Sir Tian not to chatter only because I wished for us to succeed in this great plot. That Sir Tian Guang used death today to prove his silence—could that truly have been my intention?!"

Jing Ke sat still as he vented, and then the Crown Prince got off from his seat and tipped his head to him. He said:[1][2]

"Sir Tian, not knowing how unworthy I am, brought me before you so that I may be so bold as to confer with you. This must be Heaven's pity for Yan such that it will not forsake us to a lonesome fate. Today, Qin harbours a greedy heart, and their desires can never be satisfied. Without having conquered all the land in the world and made servants out of all rulers within the four seas, their ambition would never be sated. Now Qin has already captured the King of Han and annexed his entire territory. They have raised troops and marched them south to invade Chu. To their north, they are bearing down on Zhao. Wang Jian, leading several tens of thousands of soldiers, has reached the Zhang River and Ye County (鄴縣). And as for Li Xin, he has marched out of Taiyuan and Yunzhong (雲中)."

Appearances[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ The state Wèi (衛) is commonly spelled Wey in contravention of the Hanyu Pinyin romanization standard to distinguish from the more prominent state Wèi (魏) because the two polities' modern Mandarin pronunciations are homophonic. In ancient times, their pronunciations were distinct and remain so in some other Chinese languages today.
  2. ↑ These were specifically offspring not of Lord Yuan's legal wife.
  3. ↑ i.e. Han (韓), Zhao (趙), and Wei (魏)
  4. ↑ "Inverted scales" is a metaphor for an individual's trigger. This line is translated less literally by J.R. Hightower in Burton Watson's Records of the Grand Historian of China (1961) as: "Angry as you are at the insults you have suffered, how can you dream of baiting such a dragon?"

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Sima Qian. (94 BCE). "Biographies of Assassins". In Records of the Grand Historian. Chinese Text Project. Accessed 5 July 2023. https://ctext.org/shiji/ci-ke-lie-zhuan.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sima Qian. (1961). "The Biography of Ching K'o", translated by J.R. Hightower. In Records of the Grand Historian of China, edited by Burton Watson. 1st ed. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, pp. 106–117.
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