Chapter 23: The Road Is Hard, and So Is the Path

Since ancient times, beauty has often met a tragic fate; whose heart aches for the fragrant soul that perishes like jade? This simple line of verse conveys the bitterness and helplessness countless beautiful women have endured throughout the ages.

The young nun, Luoluo, was born into a scholarly family of moderate means in the prefecture of Lizhou. Raised under strict discipline, she was not only well-read and proper in conduct, but also excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, and all the feminine arts. At sixteen, her beauty became the talk of local officials. The prefect sent a betrothal gift, intending to take her as his concubine. Yet before she could even enter his household, disaster struck.

A notorious libertine known as the Flower-loving Gentleman, claiming to have come under the moonlight, forced his way into her modest home—how could such a small family resist him? Before leaving, he even took one of Luoluo’s jade hairpins with him.

Luoluo insisted that the Flower-loving Gentleman had only played music and shared wine with her, and that her virtue remained intact. But the prefect believed her reputation was ruined and, enraged, had her cast into the Jialing River at night, tied inside a pig’s cage.

It was the young monk Wuhua, staying at Erlong Temple, who drove off the servants and saved Luoluo. But with her family gone and nowhere to turn, she could only quietly follow the young monk.

Out of gratitude, and harboring a secret affection for Wuhua, Luoluo proposed marriage to him. The monk, however, replied that he was ordained and could not take a wife, firmly rejecting her.

Outwardly delicate but inwardly resolute, Luoluo was not one to turn back once she set her mind on something. She shaved her head, donned monastic robes, and transformed herself into a charming young nun. She thought, surely now the monk would have no grounds to refuse her. Yet Wuhua still would not agree, and so their entanglement dragged on to the present situation.

Seeing Tang Xiaoqi moved nearly to tears, her reddened eyes full of sympathy, Luoluo felt a headache coming on—how was he supposed to help with this, how could he possibly take charge?

“Aren’t you supposed to be so capable? Is this little matter really beyond you?” Tang Xiaoqi looked at Luoluo with eager expectation.

Luoluo helplessly glanced at the young monk not far ahead. “Look, he won’t even speak to me now. How am I supposed to persuade him?”

“I don’t care. Luoluo already calls me Sister Xiaoqi; you have to help her.” As soon as Tang Xiaoqi started to act coquettish, Luoluo’s headache intensified.

Seeing Luoluo’s genuine distress, Tang Xiaoqi’s eyes suddenly sparkled. Her cheeks flushed as she said, “I do have an idea, but it depends on whether Luoluo agrees.”

The young nun and Luoluo asked almost in unison, “What idea?”

Tang Xiaoqi clenched her fist and struck her palm. “Just get the rice cooked—let’s have them make a little monk or nun together and see where Wuhua thinks he can run then!”

Luoluo’s mouth fell open, unable to speak for a long moment. The young nun’s face flushed crimson, her eyes brimming as she shyly replied, “I leave it all to Sister Xiaoqi’s decision.”

Ignoring Luoluo’s reaction, Tang Xiaoqi declared boldly, “The plan’s set; I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Standing dazed in the wind, Luoluo began plotting in his mind, casting a jealous look at the innocent young monk. Such a lovely and delicate young nun—what a stroke of luck for him.

Outside the city of Chengdu, at the Ten-mile Pavilion, they met up with several other young gentlemen and Taoist novices. Among them was a young man of about twenty, with fair skin and refined manners. Only after introductions did they realize that he was none other than Xianyu Min, son of the recently appointed Military Commissioner of Jiannan, Xianyu Zhongtong. And as it happened, the monk Wuhua was a close friend of the renowned Young Master Ruocheng.

The lively group did not enter the city but rode towards the countryside along Huanhua Stream.

Huanhua Stream was tranquil and elegant, its waters clear and winding. Neat flagstone paths meandered through leafy groves, leading to secluded pavilions and towers—a place clearly far beyond the means of common folk.

Within the Xianyu family’s luxurious and quiet villa, Xianyu Min warmly welcomed his noble friends from the capital and classmates from Lizheng Academy.

Noticing Luoluo’s slight reserve among the guests and Tang Xiaoqi’s claim of feeling unwell, Xianyu Min simply waved for his attendants to take them to a quiet, charming courtyard nearby.

Luoluo, now fast friends with Tang Xiaoqi, naturally followed, and the young monk Wuhua came as well. Before retiring, Luoluo conveniently “fell ill.”

Man proposes, heaven disposes, and no one can fathom a woman’s heart.

The next morning, upon hearing that Luoluo and Tang Xiaoqi were going to tour Chengdu to admire the splendor of the brocade city, the young nun’s illness vanished instantly.

Wuhua slipped away to Daci Temple, leaving Luoluo cursing the talkative Cheng Changmu—if not for his boasting, he wouldn’t be dragged out of bed at dawn to accompany two young ladies shopping.

“The brocade and embroidery of Shaocheng Market, the jewels and jade of the Treasure Pavilion, gold and silver ornaments, the cosmetics and powders of the Fragrant Pavilion, the fine eyebrow pencils, the lotus pool’s flower festival and delicacies, the incense at Zhaojue Temple, prayers for love…” Just thinking of the rotund braggart’s face made him itch to punch it.

Chengdu, with roads to the south and north to Chang’an, was bustling yet retained a refined elegance. The waters were green, the sky clear, the air free of dust, the hills and trees like a painting, rivaling the beauty of Yangzhou and Chang’an.

Yet in this beautiful, lively city, Luoluo could only suffer. In the Seven Treasures Market alone, it was almost noon before they finished a single short stretch.

Though Luoluo covered her shaven head with a scarf, her beauty could not be hidden. Imagine a young scholar of striking presence escorting two stunning maidens into a shop—how could the shopkeeper not greet them with overwhelming enthusiasm?

But with two beautiful girls, curiosity led them to examine everything, but in the end, they would reluctantly leave, making the shopkeeper’s face fall—and if the shopkeeper’s face fell, so did Luoluo’s.

Gritting his teeth, Luoluo pulled out several gold leaves and set them on the counter, giving the shopkeeper a challenging look. “Buy whatever you like, I have plenty of money. Miss Luoluo, don’t be shy—if you see something you want, just buy it.”

The temptation of shopping soon overcame their modesty, and the two young ladies finally let themselves go, buying whatever caught their fancy.

Their hands quickly filled with purchases, the gold leaves dwindled, and Luoluo’s heart ached as his legs began to tremble. How could a street that seemed so short be so exhausting to walk?

Dragging his numbed legs, he wandered in and out of shops in a daze. The scent of powders wafted to his nose, and seeing the black-and-gold sign for the famous Fragrant Pavilion, he realized they had finally arrived.

Those three characters seemed to hold a strange magic for women—Tang Xiaoqi and Luoluo cheered and rushed inside, nearly bumping into a young couple as they entered.

Staring at the golden sign, Luoluo’s lips curled into a faint smile. He couldn’t help but recall the peculiar girl who had once tricked him out of two thousand and two taels of silver, whom he’d later slipped away from.