Chapter Thirty-One: He Family Village

Outside Husun County lay a tranquil village, where every resident bore the surname He, and so it was named He Family Village. The headman of the village was also the patriarch of the He clan. Due to his advanced age and esteemed seniority, the villagers called him Old Master He. “Rare are those who live to seventy,” as the saying goes, and today happened to be Old Master He's seventieth birthday. The entire village gathered to celebrate, filling He Family Village with a liveliness it had not known before.

Shortly after noon, a carriage arrived at the entrance of the village, traveling until it stopped before Old Master He's residence. The coachman tied the horse beneath a tree at the door, and then two young women and a child alighted from the carriage. One of the women was about fourteen or fifteen, petite and charming; the other was seventeen or eighteen, graceful and refined. The child, though his face was round, was nonetheless adorable and handsome. The villagers had never seen such remarkable figures and stopped to watch, while the younger men could not tear their eyes away from the two young women.

He You, Old Master He's eldest son, was a distinguished middle-aged man, and he immediately recognized the visitors. He sent a younger member of the family to inform Old Master He, then greeted them with delight. "Lady Fourth, I never expected you would honor us with your presence! Our humble home is truly blessed by your arrival!"

The younger girl laughed, "Uncle He, you're too polite! Old Master He is my benefactor, and since today is his seventieth birthday, how could I not come to offer my congratulations?"

He You nodded with a smile, then glanced at the woman and child beside her. "Lady Fourth, may I ask who these two are?"

"Oh, I forgot to introduce them! This is my friend, Miss Zhou, and this little fellow is my fifth brother, Cui Ye. You and Old Master He have met him at my home before, but he’s grown so quickly, you might not recognize him. Today, they're accompanying me to celebrate Old Master He's birthday."

"Ah, so it’s Miss Zhou and Young Master Cui! Forgive my oversight! Please, all of you, don’t stand outside—come in!"

They nodded and followed He You inside. The young men of the village, seeing the two women enter, reluctantly trailed after, but were stopped by Old Master He's second son, He Ping. "Go on, you lads! Don't be rude to our honored guests!"

One young man laughed, "Second Uncle, they're just two girls and a child. What sort of honored guests are they? Let us in for a look, it won’t cost you anything!"

He Ping replied, "What do you know? Lady Fourth and Young Master Cui are the children of Magistrate Cui of Husun County, not ordinary folk. Don't speak nonsense!"

"Pfft, so they're from a magistrate’s family—what’s so special about that? My maternal uncle is a Commandant in Central Zhou!"

"What's your uncle’s surname?"

"Jiang, why?"

"Jiang? But they’re Cui! You can't compare!" With that, He Ping chuckled and waved the young men away.

In no time, Cui Yu, Zhou Hongxian, and Cui Ye entered and met Old Master He. Zhou Hongxian observed that though Old Master He was seventy, and his hair was white, his complexion was radiant—clearly a healthy man. His presence reminded her of the old fox master Tu Shan Ke in his transformed state.

Yet Old Master He was not aloof or eccentric like the fox elder, but rather a kindly old man. Owing to his age, he was sitting in the hall warming himself by the fire, attended by two granddaughters who massaged his back. Upon seeing Cui Yu, he rose to greet her personally.

Zhou Hongxian had learned from Cui Yu that Old Master He was the most renowned physician in Husun County. Years ago, Cui Yu had nearly died of a grave illness, but it was Old Master He’s skill that saved her from the brink of death. Thus, a bond of gratitude was formed, and every year she sent him gifts. This year, for his seventieth birthday, she decided to visit him in person.

At this moment, Cui Yu smiled and said, "Old Master He, my father is busy with official duties and couldn’t come himself, so my sister Zhou and little fifth brother accompany me to wish you longevity. I hope you'll forgive us!"

Old Master He knew this was merely courtesy, and that Cui Yu’s visit was her own idea. He laughed, "Lady Fourth, you overstate it. Your presence here to celebrate my birthday is the greatest honor. If I were to trouble Magistrate Cui himself, it would truly be too much!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Cui Yu presented her gift—a set of deer antlers, valuable and symbolizing prosperity—which Old Master He gladly accepted. He Family Village was over thirty li from Husun County, and the banquet would not begin until dusk. Returning home the same night was unlikely, so Old Master He instructed his family to prepare guest rooms.

When allocating rooms, however, a minor complication arose. Many relatives had come from afar, and only two proper guest rooms remained. The coachman could squeeze in with one of Old Master He's unmarried grandsons, but Cui Yu, Cui Ye, and Zhou Hongxian faced a dilemma.

Cui Yu was unconcerned. "When traveling, inconveniences are inevitable! Sister Zhou, why don’t we share a room tonight?"

Zhou Hongxian quickly protested, "No, that won’t do! I snore and kick the covers in my sleep—you wouldn’t rest well. Why not share with little fifth brother?"

In truth, Zhou Hongxian feared her identity might be discovered, and Cui Yu was a beautiful and well-developed young woman. Sharing a bed could lead to accidental contact, and she worried she might lose control and become a beast, even though her former ferocity had been taken away. Moreover, Cui Yu was so young, reminiscent of schoolgirls from her previous life, which challenged her moral boundaries.

But Cui Yu insisted, "No, Sister Zhou! Little fifth brother is a boy, and even though I’m his sister, I can’t share a bed with him. Even if you’re restless, I’ll sleep with you!"

Cui Ye solemnly added, "Sister Zhou, men and women should keep their distance. I can’t share a room with Fourth Sister!"

Zhou Hongxian thought, You two are just children—what does it matter? But unable to prevail, she settled for sharing a bed but not a blanket with Cui Yu, who found it odd but agreed.

To pass the time before dusk, the three took turns playing chess. When Zhou Hongxian played against Cui Yu, she finally asked, "Lady Fourth, last night I asked about your family's occupation, and you told me your father was a merchant. Why did you say that?"

Cui Yu, pondering her next move, replied absentmindedly, "Did I say that last night?"

Zhou Hongxian murmured, "You don’t remember your own words? Today I learned your father is Magistrate Cui of Husun County. Why did you deceive me?"

Cui Yu looked up and smiled, "Sister Zhou, it didn’t matter. Did you feel uncomfortable staying at my house last night? I said that so you wouldn’t be afraid to visit if you knew I was the magistrate’s daughter. From the moment I first saw you, I liked you and wanted to be your friend."

"You like me?" Zhou Hongxian was taken aback, looking into Cui Yu’s clear, limpid eyes, and realized she had misunderstood. Flustered, she asked, "Lady Fourth, we’re mere acquaintances—what is there to like about me?"

Cui Yu giggled, "I like your beauty, Sister! I am naturally drawn to attractive people, male or female. It's probably inherited from my mother. You know, my father was quite handsome when he was young!"

Cui Ye nodded, "Yes, that's true! I resemble Mother and Fourth Sister, and I like Sister Zhou too!"

Zhou Hongxian was speechless. So your whole family worships beauty—if I looked as plain as in my previous life, you wouldn’t even speak to me? The thought left her feeling disappointed.

Cui Yu keenly sensed Zhou Hongxian’s mood. "Sister Zhou, why are you unhappy? Are you feeling lonely again?"

Zhou Hongxian smiled faintly, "No."

"Don’t force yourself to smile, Sister! Remember what I told you this morning? Stay at my home, and I’ll ask my mother to find you a handsome and devoted husband, so your life will be full of joy!"

This remark made Zhou Hongxian cough, and Cui Ye suddenly said, "Fourth Sister, I think Brother Ziping would be suitable—why not introduce him to Sister Zhou?"

"Yes, why didn’t I think of that?" Cui Yu’s eyes brightened, then she shook her head. "No, Brother Ziping is married, though his wife has been missing for years. He refuses to remarry, showing his loyalty, but that wouldn’t be fair to Sister Zhou!"

Cui Ye muttered, "Didn’t you say to find someone devoted?"

Cui Yu tapped his head, "Silly, devotion should be to Sister Zhou, not someone else!"

Cui Ye lowered his head, "You’re right—I didn’t think of that!"

"That’s because you’re still young!"

Listening to the siblings’ exchange, Zhou Hongxian was drenched in cold sweat—so precocious for their age! She thought back to her previous life, over twenty years without a single romance, and felt embarrassed. Still, no matter what, she couldn’t imagine herself loving a man.

As dusk neared, in a dense forest, a young man hurried along, moving swiftly as if pressed for time. He muttered, "Today is Grandfather’s seventieth birthday—I must hurry home, or risk his anger and my father’s scolding!" (Note: In the Tang Dynasty, "Grandfather" referred to both paternal and maternal grandfathers.)

Suddenly, he felt the urge to relieve himself. Seeing no one around, he loosened his trousers and urinated into the roadside grass. The stream scattered the grass, and he exclaimed softly, as if discovering something. After finishing, he found a stick and gently pushed aside the grass. What he saw startled him—a tombstone lay among the grass, its surface soaked by his urine.

The tombstone was ancient, its inscriptions nearly unreadable. Only the establishment date remained, weathered but visible: "Erected in the twenty-first year of Taihe, Great Wei."

The young man had studied history and knew Taihe was the reign title of Emperor Tuoba Hong of Northern Wei, dating back over a hundred years. A chill wind blew, making him shiver. He hurriedly bowed before the tombstone. "I didn’t know your grave was here, forgive my disrespect, please don’t hold it against me!" After bowing several times in fear, he turned and ran.

By then, the sun was almost set. The forest behind him was silent and dark, as if opening a great maw in his wake.