Jinhai

I can see that Shan’s been angered by the comments of our neighbours and though I make light of it, I’m angry too.  Contempt isn’t an easy thing to handle.  What does it matter if the person I love is a man?  It’s nobody’s business but ours.  So I sweep into Wu Shun’s office in an indignant frame of mind and he looks up from the papers on his desk and says, “Whoa, who’s been upsetting you?”

“Some stupid people making remarks about Shan and me.”

“Take no notice.  What matters is being happy.”  He beams as he says this.

I look at him suspiciously.  “Ah-Shun, what’s up?”

He chuckles, Heheheh, and leaps up.  Going to a cabinet, he takes out a jar of wine and a couple of cups.  “I’m going to be married,” he says happily.

“Ah-Feng’s wife?”

“Ex-wife.  Her name’s Xiao Xieren and they’re divorced.  We have to wait a few months but it’s official.”  He hands me a cup of wine.

“Well, congratulations.  I hope you’ll be very happy.  What did the dragon-lady say?”

“She was lost for words.  After all, my father’s Minister of Justice and has the Emperor’s ear.  What can she say?”

“And you’re the third-placed scholar in the Empire, bound for the heights of officialdom.”

“Isn’t it great?” he says, sitting back and sipping the wine.  “Father’s been nagging at me to get married ever since I passed the exam.  He was a bit unhappy about the divorce at first, but he came round after he met Xieren.  And I think he’s anxious to make it up to me for the neglect when I was a kid.  Funny how things work out, isn’t it?  Back then in the army, I was the no-hoper and Ah-Feng was the one with a bright future.  Now it’s the other way round.”

I wince.  “I still feel guilty about Ah-Feng.  How’s he doing?”

“Same old Ah-Feng.  But maybe the death of his old man will sober him up, in every sense.  And stop thinking it’s your fault.  He’s intelligent enough to know better.”

Pushing Qin Feng to the back of my mind, I tell Wu Shun about our plans.  He has some useful suggestions, as is to be expected, and we get into an animated discussion which makes me late for my rendezvous with Shan.  I dash into the tavern out of breath.

“It’s all right,” Shan says as I make my excuses, “I only just got here myself.  Would it surprise you to learn that Lai Xue has an uncle exactly like him?”

“Nothing would surprise me about that family.”

We exchange our news as we eat.  It’s such a simple joy to be here in a tavern eating lunch together, without the fear of anyone betraying, killing or imprisoning us. 

The Lei house is next on our list.  We find Madam Lei and Shao Su together.  Madam Lei greets us with a smile.  “I was just about to send you a message.  We’ve had a letter from Ah-Qing and Ah-Lin.  All’s well.”

Shan and I read the letter together.  No breakdowns, good weather so far, no bandits, everyone well, morale high.  Over tea, we tell the ladies our news and offer to take messages, because we’ll be overtaking the caravan sooner or later.  Madam Lei disappears to write a letter to her daughter, but Shao Su says, “Just tell that brother of mine that I’m well and that he should take care of himself.  What are your plans?”

There’s a faint look of envy in her eyes as we talk about the places we intend to visit.  She sighs.  “All your talk of rivers and mountains and deserts really makes me want to go and see them for myself.  I’ve never been out of the capital.”

“There’ll be another caravan next spring.  But it’s not all comfort and romantic landscapes.”

“I know.  Ah-Chan’s told me everything that happened on the way.  All the same, the thought of adventure’s very appealing.”

“You and Ah-Ru are very alike in some ways,” I say, laughing.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she replies in her dry way.

We just have time at the end of the afternoon to visit Geng De, who gives us a letter for Lord Zhao and wishes us a successful trip.

“That just leaves Yuan Song and Duan Bai,” I remark, as we stroll home.  I suddenly realize that parting from Yuan Song will be a wrench. 

“They’ll be preparing to leave as well,” Shan says.  “Why don’t we invite them for dinner tomorrow evening?  We’ll leave the day after.”

In fact, we get home to find that Yuan Song has beaten us to it.  We’re invited to the Pavilion for a farewell dinner the following evening.  I just hope the Ma sisters aren’t there. 

As it turns out, they aren’t.  By tacit mutual consent, we don’t even mention them.  The dinner table has been set in Yuan Song’s courtyard, lit by lanterns hanging in the trees and from the pavilions.  We discuss our plans.  They too are leaving the next day, to travel to Shen City on the coast.  “I’m going to look for a business to buy,” Yuan Song says, “Jade or pearls perhaps, or exotic spices and perfumes.  I know something about those.”

“You can join our consortium,” I say.  “And then we can set up a courier route to Shen City and we can all keep in touch.”

“Willingly.”  He sits back and smiles, beautiful in the lantern-light.  “I’m looking forward to being by the sea again.  It’s been a while.” 

 “I’ve never seen the sea,” I say, a touch wistfully.

“A good reason to come and visit,” Yuan Song says.  “And the cuisine’s excellent.”

“Maybe we should open a restaurant,” Duan Bai says with his mischievous smile.

“Neither of us can cook,” Yuan Song objects.

“A minor detail,” says Duan Bai.

The time comes to say goodbye.  I turn to Yuan Song and try to find words, but instead he reaches out and draws me into his arms in a close embrace.  I’m surrounded by the fragrance that accompanies him wherever he goes and which I would recognize anywhere.  I can feel his heart beating against my chest.  And then he releases me and holds me for a moment, his hands on my shoulders.  “I’ll miss you, little bundle,” he says.

“I’ll miss you too, Ah-Song.”

He kisses my forehead and lets me go.  Duan Bai comes to his side.  We salute one another as friends and then Shan and I leave them standing there together in the lantern-light.

I’m feeling rather tearful, but there’s not much time for emotion, because as we make our way through the Pavilion to the back door, I’m mobbed by the boys and girls of the house, who have become my friends over the past months.  I’m kissed and hugged, keepsakes are pressed into my hands and I’m urged to come by next time I’m in the capital.  Then in the kitchen it’s the turn of Yuan Song’s child-messengers, who have done very well out of me in the past.  I distribute all my spare change and promise once again to visit.  And finally as we’re about to step out of the door, the silent giant who guards it envelopes me in a big sweaty hug before opening the door to let us out into the cool night air.

“We’ll see them again,” Shan says reassuringly.

“I know.  I just hate goodbyes.”

It’s his turn to take me in his arms and hug me.  We’re still in the dark alley at the side of the Pavilion, so nobody can see us.  We stand there for some time before separating.  “Come on, let’s go home,” Shan says.

Next morning, unavoidably, there are more farewells.  Mo Jiang turns up at daybreak, impatient to be on the road.  We’ve prepared all our baggage, which doesn’t amount to much because we’re going to General Chen’s estate first of all and we’re planning to buy supplies as we go.  There’s no need for a wagon.  We’re each taking two horses and the spares will carry everything we need.  As if he were waiting for this moment, the grey dog rouses from his usual torpor and takes up a position by the gate.  “Looks like he’s coming with us,” Mo Jiang says, grinning.

We mount up.  Ah-Bo and his friend hold the gates open.  Qian Hu and Xinyi wave goodbye from the veranda.

As we pace through the city and out of the gate, excitement rises in me like a tide.  Last time I left the capital, I was a prisoner with a dreadful fate waiting.  Now I have what I always wanted: my freedom.  And I have the person I love.  My happy mood carries me through the next few days at General Chen’s house, where we eat, drink, discuss our plans and, of course, fish in the lake.  The day before we leave, Shan and I hold a ceremony by the lakeside, vowing lifelong companionship to one another, in the presence of a solemn General Chen and an emotional Mo Jiang.

Then at last the moment comes when we set out, the road open before us, friends behind to see us off, friends waiting to welcome us, the whole of life ahead.

End of the main story (but read on)

So here we are at the end of the main story.  My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has read this far.  But it's not over.  I wanted to explore the relationship between Duan Bai and Yuan Song, which it wasn't possible to do as part of the Shan/Jinhai story.  So there's a side-story coming up.  Stay tuned.