"Fascinating," Wu said. "Clearly not carved by any man's hand, or at least by any man not one of the Immortals. Who, I suppose, didn't really have much interest in gem-stones, did they? I'm sorry; I'm rambling. I suppose you're here to see Yin Fengzi; men who look like you don't, in my experience, have much use for men who look like me."
"I am here to see Fengzi," Wen said. "As for your wise self, I prefer to defer judgment. In my experience one never knows when one will need the assistance of a learned man." Even one as distracted-looking and scattered as you seem to be.
"You are too kind," Wu said. "Please, follow me." As he walked away, the man betrayed a twitch, a sort of slight hitching up of one shoulder. Interesting, thought Wen, and then forgot about it to dwell on heat and dryness some more.
They climbed again. He could at least have offered me a cold drink, Wen thought. But at least this time he was climbing stairs, and when he reached the top he had to hold himself back from shouting his approval. "You built this?" he asked.
"Oh, do you like it, then?" Wen could only nod. "I am so pleased," Wu said. "It is little enough, but it makes me happy. And the Lady Fengzi seems to like it as well; she spends most of her time here."
What Wu had built was a classic scholar's garden—on the top of a mountain. True, it wasn't much of a mountain by the standards of the mainland, where heaven-touching ramparts put even China's legendary peaks to shame. But it was still a mountain, and somehow Wu had leveled the top and built a proper scholar's garden up here, complete with moon gates—albeit soft, pudgy moon gates that suggested the native women—and pools. Pools! Cool, jade-colored water! It was all Wen could do to hold himself back from jumping in.
"Oh." Wu looked at him, and started. "Forgive me, sir. I have been remiss. Allow me to offer you something cool to ease the heat of the day. May I?"
"Oh, please." Wen tried to sound unconcerned, but was pretty sure the desperation came through. "If you have something to spare."
"I'll see to it. Lady Fengzi is likely beside the Rainbow Pool, through that gate." Bowing, Wu left him.
I ought to wait for that drink, Wen thought. But perhaps Fengzi has missed me; if I delayed presenting myself to her she might resent it, later. He compromised and cupped some of the water from the pool, splashing it around his mouth and then wiping his forehead with the wet hand. It wasn't the same as a drink of cool water, but it would do for now.
"What, not out slaughtering the obedient?" Lady Fengzi got up from the bench on which she'd been sitting as Wen walked through the moon gate and into the beautifully sculpted grounds of the Rainbow Pool—the only identifiable color of which, he noted, was jade green, the same as the other pool. "Wen Xia, is it not?"
"You know who I am, well enough," he said. "How do your studies progress, Yin Fengzi?"
"I find this place very encouraging," she said. "I think that I will enjoy myself very much, so long as Wu Ming is prepared to have me."
"I'm happy for you," Wen said, not meaning a word of it.
"Are you? Then why did you climb all the way up here?" She smiled in a way that simultaneously pleased and annoyed him.
"Can't you at least pretend to play the game?"
"No, I'm sorry. I find that playing games invariably means I lose."
"I hadn't thought of it that way," Wen said. After a moment he added, slowly, "Which, I suppose, is the point you're making. Very well. I won't play games either. Lady Fengzi, I have climbed up here—and believe me, this is a climb I'll have to be persuaded to make again—in order to ask if you'd like to join my crew."
"Your crew?"
"You may have noticed the eye-patch."
"Yes, it's very pretty. And"—she paused and closed her eyes—"somewhat useful, it would appear."
"From time to time. On the sea, at least." He thought a moment, then sat down beside her, but at the far end of the bench. She did not get up, something he found encouraging. "Well, I have sort of inherited command of the Jade Maiden and a good part of her crew. And while Chin Gwai may think it's a violation of the proprieties to have a woman aboard, I don't happen to think that way. I'm interested in anyone who can help me."
"Oh, just anyone?"
"Stop that. You know perfectly well what I mean." Why wouldn't she behave the way a woman ought to? Oh, right: it was because she wouldn't behave properly that he was here in the first place. "Lady Fengzi, your skill impresses me, and I'd like it very much if you would allow yourself to be enlisted in my service."
"I'm not so sure I like the sound of that." She was smiling, though; that had to be a good thing. Didn't it? "In your service? What about the greater cause? The overthrow of the Ming and the restoration of the mandate of heaven and all that little-boy blather?"
No comments:
Post a Comment