Side Story Three (Mu Xiangming)

After a day of lessons, the sun dipped behind the mountain ridge, bathing the village in a golden glow. The herdsmen were leading their cattle back home, and the farmers carried yokes and wooden buckets as they hurried along. Everyone was eager to return to their families.

Two people, who were never meant to meet, found themselves crossing paths in this romantic twilight moment.

Lin He stepped out of the schoolhouse and headed homeward when a familiar voice called from behind.

“Lin He!”

It was Mu Xiangming. Lin He stopped and turned to see her running toward him. She came up beside him and tugged at the sack slung over her shoulder, which held her books.

“Where is your home?” Mu Xiangming panted, clearly tired.

“Just past those rice fields over there,” Lin He said, pointing behind him.

Mu Xiangming looked toward the direction he indicated. She knew that beyond the fields lay a dense, towering forest. “I’ve been there before. My eldest aunt often sends me to cut fodder for the cattle there.”

“Really? That’s a forest. No one lives there except my family.”

“Is that so? May I come to your house to visit?” Mu Xiangming asked without hesitation, as if she had long intended to say it.

Lin He was a little shocked but didn’t hesitate in his reply: “No, your family would worry about you.”

Mu Xiangming lowered her head. “My eldest aunt wouldn’t worry. My mother and father have passed away. I want to see your parents because I know you’re not a bad person—you’re as kind as Teacher Tao.”

Lin He was at a loss for words. He felt sorry for Mu Xiangming. He nodded slightly. “Alright... I’ll take you to my home.”

Mu Xiangming brightened. “Don’t worry, Lin He. I’ll just look around and then come back!”

Together, they walked away under the setting sun.

“Why does your family live inside the forest?”

“I don’t know. I was born there!” They crossed a vast wheat field and entered the tall woods.

“We’re home!”

The golden forest had dimmed now, and faint amber light glowed from the windows. Smoke curled thickly from the chimney.

“Wait here for me. I’ll go inside first.”

Mu Xiangming nodded. “Okay.”

Lin He opened the door. “Mother! I’m home!”

He Yu Yun, busy preparing the meal, quickly put down her work and came over.

“Didn’t you wait for your father to pick you up again?” she said, stroking Lin He’s head.

Lin He smiled. “Mother! I brought a friend with me!”

He Yu Yun looked puzzled. “So late, where is your friend?”

Lin He glanced toward the courtyard. “Outside.”

He Yu Yun peered out the window and saw a little girl standing there with a sack on her shoulder.

She immediately put down her cloth.

“Lin He! Quickly bring your mother to meet your friend!”

Mu Xiangming stood outside and, upon seeing Lin He emerge, quickly tidied her hair.

He Yu Yun looked at the girl—her hair was loose, her frame extremely thin. She wore a thin hemp garment patched in several places, and her straw sandals were fraying. A faint stench of cow dung clung to her.

Mu Xiangming was the first to speak. “Auntie,” she said, bowing respectfully.

He Yu Yun hurried to lift her up, filled with pity. In a country free from disaster or hardship, such a frail child still existed.

Her eyes full of compassion, He Yu Yun said, “It’s so late. Wouldn’t your family be worried?”

Mu Xiangming shook her head. “My mother and father are dead. My eldest aunt doesn’t worry about me.”

Hearing this, He Yu Yun’s sympathy deepened. She didn’t ask further, only stroked the girl’s head, her voice choked as she said, “Come inside quickly. Auntie will make you something to eat.” She took the sack from Mu Xiangming’s shoulder and led them indoors.

Lin He and Mu Xiangming sat together at the dining table.

Mu Xiangming said, “Your mother is so beautiful!”

Lin He replied, “Thank you.”

He Yu Yun placed dishes on the table and said, “Xiangming, tell me if the food tastes good.”

Mu Xiangming looked at the dishes. “Auntie, I only need a bit of coarse bread tonight.”

The girl’s maturity touched He Yu Yun’s heart deeply. “It’s alright, Xiangming. Here, you’ll eat well. Auntie’s home has food for you.”

The door suddenly opened, and Lin Zhongcheng returned. He took off his rain hat, holding a book in his left hand, and noticed the girl’s presence.

He Yu Yun led her husband outside without waiting for him to speak.

“This little girl came with Lin He. She looks pitiful, so I invited her to share a meal.”

Lin Zhongcheng looked inside. The girl sat quietly on a stool, eyes fixed on the dishes but not touching her chopsticks.

“Are you sure there’s no problem?”

He Yu Yun shook her head. “I can tell she’s truly in need.”

Lin Zhongcheng nodded. “Alright. After she eats, I’ll take her home.”

They reentered the house. Lin Zhongcheng brought in a chair, and the four of them sat down to eat, appearing like a family of four.

He Yu Yun served the girl some food. Mu Xiangming ate the rice heartily but left the vegetables untouched. No grain of rice fell to the floor. He Yu Yun’s heart ached once more.

“Xiangming, why did your aunt want you to study?” Lin Zhongcheng asked.

Mu Xiangming swallowed quickly. “It was Teacher Tao. He said girls can also go to school and gave my aunt money.” She lowered her voice when mentioning the money.

At that moment, a loud shout came from outside.

“Brat! Are you inside there?”

The shout startled Lin He so much he dropped his food. Mu Xiangming panicked, quickly putting down her bowl. “That’s my aunt. I have to go!” She reached for her bag but was held back by He Yu Yun.

“Xiangming, finish your meal. Auntie will take you home after.”

He Yu Yun looked at her husband, and Lin Zhongcheng set down his bowl and opened the door.

A woman stood in the courtyard holding an oil lamp. Seeing someone come out, she began walking toward the house.

“Lin’er, serve some of Xiangming’s favorite dishes. I’m going out to take a look.”

“Okay, Mother!”

The woman approached Lin Zhongcheng. She wore a floral cloth dress, her figure slightly plump. Her hair was pinned up with a hairpin, and she wore clean cloth shoes. Her thick eyebrows gave her a fierce look.

He Yu Yun stepped forward. The woman, seeing her niece, immediately cursed harshly, “You wild child! So shameless at such a young age!” Her voice was loud and showed no regard for those present.

Mu Xiangming was terrified and lowered her head. She didn’t eat the food Lin He offered.

Seeing that the two men were not villagers and dressed unlike rural folk, the woman’s expression changed. Her eyes narrowed almost to slits. “You two must be officials! I heard the village saying my niece came here with a boy, so I found this place.”

He Yu Yun nodded. “Yes, my son brought her here for dinner.”

The woman’s body sagged. “Ah, my niece really has a tough life!” She lamented, “Her parents died two years ago, leaving her nothing. I’ve been raising her, and with five other children at home, it’s truly been hard on me!” She wiped her eyes.

Lin Zhongcheng said to the woman, “If she ever lacks food, let her come to us.”

The woman, seeing no chance to swindle money, looked disgusted. “Fine! She’s got a lucky fate. Sooner or later, she’ll be sold anyway!” Angry, she turned and left without a glance at Mu Xiangming.

The couple said nothing, watching the lamp’s light shrink until it vanished into the woods. Lin Zhongcheng finally spoke:

“Yu’er, I know you want to take that girl in...”

He Yu Yun replied after a long pause:

“My health declines with each year. In a few years, my strength will be completely gone. When that time comes, I might not even be able to protect Lin’er...”

Chapter Six: The Plan

One morning, He Yu Yun donned simple clothes and returned to the village. This was her second visit to find Tao Zhiming, a decision she had planned for a long time—one that would alter Lin He’s life forever.

Guided by villagers, she arrived at a low house where Mr. Tao was seated by the door, writing. A three-foot wooden table stood before him. His posture was impeccable, the brush dipped in ink without smudging the paper. His strokes flowed like a soaring dragon, full of vigor and elegance—strict yet graceful.

He Yu Yun admired the calligraphy. “Objects are guided by the heart; joy and sorrow follow. Emotions serve the heart; love and hate arise. The heart governs the person; stillness and movement interplay. The person supports objects; life and death proceed. Stop ink...”

Tao Zhiming was one of the four renowned scholarly families in the nation. Not only was he a master poet, but his brushwork was a model of calligraphy, embodying both strength and freedom.

He Yu Yun praised, “Objects are ruled by the heart, the brush by the character, and the character by the heart. Such exquisite writing and a fine brush!”

Tao smiled, standing. “Who would have thought that kindred spirits meet anywhere!”

He Yu Yun smiled in return. “A woman dares not call herself your equal in spirit.”

Tao put down the brush. “Come in and speak freely...”

The room was simple: a single wooden bed, a wardrobe, and a table. Tao poured tea for He Yu Yun.

Sitting by the tea table, she began: “Ten years ago, when I was about to ascend to the ninth heaven, I left my master to assassinate the tyrant Emperor Zhong Tai. Though politics improved, the royal bloodline remained, and the root problem was unsolved. After Prince Zhong took the throne, to avoid causing trouble for my master, my husband and I hid our identities here...”

Time passed slowly; her tea cooled and warmed repeatedly.

“Because of my recklessness and foolishness back then, my master was implicated. I have no face to meet him, so I beg you to take Lin He to him.”

After she finished, Tao took a long sip of tea and said earnestly:

“He often spoke of you to me. You have a heart for the nation and its people, a hero who removes harm. Being his disciple, if I live to see that day, I will serve in my remaining years.”

He Yu Yun was deeply grateful. She rose and bowed deeply, handing over a letter and a pouch of silver.

“This is a letter to my master. Please accept this silver as our family’s gratitude.”

Tao took the letter but gently pushed the silver pouch back. After tucking the letter into his robe, he slowly stood and walked to the door.

“What is greatness? A heart for the country and the people. Whether you succeed or not, you are great in my eyes. I am no spiritual cultivator and do not understand your realm, but I know that true heroes serve their nation and people.”

That same day, Lin Zhongcheng visited Mu Xiangming’s aunt’s house. The woman was both delighted and surprised to see him. Her niece had been missing for days, but she hadn’t mentioned a word.

“Our Xianger is truly lucky! She will be rich and noble someday. Just don’t forget your poor aunt!”

Lin Zhongcheng handed her a pouch of copper coins. She trembled, hardly believing it. Her thick eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

“Her clothes and belongings are in the back room. You can go get them.” With that, she hurried toward the city.

Lin Zhongcheng entered the back room. Straw was simply laid on the floor as a bed, right beside the cattle pen. The ground was damp. He could hardly imagine this was where the girl slept.

He took nothing with him. Having seen so much darkness, he still could not accept the cruelty of humanity.

As the sun set, the two met at their usual place.

“How did it go?”

“Mr. Tao is a noble man with a heart for the nation and its people. He is very willing to help us.”

“In that case, it’s heaven’s last gift. With that girl’s talent, she could reach your level in two years. That will be a great help to Lin’er.”

“Let’s head back.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Back home, Lin He and Mu Xiangming studied together in the courtyard. They moved a table outside and discussed their books.

He Yu Yun felt a deep sense of comfort.

The two children ran inside.

“Father! Mother!”

Lin Zhongcheng lifted Lin’er in his arms.

“How is your learning with Xiangming?”

“Mu Xiangming memorizes so fast! I haven’t even finished half, and she’s done it all!”

“Auntie, Uncle!” He Yu Yun smiled. “Xiangming, from now on you truly live with us. Will you miss home?”

Mu Xiangming shook her head. “No, Auntie. My home was torn down by villagers. You take care of me—that is my home now!”

He Yu Yun raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Then what should you call me?”

Xiangming answered immediately, “You said I should call you Mother!”

He Yu Yun stroked her head. “Just call me Auntie.”

“Aunt…ie…”