The white-shouldered eagle should be soaring through the vast sky, nesting atop high mountain cliffs. But Da Feng is unassuming, never boasting of being an eagle. Tragically, he seems to think he's just a bird.
Here are some heartbreaking facts: First, Dafeng eats grass; second, he likes to approach chickens, ducks, birds and geese; third, Dafeng will go out in the yard alone to gather grass and twigs, build a nest, and then shrink into it; I think if his saliva weren't so sticky, one day we might be lucky enough to see Dafeng build a nest and hang it on the roof beam.
I wonder which nimble bird has captivated the strong winds today, making them so beautiful that even fish and eagles seem to lose their luster.
I sent the message with the wind to create an opportunity for him and the carrier pigeons, lest he one day take a fancy to a crow and bring it back to the valley, which would be bad luck.
I rummaged through the wind and finally managed to pull out my master's reply. The letter was wet, and the four characters on it were already a bit blurry: "Returning soon." I held the paper and looked at it from left to right, horizontally and vertically, facing the sun and the west wind, and finally had to admit: this was not a secret letter; there were only these four characters on it.
"Soon" means he will return soon; perhaps Master knew I would miss him, so he was deliberately comforting me. "Return" means Master considers Medicine King Valley his home; though the outside world is wonderful, this is his true home. I carefully savored the letter; though concise, it expressed Master's eagerness to return. With that, I happily tucked the letter into my pocket and went to find Lou Xiyue for dinner.
Nan Yan is a remarkable person. Not only did he single-handedly bring a cartload of belongings, but he also cooks excellent dishes, fresh and delicious, with a distinct Jiangnan flavor. Lou Xiyue, like his master, is a discerning person.
Before this, I had always been the one cooking for my master. On my first day in the valley, he made me steamed tofu, and for the first time in my life, I experienced how wonderful tofu could be, comparable to celestial nectar or the most delicious dragon meat. This was the only dish I ever ate cooked by my master, and I actually regret it a bit. If I had known it was the only time, I would have drawn that steamed tofu first and carefully recorded its texture that day, so I could savor it later. Of course, I would be happy to cook for my master, and ideally, I could do it for the rest of my life.
After dinner, I took my usual stroll through the bamboo grove. A gentle evening breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, causing them to flutter and fall. The moonlight, like water, filtered through the gaps in the bamboo, creating a tranquil scene, like a winding silver river. I walked to a stalk of green bamboo, reached out and touched its joint. It was slightly cool to the touch, and on it were carved a line of small characters—"Xiaoxiang Bamboo."
A long time ago, I was talking with the three gentlemen about remarkable figures, and we came across the ancient sage emperor Shun and his two concubines.
I commented: Although Emperor Shun was a wise and benevolent ruler throughout history, he treated love just like any other emperor with a harem of three thousand. How could the love between the Empress E and the Heroine Nüying be shared equally?
The three officials replied: "Human hearts are unpredictable."
I have been agonizing over Emperor Shun's views on love, life, and values ever since, and over how he could be so successful with two women. I am a very persistent person, and I will not let go until I have a clear understanding of the reasons behind them. So I sigh at the sunrise in the morning, shed tears in the wind at noon, and grieve under the moon at night.
So one night, also in this ten-mile bamboo forest, I sat down on the ground. The sky was filled with twinkling stars, the emerald bamboo stretched like a sea, its green leaves carpeting the ground, boundless and seemingly merging with the heavy veil of mist. On this beautiful, moonlit night, I counted the bamboo beside me: if the number was odd, then Emperor Shun loved Ehuang; if the number was even, then Emperor Shun loved Nüying.
A breeze blew, causing the bamboo on both sides to sway and cast dappled shadows on the ground. When I looked up, my master stood there in a white robe under the bright moonlight, his hair loose, letting the strands dance in the wind, his face serene and untouched by worldly concerns. Peace and tranquility reigned; the wind ceased, the moon ceased. And my heart, too, ceased.
He looked at me, his face handsome and refined, and asked, "Xiao Xiang, did you get lost in the bamboo forest again?" Bamboo leaves fell onto his robe, then slid down and disappeared into the myriad colorful leaves on the ground.
I stood there stunned for a long time, until my master approached and brushed the fallen leaves off my shoulder. I asked, "Master, how many people can one truly love in this lifetime?"
The master's face held a hint of a smile. "Little Xiang, did you go out of the valley to watch opera again?"
I looked at my master, my mind filled with nothing but romantic notions, and nodded blankly. "Yes, I heard the story of the Ephemeral Queen and the Heroine Maiden whose tears stained the green bamboo. Emperor Shun disappointed me so much, causing two women to be heartbroken."
The master looked at a small bamboo stalk that had just sprouted from the ground and said, "Does Xiao Xiang like Emperor Shun? Then let's name this bamboo 'Xiao Xiang Bamboo'."
I pouted and declared solemnly, "If the man I love were to give half of his heart to another woman, I would never shed tears for him."
The wind whipped the master's robes, and a drifting cloud obscured the moonlight, darkening the surroundings. The master's voice, like the smooth melody of jade, rang out, "Xiao Xiang, some things are beyond our control." A cool breeze, like a wisp of silk, drifted around, carrying with it a sense of wonder.
As the clouds dispersed, my master was gone. I took out a knife and carved "Fragrant Bamboo" on the small bamboo. I wondered if one day, I would shed tears for my master beneath this verdant bamboo, staining it with tear stains.
Looking back at this "fragrant bamboo", it is already lush and green. Unbeknownst to many, this bamboo has quietly sprouted and grown into such a vigorous and ancient bamboo.
A melodious flute tune echoed through the bamboo forest. I looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lou Xiyue holding a warm, emerald-green jade flute. His hair was tied up with a jade crown, and the silvery moonlight poured down on his clearly defined profile. He wore a simple blue robe with wide sleeves that fluttered in the wind, and his hair was lifted up, just enough to cover his eyes.
After listening to the entire piece, I'm convinced that Lou Xiyue is definitely Qinghua Niangzi's biological son. He remained silent for a moment before asking, "Master, are you reminded of someone by seeing this?"
I sat on the ground, picked up a leaf and played with it, then asked Lou Xiyue, "Xiyue, is there any way to know if a man loves a woman?"
Lou Xiyue walked to my side, sat down gracefully, and studied me for a long time. "If this man has her in his heart, he will treat her differently from other women."
I sighed. "What if this man doesn't have other women around him? What if he treats this woman differently than he treats other men? Does that count?"
Lou Xiyue remained silent, “…”
I stood up and murmured, "Yes, it should count." There were only three people in Medicine King Valley before: the Third Master, my master, and me. My master treated me and the Third Master very differently. For example, my master would not take walks in the bamboo forest with the Third Master, but he would often meet me after dusk for a stroll in the forest; my master would never touch the Third Master's head, but he would occasionally brush the leaves off my hair; my master accepted me as a disciple, but not the Third Master.
Thinking about it this way, I was overjoyed and thanked Lou Xiyue, saying, "Xiyue, I feel a sudden enlightenment today, and my mind is clear. I owe it all to you. So, I will give you one of my tokens today."
I reached into my sleeve and pulled out a pebble, a fishbone, and a broken piece of bamboo. After thinking it over, I felt the pebble suited Lou Xiyue's temperament better, so I generously gave it to him. "Now that you've joined my Medicine King Valley, you're one of my people. In the future, when you travel the world and others don't recognize you, just show them this pebble, mention my name, and they'll know you're one of mine."
Lou Xiyue took the stone, opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.
I clapped my hands. "Alright, Xiyue, it's getting late. You still have to clean the medicine pool tomorrow, let's go back to our rooms and get some sleep." Then I strode forward.
I walked excitedly for about half a cup of tea's time, the moonlight enchanting, and so I got lost. The bamboo forest in Medicine King Valley is so lush that it often leads to lost souls. I frequently lose myself here, then sit patiently on the ground waiting for my master to take me back. But now my master is not here, and I look around; Lou Xiyue is nowhere to be seen either.
After squatting on the ground and drawing circles a few times, I came up with a good idea. Gathering all my strength, I looked up to the sky and roared, "Lou Xiyue—" My shout shook the heavens and earth, echoing throughout the vast Medicine King Valley, causing many bamboo leaves to fall to the ground. Sure enough, in a short while, a graceful figure emerged and landed lightly before me. Lou Xiyue, holding her jade flute, smiled gently at me, "Master, what is it?"
I told the truth, "I got lost."
Lou Xiyue sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Let me take you out."
Actually, this bamboo forest was really large. Lou Xiyue and I wandered around, making many marks on the bamboo with a knife along the way, but we still hadn't found our way out even as the moon rose high in the trees. I was worried, I was resentful, and my head ached. So I solemnly said to Lou Xiyue, "We have two choices now."
Lou Xiyue looked up and asked, "What?"
"Firstly, we'll live out our lives in this bamboo forest, growing old, sick, and dying in silence. But there's no food here, and we'll probably be starving for ten or fifteen days before we ride the wind westward. Secondly, you carry me on your back and fly away."
Lou Xiyue reluctantly chose the second option. I used both hands and feet to climb onto his back, but just as I was about to get on, Lou Xiyue stiffened. I reached out and wrapped my arms around his neck, and he trembled. I felt he was too sensitive, so I leaned my head against his shoulder. Lou Xiyue paused, and then actually put me down.
I was puzzled. "What's wrong?"
Lou Xiyue looked at me, a glint of something I couldn't quite grasp flashing in his eyes. He slowly said, "Master, Xiyue twisted his back yesterday, and it hurts a bit."
I scratched my head. "Then what should we do? Do you want to meditate and pass away here with me?"
Lou Xiyue stared at me intently, then tilted her head and said slowly, "If Master doesn't mind, I'll carry you out, how about that?"
I rested my chin on my hand and thought about it seriously. "It's not good to just hold on like this. What if we fly up slowly and someone looks up and sees us? They might think that Chang'e and Hou Yi are having an affair."
Lou Xiyue raised an eyebrow, then suddenly leaned forward, wrapped an arm around my waist, and lifted me up in his arms. Caught off guard and afraid of falling, I quickly reached out and hooked my arms around his neck. He lightly touched the ground with his toes, and we were airborne. I heard him whisper in my ear, "This way, no one will misunderstand. Even if someone sees us, they'll just think it's Chang'e carrying a zither to the moon." I turned my head and met his eyes. His phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, gazing at me with a dreamy look. Embarrassed by his gaze, I looked away and glanced at the bamboo grove below. The valley breeze rustled through the bamboo, creating waves of green that shimmered with silver light, whispering and swirling in the valley like a melodious harp.
The scenery was so beautiful that I lingered there, reluctant to leave. Suddenly, I felt a warm breath on my neck. Lou Xiyue whispered, "Master, you're thinner than I imagined, almost like a girl." I was startled by her words and released her neck. I was furious. That damned Lou Xiyue, why didn't she hold me tighter? I just fell straight down from that height.