Two days later, we arrive at a town where we plan to rest for a day.  I’m hoping it’s got hot springs.

Alas, it hasn’t, but it has other attractions, including several good eating-houses.  Again, there’s a general exodus of the male members of our company, while the women are left, grumbling, in camp.

“Well, isn’t it wonderful being a man?” Madam Zhu’s voice is waspish.   “Living the high life while we poor women are stuck here twiddling our thumbs."

“Surely there’d be no objection if you ladies went into town tomorrow?” I suggest. “From what Hao Meng says, there are plenty of shops and a market every day.”

“I’d like nothing better.  But the men won’t allow it.”

“Mother and I are going,” Lei Qing says.  “You’re welcome to join us, Madam Zhu.”

"I wish I could," she says bitterly.

Shan has arranged with Hao Meng that he and I will stay in camp today and Hao Meng will babysit tomorrow.  In fact, it’s hardly necessary.  We’re close to the town walls and there’s a command post, so there won’t be any bandits around, just the usual pickpockets and con-men you find in any town.  But tomorrow Shan and I may get a chance to be alone. 

Next morning, I accompany Yao Lin, Lei Qing and Madam Zhong into town.  There’s a huge market, not just foodstuffs, but all kinds of other goods.  Madam Zhong’s wearing a hat with a veil, but I hear her draw a deep breath as if she’s sniffing home air.

“It’s been so long…..” she murmurs.

She’s had the sense to dress inconspicuously and Lei Qing looks like a boy anyway, so they don’t attract any undue attention among the other families shopping and strolling in the streets. Lei Qing turns to me.  “It’s all right.  You can leave us here.  Ah-Lin will look after us.  We’re going to do some shopping.  We’ll see you tonight.”

As I watch them disappear into the crowd, Shan’s voice says softly behind me, “Young Master Zhao, imagine meeting you here.”

“Such a coincidence,” I reply, turning to look at him.

“So, if I’m trying to seduce you, what should I do next?”

“Invite me for lunch.”

“Young Master Zhao, will you have lunch with me?”

“I don’t dare refuse.  Who knows what you’d do?  According to Yao Lin and Lai Xue, you’re cool but scary.”

He laughs.  “Come on.  I promise not to scare you.”

We find a likely-looking eating house and take a private room on the first floor.  No-one can overhear us, but we speak in low voices all the same.  He pours wine and we clink our cups together.

“Here’s to seduction,” he says.

“How quickly can you seduce me?  I don’t know how long I can wait.”

He reflects.  “It could be a case of love at first sight.”

Servants bustle in with the food and are busy arranging it on the table when we hear a commotion below in the street.  Loud voices sound downstairs, orders ring out, heavy boots come clumping up the stairs.  Shan puts down his cup of wine, suddenly on the alert.  Panic runs through me like fire.  Six soldiers march into the room, followed by Zhu Yu and his father, who’s looking distraught.  Zhu Yu points at Shan, his face triumphant, “That’s him!  That’s Liao Shan!”

Shan rises slowly to his feet, his face impassive.  For a moment, I’m so dazed that I can’t react.  Then I get up too and hear my own voice saying, quite composedly, “Don’t be ridiculous.  Liao Shan’s dead.  He was killed in a fire on the Ding estate, weeks ago.”

The leading soldier checks and frowns.  By his insignia, he’s a captain.  “No-one’s told us,” he says.

“Send a message to the Commander in Qiu City.  He’ll tell you.”

Zhu Yu waves the wanted notice.  “He looks just like this and he was in the army.  He must be Liao Shan.”

“It’s complete nonsense,” I say.  “I was in the army and I was in Qiu City.  Liao Shan was our commanding officer and this isn’t him.”

“We’ll soon find out if it’s him or not,” the captain says, “There’s someone here who knows Liao Shan personally.”  He goes to the door and calls down, “Commander, would you please come up?”

Feet start to mount the stairs.  Shan’s looking unnaturally calm.  I’m in turmoil.  I only hope that my consternation isn’t showing on my face.  Another soldier comes through the door. 

It’s Bai Ping.

He looks very much neater than the last time we saw him, freshly-shaven, his uniform clean and tidy.  His gaze sweeps across the room, barely lingers on Shan and then focuses on me for an instant.  Then he looks at the captain and snaps, “Well?  What?”

“Sir, is this man Liao Shan?”  There's a deferential tone in the captain's voice.

“This guy?   No way.”

“Are you sure, sir?”

“Of course I’m bloody sure.  I trained with Liao Shan.  I was promoted with him.   I celebrated last New Year with him, back when he was still the hero of Qiu City.  This isn’t him.  Who said he was?”

“Er… this boy.”  The captain points to Zhu Yu, who’s looking shocked out of his wits.

“Take him in,” snaps Bai Ping.  “A night in the cells will teach him not to waste government time.”

Two soldiers grab Zhu Yu by the arms.  Appalled, Zhu Min starts forward, fumbling for his money bag.  “Captain, can’t – can’t we talk about this like civilized people?”

Bai Ping turns on him.  “Trying to bribe a government official, eh?  I can make it two nights if you want.”

The captain, who has started to stretch his hand out towards Zhu Min’s money bag, changes his mind and snatches it back.  Bai Ping turns to us. “If this happens again, just mention my name.  Commander Bai Ping.  You’ll find me in the capital.”

Shan bows and says gravely, “Thank you, Commander.”

The captain bows too, and says, “Apologies for disturbing you, gentlemen.  Please enjoy your meal.”

He barks an order.  They leave, hustling Zhu Yu out with his father scurrying after them.  The steps recede down the stairs.  I’m shaking like bamboo leaves in a high wind, but Shan sits down again, laughing quietly. 

“So Bai Ping finally got his transfer to the capital.”  He glances up at me and his face changes.  He gets hastily to his feet.  “Hey, hey, it’s all right.  Come here.”

The steady beat of his heart calms me down.  “Sorry,” I whisper, “I must be losing my nerve.”

“We’d probably have got away with it, you know, even if Bai Ping hadn’t been there.  Your defence was very convincing.  Come on, sit down and eat.”

The food and wine boost my drooping courage a little.  “Do you think Zhu Yu really knows who you are?”

“I doubt it.   He saw the wanted poster and thought he’d try it on.”

“This isn’t going to make him any easier to deal with.”

“Nope.  But maybe a night in prison will calm him down.”

“Bai Ping knows we’re both still alive now.”

“He won’t say anything.”  Shan starts to laugh again.  “Bribing a government official – that’s the Bai Ping I used to know.”

“How can you laugh?  I was scared to death.  I thought – I thought I was going to lose you again.”

 “You’re not going to lose me.”

One arm comes round my waist and pulls me against him.  His other hand comes up to the back of my head and he kisses me in that way he has which reduces my bones to water.  I clutch at him, feeling the heat of his body against mine.  His mouth tastes of wine, with faint hints of ginger and lemon grass.  “You taste nice,” I murmur, as soon as I can.  “I was hoping for another hot spring, but I think we’re going to have to go back and face the fuss.”

“I’m afraid you’re right.  Seduction will have to wait till the next town.”

“We could always sneak out at night.”

“Absolutely not.  I have no intention of doing it standing up against a tree with my trousers round my ankles.”

I have to laugh.  “A bed or nothing?”

“A bed or nothing.”

The encampment’s oddly quiet when we get back.  There’s no sign of Zhu Min.  Instead, Madam Zhu and Hao Meng are standing with their heads together.  They both turn as we approach and Madam Zhu says, in her forthright way, “What’s going on?  First Ah-Yu and my husband rush off like mad things, then my husband comes back alone, shuts himself up in the wagon and won’t talk to me.  What’s happened?”

Putting an embarrassed expression on my face, I say, “Um – well, it’s a bit awkward.  Young Master Zhu went to the command post and accused Sir Zhan of being a wanted criminal.  Luckily there was an officer there who was able to prove Sir Zhan innocent.  But they weren’t too happy with Young Master Zhu so he’s been locked up for the night.”

Hao Meng says, “Hah!”

Madam Zhu folds her arms and something suspiciously like a smile appears on her round face.  “Serves the brat right,” she says.  “I’m very sorry you were inconvenienced, Sir Zhan.  Please accept the Zhu family’s sincere apologies.”

Shan bows.  Then he turns to me.  In a husky voice which I know very well, he says, “Young Master Zhao, I’m sorry our lunch didn’t turn out the way I wanted.”

His tone and the ambiguity of his words bring a blush to my face, despite myself.  I mutter, “No problem.”

As we watch him walk away, Hao Meng says, “Lunch?”

“Um – we were having lunch when the soldiers walked in on us,” I explain, trying to look unconcerned.  I turn to Madam Zhu.  “I think Young Master Zhu will be back tomorrow morning, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Worry?” she says scornfully.  “As far as I’m concerned, they can keep him for a week.”

With that, she swirls her skirts round and heads for the wagon, inside which, no doubt, her husband’s sitting wringing his hands.  Hao Meng’s looking at me narrowly.  “Could have been nasty,” he says.

I’m suddenly afraid he’s going to ask for details, but to my relief, he doesn’t.  Instead he gives me some instructions about our departure tomorrow morning and then heads off.  I feel exhausted.  Yao Lin, Lai Xue and Little Huang are sitting by the fire playing some sort of game.  I look round for Shan, but he’s disappeared.  It’s still broad daylight, but I don’t care.  Climbing wearily into the Yao wagon, I unroll my quilt and sink thankfully into sleep.