The Tear of
the Dream
Synopsis in English
A Staged Novella 2026
Artificial Prose
PART Ι
(Introduction)
the married life
the death of Cheng-Wei
the widowhood of Yao Guang
the illness
the sudden assumption of responsibilities
at first,
they were small things
the night he
came home late
the waiting
that became a habit
the
conversations about a marriage...
the silent
intimacy
the
encounters in the outdoor areas
the
encounters inside the house...
the storm in
the storehouses
Yao Guang's
last words...
Yao Guang's funeral
the secret of the tomb
grave robbing
the figurines that speak
the self-appointed supervision
alone with something strange between them...
Ruo-Xi's
change of attitude
the scene of
jealousy
discovering
new ways
the presence
that spreads through the night
the questions
that were never asked
the staged
little accidents
the
situations of entrapment intensify
the
occupation of the parents' bedroom
the forgotten
shutters
the house at
night and its transformation
the tear of the dream
PART Ι
(Introduction):
Du Cheng-Wei was a powerful and wealthy
landowner in the Luo Jiang region, known for his strictness and authority. He
married Du Yao Guang from the village of Bailin, who was considered the most
beautiful woman in the area. Yao Guang was raised in a respected family, with
the serious Yin Chen-Lu as her father and Lin Su-Zhen as her mother, from whom
she inherited her beauty. She had two younger sisters, Yao Ru-Lin and Yao
Xiao-Mei, who lived in her shadow.
From a young age, Yao Guang felt that she
did not belong to the ordinary life of the village and believed that she was
destined for something greater. She was cold and distant toward people, though
not cruel. Her presence inspired admiration and respect. She was not interested
in love or emotional devotion, but regarded marriage as a means of social
advancement, power, and authority. For this reason, she sought to marry a man
worthy of her beauty and ambitions.
In Bailin, marriages were regarded as
agreements of power and prestige. Therefore, when the matchmakers of Du
Cheng-Wei visited the house of Yin Chen-Lu to ask for Yao Guang's hand in
marriage, no one was surprised. Her beauty and reputation had already become
known everywhere. During the first visit, Du Cheng-Wei's representatives
brought valuable gifts, but Yao Guang did not appear impressed and gave no
answer, even though her parents considered the proposal excellent.
A few weeks later, the matchmakers returned
with even more expensive gifts and official documents for the union of the two
families. Although the entire village believed that the marriage had already
been agreed upon, Yao Guang continued to keep her distance and to show that
nothing was sufficient for her. Her attitude caused her parents concern because
they understood that she was not following the usual role expected of women.
On the third visit, Du Cheng-Wei himself
appeared, bringing with him even greater wealth and a land title deed written
in Yao Guang's name. This act was regarded as a great honor and a recognition
of her worth. Then, for the first time, Yao Guang smiled, showing that she
accepted the proposal. Thus, their marriage was finalized not because of the
wishes of the families, but from the moment she felt that her value and power
had been fully recognized.
The Proposal
In Bailin, marriages were regarded as
agreements of power and prestige. Therefore, when Du Cheng-Wei's matchmakers
visited the house of Yin Chen-Lu to ask for Yao Guang's hand in marriage, no
one was surprised. Her beauty and reputation had already become known
everywhere. During the first visit, Du Cheng-Wei's representatives brought
valuable gifts, but Yao Guang did not appear impressed and gave no answer, even
though her parents considered the proposal excellent.
A few weeks later, the matchmakers returned
with even more expensive gifts and official documents for the union of the two
families. Although the entire village believed that the marriage had already
been agreed upon, Yao Guang continued to keep her distance and to show that
nothing was sufficient for her. Her attitude caused her parents concern because
they understood that she was not following the usual role expected of women.
On the
third visit, Du Cheng-Wei himself appeared, bringing with him even greater
wealth and a land title deed written in Yao Guang's name. This act was regarded
as a great honor and a recognition of her worth. Then, for the first time, Yao
Guang smiled, showing that she accepted the proposal. Thus, their marriage was
finalized not because of the wishes of the families, but from the moment she
felt that her value and power had been fully recognized.
The Married Life
Yao Guang married Du Cheng-Wei, one of the
most powerful landowners in the region, and their marriage became the subject
of discussion throughout Bailin. Her parents considered the marriage a
confirmation of the family's worth, while her sisters saw in it opportunities
for their own future. She herself, however, did not feel triumph, but rather a
calm certainty that she had reached the position she deserved.
After the marriage, Yao Guang became even
more distant from her family of origin and turned into an almost inaccessible
figure. Her presence inspired respect and awe, and even those closest to her
approached her with caution. For Du Cheng-Wei, his wife was not merely a
beautiful woman but a source of prestige and superiority. Through her, he felt
distinguished from all other landowners because he had at his side a woman who
was unique, proud, and unconquerable.
Yao Guang's character and
bearing also influenced Cheng-Wei himself, making him calmer, more confident,
and more commanding in his dealings with people. Together they had two children,
Du Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi. Guo Ren stood out for his strength and stature, while
Ruo-Xi possessed a quiet and distinctive grace similar to that of her mother.
The Death of Cheng-Wei
Du Cheng-Wei died suddenly in 1641 when
heavy rains caused a great flood in Luo Jiang. While trying to save his
storehouses and fields, he was swept away by the river's waters. His body was
found several days later, far from his land and home. His death is presented as
a tragic reversal of the happy and powerful life he had built beside Yao Guang.
During the flood, his loyal
steward, Chen Bing, tried to save him. He jumped into the water and struggled
against the current to keep him alive, but he failed. From that moment on, Chen
Bing lived with deep guilt and grief over the loss of his master, carrying the
event as a permanent burden within him.
The Widowhood of Yao Guang
After the death of Du Cheng-Wei, Du Yao
Guang was left a widow with two children, the twenty-year-old Du Guo Ren and
the seventeen-year-old Ruo-Xi, and assumed responsibility for protecting the
family. Although the estate in Luo Jiang appeared strong from the outside, fear
and uncertainty existed within. The loyal steward Chen Bing continued to manage
the lands and support the household.
Yao Guang withdrew from relatives and
acquaintances because she believed many were waiting for her downfall. At her
side remained the servant Lao Su, who advised her and helped her understand the
intentions of others. After becoming a widow, many matchmakers appeared, and
she soon realized that the marriage proposals were directed at her. Her beauty
and dignity continued to impress the men of the region.
A wealthy silk merchant promised her
security and wealth, an official offered prestige and power, while a landowner
proposed a union of estates. Interest was also shown by Su Yue-Lin and Liu
Guang-He, who promised her respect and protection. Nevertheless, Yao Guang
continued to compare all men to her deceased husband and considered none of
them worthy of him. At the same time, she did not wish to abandon her children
and household during such a difficult period.
Thus, she silently rejected every marriage
proposal and became increasingly cold and distant. At the same time, she raised
her children with the conviction that their family was superior to the other
villagers, teaching Guo Ren to preserve his father's prestige and Ruo-Xi never
to allow others to diminish her.
The Illness
Yao Guang begins to fall ill, and her
strength gradually declines, causing the rhythm of the household to change as
Ruo-Xi slowly takes on the responsibilities of care.
The
Sudden Assumption of Responsibilities
Seventeen-year-old Ruo-Xi takes charge of
managing the household and caring for their mother, while twenty-year-old Guo
Ren assumes the family's external responsibilities. Within the house, however,
it is Ruo-Xi who maintains unity and supports him as well.
At
First, They Were Small Things...
Ruo-Xi's care begins with small tasks but
soon becomes all-encompassing, as Guo Ren is often away and she takes care of
everything.
The Night He
Came Home Late
Ruo-Xi waits for Guo Ren with silent
concern, revealing her devotion and her willingness to assume responsibility
without words.
The Waiting
That Became a Habit
Waiting for Guo Ren becomes part of her
daily routine, while Ruo-Xi develops an emotional dependence on his stability.
Inside
the House
Ruo-Xi cares for both her mother and
brother, largely replacing her mother's role, and her relationship with Guo Ren
becomes quietly more familiar and intimate.
The
Conversations About a Marriage...
Ruo-Xi and Guo Ren discuss the future and
marriage, expressing their values concerning love, choice, and stability in a
relationship.
The Silent
Intimacy
Their relationship grows stronger through
silent gestures and everyday interactions, which gradually become habitual and
signify mutual support and tenderness.
The Encounters in the
Outdoor Areas / Inside the House
Small physical contacts between them become
a daily pattern, expressing emotional closeness without words.
The Storm in the Storehouses
A moment of tension during a storm reveals
the mutual support and quiet intimacy between them. Ruo-Xi and Guo Ren are in
the storehouses when a storm breaks out. Guo Ren saves her from the mud and
leads her to a dry space behind some crates. As she changes her clothes, she
becomes aware that he is watching her, and his silent observation gives her a
sense of affirmation and intense presence. He remains nearby, discreetly but
attentively observing her every movement. Their gestures reinforce the sense of
intimacy and tension without words.
The storm subsides, and they return home
together. The experience deepens their connection and the silent tenderness
between them. Ruo-Xi experiences his observation as a sign of care and an
affirmation of her presence.
Yao Guang's
Last Words...
Before her death, Yao Guang asks them to
remain united, leaving behind a final legacy of family cohesion. She dies
peacefully two years later, leaving no unfinished matters behind.
Yao Guang's Funeral
Yao Guang's funeral took place in a heavy
atmosphere in Luo Jiang. The Du household filled with relatives, villagers, and
officials. Her body lay in a wooden coffin, dressed in luxurious funerary
garments. Her face remained uncovered and impressed all who saw it with its
untouched beauty.
Monks chanted prayers, and incense filled
the air. People from the surrounding villages continued arriving at the estate.
Some came out of duty, others out of curiosity, and others out of
self-interest.
The deceased woman's father, Yin Chen-Lu,
stood silently and heartbroken before the coffin. Her sisters, Ru-Lin and
Xiao-Mei, took an active role in the funeral preparations. Despite their
involvement, the servants and Lao Su carried out most of the work. Guo Ren and
Ruo-Xi remained silent and withdrawn in their grief.
Ruo-Xi constantly received comments about
her beauty and her future. Her aunts suggested that she stay with them and
hinted at a possible marriage. She responded with a cold and distant attitude.
Among those attending the ceremony was Su
Wen-Hao, the son of a wealthy merchant. He watched Ruo-Xi, yet his thoughts
continually returned to her mother.
He remembered the fascination Yao Guang had
exerted over him from their very first meeting. Despite her rejections, he had
always believed that one day he would win her. He had sent two marriage
proposals accompanied by precious gifts. Yao Guang had returned them without
explanation.
Su Wen-Hao had even begun building a new
house for her. Her death permanently destroyed his desire. As he observed
Ruo-Xi, he constantly compared her to her mother.
He began to think of the young woman as a
substitute for the one he had lost. Ruo-Xi sensed his gaze and responded with
coldness.
During the ceremony, whispers about her
multiplied. The procession to the tomb took place with perfect order and ritual
solemnity. That same evening, a large banquet was organized despite the wishes
of the deceased woman's children. Amid the noise and hypocrisy, Guo Ren and
Ruo-Xi remained united in their silence. They understood that from that point
forward, they would be able to rely only on each other.
The Secret of the Tomb
Yao Guang, renowned for her beauty, died
carrying a great secret with her. Her marriage to the great landowner Wei-Cheng
appeared perfect, but it contained a hidden flaw. Although she became pregnant
many times, miscarriages during the seventh or eighth month deprived her of
having children of her own.
The remedies and secret treatments of Lao
Ning produced no results. The solution came through the borrowing of children
from poor young women and from forbidden unions. Hui Cheng located the
children, cared for them, and secretly delivered them to Yao Guang.
The first child was Guo Ren; the second,
three years later, was Ruo-Xi. Only Lao Ning and Hui Cheng knew the true origin
of the children. Wei-Cheng's journeys concealed the births and the children's
secret care.
Yao Guang preserved her social position and
security within her marriage. The children became the heart of the family and
the continuation of both herself and Cheng-Wei. Her funeral left the secret
buried with her, safe from revelation. Every act of care and love she offered
them strengthened the stability and continuity of her marriage.
The Grave Robbing
Rumors of tomb robbers give Su Wen-Hao the
opportunity to fulfill a dark desire. He sends men to major cities to bring
back craftsmen skilled in wax, alabaster, and marble. He promises generous
payment without initially revealing the purpose of their work.
At the same time, he summons men from the
criminal underworld for a secret mission. He orders them to carefully open Yao
Guang's tomb and secretly transport her body. The deceased woman is placed in
an inner room of his house.
A herbalist and a healer apply methods to
preserve the body. The room fills with strong scents of herbs, oils, and
resins. The craftsmen gradually arrive and immediately understand the nature of
the work before them. Silence becomes an essential condition for everyone
involved.
The wax effigy is completed first, appearing
almost alive.
Next comes the alabaster
statue, colder and more distant in appearance.
The most difficult task is the creation of
the marble statues of Yao Guang. The sculptor fashions three different
representations of her, each connected to memory and death.
The craftsmen depart knowing that their
creations will remain hidden forever.
Su Wen-Hao isolates himself in the house
together with the effigies. At first he merely observes them in silence, but
soon he begins speaking to them. To the wax effigy he attributes a gentle and
human voice. The alabaster figure expresses cold logic and fear for the social
order. The marble statues acquire a supernatural and almost threatening character.
The protagonist gradually begins to believe
that the effigies are truly answering him. His obsession intensifies, and he
slowly loses contact with reality. The voices become seductive and strengthen
his delusion.
In the end, he decides to secretly return
Yao Guang's body to the tomb. When he returns home, the effigies remain silent,
marking the end of his obsession.
The Effigies That Speak
After the creation of three effigies of Yao
Guang (made of wax, alabaster, and marble), Su Wen-Hao withdraws from society
and begins living alone within his house, observing the works as though they
were living versions of her. At first, he treats them as objects, but he soon
begins speaking to them, searching for answers.
To the wax effigy, he attributes a gentle
and human voice, one that speaks to him about the passage of mourning and the
loneliness of her children. The alabaster figure expresses a colder logic,
speaking of social rules, order, and the fear of betrayal. The marble statues,
by contrast, acquire an almost metaphysical tone and speak as if they come from
another world, raising questions of loss, desire, and fate.
Gradually, Su Wen-Hao begins to believe that
the effigies are truly answering him, as though they contain different aspects
of the same woman. Their voices are no longer merely rejecting him but also
tempting him, suggesting possibilities, returns, and secret meetings. In this
way, Yao Guang ceases to be a dead woman and becomes, in his mind, multiple
versions of desire and memory.
Yet the illusion gradually becomes a burden.
The protagonist loses his sense of reality and becomes trapped between fantasy
and obsession. Eventually, he decides to end this state of affairs and orders
that her body be returned to the tomb in a secret and ritualized manner.
When he returns to the house, the effigies
remain motionless and silent. For the first time, Su Wen-Hao looks at them
without speaking to them and without expecting any answer, marking the end of
the illusion.
The Self-Appointed Supervision
After Yao Guang's funeral, the Du household
finds no peace. The deceased woman's aunts, Ru-Lin and Xiao-Mei, remain there
as unofficial overseers. Their presence subtly yet strongly influences the
family's daily life.
Yao Guang's children, Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi,
grow closer through their shared grief. The closeness between them arises
primarily from their need for support and understanding. Every attempt at
familiarity, however, is monitored by the two aunts. Ru-Lin intervenes openly
and strictly in the children's actions. Xiao-Mei operates more quietly, but
with equal pressure. The house gradually becomes a place of constant
surveillance.
The children feel that they no longer
possess any personal freedom. Even their smallest actions seem exposed to the
watchful eyes of their aunts. The atmosphere grows increasingly heavy and
oppressive.
The situation changes temporarily when a
problem arises in the storehouses of the eastern estate in Bailin. The two
aunts decide to leave in order to oversee the matter. Their departure brings
relief to the household, but also uncertainty.
During the journey, the two women discuss
the family and the children. They refer to the particular relationship between
Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi, which they believe may foreshadow future dangers. At the
same time, they reflect on the causes of the family's tragedy. They wonder
whether the father bears some responsibility for what happened. They also
consider whether the mother may have been driven into illness by guilt and
pressure.
Their discussion reaches no clear
conclusions. Neither of them can know the full truth. The journey continues in
silence and doubt. The Du household is left behind in a fragile state of
balance. The absence of the aunts does not necessarily mean true freedom.
Alone with Something Unspoken Between Them
After the death of their parents and the
departure of their relatives, Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi are left alone in the Du
household. Ruo-Xi, deeply affected by grief, increasingly turns to her brother,
whom she sees as her closest source of comfort and support. Guo Ren tries to
maintain a sense of balance and independence, yet he remains strongly aware of
her reliance on him.
Ruo-Xi dislikes the idea of future
separation and often speaks of preserving the unity of the family. Over time,
she creates many opportunities for shared activities, companionship, and mutual
support.
Guo Ren occasionally feels overwhelmed by
this constant closeness, though he understands the loneliness that lies behind
it.
Ruo-Xi shows little interest in forming
connections outside the household and devotes most of her attention to her
brother and their shared responsibilities. Her attachment becomes more evident
through small, everyday gestures.
Guo Ren attempts to preserve certain
personal boundaries, but these gradually become less distinct because of their
constant presence in each other's lives.
Their relationship develops
into a gradual emotional convergence, marked more by silence and familiarity
than by open disagreement.
Ruo-Xi moves into their parents' room,
explaining that she wishes to honor their memory. The change brings the
siblings into closer proximity and reduces some of the privacy that once
existed between them. Guo Ren accepts the arrangement without giving much
thought to its long-term effects.
Their daily routine slowly evolves into a
strong emotional dependence on one another. During a violent storm, fear and
uncertainty draw them into an unusually intimate moment. Ruo-Xi expresses
feelings that go beyond their previous understanding of the relationship. Guo
Ren is taken by surprise and struggles to respond, yet he reassures her that he
will remain by her side and will not leave Luo Jiang.
Their bond settles into an ambiguous but
deeply significant emotional connection. The house becomes a closed world
shaped by shared memories, responsibilities, and constant companionship.
Guo Ren finds himself torn between duty and
emotions he does not fully understand. Ruo-Xi remains the central figure
influencing the new balance of their lives.
The Tear of the Dream
Ruo-Xi lives in isolation on the Du family's
farmlands after the death of her parents, feeling empty and trapped in a life
without prospects or social freedom. She suffers emotionally, as she loves a
man who pays little attention to her, while feeling that her life is
predetermined and constrained by social expectations.
While wandering through the fields, she
encounters an elderly herbalist woman with whom she shares a connection through
her mother's past. The old woman reveals that she had once saved Ruo-Xi's life
when she was a child, curing a serious illness with the use of dangerous herbs.
Their conversation gradually develops into a
deeper confession by Ruo-Xi regarding her unfulfilled love and inner suffering.
The old woman comforts her, yet at the same time speaks realistically about
pain, loss, and the nature of human desire.
She then reveals the existence of a
dangerous elixir known as the "Tear of the Dream." This elixir does
not heal; instead, it loosens inhibitions, blurs the boundaries between reality
and desire, and intensifies emotions. The old woman explains that it can lead
to severe emotional and psychological confusion if used frequently or without
restraint. She warns that repeated use may dissolve the distinction between dreams
and reality and lead to dependence. She also mentions that the potion leaves
traces on the body and may expose its user.
Although frightened, Ruo-Xi shows interest
because of her desperation over her love. The old woman gives her instructions
and promises to provide her with a vial on the following day.
PART ΙΙ
The Proposal for the Acquisition
The Council
The Road to Nangu
The New Policy Declarations
The Road Back to Luo Jiang
The Storehouse Near Nangu
The Girl with the Blue Eyes
After the First Journey to Nangu
In Ruo-Xi's Dream
Ruo-Xi's Secret Plan
The Decision to Expand Toward Nangu
The Buyer
In the Dark Hall with the Effigies
PART
ΙΙ
The Proposal for Acquisition
Li Zheng, envoy of Huang Si-De, proposes the
acquisition of the family estates in Nangu, citing management difficulties,
costs, risks, and distance. He presents the sale as a rational and advantageous
solution, especially for two young heirs facing obligations and expenses,
emphasizing that “land must serve the human being.”
After his departure, Guo Ren appears
inclined to sell, viewing the practical difficulties of cultivation as
overwhelming. Ruo-Xi reacts strongly and rejects the idea, defending the value
of the land as their father’s inheritance and as a responsibility that must not
be abandoned.
A conflict follows between them: he insists
on the difficulties and losses, while she insists on preservation and effort
rather than sale. Ruo-Xi concludes that selling would be a disgrace and a loss
of honor toward the memory of their parents and their social standing.
The Council
Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi summon their steward,
Chen Bing, to evaluate the proposal for acquiring the Nangu estates. Chen Bing
reveals that the buyer is the son of the previous owner and likely seeks to
reclaim the land.
He explains that Nangu is extremely fertile
and strategically valuable, but its distance from Luo Jiang, the difficult
roads, and the presence of bandits make its management costly and problematic.
The proposal of warehouses and on-site administration would require permanent
supervision.
Guo Ren suggests taking personal charge of
the management, but Chen Bing dissuades him, believing a neutral and trustworthy
figure is needed. He proposes a hermit with a reputation for absolute fairness,
who serves no one and could act as an independent arbiter of the situation.
Ruo-Xi realizes that the matter is not a
simple financial decision, but one involving history, interests, and human
judgment with serious consequences.
The Road to Nangu
Guo Ren and Chen Bing travel to Nangu to
examine the condition of the estates and the threat of acquisition by Huang
Si-De. Along the way, they observe the difficulties of the region: distance,
dangerous roads, bandits, and high transport costs, but also the great
agricultural value of the land.
Arriving at the stone house of the estate,
they meet the villager Li Shan, who reveals that the new claimant does not
merely want the land, but control over the flow of goods and the transformation
of Nangu into a commercial hub. They also learn that the hermit who lived at
the edge of the estate was expelled by Huang Si-De’s men.
Chen Bing decides to gather the workers in
order to clarify the new authority over the land and inform Guo Ren of the
intentions at play.
He then proposes a strategic plan: the
creation of intermediate warehouses at barren points along the route, reducing
transportation risk and transforming the land from simple cultivation into an
organized network of trade and control.
Guo Ren begins to understand that Nangu is
not merely agricultural property, but a potential commercial hub of broader
economic and strategic importance.
The Policy Declarations of the New Lord
In the morning at Nangu, the workers gather
in front of the stone house for the first official briefing under the new
administration. The atmosphere is quiet and strict, with an order reminiscent
of earlier discipline. Chen Bing announces that Nangu is not merely changing
masters, but gaining transparency and clarity in management. He emphasizes that
reports will no longer disappear and that responsibility for losses will be
assigned.
For the first time, Guo Ren addresses the
workers not as a son, but as their responsible authority. He promises fair
compensation and links payment to actual labor contribution. The crowd reacts
cautiously and with restrained acceptance, as such words are unusual for them.
Among the workers appears an unknown man,
causing murmurs. He claims to have previously held permission from Du Cheng-Wei
and says he helped poor families by collecting surplus from the land. He
reports that he was expelled by Huang Si-De’s men, who are now extending their
influence in the region.
Chen Bing and Guo Ren examine his case. Guo
Ren states that those who had rights in the past retain them, while Chen Bing
emphasizes that the land is changing its management method, not its essence.
Guo Ren assures the workers that his
father’s agreements remain valid and that the land is neither for sale nor
exclusively owned by the lord, but first belongs to those who work it. He also
proposes that the poor be allowed to borrow from the surplus, not as charity
but as an institutional practice.
The assembly concludes with a gradual
transition from a simple announcement to a new definition of the relationship
between land, power, and the people who work it.
The Road Back to Luo Jiang
Guo Ren and Chen Bing return toward Luo
Jiang in search of barren, “forgotten” lands for future development. They
identify areas without clear ownership and with strategic value for
infrastructure. During a stop, they meet an elderly man who describes the land
as “belonging to no one and everyone,” reflecting its ambiguous status.
Chen Bing concludes that the land can be
acquired through small, local agreements with residents. He proposes gradual
acquisition of points with minimal resistance, proceeding wherever opposition
arises.
The Storehouse Near Nangu
Guo Ren and Chen Bing identify a barren but
strategic area near Nangu, ideal for a caravan station and warehouse. They
negotiate with a rural family, the A-Mei household, which agrees to sell the
land without difficulty, since it is not being utilized.
Chen Bing suggests that the family also take
responsibility for supervising the site, while Guo Ren adds that they will
benefit from the passage of travelers. The agreement transforms the land from
inactive space into a functional hub of activity.
The main issue proves to be the recruitment
of laborers, but ultimately the same family participates in the construction.
Through this cooperation, the creation of the first warehouse and the network
of stopping points begins.
The return to Luo Jiang takes place with the
first tangible realization of the plan already taking shape on the ground.
The Girl with the Blue Eyes
Ruo-Xi waits for Guo Ren to return to Luo
Jiang. She lives in Luo Jiang believing she is the daughter of Yao Guang and
Cheng-Wei, unaware that this is a fabricated identity. Likewise, Guo Ren is not
the biological child of the same couple, since Yao Guang was unable to have
children, and the true origins of both children remain unknown. The family has
been constructed upon complete concealment, where none of those involved—except
Yao Guang—knows the truth.
Ruo-Xi and Guo Ren have grown up within this
constructed reality, believing in a kinship that does not exist. Despite their
ignorance, they develop a particular sense of closeness and recognition beyond
conventional familial bonds. Society continues to regard them as siblings,
relying on a collective illusion that has never been questioned. Thus, their
lives unfold within a network of identity built upon ignorance, concealment, and
the substitution of reality.
Yet the local society still regards Ruo-Xi
as an “outsider” because of her blue eyes. Ruo-Xi was born to Sairin, a
concubine of a horse trader in Songpan, and was abandoned to avoid scandal and
stigma. Through the itinerant trader Hui Cheng and Lao Ning, the newborn was
transported and given to Yao Guang as a substitute for a lost child. In Luo
Jiang she grew up as Ruo-Xi with a constructed identity. Cheng-Wei raised her
believing the official account of her birth, namely that she was his daughter.
Her true origin remained hidden.
Within this framework, only Guo Ren sees her
without prejudice and connects with her in an authentic way. Her emotional bond
with Guo Ren, the supposed biological brother, functions as the only crack in
this alienation, since he does not recognize stigma in her but a familiarity
that transcends social categories. Thus, their relationship acquires the
character of a return to something not yet fully spoken, but already present as
a shared possibility.
After the First Journey to Nangu
Guo Ren returns to Luo Jiang with Chen Bing
after the journey to Nangu, having achieved their main objective and with a
plan for creating intermediate warehouses along the route. Ruo-Xi greets him
with strong emotion, affirming her support for his decisions and recognizing
his transformation into a responsible leader.
Guo Ren, exhausted but reassured, presents
their success and confirms that the land will not be sold, while its management
will be based on a fairer distribution of rewards. Ruo-Xi cares for him and
remains close, while within her a thought begins to form that their life could
continue in Nangu, away from Luo Jiang and its social constraints.
As he sleeps, Ruo-Xi develops a plan to
follow him to Nangu, not as a relative but under another identity, so that she
can remain near him without restriction. She considers practical ways to become
essential to the new warehouse and transport network, so that her presence will
be necessary and natural.
At the same time, she rejects other locations
and concludes that only Nangu or the warehouses along the route offer the
freedom she desires. In this process, her thinking shifts from simple desire to
an organized plan of gradual integration into Guo Ren’s life.
Guo Ren, in moments of semi-sleep, confirms
their connection and their future shared path in the project. Ruo-Xi responds
by strengthening this idea, and their relationship acquires a more intimate and
emotionally charged dimension.
In the end, Ruo-Xi falls asleep beside him,
having now decided to direct her life toward Nangu and the new commercial
network, uniting personal desire with practical planning.
In Ruo-Xi’s Dream
In her dream, Ruo-Xi sees Guo Ren speaking
to her and claiming her completely, declaring that she belongs to him. He
embraces her and protects her from every threatening figure that appears around
them.
In the dream, figures from her family and
social environment parade before her: her aunts, other young women competing
for Guo Ren’s attention, powerful men, and their father Cheng-Wei, who
symbolizes strict tradition and control. All of them attempt to separate her
from him.
Guo Ren, however, remains steadfast and
keeps her close, rejecting every claim with a simple but absolute declaration.
The shadows begin to recede as the strength
of their bond overcomes external pressure.
Finally, her mother Yao Guang appears, not
in opposition but in silent acceptance, reinforcing the sense that their bond
may be permitted.
Ruo-Xi experiences intense emotional affirmation,
and the dream merges with reality as she feels Guo Ren beside her and the sense
that he is truly holding her.
Ruo-Xi’s Secret Plan
Ruo-Xi wakes up beside Guo Ren, and the
experience of the night strengthens her decision to remain close to him. She
watches him while he sleeps and resolves to follow him to Nangu. She plans to
become indispensable in his activities, linking her presence to the expansion
of the estates and the new warehouse network.
At the same time, she intends to change her
role and identity so that she is not seen as his sister but as a simple, useful
presence in his environment. Her thinking becomes more determined and
structured, transforming desire into a concrete plan for the future.
The Decision for Expansion Toward Nangu
Ruo-Xi calls Chen Bing to be informed about
the situation in Nangu and the expansion plans. He reports that the first
warehouse along the route is nearly complete, but a second is needed to
stabilize the flow of trade.
Ruo-Xi and Guo Ren discuss the hermit living
at the edge of the estates, and Ruo-Xi suggests providing him with a small
dwelling so that he can be linked to the protection of the area. Chen Bing
approves the idea as both practical and cost-effective.
Ruo-Xi
insists on immediate expansion toward Nangu before land values rise, showing
determination. To finance it, she even proposes selling her mother’s jewelry,
showing that her priority is the plan rather than personal traditions.
Chen Bing suggests a potential buyer for the
jewelry, a young merchant’s son, and they agree to carry out the transactions
discreetly, as though the items were lost goods. They also decide not to sell
everything at once but gradually, in order to test the market and achieve better
overall prices.
The discussion ends in a shared decision for
action. Ruo-Xi assumes a leading role and declares the need for immediate
departure and preparation for Nangu, showing that her plan now guides
developments.
The Buyer
Ruo-Xi selects a discreet necklace from her
mother’s jewelry and uses it as a means of financing their plans toward Nangu.
She considers it a sacrifice for the shared goal of land expansion.
Chen Bing arranges for its secret sale
through intermediaries to a wealthy young man, Su Wen-Hao, who recognizes its
emotional value and purchases it without serious negotiation.
The transaction is carried out discreetly,
with Chen Bing hinting that more jewelry may become available, increasing the
buyer’s interest.
At his home, Su Wen-Hao is drawn into a
strong emotional and psychological memory, as the jewel connects him to an old
desire and a woman from his past. The memory transforms into an inner fantasy,
where the woman’s figure seems to approach and speak to him, intensifying his
emotional obsession with both the object and the person it represents.
PART ΙΙΙ
With the Proceeds from the Sale
the “Stone Woman”
in the A-Mei warehouse
the “Returnees”: the faction of the “Great Peace Road”
Geng Do, Xiao Yu, and Lian
Wu Xia and Zhang Qin
Peng Lu and Wu Jian
Hu Lan and Feng-Ren
Zhao Yin and Xi-Lin
the peasant women with the necklaces
the trial of the cave
the exchange
in the land of the card player
the final agreement
Guo Ren’s first meeting with He Ji
the promise and the support
in the newly acquired southern estates of Nangu
the heir
favored Hong-Hua
favored Ling-Lu
favored Qing-Ya
the decisions in the wooden house of the southern estates
the anxiety of a disguised maid
the night with Hong-Hua
PART
ΙΙΙ
With the Proceeds of the Sale
Ruo-Xi decides to convert the money from the
sale of the jewelry into an immediate expedition to Nangu, accelerating the
expansion plans. She announces that she will travel with them but disguised as
a servant, so she can move unnoticed and gather information from ordinary
people.
Despite Guo Ren’s initial objection, Chen
Bing supports the idea, judging it useful and safe. It is agreed that she will
travel in a small carriage and present herself as a cook or assistant.
Ruo-Xi explains that real power lies in
information about land and prices, not social status. At the same time, she
emphasizes that the sacrifice of the jewelry must yield a greater result.
The group accepts the plan and begins the
journey early in the morning toward Nangu. Along the way, Ruo-Xi remains
discreet but begins speaking with passersby, gaining trust and information,
while the mission gradually becomes more organized and purposeful.
The “Stone Woman”
About 80–90 li (40 km) from Luo Jiang, the
group identifies a suitable barren plot at a strategic point along the road,
between the already planned warehouses. They measure distances and confirm that
the location is suitable for a station and resupply point.
Ruo-Xi observes a nearby rock shaped like a
woman, known as the “Stone Woman,” about which Chen Bing mentions local legends
connecting the site with myth and warning. Guo Ren, however, views the land
purely in practical terms as usable property.
They then locate the owner, a poor and
indebted man in a tavern, and quickly finalize a purchase agreement, paying off
his debts as well. The man attempts to offer additional land, but Guo Ren
declines for the moment.
The area is secured, and the group proceeds
with plans to transform it into a functional station.
At A-Mei’s Warehouse
At A-Mei’s warehouse, the group arrives at
an almost completed station and evaluates its functionality, confirming that
the warehouse network can be expanded. Ruo-Xi, presenting a false identity,
gains the trust of the hosting family, claiming to be a simple servant and
creating the image of an innocent and insignificant presence. Through
conversations, she gathers information about the road and local conditions,
while A-Mei warns her about the dangers posed by men. Guo Ren and Chen Bing
continue to plan the expansion of the warehouses, observing the project
stabilizing.
At night, Ruo-Xi strategically analyzes her
situation, considering that A-Mei’s presence offers temporary protection, but
that in Nangu she will have greater freedom of action. At the same time, she
decides to distance herself from her old identity and adopts the name “Su-Xi”
to remain invisible. The new name is accepted without questions, and the
journey continues toward Nangu with an enhanced plan and shifting identities.
The “Returnees”
In Nangu, at the Du estates, Su-Xi arrives
with Guo Ren and Chen Bing in a place that appears peaceful on the surface but
is full of underlying tension. The region is in a time of unrest, just before
Zhang Xiazong’s rise, and hidden movements and factions are already developing.
In Nangu, the idea of the “Way of Great
Peace” circulates, but in practice it has split into a faction called “the
Returnees.” This group was born from fear and famine and holds that salvation
does not come through order but through the overthrow of existing society. They
reject laws, family, and social bonds, considering them forms of corruption.
Their teachings have been officially
rejected, but they have hidden in isolated areas, such as the Du estates, where
strict control does not exist. There, they live and work as laborers while
participating in secret rites at night. The teachings are transmitted only to a
few initiates.
At the core of their belief lies a distorted
idea of returning to the “original unity” before laws and kinship, drawing
symbolically from myths such as those of Nuwa and Fuxi. Family ties are
regarded as bonds to be renounced.
Within the estates, many secret followers
live, such as Hu Xi and his daughter Lu Lan, who move between faith and doubt.
In remote areas, organized groups of Returners live, working by day and
participating in rituals of severing all identity by night.
The faction requires total severance from
family, name, and social bonds as a prerequisite for “redemption,” leading its
members into a silent but deeply rooted ideological isolation within Nangu.
Geng Do, Xiao
Yu, and Lian
Geng Do lives on the remote estates of the
Du with his two daughters, Xiao Yu and Lian, after his wife, Nan Feng,
abandoned the family. The first reports of the “Returnees” reach him through
rumors and workers transformed by their faith. The concept of “returning” initially
confuses him, but gradually he understands that it refers to people who abandon
ties and roles without collapsing, living beyond social and familial
constraints.
Geng Do finds in the faction’s faith both an
alibi and inner redemption, learning that blood ties are barriers that prevent
true freedom. Stern but fair with his daughters, he provides them a disciplined
life filled with work in the fields. Xiao Yu, the elder, is ambitious,
determined, and cares for Lian, who is five years younger, sensitive, and
dreamy.
The mother’s absence leaves silence and a
sense of emptiness in the household, while daily life is governed by discipline
and obedience. Geng Do decides to move to Nangu, where daily life remains
strict, but the atmosphere brings a sense of a new destiny. Xiao Yu is the
first to perceive the significance of her father’s choices, while Lian remains
silent, following the family’s path.
During the evenings and nights in Nangu, a
particular bond develops between Geng Do and his eldest daughter, Xiao Yu,
where silence and presence express devotion and control without words. The
eldest daughter silently assumes the mother’s role, caring for her father and
protecting her younger sister. Daily life becomes a strange normalcy, where
devotion, silence, and roles replace love and intimacy, keeping the family
bound in precarious circumstances.
Wu Xia and Zhang Qin
Wu Xia and Zhang Qin, the son of her sister,
left Hangzhou behind, abandoning wealth, social standing, and comforts that had
come to seem empty and hypocritical to them. Wu Xia, with her refined urban
upbringing, could no longer endure the pettiness of society, while Zhang Qin
felt trapped within a “prison of luxury.” Their relationship, controversial in
the eyes of others, found justification in the teachings of the faction of the
Returnees, which offered them liberation from traditional morality, social
judgment, and family constraints.
In Nangu, they found anonymity and a new
refuge. They became laborers of the land and lived simply, without drawing
attention to themselves. In the evenings, they spoke about the past and about
how the faction had spiritually reborn them, freeing them from shame and guilt.
Their former life seemed distant and meaningless, while in Nangu they discovered
each day a genuine freedom that only the Returnees could understand.
Their new life in Nangu was liberating, far
removed from social and moral restraints, allowing them to live authentically
and in complete accordance with the teachings of the faction, which gave
meaning and value to both their choices and their relationship.
Peng Lu and Wu Jian
Peng Lu lives in Nangu with Wu Jian, the
daughter of his wife from her first marriage. Peng Lu became involved in a
forbidden relationship with Wu Jian, a relationship that had been discovered in
the past. To escape social condemnation, they left the village of Dongjiang and
began a new life, with no intention of returning to their former world.
In Nangu, they found peace and support in
the teachings of the faction of the Returnees, which gave them the strength to
disregard the judgments of others. Each evening, their intimate conversations
remained private and free from guilt, while their glances reflected calm and
acceptance. Tension and conflict had faded away, leaving room for an almost
complete peace and a quiet submission to the forces of nature.
They worked silently in the fields,
sheltered by the anonymity of Nangu, becoming part of the landscape—unseen and
yet inseparable from it. Time passed slowly, but nothing else concerned them.
Their acceptance of their lives, embraced in profound silence, brought them
serenity and a sense of steady, invisible presence within the natural world.
Their life in Nangu combined devotion to one
another with a complete withdrawal from society, creating a strange
tranquility, almost a state of petrification, in which love and silence
coexisted undisturbed.
Hu Lan and Feng-Ren
Hu Lan became a widow at the age of
twenty-seven after the death of her husband, Hu Yang, from illness in
Changcheng. Without children and full of sorrow, she took over the family
business alone. Her life began to change when her husband’s younger brother,
Feng-Ren, started helping her in the shop. He noticed her loneliness and pain
and tried to ease her suffering through small acts of care and tenderness.
Gradually, Hu Lan began to feel emotions she
had believed lost. The two grew closer through conversations about their
disappointments and unfulfilled desires, eventually developing a secret
romantic relationship. At the same time, they were influenced by the teachings
of the “Great Peace Road,” which advocated the rejection of social bonds and
traditional obligations.
Hu Lan realized that she had never known
true love in her marriage, as her husband had been more devoted to his
business. She decided to sell her property and leave with Feng-Ren for Nangu, a
remote place suggested by the Returnees. There, they purchased a small estate
and joined the faction of the Returnees. Away from social condemnation, they
lived their relationship freely and dreamed of creating their own family.
Zhao Yin and Xi-Lin
Zhao Yin was born into the underworld, never
knowing his father. He was the son of a young concubine, who shortly after his
birth gave him to a wealthy, childless woman to raise. Despite the care he
received, he grew up filled with anger, violence, and a sense of not belonging
anywhere. From a young age, he destroyed whatever he held in his hands and soon
turned to the world of crime. His foster parents eventually rejected him, and
he became involved in robberies and underworld dealings, gaining a reputation
for daring and brutality.
At the same time, he felt a strong
attraction to older women and frequented houses of pleasure. There, he met
Xi-Lin, a once-famous concubine who had lost her youth but retained deep calm
and understanding. Xi-Lin was the only woman who neither feared nor judged him,
and near her, Zhao Yin felt peace for the first time. Over time, he grew to
love her deeply and grew weary of the violent life of the underworld.
When he learned of the secret faction of the
Returnees, he believed he could find redemption and escape his past. He undertook
one final dangerous mission, gathered funds, and bought Xi-Lin from the house
of pleasure. With the faction’s help, they secretly left for the isolated
Nangu, where they settled far from the world that had marked them. Although the
teachings of the Returnees gave him hope, guilt and fear never fully
disappeared.
The heaviest burden he carried was a secret
implanted by the owner of the house of pleasure, Wang Chu-Li, a corpulent man
with a sardonic smile and great power over the lives of the women in his house.
Through sly insinuations, he made Zhao Yin believe that Xi-Lin might be his
biological mother. In reality, his mother was another concubine, Mei-Hua, who
had mysteriously disappeared years before. Zhao Yin was tormented by this doubt
but dared not ask Xi-Lin about her past.
Despite this dark thought, he loved her with
an almost demonic passion. He wanted to erase from her every memory of other
men and be the last person in her life. His love combined adoration, jealousy,
and a need for redemption. Xi-Lin never understood the deeper confusion that
tormented him. To her, Zhao Yin was simply the man who had saved her from ruin
and given her a final chance for love and peace.
The Peasant Women with Necklaces
On the estates of Du Cheng-Wei in Nangu,
life continues quietly, even though everything has changed after his death. The
young Su-Xi—whose true name is Ruo-Xi—struggles to adapt to the work in the
fields, feeling alien and awkward in her surroundings. An older peasant woman,
He Ji, approaches her and begins speaking to her indirectly about how the
estates operate and the power relationships that govern them.
She explains that Lord Cheng-Wei “selected”
girls from among the workers, granting them a special position. Su-Xi notices
three girls who stand out in the fields, wearing necklaces and moving with a
confidence and calmness different from the other laborers. The peasant woman
reveals that she herself had once been one of them, describing how she was
taken to a secluded hut and became a “favored” of Lord Cheng-Wei, living
between labor and the lord’s secret visits. Over time, she was replaced, as had
happened with other women, silently accepting her fate.
Through her story, it becomes clear that behind
this seemingly stable order lies an informal system of power and silence, where
nothing is truly free. The girls who stand out now await the new lord, Guo Ren,
who will continue the same practice. He Ji also mentions that people speaking
of the Returnees, a secret group promising salvation and escape from the old
world, have begun appearing on the estates, hinting that some workers are
turning to them for guidance.
Su-Xi begins to realize that she is caught
in a cycle where “choices” are not truly free. As she listens to the story, her
image of her father, Cheng-Wei, begins to change, as she understands that he
too was complicit in this system. She recalls her mother’s concerns about
traveling to Nangu and starts connecting events she had never fully understood
before. Ruo-Xi realizes that the world of the estates conceals a network of
power, secret relationships, and promises of salvation, where even the
Returnees seem to be part of a larger reality. The three girls, the necklaces,
and the anticipation of the new lord take on a threatening meaning for her.
Within herself, she senses that her future may already be predetermined within
this invisible cycle.
The Cave Trial
He Ji, along with Duan Hu and another
younger woman, approaches Su-Xi with two other women and invites her to a
meeting of the Returnees. They explain that a “recluse” will speak there and
that she will learn the truth about the people of the estates.
Su-Xi decides to follow them to the caves in
the hills. The night journey with lanterns creates an atmosphere of mystery and
intense anticipation. When they arrive, the caves appear dark and threatening.
He Ji tells her that there she will hear the truth.
During the gathering, chants and prayers for
a new world are heard. Su-Xi feels that behind the “Great Peace” something
unsettling is concealed. She observes the intense relationships and emotional
bonds among the participants. The recluse urges everyone to forget their past,
to reject material goods and social distinctions, and teaches that each person
must find their own truth. He explains that the cave trial reveals one’s true
self. Those who emerge changed are considered spiritually reborn.
It is announced that two members will enter
the cave that night: Hu Xi and the young Lu Lan. The two proceed together into
the darkness of the cave under the chants of the crowd. Su-Xi feels fear, awe,
and an inexplicable attraction to what is happening. She even thinks of Guo
Ren, imagining participating in the trial together.
After the ceremony, she returns with He Ji
from the hill. She asks who the two who entered the cave were. He Ji reveals
that they were father and daughter. She explains that the Returnees do not
recognize conventional kinship. The trial is always performed by one man and
one woman, according to the principles of Yin and Yang. He Ji discloses that
she herself had participated with her half-brother. She describes that strict
spiritual preparation precedes the trial. Finally, she reveals that one woman
who entered the cave with her father emerged deeply psychologically disturbed
and never recovered.
The Exchange
Su-Xi begins to doubt the wisdom of
expanding the family holdings in Nangu after everything she has witnessed. Yet
she does not want to make decisions based solely on fear or anxiety. She
resolves not to sell any more of her mother's jewelry to finance the expansion.
At the same time, she promises herself that she will never again allow Guo Ren
to travel to Nangu alone.
The following day, the landowner Zhu Min
visits their home. He requests a personal meeting with Guo Ren and explains
that his son has fallen under the influence of the “people of the Return.” He
fears that the young man will soon abandon both the estate and their
traditional way of life. For this reason, he wishes to sell or exchange his
land and leave Nangu.
Guo Ren first requests an assessment of the
fields. Chen Bing and Lin San confirm that the land is fertile. However, they
discover that Zhu Min has difficulty marketing his harvest. Guo Ren realizes
that the greater problem lies in the control of transportation routes and
storage facilities. He then remembers the gambler from the land of the Stone
Woman, who had mentioned owning other estates.
When Zhu Min returns, Guo Ren proposes a
land exchange rather than a purchase. He offers him estates near the Luo Jiang
road, far from the influence of the Returnees. The outlines of an agreement
begin to take shape, and they decide to continue negotiations.
In the Gambler's Land
Guo Ren and Chen Bing travel swiftly to meet
the gambler. They find him in the same tavern where they had met him before.
Tension arises immediately, since the previous land he had sold them proved
barren. The gambler insists that these new estates have water and fertile soil.
A hard bargain follows over the price and
terms of payment. Eventually, they agree that half the amount will be paid
immediately and the remainder later. The gambler then shows them the estates,
which prove to be remarkably fertile.
Guo Ren and Chen Bing realize that they are
acquiring a far larger tract of land than they had expected. The agreement is
concluded, and they return to Nangu satisfied. Guo Ren believes that this new
plain will become the foundation for the family's expansion.
The Final Agreement
The next day, Zhu Min formally accepts the
land exchange. Guo Ren informs him that storage warehouses will be built near
the new estates. Arrangements are then made for the relocation of Zhu Min and
his son, while a female worker from the Du estates will assist them in settling
into their new home.
The Promise and the Support
Zhu Min leaves the stone house, leaving
behind an atmosphere of preparation and departure. Shortly afterward, Lin San
brings He Ji before Guo Ren.
Guo Ren asks how many years she has worked
for the Du family. He Ji replies that she has served on their estates for
nearly twenty years. When he asks whether she has a family, she answers that
she does not.
The conversation turns to her past and to
Guo Ren's father. He Ji subtly suggests that she once shared a close
relationship with him. She also remarks that his father generously rewarded
those who gave much in return.
Guo Ren asks her to assist Zhu Min and his
son in establishing themselves in their new home. He promises her compensation
and improved living conditions. He Ji accepts the assignment without objection.
Yet inwardly, her thoughts are already on
the young Zhu Yan. She remembers him from the gatherings of the Returnees and
recalls his fascination with the Cave Trial. She believes that in their new
home they may grow closer. For her as well, the change offers the possibility
of a different life.
The next morning, wagons are prepared for
the journey. Zhu Min, his son, He Ji, and Chen Bing begin their travel
preparations. He Ji and Zhu Yan exchange silent glances filled with promise and
support.
Guo Ren decides to send two men with them to
build a house on the new land. He also promises Zhu Min that warehouses will be
constructed and new fields opened for cultivation so that they will not feel
isolated in their new surroundings.
On Zhu Min's Estates
Guo Ren decides to visit the newly acquired
estates together with Li San. He also orders that the workers not labor that
day, as a gesture of respect for Zhu Min's departure. The two men set out on
horseback, first passing through the orderly estates of the Du family. They
then cross the more carefully maintained, though less authentic, estates of Lu
Han.
After crossing a stream, the landscape
changes. The land appears richer and more fertile. Li San explains that this
marks the beginning of Zhu Min's estates. Guo Ren carefully observes the sturdy
and practical manor house. He learns that the fields are cultivated with rice,
millet, and soybeans in rotation to preserve the fertility of the soil. Li San
also points out an area where medicinal herbs were once grown.
In the distance, Guo Ren notices an
abandoned yet remarkably fertile tract of land. Li San reveals that poppies had
once been cultivated there for the production of opium. Zhu Min had destroyed
the plantation, and since then the land had remained uncultivated.
Li San proposes planting saffron, explaining
that the soil is well suited to it and that saffron commands a high market
value.
Finally, he explains that between the
estates of the Du family and those of Zhu Min lie the lands of Hu Lan, which
are already being cultivated by workers from the Du estates.
The Heir
Guo Ren and Li San enter the house on Zhu
Min’s new estate. The building is modest but well kept. Guo Ren decides that
when a new house is built for Zhu Min, the existing furniture will be returned
to him. Li San, however, appears troubled and asks to raise another matter.
He explains that the issue is not the land
but the people on the estate. He reveals that the former lord, Cheng-Wei, used
to single out certain female workers. These women were spared heavy labor and
enjoyed special treatment.
Guo Ren states that this arrangement could
continue in the future. Li San then discloses that these women were the former
lord’s personal companions. Guo Ren asks whether He Ji was among them, and Li
San confirms that she once was.
He also explains that three younger women
are now waiting for the new master. Guo Ren realizes that he is now regarded as
his father’s successor. Li San assures him that none of the workers knew what
happened inside the house and suggests leaving the secluded residence
unchanged.
After some thought, Guo Ren asks that the
three women be brought to him one by one. Alone in the house, he begins to feel
like the true master of the new land and the authority that comes with it.
The Favored One: Hong-Hua
Li San brings Hong-Hua before Guo Ren, an
impressive woman with fiery red hair and strong self-confidence. She stands
before him without fear, displaying her red necklace, a symbol of her
relationship with the former lord. With suggestive words, she implies that a
lord must be “revitalized” for his lands to prosper, clearly hinting at her
role.
Guo Ren, both intrigued and restrained, asks
her to wait for him that night and decides later to assign her to the saffron
fields.
The Favored One: Ling-Lu
Next comes Ling-Lu, a calmer woman with
green eyes and a more submissive presence. Li San reveals that she had served
Cheng-Wei for the past two years. She too displays the same necklace,
confirming her status among the lord’s “protected” women. She declares that she
is waiting for the new master and has no intention of marriage or another life
as long as she serves.
Guo Ren gradually realizes that with the
estates he has inherited not only land, but an entire system of power in which
women are treated as part of the lord’s property and personal comfort. The
seclusion of the house makes everything possible away from outside eyes. This
thought does not frighten him; instead, it intensifies his sense of authority
and privilege.
The Favored One: Qing-Ya
Li San then presents Qing-Ya, the third
favored woman: a young and strikingly beautiful girl with a slender figure and
composed confidence. Her manner suggests she is fully aware of her value and
position within the lord’s household.
She explains that she has served Cheng-Wei
since the age of sixteen, when her family sent her from the village of Xiao-Lin
to Nangu in hopes of a better fate. She was soon chosen by Cheng-Wei and
remained his only favored companion for two years, a status she recalls with
pride.
Later, Hong-Hua and Ling-Lu were added, and
after the lord’s death they all awaited the new master. When Guo Ren asks what
will happen next, she replies that everything depends entirely on him.
Guo Ren tells her she may need to change the
color of her necklace, signaling that she now belongs under his protection. He
assures her she will remain among his favored women and work in the new estates
with lighter duties. Qing-Ya thanks him with a deep bow and withdraws slowly and
gracefully, leaving behind a sense of anticipation.
Guo Ren’s Decisions in the Wooden House of the
Southern Estates
Guo Ren, now the new lord of the southern
estates, paces nervously through Zhu Min’s wooden house, trying to grasp the
scope of his authority. From the railing, he studies the fields and considers
saffron cultivation as both opportunity and risk, realizing he does not yet
fully control his people.
He asks Li San about the Returnees, a group
of workers with ideas of community, equality, and freedom. He learns they are
not dangerous or rebellious, but work cooperatively and once formed a large
part of the labor force. Some have since left to form small independent
communities.
Li San explains their customs: a
hand-to-chest greeting, the term “brother,” and a subtle system of recognition.
Guo Ren observes them with curiosity but distance, unsure whether they
represent a threat or simply another way of life.
The discussion turns again to the favored
women. Guo Ren decides to assign them to the saffron sector under strict
secrecy and controlled conditions, ordering that the Returnees not be involved.
He establishes measures of supervision and movement control with Li San.
As night falls, the silence of the estates
reinforces the sense that Guo Ren is shaping a tightly controlled system of
power.
The Anxiety of a Disguised Maid
Su-Xi prepares a meal in the stone house of
Nangu while two workers assist her, creating a calm and warm atmosphere. When
Guo Ren and Li San return, the meal is served.
During dinner, Li San reports traces of
animals near the hills and proposes organizing night patrols to protect the
crops. The news unsettles Su-Xi, who repeatedly asks about the danger.
Guo Ren replies firmly that responsibility
for the land rests solely with him and organizes the operation with trusted men
under Li San’s coordination. Su-Xi expresses fear, but he tries to reassure her
before leaving for rest.
As he prepares for the night patrol, Guo Ren
thinks not only of the possible threat to the fields, but also of his imminent
first meeting with Hong-Hua, which weighs on him just as strongly.
The Night with Hong-Hua
Night falls heavily over the secluded house
of Zhu Min on the newly acquired southern estates. There, Hong-Hua waits for
the new owner of the land. Three years have passed since the death of the
former lord, Cheng-Wei, and Hong-Hua has remained sexually inactive throughout
that time. The arrival of the new master, Guo Ren, marks the reawakening of her
intimate life.
With slow, deliberate movements, Hong-Hua
guides Guo Ren—not merely as a favored woman, but as someone rediscovering
herself. Through quiet, gradual contact, the two establish rhythm and
interaction, as if reviving the old house itself. The night unfolds with
intensity, passion, and care, and Hong-Hua ultimately affirms both the force of
desire and her own autonomy.
By morning, daily life and duties return,
but the dynamic between them has already been established, and Guo Ren assumes
his new role as lord with renewed determination.
Part IV
The return from the first joint journey
To the land of the “Stone Woman”
The dark news
Lin Xue
After the death of Bai Lu
Inside the cave
The night before Lin Xue’s disappearance
The investigation
The testimony of the two women
Su Xin’s voluntary appearance
The recluse confronted by Guo Ren
The testimony of Lu Gen
Gao Ping crosses the threshold of the
stone administrative building
The second meeting with the recluse
The armband
Judge Shen Zhiyuan of Chengdu
The attempted theft of the corpse
The man from the administrative office
The punishment and execution of Lin Ye
The catharsis
The night with Ling-Lu
PART
IV
The Return from the
First Joint Journey
Guo Ren, together with Su-Xi
and two workers, departs from Nangu and returns toward Luo Jiang, bringing
materials to complete Zhu Min’s house on the land of the “Stone Woman.” The
procession arrives, and the initial construction has already progressed. The
group prepares to continue the work.
Suddenly, Li San appears in a
state of agitation and informs Guo Ren that a young woman, Lin Xue, has gone
missing in the river. Guo Ren immediately leaves for Nangu, abandoning the
others behind.
He Ji explains to Su-Xi that
Lin Xue and her father were members of the Returnees and had wished to undergo
the Cave Trial, but were not yet ready. She had informed the preparer in
charge, who disagreed, believing they were sufficiently prepared. During the
trial, Lin Xue emerged mentally disturbed. Su-Xi fears that Lin Ye, Lin Xue’s
father, may have again acted sexually toward her. He Ji replies that the
participants’ decisions are personal and their responsibility alone.
Lin Xue
(This chapter is a complete narrative flashback.)
After the death of
Bai Lu
Bai Lu had died in spring,
leaving behind silence and a hastily arranged, modest funeral. Lin Ye continued
working in the fields, leaving Lin Xue at the center of their small world. The
adolescent grew rapidly, developing both physically and mentally, while her
father felt a mixture of pride, discomfort, and suppressed desire.
Life in the household continued
with fewer words and more silence, and Lin Xue became the focal point of the
home. Lin Ye watched her every movement, while the young woman grew
increasingly self-assured. Through whispers and conversations in the fields,
Lin Ye learned of the existence of the Returnees.
Over time, he entered their
circle, bringing his daughter with him. Now, at eighteen, Lin Xue had fully
become a woman and was preparing for the “Cave Trial,” where it would be
determined whether the boundaries of kinship could be overcome and the
father–daughter relationship transformed into a free, tested connection.
Inside the Cave
Lin Ye and Lin Xue enter the initiation cave together, filled with fear,
after receiving authorization from the final judge. They repeat ritual
words—“Enlightenment,” “freedom,” and “rebirth”—which bind them together.
The darkness envelops them,
while their breaths merge into a shared whisper. Lin Ye approaches Lin Xue
hesitantly, silently seeking her consent. She responds by closing the distance,
smiling with calmness. The cold brings them closer, and their movements become
slow and careful. Their voices echo through the rocks, multiplying the sense of
unity.
The burden Lin Ye carried
begins to dissolve, as his hands touch her body. Lin Xue does not resist, and
her calm reassures him. At dawn, memories return to Lin Xue. Upon waking, she
realizes who lies beside her and what has occurred during the night. The
realization shatters her, filling her with pain. She begins to scream, trying
to reject every memory and trace of what has happened.
Her only refuge becomes her
inner monologues, a defense against the overwhelming images.
The Night Before Lin
Xue’s Disappearance
It was the night before Guo Ren
left with Su-Xi and the carpenters for the land of the “Stone Woman.” Lin Ye
returned home in a heavy mood and drank a little rice wine to calm himself. He
looked at his daughter, Lin Xue, who gazed at him in silence with half-closed
eyes.
Her expression reminded him of
the calm before her initiation into the cave and her gentle smile. He
approached her and began to touch her slowly. She did not speak, but seemed to
respond. His hands moved beneath her garment; she closed her eyes. Lin Ye also
closed his eyes, and memories of the cave surfaced within him.
At first, they were soft—like
caresses and tender touches. But the calm did not last. The shadows deepened,
becoming sharper. Movements grew violent, and bodies intertwined in struggle
rather than union.
The walls could no longer
contain the figures; the shadows transformed into beasts in the darkness,
clashing without surrender.
What had once been union became
a primal battle of domination and erasure. Lin Ye, motionless in the house,
felt that these shadows were not memory but truth. He opened his eyes and saw
Lin Xue before him, silent as before. But her silence no longer calmed him—it
seemed to carry or generate the shadows themselves.
The next morning, Lin Xue
realized what had happened. She found herself naked, and the man beside her as
well. She did not speak. She dressed and left the house, walking as far away as
she could. She was later found by the river, isolated and detached from the
world she had left behind.
The Investigation
Guo Ren and Li San travel to
Nangu to investigate Lin Xue’s death. Li San reports that she was found drowned
in the river, with human bite marks on her body, while her father, Lin Ye, has
disappeared.
Guo Ren insists the body must
remain untouched in its exact condition to preserve the integrity of the
evidence. He emphasizes that any interference would compromise the
investigation. He orders that two trusted men be sent to Nambu to summon the
authorities for an official examination. Strict rules are imposed: no one is to
approach or touch the body. Lin Ye, if found, is to be kept away.
Guo Ren organizes guards around
the site and considers all possible scenarios of falsification. Upon arriving
at the river, they find Lin Xue lying on her back in shallow water, eyes open. He
carefully observes the position of her hands, the bruises, and the overall
condition of the body. Li San remains silent, fearful.
Guo Ren orders strict
surveillance and plans the next steps to ensure the investigation remains
unbiased and that no one can alter the facts.
The Testimony of the
Two Women
At the stone house, two women
testify before Guo Ren regarding Lin Xue. They describe her habits at the
river: one went almost every two days, the other less frequently. On the day of
the incident, the first arrived earlier and the second later—they confirm they
did not arrive together.
The location where she was
found is not deep, though higher areas of the river are more dangerous. At
night, animals could have frightened her. No man went there, nor could anyone
hide nearby.
The most significant detail is
Lin Xue’s recent behavioral changes. She had been talking to herself, repeating
incomprehensible words such as “unity,” “truth,” “chains,” “lies,” and
“mother.” Her clothes were poor, and no basket was found near her.
Guo Ren closes the testimony,
asking to be informed if they recall anything else. By evening, darkness falls
over Nangu, and Li San arrives at the lord’s house, where Guo Ren stands
silently by the window.
Su-Qin’s Voluntary
Appearance
Li San brings Su Qin, wife of
Ma Tong, before Guo Ren. She requests to speak about Lin Xue. She stands
respectfully but firmly and asks that her words remain confidential. Guo Ren
replies that only truth can protect her.
She speaks about Lin Ye, who
had changed over the past year. Once silent, he began humming and speaking
differently. When questioned, he said: “The greatest burden we carry is
kinship.”
He explained that the death of
his wife had left him calm and unbound, and that peace comes from liberation. He
often said: “Only when we are without bonds can we see truth clearly.” Guo Ren notes
that these are not the words of an ordinary laborer.
Su Qin continues: Lin Ye had
been attending the teachings of the “Great Peace” organization. His daughter
accompanied him, and they went together, hand in hand, to the hills every two
weeks. A nearby resident knew of these meetings, though no one spoke of them
openly out of fear.
After Lin Xue’s drowning, Su
Qin decided to reveal the truth. Guo Ren acknowledges her testimony, saying she
has done correctly. The word “Great Peace” remains suspended in the air—not
merely spoken, but present as fact.
The Recluse Before
Guo Ren
Ming Zheng, known as the
Recluse, arrives at Guo Ren’s residence during the night. Guo Ren asks him
about his name, his life, and his past. Ming Zheng explains that he worked on
the family estates for twenty-four years and ceased doing so when he undertook
the Final Trial in the cave, where only a few prove their truthfulness and
integrity. The older followers of his faction left for other communities
because truth does not belong to any one place, and large groups inevitably
bring trouble.
Their conversation focuses on
the case of Lin Xue, the preservation of social harmony, and the persecution of
the Recluse by men loyal to Huang Xi-De. He regards such people as harmful
because they place themselves outside the accepted laws of trade and conduct.
Ming Zheng states that he knows the Lin family and assures Guo Ren that the
culprit will be found. He departs quietly, leaving behind an impression of
composure and certainty. Guo Ren instructs Li San to locate the man whose house
stands near the cave.
Lu Gen’s Testimony
Lu Gen, a villager living near
the Nangou hills, is brought before the young lord Guo Ren. Fifty years old, he
has worked for Guo Ren’s family for twenty years, having sold his own fields to
Lord Cheng-Wei because of heavy taxation. His house overlooks the entire plain,
allowing him to observe everyone who passes along the path.
Guo Ren questions him about the
“Returnees,” Zhu Yan, He Ji, and the Sun Shen family. Lu Gen explains that he
observed most of those who passed through the area, though only a few remained
there permanently. The Recluse never used the path near his house. Hu Lan and
Feng-Ren had not been seen for a very long time.
The villager knows that Lin Ye
and his daughter frequently passed near his home, entering the cave only during
full moons. They always went in pairs, one man and one woman, carrying
lanterns. Most of those who gathered there departed once the entries began,
while small groups remained inside.
The Recluse had left because of
threats from Huang Xi-De’s followers. His place was taken by Chen Jian, who
prepared candidates for the cave, though he too eventually departed. Lu Gen
carefully watched the movements of visitors, their posture, and their gait,
learning to distinguish confidence from fear.
Guo Ren learns that Lin Ye and
Lin Xue walked hand in hand only when they began the ascent and then separated
afterward. Their last visit to the cave had taken place six months earlier, and
they never returned. Lu Gen’s observations confirm their familiarity with the
ritual and their calm certainty in carrying it out.
Each pair entered quietly,
carrying lanterns and walking with steady steps, speaking no words before
disappearing into the cave’s opening, leaving Lu Gen to observe the details of
the process.
Gao Ping Crosses the
Threshold of the Stone Administrative Hall
At the Du estates in Nangou, Li
San brings Gao Ping before Guo Ren for questioning concerning Lin Xue. The
young man admits that he had been interested in her, though he never approached
her. He reveals that her father, Lin Ye, once visited him in his fields and
sternly warned him to stay away from her. Lin Ye insisted that his daughter
would never leave Nangou and that he did not trust people outside the “Great
Peace.” Gao Ping states that he obeyed and never approached her again.
He further explains that he had
been absent during the previous days, having traveled to Xiangcheng to purchase
an ox, and describes the long journey he undertook. Guo Ren considers this
absence to be in Gao Ping’s favor and advises him to report any threats he
might receive.
Later, the messengers return
from Nambu bearing orders from the county administrator. No one is permitted to
leave the village, and nothing is to be altered until an official
representative arrives from the county seat. A special investigator of deaths
will examine the scene and take witness statements. Responsibility for
maintaining order remains temporarily with Guo Ren.
The shadow of an official
investigation now falls heavily upon Nangou.
The Second Meeting
with the Recluse
Guo Ren summons the Recluse
once again and presses him to cooperate in solving the case. He informs him
that the region will be sealed off and that all gatherings in the hills are
forbidden until the officials from Nambu arrive.
The Recluse remains calm and
confident that the culprit will be discovered. To justify his presence in
Nangou, Guo Ren decides to present him as an assistant responsible for the
estate accounts. The Recluse reveals that he once kept the ledgers for Guo
Ren’s father, Cheng-Wei. He explains that with fewer laborers and more
efficient management, the estates now produce steadier profits than they had in
the past.
Guo Ren realizes that the
Recluse possesses a profound understanding of estate administration and asks
him to assume the role once again on a temporary basis. The old bond of trust
between the Recluse and Du Cheng-Wei now appears to continue through Guo Ren.
The
Armband
Guo Ren presents the Recluse
with an armband as a symbol of his new official position on the estates. Ming
Zheng accepts it and takes up residence and office space near the warehouses,
where he begins managing the ledgers.
Guo Ren remains wary of possible
involvement by members of the Returners’ faction in the case. The Recluse
demonstrates a thorough understanding of investigative procedure, emphasizing
the importance of physical evidence, witness testimony, and motive.
Judge Shen Ziyuan of Chengdu
The Recluse’s true name was
Shen Ziyuan, a former judicial official from Chengdu in Sichuan. In his youth
he was assigned to investigate the death of a moneylender who had been
gradually poisoned within a gambling club. His inquiry eventually led him to
his own brother, who had participated in the silent conspiracy behind the
crime.
Shen Ziyuan deliberately
altered the course of the investigation to protect his family. Although no one
ever discovered the truth, he was tormented by guilt. He abandoned his office,
his name, and his former life. After years of wandering, he arrived in Nangou
and joined the Returners, among whom he lived for twenty-four years.
Now, seated across from Guo
Ren, he analyzes the case of Lin Xue with cold clarity. He argues that the
marks found on her body indicate repeated domination rather than simple
violence or a momentary outburst. In his view, the perpetrator possessed both
familiarity with her and control over her, treating her almost as personal
property.
His suspicions turn toward her
father, Lin Ye, who had withdrawn completely from others after the events
connected to the cave.
The Recluse believes that
something dark awakened within him and came to weigh oppressively upon Lin Xue.
The case no longer resembles a simple death. Instead, it emerges as a story of
profound and long-standing psychological and physical oppression.
The Attempted Theft
of the Body
During the night, while guards
watch over Lin Xue’s body on the riverbank, an unknown man appears. The
intruder approaches the corpse stealthily and attempts to move it or alter its
position. The guards notice him at the last moment and rush toward him. A
fourth guard, stationed on higher ground, takes aim with a bow and wounds the
man in the side.
Despite the injury, the
intruder manages to escape into the darkness. The guards describe him as a tall
man who moved with confidence and appeared thoroughly familiar with the area.
Guo Ren immediately realizes
that this was no ordinary act of theft. He concludes that someone was
attempting to tamper with the scene or eliminate evidence before the
investigator arrived. The attempt suggests that Lin Xue’s death is connected to
fear, secrecy, and a deliberate effort at concealment. The night ends with the
growing sense that the true culprit is much closer than anyone had suspected.
The Investigator from
the Magistrate’s Office
An investigator from the magistrate’s
office arrives in Nangou accompanied by four guards and two trained dogs to
take charge of the inquiry. He immediately examines the place where Lin Xue was
found, studying footprints, tracks, and the bruises on her body. Detecting the
scent of rice wine, he discovers a concealed piece of torn cloth that one of
the dogs brings to him. He dispatches men to search the caves in the
surrounding hills, but nothing is found, and he authorizes the girl’s burial.
He then questions the guards
regarding the recent attempt to move the body. Afterwards, he proceeds to Lin
Ye’s house, where he finds signs of a struggle or a hurried departure, together
with spilled wine and disturbed bedding. The investigator finds it suspicious
that everything outwardly suggests a natural death while the evidence points
toward something entirely different. He carefully observes all of Guo Ren’s
workers and shows particular interest in the Recluse.
He also gathers information
about the surrounding estates and local residents, searching for possible
suspects and escape routes.
That evening, he devises a
trap. A dummy resembling Lin Xue is placed on the riverbank while guards hide
at a distance. In the middle of the night, a shadow emerges from the hills and
cautiously approaches the false body. When the man uncovers the straw concealed
beneath the covering, the guards spring from their hiding places and seize him.
The suspect is captured without resistance, confirming that someone had indeed
returned to interfere once more with the scene of Lin Xue’s death.
The Sentence and Execution of Lin Ye
Lin Ye is arrested after
attempting to interfere with Lin Xue’s body and is brought in chains to the
stone administrative house. He denies killing her, but the investigator discovers
evidence linking him both to the scene and to her clothing.
During the interrogation, it
becomes clear that his relationship with Lin Xue was not truly paternal, as he
repeatedly insists that they were not related by blood. The investigator accuses
him of driving her to her death through coercion and prolonged abuse.
Lin Ye attempts to defend
himself by claiming that she sometimes rejected him and at other times accepted
him. The investigator rejects every justification and regards him as already
guilty.
He immediately pronounces a
sentence of death for the dishonor inflicted upon Lin Xue and for the crime
committed against both her and the social order.
The guards escort him to the
courtyard of the Du estate, where his execution is carried out without delay.
Lin Ye offers no resistance. It is ordered that he be buried far away, without
honors and without any grave marker to preserve his memory.
The investigator learns that
Lin Ye had neither relatives nor meaningful ties within Nangou. He then
declares that Lin Ye’s house was the true scene of the crime and of Lin Xue’s
long years of abuse.
In his judgment, the house
should not remain standing as a reminder of sin and disgrace. He grants Guo Ren
the authority to determine the site’s fate and recommends that it be burned or
demolished immediately, before Lin Xue’s burial.
The case concludes with an
effort to erase every trace of Lin Ye and of the events that took place within
his home.
The Purge
In Nangu, Lin Ye's house is
completely demolished as an act of purification for the crimes associated with
Lin Xue. The villagers participate with fervor, erasing every trace of the
house. Guo Ren orders willow and plum trees to be planted on the site as
symbols of sorrow and resilience.
During the digging, water
springs from the ground, a phenomenon that the villagers symbolically associate
with Lin Xue. The following day, her burial takes place, three days after her
death. No relatives or villagers attend, out of fear and revulsion. Only the
"Returners" undertake the burial and become the only people who
accompany her in the end.
The Night with
Ling-Lu
After Lin Xue's burial, Guo Ren
asked to meet Ling-Lu secretly at Zhu Min's empty house. Ling-Lu prepared
herself calmly and went to the house, where traces of the life of the departed
family still remained. Guo Ren arrived later, carrying the weight of the recent
events and of Lin Xue's case. The two exchanged few words and spent the night together.
Ling-Lu's presence served as a source of comfort and temporary relief for him
from the tension and his troubling thoughts.
Through physical intimacy, Guo
Ren tried to rid himself of the fear, pressure, and memories of the previous
days. Ling-Lu received him with calmness and understanding, without demands or
resistance. Their relationship was portrayed more as a need for escape and
oblivion than as love.
The empty house, filled with
memories of its former occupants, became a place of temporary refuge from death
and guilt. For a brief time, Guo Ren felt himself distancing from the dark
thoughts that weighed upon him. The night served as a counterbalance to the
village's recent tragedy.
Ling-Lu became for him a quiet
presence that absorbed the silence and anxiety within him.
The
Significance and Structural Placement of the Chapter "The Night with
Ling-Lu"
The placement of the chapter
describing Guo Ren's first sexual encounter with Ling-Lu immediately after the
chapters dealing with Lin Xue's suicide, the attempted theft or desecration of
her corpse, the arrest of the perpetrator, and the execution of his punishment
is far from accidental. Structurally and symbolically, it marks a deliberate
transition from a world of death, perversion, and social disintegration toward
the restoration of social order and life.
Lin Xue's story is associated
with a form of endogamy, that is, a relationship developing within a close
familial and kinship circle. Her connection with Lin Ye represents a violation
of social and moral boundaries, a self-enclosed familial system that ultimately
collapses upon itself. Her suicide, the destruction of the family house, and
her posthumous dishonor are the final consequences of this closed and
pathological dynamic. The entire narrative culminates in the extinction of the
Lin household, both biologically and symbolically.
By contrast, Guo Ren's
relationship with Ling-Lu introduces the opposite principle: exogamy. Guo Ren
is the young lord and heir to local authority, whereas Ling-Lu is a woman of
lower social status, formerly a concubine of his father. Their union crosses
the boundaries of the household and creates a connection between different
social spheres. Whereas Lin Xue's relationship led to isolation, death, and
self-destruction, the relationship between Guo Ren and Ling-Lu points toward
social reconstruction and the continuation of life.
This is why the erotic
encounter follows immediately after Lin Xue's burial. On the narrative level,
it functions as an inversion of the preceding sequence of events. After death
comes physical union; after the destruction of a household comes the
possibility of new bonds; after endogamy comes exogamy. The narrative moves
from a closed and degenerative form of kinship to an open form of social
connection.
The fact that Ling-Lu had
previously been the concubine of Guo Ren's father adds an additional layer of
significance. She belongs to the world of the older generation, yet she is now
incorporated into the world of the new lord. Thus, the scene signifies not only
a transition from endogamy to exogamy, but also a passage from the old generation
to the new, from a cycle of decline to a cycle of renewal.
In other words, Lin Xue's
suicide and burial narratively bring to an end a world founded on endogamy and
self-destructive inwardness, whereas Guo Ren's night with Ling-Lu opens a new
world founded on exogamy, connection with the "other," and the
possibility of both.
PART V
Guo Ren's Return to the Land of the "Stone
Woman"
Guo Ren's Stop at A-Mei's Storehouses
First You Find a Wife, Then You Build a House
Guo Ren's Visit to Zhu Min's House Under Construction
Guo Ren's Second Meeting with He Ji
The Meal Before the Departure for Luo Jiang
That Night in Luo Jiang
The Decision
The Conversation at the Table
The Land of the Guilty
The Hypothetical Questions
The First "Tear of the Dream"
Guo Ren's Dream
Pushing the Half-Open Door
The Gift
The Following Morning
The Sudden Summons from Bailin
Returning from Bailin
PART V
Guo Ren's Return to the Land of the "Stone
Woman"
Guo Ren prepares to leave
Nangu and gives Li San instructions regarding the management of the southern
estates. He emphasizes that everyone must now accept the region's new name. He
places particular importance on the cultivation of saffron and calls for strict
supervision of the foreign laborers. He orders that Chen Jian, the preparer,
must not be allowed to return to the estates.
As he travels toward the land
of the "Stone Woman," he is troubled by doubts about the financial
risks involved in the expansion. Nevertheless, he decides to continue.
Guo Ren's Stop at A-Mei's Storehouses
Guo Ren arrives at A-Mei's
storehouses and sees that the site has been transformed into an organized
roadside station. The warehouse, the sheds, and the facilities for animals and
water show that the stop is already functioning normally.
Mao Ying reports that several
caravans have already passed through and spent the night there. Guo Ren
realizes that the road is now acquiring traffic, life, and commercial significance.
A-Mei proposes establishing a kitchen so that travelers can be served more
effectively. Mao Jun organizes the site so that the carts, storehouses, and
kitchen operate properly together. Guo Ren begins considering an even greater
expansion with a second warehouse.
Despite his initial hesitation,
he decides to remain for the night in order to observe the place more closely.
That evening he sits with A-Mei
and Mao Jun around the fire. A-Mei recounts how she once worked in Nangu on the
estates of Cheng-Wei, Guo Ren's father. Mao Jun had asked for laborers to help
him build a house, and the lord had then proposed A-Mei as his wife. A-Mei
accepted because she wanted a better life, one more truly her own, away from
the estates. After their marriage, Cheng-Wei continued to support them with
gifts, tools, and supplies.
Guo Ren realizes that the
station was built not only with materials, but also with people who had
acquired hope and purpose.
Guo Ren's Visit to
Zhu Min's House Under Construction
Guo Ren arrives in the land of
the "Stone Woman" and sees that Zhu Min's new house is nearly
complete. Chen Bing informs him that the house will soon be finished and that
work on the storehouses will begin afterward.
Guo Ren feels more confident as he sees that his plans are progressing
steadily.
He also learns that Zhu Min and his family are temporarily staying with
the gambler and heads toward the gambler's house to meet him.
Guo Ren's Second
Meeting with He Ji
Guo Ren meets He Ji again in
the courtyard of the gambler's house. He observes her and notices that she is
returning to herself, calmer and more vibrant than before.
He asks whether she has become accustomed to her new life, and she
answers that she has not.
They discuss her beauty and the
change that comes from being freed from suffering. He Ji notices his glances
and comments on the habits of men. Guo Ren smiles, aware of her attention to
his eyes and movements.
They mutually acknowledge the
tension that existed during their first meeting. He Ji confirms that she has
maintained friendships and harbors no resentment. Guo Ren reminds her of her
position—that she belongs to him—and of the need for patience until Zhu Min's
house is completed.
They speak about future work
and the possibility of her choosing a residence among the others. He Ji remarks
that isolation intensifies memory. They agree that anyone who wishes to let
events unfold must know what they truly want.
He Ji suggests that a flowering
ceremony should be held before the cultivation of the new fields, in accordance
with tradition.
Hints and quiet whispers create
an atmosphere of erotic tension between them. Guo Ren gives a vague promise
that he will return alone, without specifying when. He Ji remains calm, but her
gaze follows his every movement.
He leaves for the construction site of Zhu Min's house, reflecting on He
Ji and the desire she has awakened within him.
The Meal Before the Departure for Luo Jiang
Guo Ren meets Su-Xi before
returning to the work on Zhu Min's new house. Su-Xi brings a basket filled with
wild greens, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms gathered from the estates.
They discuss the gambler's
family and He Ji's accommodation there. Su-Xi comments on the talkativeness of
young women and the importance of knowing one's place. Guo Ren recognizes her
maturity and wisdom. They agree that necessity requires people to do what must
be done.
Su-Xi prepares a meal for Chen
Bing and the laborers in an organized and practical manner. Chen Bing praises
her cooking, while Guo Ren remains thoughtful and distracted.
They discuss financial matters
and the possible sale of jewelry to finance the journey to Luo Jiang. Su-Xi
expresses concern about Nangu and the events that occurred there, but Guo Ren
reassures her.
He Ji asks for news concerning
Lin Xue. Guo Ren decides that he will speak about those matters in Luo Jiang,
cutting off any further discussion. Preparations are made for departure, with
blankets and cooking utensils loaded onto the carriage.
Guo Ren gives instructions
concerning the laborers and the completion of the storehouses. Su-Xi and Guo
Ren then set out on the road to Luo Jiang, their thoughts occupied by the
journey and the steps that lie ahead.
That Night in Luo Jiang
Ruo-Xi and Guo Ren arrive at
their manor and are greeted by the servant Lao Su, who welcomes them and
informs them that she has prepared a meal. Ruo-Xi stops her from serving it,
wanting her to rest instead.
The Decision
Ruo-Xi goes to the kitchen
carrying a bottle of rice wine and adds a drop of the psychoactive substance
known as the "Tear of the Dream." She feels guilty, yet her desire
overcomes her hesitation. Despite her uncertainty about the consequences, she
decides to act.
She pours the wine into both
Guo Ren's cup and her own. Unaware of what the wine contains, Guo Ren steadies
her hand to prevent her from spilling it outside his cup. The first sip brings
uncertainty as to whether the gift will reveal itself as a blessing or a trap.
The Conversation at the Table
At the table, Ruo-Xi probes the
events experienced by the "Returners" and other complicated
situations through a series of questions. She points to possible hidden
intentions and actions on Lin Xue's part and connects various details with
information previously provided by He Ji. The discussion highlights
uncertainties, assumptions, and moral dilemmas concerning guilt, control, and
the choices made by different individuals.
The
Land of the Guilty
Ruo-Xi speaks of hidden
relationships and love affairs from the past, such as He Ji and her
half-brother, who had lived together as a couple for years until his death.
She also mentions Geng Duo and his daughter—or, according to certain
rumors, two daughters. Wu Xia and her nephew. Hu Lan and her husband's younger
brother, Feng-Ren. Hu Xi and his daughter, Lu Lan.
In addition, reference is made
to the concubines of the estates—the favored women of their fathers'
households—such as He Ji in the past, who maintained a dynamic of selection
with the lord. Ruo-Xi emphasizes that such situations are common, though
carefully concealed. The discussion reveals a social structure built upon
secrets and portrays human beings as "fruits" growing in isolated
places.
The Hypothetical Questions
Ruo-Xi presents Guo Ren with a
series of hypothetical scenarios concerning whom he would choose if he knew
nothing of people's pasts or family relationships. The questions explore themes
of love, choice, personal identity, and social bonds. Guo Ren answers honestly,
yet the atmosphere remains charged, filled with desire, fear, and ambiguity,
particularly in the tension between Ruo-Xi and the hypothetical figure of
Su-Xi.
The First "Tear of the Dream"
Guo Ren spoke no further that
night. Words had either been exhausted or had become dangerous. He went to bed
early, as though trying to escape what had been said—or what had begun to take
shape within him.
Guo Ren's Dream
Sleep came quickly, deep yet
uneasy. Then he saw Su-Xi standing before him. The light surrounding her was
indistinct, almost mist-like, yet she herself appeared clear and alive. She
told him that she had lost the red necklace and that it belonged to him. Guo
Ren reacted nervously, attempting to avoid her, but she returned and invited
him to their cave.
Pushing the Half-Open Door
In his stupor, Guo Ren
partially awakened and, without fully understanding where he was, passed
through a half-open door. He found himself in a place that was both familiar
and strangely foreign. Su-Xi was waiting for him, reclining, and drew him
toward her. The names Su-Xi and Ruo-Xi gradually began to lose their meaning,
while the room transformed into a cave where bonds of kinship and family no
longer mattered.
Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi united
physically and spiritually, breaking through the boundaries that had kept them
apart and creating a truth and freedom of their own. Their union was deep,
subtle, and enduring, with desire becoming a current that had finally found its
course. Their movements were calm and certain, and Ruo-Xi's presence felt both
familiar and entirely new. All the old hesitations and unspoken words found
release in silence and closeness.
The Gift
Guo Ren selected a red necklace
from a jewelry box and placed it around Ruo-Xi's neck. The necklace became a
symbol of recognition and union, signifying that, for him, Su-Xi and Ruo-Xi had
become one and the same, no longer requiring separate names or roles.
The Following Morning
The following morning, Ruo-Xi
awoke with the necklace still around her neck and felt the lingering memory of
the "Tear of the Dream."
She tried to wash away the
memory, but nothing faded.
Guo Ren awoke confused. He remembered fragments of the dream and felt
ashamed without understanding exactly why.
Ruo-Xi remained calm and
reassured him, telling him that he had simply drunk too much the previous
night, allowing him to believe that nothing had happened between them.
Their lives, however, had
changed permanently.
He would continue his life on
the estates, while she might transform into Su-Xi or remain Ruo-Xi. With every
"Tear of the Dream," their connection would be renewed and
remembered.
The irony was that they shared
no blood relation at all, yet this truth had never been revealed, creating
obstacles and suffering throughout their lives.
The
Structural Placement of the Chapter “The First Tear of the Dream” at the End of
Part V
If we take into account the
entire development of the novel up to this point, then the placement of Guo
Ren’s first sexual union with Ruo-Xi at the end of Part E is not merely an
erotic scene, but the point at which all the major narrative threads that have been
developing since the death of his parents converge, culminating in the
completion of the first major phase of the expansion toward Nangu.
The story essentially begins in
1641 with the death of Guo Ren’s father, Cheng-Wei. However, the actual action
remains suspended because of his mother’s two-year illness. During the years
1641–1643, Guo Ren is not yet free to shape his own path. He remains bound by
family obligations and by the care of his mother. Only after her death, in
1643, does the true story begin.
The first major decision he
must confront is the proposal that the family’s distant estates in Nangu be
sold or bought out. This issue leads to the first journey undertaken by Guo Ren
and the steward Chen Bing to a region that lies almost at the edge of the world
they have known until then.
This first journey functions as
a reconnaissance mission. Guo Ren discovers a place unlike his own world, with
different people, different balances of power, and different conceptions of
authority and community. Instead of deciding to sell the estates, he returns
with the opposite decision: not abandonment, but expansion. This marks his
first great transformation. He ceases to be merely an heir and becomes a
creator.
The next step is the first
joint journey of Guo Ren, Ruo-Xi, and Chen Bing to Nangu. Here, Ruo-Xi acquires
particular narrative significance. She does not appear as who she truly is, but
as “Su-Xi,” an ordinary servant. Her assumed identity allows her to move among
the laborers and inhabitants of Nangu without arousing suspicion. This disguise
serves not only practical purposes. It also symbolizes a temporary suspension
of social roles. Ruo-Xi stands between two worlds: the world of Guo Ren’s
household and the world of the ordinary people of Nangu.
During this journey, the
existence of the group known as the “Returnees” is revealed. This group
constitutes one of the most important ideological elements of the novel. It
embodies ideas of equality, communal ownership, personal freedom, and the
questioning of traditional bonds of kinship and authority.
Ruo-Xi is not external to this
world. On the contrary, it is revealed that she already knows some of its
members, especially He Ji. He Ji is not presented as a random woman. From her
very first appearance she is connected to the past, to the secrets of Nangu, to
the world of Guo Ren’s father, Lord Du Cheng-Wei, but also to the alternative
world of the Returnees. This dual position makes her a particularly significant
figure.
During the return journey from
Nangu, the group stops in the land of the “Stone Woman.” This place functions
as a transitional space. It is neither Nangu nor Luo Jiang. It is an
intermediate world where old certainties begin to dissolve and new
possibilities emerge. It is also here that a subtle distance between Ruo-Xi and
He Ji begins to become visible. Ruo-Xi becomes increasingly associated with the
household, stability, and everyday life. He Ji becomes associated with memory,
desire, and change.
It is precisely at this
threshold that news arrives of Lin Xue’s suicide. The narrative abruptly
changes direction. Guo Ren abandons his plans and returns to Nangu. What
follows is the entire cycle of the investigation: the revelation of Lin Xue’s
story, her connection to the Returnees, the inquiry into Lin Ye’s role, the
arrest, the trial, the execution, and the destruction of his house.
This episode constitutes the
darkest moment of the work. It is the moment when the ideas of the Returnees
reveal their most extreme and destructive consequences. At the same time,
however, it also transforms Guo Ren himself, who is no longer merely a manager
of land but becomes an agent of justice and social order.
After acquiring the southern
estates in Nangu, Guo Ren has a sexual encounter with his father’s former
concubine Hong-Hua. This scene, the final chapter of Part C, signifies the
inheritance of his father’s authority. Hong-Hua belonged to Cheng-Wei’s world,
and Guo Ren’s acceptance of her resembles an act of enthronement.
Later, in the final chapter of
Part D, Guo Ren’s encounter with his father’s other former concubine, Ling-Lu,
follows immediately after the tragedy of Lin Xue. It is important to emphasize
that both erotic encounters take place in the empty wooden house on the newly
acquired estates of Nangu.
The function of the encounter
with Ling-Lu is different. The sexual union comes as a counterweight to death,
guilt, and social disintegration. Life returns after destruction.
Thus a sequence has already
been established:
Hong-Hua — authority. Ling-Lu — restoration.
After the conclusion of the
Lin Xue affair, Guo Ren returns to the land of the “Stone Woman.” There he
meets He Ji once again. Their conversations are noticeably different from those
he has with the other women. He Ji does not wait passively. She observes him,
challenges him verbally, comments on his desires, and reminds him that she
knows things he does not. At the same time, the narrative shows that Guo Ren is
beginning to think of He Ji not as part of his father’s inheritance, but as a
personal choice.
After departing once more from
the land of the “Stone Woman,” Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi return to Luo Jiang. By this
point, the principal objectives of the first major narrative unit have been
accomplished: the estates have not been sold, the expansion toward Nangu has
begun, warehouses and trading stations are being established, new settlements are
being organized, the crisis surrounding Lin Xue has been resolved, and Guo
Ren’s authority has been firmly established.
Everything concerning the
external world has now been set in motion. Only his inner world remains. For
precisely this reason, the first sexual union between Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi—which
is brought about through the psychoactive substance “The Tear of the Dream,”
administered to him by Ruo-Xi—acquires a unique significance.
It is no longer a scene of
inherited authority, as with Hong-Hua. It is no longer a scene of consolation
after tragedy, as with Ling-Lu. It is the first scene that concerns Guo Ren
himself and no one else.
The substance functions
symbolically as a means of removing social and psychological barriers. After
two years of mourning, family obligations, economic decisions, journeys,
investigations, and administrative responsibilities, Guo Ren is confronted not
with what he must do, but with what he truly desires.
Thus the overall sequence reaches completion:
Death of the parents → Inheritance → Expansion
toward Nangu → Revelation of the Returnees → The tragedy of Lin Xue →
Consolidation of authority → Hong-Hua (authority) → Ling-Lu (restoration) →
Ruo-Xi (personal transformation).
From this perspective, the
scene at the end of Part E does not function as a simple erotic episode. It
constitutes the narrative closure of the entire first phase of the novella and
marks Guo Ren’s definitive transition from the world of inherited obligation to
the world of personal choice.
By this point, Guo Ren has
already been intimate with two other women, his father’s two former concubines,
Hong-Hua and Ling-Lu. Yet neither of these relationships lies at the core of
his personal journey.
Ruo-Xi is different.
From the very beginning of the
narrative she has remained constantly at his side: during his mother’s illness,
after her death, in discussions concerning the future of the estates, on the
shared journey to Nangu, in her life as “Su-Xi” among the workers, during the
revelation of the Returnees, during their stay in the land of the “Stone
Woman,” and throughout the consequences of the Lin Xue affair.
Whereas Hong-Hua and Ling-Lu
appear in specific episodes, Ruo-Xi is a continuous presence throughout the
entire journey. For this reason, their first sexual union functions differently
from all the previous ones. It does not symbolize authority. It does not
symbolize restoration after tragedy. It symbolizes the culmination of a
relationship that has been developing since the very beginning of the work.
The psychoactive substance
“The Tear of the Dream” functions here as a narrative mechanism of revelation.
Throughout the preceding narrative, Guo Ren acts as a son, an heir, an
administrator, a judge, and a lord. Only rarely does he act simply as a human
being. “The Tear of the Dream” temporarily suspends the mechanisms of
self-control that define him and allows emotions and desires that had
previously remained repressed to emerge.
Thus the scene concerns not
merely physical union. It concerns the revelation of an emotional reality that
already existed but had not yet found expression. The external world has now
been organized. What remains is the organization of the hero’s inner world.
The first union with Ruo-Xi
arrives precisely at this moment. Just as the decision regarding Nangu
inaugurated a new economic and social trajectory—whose symbolic gains include
Guo Ren’s two preliminary encounters, first with Hong-Hua and then with
Ling-Lu—so his union with Ruo-Xi inaugurates a new personal and emotional
trajectory, leading from the world of inherited responsibility into the world
of personal choice, intimacy, and emotional commitment.
PART VI
Repayment of the Debt
Recognition of a Token
Overnight Lodging at A-Mei’s Storehouse
The Cloudy Road to Nangu
The Old Forgotten Stone Building
Guo Ren and His Guest
The Rehabilitation of the Girls with the
Red Necklaces
The Messenger
The Announcement in Red Flame
The Announcement to Green-Eyed Ling-Lu
The Announcement to Qing-Ya
The Day of Meetings
The Guest
An Abandoned Estate Comes Back to Life
Wu Xia Before Guo Ren
Guo Ren Discusses Matters with His Guest
A Rash Marriage Proposal
Hong-Hua Before Guo Ren
The Impatient Bridegroom
The Assignment: The Young Overseers
The Sealing of the Assignment
Part
VI
Repayment of the Debt
Guo Ren set out on a new journey with Ruo-Xi
in order to repay his debt to the gambler, inspect the new storehouses, and
continue on toward the southern estates of Nangu. Upon reaching the land of the
“Stone Woman,” he found that Zhu Min’s house had been completed and that work
on the first storehouse was progressing smoothly under Chen Bing’s supervision.
Guo Ren settled his debt with the gambler, bringing relief to both men.
Using the name Su-Xi, Ruo-Xi met He Ji, who
immediately recognized her new relationship with Guo Ren from the red necklace
and welcomed her warmly. He Ji revealed that she had sold her own necklace in
order to build a home with Lin Tao, though she admitted she still found it
difficult to adjust to life in the new region. Su-Xi tried to reassure her,
explaining that the storehouses and the new crops would soon bring people and
activity to the area. The two women exchanged suggestive remarks about the
influence women hold within relationships before Guo Ren returned from the
tavern.
His presence immediately brought a chill and
a sense of tension, especially when he brusquely commented on He Ji’s
departure. After briefly discussing the ongoing work with Chen Bing, Guo Ren
continued the journey toward the second storehouse with Su-Xi. They traveled in
silence, both carrying the feeling that something weighed heavily upon them.
Overnight Stay at A-Mei’s Storehouse
Guo Ren and Su-Xi arrived late at night at
the second storehouse, where A-Mei welcomed them and offered hospitality without
asking many questions. The following morning, A-Mei asked Su-Xi whether she had
managed to find Hu Xi, but Su-Xi admitted that Guo Ren did not allow her to
speak freely with other people.
A-Mei advised her not to surrender herself
too easily to Guo Ren and to seek assurances before becoming fully attached to
him. Meanwhile, Guo Ren discussed the storehouse’s readiness with A-Mei’s
family in anticipation of the first shipments arriving from Nangu and was
pleased with the progress that had been made.
Before their departure, a small stray puppy
approached Su-Xi timidly. Feeling sorry for it, she lifted it into the wagon
and decided to keep it with her as they continued their journey.
The Cloudy Road to Nangu
Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi traveled toward Nangu
along a narrow, rugged road as clouds gathered overhead and the air grew heavy.
Guo Ren constantly calculated their route and kept a close watch on the wagon,
while Ruo-Xi followed quietly, holding the puppy she had taken in.
As the hours passed, the clouds thickened
and the atmosphere changed, heralding an approaching storm. Guo Ren was the
first to recognize the danger and began to worry about both their schedule and
the safety of the road ahead. When the first thunderclaps sounded, he shouted
for everyone to take cover quickly before the storm overtook them.
The Old Forgotten Stone Building
Forced to halt on the road to Nangu by the
storm, Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi sought shelter in an old abandoned stone building. Guo
Ren organized the space, gathered firewood and cooking utensils, and lit a
fire, ensuring warmth and safety. Ruo-Xi cared for the puppy and prepared a
simple meal while watching Guo Ren in the firelight.
Amid the tension of the moment, their
conversation turned to her place beside him and the possibility of accompanying
him permanently on his travels. Guo Ren responded in his usual practical
manner, revealing little of his thoughts, while the idea of “family” created a
silent distance between them. Ruo-Xi realized that their relationship could
never exist as that of an ordinary couple and found herself torn between the
truth and the role she was playing.
For a brief time, however, the shelter was
filled with a fragile sense of intimacy and peace. By morning, the storm had
passed and the world outside had been abruptly cleansed by the rain. Guo Ren
assessed the route to Nangu and determined their departure time according to
the condition of the road and the mud left behind. The two resumed their
journey, the road still difficult but more stable after the downpour.
Guo Ren continually monitored their pace and
the condition of both wagon and horse. Ruo-Xi followed quietly, adapting
herself to the rhythm of the journey. The puppy had finally calmed down and now
remained at her side without fear.
Their journey toward Nangu continued beneath
clearer skies and in steadier weather. Despite the outward calm of the road,
their relationship remained unspoken and strained. Both moved toward the same
destination, without having resolved what that destination truly meant for
either of them.
Guo Ren and His Guest
Guo Ren and Su-Xi arrive in Nangu and are
welcomed by their steward, Li San. This time, Guo Ren introduces Su-Xi (that
is, Ruo-Xi) as his guest rather than as his cook, as he had done during their
previous visit. He orders that she spend the night in the stone house and that
Zhu Min’s house be prepared for use.
Su-Xi asks about the old stone building that
had sheltered them from the storm. Li San reveals that it was once a resting
place used by Lord Cheng-Wei. Guo Ren suspects that the building served a
private and secret purpose. He concludes that it was not a simple storehouse
but a place for discreet stops and hidden meetings. The presence of silk
furnishings and the interior arrangement reinforce his suspicions. The building
appears to have been used outside the official records of the estate, perhaps
for the lord’s private encounters away from the Nangu properties.
Li San oversees the transport and
arrangement of their belongings in the house. He also tends to the horses,
cleaning and caring for them attentively. Meanwhile, Su-Xi prepares a hot meal
in the kitchen after the long journey, while Guo Ren wanders through the
courtyard, absorbed in thoughts about what he has discovered.
The Rehabilitation of the Girls with the Red Necklaces
As the new lord of Nangu, Guo Ren is
troubled by the presence of his father’s three concubines. To him, they belong
to the past rather than to his own life. Although he has already shared
intimate relations with two of them, he cannot regard them as his own women.
He believes that his father used them as an
escape from married life, whereas he himself has no need for such an
arrangement. Even so, he refuses to cast them aside in a humiliating manner,
recognizing their loyalty and quiet devotion. Instead, he decides that they
should leave Nangu with dignity and the prospect of a new future.
He considers helping them marry or find a
new position in life. In his view, the transition should be carried out swiftly
and smoothly, so that the burdens of the past no longer weigh upon his present.
He discusses the matter with his trusted
steward, Li San, and informs him that there will no longer be any concubines on
the estate. He instructs Li San to speak to each woman separately and explain
his decision. He declares that they will remain free women and that he will
provide dowries for any of them who wish to marry.
He further orders that they
continue to be treated with respect and spared from heavy labor until their
futures are secured. He even suggests to the unmarried Li San that he might
marry one of them, should there be mutual interest. At the same time, he
considers the bachelor Gao Ping as another possible husband, since he is
hardworking and owns land of his own.
Finally, Guo Ren orders Li San to inform the
three women immediately and discreetly arrange the next steps the following
day.
The Messenger
Li San listens to his lord’s decision to
bring the lives of the former favorites to a definitive end and reflects on the
uncertainty now facing the three women. The idea of helping them establish new
lives unsettles him, for it is the first time he has considered that he himself
might be a potential husband for one of them.
Although he believes that they once occupied
a social position above his own, he cannot dismiss the thought. The mention of Gao Ping secretly
troubles him, as he regards Gao Ping as the more suitable choice.
As he sets out to deliver the news, he
wonders whether the women will see him merely as a servant—or as a man capable
of offering them a new beginning.
The Announcement to “Red Flame”
As Li San goes to deliver his lord’s
decision, he cannot stop thinking about Hong-Hua, known as “Red Flame.” He is
captivated by her striking beauty, her fiery red hair, and the confidence with
which she moves and looks at others.
Yet he also recognizes that she is a strong
and unpredictable woman who would never belong easily to anyone. The thought of
asking for her hand disturbs him, for he fears that beside her he would appear
small and insignificant. At the same time, he senses that a life with her would
bring not peace but passion and turmoil. Though he tries to dismiss these
thoughts, her image continues to follow him.
Eventually he arrives at her house. Hong-Hua
welcomes him, believing that he has come with a message from the lord arranging
another meeting. She has no idea of the true purpose of his visit.
The Announcement to Green-Eyed Ling-Lu
Li San makes his way toward Ling-Lu’s house,
still burdened by the difficult message he must deliver. Unlike Hong-Hua,
thoughts of Ling-Lu bring him a sense of calm rather than agitation. He
remembers her as quiet, discreet, and inwardly strong. Her green eyes and
patient nature make him think that she might fit naturally into a peaceful life
beside him.
Ling-Lu was born in Qingshui in western Sichuan
and had stood out since childhood because of her rare green eyes, which hinted
at distant ancestry. Her family fell into poverty after years of poor harvests
and hardship. Four years earlier, a broker had brought her to Nangu and to the
estates of Lord Cheng-Wei. She had been eighteen years old at the time, and
Lord Cheng-Wei had taken her as a concubine.
Behind her silence lies a deep need for
acknowledgment and repayment of loyalty. When Li San arrives, she understands
the purpose of his visit even before he speaks. Earlier that day she had
already sensed that things had changed when she saw another woman, Su-Xi,
accompanying Guo Ren with confidence, the crimson necklace at her throat
gleaming in the sunlight.
As a result, she receives the announcement
without surprise. She accepts it calmly, seeing Li San merely as the messenger
of decisions made by others. In the end, she bids him farewell with formal
courtesy, giving him no reason to believe that he could ever mean anything more
to her.
The Announcement to Qing-Ya
Leaving Ling-Lu’s house, Li San realizes
that she never saw him as anything more than a messenger and makes his way
toward Qing-Ya’s residence. In his mind, he pictures her as a woman of beauty,
balance, and natural charm—someone who does not seek attention yet effortlessly
attracts it. Unlike the other two women, he feels that Qing-Ya might be capable
of standing beside him as an equal, seeking stability rather than fantasy.
Qing-Ya had arrived in Nangu six years
earlier at the age of sixteen and soon became a favorite of Lord Cheng-Wei, who
was then over fifty-five years old. She remained close to him for four years,
while during the last two she had gradually been set aside. At that time, Li
San was about thirty-five and already serving as steward of the estates. Now,
six years later, he has passed forty, and Qing-Ya is twenty-two. The difference
in their ages appears very different to him than it once did.
When he meets her, Qing-Ya immediately
understands the purpose of his visit and listens calmly. To avoid gossip and
misunderstandings, she does not invite him inside. Li San conveys the lord’s
decision, along with the promise of financial assistance and the prospect of
securing a future through marriage.
Qing-Ya admits that every woman desires a
dependable person at her side, not necessarily a lord who can easily replace
her. During their conversation, Li San feels for the first time that he is not
being treated as a servant but as a person whose words are heard and understood.
She expresses her bitterness, observing that
women like them rarely find genuine acceptance and that perhaps only a widower
would be willing to marry them. Li San attempts to show her that there may be
men who are not afraid of such a past, discreetly alluding to himself. Qing-Ya
replies that age does not matter to her; character does. Her words reveal a
subtle openness toward him.
They part peacefully, having
formed between them a different and more human connection.
The Day of Meetings
For the first time in a long while, Guo Ren
awakens feeling fully rested and gives Li San his morning instructions
regarding the management of the former favorites.
Li San accompanies Su-Xi and two women to
Zhu Min’s house, where he supervises their settlement and assigns
responsibilities. Su-Xi settles quietly into her new surroundings, while Li San
returns to receive further orders.
Guo Ren instructs him to prepare the women
so that they may meet Gao Ping in a manner that allows them to be discreetly
evaluated. Li San directs them to dress carefully and positions them where they
can observe the proceedings without being seen themselves.
The women prepare in silence, their tension
evident as they accept the role assigned to them. Li San arranges everything
with precision before departing to locate Gao Ping.
The purpose of the exercise is to present
the women’s finest qualities under indirect observation. Li San then heads
toward the fields outside Nangu in search of Gao Ping.
The Guest
Li San escorts Gao Ping to Guo Ren’s stone
house, where the former favorites remain hidden, quietly observing the
proceedings.
Guo Ren welcomes his guest and begins a
conversation about order, responsibility, and the relationships between
neighboring households. He refers to a previous incident and emphasizes that
every disruption leaves consequences that must be managed and controlled.
The discussion shifts to farming matters and
eventually to the women of the household, accompanied by subtle suggestions
regarding possible marriages and new futures.
Hong-Hua appears for the first time in the
role of a humble servant, a striking contrast to her former position as a
favored companion. Guo Ren recounts the care she provided to his father and
emphasizes the value of her devotion and loyalty.
Gao Ping shows restrained interest, while
Hong-Hua withdraws discreetly without disturbing the order of the gathering.
She later returns to serve the meal, and her
competence is indirectly acknowledged by Gao Ping. Guo Ren uses the dessert as
a symbol of union, continuity, and the bonds that hold a household together.
The conversation grows more direct as he
makes it clear that decisions will soon need to be made. Gao Ping remains
silent, carefully considering the proposal, while the atmosphere grows heavy
with the weight of the implied choice before him.
An Abandoned Estate Comes Back to Life
An abandoned estate begins to regain life
through the decisions of the young lord, Guo Ren. Ruo-Xi’s return to the house
and the presence of her dog reveal a more personal and human side of daily life
on the estate.
Guo Ren summons Li San and assigns him the
task of restoring a forgotten stone building and the land surrounding it.
Orders are given for repairs, cleaning, and the organization of the property so
that it will no longer remain neglected and unused.
Li San evaluates the agricultural
possibilities and proposes hardy, low-maintenance crops such as sorghum, sweet
potatoes, and buckwheat.
Guo Ren rejects low-value crops and turns
his attention toward more profitable alternatives, particularly astragalus
(huang qi). He proposes a combination of crops that would provide both food and
economic value.
He also decides that
permanent residents should be established on the estate so that it will never
again be abandoned.
Li San is tasked with finding people without
families who are capable of enduring the isolation of the place. As he
considers possible candidates, he weighs the dangers of loneliness and the likelihood
of tensions developing between them. Eventually, he concludes that only those
already accustomed to a solitary existence should be sent there.
His thoughts settle on Wu Xia and Zhang Qin,
whom he considers suitable because of their detached and independent way of
life. He informs them of their transfer to the estate, emphasizing that they
will live and work there largely on their own. The move is to take place
immediately.
Wu Xia Before Guo Ren
Wu Xia arrives at the stone house in Nangu
and meets with Guo Ren, who carefully observes her demeanor and presence. He
comments on the ring she wears, and Wu Xia explains that it is a remnant of her
past in Hangzhou.
As they discuss her
relocation, Wu Xia notices a familiar scent—“Tear of the Dream”—which reminds
her of Zhang Qin. Guo Ren explains that the house will be expanded and that
settling there should not be difficult, although the move must take place
immediately. Wu Xia responds calmly and practically, remarking that very few
possessions are needed to begin a new life.
Guo Ren informs her that the site will serve
as a commercial hub linking the estates and storehouses and that she will be
entrusted with a supervisory role.
The agreement is concluded without tension,
both parties accepting the relocation without objection. As she departs, Wu Xia
briefly meets Su-Xi’s gaze and notices her steady, unpretentious presence.
Their silent exchange suggests that both women understand far more than is
openly spoken.
Guo Ren Discusses Matters with His Guest
Ruo-Xi speaks with Guo Ren about the stone
building on the remote estate, which is to serve as a control point between the
estates and the storehouses. They agree that people should be settled there
immediately.
Ruo-Xi views both Wu Xia and the relocation
project favorably, making indirect observations about networks of influence and
the value of neglected resources. Guo Ren then reveals his plan regarding
Hong-Hua, believing that she may be able to influence Gao Ping into seeking her
hand in marriage.
Ruo-Xi reacts coolly, though inwardly she is
pleased, since Hong-Hua’s departure would weaken the inner circle of former
concubines. After the meeting, she remains alone and reflects on the three
women. She considers Hong-Hua dangerous, Ling-Lu deceptively unstable, and
Qing-Ya largely insignificant.
Linking information she has heard from the
servants with older patterns of wasted resources and influence within her
father’s household, she wonders whether similar practices continue elsewhere. At
the same time, she begins thinking more actively about ways to reorganize
Nangu.
She also considers possible alliances and
marriages as instruments of balance, even involving members of the working
staff such as Li San. Her reflections end with the conviction that Nangu is not
a stable place but one poised for realignment—a transformation she is already
beginning to plan.
A Rash Marriage Proposal
The following day, Gao Ping returns with a
firm decision and asks Guo Ren for permission to marry Hong-Hua.
Guo Ren reminds him that the young woman is
an orphan and that he himself bears personal responsibility for the proposed
union. He emphasizes that good intentions alone are insufficient and demands
assurances that she will enjoy a stable and peaceful life.
He asks whether Gao Ping can provide her
with security, an orderly household, and a permanent home free from turmoil. When
he learns that Gao Ping intends for them to live together with his family, Guo
Ren voices his disapproval.
He explains that a new bride should not
share a household with her husband’s entire family, particularly where younger
men are present. Since Gao Ping’s younger brother also lives in the home, such
an arrangement could lead to misunderstandings and unnecessary complications.
Instead, Guo Ren insists that a separate
residence be established near the parents’ home but not within the same household.
Gao Ping admits that he had not considered this necessity and acknowledges that
creating such a home will require time.
Guo Ren replies that time is not the issue,
provided the intention is genuine. He adds that the house should be simple, stable,
and capable of expansion in the future. He further declares that he will
personally contribute to its construction as a gift to the new family that is
to be created.
In the end, he makes it clear that the
proposal is neither approved nor rejected. He requests one day before giving
his final decision.
Hong-Hua Before Guo Ren
Hong-Hua is summoned to the stone
administrative house and stands before Guo Ren filled with anxiety and
bitterness. His cold, formal manner makes her feel as though the night they
once shared has already become something that must be forgotten.
She recalls everything she gave him—her
passion, care, and devotion—and feels that perhaps he never truly appreciated
it. She even suspects that the young guest who has recently accompanied him may
have influenced both his attitude and his judgment.
Yet Hong-Hua has never desired rank or
power. She wishes only to remain quietly on the estate and serve him whenever
he has need of her.
Guo Ren informs her that a formal marriage
proposal has been made on her behalf and that her position is about to change. He
makes it clear that she will no longer be regarded either as a servant or as a
former favorite of the household.
He further explains that her past must be
publicly redefined. From now on, people will be told only that she served Lord
Cheng-Wei by caring for his health and preparing his meals. She is now to be
seen as a prospective wife, with a new name, a new life, and a different
destiny.
Hong-Hua feels the ground slipping beneath
her feet as she realizes that she is being asked to bury a part of herself. When
she asks whether everything that once existed between them will simply be
erased, Guo Ren replies that it need not disappear, provided it no longer
exists in the eyes of others.
When she asks whether he himself will
remember, he admits that there are things he will remember without ever
speaking of them. His answer is neither a promise nor a rejection, and that
ambiguity makes her position even more painful.
At
last, Hong-Hua departs quietly, carrying a single tear that holds within it
joy, disappointment, loss, and uncertainty about the new life opening before
her.
The Impatient Bridegroom
At midday on the following day, Gao Ping
arrived at the stone house in a state of nervous anticipation. Hong-Hua
remained constantly on his mind, along with the fear that his proposal might be
rejected.
Guo Ren received him calmly and began
addressing the matters that needed to be resolved before the marriage could be
approved. He first confirmed that Gao Ping’s parents were already aware of both
the proposed union and the plan to establish a separate household for the
couple. He also emphasized that Hong-Hua would not be treated as a servant but
as a lawful wife.
After satisfying himself that there was
nothing in the young man’s past that might create future difficulties, Guo Ren
announced that he approved the marriage under the agreed conditions.
He further declared that the newlyweds would
temporarily reside in a dwelling on the southern Nangu estates until their own
house was completed. He then entrusted Li San with supervising all wedding
arrangements during his absence, instructing him to ensure that every detail
was handled properly and without misunderstanding.
The Appointment: The New Overseers
After Gao Ping’s departure, Guo Ren
discussed with Li San the relocation of Wu Xia and Zhang Qin to the remote
estates.
Li San proposed assigning three assistants
and two guard dogs to protect them from possible bandits. Guo Ren ordered that
the area be cleared and that the settlement be organized immediately.
When Wu Xia and Zhang Qin appeared before
him, Guo Ren learned more about their past lives in Hangzhou. Wu Xia spoke respectfully
of Lord Cheng-Wei and described the kindness he had shown them. Zhang Qin
presented himself as a quiet and introspective man with skill in playing the
guqin.
The conversation then turned to the new
agricultural plans for the estates. Wu Xia suggested cultivating shiitake
mushrooms on tree logs, explaining their commercial value. She emphasized that
mushroom cultivation would not compete with existing crops but would complement
them. She further proposed using wild fungal strains from the surrounding
forests rather than importing materials from distant locations.
Guo Ren was impressed by her knowledge and
practical reasoning. Wu Xia explained that success depended above all on
observation and patience. Zhang Qin quietly agreed, demonstrating his
confidence in her ideas.
For the first time, Guo Ren felt that the
two of them were not merely laborers but valuable collaborators. He then
informed them that they would henceforth serve as overseers and personal
representatives of his authority on the new estates. They were granted the
power to supervise workers, maintain order, and make decisions in his name.
Guo Ren stressed that they must leave behind
personal concerns and devote themselves solely to carrying out his will.
The Sealing
of the Appointment
Guo Ren then summoned Su-Xi and instructed
her to bring rice wine so that the new beginning could be formally sealed.
When he noticed that only three cups had
been prepared, he insisted that she drink with them as well, unwilling to leave
anyone outside the agreement. He personally filled each cup with great care and
expressed the hope that their new undertaking would take root and flourish
without fear.
The shared drink created the feeling of a
private covenant and a shared burden of responsibility among them. In the
silence that followed, the four seemed bound together not only by duty but also
by an unspoken sense of complicity and mutual commitment.
PART VII
The New Arrival of the Administrator’s
Representative
Breakfast at the Southern Estates
Investigations on the Estates
The Laborer from Yangu
The Young Widow Xianglin from Lansi
The Laborer Who Respects Property Boundaries
The Man with the Ledgers
A Bridegroom for a Bride with Hidden
Memories
The Joyful Announcement to the
Prospective Bride
Some Unfinished Matters
The Recommendation of Xianglin
The View from Above
The Request Concerning the Two Unemployed Concubines
The Announcement of an Impending Arrest
The Order to Hire a Clerk
The Arrest of Hu Xi
The Sealed Door
The Rivalry Between Mother and Daughter
Tears of Joy and Sorrow
A Fire That Will Not Die Out
Upon the Carved Rock of the Cave
The Transformation of a Bridal Chamber
The Defense of the Unrepentant Lu Lan
When Time Vindicates Mismatched Unions
The Departure of the Administrator’s Man
Two Departing Concubines Comment
The Mysterious “Illness of the Mind”
The New Life in Nambu
Whispers in the Offices
The First Symptoms
The Night of Double Harmony
The Garden of the Two Women
The Warning
The Dead Lord
The Bath in the River
The Untying of the Red Necklaces
PART VII
Τhe new arrival of the
governmental representative
The accusations
The governmental representative
arrives unexpectedly in Nangu with guards and dogs, causing commotion among the
workers and Guo Ren. He announces that there are accusations against followers
of the “Great Peace” originating from people connected to Huang Xi-De. Guo Ren
leads the inspector to Lin Ye’s demolished house, where the official notes that
all traces have vanished and requests that more trees be planted to erase every
memory of the place. Finally, he demands a list of all workers and announces
that the investigation will begin the following day.
The investigator appears calm
but absolute. He observes everything, including Guo Ren’s reactions, and shows
that he already suspects that deeper relationships and hidden evidence lie
behind the accusations.
Suspicions
about the estates and expansions
Inside the stone house, the
governmental man discusses with Guo Ren the purchase of new estates and the
expansion of his property. Guo Ren explains that he acquired the land of Zhu
Min and intends to build warehouses and a trading post. The official declares
that he is not investigating economic activities, but it is clear that he is
taking notes on everything he hears. The conversation turns to the workers and
overseer Li San, who is away at the southern estates.
The inspector uses seemingly
neutral questions to examine whether Guo Ren’s economic development conceals
political or heterodox connections. His pauses and hints create a sense of
pressure.
Hints
regarding Lin Ye and Hu Lan
The investigator links Lin Ye’s
case to rumors about “Great Peace” groups that permit relationships among
relatives. He then refers to the widow Hu Lan, who lives in isolation with her
late husband’s younger brother, implying that he suspects an inappropriate
relationship. Guo Ren tries to maintain distance, stating that he does not know
the woman personally, only that she works with his estates.
The official does not openly
accuse anyone; he prefers to leave insinuations to psychologically pressure his
interlocutor. His remarks function as traps, testing Guo Ren’s reactions.
The case of
Wu Xia and Zhang Qin
The discussion turns to Wu Xia
and Zhang Qin. The governmental man reveals that Wu Xia was wealthy in Hangzhou
and implies that it is unusual for her to work on farms. He also mentions that
Zhang Qin presents himself as her nephew, which raises further suspicions. Guo
Ren responds that he met them only recently and sent them to the southern
estates because they immediately accepted the assignment. He also observes that
Wu Xia carries herself with the air of a lady and wears expensive jewelry.
The investigator considers any
deviation from social norms as suspicious: a wealthy woman working as an
overseer, accompanied everywhere by a “nephew.” The mention of a precious ring
leads him to question whether these individuals are truly followers of the
“Great Peace.”
Night surveillance and suspicion
Later, additional guards
arrive. The governmental man orders night patrols and forbids any movement or
gathering without recording it. Nangu is now transformed into a place of
surveillance and fear.
Investigation
of Su-Xi’s relationship with Guo Ren
During the governmental man’s
stay in the stone house, Su-Xi’s presence attracts particular attention. When
Guo Ren asks her to prepare a meal for the guest and his guards, she appears
immediately, calm and perfectly attuned to his needs, without unnecessary
words. The inspector notes that her behavior does not resemble that of an
ordinary servant and comments that her devotion to Guo Ren seems much deeper.
Guo Ren explains that Su-Xi is
his personal cook and grew up in his family’s household. His mother regarded
her almost as a foster child, taught her to cook, and shortly before dying
asked him to care for her. However, the governmental man is not fully convinced
by this explanation. He observes that Su-Xi dresses in a manner unsuitable for
a mere servant, especially because of the red necklace she wears, and notes
that there is neither the distance of a typical master-servant relationship nor
the intimacy of a concubine. He implies that a bond exists between them deeper
than a formal relationship.
The inspector suggests that
their relationship has been shaped by shared upbringing, habit, and mutual
care. He points out that they are not significantly different in age and that
“such relationships rarely remain simple.” Guo Ren remains cautious and
reserved, avoiding revealing more, but it becomes clear that Su-Xi is not
merely a member of the household staff but someone with a unique place in his
life and home.
The investigator sees hidden
relationships and imbalances everywhere. He examines not only actions but also
emotional bonds, believing that personal relationships reveal hidden truths.
Li San’s
return and the warning
Li San returns late at night
from the small, isolated estate and reports that Wu Xia and Zhang Qin’s
settlement proceeded smoothly.
Guo Ren arranges to host the
investigator in a secluded house at the southern estates, providing comfort but
also keeping a distance from the stone house. The governmental man accepts the proposal
but warns that at night no one should move or hide evidence. Guo Ren replies
that nothing will be moved without reason.
Despite his politeness, the
official maintains a clearly threatening tone. He conveys that he considers
Nangu a place full of secrets and that his investigation is only beginning.
Breakfast at the southern estates
The governmental man wakes up
in the wooden house at the newly acquired southern estates of the Du family.
Ling-Lu and Qing-Ya serve him a lavish breakfast and wish him peace. He
observes them carefully and asks about the former master, Du Cheng-Wei. The
girls describe him as generous and hospitable toward officials, travelers, and
the estate workers. They explain that the presence of official guests even
improved the servants’ lives, who received better food and more rest.
They recall Wu Xia, who sang
softly accompanied by Zhang Qin’s guqin, speaking nostalgically of her grace.
They also mention Qin-Ru, who married a senior inspector after the master
favored her. When the man asks about Li San, they describe him as hardworking
and kind.
The conversation turns to the
new master, Guo Ren, who seems strict, demanding, and different from his
predecessor. The girls reveal that they were never called to serve him and
mention his personal attendant, Su-Xi, who may not be an ordinary companion but
someone overseeing him. Finally, when asked about Lin Xue, they respond
hesitantly that she was reserved and quiet, like her father.
Investigations at the estates
The governmental man spends the
morning examining the Du estates with his two dogs. He silently observes the
workers and, through indirect questions, attempts to understand their thoughts,
living conditions, and whether there are influences from the “Returnees.”
The worker
from Yangzhou
The inspector speaks with a
worker who lost his small estates due to taxes and debts and ended up working
for the Du household. The man explains that Master Cheng-Wei accepted him
without many questions and that taxes are handled through the household. The
inspector records coldly what he hears.
The young
widow Xianglin from Lansi
The governmental man meets
Xianglin, a young widow left alone after her husband’s death on the estates. Li
San allowed her to stay, but the new master has not yet decided whether to
retain her employment. The inspector discreetly tries to determine if she has
been influenced by the “Returnees,” but she responds that people need bonds and
stability to survive.
The worker
who respects property boundaries
In a discussion with other
workers, the inspector raises questions about equality and property. A young
man admits that a world without inequalities might be quieter but ultimately
supports the idea that everyone has their place and no one easily abandons what
is theirs. The inspector understands that this is not a man with ideological
convictions but someone concerned primarily with survival.
The man
with the ledgers
The inspector meets Ming Zheng,
the estate secretary, who presents production records and explains that the
estates have expanded without new hires. He also mentions that several workers
previously left for other estates with better pay. He had temporarily left the
estate after Cheng-Wei’s death, fearing for the future, but returned because he
found no better position elsewhere.
He then reveals that he is from
Chengdu and left there after a romantic disappointment and personal
humiliation. In Nangu, he found a fresh start, judged for his abilities rather
than his past. Ming Zheng states that he believes in discipline, stability, and
clear estate rules, which is why he chose to stay rather than pursue better
promises elsewhere. The inspector leaves thoughtfully, seeing deeper balances
within the estates beyond the numbers and order.
A groom for a bride with hidden memories
The governmental representative
returns from his inspections to the stone house where Guo Ren resides, and
shortly afterward the young landowner Gao Ping arrives, accompanied by two men.
Gao Ping formally requests Hong-Hua’s hand in marriage according to custom, and
Guo Ren accepts the proposal, emphasizing, however, that the union increases
his obligations toward her.
With the intervention of the
governmental representative, it is decided that the first ceremony will take
place at the Du estates, presenting the decision as a mark of respect toward
the bride’s family rather than as a demand on the groom’s family. Guo Ren also
announces that the couple will temporarily stay at the southern estates until a
new house is prepared. Gao Ping offers gifts to Hong-Hua’s household, which are
formally accepted.
It is agreed that the wedding
will take place in fifteen days and that, if necessary, Li San will represent
Guo Ren at the ceremony. After Gao Ping departs, the governmental
representative comments that Guo Ren does not show particular trust in the man
with the ledgers, to which Guo Ren replies that he prefers to rely on younger
people rather than members of the older generation. Finally, he summons an
elderly woman and instructs her to inform Hong-Hua.
The joyful announcement to the prospective bride
The elderly woman informs
Hong-Hua that Gao Ping has requested her hand and that the wedding is scheduled
in fifteen days. Hong-Hua silently accepts the decision, offering no objection
or request for explanation. Alone, she briefly recalls the night she spent with
Guo Ren and the hope that it would connect her to him. She realizes, however,
that nothing has changed and that that moment now belongs to the past.
Eventually, she returns calmly to her sewing, accepting the fate others have
decided for her life.
Some unfinished business
After discussing the marriage,
Guo Ren invites the inspector to a meal, but he politely declines, subtly
alluding to the women of the household and to Su-Xi. Through his demeanor and
words, he discreetly tests the young master and gives the impression that he
observes more than he speaks. The two then begin a walk through the estates
together.
The
introduction to Xianglin
The inspector skillfully guides
Guo Ren to Xianglin, a young widow working on the estates. The conversation
begins with work and poverty but gradually turns to reflections on human bonds,
memory, and the need for family. Xianglin is revealed as a woman of beauty,
dignity, and inner strength, leaving a strong impression on Guo Ren.
The view
from above
The inspector leads Guo Ren
toward the caves above the estates. From the height, they observe the area,
while the presence of a guard and dogs indicates that the place is tightly
controlled. The inspector speaks of rumors regarding secret gatherings and
orders that the caves be sealed so that they can no longer be used.
The request
for the two unemployed attendants
At the southern estates, the
inspector requests to bring with him to Nambu the two former personal
attendants of Guo Ren’s father, Ling-Lu and Qing-Ya. Guo Ren agrees only if
they themselves wish it and offendedly refuses the silver offered to him. The
inspector then grants official permission for protection and free passage for
the household. The scene shows that the inspector is beginning to treat Guo Ren
as a true master.
The
announcement of an imminent arrest
As they return, the inspector
reveals that a farmer, Hu Xi, will be arrested for entering the caves, while
his daughter, Lu Lan, will remain temporarily in the village. He watches Guo
Ren’s reactions carefully and implies that he knows more about the
relationships and secrets of the estates than he appears to.
The order to hire an employee
At the end of the walk, the
inspector announces that he will send one of his own men, Wei Jian, to the
estates. He will present himself as a simple worker and assistant to Li San. In
reality, he will serve as a covert agent of the administration, allowing the
authorities to discreetly monitor what occurs on Guo Ren’s estates.
The arrest of Hu Xi
Hu Xi is working in the fields
of Nangu when guards descend from the caves to arrest him. Lu Gen discreetly
gives the signal, and the guards lead him without commotion toward the stone
administrative house of the estates. Su-Xi watches secretly, recalling the
secret ceremony in the cave where she had seen Hu Xi with Lu Lan, full of faith
and certainty. Now, however, Hu Xi appears frightened and already defeated.
Guo Ren returns from the
southern estates and stands before him, not in anger but with cold severity. He
tells him that if he is innocent, he has nothing to fear, and he promises to
take care of his daughter. When the guards tie Hu Xi’s hands, Guo Ren orders
them to be loosened before leaving Nangu, so as not to disturb the workers. On
his command, the cart is loaded with sacks and straw to resemble a routine
transport rather than a prisoner transfer. Hu Xi climbs into the cart almost
mechanically, while Su-Xi exchanges one last silent glance with him. Guo Ren
remains motionless, watching the procession move away, resolute and fully in
control.
The sealed door
Lu Lan recalls entering the
cave with Hu Xi during the secret sect ceremony. From the very first moment,
she feels that she crosses an invisible boundary: she surrenders to him and
fully accepts her desire. Her devotion to the teaching did not arise from
coercion, but from the deep need to freely experience her longing for him.
Their daily coexistence under the same roof had become, for Lu Lan, a constant
deprivation, as social and moral barriers prevented her from approaching him as
she wished.
The Rivalry of Mother and Daughter
Bao-Zhen perceives her
daughter’s feelings very early and systematically tries to keep her away from
Hu Xi. She constantly assigns her tasks and does not allow her to be alone with
him or to care for him. Behind this behavior lies a silent rivalry between
mother and daughter. Bao-Zhen fears that Lu Lan’s youth and beauty might
replace her beside the man she has struggled to keep close. Thus, she tries to
protect her position, symbolically keeping the door to their shared life
closed.
The Tears of Bittersweet Joy
When Bao-Zhen is seriously
injured, Lu Lan hears her cries for help but consciously chooses to delay her
return. Within her, a wish arises for her life to change permanently. When she
finally returns and learns of her mother’s death, she bursts into tears
alongside Hu Xi. Her sorrow, however, is accompanied by a hidden sense of
fulfillment. From that moment, her face bears the mark of this dual state,
where grief and satisfaction coexist.
A Fire That Does Not Extinguish
After her mother’s death, Lu
Lan draws ever closer to Hu Xi. She assumes the role of caregiver in the
household and strives to surpass Bao-Zhen in every way. With herbs, infusions,
care, and constant presence, she cultivates a growing dependence between them,
slow but steady. Her desire is no longer hurried; it is patiently nurtured
until it takes root in both of them. At the same time, the sect’s teachings on
freedom and the abolition of bonds reinforce her conviction that their relationship
embodies a higher truth.
On the Carved Rock of the Cave
Inside the cave, Lu Lan feels
that she is entering a new existence. The darkness, isolation, and absence of
social rules transform the space into a place of revelation and liberation. The
carved rock functions as a ritual site of transition, where her desire ceases
to be hidden and becomes a total experience. Her physical union with Hu Xi
emerges as an eruption of years of suppressed need, where longing, deprivation,
and anticipation converge in a single moment.
The blood from her consummation
left on the rock takes on symbolic significance: it is not merely a trace of
the act but a mark of offering and definitive choice. Lu Lan experiences the
moment as both personal sacrifice and liberation. The rock bears witness to her
passage from her former identity to a new one, where she no longer recognizes
familial ties or social boundaries. When she opens her eyes again, she feels
she has left her old self behind and been reborn through desire.
The Transformation of a Bridal Chamber
After the night in the cave, Lu
Lan’s life revolves around anticipation of the night and the closing of the
door. The bridal chamber is completely transformed: it ceases to be Bao-Zhen’s
space and becomes exclusively hers, filled with care, youth, and presence. She
treats each night as a ritual, securing the door as if to exclude every trace
of the past.
Hu Xi becomes increasingly
immersed in this new reality. Their relationship fills his entire existence,
drawing him away from the outside world. He grows taciturn, indifferent to
others, focused solely on returning home, where Lu Lan awaits him. Within this
enclosed space, the two of them reject every familial or social tie and
recognize only the desire that unites them behind the sealed door.
The Defense of the Unrepentant Lu Lan
Lu Lan is summoned by Guo Ren
to the stone administrative hall of Nangou to account for her relationship with
Hu Xi. He suggests that she abandon the rumors, relocate, and marry other men,
but she refuses. She defends her life, insisting that she and Hu Xi—the father
of her child—remained united in shared mourning for Bao-Zhen, her mother. She
argues that society never truly cared for them when they suffered. Gradually,
her defense transforms into an indictment of others and of social hypocrisy.
She believes that the affection between two solitary people is unjustly
misinterpreted as guilt. She implies that behind the accusations lie personal
rivalries, particularly between Lu Gen and her father.
Guo Ren listens calmly, trying
to discern the truth within her contradictions. Su-Si observes the scene
secretly and is unconvinced by Lu Lan’s words. She considers her guilty,
recalling her gaze and behavior before the cave. To Su-Si, Lu Lan’s conduct
confirms that something secret and irreversible has occurred. Nevertheless, Lu
Lan remains steadfast, denying any guilt or alternative interpretation of her
relationship.
Guo Ren allows her to stay
temporarily until the investigation is complete. The scene closes with Lu Lan
certain that the only thing that matters is time and Hu Xi’s return.
When Time Justifies Unlikely Unions
Time is portrayed as a force
that will ultimately vindicate the union of Hu Xi and Lu Lan—father and
daughter—despite social accusations and opposition. In a future period of
unrest, Hu Xi will manage to escape the circumstances that confine him and return
to her side. Together, they will leave Nangou and head to the isolated village
of He Zheng, Hu Xi’s place of origin. There, they will leave behind social
roles, accusations, and external judgments, living anonymously and freely.
Their relationship is depicted as an absolute union, uninterrupted by the past
or by the people of Nangou. Their life in the new place will be founded on
complete separation from society and total mutual devotion.
Their desire is described as a
steadily intensifying force, leading to permanent union. No figure from the
past, such as Bao-Zhen or Lu Gen, will have a place in their new reality. The
social memory of their origins will be lost, as their descendants will not know
their history. The text concludes that life often silently unites what society
deems incompatible, following the inevitable course of time.
The story of Lin Xue in Part D and
the story of Lu Lan in Part Z share the same central theme of forbidden
parent–child relations. However, the key difference lies in why the punishment
of the father Hu Si in Part Z is more lenient, while in Part D the father Lin
Ye receives the death penalty.
A. The case of Lin Xue (Part D)
The story of Lin Xue revolves
around her relationship with her father, Lin Ye, under conditions where
familial intimacy gradually crosses into a forbidden emotional and physical
bond. After the death of Bai Lu, Lin Xue’s mother, Lin Ye continues working in
the fields while the daughter becomes the emotional centre of the household. As
she grows into adulthood, the relationship develops into a complex structure of
care, dependence, observation, and underlying emotional tension. The narrative
emphasizes the dual nature of this bond: paternal protection on the surface,
and increasingly unstable emotional intensity beneath it.
The turning point occurs during
the “cave trial,” where both enter a ritual space connected to the sect. In the
darkness of the cave, a symbolic sense of unity (unity) and emotional merging
is created. The narrative focuses on gestures, closeness, and mutual
responsiveness, presenting the encounter as psychologically charged and
irreversible in its consequences. The following morning, Lin Xue experiences
shock and rupture, realizing the meaning of what has occurred, and withdraws
into internal monologues (soliloquies), revealing a conflict between emotional
attachment and moral awareness.
The investigation that follows
leads to Lin Xue’s death in the river, where her body shows signs of struggle
(signs of struggle) and human bite marks (human bite marks). Lin Ye disappears,
reinforcing the tragic and unresolved nature of the case. The authorities focus
on establishing factual certainty and maintaining procedural order, framing the
event as a clear violation of social and moral boundaries.
During interrogation, Lin Ye is
associated with coercion and abuse (coercion and abuse). Despite his attempts
to justify his actions, the verdict is immediate: capital punishment (capital
punishment). The execution and the destruction of the house function as acts of
purification (purification), intended to erase the moral stain and restore
social order.
Overall, Lin Xue’s case
presents the relationship as socially intolerable and legally unequivocal. The
emphasis falls on certainty, moral condemnation, and collective demand for
punishment.
B. The case of Lu Lan (Part Z)
In contrast, the story of Lu
Lan presents a similar situation, but the outcome for her father Hu Si is
significantly milder. This difference is shaped by the ambiguity of the
situation, the absence of clear evidence, and the broader investigative focus.
In Lu Lan’s case, the
relationship with her father, Hu Si, is not presented as simple exploitation
but as emotionally mutual and psychologically intertwined. Lu Lan is depicted
as a consenting participant, influenced by belief in the sect’s teachings and a
deep emotional dependency. Their bond develops gradually through shared life
circumstances and Lu Lan’s role as caregiver after her mother’s death, creating
a situation that is complex and difficult to define in clear legal terms.
The inspector sent from Nambu
arrives at the Nangu estates primarily to investigate the sect known as the
“Returners.” His mission is to identify members and assess their activities,
not to pursue direct accusations regarding private relationships. Hu Si’s
arrest is carried out quietly, without public disruption, reflecting a
controlled and procedural approach.
A crucial factor is the absence
of direct evidence. Officially, there is no proof of a forbidden relationship
beyond the fact that both participated in the shared cave ritual. Inside this
closed and symbolic space, only interpretations and assumptions are possible,
since there are no witnesses or external confirmation.
The inspector applies what can
be described as discreet and observational justice (discreet and observational
justice). He evaluates not only the alleged violation but also emotional
conditions, social stability, and the absence of visible harm to the community.
Hu Si appears fearful and passive, while Lu Lan is not portrayed as a victim of
force but as someone deeply shaped by belief and emotional attachment.
Moreover, the investigation is
not primarily focused on moral or personal conduct. It is directed toward the
sect itself, making the personal case secondary. Because of this, the legal
response remains cautious and limited, based on inference rather than
certainty.
In conclusion, the milder
punishment in Hu Si’s case results from the lack of concrete evidence, the
ambiguity of the relationship, and the fact that the investigation is centered
on the sect rather than on direct moral prosecution. Justice is therefore
applied in a restrained and interpretative way, rather than as immediate and
absolute condemnation.
The
narratological scheme of prolepsis
In the chapter “When Time
Justifies Unlikely Unions,” the narrative employs a distinct narratological
technique of future projection (prolepsis / future-oriented narration).
The narratological scheme of
prolepsis refers to a temporal structure in which the narrative moves forward
in time and presents events that have not yet occurred within the chronological
flow of the story. In other words, the narration anticipates future
developments and describes them as already known or predetermined. This
technique produces a sense of inevitability, as if the outcome of events is
already embedded within the logic of time itself.
Within this framework,
prolepsis functions not only as a shift in temporal perspective but also as a
way of shaping interpretation. By projecting the narrative into the future, it
weakens the immediacy of moral and social judgment and replaces it with a
broader, time-oriented perspective. Events are no longer perceived as fixed and
final at the moment they occur, but as part of a longer unfolding process in
which meaning is gradually constructed over time.
A similar proleptic structure
is also encountered in the final chapter of the novella, which concerns the
relationship and the future of the relationship between Guo Ren and Ruo-Xi.
There, too, the narrative extends beyond the present timeline and projects the
evolution of their bond into the future. This parallel use of prolepsis creates
a structural symmetry within the work, linking different relational
trajectories through the same temporal strategy and reinforcing the idea that
relationships are ultimately defined not only by their present conditions but
also by their potential unfolding in time.
The narrator moves away from
the immediate temporal frame of the story and shifts into a projected or
anticipated future, where events are presented as already completed or as
inevitable outcomes. The consistent use of future tense and predictive phrasing
creates a sense of historical necessity, as if the development of the
relationship has already been determined by time itself.
This technique does not
function merely as a temporal shift, but as an ideological reframing of the
narrative. The present moment of social condemnation is replaced by a “future
gaze” that suspends immediate moral judgment. In this way, the narrative
weakens the authority of law and social evaluation, suggesting that ultimate
judgment does not belong to society but to time. The result is a
quasi-deterministic logic in which events are not treated as fixed crimes, but
as stages within a longer evolutionary process.
Within this framework, the
couple is granted a peculiar narrative “softening” of judgment. Their
relationship is not presented as a closed case defined by irreversible
condemnation, but as something capable of transformation over time and of
acquiring its own historical legitimacy. Their departure, withdrawal from
society, and settlement in an isolated place function as a narrative release of
tension rather than a final resolution through punishment.
This temporal projection
produces a form of informal vindication—not legal, but narratological. Time
becomes the force that neutralizes social verdicts, allowing the relationship
to exist outside institutional and normative frameworks. The narrative thus
shifts from a logic of punishment to a logic of duration: what endures through
time appears to acquire its own form of truth, regardless of its initial moral
classification.
The Departure of the
Man from the Administrative Office
The Departure of the Inspector
The inspector prepares to leave
the estates together with the two concubines, Ling-Lu and Cheng-Ya, and his
escort. Before departing, he observes the excessive stillness of the place and
reminds Guo Ren that hidden relationships and silent desires often turn into a
burden. He states that he will return one day and warns that the so-called
“people of return” must disappear, because anyone who stands out and
accumulates power is eventually recorded and loses their freedom.
Counsel on Power and Social Order
The inspector explains that
governance requires control not only over actions but also over the thoughts of
those who serve within it. He emphasizes that rulers must carefully consider
whom they protect and which women they keep close, implying that women marked
by past suffering often become more loyal. At the same time, he speaks about Lu
Lan and the difficulty of maintaining stability when certain individuals remain
in the same place without disturbing the balance. His indirect references to Su-Xi
and Xianglin are clear, although never explicitly named.
Guo Ren and the Silent Conflicts
Guo Ren listens without
reaction, understanding that the inspector’s words function more as warnings
than advice. Li Shan, on the other hand, experiences a silent personal defeat
as he watches Qing-Ya depart, realizing that she has chosen a life close to
authority rather than a possible life with him. The departure of the carriages
resolves nothing; instead, it reveals more clearly the already existing tensions,
desires, and imbalances within the household.
Two Departing
Concubines in Conversation
Inside the carriage, Qing-Ya
and Ling-Lu discuss Su-Xi and her relationship with Guo Ren. They believe that
Su-Xi has gained a special influence over him and may eventually succeed in
keeping him permanently by her side. They compare Guo Ren with his father,
describing him as harsher, colder, and more distant, although they also believe
that he conceals his true emotions. At the same time, they express the view
that rulers never marry women of lower status, even if they keep them
constantly close.
Their conversation leads to the
idea that Su-Xi will never abandon Guo Ren and that her presence beside him is
sustained not only by affection but also by a need to remain indispensable and
irreplaceable. Guo Ren himself is portrayed as someone who does not truly
belong to anyone, but who keeps near him whatever he considers valuable or
useful. As the carriages move further away and the stone house fades into the
distance, it becomes clear that the relationships among the characters have
already changed irreversibly, even though nothing has been openly stated.
The Mysterious
“Illness of the Mind”
A New Life in Nabu
The official from the
magistrate’s office finds peace in the company of Ling-Lu and Qing-Ya, who
provide him with care, attention, and devotion. Their presence transforms his
residence from a cold administrative space into a lively home. The three of them
establish a stable daily routine, where emotional and physical intimacy
balances the harshness and brutality of his work. He begins to believe that he
is leaving behind loneliness and the burdens of his investigations.
Whispers in the Offices
His change in behavior quickly
attracts notice among his colleagues. He returns home earlier, seems
distracted, and loses his former interest in work. In the offices, whispers
circulate that he has been seduced by personal pleasures and that the women he brought
from Nangou are influencing his judgment. Rumors grow unchecked, while he
avoids responding and confines himself to his official duties.
The First Symptoms
The magistrate begins suffering
from insomnia, nightmares, and hallucinations. He sees the faces of the dead,
smells blood, and wakes up terrified in the middle of the night. His exhaustion
now affects his work, as he falls asleep over files and reacts nervously to his
subordinates. Those around him fear he carries some “unclean shadow” from the
investigations and Nangou, while the elderly scribe Fan Xi urges them to accept
any healer or Taoist who may appear.
The “Night of Double Harmony”
A wandering Taoist, Shen Yuan,
visits him and explains that he has been spiritually poisoned by violence and
death. Shen Yuan asserts that his qi has been disrupted and that he risks
losing his mental balance entirely. As a cure, he prescribes the “Night of
Double Harmony,” during which he must sleep between two women to restore his
energy. Though skeptical, the magistrate is genuinely frightened by this
advice.
The Garden of the Two Women
That very night, he spends the
night with Ling-Lu and Qing-Ya together and experiences complete calm for the
first time in years. From then on, he habitually sleeps between them,
surrendering increasingly to the pleasures and companionship they offer. Yet
the continual physical and psychological intensity begins to weaken him without
his realizing it. His happiness seems intense but fragile, while a shadow of
fear remains in the background.
The Warning
Scribe Fan Xi warns him that
women of the Cheng-Wei household have historically been linked to unfortunate
fates when taken into men’s service.
The Dead Lord
Shortly afterward, the magistrate
repeatedly dreams of the deceased Cheng-Wei, who tells him that he took the
household’s people without proper consent. The dead lord demands recompense and
warns that every action carries consequences. The dreams increasingly exhaust
the magistrate and instill fear in both him and the two women.
The Bath in the River
Ling-Lu and Qing-Ya attempt to
heal him by leading him into the icy Qingliang River, following an old
purifying practice. For a few days, he improves and believes his fears were merely
fatigue. But the voices and dreams return. In his sleep, he hears the dead lord
demanding that the two women be returned to Nangou and that he atone through
ritual acts. The concubines are terrified, dreading the return above all else.
The Undoing of the Red Necklaces
Determined to break ties with
the past, the magistrate buys two gold bracelets and ritually removes
Cheng-Wei’s red necklaces from the women’s necks. He officially records their
names in the household register as “women of the inner house,” declaring that
they now belong solely to him. The ceremony functions as a release from the
shadow of the dead lord, and the two concubines feel safe and accepted for the
first time. That night, the house finally seems freed from fear and the
presence of the former master.
PART VIII
The Reception of the Young Widow Xianglin
The Secret Meeting of Guo Ren with Ming Zheng
The Notification to Geng Do
The images in
Geng Do’s mind
The dilemma
that divides a family
The Notification to Tan Zhongli
The Notification to the Fang Brothers
The Notification to Wu Mei
The Notification to Sun Sen
The Notification to Liu Kai
The Notification to Peng Lu
The Notification to Lin Su
The Notification to Tan Chunhua, the Woman of the Fields
The Notification to Duan Hu and Gu Mei-yu
From
Tenderness to Insatiable Desire
The Notification to Zhao Yin
When Something Is Not Meant to Happen…
Reflections of a Bride-to-Be
The Plan of Hong-Hua
The Innocent Mediation of Lanfen
The Mother’s Instructions
When Something Is Postponed… It Is Meaningless to Try Again
A New Role for Hong-Hua
The Uprooting
The Meeting of the Four in the Stone Magistrate’s Office
Two Brothers Talk
Su-Si Consoles Little Lian
The Second Meeting of Guo Ren with Xianglin
The Arrival of the Curious Jester
Walking Through the Fields of Nangou
The Theft of
Piao Yuan
A
Recapitulation
The Jester, the Departing Official, and Guo Ren
The Case of the Concubine Piao Yuan
Filling the Vacant Positions
The Findings in the Abandoned Houses
The Wood Carvings of the “Soul
Sisters”
The Empty House of the Father and the Eldest Daughter
The Shared Meal
PART
VIII
The Taking In of the
Young Widow Xianglin
After the inspector's
departure, Guo Ren decides to place the widow Xianglin under his personal
protection and asks Li San to inform her that she will serve him discreetly
whenever he returns alone to Nangu. The arrangement requires absolute secrecy;
Xianglin will continue to appear as a widow, and no one will be permitted to
approach her. Guo Ren arranges for her relocation to the southern estates,
where she will later look after the wooden house he intends to use as a private
retreat during his visits.
When they meet in the fields,
Xianglin calmly accepts the terms without resistance, asking only for
"order" and a stable framework within which she can know her place. She
states that she has no desire to remarry and agrees to live as Guo Ren's
"permanent widow," even though he will often be absent. At the same
time, she assures him that her past is not a bond of the heart and that she is
ready to belong exclusively to his world.
Their agreement takes on an
almost ritual character when Guo Ren offers her a small plum blossom as a
symbol of their silent union. Xianglin accepts it as a pledge and says that she
will keep it until his return. Their relationship ceases to be a simple
arrangement based on authority and becomes a deeper, mutually accepted bond,
founded on silence, patience, and the need for stability.
Guo Ren's Secret
Meeting with Ming Zheng
Guo Ren meets with Ming Zheng
in secret and makes it clear that the tolerance that existed under his father's
rule has come to an end. He declares that any secret gathering or underground
activity now places both him and the Nangu estates at risk. He demands that the
followers of the Departed One choose between remaining quietly as laborers or
leaving permanently.
He stresses to Ming Zheng that
he must make a choice: he can no longer be both an employee and a guide to the
faithful. At the same time, Guo Ren questions Ming Zheng's sense of
responsibility and the way he has distorted his teachings over the years. He
reveals that the authorities were already aware of all the "People of the
Return" through informants.
He warns that those who leave
will never be allowed to return to Nangu. He grants everyone until the
following morning to make a final decision and makes it clear that the era of
the "favored" and protected individuals has ended. Ming Zheng listens
in silence, understanding that the choice is now unavoidable.
The Notification to
Geng Do
Ming Zheng visits Geng Do and
his family to inform them of Guo Ren's decision. He explains that the People of
the Return can no longer remain in Nangu if they continue their secret
gatherings and teachings. Geng Do immediately realizes that their lives are
about to change permanently, while Xiaoyu and Lian react to the news silently,
each in her own way.
The Images in Geng Do's Mind
Geng Do recalls how his secret
relationship with Xiaoyu, his eldest daughter, became increasingly difficult as
Lian grew older and began to notice the absences and silences within the
household. The two were forced to move their meetings to storage sheds,
abandoned houses, and hidden corners of the estates. The constant threat of
discovery made their relationship more anxious and passionate, yet also
permanently incomplete. Gradually, they came to live like fugitives within
Nangu itself, while their shared home grew ever more alien to Lian.
The Dilemma That Divides a Family
After the announcement, Geng Do
decides that they must leave Nangu, but Lian refuses to follow. It becomes
clear that for years she had felt like a stranger in her own home, suspecting
the unusual bond between her father and Xiaoyu. Lian longs for a normal life
free of secrets and chooses to remain and work in Nangu.
Ming Zheng declares that he is
too weary for further wandering and will remain there as well. He suggests
several different communities of the Return where Geng Do and Xiaoyu might seek
refuge. In the end, he takes responsibility for protecting Lian and helping her
find a place on the estates, while she realizes that, for the first time in her
life, she is choosing for herself where she belongs.
The Notification to
Tan Zhongli
Ming Zheng continues his
nighttime visits to the members of the People of the Return, informing them
that they must leave Nangu. He visits Tan Zhongli, a solitary warehouse laborer
who, after the death of his wife, had become detached from both people and
places. Tan Zhongli had turned to the faction more out of disappointment with
life than out of genuine faith.
When Ming Zheng asks him to
decide whether he will stay or leave, Tan Zhongli admits that he has learned
not to belong anywhere. In the end, he decides to depart from Nangu.
The Notification to the Fang Brothers
Ming Zheng visits the Fang
brothers, laborers who had joined the People of the Return in search of freedom
from a life lived under masters. The elder brother, Fang Yitian, believes
deeply in the teaching and is known for his courage, especially after killing a
wildcat that had threatened the estates. The younger brother, Fang Sen, is more
practical and cautious, following his brother more than the faction's vision
itself.
Ming Zheng informs them that
the gatherings are over and that they must decide whether to leave or remain. Yitian
immediately declares that he does not wish to spend his entire life in the
place where he was born and decides to leave. Sen questions whether there truly
exists a different path from the one they already live. In the end, he chooses
to remain in Nangu. The two brothers embrace in farewell before their paths
diverge.
The Notification to Wu Mei
Ming Zheng visits Wu Mei, a
worker in the drying yards who lost her children during a famine and has lived
in isolation in Nangu ever since. During the gatherings of the Return, she
often expressed pessimistic views, believing that people live primarily through
fear and habit.
When she learns that the
brethren must scatter, she shows neither fear nor distress. She states that the
Return never depended upon any particular place. In the end, she decides to
remain in Nangu.
The Notification to Sun Sen
Ming Zheng visits the family of
Sun Sen to announce Lord Guo Ren's decision: either remain on the estates
without secret gatherings or depart altogether.
Sun Sen initially reacts with
indignation, questioning the prohibition of their faith, while his wife,
Zhou-Xian, expresses concern about losing stability. Ming Zheng explains that
ownership and attachment to land create conflict and restrict human freedom.
After a lengthy discussion, Sun
Sen and his family ultimately decide to leave, believing that family unity
gives them strength. Their sons agree, and Zhou-Xian supports the decision.
Ming Zheng realizes that the teaching of the Return is interpreted differently
by every family. He quietly takes his leave as they begin preparing for their
departure.
The Notification to
Liu Kai
Ming Zheng visits the young Liu
Kai in the remote fields to inform him of the need to leave Nangu. Orphaned and
emotionally attached to the People of the Return, Liu Kai reacts with fear and
uncertainty about the future. Ming Zheng encourages him to continue on the path
alone, without guides, emphasizing the autonomy of the journey.
The young man, however, does
not feel ready to part from Ming Zheng’s guidance and paternal presence. In the
end, he declares that he will remain if Ming Zheng stays as well. This decision
reveals his dependence on the Departed One and his fear of independence.
The Notification to
Peng Lu
Ming Zheng visits Peng Lu to
announce the prohibition of the Returnees’ gatherings and to offer the choice
between remaining as a simple laborer or leaving. Peng Lu’s home, shared with
Wu Zian, his wife’s daughter from a previous marriage, is presented as calm and
stable—a reflection of a life adjusted to daily routines rather than ideology.
Peng Lu decides to stay,
stating that he has never been a man of grand ideas but of practical survival.
He explains that leaving and constant wandering does not bring clarity but only
greater strain and uncertainty. Wu Zian supports his stance, emphasizing their
preference for the stability of land and silence.
Peng Lu acknowledges that the “Returnees”
have provided support but insists he no longer needs their teachings. He notes
that people who work quietly are easily forgotten and not threatened by the
lord. Ming Zheng understands that their decision is driven by the need for
stability rather than faith. In the end, he departs, recognizing that people
remain in Nangu by choice, favoring the quiet security of survival.
The Notification to
Lin Su
Ming Zheng visits Lin Su, a
widow laborer who lives and works on the estates after her husband’s death. She
has not joined the Returnees out of ideology but out of a silent attraction to
Ming Zheng’s presence and demeanor. She has observed him at the gatherings more
as a person than as a teacher, never openly expressing her feelings.
When he asks whether she will
stay or leave, she reverses the question and learns of his decision to remain.
Her own choice to stay is immediately shaped by his stance and steadiness. She
declares that she prefers the certainty of her home to the uncertainty of
departure. Beneath her decision lies a desire to stop being invisible to him
and to assert her personal presence before him.
The Notification to
Tan Chunhua, the Field Worker
Ming Zheng meets Tan Chunhua, a
laborer in the fields who lives alone and devotes herself entirely to
continuous physical work on the Nangu estates. Her life is marked by intense
internal energy and restlessness, which drives her constantly to work or to
fleeting, physical relationships without lasting bonds. The gatherings of the
Returnees provide her with temporary calm, but they do not constitute a matter
of faith for her.
Her presence is deeply
connected to the land, as it gives her stability and an outlet for her tension.
When asked about the decision to stay or leave, she answers without hesitation
that she has never truly left the fields. She declares that the land needs her
and that she belongs there. Her decision reflects an identity inseparable from
physical labor and the place she calls home.
The Notification to
Duan Hu and Gu Meiyu
Ming Zheng arrives at the home
of Duan Hu and Gu Meiyu to announce the prohibition of the Returnees’
gatherings and to present the choice: remain as laborers or leave. Even before
the door opens, muffled, intense sounds of intimacy can be heard, revealing the
physical closeness between the two women. Ming Zheng does not react, treating
it as another manifestation of human need within the bounds of the fellowship.
When he enters, the women show
no embarrassment and listen to the announcement. Duan Hu immediately declares
that they will leave, refusing to submit to the new order. Gu Meiyu, after
hesitation, decides to follow her. Ming Zheng insists that they answer
separately, ensuring that each confirms her personal choice. Their relationship
already appears deeply bonded, with a shared life and a joint decision to
depart.
From Tenderness to Unquenchable Desire
The relationship between the
two women begins as a cooperative partnership, with Duan Hu in a protective
role and Meiyu as her assistant. Gradually, their closeness transforms into
tenderness and eventually into a romantic relationship. A moment of care at
home leads to their first physical and emotional connection. From that point,
they live together secretly, hidden from the village, offering socially
“innocent” explanations. Their bond remains private but stable, expressed only
in their personal space and at night.
When Ming Zheng announces the
decision, Duan Hu defends complete freedom in desire. He departs, reflecting
that the Returnees’ teachings are interpreted differently by each individual.
The Notification to
Zhao Yin
Ming Zheng arrives last at Zhao
Yin’s home, where he finds him and Xi-Lin in a quiet, calm state. He informs
them of Du Guo Ren’s decision: the Returnees’ gatherings are over, and they
must choose between remaining as ordinary laborers or leaving.
Zhao Yin asks about the state
of faith, and Ming Zheng responds that it still exists but can no longer be
guided. Zhao Yin recounts his past, marked by flight, violence, and attempts at
redemption through the fellowship. He declares that he no longer seeks faith or
escape, but simply a peaceful life on the land. Xi-Lin silently shares this
choice, in a moment of simple acceptance.
Zhao Yin decides to stay and
live as a laborer, abandoning the identity of the Returnees. Ming Zheng agrees,
acknowledging that the fellowship ends there. Both men leave the name of the
Return behind without ceremony or conflict. In the end, Ming Zheng realizes
that the fellowship consisted of people who had never truly taken root
anywhere.
When Something Is Not
Meant to Happen…
Hong-Hua learned from a young
age that life changes through silent decisions rather than grand
confrontations. Orphaned and without support, she survived thanks to her
perceptiveness and her ability to understand people. She rose in the Du
household not because of her origins but because she became indispensable and
valued.
She gained power through
presence, silence, and awareness of the influence she wielded over others. She
became the favored concubine of Lord Cheng-Wei without ever completely losing
herself. After the lord’s death, she found herself trapped between her former
position and an uncertain freedom. Meeting Guo Ren sparked hope for a new
beginning and a different life.
For the first time in years,
she did not feel merely useful but truly desired. Yet Guo Ren approached people
with the logic of a lord, placing the stability of the household above personal
feelings.
Thoughts of a
Bride-to-Be
Hong-Hua sees her impending
marriage to Gao Ping as an arrangement rather than a personal choice. Gao Ping
admires her, but he loves the image created for her rather than her true self.
She understands that to become the ideal wife he expects, she must suppress her
real nature. She fears not poverty or life in the countryside, but the loss of
her identity.
The notion that she must hide
her past and her knowledge makes her feel as if she is being erased as a
person. Guo Ren’s words wound her deeply because they dismiss all that she has
lived and felt in the household. She realizes that the marriage is not
happening because she is chosen, but because others wish to quietly remove her.
Guo Ren seeks to close the past without scandal and without keeping her close.
Hong-Hua understands that
beside Gao Ping, she will live as the shadow of a woman who never truly
existed. Although she feels trapped in a life dictated by others, she continues
silently to endure and survive.
Hong-Hua’s Plan
Hong-Hua stops preparing her
dowry, realizing that she does not truly want this marriage. She decides to act
and seeks out old Lanfen, a woman known for spreading every hidden piece of
news throughout the Nangu estates. Lanfen has a reputation for learning
everything through seemingly innocent conversations.
Hong-Hua approaches her as
though their meeting were accidental and allows her distress to show. With
carefully chosen words, she reveals that Gao Ping wishes to marry her without
knowing her past. She emphasizes that she once served Lord Cheng-Wei and fears
that the young man will come to hate her if he learns the truth later.
She presents herself as
uncertain and wounded, deliberately strengthening Lanfen’s concern. In reality,
she is not seeking advice but intentionally using the woman to spread doubts
about the marriage. Lanfen concludes that Gao Ping is too young and that
perhaps the marriage is simply not destined to take place.
When they part, Hong-Hua
understands that her plan has already begun to unfold and is now traveling with
Lanfen toward the neighboring estates of Gao Ping.
Lanfen’s Innocent
Mediation
Lanfen promptly visits the Gao
estates and meets Gao Ping’s mother, Wen-Xiu. At first, they speak calmly about
everyday matters, allowing the conversation to develop naturally.
Gradually, Lanfen discreetly
brings up Gao Ping’s relationship with Hong-Hua. She portrays Hong-Hua as a
woman whose beauty is almost too great for her to be considered a suitable and
secure wife. She suggests that such a woman naturally attracts the attention
and desire of other men.
She then hints at rumors
concerning Hong-Hua’s relationship with the late Lord Cheng-Wei. Wen-Xiu begins
to harbor doubts, wondering whether her son may have acted too hastily.
Lanfen presents her remarks as
a well-intentioned warning from one woman to another. She leaves knowing that
she has successfully planted fear and uncertainty in the heart of Gao Ping’s
mother.
A Mother’s
Instructions
Influenced by Lanfen’s words,
Wen-Xiu hastens to find her husband and son. She firmly declares that Gao
Ping’s marriage to Hong-Hua must not take place. She implies that Hong-Hua
possesses a past that makes her unsuitable as a wife for their household. In
Wen-Xiu’s view, the honors Hong-Hua received from the late Lord Cheng-Wei could
not have been granted without significant reason.
She states plainly that she
does not want in her home a woman who once “belonged elsewhere.” Gao Ping
reminds her that he has already given his word to Guo Ren and finds it
difficult to oppose the arrangement. His mother proposes that the marriage be
delayed by claiming that Gao Ping’s father has fallen seriously ill.
Gao Jiun silently agrees to
pretend to be sick in order to support the plan. Gao Ping is then compelled to
leave immediately for the Du estates, carrying with him the pretext of a family
crisis.
When Something Is
Postponed… It Makes No Sense to Try Again
Gao Ping rushes to the Du
estates to meet Guo Ren and speak with him urgently. He learns that the lord is
absent, and Su-Xi immediately senses that something serious has changed.
Observing his agitation, she suspects that rumors about Hong-Hua have already
spread. She fears that if Hong-Hua remains at the estates, she will become a
constant source of problems.
Gao Ping waits anxiously until
Guo Ren returns with Li San. With a sense of guilt, he announces that his
father has fallen seriously ill and requests that the marriage be postponed. He
promises that once the situation stabilizes, he will return to renew his
proposal to Hong-Hua.
Guo Ren perceives that the
illness is a pretext and calmly responds that when something is postponed, it
makes no sense to attempt it again. He quietly dissolves the marriage proposal,
considering that fate did not intend this union. Gao Ping leaves relieved, as
if a burden he was not ready to bear has been lifted. On his way back to his
estates, he realizes that Hong-Hua was a woman far more complex and mature than
the life he could offer her.
A New Role for
Hong-Hua
After Gao Ping departs, Guo Ren
and Ruo-Xi discuss Hong-Hua’s future. Ruo-Xi understands that the marriage was
not canceled solely because of the young man’s retreat. Guo Ren now sees
Hong-Hua as a problem who cannot remain at the Du estates. Her beauty and
influence remind both him and Ruo-Xi of their father, Cheng-Wei. Guo Ren admits
indirectly that he, too, had been drawn to her charm.
Ruo-Xi fears that if Hong-Hua
stays nearby, she will regain influence and power within the household. She
rejects simple solutions, such as marriage or settling her near the estates,
because her presence would continue to affect the men. She proposes giving her
an honorable but distant role at the southern estates, where silkworms are
cultivated. The position of overseer will keep Hong-Hua away from the center of
power while also appearing as a respectable reward.
Guo Ren recognizes that the
proposal is clever and advantageous for the Du estates. Although Ruo-Xi
presents the decision as protection for the household, deep down she knows she
is acting primarily out of jealousy and fear toward Hong-Hua.
The Uprooting
On the Nangu estates, members
of the group known as the Returnees prepare to depart, taking with them their
few possessions and their memories. The carts are loaded not only with useful
belongings but also with objects of little material value that carry personal
significance. Wu Mei, Peng Lu, Wu Zian, and others remain behind, silently
bidding farewell to those who are leaving.
Li San and Su-Xi record names
and distribute compensation payments and travel permits on behalf of Guo Ren.
Su-Xi recalls the secret gathering of the Returnees and regards Duan Hu and
Meiyu with cold reserve. Duan Hu departs proudly, refusing pity, while Su-Xi
maintains a stern attitude toward them.
Sun Sen’s family leaves heavily
burdened with belongings, and Su-Xi grants them double compensation for the
sake of the children. The Fang brothers share an emotional farewell, while Tan
Zhongli admits that, in the end, a person carries far less than he imagines.
Young Lian breaks into tears
before her family departs, and Su-Xi embraces her, promising that she will not
be left alone.
Guo Ren watches the departure
in silence, exchanging one final look of understanding with Ming Zheng. As the
carts move away, Ming Zheng offers his blessing to the travelers, who leave
carrying with them the secret lives and desires that had taken root on the Du
estates.
Τhe role of the chapter “The Uprooting” in the narrative structure of the novel
The chapter “The Uprooting” is
not merely about physical movement; it represents the culmination of the
tensions that have been building throughout the novel from Part B onward: faith
and ideology versus daily life, personal desire versus social obligation,
freedom versus constraints. The chapter functions as the dramatic and emotional
apex of Part H, as it condenses the definitive dissolution of the “Returnees”
faction in Nanggu, transforming ideology from a collective body into
individual, dispersed life choices. Departure is not just relocation; it is
uprooting, a silent acknowledgment that their paths diverge from the community
they once felt they belonged to.
Among those who leave for
personal and romantic reasons are Duan Hu and Gu Meiyu, two women who have
already formed a deep, secret romantic bond. Their decision to abandon Nanggu
is driven not only by the pressure of the new order but also by the need to
live their intimacy openly and without constraints. Their departure constitutes
a joint escape toward a space where their relationship can exist without fear,
surveillance, or social suppression.
A similar case is that of Geng
Duo and his eldest daughter, Xiaoyu. Their relationship, developed quietly and
secretly within the confines of the estates, can no longer remain hidden or fit
into any stable social framework. Their decision to leave is motivated by the
need to distance themselves from an environment that makes the continuation of
their bond impossible within the limits of Nanggu. Their departure acts as a
rupture with the everyday reality of the estates and as an attempt to reach a
space where their personal connection will not be dictated by oversight or
societal structures.
Thus, these departures are not
only consequences of political and ideological changes in Nanggu but also
expressions of deeper, private desires. The bonds driving this flight are
neither collective nor organizational; they are ties of personal intensity,
transforming the act of leaving into a life choice, beyond the boundaries of
the community and its rules.
By contrast, the Sun Sen family
departs for ideological reasons, as do Fang Yitian and Tan Zongli, who feel
that remaining in Nanggu would distance them from the principles and faith they
have served so far. They believe that devotion to the fraternity can no longer
exist within a framework of oppression and control. The reasons for their
departure are purely ideological: the desire to maintain their faith and
principles, even if it means leaving the estates and the people they love.
Their flight expresses integrity and personal choice, a commitment to ideals
that cannot coexist with the new order in Nanggu.
At the same time, the chapter
“The Uprooting” marks the beginning of a new narrative phase, where the
characters appearing in the rest of the novel are those who chose to remain on
the estates. In other words, the chapter functions as a kind of “emptying”:
characters and situations that leave the fields are removed from the narrative
core, making room for a detailed exploration of daily life, relationships, and
the small moments of existence in Nanggu. From this point onward, a new era
begins, one emphasizing the stability and routine of the estates, the internal
dynamics of those who remain, and the quiet but decisive changes shaping their
lives.
Following the climax of the
uprooting, the novel moves into a phase of internal observation and
psychological recording, where characters must discover their new identities
within a world that has already changed forever. Economic imperatives and the
need for survival force the remaining “inhabitants” to confront the life that
has now been delineated for them, without the possibility of communal
gatherings or shared visions.
The Meeting of the
Four at the Stone Administration Hall
After the departure of the “Returnees,” Guo Ren convenes a meeting with
Li San, Ming Zheng, and Su-Si at the Stone Administration Hall. He immediately
calls for a record of the vacant houses and a plan to cover the empty positions
on the estates. Su-Si insists that Lian cannot be left alone and decides that
she will move to the Stone House. Guo Ren orders that all items left in the
abandoned houses be cataloged and secured to prevent looting.
It is announced that Hong-Hua
will take on the supervision of the silkworms in the southern estates, where
she will also reside. Ming Zheng receives the role of judge and personnel
overseer, while Li San becomes the general steward with broader authority. Guo
Ren clarifies that the workers must maintain discipline and that fair
compensation entails stricter punishment for disobedience. Su-Si discreetly
monitors the space, as Guo Ren reveals that the estates are under observation
and that everything must operate flawlessly. When the possibility of Gao Ping
returning for Hong-Hua is raised, Guo Ren states that the matter is
definitively concluded. Ming Zheng believes that Hong-Hua has no real interest
in the young man and that he will seek another wife.
Before the meeting concludes,
Guo Ren personally gives Li San the
official emblem of the Du household, formally recognizing him as a person of
his authority.
Two Siblings in
Discussion
Guo Ren and Ruo-Si speak alone
at the Stone Administration Hall about the problems of the Nanggu estates. Guo
Ren expresses concern over the financial situation and explains that no new
hires can be made. However, he notes that they are expecting Wei Jian, a
recruitment considered an old obligation of the household. He attempts to
justify the decision by suggesting that the new man may have useful connections
in Nambu. Ruo-Si responds with irony, implying that her brother’s moves are
politically motivated for personal gain. The conversation shifts to the
concubines who were removed, with Ruo-Si teasing him that perhaps he wanted to
keep them close. They then speak of Lian, who continues to suffer after her
family’s departure. Guo Ren proposes that Ruo-Si find a solution for the girl’s
future, leaving the matter to female judgment before he goes to inspect the
estates.
Su-Si Comforts Little
Lian
Lian reveals to Su-Si the
difficulties and oppression she experienced at her parental home, describing
how she had to play roles and hide her feelings in order to survive within the
household. Su-Si comforts her and offers her security, telling her that she now
has a real home with her and will learn to stand with strength and awareness.
Guo Ren’s Second
Meeting with Xianglin
Guo Ren meets the young widow
Xianglin in the fields and informs her of her relocation to an isolated house
in the southern estates, under strict conditions of secrecy. He makes it clear
that there must be no public indication of any relationship and that her
presence will be discreet and controlled. Xianglin accepts without objection,
demonstrating discipline and adaptation to the new conditions. Guo Ren
organizes her practical arrangements and departs, maintaining distance and
control over the situation.
Xianglin embraces her new role
as an opportunity for stability and recognition, despite the imposed silence.
She recalls her previous marriage and the life of restrictions she endured
without choice. The new position gives her a sense of vindication and
anticipation for change. Guo Ren leaves without looking back, leaving her alone
in the fields. Xianglin remains in the sunlight, now feeling that her waiting
holds meaning and potential.
The Arrival of the
Strange Jester
A peculiar jester arrives at
the Du estates following the departure of the “Returnees.” Dressed in
mismatched clothes and speaking in an unusual manner, he asks to see the
master, Guo Ren, only to be told that he is absent. The stranger observes the
people’s love for their land and immediately captures their attention with
cheerful performances on his sanxian. The servants and children gather around
him, and the courtyard fills with laughter and joy.
The jester learns everyone’s
names and improvises small songs about them, enhancing the mood and vitality of
the estate. Even Lian, who had been sad, smiles at the music. Su-Si watches,
annoyed but silent. At the end, Guo Ren appears, and the jester concludes his
performance with a grand bow. The courtyard remains lively, while Su-Si and
Lian withdraw into the house.
Walking through the
Nanggu Fields
Guo Ren encounters the peculiar
jester, who reveals himself to be Wei Jian, the agent sent by the magistrate,
presenting himself as the son of an old friend of Guo Ren’s father. Despite his
eccentric behavior, Guo Ren accepts him and leads him away from the courtyard
for a private conversation. He assigns Wei Jian the role of assistant steward
of the Nanggu estates, with instructions to move discreetly, cooperate with the
steward Li San, and report anything suspicious.
Wei Jian explains that his
eccentricity is a deliberate disguise: by appearing harmless, people are more
likely to open up to him. The two men also discuss a plausible story to justify
the historical connection between their families.
The
Theft of Piao Yuan
Wei Jian recounts an old story
to explain the relationship between their families. He recalls the time when
his father was hosted at Nanggu and one of Lord Cheng-Wei’s concubines, Piao
Yuan, left the estate with an officer from her village.
A
Recap
Guo Ren clarifies that the
caves of the “Returnees” have been closed and that the sect has been dissolved.
Wei Jian expresses skepticism, particularly regarding the former magistrate
Ming Zheng, who remained at the estates. Finally, the roles of everyone in
Nanggu are confirmed, and it is decided that Wei Jian will reside permanently there,
in one of the empty houses of the settlement.
The Jester, the
Departing, and Guo Ren
Guo Ren and Wei Jian meet Ming
Zheng, the former magistrate and administrator of the Nanggu estates. Ming
Zheng explains that the departure of the “Returnees” has left significant gaps
in the estate’s operations, especially in the granaries and transport
logistics. Guo Ren formally introduces Wei Jian as the new assistant to Li San.
The Case of the Concubine Piao Yuan
Wei Jian recounts the old case
of Piao Yuan, a favored concubine of Lord Cheng-Wei, who disappeared with
Officer Ren Liang. The flight was considered an affront to the lord, who
contemplated sending men to pursue them. At that point, Wu Xia intervened and
suggested that the lord consult Ming Zheng to find a solution. The former
magistrate, upon examining the situation, discovered that the two young people
had an earlier marriage promise from the same village. He advised the lord to
present the woman’s departure as an act of magnanimity rather than an escape.
With the support of the imperial inspector Wei Dao-Lin, who was then a guest of
Cheng-Wei, the lord accepted the solution: no pursuers were sent, and the case
was closed without record. The discussion concluded with the recognition that
many stories remain half-told and are revealed only when there is reason to
tell them.
Ming Zheng confirms the story
and explains that he had then prevented the lord from pursuing them, thereby
protecting the honor of the house. He concludes that people easily forget when
given a dignified version of the truth. Wei Jian insists that every story reveals
only what is necessary at the time.
Filling the Vacant Positions
The conversation returns to the
practical problems of the present. Ming Zheng explains that the greatest losses
are Tan Zhongli, in charge of the granaries, and Fang Yitian, who performed
many technical tasks. Wei Jian offers to learn grain management, showing
willingness to take responsibility. Ming Zheng reacts with caution, suspecting
that Wei Jian may be hiding either excessive ambition or dangerous
overconfidence.
Findings in the Abandoned Houses
Ming Zheng reports that Su
Sen’s house was left full of charms, talismans, and objects that unsettled the
workers. These included fertility charms, protective amulets, and curse symbols
linked to fears of ruined crops and famine. Guo Ren dismisses the superstitions
but orders the house demolished and all items destroyed, ensuring that every
trace of the family’s memory is erased.
The Wooden Carvings of the “Soul Sisters”
The discussion shifts to the
house of Duan Hu and Gu Meiyu, two women who lived in isolation. Ming Zheng
reveals that inside the house were wooden carvings depicting erotic scenes
between women, as well as symbols of the fox-spirit Hu-Xian. Guo Ren considers
the objects vulgar and orders them to be destroyed, while Wei Jian regards them
as works of art and as memories of forbidden relationships.
Wei Jian speaks openly about
women in cities like Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai who live together as “soul
sisters.” He sees the carvings as expressions of love stories that society
forces to remain hidden. Guo Ren consents only to the removal of the objects
from Nanggu, but allows Wei Jian to settle permanently in the isolated house.
The Empty House of the Father and Eldest
Daughter
The final discussion concerns
the house of Gengg Nuo and his eldest daughter, Xiao Yu. Guo Ren reveals that
rumors circulate of an improper relationship between father and daughter. Ming
Zheng realizes that the gatherings of the “Returnees” may have served as a
cover for private passions and secrets that he had been unaware of. At the same
time, mention is made of little Lian, who did not accompany the other fugitives
and is now being cared for in the administrative house. Although there is no
proof, the atmosphere is filled with suspicion, fear, and the sense that the
houses and the people who lived in them leave behind dark traces.
The Shared Meal
Guo Ren invites Wei Jian to the
Stone Administrative House and includes him in an informal meal, presenting him
as a guest of honor due to his connection with Guo Ren’s father. The atmosphere
at the estate shifts from work to a temporary moment of intimacy and control,
where roles and relationships are subtly reshaped through everyday interaction.
In the courtyard, Wei Jian
approaches Lian and, through music and storytelling, draws her into a playful
fantasy with the sanxian. He tells her the story of a lonely girl who survives
with courage and finds happiness through her own strength and an ideal
encounter with a young man. Lian participates actively, learning and
improvising, while the music transforms the courtyard into a space of shared
creativity and emotional liberation.
Wei Jian’s narration functions
both as a fairy tale and as a promise of an alternative life, where hardship is
transformed into harmony and loss into stability. Influenced by the story, Lian
experiences a moment of hope and imagined security, while the presence of Su-Xi
and Li San reintroduces the dimension of supervision and order.
The meal that follows and the
return to daily routine interrupt this brief crack of daydreaming, bringing the
estate’s people back to their roles and the organized life of Nangu.
PART IX
The Road of Return
The Stop at the Small Isolated Estate
The Purple Rice
Within the “Tear of the Dream”
The Nightmares of Uncertainty
Ruo-Si at the Twilight of the Next Day
The Termination of Pregnancy
PART
IX
The Road Back
Guo Ren departs from Nangu with
Su-Xi, while Li San accompanies them to the exit, without insisting on a
prolonged farewell. The departure is calm and free of conflict, carrying a
sense of final separation from the estates and their daily life.
Along the way, Guo Ren
encounters Gao Ping, and their brief exchange serves as a formal acknowledgment
of an already-made decision, without emotional tension or upheaval. The meeting
does not alter anyone’s path; it simply seals the parting of their ways.
The Stop at the Small Remote Estate
The small stone building in
Nangu has been cleaned and prepared to welcome visitors. The three workers are
busy with renovation and maintenance, while Wu Xia and Su-Xi remain inside,
discussing the history and significance of the place.
Wu Xia realizes that Su-Xi is
not merely the servant she appears to be, but the daughter of Cheng Wei. She
also perceives Ruò-Si’s romantic interest in Guo Ren. Wu Xia explains to Su-Xi
(Ruò-Si) the concept of yuanfen—the fateful connection that can bring
together people who cannot live together without cost. She emphasizes that love
and relationships require sacrifices and careful consideration, and that Guo
Ren, due to his responsibilities, cannot easily follow his heart.
The discussion then turns to
the small remote estate itself: its seclusion, protection from others’ eyes,
the possibility of cultivation without much labor, and its value as a discreet,
isolated place.
Wu Xia argues that the small
remote estate should be preserved, as it was their father’s first purchase
before acquiring the large estates in Nangu. This estate represents his “first
roots,” the beginning of his efforts, and the foundation from which he
developed. It is also emotionally tied to the advice of the previous owner of
the Nangu estates, who had urged the then-single Cheng Wei to have children,
giving the land a value that transcends the economic: land without continuity
brings not joy, but a curse. Her argument intertwines historical memory,
personal significance, and family bonds, highlighting the importance of
preserving the estate.
Wu Xia then shifts the
discussion to the Nangu estates and their historical trajectory after being
purchased by Cheng Wei, emphasizing that the place is not random: it offers
refuge to those who wish to leave the past and obligations behind.
Finally, it becomes clear that
Nangu was built not only with materials but also with the people who came there
to erase parts of their lives without having to account for them, and that its
true value lies in the capacity to see beyond surface appearances and
isolation.
The Purple Rice
Guo Ren arrives at the land of
the “Stone Woman” to organize the warehouses and a new intermediate settlement
for travelers. Ruò-Si and the workers participate in the installation, while
Chen Bing takes charge of the construction. At the same time, Guo Ren
implements a new structure for the labor and demands that He Ji dedicate
herself exclusively to the land and to him, separating her from Zhu Min.
He Ji accompanies him to the
fields and explains the conditions required for the rare purple rice, which
needs special care: cold water, shade, and patience to be cultivated properly.
Their conversation about the land and cultivation gradually shifts into an
analogy for human relationships, where patience, tending, and return are
compared to emotional connection. He Ji explains that the land, like people,
needs time to open up again after abandonment or injury.
Guo Ren recognizes the
difficulty of this “cultivation” and becomes aware of the growing emotional
tension between them. Their relationship deepens through dialogue about
passion, endurance, and absence, with He Ji asserting that intensity can
survive only when distance preserves desire. Guo Ren expresses uncertainty
about his permanent presence in the place, while she emphasizes that desire
matters more than the length of time spent.
The discussion culminates in a
mutual acknowledgment of a relationship that is not yet fully defined but has
already begun to develop. Guo Ren now clearly places her under his influence,
declaring that she belongs to the land and to him. He Ji does not respond
verbally, but her silence suggests acceptance or understanding of the new
balance. The tension between them resolves within the landscape of the fields,
where the land and the purple rice serve as a mirror of their relationship.
Within
the “Tear of the Dream”
At the Du estate in Luojiang,
Guo Ren and Ruò-Si return exhausted from their journey to Nangu. Ruò-Si uses
the “Tear of the Dream,” but administers a dose greater than the permitted
amount, causing deep confusion and a disruption of Guo Ren’s consciousness. He
begins to lose his sense of reality, struggles to recognize Ruò-Si, and
confuses faces, memories, and desires.
Ruò-Si takes advantage of his altered state to construct a new imagined
identity between them, presenting herself as Su-Xi, a worker from Nangu and
supposedly his half-sister. Amid the storm and under the influence of the
elixir, kinship, social roles, and moral boundaries begin to dissolve. Guo Ren
surrenders to a state of intense desire and depersonalization, while Ruò-Si
simultaneously experiences erotic fulfillment and profound guilt.
They wander through the dark
corridors of the estate, carried away by passion, while ancestral spaces and
family symbols act as silent witnesses to the violation of boundaries. Ruò-Si
continuously tries to sustain the fantasy, fearing that the return of reality
will destroy the moment. Guo Ren oscillates between recognition and
estrangement, as if he cannot tell whether the woman he holds is real or a
product of a dream. The night becomes an experience of psychic dissolution,
where lie, desire, and forbidden attraction fully merge.
The Nightmares of Uncertainty
Guo Ren wakes in the Du estate
deeply disoriented, with blurred memories of the night with Ruò-Si and an
inability to distinguish whether what he experienced was real or a dream. This
uncertainty fills him with guilt and fear that he desired something forbidden.
Ruò-Si, in contrast, maintains a calm and natural demeanor, which further
destabilizes him.
Guo Ren begins to avoid her,
while fragmented phrases from the night return painfully to his memory. Nightmares
intensify his confusion and distress, with images in which Ruò-Si sometimes
approaches him and sometimes disappears like a ghost. His guilt concerns not
only a possible act but primarily his own desire. He convinces himself that
everything must remain within the “dream,” without consequences and without
memory.
He tries to distance himself by
traveling toward Bailin, but his inner turmoil follows him everywhere. Amid the
unstable climate of Sichuan and rumors of war, he feels increasingly alienated.
Along the road he encounters a caravan and a young woman with blue eyes who
reminds him of Ruò-Si. An old man’s words about foreign blood and hidden
lineage plant in him suspicions that their relationship may not have been
forbidden after all. His fear changes form: he no longer fears only that he has
sinned, but also that the truth itself may be different from what he believed.
Ruò-Si at the Dusk of the Next Day
Ruò-Si wanders uneasily through
the fields of Luo Jiang, tormented by the fear that the night with the “Tear of
the Dream” may have left her pregnant, bringing social ruin upon her.
Guo Ren, still under the
influence of the elixir, remains lost among fragmented memories, guilt, and
traces of desire, unable to clearly recognize either her or himself. At times
he calls her Su-Xi, at others he speaks of debts, women, and people from the
administrative estate, as if living several lives at once. His delirious
monologues make Ruò-Si feel as if she is occupying the place of another woman
within his fantasies and guilt. Despite his confusion, his body repeatedly
returns to hers with an almost desperate need for possession and attachment.
At first she is frightened and
tries to push him away, but the atmosphere of the elixir, the physical
intensity, and his confessions gradually draw her in. For a few moments she
ceases to think of her social position and surrenders to the feeling of being
desired completely.
The experience of the previous
night becomes a dark, forbidden union in which the boundaries of identity,
desire, and guilt dissolve. Ruò-Si fully yields to the encounter, even as she
realizes that he is repeatedly releasing himself within her without any
protection.
When the elixir begins to wear
off and the night fades, ecstasy gives way to deep terror, as Ruò-Si now
understands the possible consequences already inscribed in her body and life.
The Termination of Pregnancy
Ruò-Si meets the elderly
herbalist Lao Ning and confesses in fear that she has used the “Tear of the
Dream” again and believes she may be pregnant.
Lao Ning immediately
understands that this involves a forbidden union, yet she responds with
calmness and experience. Ruò-Si admits she was carried away by desire and now
fears the social catastrophe that pregnancy out of wedlock would bring. The old
woman reassures her that it is still early and that there is time to terminate
the pregnancy.
She begins preparing a mixture
of herbs and roots intended to “move the blood” and induce miscarriage. She
explains the use of hong-hua, cinnamon, wormwood, dang-gui, ginger, and other
warming herbs. She also warns about wild papaya seeds, used only in severe
cases and known to cause intense pain.
Ruò-Si listens to the
instructions as if they were a ritual, filled with fear yet also with the need
to escape the future that terrifies her. Lao Ning gives strict directions for
infusions, steam treatments, bodily warmth, and complete abstinence from
further contact until the outcome becomes clear. She explains that there will
be pain, possibly bleeding and fever, and that Ruò-Si must remain lying down if
her condition worsens.
Before leaving, the old woman
reminds her that nothing leaves a person without leaving a mark, even when
danger passes. Ruò-Si remains alone in the fields, holding the bitter herbs
like a burden of fate, knowing that in order to erase the consequences of the
night with Guo Ren, she must now transform the memory of desire into pain.
PART
Χ
So
much haste for half-finished warehouses and uncultivated fields…
At the Rock of the “Stone Woman”
The
Dance with the Masks
The
Nine Nights
Going
Alone to Nangu
The
Purification Bath
In
the Wooden House of Widow Xianglin
The
Birth of a New Xianglin
The
Data of the New Situation
The
Expulsion of Tan Chunhua
The
Silkworm Inspector
In
the Silkworm Laboratory
The
Need to Control All the Estates
The
Three Green Pendants
PART Χ
So much haste for half-finished warehouses and uncultivated
estates…
Guo Ren’s
Instructions
Guo Ren visits the Stone Woman
estates and finds that work on the warehouses is progressing faster than
expected. Satisfied, he issues new instructions to Chen Bing: the two
warehouses are no longer sufficient, and kitchens, stables, guest rooms, and
large shelters for people and animals must also be constructed. He defines the
areas where the new buildings will be erected, demands more workers, orders the
immediate preparation of foundations, and insists that everything must be
completed before the autumn rains.
Guo Ren’s
Meeting with He Ji
During his visit he meets He
Ji, who brings food for the work crew. Her surprise is evident, yet both
maintain formal behavior in front of the workers. Later, they walk together
through the fields and discuss the sowing of purple rice, with He Ji explaining
that it requires patience and must wait until the following spring.
The discussion shifts to the
abandoned fields, and she explains that land left uncultivated for a period can
regain its strength. Through this image she indirectly speaks about people as
well, who need time to heal from what they have endured before they can accept
something new in their lives. Guo Ren understands the deeper meaning of her
words and asks whether her own period of waiting has ended, but He Ji avoids
answering, leaving their emotions unspoken yet increasingly apparent.
On the Rock of the
“Stone Woman”
The Ascent
to the Stone Woman Rock
Guo Ren and He Ji climb
together to the Rock of the Stone Woman to view the estates from above. Along
the way, they talk about the approaching changes, starting with the fields and
the purple rice, but gradually their conversation includes subtle hints about
themselves. He Ji asserts that great changes begin before they are noticed, and
their growing intimacy becomes increasingly apparent.
The
Discussion on Waiting, Lin Tao, and Guilt
Behind the rock, they discover traces
of old rituals and speak about waiting and hope. Influenced by his own inner
conflicts, Guo Ren asks He Ji to explain how she overcame being emotionally
involved with her half-brother, Lin Tao. She explains that their relationship
did not arise suddenly but developed gradually through mutual understanding,
acknowledgment, and acceptance of the wounds and guilt both carried. She
emphasizes that Lin Tao knew her entire past and that she had nothing to hide
from him. She also describes the symbolic cave ceremony, where they left behind
their guilt and failures, deciding not to allow the past to dictate their lives
any longer.
The
Revelation to Guo Ren
He Ji realizes that Guo Ren is
not merely seeking her history but trying to understand his own situation. She
points out that people often do not fear their feelings, but the consequences
those feelings may have on the life they believed they had built. Guo Ren
recognizes that he is not the only person frightened by truths discovered
within himself—specifically his romantic desire for the woman he believes to be
his sister, Ruo-Si—and finds comfort in her words.
The
Ceremony of the Earth’s Bloom
Their discussion turns to the ceremony of the
Earth’s Bloom. He Ji explains that its true meaning is not about the land
itself but the cultivator, who commits to return and care for his field. The
ceremony is not about the harvest but the sowing, the decision to invest in
something even at the risk of failure. She compares the land to people,
suggesting that both open up when they feel genuine care from someone. Guo Ren
understands that her words are not only about the fields but about human
relationships as well.
The
Invitation to the Secret Ceremony
When Guo Ren declares his
determination to claim what he considers rightfully his and what he desires to
make his own, He Ji asks if he is ready for the Earth’s Bloom ceremony. He
answers affirmatively, and she invites him to come alone at night to the edge
of the estates. She explains that, just as symbolic unions were necessary for
Cheng-Wei’s estates to bear fruit, so too will his new estates receive their
first sower. She warns him that it is a secret ceremony and must never be
revealed to anyone.
The Dance of Masks
The
Preparation of the Blooming Ceremony
At night, Guo Ren arrives at
his new estates in the Stone Woman region to take part in the Blooming
Ceremony. He Ji has organized the secret ritual, forming a circle of lanterns,
flowers, and masks. The purpose of the ceremony is the symbolic blessing and
fertility of the new lands. The atmosphere is ritualistic and mysterious, and
Guo Ren is asked to submit to the customs without knowing all their details.
The Women
with Masks
He Ji, the two daughters of the
gambler, Ling and Ming-Zhu, and the gambler’s sister, Xiu, participate in the
ceremony. They are given masks so that their identities remain concealed. He Ji
had brought the young women into the ritual during her stay at Zhu Min’s
household, offering them the hope that the development of the estates would
bring new opportunities into their lives.
Blessings
and the Symbolism of Fertility
He Ji leads the ritual and
recites blessings for the flowering of the fields. She invokes the mythical
union of the dragon Peng Long and Nu Wa as a symbol of fertility, creation, and
prosperity. The ceremony is presented as a symbolic act binding humans to the
land and to the cycle of life.
The Trial
of Choice
Before the ceremony ends, He Ji
instructs the women to exchange their masks so that Guo Ren cannot know who
stands before him. The choice becomes a test of intuition and desire. Despite
the confusion, Guo Ren approaches the woman who feels most familiar to him and
chooses He Ji.
The Choice
of He Ji
Although He Ji warns him that
he recognizes her, Guo Ren does not change his decision. His choice is shaped
by several motives: the continuity of his father’s tradition, his trust in her,
his admiration for her strength and character, and his wish to avoid new
entanglements with unknown women. He ultimately leads her out of the circle
while the others withdraw discreetly.
Union as a
Symbolic Blessing of the Land
The continuation of the ritual
is presented as a symbolic union between the lord and the guardian of the land,
intended to bless and fertilize the estates. The Stone Woman territory is
treated as a living entity receiving their offering and commitment. For Guo
Ren, the act becomes one of continuity, responsibility, and connection to the
land he intends to develop.
He Ji’s
Thoughts and Expectations
He Ji experiences the night as
a personal vindication. After years of hardship, isolation, and unfulfilled
expectations, she feels that she has regained meaning and purpose. She believes
her bond with Guo Ren will permanently link her to the future of the estates
and hopes she will finally obtain the child she never had in the past.
The
Completion of the Ceremony
By dawn, the ceremony ends and
silence returns to the fields. Guo Ren and He Ji feel they have participated in
something greater than themselves, something tied to the future of the Stone
Woman lands. The night leaves behind a new bond between them and the sense that
a new era is beginning both for the estates and for their lives.
The Nine Nights
The Return to Everyday Life After the
Ceremony
On the morning after the
flowering ceremony, life on the estates of the Stone Woman resumes as usual.
The laborers and carpenters return to their work, construction continues, and
nothing in the ordinary appearance of the place betrays what took place during
the night. Guo Ren oversees the works with unusual calmness, while He Ji
appears as she always does, carrying food to the workers. Despite the formality
of their behavior, it is evident that their relationship has already changed.
The Meeting on the Dark Side of the Rock
Guo Ren leads He Ji to the dark
side of the Stone Woman’s rock, to the place where traces of ancient rituals
are preserved. There they speak about what occurred on the night of the
flowering ceremony. Guo Ren believes that they did not act as ordinary human
beings then, but rather as bearers of roles within an ancient tradition. He Ji
acknowledges that rituals protect people because they allow them to hide behind
symbols and expectations. Both agree that a true encounter, without masks and
without the support of custom, is far more difficult and demanding.
The Beginning of a Personal Relationship
Before they part, Guo Ren asks
He Ji to meet him again that same evening at the same rock. The distance
between them diminishes, and for the first time they exchange a tender embrace
and a kiss that belong to no ritual and obey no custom. Their relationship
ceases to rely solely on the symbolism of the flowering ceremony and acquires a
personal dimension. He Ji accepts his invitation, marking the beginning of a
new phase between them.
The Custom of the Nine Nights
That same evening, He Ji has
prepared a private place behind the rock, where she explains to Guo Ren an old
belief concerning human relationships. According to this belief, the first
encounters are exploratory, because people still wear their social and
psychological “masks.” Only after nine meetings does their true nature reveal
itself. The number nine is presented as a number of completion, associated with
imperial tradition and with the idea that every completed cycle prepares the
beginning of a new one.
He Ji’s Inner Transformation
During the nine nights, He Ji
undergoes a profound inner process of liberation. Gradually, she distances
herself from the rules and obligations that had defined her life, while
memories of her previous lovers, of Lord Cheng-Wei when she was eighteen years
old, and of the confusions connected with Lin Tao, her half-brother, lose their
power over her. Guilt no longer determines her choices, and old pain is
transformed into a mere memory. At the same time, she becomes increasingly
indifferent to the judgment of others and abandons the final defenses that
separated her from her own self. By the ninth night, she stands before Guo Ren
no longer needing to define herself through her past or through the roles
imposed upon her.
Guo Ren’s Inner Transformation
The nine nights prove equally
transformative for Guo Ren. Memories of Ruo-Xi, whom he regarded as his sister,
of Hong-Hua, and of Ling-Lu return one after another, not in order to trap him,
but to be reassessed. Gradually he becomes aware of the relationships between
desire, power, possession, and guilt. He moves away from the need to idealize
the past or to turn people into his possessions. In the end, he understands
that his choice of He Ji was not based on comparison with other women, but on
the fact that with her he can exist without hiding behind his memories and
illusions.
The Nine Nights as a Place Outside Time
As the days pass and work on
the estates progresses, the nightly meetings acquire an almost sacred
dimension. The rock of the Stone Woman is transformed into a place outside
ordinary time, where past and future seem suspended. The moon, the wind, the
shadows, and the earth accompany the gradual approach of the two people toward
one another. Sometimes they speak, sometimes they remain silent, yet with every
meeting they move a little farther away from the burdens they carried and
closer to a more authentic form of presence.
The Completion of the Cycle
When the ninth night arrives,
Guo Ren announces that he must leave in order to inspect his estates in Nangu.
He Ji receives the news calmly, as though she had known from the beginning that
the nine nights were destined to end. The two of them acknowledge that the
cycle has been completed, while He Ji remarks how rare it is for someone to
return so many times to the same place and the same person. Guo Ren carves the
number nine into the rock, leaving behind a mark that will commemorate their
journey and the completion of this unique cycle.
The Promise of the Future
Before departing, Guo Ren
decides that a small house should be built on his newly acquired, previously
uncultivated lands at the Stone Woman. The place will be intended exclusively
for He Ji and for his own returns there. He promises her that he will come back
and declares that he now knows what he considers truly his and what he wishes
to preserve in his life. He Ji accepts the waiting without complaint, for
anticipation had always been part of her existence. The following morning, Guo
Ren departs, leaving behind the rock, the estates, and the woman who had waited
for him. The cycle of the nine nights has been completed, yet precisely because
of that, something new has been born that can no longer return to its former
form.
Central core of the chapter
“The Nine Nights”
The chapter narrates a process
of mutual inner transformation. The nine nights are not merely a romantic
period, but a symbolic cycle during which He Ji and Guo Ren strip themselves of
the roles, guilt, memories, and illusions that had accompanied them. Through
this process, their relationship is transformed from the product of a ritual
into a conscious human choice, founded not upon myths and obligations, but upon
mutual recognition and the promise of future continuity.
Going Alone to Nangu
The final night of intimacy
with He Ji had left Guo Ren feeling empowered. As he headed toward Nangu, his
thoughts turned to the young widow Xianglin, his new hire and favorite, whom he
intended to surprise with his early return.
On the road to Nangu, Guo Ren
stopped at A-Mei’s warehouses and noted how much the place had developed.
Caravans now brought steady traffic, and the first profits had already begun to
accumulate. After discussing with A-Mei and Mao Jun, he decided to expand the
facilities with a shop selling useful goods for travelers and a separate,
secure lodging for women. At the same time, he recognized that growth could
attract bandits, and he gave instructions for a strong fence, a controlled
gate, night watches, and an alarm system.
Leaving, he felt satisfaction seeing that the
warehouses had transformed from a simple station into a thriving community with
prospects for further development.
The Bath of
Purification
Returning to the Estate
After leaving A-Mei’s
warehouses, Guo Ren headed to the secluded estate of Wu Xia. Along the way,
memories of Ruo-Xi and the blue eyes he thought he had left behind at the Stone
Woman’s rock plagued him once more. Upon arrival, Wu Xia immediately sensed his
unease, though he tried to conceal it.
Wu Xia welcomed him with a
refined beverage of plums, hawthorn, and chrysanthemum. As he drank, she spoke
of the traces people leave on our thoughts and memories, likening them to
fragrances that remain on us even when we believe they are gone.
The Blue Eyes
Guo Ren confessed that he
continued to see a girl with blue eyes and was tormented by strange images. Wu
Xia explained that the mind often confuses faces, memories, and desires,
creating false connections. She suggested that he first needed to rid himself
of the “fragrance” that had lingered upon him in order to clear his thoughts.
The Visitor
To help him understand, Wu Xia
recounted an incident from the life of his father, Cheng-Wei. Sixteen years
earlier, the young Ouyang Fengyin had been captivated by him and, with the aid
of a mysterious preparation called the “Tear of the Dream,” had bound him
emotionally. Fengyin and her mother frequently returned to Nangu, maintaining
their connection with Cheng-Wei and enjoying his generosity. The situation
ended only when Fengyin married elsewhere, freeing Nangu from her constant
presence.
Wu Xia remarked that many young
women are drawn to strong, successful men, seeking to obtain immediately what
others only promise for the future. She also explained that a woman who truly
desires a man rarely considers obstacles or the consequences of her actions.
The Bath of Purification
Determined to rid himself of
the intrusive images, Guo Ren accepted Wu Xia’s help. She prepared a bath with
lotus leaves, jasmine, lilies, and roses, urging him to let the water wash away
what did not belong to him. As he followed the ritual, the blue eyes appeared
one last time and then dissolved like smoke. When the cleansing was complete,
Guo Ren felt his mind clearer, his tension gone, and the troublesome memories
fading.
In the Wooden House of the Widow Xianglin
(Guo Ren’s
First Intimate Encounter with Xianglin)
Guo Ren arrived quietly at the
house on the southern estates of Nangu, where Xianglin had been installed by
his orders, without informing anyone. He found her waiting in front of her
loom, her hands moving mechanically over the threads. Xianglin froze when she
saw him, but the joy and sense of anticipation that had lasted for weeks
brought a faint, almost imperceptible smile to her face. They exchanged few
words, mostly remaining silent, allowing the moment to fill with truth and
presence.
With steady and calm movements,
she washed and dried his feet, her care expressing respect and devotion without
words. This was followed by a massage of his shoulders and neck, during which
Xianglin shared thoughts about life, patience, and the need for care—not only
of the body but also of the spirit.
Xianglin prepared a mat and
spread out her woven textiles, the fruit of her years of widowhood. Guo Ren
relaxed upon them, and she lay beside him.
Guo Ren fell asleep first,
while Xianglin remained awake, reflecting on her life and her years of
widowhood. Later, Guo Ren awoke early and entered Xianglin; without words, she
welcomed him. The night held its private, authentic time, untouched by the outside
world. Their silence allowed them to feel the new phase beginning in their
lives.
The first faint light of dawn
brought the sense that a new chapter had begun. Xianglin was no longer captive
to her widowhood, and Guo Ren was no longer merely a visitor. The moment ended
with a quiet certainty, like light emerging after a long night, marking the
start of a new phase in their relationship and their lives.
The Birth of a New Xianglin
After her first night with Guo
Ren, Xianglin experiences a profound inner and erotic awakening. She realizes
that the years of widowhood and emotional deprivation have left within her an
emptiness that she now longs to fill. Knowing that Guo Ren’s stay in Nangu is
temporary, she treats every moment with him as precious and irreplaceable.
Her desire intensifies with
each passing day. It is no longer limited to tenderness or companionship, but
emerges as an active need for closeness and fulfillment. Every night, she seeks
to spend as much time with him as possible, experiencing their relationship as
a restoration of all that she had been denied in the past. At the same time,
the presence of Hong-Hua and her obvious jealousy strengthen Xianglin’s determination
to preserve the uniqueness of her bond with Guo Ren.
Comparing this new experience
with her former marriage, Xianglin becomes aware of the difference between
habit and discovery. Her married life had been marked by predictability and
repetition, whereas her relationship with Guo Ren reveals new possibilities of
expression and mutuality. She feels herself being freed from old restrictions
and discovering aspects of herself that had remained dormant.
The intimacy between them
constantly takes on new forms. Xianglin no longer experiences physical union as
a repetitive process, but as a living experience that continuously renews
itself. Through this relationship, she feels that she is finally expressing
desires and potentials that she had never before had the opportunity to know or
fulfill.
On the ninth day, the beginning
of her menstruation functions for Xianglin as a symbol of renewal. She
perceives the moment not as an interruption, but as a transition linking the
past with the new phase of her life. She invites Guo Ren to share in this
symbolic experience and expresses to him her sense that their relationship
signifies a personal rebirth and a new form of purity.
For her, their shared
experience acquires the character of a ritual reaffirmation of their bond.
Xianglin feels that she is not abandoning herself, but rather returning to a
deeper and fuller version of who she truly is. Her emotional and erotic
awakening becomes inseparable from a sense of self-realization and inner
completeness.
After the night ends, the
intensity gradually gives way to serenity. The traces of the experience serve
as a reminder of the transformation that has taken place within her. As she
cares for Guo Ren with tenderness and calmness, Xianglin feels that her transformation
is complete: she is no longer the woman trapped in deprivation and waiting, but
a new Xianglin who has reconnected with desire, life, and her own self.
The Realities of the New Situation
Guo Ren convened the
administration of Nangu two days after his sudden return to the estate. Wei
Jian presented the results of the inventory conducted at the residence of Duan
Hu and Gu Meiyu, where the house appeared orderly, as though the two women had
departed hurriedly yet in an organized manner. During the investigation, small
carved wooden objects were initially discovered beneath a bed, while a hidden
compartment inside a large chest contained artificial erotic devices made of
wood, leather, and fabric bindings. Guo Ren confirmed the findings and was
informed that the objects had already been confiscated and sent away together
with the remaining belongings. This discovery exposed the secrets that the
house with the oleanders had tried in vain to keep hidden.
The Expulsion of Tan Chunhua
The administration of Nangu
learned that Tan Chunhua was showing symptoms indicative of plum-blossom
disease (syphilis), raising fears that she might have been infected by seasonal
harvesters with whom she had been intimate. At the same time, suspicions
circulated that she was secretly meeting the young Gao Liang near the
irrigation canal.
Lanfen, who was called to
testify to what she knew, confirmed Tan Chunhua’s relations with the harvesters
and added that after they left, she frequently met with the young Liang. These
revelations caused concern over possible transmission of the disease and
revived old family disputes.
After Lanfen departed, Guo Ren
decided that Tan Chunhua had to leave the estate for reasons of health and
safety. He arranged her secret removal, providing an escort and supplies, and
tasked Lanfen with persuading her to depart by telling her that the harvesters
were looking for her. Strict instructions were given to avoid any scandal and to
ensure that Gao Liang remained unaware. Thus, the silent expulsion of Tan
Chunhua from Nangu was carried out.
The Inspector of the
Silkworms
Hong-Hua came to the stone
administrative building and informed Guo Ren about the improvements made to the
silk workshops, demonstrating that she was now successfully managing silkworm
production. She then, through subtle hints, revealed to him the existence of an
abandoned hut behind the hill, which she had cleaned and frequently visited,
implying that it could serve as a safe place for their meetings. Afterward, she
spoke about her past in Shangxi, explaining that she had been born as Mingye,
had worked as a simple peasant woman, and had been brought to Nangu because of
her family’s debts, until Cheng-Wei chose her as his concubine and gave her the
name Hong-Hua.
When Guo Ren referred to her
failed engagement to Gao Ping, she declared that she had never truly cared for
the young man, but had instead sought the recognition of Guo Ren himself. She
confessed that she had organized the famous meal in order to prove her worth in
his eyes and not to win anyone else. Finally, she revealed the pain she had felt
when he informed her that she would become a candidate for marriage rather than
his favored companion, admitting that her devotion and feelings had been
genuine and that she had suffered because she had not been given the
opportunity to show him everything she believed she could offer him.
In the Silkworm
Workshop
On the third day after arriving
in Nangu, Guo Ren visited the silkworm workshop alone and met Hong-Hua away
from the eyes of others. Their conversation was brief, and the attraction
between them manifested openly, leading them into intimacy within the workshop
itself. Hong-Hua experienced the moment as deeply personal and symbolic,
connecting it to the transformation of the silkworms she tended each day.
After their encounter ended,
Guo Ren maintained his usual self-control, but before leaving he gave her a
clear instruction to meet him the following day at noon in the isolated hut
behind the hills, the place she had described to him earlier. Once left alone,
Hong-Hua realized that their relationship had entered a new stage and that her
devotion to Guo Ren had now become even deeper. Despite her joy, she also felt
uncertainty, because he had promised her nothing about the future, leaving her
to wonder what place she would ultimately hold in his life and whether her
feelings would ever be fully reciprocated.
The Need to Control All Estates
Guo Ren recalled his father’s
advice to supervise all his estates and the people within them, while during
his stay in Nangu he divided his time between Hong-Hua and the widow Xianglin. His
relationship with the two concubines provided him with renewal and a sense of
power.
After his first encounter with
Hong-Hua, he continued to meet her systematically, at the hut behind the hills,
particularly when Xianglin was indisposed.
In the final days of his stay
in Nangu, he gave greater priority to Hong-Hua. He reflected on whether the
cancellation of her engagement to Gao Ping was due not only to anger but also
to his own desire to keep her close. He remembered Ruo-Si, who had accused him
of not calling off the marriage solely because of Gao Ping’s attitude. Ruo-Si’s
warnings about Hong-Hua’s charm and influence now seemed to be confirmed.
Despite her efforts to stay
away from the center of the estates, Hong-Hua managed to bind him emotionally
to her. Guo Ren spent his last night in Nangu with her, feeling that her
presence in his life was justified. He left Nangu quietly, without promises,
aware that his return would depend primarily on his own desires.
The Three Green Pendants
Guo Ren returns to Luo Jiang,
making stops at estates and at He Ji’s place in order to “wash away” the traces
of his recent romantic experiences. His nine-day arrangements with the three
women have now been completed, and each of them has received him for nine days
or nights. He no longer feels the need to evaluate or rank his relationships;
his bond with the three women has already been defined.
He instructs Wu Xia and Zhang
Qin to travel to Qingshen to purchase three green pendants. Each pendant is
intended for one of the three women: Xianglin, Hong-Hua, and He Ji. The color
of the pendants changes from red to deep green, symbolizing a transition of
possession and reward. The pendants are made of dark jade and are to be worn
around the women’s necks as symbols of connection and designation.
Guo Ren believes that whatever
one possesses must be protected, whatever has value must be rewarded, and
whatever one possesses must also be marked and defined. The gifting of the
pendants functions simultaneously as praise, affirmation, and symbolic
ownership of the women.
The promise and the bond with
the three women are completed through the placing of the pendants, confirming
Guo Ren’s power and authority over his relationships.
PART
ΧΙ
The
Hostage
The
Night of Liberation
PART XI
The Hostage
A year after Yao Guang’s death,
the Du household is closed and strictly organized. Ruo-Si oversees everything
with rigor, without raising her voice. Guo Ren works in the estates, lives
frugally, and avoids amusements, unlike his father’s lifestyle. He travels
constantly, supervising the family’s extensive properties.
In Xiaohe, soldiers under Zhang
Xiazong, led by Wang Hulin, appear. The laborers are captured and bound, with
Guo Ren among them.
Wang Hulin is calculating; he
survives through intelligence and strategy, not bravery. He recognizes Guo Ren
as different and orders him to be kept separate, without violence, offering him
water. Through conversation, Wang Hulin recalls that he knew Guo Ren’s father,
Du Cheng-Wei, and that twenty-five years earlier (1619), he had saved Cheng-Wei
himself in Chengdu, when he was still unmarried.
Wang Hulin examines the
ownership of the estates and the family’s position. Guo Ren explains that the
estates belong to the Du family and that his sister manages the household. Wang
Hulin acknowledges the family’s history and advises Guo Ren to rely on the
family’s woman to ensure survival. His counsel comes with practical
instructions for Guo Ren’s conduct and eventual release from the dangerous
situation.
Wang explains that a “deal”
will be arranged involving silver and grain, so that the Du household and
estates remain unharmed. The agreement includes Guo Ren’s return if his sister
consents, ensuring safety for both him and the family.
The Night of Liberation
( The Third Sexual Union of Ruo-Si with Guo
Ren. This time, the encounter occurs without the use of any
external stimulant or inducement. It is carried out with full awareness and
mutual consent.)
Ruo-Si tends to Guo Ren upon
his return from captivity, expressing her fear of losing him, while a strong
unspoken emotional bond emerges between them. Guo Ren realizes that Ruo-Si is
the woman he both avoids and desires. The question of marriage arises, along
with the possibility of losing her permanently. The tension between them turns
into mutual acknowledgment of love, as they no longer hide behind duties and
roles.
Ruo-Si reveals that since their
return from Nangu, she repeatedly dreams of Guo Ren recognizing her and
bringing her close. The dreams include images of the past, the mansion, and
Luojiang, merging with possible memories. In the dreams, her identity shifts
from Su-Si to an unknown woman from Nangu who ends up in Guo Ren’s household.
He recognizes elements of her stories as unnervingly familiar, unable to
explain them. Ruo-Si confesses that she once asked if he would choose her if
she were a stranger without an identity, revealing her deep fear of rejection.
Gradually, she realizes she was not asking about Su-Si but about herself and
the value of her own choice.
The narratives culminate in a
“dream” where Guo Ren recognizes her as Du Cheng-Wei’s daughter and takes her
to his home, blurring the boundaries of memory and imagination. Guo Ren is
unsettled by the precision of the dreams and the possible coincidences with his
past. Yet, the couple dismisses the distinction between dream and reality as
ultimately irrelevant.
Ruo-Si and Guo Ren come
together in a private and calm setting, unhurried and attentive to each other’s
presence. Their connection is marked by deliberate tenderness, the awareness of
each movement and gesture, and the deepening intimacy built over prior
experiences. Words are minimal; the focus is on mutual attention and shared
sensation, each responding to the other’s cues naturally.
The act is experienced not as a
repetition of physical union, but as a fully conscious exchange of desire and
trust. Both are present in body and mind, exploring the closeness that has
developed between them, and Ruo-Si allows herself to embrace her feelings
without reservation. The experience reinforces their emotional bond and marks a
stage of maturity in their relationship, where desire, awareness, and consent
converge fully.
Afterward, they remain close,
the quiet aftermath filled with a sense of completion, mutual care, and a
deepened understanding of one another. The encounter strengthens the trust and
affection that define their evolving partnership.
Guo Ren gives her the red
necklace, cementing their choice of each other. Their relationship becomes a
love that transcends social bonds and potential kinship, despite the secret
that, if revealed, would nullify any risk of incest. Guo Ren accepts life with
her, while his external life continues with travel, estates, and concurrent
relationships from which he has children. Ruo-Si remains in Luo Jiang as his
constant point of return, in a relationship reminiscent of his parents’ past.
The secret of their non-biological
kinship remains buried and unofficial, while the story concludes with the
recognition that their identities have been irreversibly transformed.
CHARACTERS
Du Cheng-Wei: landowner
(Estates in Luo Jiang, Xiaohe, Bailin, Nangu)
/ 1582: born
/ 1619: unmarried (encounter with Wang Hulin)
/ 1620: marriage (age 38)
/ 1621: birth of Guo Ren
/ 1624: birth of Ruo-Si
/ 1640: Lantern Festival, age 58
/ 1641: dies at 59
Yao Guang: wife (Bailin)
/ 1603: born
/ 1620: marriage (age 17)
/ 1621: birth of Guo Ren (age 18)
/ 1624: birth of Ruo-Si (age 21)
/ 1650: Lantern Festival (age 37)
/ 1641: widow (age 38)
/ 1643: dies at 40
Yin Chen-Lu: her father
Lin Su-Zhen: her mother
Ru-Lin: her younger sister
Xiao-Mei: her younger sister
Guo Ren: son
/ 1621: born
/ 1641: age 20
/ 1643: age 22
/ 1644: age 23
Ruo-Si: daughter
/ 1624: born (3 years younger)
/ 1641: age 17
/ 1643: age 19 (Su-Si)
/ 1644: age 20
Chen Bing: loyal estate
steward
Lao Shu: loyal maidservant
Su Wen-Hao: the enamored grave
robber
/ 1640: age 32, Yao Guang age 37 (Lantern Festival)
/ 1641: age 33 (widowhood of Yao Guang: age 38)
/ 1643: age 35 (funeral of Yao Guang)
Su Yue-Lin: his father, wealthy merchant
Tang Zi-Lan: tall beauty from
Bailin (the rival claimant)
Lao Ning: old healer, midwife, herbalist
(Luo Jiang)
Hui Cheng: itinerant supplier of infants
Sai-Rin: biological mother of Ruo-Si
(Songpan)
Shen Wutai: wealthy horse
merchant, biological father of Ruo-Si (Songpan)
Li Zheng: broker of land purchase proposal
(Nangu)
Huang Shi-De: interested buyer
Huang Yan: first owner of Nangu, childless
Li Shan: estate steward in Nangu (age 35
in 1643), 7 years in post
Wang Liu: first steward of Nangu (his
uncle)
Concubines / Favored
Women of Nangu
Hong-Hua (Red Flame): concubine
Born 1621,
from Shanxi (original name: Mingye)
Named “Hong-Hua” by Cheng-Wei
/ 1639: main concubine during the last two years of Cheng-Wei’s life
(she
was 18; Cheng-Wei was 57)
/ 1643: relationship with Guo Ren (two phases)
same age as Guo Ren
Ling-Lu: green-eyed dark-haired
concubine from Qingshui
/ 1639: arrives at age 18; Cheng-Wei age 57
/ 1641: age 20, unemployed after Cheng-Wei’s death
/ 1643: one encounter with Guo Ren
/ 1643: becomes concubine of the administrative officer
Qing-Ya: small concubine from Xiao-Lin
/ 1637: arrives age 16, Cheng-Wei age 55
/ 1637–1638: Cheng-Wei’s exclusive concubine for 2 years
Later replaced by Hong-Hua and Ling-Lu
/ 1641: age 20, Cheng-Wei dies (age 59)
/ 1643: age 23, concubine of administrative officer
Qin-Ru: concubine given as gift to
senior grain inspector; later married in Suzhou
Piao Yuan: concubine from Zhu-Shan
(under steward Wang Liu, 12 years before 1643 → 1631)
Ren Liang: officer who eloped with her (tragic end, madness)
Other Women / Key Figures
Lin Xue: woman who commits suicide (rape victim)
Lin Ye: her father (rapist)
Gao Ping: suitor of Lin Xue
Wen-Xiu: mother of Gao Ping
Gao Jun: father of Gao Ping
Gao Liang: his younger brother
/ 1643: age 17, relationship with Tan Chunhua (syphilis)
Su Qin: woman in Nangu
Ma Tong: husband (worker)
Ming Zheng (“Bright
Truth”):
recluse/former accountant
/ 1643: age 56, 24 years in Nangu
(he arrived in 1621 in Nangu at the age of 32)
Shen Ziyuan: former identity, judge in Chengdu
Chen Jian: preparer, leaves 1642/1643
Lu Gen: farmer, last house in Nangu
The Administrative
Figure
Wei Jian: his agent
Wei Dao-Lin: supposed father of
agent, imperial salt transport inspector
Shen Yuan: Taoist elder
Fan Xi: old scribe
Workers / Residents of Nangu
Shen Luo: widower worker
Jin Huan: young worker
Yue-Xin: female worker
Xianglin: young widow from
Lanxi
/ concubine of Guo Ren,
relationship 1643
Lanfen: old gossip woman
The Sect “Returnees”
Geng Duo: father, 2 daughters
Geng Xiaoyu: eldest, decisive
Geng Lian: younger, dreamy
Nan Feng: his unfaithful wife
Wu Xia: wealthy woman from Hangzhou
Zhang Qin: her nephew
Peng Lu: Dongjiang village
Wu Jian: stepdaughter
Hu Lan: widow, 27
Hu Yang: deceased husband
(merchant)
Hu Feng-Ren: brother-in-law
Zhao Yin: bandit
Si-Lin: aged concubine,
lover of Zhao Yin
Mei-Hua: concubine, mother of
Zhao Yin
Wang Chu-Li: brothel broker
Zhu Min: landowner in Nangu
Zhu Yan: son
Tan Chunhua: member of sect, “woman of the fields”
/ contracts syphilis (1643)
Sun Shen / Zhou-Xian: sect members leaving
Li Kai: young member, admirer of Ming Zheng
The “Visitor” Lineage
Ouyang Fengyin: visitor lover of Cheng-Wei (1627)
Ouyang Shu: father
Ouyang Yuan: mother
Wang Hulin: commander/interrogator
Places
Xiaohe
Bailin
Luo Jiang (main estate)
Stone Woman Land (40 km from Luo Jiang)
A-Mei warehouses (50 km from Nangu)
Small estate with stone house (30 km from Nangu)
Nangu (120 km from Luo Jiang)
Nambu (city)
Eastern extension: Xing-Shen (“Rising Prosperity”)
υπερσύνδεση
για το κείμενο της νουβέλας:
το δάκρυ του ονείρου 1 σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα
2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
το δάκρυ του ονείρου 2 σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα
2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
το δάκρυ του ονείρου 3 σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα
2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
το δάκρυ του ονείρου 4 σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα
2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
το δάκρυ του ονείρου 5 σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα
2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
υπερσύνδεση
για την Περίληψη
το δάκρυ του ονείρου Περίληψη και Πρόσωπα
σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα 2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
υπερσύνδεση
για τα Σχόλια επί του κειμένου
το δάκρυ του ονείρου Σχόλια 1 Κοινωνική Σκέψη
σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα 2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
το δάκρυ του ονείρου Σχόλια 2 Κοινωνική Σκέψη
σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα 2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
το δάκρυ του ονείρου Σχόλια 3 Κοινωνική Σκέψη
σκηνογραφημένη νουβέλα 2026 τεχνητή Πεζογραφία
Λόγος Έμφρων
[ ανάρτηση 10 Ιουνίου2026 :
The Tear of the Dream
Synopsis in English
A Staged Novella 2026
Artificial Prose
]