Volume Three Misty Haze of Phoenix City
Zhenzhen returned to Pujiang and from afar saw that the signboard of Suitable Treasure Tower had been taken down, replaced with that of Mussel Tower. The tavern, both inside and out, had been redecorated in a style consistent with the original Mussel Tower. That day, it seemed there was an important banquet inside the tavern, with carriages flowing like water and horses like dragons on the street outside. The Yang father and son stood personally at the door to welcome guests, beaming with joy and pride.
Zhenzhen had always blamed herself for the tavern changing hands due to her mistake and did not wish to meet Yang Shenglin. She turned her horse around and circled to the back street, heading toward the small courtyard Qiu Niang had given to Pu Bo.
Previously, Zhenzhen, her mother, and the female disciples had lived in rooms in the tavern’s backyard. After the tavern was handed over to the Yang family, although Yang Shenglin said Zhenzhen and the others could continue living there, Zhenzhen considered that they were all women and felt it inappropriate to live mixed together after the tavern changed ownership. So, she and Xiangye moved to Pu Bo’s courtyard. Fortunately, the house was spacious, with five or six rooms available for living, so it didn’t feel crowded.
Before she even reached the small courtyard gate, Zhenzhen’s gaze passed over the fence wall, and she saw a woman with her back to her hanging freshly washed clothes under an apricot tree. Zhenzhen urged her horse closer, dismounted, and opened the small wooden gate herself. She hurried toward the woman, joyfully calling out “Xiangye.” The woman turned at the sound—it was Fengxian.
Zhenzhen was momentarily stunned, then broke into a wide smile, taking Fengxian’s hand and saying, “Sister Fengxian, it’s you! How did you come back?”
Fengxian was also delighted to see her and, without immediately answering her question, first inquired about her well-being, then cupped Zhenzhen’s face and said she had grown thinner. Then, while calling out to Pu Bo and Xiangye inside, she led Zhenzhen by the hand into the main hall.
Pu Bo and Xiangye came out from the inner rooms and were overjoyed to see Zhenzhen. After exchanging greetings, they busied themselves serving tea and laying out fruits, snacks, and pastries, asking what she would like for dinner. They all felt Zhenzhen had grown darker and thinner, as if she had suffered hardships, and wished they could make up for all the care she had missed over the past few months.
Naturally, they were very concerned about Zhenzhen’s experiences over the past few months and eagerly asked about her apprenticeship with Mr. Wenqiao. Zhenzhen mentioned some of what she had learned but did not bring up their private interactions. Xiangye seemed more interested in Mr. Wenqiao himself, repeatedly asking about his age, whether he had a family, what he looked like, and how he treated Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen glanced at Pu Bo and saw that although he didn’t speak, his eyes were fixed intently on her, also waiting for her answer. Feeling quite uncomfortable, she concealed Lin Hong’s true situation, saying only that he was an elderly gentleman who enjoyed practicing Zen, had no wives or concubines, and treated her with kindness and affection, and that she always called him “teacher.” Pu Bo seemed reassured upon hearing this, nodding repeatedly in approval. Xiangye, however, looked somewhat disappointed, likely because Zhenzhen’s answer didn’t match her expectations.
That evening, Zhenzhen shared a room with Fengxian, who quietly asked her, “Is that Mr. Wenqiao a young man?”
Zhenzhen was surprised and blurted out in return, “How did you know, sister?”
Fengxian said, “When Xiangye asked you, you clearly hesitated. If his situation matched what you said, why would you need to deliberate? You would have answered quickly.”Fengxian was the first female disciple taken in by Qiu Niang. Having grown up with Zhenzhen since childhood, the two were inseparable companions, naturally closer than anyone else. After a moment of silence, Zhenzhen decided to tell Fengxian everything about Lin Hong—his age and appearance, the details of their meeting, the skills he possessed, and the principles he had shared with her. Once her heart opened, the words flowed ceaselessly, sparing no detail. She enthusiastically described many of Lin Hong’s expressions, postures, movements, and the many things he had said. However, out of shyness, she ultimately omitted the events of the night before her departure.
Fengxian listened patiently and waited until Zhenzhen stopped on her own before speaking. “You must really like him, don’t you?”
Zhenzhen was taken aback. Turning her flushed face toward the shadows, she replied, “I deeply respect and admire Teacher Lin.”
“It’s more than just respect and admiration,” Fengxian said, hitting the mark. “Your eyes light up when you speak of him, filled with such joy. You must truly like him.”
Zhenzhen had no response and silently pulled the quilt over her face.
Fengxian lowered her voice and pressed on seriously, “You and him, have you ever…”
Zhenzhen remained hidden under the quilt without answering. But Fengxian wouldn’t let her off so easily. She pulled the quilt away from Zhenzhen’s face and continued, “You and him, have you ever been intimate?”
Zhenzhen recalled the events of that night, her face flushing even more deeply like a rosy cloud. Seeing that Fengxian clearly wouldn’t let the matter drop, she had no choice but to answer, “No.”
“Really not?” Fengxian asked, eyeing the color of her cheeks with some suspicion.
Zhenzhen shook her head, firmly denying it.
Only then did Fengxian withdraw her scrutinizing gaze and say, “This Mr. Wenqiao, despite his youth, is quite capable of restraining himself and upholding propriety. To treat a young and lovely girl like you with such respect shows he is a gentleman.”
Zhenzhen nodded eagerly, seizing the opportunity to praise Lin Hong’s character once again.
Fengxian explained, “I asked this not to pry into your privacy. The palace officials have already arrived in Pujiang today. The county magistrate is hosting a welcoming banquet at the Mussel Tower, and the selection of young female cooks for the Bureau of Palace Provisions will begin in two days. The first step of the selection is a physical examination. Although it’s publicly stated that they are selecting women with proper appearance and good health, since the notice specifies that candidates must be under twenty years old and have fair looks, it’s likely that the requirement of virginity is unavoidable. If you and Mr. Wenqiao had overstepped propriety, wouldn’t all your efforts have been in vain?”
Recalling the earlier events, Zhenzhen felt both moved and a lingering sense of fear. That night, when Lin Hong finally released her, she had breathed a sigh of relief but also felt a faint sense of loss. Now, thinking back, she realized his actions had actually been for her own good.
After a long silence, she thanked Fengxian, “Thank you, sister, for thinking of me and gathering information about the selection for the Bureau of Palace Provisions. Did you return this time to help me?”
This question, however, made Fengxian slightly uncomfortable. After some thought, she spoke frankly, “I returned this time, like you, to participate in the selection for the position of palace attendant in the Bureau of Palace Provisions.”
Zhenzhen was greatly surprised. She had assumed that after being found by her parents, Fengxian would stay away from the kitchen and live a life of luxury as a young lady from a well-to-do family. Although Palace Food Attendants served in the palace, they were ultimately maids who served others with their culinary skills. Zhenzhen couldn’t understand why Fengxian would be willing to leave her frail mother behind and insist on participating in the selection.She carefully observed Fengxian, noticing her senior sister's eyes were cold and calm, her expression composed, clearly indicating that her earlier statement was a decision made after deep consideration. At this moment, Fengxian seemed somewhat different from before, though Zhenzhen couldn't quite pinpoint exactly how. She only felt that this season of separation had been both brief and long, as if they had both strayed from their original paths, growing in different directions.
Fengxian arrived in Jingnan Prefecture in the depths of winter. Her mother, Madam Yuan, though the principal wife of Ling Tao, had long fallen out of favor and now lived alone in a desolate courtyard, where few came and went, and even the dust seemed lonely. Despite the bitter cold, Madam Yuan's room had only a small brazier emitting thick, smoky fumes, flickering weakly, much like the gaze of the ailing woman on her sickbed.
Hearing Fengxian's call, Madam Yuan stared blankly at her for a long while, as if recognizing her. Yet the words she had long held in her heart, yearning to confide in her daughter, were buried beneath sorrow, guilt, and helplessness. Then she simply wept.
Fengxian grasped her mother's bony hand, feeling as if she were touching a piece of withered wood.
Only one maid, Aunt Xu, who had served Madam Yuan for many years, remained by her side. As she spoke of the past with Fengxian, the fragmented memories in Fengxian's mind, like scattered pieces of a painting, finally came together:
Back then, Madam Yuan, pregnant with Fengxian, had followed her husband on a military campaign, living in the camp. On the day Fengxian was born, a flock of large black birds flew to the front of the camp and lingered. Shortly after, Ling Tao suffered a defeat in battle against the Jin forces and blamed Fengxian, believing her birth had attracted the black birds—an ominous sign. He thus deemed this daughter an ill omen and took an immediate dislike to her.
Ling Tao was lustful, with many wives and concubines in his household. At that time, his favorite was Lady Zhu Wu. A native of Lin'an, Lady Zhu Wu possessed breathtaking beauty and exceptional culinary skills, captivating Ling Tao's heart through both food and allure. Madam Yuan and her daughter struggled to survive under the oppression led by Lady Zhu Wu and the other concubines, their lives filled with hardship.
When Fengxian was six years old, the Emperor summoned Ling Tao back to the capital to bestow upon him higher titles and ranks. Ling Tao thus set out with all his family members. However, for unknown reasons, as they neared Pujiang, another imperial edict arrived, revoking the previous order and commanding Ling Tao to remain stationed at the border. At the start of their journey, Fengxian had fallen ill from the cold, running a fever and suffering body aches along the way. The other concubines suspected she had contracted malaria and feared their own children might catch it. Coincidentally, Lady Zhu Wu's daughter, Third Miss, also began to run a fever at that time. Terrified, Lady Zhu Wu tearfully pleaded with Ling Tao. Already agitated by the loss of his promised promotion and further enraged by the idea that Fengxian had passed her illness to her sister, Ling Tao declared that their current predicament was all due to Fengxian's ill fortune. Ignoring Madam Yuan's desperate pleas, he snatched Fengxian from her mother's arms and abandoned her in the rainy night outside Pujiang City.
"So, Mother now lives in this small courtyard far from the main residence—is that also because of Lady Zhu Wu's instigation?" Fengxian asked Aunt Xu.
Aunt Xu replied, "Not exactly. Nowadays, the general's favorite is Lady Xue Jiu. Lady Zhu Wu is far less influential than before and has quieted down considerably. Madam originally lived in the main residence, but due to her prolonged illness, her room often smelled of medicinal decoctions. Not long ago, Lady Xue Jiu gave birth to a son and complained to the general that the medicinal fumes from Madam's room made her dizzy and nauseous. So, the general had Madam moved here."
Fengxian then asked, "Did Father send someone to retrieve me because he took pity on Mother's severe illness and wanted me to return to care for her?"Aunt Xu hesitated for a moment, then said, "After losing you, Madam wept day and night, pleading with the General many times, but he refused to go and bring you back. Gradually, Madam gave up hope and stopped pleading, yet she would still cry whenever she thought of you. This time, it was Lady Zhu Wu who requested the General to invite you back."
Fengxian asked in surprise, "Why?"
Aunt Xu replied, "Two months ago, Third Miss went to Lady Zhu Wu’s maternal home to visit her grandmother. On the way back, she went missing. Some said she had eloped with her cousin, but the Zhu family denied it, claiming Third Miss had been abducted by bandits. The General sent people to search for a long time, but there has been no news since. Since then, Lady Zhu Wu has often come to Madam, pouring out her grief over losing her daughter. She said that by putting herself in Madam’s shoes, she finally understood her pain, and thus she was willing to do everything she could to persuade the General to bring Second Miss back."
(To be continued)
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