XIAHOU LIAN ROSE EARLY and dressed. He was about to go brush his teeth and wash his face, but as he approached the door, he overheard Lianxiang speaking with Xie Jinglan. He was about to dart away, but upon hearing Lianxiang speak his name, he stopped and stayed where he was.
"Shaoye, that Xiahou Lian kid—he's completely unreliable. Look at him! He never does any work—just spends his days wandering around. And he doesn't just wander, he steals and does all kinds of shady things. How can we let someone like that stay in the manor? He claims he'll introduce you to Dai-xiansheng, but that's just asking for trouble! The lord and lady are sure to be there when Dai-xiansheng selects a disciple. If you go, the mistress won't shrug it off!"
Xie Jinglan was quiet for a while. Lianxiang was right: Before entering the manor, Xiahou Lian must've been a thief on the streets. He was full of unsavory habits. Xie Jinglan would normally have felt nothing but disdain under the circumstances; he'd never have considered the other boy a friend. Yet for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to dislike Xiahou Lian at all.
Perhaps, Xie Jinglan concluded, it was because Xiahou Lian was handsome.
"Even if Xiao-Lian weren't taking me, I'd still go," he replied slowly.
"Shaoye! That boy will get you killed!"
"It's true that he has a weakness for thievery, but everything he's stolen since arriving has been for my benefit. Moving forward, I'll be sure to discipline him firmly and order him to refrain from such behavior. But he's not malicious, so there's no cause for worry," Xie Jinglan insisted. "You agree with me, don't you, Auntie?"
"That's right," Aunt Lan replied. "Xiao-Lian is still young, and he hasn't made any serious mistakes. Other than a few books for Shaoye, the only things he's pilfered are pastries and cakes from the other courtyards. All children love treats. You should try to be more understanding, Lianxiang."
Since both Xie Jinglan and Aunt Lan were defending Xiahou Lian, Lianxiang was forced to relent.
Xiahou Lian kept listening, speechless.
Women were such headaches. Since when did he spend all day slacking off? Even when he roamed around, he was gathering information. If he'd stayed cooped up in the courtyard all day, how would he have learned that Dai Shengyan was accepting a disciple? Furthermore, those snacks had been sitting unattended on the pavilion tables—and he'd only taken a few. Was it really that big a deal?
That girl, Lianxiang, didn't have a face for charming men, but she'd managed to pick up a knack for it. She was terrified that Xiahou Lian might overshadow her and become Xie Jinglan's closest confidant. Whether cooking or washing, she always fussed and shouted—even the slightest scratch had her wailing dramatically about how she was going to die. Her goal was clear: She wanted everyone in the manor to notice her efforts and sacrifices.
Forget it. He, Xiahou Lian, was a man of principle. He wouldn't stoop to squabbling with a woman. He made a noise to alert those outside that he was awake, then opened the door and stepped through. As he finished washing, he heard the gate being latched shut.
Lianxiang rushed over. "Shaoye! They locked the courtyard!"
A voice called from outside, "Since an important guest will arrive at the manor today, the mistress has decreed that you are all forbidden from leaving the courtyard, to prevent your buffoonery from disturbing him."
Xie Jinglan remained impassive, but Aunt Lan's face creased with worry. "What do we do now?" she asked. "The gate is locked. How will you get to Dai-xiansheng?"
Lianxiang stuck resolutely to her earlier proposal: "Maybe we should just let it be."
Xiahou Lian exchanged a glance with Xie Jinglan. Each knew what the other was thinking—that if the gate was locked, they'd just climb over the wall.
Xie Jinglan and his three attendants pushed tables and chairs against the wall, stacking them. Xiahou Lian clambered up the stack first with Xie Jinglan close behind. Aunt Lan and Lianxiang watched anxiously from below.
"Please be careful, Shaoye!" called Lianxiang. "Xiao-Lian, if the mistress gets angry, you must protect Shaoye at all costs. If anything happens to him, I'll make you pay!"
"I know, I know," Xiahou Lian said flippantly. "I promise not to let them harm a single hair."
Once Xie Jinglan was atop the wall, Xiahou Lian leaped down. Xie Jinglan, on the other hand, balked a little. The wall was high, and a flicker of fear gripped him. He didn't want Xiahou Lian to see that, however. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and jumped—but instead of hitting the ground, he fell into a warm embrace. He opened his eyes to find Xiahou Lian's face just inches from his own. Startled, he rolled out of Xiahou Lian's arms.
"If you jump like that, you'll definitely end up breaking your legs," Xiahou Lian warned him sternly. "When you jump from a wall, you have to part your legs and bend your knees, the same way you do when you take a shit. If I hadn't caught you, you'd have hobbled yourself before you even began."
Xie Jinglan said nothing.
As they stood up, a young girl rushed over, breathless. "Lian-gege! Dai-xiansheng changed the lecture venue! Now it'll be at Wangqing Pavilion by Yanbo Pond, and it'll start in two hours. Everyone's already set up."
Xie Jinglan regarded the young girl suspiciously. "'Lian-gege'?"
Xiahou Lian smiled sheepishly. "This is Miss Guixiang. She works in the study. I met her a few days ago. Thank you, Guixiang-meimei! I'll treat you to some osmanthus cake tomorrow."
Guixiang stuck out her tongue. "Just remember, I snuck out to tell you this! I need to hurry back now." She bowed to them both and scampered away.
"How smooth of you," scoffed Xie Jinglan. "You've been at the manor only a few days, and you've already endeared yourself to 'Guixiang-meimei.' A private relationship between a male and female servant is a serious offense, you know. I'm already struggling to protect myself; if push comes to shove, I won't be able to help you."
Xiahou Lian certainly had a way with girls. The maiden hadn't so much as looked at Xie Jinglan, yet her words to Xiahou Lian had overflowed with warmth and affection. Looking narrowly at the other boy, Xie Jinglan heaved an exasperated sigh.
"What 'private relationship'?" Xiahou Lian protested. "The only private relationship I have is with you—and the gifts I gave you are collecting dust in your cabinet."
"What nonsense are you talking?" retorted Xie Jinglan. "We're both men! What kind of 'private relationship' would that be?"
Xiahou Lian made a face at him.
Before they'd set out, Xiahou Lian had lent Xie Jinglan one of his coats and draped a coarsely woven scarf over his head. Unless they looked closely, the average onlooker would take him for a lowly servant. Xiahou Lian retrieved two trays he'd hidden in the grass, and each boy took one. They kept their heads down and made their way to Yanbo Pond; the journey was smooth sailing.
Wangqing Pavilion had been built over the pond; its viewing platform sat directly above the shimmering water, unobstructed by a railing. Ascending to the second floor yielded a sweeping vista. It was a beautiful, elegant setting. All the Xie pavilions and buildings radiated cultured sophistication, as befit the family of scholars.
It was still early, so the two boys hid behind the rock garden, waiting for the junior clan members to take their seats. Xie Jinglan removed the borrowed coat and headscarf and Xiahou Lian helped him retie his hair and replace his hairnet and clasp. A few wardrobe adjustments later, and Xie Jinglan had transformed back into a beautiful youth.
Xiahou Lian stood and nibbled some snacks while Xie Jinglan sat reviewing his books. Overhead, a tree heavy with winter plum blossoms stretched over the rock garden. A petal fluttered down.
Xiahou Lian drowsily crossed his arms. Looking back, his days had been quite peaceful lately—if cold.
Sounds and voices rose outside, and Xiahou Lian sensed that it was probably time. Peering through a gap between the rocks, he saw the young masters of the Xie family arriving at Wangqing Pavilion in groups of three or five, each dressed in splendid attire and adorned with perfumed pouches and jade pendants. A few had even tucked green jade flutes into their waistbands. They looked less like students attending a lecture or disciples seeking a teacher than like contestants in a pageant from which the emperor would select concubines.
Xie Jinglan, in contrast, looked quite dingy in his tattered robe. If he'd been placed among them, no one would've thought him a member of the Xie family. Instead, they'd assume that he was a lowly servant, barely fit to hold their shoes, let alone serve at their tables. Yet Xie Jinglan's heart remained serene and unfazed. To him, the Xie family's junior members were either obstacles to overcome or stepping stones to cross. The more elaborate their attire, the more he'd stand out among them. He might not be the best scholar there, but he would certainly be the most unique.
Moreover, Dai Shengyan also hailed from a humble background. He was born a concubine's son and raised in poverty. Each problem required a unique solution, and when seeking to become a disciple, accounting for a teacher's preferences was vital. Xie Jinglan's unpretentious attire would remind Dai-xiansheng of the hardships he'd faced during his own pursuit of knowledge, arousing his sympathy. Xie Jinglan glanced at Wangqing Pavilion.
"We can't enter through the main gates."
He was right. Several servants guarded the gates and would surely stop the boys if they tried to enter that way. Xiahou Lian glanced at the pond and spotted a small boat docked on the opposite shore.
"Let's row across!" he cried. "They're on the second floor, so once we're over there, Dai-xiansheng will see us right away. Then even the mistress won't be able to stop us."
Just then, Xie Jingtao came into view. After his whipping, even walking appeared to have become an arduous task. He limped along, leaning on his book-boy for support. With each painful step, his fat rippled like waves, and Xiahou Lian suddenly understood why he was called "Xie Jingtao."7 When he reached the second floor and plopped heavily into the best seat in the front, the entire Wangqing Pavilion seemed to groan under his weight. Even Xiahou Lian, hidden behind the rocks, felt the ground tremble beneath him.
After those juniors came the senior generation.
Guixiang had told Xiahou Lian that Dai Shengyan looked like a fire poker, that he was so thin that he was little more than a bony toothpick. "He must be an honest, upright official," she'd mused. "Why else would he deprive himself so?" Xiahou Lian quickly spotted the withered old man in the crowd; he really was as Guixiang had described, emaciated to the point of being skeletal, his neck as slender as a stalk of hemp. Yet his beard was meticulously groomed, and it was long and snow white, like those of immortals depicted in paintings.
But there wasn't time to scrutinize Xie Jinglan's hypocritical father next. Xiahou Lian barked an order, and he and Xie Jinglan sprinted along the pond's edge to the other side.
They were quickly spotted. At first, the servants were stunned, but after rubbing their eyes and taking a closer look, they recognized Qiuwu Courtyard's third young master and dashed after the pair.
"Hurry!" one cried. "Stop, San-shaoye!"
"Grab them, fast!"
As Xiahou Lian sprinted forward, he pulled out a slingshot and launched stones behind them, squarely striking each of his targets. A couple pursuers even toppled into the pond with a splash. He quickly found himself out of stones but pretended to continue to shoot. Quite a few of their pursuers fell for it and paused to shield their heads. The cobblestone path hugging the pond was narrow, so when the servants in front suddenly stopped, those behind them didn't have time to do likewise. They crashed into each other, falling to the ground in a heap.
Xie Jinglan's heart soared with both fear and exhilaration. He'd never run like this before, never been so reckless. He should've rejected Xiahou Lian's order, but when the other boy shouted "Run!" his body had somehow responded reflexively. He surged forward like an arrow from a bow, plunging into the biting wind with reckless abandon.
The two boys wove and darted through the trees and bushes bordering the pond like graceful birds, gradually pulling ahead of their pursuers.
Just as they reached the boat, Xiahou Lian raised his right hand and tapped a spring on his wrist with his left. An icy glint instantly shot forth from his sleeve, slicing through the rope and plunging into the water.
Xie Jinglan barely had time to be surprised before Xiahou Lian shouted, "Jump!"
As one, they leapt into the small boat, rocking it violently. Xie Jinglan almost lost his balance and fell into the water, but Xiahou Lian quickly grabbed hold of his collar, hauling him back just in time.
Xiahou Lian swiftly seized a bamboo pole and shoved it into the water. The boat glided forth like a fallen leaf grazing the pond's surface, ripples dancing in its wake as it bobbed toward the viewing platform. The servants chasing them could only halt at the bank and watch helplessly while Xiahou Lian and Xie Jinglan drifted into the distance and vanished among the misty waves. Xie Jinglan tamped down his urge to peek under Xiahou Lian's sleeve. Instead, he straightened his clothes and stood at the prow of the boat, hands clasped behind his back. Given the commotion they'd caused, Dai-xiansheng was sure to have noticed them, so Xie Jinglan would need to remain dignified and respectable.
Those already in Wangqing Pavilion had no idea what'd happened and couldn't make out any faces from such a great distance. All they saw was two young boys outrunning a group in pursuit, then leaping onto a small boat and rowing for the viewing platform. One boy stood on the prow, withstanding the chilly wind and surveying the rippling waters. There was something almost otherworldly about his demeanor.
Dai Shengyan clapped his hands and laughed. "Another member of the Xie family? How intriguing! Please send someone to bring him up."
Xie Bingfeng spoke up, embarrassed. "Our younger generation is unruly and full of youthful vigor. Your disciple has failed to guide them properly. I beg you to overlook this, sir."
Dai Shengyan smiled until the creases of his face seemed to bloom. "Not at all. That's how young people should be. Spending all their time shut inside, sitting and reading, would waste their youth and all this beautiful scenery. To simply study and study without going for the occasional stroll—that's putting the cart before the horse."
Sharp-eyed Xie Jingtao recognized Xie Jinglan at once. Displeased that Dai Shengyan was defending his rival, he cupped his hands respectfully and said, "Sir, I believe you've misjudged them. Your pupil recognizes those two. They're ignorant and incompetent, always slacking, and their lack of filial piety has earned them much notoriety within our clan—especially Xie Jinglan. He stole my belongings just a few days ago. I only forgave him out of respect for our brotherly bond."
Dai Shengyan's hand paused on his beard in mid-stroke. "Oh? Is that so?"