It was the 3rd on the 3rd month of the 12th year of the Tianbao reign. Finally the sun was out, sweeping away the dreary weather of the past few days and giving even the fresh blue sky a warm, soothing glow. From Changan to the Qujiangchi lake there was an endless mass of people stretching ten miles long. Among the crowd were young, relaxed gentlemen wearing the Futou[1], women with their glamourous outfits and full make-up, girls with pale dresses, narrow sleeves and simple jewellery, mingling with Persians in their exotic dress and the Karahoja and Negrito slaves dotted between them. Although it had not reached the 9th hour in the morning, but business in both the east and west markets were already thriving. Along the whole way, beautiful young girls for every possible taste stood by the doorway of the taverns as the banners of the character “jiu (wine)” swayed above them against the breeze which carried the rich scents of the Yu Jin Xiang wine from Lanling, the dark grape wine Cheng Qing Kuang, the Sanle Jiang from Persia and the Long Gan wine.
Naturally as it was an ancient festive day, the Double Third festival and one of the three major Tang festivals designated by Tang law, from the Emperor himself to peasants, everyone was clothed in their best, brimming with joy, as they either took a walk around the lake or shopped in the east or west markets, enjoying the prosperity that peace brought.
It was a day of idleness, a day to bathe in the gentle breeze, for the petals to discuss among themselves about how slowly they should unfurl. Women and young girls had flocked to the Qujiangchi lake early in the morning, setting up tents to shield from the early morning sun. These purple, red and blue dress like tents contrasted against the jade green lake water and the pavilions was a beautiful sight in itself.
“If the lake waters were clean, one would use it to wash one’s hairpiece, if the lake waters were murky, one would use it to wash one’s feet. Miss, look at the soft jade waves of Qujiang. It’s just as beautiful as our Taihu lake,” a young girl in a maid’s dress recited. Dressed in white, with eyebrows that curved upwards slightly, shyly reciting a poem unablw to stop herself from playing with the flowing lake water. She seemed easily pleased in her own adorable way. Above her was a blue tent, an oddity among the red and purple tents around them. And the young lady that was her mistress was Shen Zhen Zhu.
She was too slim to fit the beauty standards of the dynasty but her face was round and smooth, her facial features were attractive and delicate, a rare beauty, especially her eyes, which were full of intelligence and wit. Her long eyebrows hiding under the hair, thick and even with a tinge of masculinity.
Ever since she went to visit her father the Imperial librarian Shen Yi Zhi, she had remained here. Now Spring had arrived welcomed by the blossoming flowers, after the busiest 3rd of the 3rd festival in Chang’an, she had packed up, ready to return to Wuxin.
Whilst watching the calm lake water, her mind had started to drift. Her maid’s words dragged her back to the present and nodded her head in agreement. “Su Ci, you have improved recently. I must test your knowledge do you know what that verse means?”
That was not a question Su Ci could answer. Fortunately, she had always been close to her mistress. She poked her tongue out and frankly told her, “How could I know without you telling me, Miss? I only saw those lines yesterday when I was tidying your desk and saw an open book. They sounded pleasing to the ear so after reading it a few times, I managed to remember it. “
“That is a phrase from the poem “Fisherman” by Qu Yuan. Although it seems simple on the surface, but there is a much deeper meaning hidden within it. It is the proof of how insignificant words can contain significant meaning.” A frown furrowed Shen Zhen Zhu’s brow as if there was a concern she could not resolve.
“Qu Yuan! I remember that you told me about him!” Su Ci continued hesitantly, “Miss you said, Master Qu Yuan[2] was upright and forward. He was stubborn but caring. Skilled in resolving unrest in a country, a brilliant orator an diplomat, but unfortunately he could not contribute to his country so he committed suicide by jumping into the Miluo River,” she recited from memory. When Zhen Zhu nodded in encouragement, she continued, “But what does that verse mean? You never told me!”
“One day after Qu Yuan was exiled, a fisherman caught him haggard and gaunt, lamenting his fury and despair at a lake and asked him, “Are you not the Left Minister? Why have you become like this?” Qu Yuan replied, “The whole world is murky, only I am clean. The minds of the people in this world are muddled and only my mind is clear. That is why I have been banished here.” The fisherman recited the two phrases that you just recited now, an attempt to discreetly persuade him to go with the flow instead of stubbornly sticking to his principles. Hence he used to water as a way to describe the government. When the waters are clear, one can wear the headpiece of a minister but when the waters are murky, to wash one’s feet in a secluded place far away from the government. Unfortunately Qu Yuan did not take that advice.” Even though it has been over a thousand years, she could still feel the despair he must have felt.
“Oh, so that was why you are like this Miss! Master Qu Yuan’s story must have struck a cord within you, you are wondering if you should become a minister or remain in seclusion!” Su Ci was extremely intelligent. She let out a strange laugh and pulled a face at her mistress.
“What nonsense are you speaking? I am a girl, how can I become a minister or go in seclusion?” Zhen Zhu exclaimed, raising her hand to playfully slap Su Ci who quickly dodged and leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Is not participating in the contest to become an Imperial consort not like becoming a minister?”
“How comes you know everything? Who told you that?” Shen Zhen Zhu inquired in a low voice, with a blush.
Su Ci hesitated for a moment, before deciding to tell her, “It was Mistress, she…she told me to pay more attention to you!” Although Shen Zhen Zhu had guessed that was the case, but it still left a sour taste in her mouth. “Of course Mother would like me to take part! What do you think Su Ci?” She turned her head to look at her.
“Miss, you always know what you want, I do not dare to advise you! I only feel that you are more talented than anyone I know. It would be a shame if you do not participate in the contest to become an Imperial Consort.”
Suddenly they could hear the crisp sound of the Khakkhara as it moved through the crowd, opening a pathway for three extravagant carriages to fly pass on the other side of the lake. Inside the carriage was a beautiful woman wearing a tall opulent headpiece, dressed in the finest silks which was embellished with jewels and precious stones. Behind her carriage marched a group of servants and guards carrying jewels, the finest and rarest gifts and food. In a blink of an eye, they had entered the newly built Luru pavilion.
Among the crowd, the phrases Lady Guo, Imperial Noble Consort, the Emperor’s favourite Consort, monopolization of power, Anlu Shan….could be heard as the visitors discussed among themselves, however it barely caused a ripple, like the frog that leaped across the lake.
“Talent?” Zhen Zhu repeated, shaking her head sadly. There were so many talented women who had lived in this dynasty alone. From Empress Wu, Princess Taiping, Shangguan Wan’er, to Empress Wei and the Consort Wei who had recently passed away, but despite their talent, almost all of them met a bloody end, their mark in history just be their tarnished reputation and the crimes they committed. And now it was her turn to be involved in those murky waters.
“If you don’t wish to Miss then don’t go.” Su Ci replied when she realised that Zhen Zhu was still undecided. “Besides with your looks and upbringing it would be so easy for you to find a good husband. Whether it’s the powerful and rich families in Wuxin or the nobles in the capital, I’m sure there will be so many rich and accomplished gentleman will ask the matchmaker for your hand in marriage, so much so that our doorway will be flattened from the flock of suitors and Master and Mistress will be spoilt by choice. I’m sure the final candidate will be just as good as Prince Guangping and Prince Jianning!”she reassured her as she bent down to play with the water.
“You really are….” sighed Shen Zhen Zhu as she listened to her maid’s naïve words. She smiled as she thought back to their childhood together. Ever since Su Ci became her maid when she was five, she became her companion. Although she was her maid, but she was never short of anything and had never suffered so of course she viewed everything simply. She thought back to her situation again before letting out a hopeless sigh. “If only things will go the way one wishes.”
“Anyway, I will go wherever you go Miss. You won’t get rid of me in this lifetime.” Si Ci replied without a second thought.
“Miss, Su Ci, let’s hurry and head to the bridge! We’ll be able to see the whole of the Qujiangchi lake from there!” Zhen Zhu’s other maid, Hong Rui called as she ran towards him from the direction of the bridge. Unlike Su Ci, she was in male attire, her hair was covered by a green Futou, she was wearing a pair of black boots and had a pair of curved eyebrows. Hong Rui would often dress up as a man to protect Zhen Zhu. Luckily women would frequently dress up as men in the Tang dynasty so her dress did not raise any attention.
“Alright! Let’s go! Let’s enjoy the rest of our day today!” The Wujiang bridge was about a hundred feet away and the flock of crowds there were as tightly packed as the thread in a cloth, either admiring the beautiful scenery or sightseeing on the pagoda. It sparked Zhen Zhu’s interest and headed to the Quchi bridge arm in arm with Hong Rui whilst Su Ci hurriedly packed up the tent and followed them.
Part 2
“Move! Move!” Before they even stepped onto the bridge, they suddenly heard an uproar behind them. A horse and its rider charged like lightening through the crowd. Although the paths on both sides of the Qujiang lake was wide enough however when the horse tore through the crowd, some of them could not dodge the horse or the rider’s whip fast enough, leaving havoc as some of the pedestrians fell.
“Just a spoilt and arrogant rider!” Hong Rui scolded. She had always been direct and forward.
“Hong Rui….” But before Shen Zhen Zhu could finish, the horse and its rider had reached them. As if there were eyes on the back of the rider’s head, they raised their whip, the tail of it aimed at Hong Rui. Fortunately, women skilled in martial arts were not frowned, in fact even the Emperor’s previous head maidservant Lady Sun was well trained in martial arts. So Hong Rui was not a helpless girl, when she was young, she had been taught by a skilled martial artist. She immediately drew her lilac sword and sliced the whip in half.
“Huh?” The horse rider roughly pulled the horse’s head, in order to turn around, causing it to let out a long whine of protest. It was only then Zhenzhu and her three maids could see his face clearly. Dressed in a green tight fitting archer’s outfit, secured by a wide belt which a heavy unornamented long sword hung from, and black cloth boots was a young man around 20 years old. He had a wide forehead, a chiselled jaw, a pair of thick eyebrows which a pair of impassive eyes which glanced at Shen Zhen Zhu, Hong Rui and Su Ci. It was a glare that made even Hong Rui shiver as if someone had scraped a knife across her skin, but it was enough for her to recognise who it was.
“An….” she began, but before she could finish, the rider had already pulled Zhen Zhu onto his saddle and took off with her. Within a blink of an eye, they had left.
The horse was a powerful and swift one. After madly galloping for ten miles, they finally reached the outskirts of Chang’an before Zhenzhu managed to grab the reins, stop the horse and jump off it. The rays of sunshine were like silver dust scattering against the dew on the young plants that sprouted from the fresh grass and the air carried the fragrance of fresh vegetation, a pleasant scent to the senses. “Brother An! Can you stop this madness now? Get down and get some rest!”
But the horse’s rider remained where he was, stoically staring into the distance. His voice emotionless but firm, “You’re always like this, ruining one’s merrymaking.”
“What is there to be merry about this? Charging through a busy street, ignoring the plight of others, is your idea of fun?” “Shen Zhen Zhu started to criticise him but when she noticed that he remained oblivious to what she said, like a lost lamb, her heart started to ache, especially when that expression appeared on his solemn but good-looking face.
She softened her approach and gently pulled him off his horse, before leading him to sit on the embankment of the paddy fields. “What upset you this time? Tell me!” she asked as she went to sit beside him.
About ten years ago, on a beautiful March day like today, she, the beloved daughter of the noble clan Shen of Wuxin was playing feather football within the ancestral home of the Shen clan whilst a large group of her maids and nannies observed.
“One feather football, one is split in two, beat the drum, dance through the flowers, front kick then back kick and the eight deities cross the sea….”[3]The feather football bounced higher and higher as she first passed the feather football between the inner side of her feet, then the push kick, back heel kick, before passing the football using her knees, then did a double backheel jump kick, toe kick, and then passing the football with her back heels as she jumped up before finally jumping up and kicking it with the soles of her feet.
“Good move miss! Over there! Over there, catch it!” She wasn’t able to, and it flew into his hands. At the time, she was surprised to see this strange, thin young boy dressed in old clothes who glared back at her with an air of aloofness and not a smile on his face. She had met many young men around his age, some from privileged backgrounds, some talented and handsome as worthy as gold and jade, some complete wastrels, and some the sons of the poor peasants, although they were thin but happy. But she had never met anyone quite like him, as if the whole world was his enemy.
The servant who was standing behind him explained to her who he was, “Miss, he is a relative of the wife of your second Uncle, he will be staying with us for temporarily.”
And that was how she met An Qing Xu, An Lu Shan’s second son, who calls 2nd brother An as he was a year her senior. At the time, An Lu Shan was only a low ranking general in Fang Yang. Despite being low ranking, to the fury of his wife Mistress Lu, he would spend his time indulging in women and wine. Finally she could not stand it any longer and left with her youngest son, Qing Xu to her family in Wuxin. However, her parents had passed away years ago during the many years she had left home and there was no family to go back to. After falling ill, she finally managed to seek refuge with her distant cousin who was married to the second branch of the Shen family.
Although as the host family, the Shen clan were friendly and would give them the necessities that they would to any guest, but they still had to live under the roof of strangers and deal with the often-unwelcoming manner of the servants. But who would expect that after a decade, the second mistress would become the primary wife and that An Lushan would become the military governor of Fang Yang, Hedong and Pinglu holding great military power and feared by many.
Only Zhen Zhu cared about mother and son. At first Qing Xu was unmoved by her kindness and refused all the help Zhen Zhu tried to provide him with, instead he sealed himself off from the world with his cold exterior. It was only when the then seven years old Zhen Zhu spent the whole night taking care of Mistress Lu who was bedridden with a high fever did she become friends with An Qingxu. From then onwards, they would sneak out of the manor together, being a nuisance to everyone but becoming close and loyal companions. However after a year, Mistress Lu passed away from an ailment and An Lushan sent someone to bring An Qingxu home.
[1] Futou: There are many forms of Futou during the Tang Dynasty, some were black with 2 or 4 narrow and long ribbons tied to the back and hung down freely down the back of the wearer.
Some were a square piece of cloth wrapped around the head
And the one that is commonly worn by ministers which is a black hat with two drooped down wing flaps.
[2] Master Qu Yuan: A famous Chinese poet and politician in the state of Chu during the Warring States Period and was known to be very patriotic. He was regarded as the first author of verse in China to have his name associated to his work and abandoning the previous four character verses used in poems, instead adopting a new style of poetry which consisted of verses with various lengths. He is linked with the dragon boat festival as it was to commemorate his sacrifice. The cultural tradition of dragon racing as the villagers raced to save Qu Yuan in their boats. Zongzi which is eaten during the festive day was originally thrown in the river to keep fish and evil spirits from consuming his body.
[3] This is a children’s rhyme that is chanted whilst playing feather football to guide the player(s) with their kicks.
Chapter 2
“Lun Zhi she….she wants to take part in the Imperial Consort contest, she wants to marry Prince Jianning,” An Qinxu finally blurted out after a long period of silence.
Productive Procrastination 