China by Edward Rutherfurd (latest novels to read TXT) 📗

Mei-Ling was standing alone by the side of the lake. The reflection of the colored lights on the water softly lit her face. She was staring across at the shimmering cityscape, oblivious to anything else in that subterranean womb.

How lovely her friend looked, her face lifted slightly, unearthly pale in the blue light. Her childbearing years must be near their close, the prefect’s wife thought, yet at that moment she seemed eternally young. What a pity Mei-Ling and Shi-Rong couldn’t marry. They’d have been happy together.

But there it was. She turned her head. And then she saw the boy.

Ru-Hai was standing by the wall. A red lantern illumined his face. And he, too, was staring with rapt attention towards the water. She tried to work out what the boy was watching so intently. It took her a moment to realize.

The boy was staring at Mei-Ling.

Just then Ru-Hai left the wall and moved across until he was standing beside Mei-Ling. He must have spoken, because she turned in surprise. He seemed to say something else, and Mei-Ling nodded, turning her gaze across the lake again. He’d probably made some remark about the panorama, the prefect’s wife thought. She waited a little longer, then walked over to them. As Ru-Hai saw her, he moved back from Mei-Ling’s side, though Mei-Ling remained quite still.

Afterwards, as she and Mei-Ling were walking to their sedan chairs, the prefect’s wife remarked, “Young Ru-Hai’s in love with you. Did you notice?”

“With me?” No woman could entirely object to such a proposition. “I hardly think so,” said Mei-Ling. “I’m old enough to be his mother.”

“Such loves are well known.” Her friend smiled. “Besides, you hardly look more than thirty. I admire his choice.”

Mei-Ling shook her head. “This is nonsense,” she said.

“It was probably half in his mind, because you’re beautiful and you were kind to him. But I think it hit him suddenly in the cave.”

“Oh. The cave.”

“It was magical in there, you know.”

“Well,” Mei-Ling said drily, “I’m sure he’ll get over it.”

But if she thought her friend had finished with the subject, Mei-Ling was wrong.

The next morning, while Ru-Hai was out with his father, the prefect’s wife came around for a chat. “You know,” she remarked, “I’m sure Ru-Hai is still a virgin.”

“I daresay he is,” Mei-Ling replied.

“You hadn’t thought about it?”

“No. Why should I?”

“You might have.”

“I didn’t.”

“Well, some nice woman ought to look after him. Better than his finding out by himself with a whore down an alley in the city, and with all the risks that entails.”

Mei-Ling stared straight ahead. She knew from their many talks that the prefect’s wife, in private, could be surprisingly crude. And that she was not above a little intrigue.

“I’m sure somebody could arrange something,” Mei-Ling said drily.

“No doubt. But wouldn’t it be nice for him to be a bit in love, to have a magical memory, something to treasure for the rest of his life?”

Mei-Ling said nothing.

“You like him, don’t you?”

Whatever her thoughts, Mei-Ling kept them to herself.

—

On the eve of her departure, Shi-Rong spoke gently to Mei-Ling. “I am truly sorry you are leaving,” he said. “I have already told you my feelings. As far as our bargain is concerned, you have kept your part. Far more than that. Before you came, I trusted you and paid in full. Now I am giving you the same again. You will need it for the education of Bright Moon.” He smiled. “I hope I have treated you well.”

“You could not have treated me better.” She paused. “But since you really wish to help, I will tell you that I need something more. We are peasants in a hamlet. We know a few people with money in the local town. But that’s all. We’ve no way to find her the husband she deserves. Her beauty shouldn’t be wasted.”

“It should not.”

“But you could find her a worthy husband. There is plenty of time.”

“Yes.” He nodded slowly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

—

The next morning, Mei-Ling and Ru-Hai took their leave. They were traveling in luxury, for the prefect had insisted that they use his personal riverboat—a large sampan with a sail, and a covered seating area like a tent containing upholstered benches and divans with silken cushions, where they could sit, sleep, and dine in the greatest comfort. There was a serving girl and a crew of six boatmen.

The prefect himself saw them off at the jetty, together with Shi-Rong, who parted from her with the most friendly affection. So did the prefect’s wife, who whispered a loving message to her as she boarded.

Ru-Hai was obviously excited by the adventure of the river journey ahead, but Mei-Ling was pleased to see that he bade his father farewell with every sign of filial devotion; she was glad to think she might have played her part in that.

And so they were off, waving back to the little group on the jetty until a bend in the river slowly nudged them out of sight.

She leaned back against the cushions and looked out at the scenery. The weather was perfect. She could feel the faint touch of a breeze on her cheek. The morning sun glinted on the river. The steep karst mountains soared into the clear blue sky above.

The journey would take several days. There were two famous inns at which they might spend the night along the way. But they could certainly sleep on the boat as well. Slow days of perfect peace.

It occurred to her that, perhaps in all her life, she had never known any days during which she had no duties to perform, no responsibilities of any kind at all. She’d fulfilled all obligations under her agreement with Shi-Rong, and it would be half a month before she entered her family duties again.

This was a magical interlude, just for herself: a time apart, a place apart. She felt a little thrill.

She looked at Ru-Hai. He had been watching her. He smiled, then, perhaps