The Legend of the Condor Heroes 射鵰英雄伝 金庸の武俠小説 世紀新修版 射雕英雄传 Self-made Revision Audio book Episode 22

12世紀前半、靖康の変によって、宋は、女真人の建てた金に淮水以北の領土を奪われ、江南の臨安（杭州）に都を移すことを余儀なくされた。以後、南宋と称されるようになる。時は下って南宋の中期。義俠心で結ばれた2人の男、郭嘯天と楊鉄心は、共に臨月の妻を持つ親友同士だったが、ある日、全真教の道士・丘処機と出会い、意気投合する。だがその後、彼らが暮らす村は官兵に襲われ、両家は離散してしまう。連れ去られた2人の妻の行方を追う丘処機は、途中で江南七怪の異名を持つ7人の俠客集団と諍いを起こし、風変わりな勝負を持ちかける。郭・楊両人の妻がいずれも身籠っていることから、彼女たちを見つけ出した後、産まれるであろう子たちをそれぞれが弟子にして武芸を授け、2人が成長した18年後に試合をさせて、勝敗を決しようというのだ。その頃、郭嘯天の妻李萍はモンゴルに逃れて息子郭靖を生んだ。一方、楊鉄心の妻包惜弱は、金の趙王完顔洪烈の庇護を受け、やがて王妃に迎え入れられる。生まれた息子楊康も、金の王子として育てられることになった。6年後、江南七怪はモンゴルの草原でチンギス・ハーンの庇護下に置かれていた郭靖を見つけ出し、弟子にした。一方の丘処機も金の王子として育てられている楊康を捜し出し、弟子とする。真面目だが、物覚えの悪い郭靖の武芸はなかなか上達せず、江南七怪を悩ませる。だが、努力を積み重ね、更に奇縁に恵まれたことで、着々と勢力を拡大するチンギス・ハーンの下、郭靖は草原の勇者へと成長した。やがて郭靖は、18歳となった春、約束の試合を果たすべく、中原へ向かい旅立ち、波乱万丈な物語を紡ぎ出すことになる。

The story is set in China during the wars between the Jurchen-led Jin Empire and the predominantly ethnic Han Song Empire. Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian, a pair of sworn brothers, pledge that their unborn children will become either sworn siblings (if both are of the same sex) or a married couple (if they are of opposite sexes). One day, Yang Tiexin's wife, Bao Xiruo, saves a wounded Jurchen warrior, who turns out to be Wanyan Honglie, the sixth prince of the Jin Empire. Wanyan Honglie later sends his troops to attack Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian's village. Guo Xiaotian is killed while Yang Tiexin goes missing.

Guo Xiaotian's pregnant wife, Li Ping, wanders into Mongolia, where she gives birth to their son, Guo Jing, who grows up in Mongolia under the care of Genghis Khan. He learns martial arts from the "Seven Freaks of Jiangnan" and Ma Yu of the Quanzhen School, as well as archery skills from Jebe. The Chinese title of the novel is derived from an incident in Guo Jing's youth when he shot two eagles with a single arrow. On the other hand, a pregnant Bao Xiruo is captured by Wanyan Honglie, who forces her to marry him. She gives birth to a son, Yang Kang, who is raised as a Jurchen nobleman. Although he is mentored by Qiu Chuji of the Quanzhen Sect, he also secretly learns the evil "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" technique from Mei Chaofeng.

Guo Jing is honest, loyal and righteous, but slow-witted. In contrast, Yang Kang is clever, but scheming and treacherous. They eventually meet each other and their respective lovers, Huang Rong and Mu Nianci. The main plot follows Guo Jing and Huang Rong's adventures and their encounters with the "Five Greats", the five most powerful martial artists in the wulin (martial artists' community). Meanwhile, Yang Kang plots with the Jurchens to conquer his native land, the Song Empire. Yang Kang refuses to acknowledge his Han ethnicity and is strongly driven to acquire wealth, fame and glory. His treachery is slowly unveiled throughout the novel in the encounters he has with Guo Jing and Huang Rong.

With Guo Jing's assistance, the Mongols conquers the Jin Empire and subsequently turn their attention towards the Song Empire. Guo Jing is unwilling to aid the Mongols in attacking his native land so he leaves them and returns to the Song Empire to helps his fellow Han people counter the impending Mongol invasion. On the other hand, Yang Kang dies from poisoning after attempting to kill Huang Rong with a palm strike, but ends up hitting her spiked soft armour, which was accidentally stained with poison. He leaves behind Mu Nianci and their unborn son, whom Guo Jing names "Yang Guo". In the meantime, the Mongol invasion of the Song Empire is temporarily halted when Genghis Khan dies.