21. Meetings in the Mud

Time makes us long for the closure of many things. For our clan, time meant separation. More than seven months had passed since my master saw his wife, son and Fu Lin-t'o. My master must have been quite careless in his clothing and eating, ink and toilet - as I had perfected these services to him, and it was almost a year since those services were in use. But now, we were about to ferret out the truth of it. Did he really miss me or not?

We were never an affectionate lot, he and I. I was always there and he was always barking orders at me. It was a perfect relationship, for him at least. Now, for a long time I had not been bothered by his midnight call for snacks or his chastisement that his ink was mixed too thinly. On the other hand, I grew fond of Fu Lin-t'o. This was a less commanding sort, a soft man with a gentle laugh and mild gait, who thanked me for my efforts and spoke to me in friendly terms. I could very well see why my master married him . . .well, concubinage is concubinage. Now, do not misread me. I have always liked the women and had never sought so close an arrangements with another man, but if I had ever been so inclined to do so, I would look for a Fu Lin-t'o.

The day came for our reunion. It was raining gently that dawn. The canal at Yang-chou had been bustling for days with arriving boats, a government on the move. All the important departments had been disembarking punctually, seeking refuge, food and workspace. But now, on this chilly morning, with the gentle damp falling on our parasols, I came to the edge of the canal to wait. Nearby was my mistress and Fu Lin-t'o. Little Li Pao-t'ien huddle close to my mistress to keep dry.

"There's a breeze from the North," said Fu Lin-t'o my mistress. "I feel it as the sun rises behind the rain clouds. It kisses my cheeks. I cannot be calmed by it. It excites me like none other. My lord is coming home."

Mei-lin moved close to his side and looked down the canal's gauge.

"I don't know how we've survived without him. How could we manage to live at all? Fu Lin-t'o, I have never known so great a love as yours. I once told you I would caress your friendship all my days and share you with him at all costs. Little did I know that my love for you would make me jealous of my lord's great fortune."

"Gracious mistress," said Fu, "you cannot be envious of this love, this love that few can describe and few want to exist. It is with care that I beguile your gift of friendship. It is more precious than the love I bear for him."

"Can it be?" said Mei-lin. "I think not. I have learned many things more precious than classics. When souls complete each other there can be no denial. I love as a wife loves. You love as high as the sky - as sure as this rain."

"Hold me dear friend," said Fu. "You break my heart with the simple truth. I can no more hide from you and your mind than I could hide sugar from a horse."

We were no longer alone. Through the bank fog came lanterns to aid the fretful sun. The procession was led by the Governor-General, who arranged a party of greeters along the bridges and banks. He came to my mistress, who greeted him with deep respect.

"My lord," she said.

"Such a day," said K'ang Yu-wei. "You would never think that heaven smiled on us today. But it will clear. I am sure of it. When I last saw your lord and his majesty, they were engines of fire and energy - energy that would burn off any wet morning."

"My lord," said Mei-lin. "I have heard of the adventure that you have braved. The gods were with His majesty that day."

"Ho, hey," said K'ang Yu-wei. "I have had many adventures in my career. At my age, one would think I was meant for quiet charm and gracious peace. But, my history was thrown some muck and spice when mixed with your lord and His Majesty. There’s nothing like running about the countryside with an army of uncouth barbarians at your heels; nothing like it for giving an old pout like me new appreciation for the precious turf we protect and the soul of the regime. Ho, hey. There's nothing like it. But, I'm here again on my best game as His majesty chooses my districts to center his mortgage. Better my realm than another's. Ho hey!"

"I admire your bravery," said Mei-lin.

"My bravery?" said K'ang Yu-wei. "You are the brave one, living under that dragon's lair in Nan-chang. I am surprised she released you, prize that you could have been for her recalcitrance. But no matter, his Majesty's barge was spotted from the drum tower."

"Look mistress," said I, "the barge."

"Pao-t'ien, wake up. Your father comes."

There was distant chanting, the song of trackers pulling the Emperor's barge down stream. The chanting grew ever close as more dignitaries arrived and lined the wharves. The drizzle gave everyone a great chill. Whether it be from the arrival of the Son of Heaven or the touch of rain on the vulnerability of our necks, who could tell. The chants were loud upon us as the great barge pulled alongside the wharf. The trackers stopped, kneeling as human anchors, steadying the vessel as the captain arrived on deck. This was P'u Xing, who had served in the river navy for many years. He stood at the uppermost plank and unfurled a scroll. He read:

"To the city of Yang-chou, comes the Son of Heaven in his Nan Tu to save us all. Open your gates in gracious welcome and fill His Majesty's heart with warm joy, may he live ten thousand years. Respect these words."

Everyone knelt. Emerging from the barge was the Emperor Kao still dressed in his simple black robe and penitential plaited hair. He was followed by Li K'ai-men and several attendants.

"Welcome to Chiang-nan Province," said K'ang Yu-wei in full bow. "May you live ten-thousand years."

All bowed and chanted. But the Emperor Kao held his hand high for silence.

"I will live as long as any man if I am not deemed worthy as Heaven's son," said Kao. "Let the citizen's of Yang-chou know by these signs I will be but a simple lord seeking support in hours of need. On this Nan Tu we will begin again and rekindle the flame of the House of Chao, this ancestry of Sung."

The Emperor was lead to the Imperial residence, many times serving his father before him. The streets were lined with well wishers - all kneeling in the mud and grime of rain-soaked Yang-chou. Li K'ai-men, however lingered by the barge, giving orders regarding the cargo, which began to emerge from the holds. As he barked orders to the haulers and workers, Mei Lin approached.

"My lord, you are well, I see," she said.

"Dear wife," he said, "you are here. I meant to greet you at home. And my son."

He gave her a short caress and held Li Pao-t'ien, aware that they were in plain view of the hustle and bustle.

"And K'u Ko-ling," he said spying me at a distance. "You have been fed well I see. Ready to serve? Ready to serve? "

Always, master. Always at the ready. Always.

Then he spied Fu Lin-t'o. He was silent. Mei-lin bowed to them both, then led Li Pao-t'ien away. It was as if the world stopped. The cargo handlers began to melt away toward the residence. The mist encircled the canal once again, the gentle rain growing steeper with the moments.

"What a sight for these eyes," said Li K'ai-men.

"My lord," said Fu Lin-t'o. "My love. I have missed you more than you can tell."

"More than I could tell?" said Li K'ai-men. "Heart-song, I could tell, in the sighs of countless evenings in the cold castles of the north. I could see you in the fire’s glow and in the reflections of my morning bath."

"In the darkness of the midnight soul," said Fu, "I caressed the bamboo pillow and kissed the cold edges dreaming it was your lips."

"I held my own hand in the darkness of a dream," said Li, "telling myself that we are so much a part of one another that my hand is so like yours as to be yours, while we are apart."

"Never apart again. Never apart."

Fu Lin-t'o wept.

"We can never know that with certainly, dear beauty."

"What will become of me?"

"You shall meet him," said Li.

"Meet whom?"

"The Emperor."

"I cannot," said Fu. " I would not know what to say or do or how to act."

"It is his wish to meet you - you who I call my heart-song. I fear he is jealous of such love. But he would see it and understand it better. Fu Lin-t'o - if I were not such a swan cloud, floating about my duties in service to His majesty, I would choose to find a hut back home at the foot of Chicken Cage hill on the banks of the River Li. There, I would have nothing but a jug of wine, a bird to fish with and you, my love - for you are my heart song. And none but the quiet sound of the dragon swimming the depths in search for his pearl would disturb me from my front porch, so complete my world would be. Instead I am a swan cloud, floating about in service to this great empire."

They embraced, then fell into a deep kiss.

"Together we have a home once more," said Li. "Let's see what has been arranged for us here. Then, you will meet him. You must."

There was much to do. Very much to do. During that day and the next, hundreds of barges filled with government officials were tracked into Yang-chou. The city, usually a busy place became a beehive of activity. There wasn't a house in the town that wasn't converted into a shelter of the Grand Lord high mucky muck of this or the Imperial Envoy and Registrar of that. There were so many officials crowded into the city, the roads were turned to mud and there wasn't enough night soil removal available, so we slipped in it at every turn.

We were fortunate. I had secured a house with K'ang Yu-wei's authority near the Imperial residence so my master and his household could enjoy the cool breezes from a small garden lake built by the former Emperor Hui. It was a good reunion at our place. My master and mistress played games and sang, while Fu Lin-t'o groomed my master, coifed his hair and scrubbed his back and other places. It was like the old days at Su-chou. Ah! I felt so useful. With usefulness comes definition for most of us; and I am not unlike yourself, who must indeed be a brick in the wall of need or a broken shard in the heap of disregard.