The son of Prince Qi was welcomed into the city by Changsha’s protocol officials.

The tall and magnificent carriage he rode in was flanked by six mounted escorts on each side; behind the carriage, the protective guard numbered in the hundreds. Though the party had traveled a long and arduous road to arrive here, their ceremonial trappings were still crisp and their bearing magnificent.

Prince Qi held a position of special distinction — tacitly regarded as the foremost among the feudal princes — and even the Empress Dowager Liu gave him considerable face. The Kingdom of Changsha had been founded in a remote southern region, and had from the beginning had little interaction with the many other feudal kingdoms; over these years, beset by difficult circumstances, it had had even less. The people, hearing that the young son of Prince Qi’s household had unexpectedly come at this time, poured out in crowds to watch. Both sides of the streets were lined with onlookers; the procession drew countless eyes as it passed.

Lu Lin waited at the gates of the royal palace and saw the party arrive. A fine horse drew the carriage; from it a young man in magnificent robes with a face like fine jade was helped down — marred only by the pallor of illness — and he recognized this as Zhao Xitai, and hurried forward to receive him.

Zhao Xitai had come to the Kingdom of Changsha in search of medical treatment. Mu Xuanqing received him with the highest courtesies and gave a welcoming banquet. That evening, the banquet hall blazed with light and the officials of Changsha all took seats as his company. Zhao Xitai, though he refrained from drinking wine on account of his health, apologized profusely for this again and again, declaring himself discourteous.

His manner was gracious and pleasant, his bearing without a trace of arrogance. He immediately won the favor of all the Changsha officials. That evening guests and host were equally merry, and the gathering broke up in high spirits — a scene that compared to the night banquet during Xie Changgeng’s visit the previous year was as different as heaven from earth, whether in terms of atmosphere or how warmly the guest was received.

That night Zhao Xitai was arranged to stay in the guest pavilion of the Mu royal residence reserved for honored guests. The following morning, Lu Lin came to find him and said that he had dispatched someone to Junshan to invite the medicine elder down the mountain to see him. Zhao Xitai immediately said: “That will not do! Along the road I traveled, the common people I encountered spoke of the divine healer’s name with nothing but gratitude and reverence. He is a man of great virtue and high reputation, and it is I who have come seeking treatment. How could I make the divine healer come to me? Please, Counselor Lu, tell me where the medicine elder is, and I will call on him myself.”

He was willing to lower himself and go in person — Lu Lin naturally could not have wished for anything better, and personally led the way, bringing Zhao Xitai by boat to the base of the mountain.

Zhao Xitai brought only one managing attendant, rode an enclosed litter up the mountain, arrived at the medicine cottage, and sincerely sought treatment from the medicine elder.

The medicine elder was a healer at heart, having devoted half his life to the practice of medicine for the relief of suffering, and had never seen patients according to their rank or station. After examining Zhao Xitai with care, he said: “Though the young lord has been frail since birth, if in the past he had not been too eager for quick results and used harsh medicines, the symptoms would not have reached this state. Now, with the internal toxins unable to disperse, I can first try acupuncture to draw out the poison and observe the effect.”

Zhao Xitai was delighted beyond measure and thanked the medicine elder again and again. He also said to Lu Lin with a smile: “I came on this trip expressly to seek treatment. The lake scenery and mountain views here are utterly unlike anywhere else — one feels as though one has stepped into a realm of immortals. To be able to stay here and undergo treatment at leisure is a blessing of the greatest fortune to me. I hope Prince Changsha and Counselor Lu will not find me an imposition.”

Hearing him lavish praise on the beauty of Changsha, Lu Lin was naturally pleased, and his impression of him grew even more favorable. He smiled and said: “The young lord is too modest. A distinguished guest such as yourself is someone we could only hope for, never count on. We can only hope that the young lord sees improvement in his health and finds this journey worthwhile.”

That same day, Lu Lin returned and reported to Mu Xuanqing that, for the convenience of the medicine elder’s daily treatments, Zhao Xitai had taken up residence in the medicine cottage.

Zhao Xitai arrived in the fourth month. The medicine elder treated him daily, and after a month, stopped the acupuncture, saying that from here on only medicinal decoctions were needed, with gradual conditioning over time; the condition would certainly improve.

Mu Fulan was of course aware of all this news.

She had no wish to have any unnecessary encounter with Zhao Xitai, and knowing he was residing in the medicine cottage to convalesce, she had not gone there at all over the past month or more.

That evening, she had just settled down to sleep alongside Xi’er when a serving maid came to report that Zhao Xitai’s managing attendant had come into the city requesting to see her, saying there was an urgent matter.

Mu Fulan rose and went out. The managing attendant saw her and asked for her help, explaining that the medicine elder had gone down the mountain two days ago and was not at the cottage. Unfortunately, that very night the young lord had suddenly taken ill. Hearing from A’Da at the cottage that the young mistress also knew medicine, and truly at his wit’s end, he had had no choice but to presume on her and come asking her to make the trip over.

Mu Fulan agreed, told him to wait, and went quickly back inside to her room. She said to her son: “Xi’er, the medicine elder is not at the cottage right now, and there is a patient there who needs help. Mother needs to go over and see him. Mother will call Nanny Mu to come and keep you company, and you can go to sleep on your own first. All right?”

Xi’er nodded at first, then hesitated, and said quietly: “Mother, can you bring me along too?”

“I won’t get in the way when you’re treating someone.”

Since she had returned from Hexi, she had had the feeling that her son had become very attached to her. Especially at night, once it grew dark, if he could not see her, he seemed unable to settle and sleep.

Looking at her son’s small eyes watching her with a pleading look, her heart softened. She nodded: “All right — Mother will bring you along. But you must be good and not run about.”

“I know!”

Xi’er’s small face broke into a look of delight. He gave a loud, clear response and with a single roll came tumbling out from under the covers.

Mu Fulan and the serving maids helped him dress, then brought him out of the royal palace, called for attendants, got into the carriage, and set out, crossing the city, boarding a boat, and arriving at Junshan.

She hurried to the medicine cottage, had the serving maid stay with Xi’er, and went herself to Zhao Xitai’s room.

Two serving maids stood outside the door. Inside, candlelight burned. Zhao Xitai lay on the bed with his eyes closed.

The managing attendant entered and called out softly: “Young lord.”

Zhao Xitai slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Mu Fulan had come, his eyes lit up, and he made to sit up.

Mu Fulan told him to lie still and not get up. She walked over, asked him what symptoms he felt, and after examining him — observing, listening, asking, and feeling his pulse — quickly determined it was no more than a mild fever from catching a chill.

In someone of good constitution, without any medicine at all, it might very well resolve itself in a few days. Considering that his constitution was weaker than the ordinary person’s, it was necessary to dispel the wind and reduce the fever promptly.

Mu Fulan prescribed a medicinal remedy for him. All the ingredients were readily available in the cottage. A’Da took the prescription and went to gather the herbs; the medicine was soon on the stove and began to simmer.

Zhao Xitai looked at Mu Fulan steadily, his gaze full of remorse.

“It was my own carelessness in catching a chill — a small matter — and yet my attendants made a great fuss over nothing, making you come all this long way here. I have truly troubled you.”

The managing attendant’s face was filled with anxious self-reproach; he could not stop blaming himself.

Mu Fulan smiled faintly, told Zhao Xitai to take his medicine and rest early once it was ready, and went out.

The managing attendant followed her outside and implored: “Young mistress, could you possibly stay here for the time being? The young lord’s health had, with great difficulty, shown some improvement these past days. It is all our fault as servants for failing to take proper care — and now he has fallen ill again like this. With the medicine elder away, A’Da knows only how to recognize herbs, not how to treat the sick. And the city is at some distance from here — I fear that if you leave, young mistress, what would happen if he took a turn for the worse again.”

The managing attendant pleaded without stopping.

Night had long fallen, and moreover the distance from the city to this place was indeed not short — there was also a stretch of water to cross.

Mu Fulan had no wish to bring Xi’er along a night road either, and besides, the medicine cottage had a room that was hers — she was here as something more than half a host. So she said: “I will stay, then. Do not worry.”

The managing attendant sighed with relief and gave his thanks over and over.

Mu Fulan had someone tidy her room and spent that night there with Xi’er.

The following morning, she went to see Zhao Xitai.

Zhao Xitai was already up. He looked in reasonably good spirits, but the feverish feeling had not fully abated.

She was the host here, and he was the guest; and knowing he had been delicate since childhood, though it was only a minor illness, Mu Fulan did not feel comfortable being careless while it was not yet cured. She sent word back to the city to inform Lu Shi, then stayed behind herself and did not leave.

Xi’er was unwilling to go back first, so she let him stay as well.

She prescribed Zhao Xitai a fresh dosage of medicine, adjusting the quantities slightly, told him to rest well, and for the remainder of the day, with nothing else to do, went to work in the medicinal garden out back.

It was already early summer, and the weather had grown warm. Not only were the medicinal herbs in the garden beginning to flourish, so too were the weeds — leave it for a few days without attending to it, and they would sprout up everywhere.

Xi’er followed at her heels — one moment helping her pull weeds, the next helping her wipe her sweat — like a busy little bee, darting back and forth contentedly.

Mu Fulan called for A’Da to go and bring her a flat wicker basket.

“I’ll go! I’ll go! I know where it is! I’ve helped Master get it before!”

Xi’er cried out, dropped the weeds in his hands, turned, and ran off.

Mu Fulan turned her head and watched his figure dart away in a flash, as though he was afraid A’Da would race him for the errand. She could not help but laugh.

“Young master, be careful — don’t fall!” A’Da moved to run after him.

Mu Fulan said: “It’s all right. Let him go and get it.”

Xi’er ran into the cottage and quickly found the flat basket. Carrying it back, he stopped at the doorway.

He saw that the man who had summoned his mother over to treat the sick was now standing right in front of him, blocking his path.

Everyone called him the Young Lord, and Xi’er knew it.

The young lord was looking at him with a warm smile and beckoned for him to come over.

Xi’er stood where he was and did not go.

The young lord came to him instead, stopped in front of him, bent down, and raised his hand. Like a conjurer’s trick, a gleaming piece of jade appeared in his hand.

Xi’er had seen it that morning — this jade pendant had hung from the young lord’s waistband. It was a treasured article he kept on his person.

“You are Xi’er?” the young lord said with a smile. “My surname is Zhao, and I am the son of Prince Qi’s household. I like you very much — consider this a gift to mark our first meeting. Do you like it?”

Xi’er and the smiling young lord facing him looked at each other for a moment without speaking. He noticed the young lord raise his other hand, as though about to reach out and pat his head, and took a step back, saying: “Thank you, Young Lord. But I can only take it if Mother says it is all right.”

Zhao Xitai was momentarily taken aback.

Xi’er having said this, walked past him and went on his way.

That day passed, and Zhao Xitai’s illness had still not improved much. That night, Mu Fulan stayed once more at the medicine cottage.

She held her son’s soft, curled body in her arms, and suddenly felt him stir. He opened his eyes, and she asked him: “Why are you still not asleep?”

Xi’er’s lips came close to her ear, and he said: “Mother, does the young lord also like you — the same way General Yuan does?”

Mu Fulan was taken aback and immediately said: “Xi’er, don’t talk nonsense.”

Xi’er hesitated, then said: “During the day I saw him sneaking glances at you. When he looked at you, he didn’t blink. General Yuan is the same way.”

“They’re always looking at you like that!”

He said it again, his tone carrying the small, unyielding certainty of someone who would not be argued with. Having said his piece, he went quiet.

Mu Fulan finally came back to her senses and quickly pulled his small body close, coaxing him: “Xi’er really did see it wrong. Mother and the young lord, and General Yuan — there is nothing between any of us. The only one Mother loves is you.”

Following those words from her, the small person in her arms seemed at last to set his heart at ease. His eyes grew bright again.

“Time to sleep now, yes?”

Mu Fulan smiled and kissed his forehead.

Xi’er obediently closed his eyes at once.

Mu Fulan pulled the covers up around him and closed her own eyes. After a little while, she felt the small person in her arms stir again.

“Mother, Xi’er has decided. It’s all right. From now on — if Mother ever comes to like someone too, then Xi’er will feel the same way Mother does, and like them too.”

Mu Fulan opened her eyes in surprise and met the gaze of those eyes before her — Xi’er’s eyes, watching her with a sincerity and purity of feeling that was absolute.

Her heart filled completely with an emotion that was both bittersweet and achingly tender, the two inseparable.

She held back the urge to shed tears, drew her son tightly into her embrace, and said: “Sleep now. Mother is right here with you.”