On this day, Lu Shi prepared the full five sacrificial offerings, and together with Fu Lan and a company of attendants, left the city, boarded a boat to cross to Junshan, went to the spirit hall to make a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods for the divine intervention that had protected her husband from danger.
When the ritual was complete and the two women — aunt and sister-in-law — came out of the spirit hall and were making their way down the mountain, Fu Lan asked: “Sister-in-law, is Teacher still living in the mountains? If he is, I would like to go and visit him.”
Teacher had the surname Li — a renowned physician of his era whom everyone called Li Yaoweng. In his younger years he had served as an imperial physician in the palace, and afterward left the palace, traveling all over the land, compiling medical texts on one hand while practicing medicine among the common people on the other. Many years ago, he had come to Dongting and, enchanted by the landscape, built himself a hermitage on Junshan and settled there. Fu Lan’s father had admired his name and personally sought him out for a visit, and they gradually came to know one another. The physician had noticed that the royal daughter, even from a young age, showed interest in his medicinal herbs, and pleased by her intelligence, had taken her on as a semi-disciple — teaching her the rudiments of medicine in his spare time.
At the time of Fu Lan’s marriage and departure earlier in the year, Teacher had still been on Junshan.
Lu Shi smiled and said: “Not long after you married and left, Li Yaoweng also went down the mountain. I don’t know when he might return.”
Fu Lan said: “Sister-in-law, you go back to the city first. I’ll go take a look at Teacher’s herb garden.”
Lu Shi, knowing the bond between her young sister-in-law and Li Yaoweng, nodded: “All right. I’ll head back to the city then. Come back early.”
Fu Lan agreed, watched Lu Shi descend the mountain, and followed the mountain path up to Teacher’s dwelling.
It was a hermitage hidden on the mountain’s midslope — a bamboo lattice fence, several thatched rooms, and behind it, a large medicinal herb garden.
Teacher had gone down the mountain, but he had left behind a young servant boy named A’Da to look after the herb garden.
A’Da was an orphan whom Teacher had picked up and raised; he was an honest, plain-natured boy. He was busy working at the back of the house when he suddenly saw the royal daughter arrive, and was surprised and delighted, quickly setting down his hoe and running out to welcome her.
Fu Lan told him not to mind her. She went to the herb garden and helped dry out some freshly gathered herbs that had just been picked. Busy and absorbed, without realizing it half a day had passed.
Nanny Mu began urging her to return to the city.
The sun had already slanted westward; Fu Lan knew it was time to leave. She told A’Da to take good care of the herb garden, washed her hands, and set out down the mountain with her party. Passing by an ancient cypress, the maidservant Zhuyu smiled and said: “My young mistress, they say this old cypress is a divine tree, capable of communing with spirits — quite a few people specifically come here just to make offerings to it. Since we are passing by, let us also make obeisance.”
The old cypress took root deep in the mountain cliff face — its roots twisted and coiled, its gnarled branches thick with foliage. Through thousands of years of fierce mountain winds, it had stood unmoved.
Fu Lan stopped and gazed at it for a moment.
“It’s not early. Let’s head down the mountain.”
Having said this, she drew her gaze back, turned, and continued down the stone steps.
A local legend told that this old cypress growing from the cliff face at the midpoint of Junshan had been personally planted by the God of Xiang and the Consort of Xiang at the dawn of creation, and was as old as Junshan itself, with the power to bless the romantic destinies of those in the world.
Among those in her party, several of the younger maidservants were somewhat moved. But seeing the royal daughter had no interest, they could only let the matter go and follow her down the mountain.
The guards waiting at the foot of the mountain rowed the boat, ferrying Fu Lan and her party ashore. They boarded carriages and returned to the city — by the time they arrived it was already the time when lanterns were being lit.
Fu Lan had only just entered the royal household when she received a piece of news.
Xie Changgeng had suppressed the rebellion of Prince Jiangdu. He had sent a letter to Mu Xuanqing, saying he would arrive in the Kingdom of Changsha before long.
Lu Shi, having been told Fu Lan had returned to the household, brought the letter and came quickly to her younger sister-in-law’s chamber, a smile on her face as she found her.
“Lan’er, your brother-in-law’s letter says this visit is to pay his respects at your late father’s memorial. Naturally, besides paying his respects, he must also be coming to take you back.”
They had only been married half a year when her young sister-in-law, disregarding the great distances and arduous roads, had returned home to Changsha on her own. Though it was because a dream from the Great Emperor of Junshan had moved her and she had been unable to set her mind at ease about her royal brother — and so had rushed back personally — in these past few days, Lu Shi had learned from maidservants like Zhuyu that Xie’s mother was not an easy person to deal with. The day her young sister-in-law had left, there had been an unpleasant incident with Xie’s mother, who had even brought up the matter of taking a concubine.
Newly married only half a year, husband away from home, the bride disregarding her mother-in-law’s resistance and forcing her way back to her maternal family — even if there were reasons behind it, in the eyes of the world, it was the bride’s side that was in the wrong.
Her husband had already escaped danger and was recovering with no serious injury, yet her young sister-in-law remained without a word of returning.
Lu Shi suspected she was stewing in resentment over the matter of the concubine that Xie’s mother had raised. Fearing her young sister-in-law might overthink things, she had not raised the subject in front of her, but in her heart Lu Shi was still very worried — concerned that she would fall out of favor with the Xie household and lose her place in her new husband’s heart.
When Xie Changgeng returned and found fault — should he not come to fetch her — then her young sister-in-law would be in a difficult position.
Not returning was of course impossible. But going back on her own just like this would be undignified, and her situation in the Xie household thereafter would likely be even less favorable.
Lu Shi had been quietly fretting over this very matter. When they had gone to make offerings to the Great Emperor of Junshan today, she had specially prayed for her young sister-in-law.
She had not expected her wish to be answered. Returning home, to her surprise, she had received just such wonderful news — how could she not be gladdened?
She handed Xie Changgeng’s letter to Mu Xuanqing over to Fu Lan.
“Lan’er, take a look!”
Fu Lan did not take the letter, nor did her face show the slightest trace of joy.
Lu Shi was puzzled and asked: “What is the matter with you? Your brother-in-law is coming to fetch you — is that not a good thing?”
Fu Lan sent the maidservants all out, and only once there was no one left in the room but herself and Lu Shi did she speak: “Sister-in-law, I am not going back.”
“I wish to seek a separation, and sever all ties with the Xie household.”
Lu Shi was stunned. At first she thought she had heard wrong. Seeing her young sister-in-law’s expression grave and serious, not the manner of someone speaking carelessly, she was startled and said: “What has come over you? You have only been married half a year, and now you wish to seek separation? You always had your heart set on the Xie household’s young master before — moreover, the two of you have been married and have probably not even exchanged a single word with each other yet. How is it that you suddenly want to cut off all ties?”
Fu Lan was silent, and Lu Shi suddenly recalled what the maidservants had said. She quickly urged again: “Lan’er, your sister-in-law has not mentioned this before, for fear you would overthink it. I have also heard your maidservant say a few words — that your mother-in-law intends to welcome a woman from the Qi family into the household. If you are unwilling, once you meet your brother-in-law, simply have a proper conversation with him about it. The two of you have only just married; if you do not give your consent, even though he and the Qi woman may have a deep history, he surely cannot disregard the dignity of our Kingdom of Changsha and insist on bringing her in.”
She took hold of her young sister-in-law’s hands, pressed her voice lower: “Lan’er, hear me out — you are the mistress of the Xie household. As long as you do not open your mouth to agree to this, that woman simply cannot enter. With your looks, and if you apply a little effort, how could you not hold your brother-in-law’s heart? Besides, there is still our Kingdom of Changsha to consider. The kingdom may be small, but your standing as a young mistress of rank is right there! It is only one woman — why should it cause you such despair and disillusionment as this!”
Fu Lan said: “Sister-in-law, everything you say, I understand — but my wish to sever ties with the Xie household is not because of the Qi clan woman. It is because I have changed my mind and can no longer think well of that man surnamed Xie. I have no desire to waste the rest of my life in the Xie household.”
“I came back this time with no intention of returning there. Nor will I change my mind again. I earnestly entreat my sister-in-law to forgive my willfulness and grant me this — please do not persuade me to go back.”
Her tone remained calm, yet her resolve was absolute.
Lu Shi stared at Mu Fulan, and in a daze, a strange feeling arose within her — as though she were looking at someone she did not know.
This was not something a sixteen-year-old girl should be thinking.
The young sister-in-law she remembered was gentle and reserved.
She recalled the night before Fu Lan had been married off and left home — they had slept together, the two of them. Her nervousness, her anticipation, her shyness — all of it remained vivid before her eyes.
Lu Shi truly could not fathom what on earth had happened to her in these short six-plus months, that it had led her to make such a decision.
It was as though she had suddenly grown up all at once, and was no longer the Mu clan royal daughter she had always known.
“Lan’er…”
Lu Shi was in a quandary, wavering with uncertainty.
“There is no problem, in principle, with wishing to sever ties with the Xie household. If you truly cannot bear to remain with the Xie household, your sister-in-law will naturally not force you to go back. But this is not a small matter, and it is not so easily done. Your mother-in-law has spoken of taking a concubine, but the woman has not yet entered the household. Even if she does enter, this cannot serve as our grounds to request a separation. Furthermore — this was a marriage your late father personally arranged for you, one that relates to the waterway of the Yangtze River and the peace and security of our Dongting and the four directions. Why would we, out of the blue, be able to approach him on such a matter?”
The dynastic civil war — which had persisted for many years and had not yet been fully quelled even now — had begun with the Empress Dowager Liu’s seizure of power. When the war broke out, unrest spread throughout the various territories, and many of the vassal kingdoms, whether out of ambition or helplessness, were drawn in one after another. At its height, there had been more than ten kingdoms involved.
Along both banks of the Yangtze, there had since ancient times been an abundance of water bandits and pirates. And with Dongting receiving the Yangtze to the north and connecting in the west with the four waterways of the Xiang, Zi, Yuan, and Li, as well as the Miluo River — its water routes extending in all directions, which made it all the more hospitable for harboring bandits. Once the fighting outside erupted, unrest along all four borders of Dongting was constant and unceasing.
Three years before, the late Prince of Changsha had sensed that he might not have long to live. While he still remained, he could still use his accumulated prestige to keep all directions in check — but once he was gone, with the times in turmoil, he feared that sooner or later the waves of unrest would reach the Kingdom of Changsha. His son Mu Xuanqing, at the time, might not have been able to manage the situation on his own.
At that time, the nineteen-year-old Xie Changgeng had already gathered his forces and cleared the Yangtze of the water bandits that had proliferated there, firmly seizing control of the upper waterway, and also controlling the transport of the imperial court’s grain and tax revenues.
The late Prince of Changsha had previously received assistance from Xie Changgeng in suppressing a particularly troublesome band of river pirates that had preyed upon the territory bordering the Kingdom of Changsha for many years. The two had met once. This young man of low birth but exceptional ability — who also conducted himself with a sense of propriety — had made a deep impression on him. The late Prince had recognized that he was no ordinary figure.
His gaze at last fell upon Xie Changgeng.
As if by some unspoken understanding, it was precisely at this moment that Xie came forward himself to seek the betrothal.
The marriage was thus arranged as a matter of natural course.
The thirteen-year-old royal daughter of the Kingdom of Changsha’s Mu clan was betrothed to the nineteen-year-old Yangtze bandit chief Xie Changgeng.
Not long after, Xie was, through the recommendation of the Prince of Changsha, taken into service by the imperial court, transformed in an instant from an outlaw to the Prefect of Jiangling.
In that year, the Prince of Changsha passed away, and Xie Changgeng thereafter rose through the ranks on the strength of his military accomplishments — in only three short years, he became the youngest Military Governor in the history of the current dynasty, drawing the eyes of the entire realm.
Setting aside all else, from the perspective of the marriage itself alone, it had been a union beneficial to both parties — Xie as much as the Kingdom of Changsha.
Xie Changgeng entered the official world, and the Kingdom of Changsha, just as the late Prince had hoped, found peace from that point on, with no threats to its borders.
How could Fu Lan not understand her sister-in-law’s concern?
She said: “Sister-in-law, you need not be the one to speak with him. I will speak with him myself. If he agrees of his own accord, and if it will not affect the peace of our Dongting’s waters, will you grant me this wish?”
Just then, the door was pushed open.
Fu Lan turned her head, and saw her elder brother Mu Xuanqing seated in a litter, stopped at the doorway, his face full of fury.
“My sister! How dare the Xie household be so presumptuous! It has only been this long, and they dare to humiliate you like this! That man surnamed Xie is nothing but a great bandit — how is he worthy of you! You need not worry. Your elder brother may be useless in many ways, but I will not allow you to endure such humiliation!”