Early in the morning, Mu Fulan and Xie Changgeng each rose and washed, then changed into the ceremonial robes prescribed for the sacrifice. Together they departed the Military Commissioner’s residence, leading the subordinate officials and accompanying wives out of the city toward the Agricultural Temple in the western outskirts.
Since taking up the post of Military Commissioner here, Xie Changgeng had known well how to employ people of talent and had kept his governance simple and his justice clear. Not only had he brought orderly management to the region — with the ranks above working diligently and those below following faithfully, with a record of governance that shone with distinction — but his military campaigns against the northern frontier peoples had produced outstanding results, sweeping away the helpless situation the border town had long endured of being repeatedly pillaged. The local people held him in high regard. When the two of them arrived at the temple, they found an ocean of people — crowds had gathered from every direction long in advance, and when they spotted the Military Commissioner and his wife approaching in the distance, they knelt at the roadside in welcome.
The two separated to preside over their respective rites.
Inside the Temple of the Silk Goddess, the silk altar had already been laid out, with ritual sacrificial oxen placed upon it, incense burning in coiling clouds from the censer stands, the occasion imposing and solemn.
Mu Fulan entered the temple with the wives of subordinate officials following behind her. She knelt in reverence, burned incense, offered prayers, then took from the altar the silkworm cocoons and distributed them with her own hands.
The assembled crowd saw that the Military Commissioner’s wife was not only beautiful in appearance and dignified in dress, but that her every movement carried a manner of noble distinction. They had heard that she was not only the princess of the Kingdom of Changsha, but also possessed of medical skill and a healing touch that could work wonders — and that in just over one month since her arrival here, she had already helped treat many who had come to seek her care. Their reverence for her knew no bounds. When she finished presiding over the ceremony and walked out through the temple doors to distribute the silkworm cocoons with her own hands, everyone vied to receive one, treasuring what they received as a fortunate object.
Mu Fulan was busy at her task when suddenly she heard a voice call out, “Lady! We’ve come too! Please give us some as well!”
She looked up, and saw a large group of women dressed in the manner of the local tribespeople surging forward. One woman held a child of seven or eight years by the hand and came before her, kneeling and kowtowing.
This child was the very one who had been brought to the clinic that day, and the woman was the child’s mother. Some of the other faces she recognized — they were residents of the village. Others were unfamiliar, people she had not seen before.
The woman who could speak the Han tongue came forward and greeted Mu Fulan respectfully, then smiled and said, “We heard that today the Lady herself would be here to preside over the ceremony, and people came from not only our settlement but other places as well. Everyone says the Lady is a celestial goddess descended to the mortal world, and they want to pray for blessings and a good harvest through the Lady’s grace.”
The local tribespeople had previously had no contact with outsiders and regarded each other with open hostility. For them to appear here today in such numbers was so unexpected that the women who had been gathered nearby scattered as though fleeing a pestilence, retreating to stand at a distance, watching with guarded eyes and whispering among themselves.
Mu Fulan helped the mother and child to their feet and asked the mother about the child’s health. She was told he had long since recovered and was now bounding about full of energy again, and that the other ailing villagers had all recovered as well — which was a relief to her. She distributed the silkworm cocoons as requested.
The women received them, carefully tucked them into the pouches at their waists, and beamed with joy. The woman said, “Our menfolk brought us here. They’re waiting outside now. We’ve paid our respects to the Lady and received what we asked for, so we’ll take our leave and not cause the Lady any trouble.”
Everyone bowed again in thanks and then turned and went on their way.
Once those people had gone, the crowd that had scattered gradually drifted back, and the atmosphere slowly returned to its earlier liveliness.
Several wives of subordinate officials came forward to advise Mu Fulan. “Young Princess, it would be best going forward not to associate too closely with these tribespeople. Every one of them is fierce and unreasonable — they’ll draw their blades over the slightest disagreement, and they’re numerous and their villages are all connected, so at the first sign of trouble they close ranks together. A few years ago, a matter arose between the former Military Commissioner and them, and in the end even the Commissioner was nearly hurt by them. The Commissioner afterward didn’t dare truly deal with them, and the matter was left unresolved. The Young Princess is precious — don’t let their current courteous manner fool you. Who knows what they’re really thinking? Better to be careful.”
Mu Fulan smiled and thanked them, then called on these wives to help with distributing the rest of the cocoons. After a time of busy work, the task was at last complete.
With the ceremony concluded, the temple fair that followed held no interest for her. Without waiting to see Xie Changgeng, she took her carriage and returned ahead to the Military Commissioner’s residence.
Xie Changgeng finished presiding over the sacrifice and had barely stepped out of the temple when an official came hurrying toward him, reporting that on the open ground outside the temple fair, a large group of tribespeople had appeared — blades at their waists — gathered there in a cluster. No one knew what they intended. They had not yet entered the fair grounds, but for fear they might take advantage of the day’s gathering to cause trouble, he had already quietly deployed some troops to position themselves in the surrounding area, and had now come to ask for his direction.
Since taking up his post, Xie Changgeng had been well aware that the local tribespeople were a long-standing and deep-seated problem. Several times he had attempted to send people to open dialogue, but had been turned away each time. Fortunately, apart from their hostility toward outsiders and their refusal to have any dealings with the authorities, these two years had not seen them cause any major incidents — so he had set the matter aside for the time being.
He went with the official to the spot, and had barely arrived when he saw a large group of tribal women come walking over from the direction of the Silk Goddess Temple, talking and laughing among themselves. The men went forward to meet them, exchanged a few words, and then all together, noisily and in good spirits, departed.
Those people had plainly caught sight of him — yet showed no sign of having done so, made no pause, and quickly disappeared from view.
The official looked startled, and noticing at the same time that his superior had been made to lose face, was rather embarrassed. He had first pretended not to notice, but once the tribespeople had gone far enough, affected an outburst of indignation. “These people have no regard for anyone at all! They didn’t even kneel in your presence! I’ll send men after them right now to teach them a lesson!”
Xie Changgeng paid him no heed. He watched the departing figures of the tribespeople until they were gone from sight, then gave the order to stand down the troops and turned to make his way to the Silk Goddess Temple. Arriving there, he found no sign of Mu Fulan, and was told she had left after the ceremony concluded.
Xie Changgeng paused a moment, then asked about the tribal women’s visit. One of his men said, “This humble servant was also caught off guard at first — I’d never seen so many come at once before. It turns out they had heard that the Young Princess would be presiding over the ceremony today and came specially to give their thanks and seek blessings. Once they had done so, they left. There was nothing else to it.”
Xie Changgeng stood in thought briefly, then turned and left.
He returned to the Military Commissioner’s residence and, after asking the steward who came out to welcome him, was told that Mu Fulan had been back for some time and had already gone inside. He glanced in the direction of the rear quarters, then turned and went to the front offices to attend to official matters.
Since becoming Military Commissioner, beyond military affairs, he had an enormous volume of administrative and written work as well — but whenever he had time, he attended to it personally. Fortunately he had been quick-minded with his studies from childhood, and in handling documents was swift and thorough, leaving nothing unresolved.
The sky gradually darkened. A maidservant came in to light the candles.
Seeing that child during the day had made Mu Fulan think again of Xi’er. Unable to help herself, she took out the fur hat she had bought shortly after arriving here, and ran her fingers over the soft fur on top, imagining how Xi’er would look with it on, gradually drifting into a reverie — when suddenly she heard the door pushed open, and the sound of footsteps came to her ears. She turned her head, saw it was Xie Changgeng returning, and immediately put the hat away.
His sharp eyes had already caught sight of it. He glanced over and asked what it was.
“Just a hat I bought at the market earlier.”
Mu Fulan said, and tucked it away.
Xie Changgeng did not dwell on it. He asked a few questions about her encounter with the tribal women earlier in the day, then went to bathe. When he came out and had changed clothes, Nanny Mu and the maidservants had already brought the evening meal and set it out on the table in the outer room.
The two of them sat across from one another and began to eat.
Nanny Mu’s skill in cooking was excellent. The evening meal consisted of lotus blossom shrimp balls, bamboo shoot tips, ham with pigeon slices, and duck-broth noodles — every dish delicious. In refinement of preparation, the original cook here was no comparison.
Yet Xie Changgeng could taste nothing.
She had just come from her bath. At her side, the candlelight burned a warm, dim red, falling softly over her face. A bare face, like snow condensed into fragrance.
At this time of year, south of Dongting Lake in their home region, the thunder rains would already be falling, spring growing full and lush. Here, the snow had not yet fully melted. Xie Changgeng, knowing she felt the cold keenly, had ordered the underfloor heating kept burning.
Perhaps because the room was somewhat warm, after a few bites of food, two faint blossoms of red had risen in her cheeks — the candlelight playing over them, vivid and bright, more enchanting than rouge applied by hand.
He watched her, and seemed for a moment to be looking at a bloom of some renowned flower. He had eaten only a few bites before his attention began to drift.
It had been three evenings — for the sake of the day’s ceremony — since he had touched the woman sitting across from him.
She seemed to be eating with genuine focus, her head lowered, never once looking up at the person sitting directly across from her.
On the table sat a bowl of corn sweet soup, cooked to a soft sweetness. More than the other dishes, she seemed particularly fond of this one.
Xie Changgeng watched as she ladled some and lifted the spoon to her lips, taking a few sips. The liquid clung to her lips, making them gleam, and she extended the tip of her tongue to lick at the drops.
A surge of desire rose suddenly in Xie Changgeng’s chest. He set down his chopsticks, rose, and came around behind her. Without a single word, he took away the spoon still in her hand, scooped her up, and carried her into the inner room.
When it was over, Mu Fulan lay face-down against the pillow, still and unmoving, as though she had fallen asleep.
Xie Changgeng still held her, his palm moving over the sleek, unbroken expanse of her bare back that lay pressed against him. After a moment of this, he could not resist bringing his lips down to bite lightly at her delicate, beautiful shoulder blades.
She seemed not to like it, drawing her shoulders in slightly, and pushed away the hand he had draped over her body, then pulled up the quilt to cover herself.
Xie Changgeng knew her skin was delicate and sensitive — the slightest pressure, or a few bites and touches, and marks were left behind. He smiled and did not trouble himself over this small gesture of hers. Though still somewhat reluctant to let go, he knew she must also be tired, and so he released her and closed his own eyes to rest — when he heard a voice beside his ear say, “Roughly when might I be able to return home?”
Xie Changgeng did not open his eyes. Still lying with them shut, he replied in an unhurried, offhand tone, “I’ve told you before. At the Empress Dowager’s court, I used the reason of husband and wife to bring you out. So few days have passed — you cannot return yet. If word reaches the Empress Dowager and she grows suspicious, it will not be good for either of us.”
The woman beside him said nothing more, and did not stir. Then after a moment she sat up, pushed back the quilt, dressed, and climbed out of the bed.
“Where are you going now?”
Xie Changgeng opened his eyes and watched her retreating figure.
“Going out for a moment. Rest as you please.”
Mu Fulan’s tone was flat. She faced the mirror and wound up her hair, then put on an outer robe and walked out.
Xie Changgeng was left to feel the faint prick of being dismissed, and he was not entirely pleased. He then recalled that in recent days, every time after sharing his bed, even in the middle of the night, she would go out like this for a moment before returning — and suspicion quietly stirred in him.
He got up from the bed, dressed quickly, passed by the table with its now-cold and half-eaten meal, and went out the door. She was nowhere to be seen. He asked a maidservant in the corridor, “Where is the Young Princess?”
“She’s gone to the tea-water room. Said we weren’t to follow.”
Xie Changgeng told the maidservant to clear away the leftover food from the room, then made his way to the tea-water room.
The tea-water room stood adjacent to the kitchen. Inside sat a large old tiger-stove with several great water vats set on top, used to boil water for all the staff and household of the Military Commissioner’s residence to draw from. Throughout the entire winter, to ensure hot water was always at hand, the stove fire burned day and night without ceasing. Opposite was a small stove, used for boiling the tea served daily.
The stove burned coal and required constant feeding and stoking — a servant woman was stationed there specifically for this purpose. At this hour she was outside, and catching sight of Xie Changgeng coming, she hurried forward to meet him.
Xie Changgeng asked after the Young Princess. The servant woman bowed and replied, “The Young Princess is inside taking her medicine. She said she has been feeling somewhat unwell lately, and has asked me to brew the medicine she gave me each day and have it ready for when she comes.”
“Did she say what the ailment was?”
“That I do not know.” The servant woman shook her head.
Xie Changgeng stopped at the doorway. Through it he could see a silhouette standing before the small stove, holding a bowl, drinking what appeared to be medicine.
He pushed the door open and entered.
Mu Fulan turned her head, looked at him, showed no particular reaction, and continued drinking the medicine, finishing it in a few more swallows.
“Where are you unwell? If you’re taking medicine, why not have it sent to you? On such a cold night, why come all the way here yourself?”
Xie Changgeng looked at the bowl in her hand — only a thin residue of dark dregs remained at the bottom — and asked her.
Mu Fulan said, “What are you doing here? It’s cold out — go to bed.”
She set down the bowl, brushed past him, and left.
Xie Changgeng’s expression turned somewhat sour. He watched her silhouette disappear, then turned back, looked at the dregs in the bottom of the bowl, a growing unease taking shape in him. He asked the servant woman to bring out the medicine that had not yet been brewed. She fetched him a packet. He took it, left the Military Commissioner’s residence, and went out.