The lamp went out.

Because of the wound on his back, Xie Changgeng lay down and slept on his side, his back turned toward her.

The night grew gradually deeper.

Mu Fulan became aware that the figure beside her slowly turned over.

A man’s hand settled upon her. The heat of that palm, even through the clothing, was palpably felt against the skin beneath.

After a moment, that hand slipped beneath the garment, running across the warmth and smoothness it met, and began to move slowly downward.

Mu Fulan opened her eyes and said, in the darkness where neither could see the other’s face clearly: “Would you not do better to rest properly and heal the wound first? What if it starts bleeding again.”

“After it heals, there is still time.”

Her tone was as if she were discussing what to eat or what to wear tomorrow.

The man’s hand stilled, then suddenly spread its five fingers and seized her slender, willow-like waist, pulling her entire body toward him in one motion.

A sudden weight pressed down upon her. Her slender ribs were compressed, sinking slightly under the pressure.

The man’s heavy body had already settled over hers.

A wave of scorching breath rushed past her ear. Mu Fulan felt a face drawing close, lips brushing across her cheek.

“Don’t pretend to be kind! You’d be glad if I just died like this!” He pressed his face against her ear, grinding his teeth, speaking with fierce resentment.

Mu Fulan tilted her head very slightly, as calmly as she could manage, avoiding his mouth.

“Do as you wish, then,” she said.

He paused, and then did not continue — only remained like that, lying on top of her.

“…My back is sore and painful… it feels like there are insects gnawing at the bone… I can’t sleep… It’s been like this every night recently.”

“Your hands are truly merciless.”

After a long while, she heard at her ear a low, slightly hoarse murmuring voice — as if he were explaining his behavior in this moment, or as if he were complaining and sulking.

She was taken aback.

In the darkness, she felt a hand groping its way over and catching hers, guiding it, drawing her arm around to wrap about his lower back.

“Help me rub it.”

Mu Fulan hesitated, then her hand finally moved to the vicinity of the wound she had stabbed, pressed her palm against it, and slowly rubbed and kneaded.

He buried his face against the side of her neck, motionless.

Mu Fulan, compressed beneath him, found her breathing labored. After rubbing for a moment, her hand felt its way to the shoulder of the man who seemed to have fallen asleep, and nudged him, saying: “Why don’t you just lie face down on the bed instead…”

Before the words were finished, he suddenly lifted his head and pressed his mouth against her lips, his breath scorching, his hard body pressing tightly against her.

Mu Fulan struggled for a few moments, then gave up, and when he finally let go of her mouth and she could speak, she closed her eyes and said: “There is something I wish to say to you.”

His hands, with a trace of urgency, were undoing her clothing, while he gave a careless acknowledgment.

“Today in the study, what you said — I took it to heart. But there is one thing I wish to confirm with you. Do my duties as a wife include bearing children and continuing the Xie family line?”

His hands stopped.

Mu Fulan waited a moment, heard no answer from him, and said: “If you permit it, I will take the medicine. I imagine it is what you would prefer as well, but I wished to ask you first, to avoid it being discovered later and you accusing me again of acting on my own initiative and deceiving you.”

Her tone was tactful and composed.

The man’s shoulders and back were sculpted by the night into a dark, heavy ridge of shadow.

He finally spoke, in a light, even tone: “You have some self-awareness, I’ll grant you that. If you wish to take medicine and damage your own body, go ahead. Why would I forbid it?”

He paused, then slowly lowered his head, his lips moving once again to her ear.

“Mu Shi, you really are a little shameless creature.”

His tongue gave her soft earlobe a light, teasing flick, and he murmured close to her ear.

“So young, yet you were already in an illicit liaison with a wild man and bore his child — and before me, you always carry yourself so primly, pretending to be above it all.”

He caught her off guard and opened his mouth, teeth sinking in.

The soft flesh of her earlobe was bitten as though it might come off. Mu Fulan winced in pain, pushed hard against him, and struggled.

He released her, and instead grabbed the two arms she was pushing against him with, flipped her struggling body over, and pinned her down.

“Xie Changgeng, you vile, despicable wretch…”

Her body was twisted into a strange, contorted shape by him, unable to move. At last she could endure her fury no longer, and she moaned and cursed him.

He seemed to give a muffled laugh — strange-sounding — and said: “You only realize this now? My despicability will be something you come to know very well indeed…”

In the darkness, accompanied by the man’s heavy breathing, a crisp sound of tearing fabric rang out from behind the bed curtains.

Just then, someone knocked at the door, and an abrupt voice from outside sounded: “My lord, the Old Madam has arrived!”

The two within the bed curtains, tangled in their struggle, both stopped dead.

Xie Changgeng seemed to freeze for a moment. His grip instantly loosened, and he slowly released Mu Fulan, drew a slow breath, rolled off her body, yanked open the curtain, climbed down, lit the lamp, hastily threw on a garment, went out, and opened the door.

“What did you just say?”

The serving woman held a candle in her hand and, seeing his expression dark, hastily bowed: “Just now, the steward had me come to pass word that the gate official sent someone saying a group of travelers has arrived outside the city gates in the night, claiming to be your mother, my lord.”

Xie Changgeng’s figure went still for a moment, then he turned and looked at the water clock in the room.

It was nearing the end of the hour of Hai.

“Tell them I’ll be right there.”

His expression grave, he turned back into the inner chamber, quickly dressed and put on his shoes, snatched up his sash and was tying it as he strode toward the door. At the threshold, as if suddenly remembering something, he stopped and turned his head to look into the inner chamber — then came back, lifted the lowered bed curtain, and looked in.

Mu Fulan’s long hair was in disarray, her clothes in scattered disarray, her jade-white body nearly bare, and she lay face down, completely still.

His gaze paused for a moment on her snow-white back. A flicker of regret passed through the depths of his eyes and was gone. He reached out and pulled the quilt over her.

“They say my mother has come. I’ll go have a look first. Rest a while. If she’s truly here, wait for me to bring her to the residence, then come out — we’ll receive her together.”

He spoke quietly, then turned and left in haste.

He went to the city gate, where the night-watch official was waiting for him. Seeing him from a distance, the official came running to meet him, and said that outside the city gates had arrived a group of nighttime travelers, among whom was an elderly woman who claimed to be the Military Governor’s mother, and who had come all the way from Kuizhou, her old home. The official did not recognize her, and since it was deep in the night, he had not dared let her through rashly — but neither had he dared to treat her carelessly. At the time he had invited her in and asked her to rest in the guardhouse beside the city gate, and sent someone to deliver the news to the Military Governor’s residence.

Xie Changgeng glanced at the guardhouse beside the city gate and went toward it in quick strides. Before he had even entered, he heard from inside the sound of complaints: “Have you gone and passed the message or not? My son is the great Military Governor of Hexi. I have a court-bestowed title to my name. I’ve come here to visit my son! If you dare obstruct me again, when I see my son, you’ll answer for it!”

That voice Xie Changgeng knew far too well. It was his mother, Shen Shi.

“Old Madam, please don’t be upset. A brother has already gone to the Military Governor’s residence to pass the message.”

“Old Madam, please don’t worry. When the Military Governor learns you’ve come, he’ll certainly come to receive you. You’ve been in a carriage all day — your legs and feet must be swollen. Please sit down and let me work out the soreness.” A young woman’s voice.

Xie Changgeng had not expected that his own mother would make the journey all the way from Xie County to this place. Hearing the fretful urgency in her voice, he took one quick stride and stepped inside.

“Mother! Your son came late — I’ve kept you waiting long.”

A smile broke over his face as he moved quickly toward an elderly woman seated in the room.

Xie Changgeng’s mother had traveled far and hard, and had been on the road for most of the day, only arriving now. She was both weary and worn, and on top of it all had been stopped here — her mood was naturally displeased. She had been in the middle of her complaints when she suddenly saw her son walk in. Her eyes brightened, and she jumped to her feet.

“Geng’er, you’ve finally come! These people actually blocked my way and wouldn’t let me go find you!”

The gate soldiers and the official who had come in behind them looked alarmed and immediately knelt down to kowtow.

Xie Changgeng told everyone to rise and go out, then came forward to support his mother by the arm: “Mother, you’ve misunderstood. They weren’t making things difficult for you. They didn’t recognize you — you arrived in the dead of night, and this is proper procedure. They were simply following the rules. Mother, you were perfectly fine at home. How could you have come all the way here without so much as a word beforehand?”

Xie Changgeng’s mother, now that she saw her son had come to receive her, felt more than half her irritation dissolve. But she continued to complain: “You can talk! Have you thought about it — you left last year, and haven’t even been home for a New Year. Another year is almost up. Can’t I, as your mother, miss my son and come here to see him?”

Thinking of how last time he had originally meant to return, but had changed his mind midway and diverted elsewhere — causing his old mother to travel all this way — Xie Changgeng felt a pang of guilt, and quickly said: “Your son is unfilial, not only failing to serve you at your side, but causing you, Mother, to make this exhausting journey from so far away. You must be tired, Mother. Your son will take you back now.”

His mother at last brightened, nodded, and pointed to the young woman beside her: “All along the way, I was only able to travel smoothly and without incident thanks to Feng’er’s attentive care. I’m fine — but she’s worn herself out. You must thank her properly.”

Qi Lingfeng showed signs of fatigue, and had been crouching on the floor helping to rub Xie Changgeng’s mother’s legs when he walked in. She now stood to one side, and hearing Xie Changgeng’s mother give her a mention, spoke softly: “I am not tired — as long as the Old Madam is well, I am perfectly content. The Old Madam hurried along all day in order to see you sooner, Brother-in-law — she must be truly exhausted. Please, Brother-in-law, take the Old Madam back to rest first.”

Xie Changgeng had already noticed her, and nodded.

Qiuju smoothed her hair at the temples and spoke softly along with Qi Lingfeng in greeting.

A’Mao had come along as well. She had been run ragged by Qiuju the whole way — do this, do that — and had stayed up several nights in a row. Just now, truly exhausted, she had found a corner to lean against and had stolen a nap. She now struggled awake, rubbed her eyes, bent her waist in a rough bow at Xie Changgeng, picked up the luggage before her, muttered that this place was so cold, and followed along in a bleary daze.

Xie Changgeng’s mother had come on this trip with, in addition to these few, naturally also her own retainers and servants — all of whom had been left at the city gate earlier.

Xie Changgeng helped his mother into the carriage, told everyone to follow along, and led them back to the Military Governor’s residence.

…

The handmaids in the adjoining room had been woken by the sound of Xie Changgeng going out, and knowing he had left, came to attend to her.

Mu Fulan went over and saw Xi’er sleeping soundly. She instructed the handmaids to watch over him carefully and not to wake him.

Shortly after, a serving woman came, bowed, and said that the Military Governor had received the Old Madam and was inviting the Madam to come over at once.

The Military Governor’s residence was very large, with no shortage of vacant courtyards. The steward had already roused the residence’s servants, who had quickly set about preparing a place for Xie Changgeng’s mother to stay.

Xie Changgeng led his mother inside, sent everyone else out, helped her sit down, and said: “Mother, you came without warning, and I had no time to prepare anything. Tonight I must ask you to bear with these quarters. If anything is lacking, tell Mu Shi tomorrow — she will see to it that everything is made ready.”

Xie Changgeng’s mother was in high spirits at first and said everything was fine, telling her son not to trouble himself over such trifles — but then suddenly heard the two words “Mu Shi,” and was taken aback. “Geng’er, which Mu Shi? The Mu Shi you married?”

Xie Changgeng nodded. “Yes. She didn’t know you were coming just now. She’ll be here shortly.”

His mother was greatly surprised and frowned. “The last time you came home, didn’t you say she wasn’t coming back, that she was staying in the Changsha Kingdom? How did she end up here?”

Xie Changgeng, knowing his mother had no affection for this woman, said: “She arrived not long ago — I brought her here, for another matter. Mother, you need not concern yourself with these things.”

On this trip, Xie Changgeng’s mother had not spared herself the trouble — coming all the way from Xie County, from so far away. One reason was, of course, that she had missed her son. But there was also another purpose on her mind. Now, suddenly learning that the Mu girl was also here, she was greatly displeased — yet she had just heard her son say he had been the one to bring her, so it was not convenient to say anything about that. While she sat there in her bewilderment, she heard from outside the door a sound of delighted surprise.

“Madam! So you’re also here! Oh, how wonderful! A’Mao has so missed you, Madam!”

The little snot-nosed girl, having been sent with the serving woman to fetch hot water, was walking along yawning when she suddenly saw Mu Fulan approaching the courtyard with a handmaid in tow. Her sleepiness vanished in an instant. She cried out in happy surprise and came running to meet her, bowing and greeting her again and again.

Qi Lingfeng and Qiuju had been settled in a room next to Xie Changgeng’s mother’s. Qi Lingfeng was inside the room; Qiuju was standing at the door, shaking out a garment that had picked up road dust during the day, when she suddenly spotted Mu Fulan appearing from a distance. She froze, then saw that Mu Fulan had stopped, a smile on her face, talking with A’Mao — and immediately turned around and darted inside.

Mu Fulan caught a glimpse of the handmaid’s retreating back as she disappeared at the sight of her, and told A’Mao to dress warmly in time so as not to get sick in this climate.

A’Mao nodded: “I know. The Military Governor just brought the Old Madam inside — everyone’s in the room.”

Mu Fulan walked to the door of the main room and knocked.

Xie Changgeng opened the door and looked her over.

Her clothes were neat, her long hair gathered into a simple bun and left hanging at the back — her manner respectful and composed.

She walked to stand before Xie Changgeng’s mother, seated in the room, bowed to her, and said: “I did not know Honored Mother-in-law was coming. I was unable to go out to receive you earlier — please do not take offense, Honored Mother-in-law.”

Xie Changgeng’s mother looked at her with immediate displeasure, turned her body to one side, and said: “Coming in the dead of night, disturbing your good sleep — it is I, this old woman, making trouble.”

Mu Fulan said: “Honored Mother-in-law is being far too gracious. You have had a tiring journey, Honored Mother-in-law. Just now, I had someone prepare a light meal — please have it, and then get an early rest.”

A handmaid came in carrying a food box, brought it to Xie Changgeng’s mother’s side, lifted out the supper, set it on the table, placed the chopsticks, arranged everything neatly, then bowed to Xie Changgeng’s mother with a smile: “Old Madam, please do help yourself.”

Xie Changgeng’s mother’s face was cold, and she did not move.

Mu Fulan’s bright eyes turned to Xie Changgeng.

Xie Changgeng coughed once, stepped forward, and said: “Mother, please eat while it’s hot.”

His mother said coldly: “I haven’t the good fortune for that. If you want to eat it, eat it yourself!”

Xie Changgeng paused, and gestured to the handmaid. “Put it away.”

The handmaid acknowledged, packed everything back up, picked up the food box, and withdrew.

Mu Fulan cast her eyes down and stood in silence.

Xie Changgeng looked at her, suppressed the faint sense of vexation that rose within him, and turned to say to his mother: “Mother, it’s late. Please rest. I’ll come back to my room with her. If you need anything, have someone come and let me know.”

He turned his back and gave Mu Fulan a look.

Mu Fulan withdrew.

Xie Changgeng reached the door, when suddenly he heard his mother cry out from behind: “Geng’er, why is there blood on your back? What happened? Is something wrong with you?”

The wounds on his back — bandaged that evening, the bleeding originally stanched — had slowly seeped blood again from the strain of the vigorous movements earlier in bed, soaking into his garment. He hadn’t noticed, and hadn’t expected his mother to spot it.

Xie Changgeng sighed inwardly, stopped in his tracks, and gestured for the woman to go ahead without him.

Mu Fulan glanced at Xie Changgeng’s mother — who had risen to her feet and was gripping her son’s arm with anxious hands — and quietly withdrew.