Ballad of the Desert

Chapter 10: Assassination

I knock on the door, asking where Jiu Ye is? Xiao Feng tells me Jiu Ye is arranging his books in the study, and no one is allowed inside so I should wait outside for him. I ignore him and walk towards the study, which is the first time I've been there despite being familiar with the Bamboo Residence. The study is enormous and filled with shelves of books. Jiu Ye is arranging books, so I purposely walk loudly. He hears me and smiles, inviting me inside. He tells me to sit, he'll be done soon. I make a face at Xiao Feng.

I curiously look at the books, asking if he's read it all. He answers that he has flipped through most of them. I assess all the books, ranging from philosophy texts to tactical manuals. I see another shelf with only one book, and then some sheafs of paper. I see the paper is all covered with Jiu Ye's handwriting, and it discusses war strategy for conquering or protecting a city, how the philosopher Mo Zi lamented how the strong countries attacked the weak, and some more writing on how make weapons and how to keep warm in winter.

Another shelf has only medical journals. One book, with Jiu Ye's note on the side, is an anatomy text that also discusses male-female relations. My face flames and I drop the book, wondering why he's reading it. He asks me if I read it, and I tell him with a red face that I glanced at it before but burned it afterwards. He looks confused and I realize he's pointing to another book I am holding, which is in a writing I can't read. I am so embarrassed I want to crawl into a hole. I try to explain I don't understand this but wanted to study it because I was curious. I'm nervous and babbling, and I can tell he's trying to control his laughter. He finally gives up and leans back on his wheelchair and starts to guffaw.

My embarrassment gives way to happiness at hearing his laugh, and he's just so amused at seeing how his casual question caused me to lose my famous cool. I confirm that those books are not in the Han language. He nods, and asks why I'm not probing any further. I tell him "You never probed into my life with the wolves. Why I was born in the Xi Yu but spoke perfect Han, but couldn't speak any of the Xi Yu languages. Everyone has things that are hard to explain. If you want to tell me one day, I will gladly sit besides you and listen. If you don't want to tell me, I won't probe. Someone once told me that he only knows the me in his eyes. I also feel the same way, I only know the you in my eyes."

He answers that he doesn't even know where to start, so I assure him that I will always be on his side. He asks why I'm here and I explain I had the day free and wanted to come see him....and Xiao Feng. I suddenly notice a intricate crutch standing against the wall. Does he use it? I've never seen him on crutches before.

As we walk out of the study, the door automatically closes and doesn't open again, showing that the contraptions are not just for his ease of use, but designed by him to control who can access places within the Bamboo Residence. He explains that he's heading out in a bit so I excuse myself. Instead he invites me along, to go visit some farms outside the city, where I can try some fresh fruit straight from the trees. I happily nod.

Shi Buo drives the carriage himself and is told I'm not going back to Luo Yu Fan and will instead be coming along to visit the farm. Shi Buo appears to want to say something but doesn't, just getting the carriage on the road. As the carriage enters the woods, there is suddenly the sound of horse hooves chasing us. I instinctively grab my silk sash with the gold bells on the ends. Jiu Ye just smiles and shakes his head, indicating that I needn't worry.

The horses and riders pass us by but Shi Buo knows they are just pretending. His horse whip comes down and their horses topple, sending the two men flying to the ground. They immediately attack Shi Buo but are quickly disarmed. The two men notice Shi Buo's custom made horse whip and their expression changes from rage to stunned shock. They start talking to Shi Buo and kneeling before him. Shi Buo asks the kneeling man a question, which causes Jiu Ye's smile to disappear. He orders the man to repeat what he just said in Han for me.

The man quickly explains "We were not following the Shi Estate carriage, and had no intention of harming anyone on the Shi Estate. We were hired to track the head of Luo Yu House and assassinate her." He kept bowing to Shi Buo "We really didn't know you are from the Shi Estate, and that the young lady is friends with the Big Boss. If we knew, an entire mountain of gold and we would not accepted this assignment."

I ask in shock "Who hired you?"The man refuses to answer, abiding by the code of the assassins not to reveal their client. Shi Buo explains I will never get the answer from them. I tell Shi Buo to let them go, and he does after Jiu Ye also tells him to do so. The two men promise to never divulge what happened here today, swearing an oath that I know is the most deadly oath for any traveler in the Gobi Desert.

When walking away, one man runs back and kneels tearfully in front of Jiu Ye "I did not know this young lady is the young master's person. I almost betrayed the grace you bestowed. I am no better than a pig or a dog" and tries to kill himself. Jiu Ye uses his bow to shoot the sword out of the man's hand and tells him that he mistook Jiu Ye for someone else. Jiu Ye never bestowed any grace on him before.

I'm still stuck on the sentence "this young lady is the young master's person" and suddenly think these two guys are not bad at all. The two men know they did not make a mistake, since Shi Buo is personally guarding Jiu Ye. They discuss how their entire family has been graced by Jiu Ye's benefaction and they continue to bow until their foreheads are bloody. I tell them to scram if they feel gratitude and not try to kill themselves, leaving us with two corpses to take care of. And in a steely voice, I tell them both they made a mistake in identifying Jiu Ye, and they finally get my drift and quickly promise to return to Xi Yu and never speak of today ever again.

Continuing on our way, I wonder who hired these assassins, and did Mu Da Duo reveal I was alive. Was my life going to be in danger again? I tell Jiu Ye that I haven't made any enemies in Xi Yu, and the only person who could do this can easily send his own men to kill me, so why use assassins. Shi Buo offers to find out more about this, but I tell him it's not necessary. If its someone else I can handle it, if its that person, there is nothing I can do.

We arrive at the farm, which is vast and lifts my spirits, reminding me that my life is within my own control. No one can try and take it away from me. I can see Shi Buo is intending something, and I pull him aside to remind him to let those two assassins go as per Jiu Ye's orders. I run back to the farm and happily try to identify all the vegetables growing in the field. Jiu Ye finishes his meeting and joins me, teasing that I look like a farm girl.

I walk with Jiu Ye along the field, the sun slowly setting, and the mood reminds me of the saying that "men farm and women sew", and how people find happiness in living a simple life.

I sneak a peek at Jiu Ye, and to my surprise, he's also looking at me. Our eyes meet and his face suddenly reddens, and he quickly turns away. It's the first time I've seen him red-faced and stare at him, His wheelchair moves faster and finally he asks me "What are you looking at." I tease him "Looking at you!" but when I say this his is just speechless, leaving me berating myself for making a mess of the situation again. He finally laughs and shakes his head "You really were raised in Xi Yu," and I respond "I'm already much better, back then I would say anything I wanted."

...............................

After I get home, I take out a cloth and write down my thoughts. I see that Jiu Ye enjoys reading the scholars who extol peace for the common people over nationalistic expansion. Especially Mo Zi, who spent his life for the people, and trying to convince the smaller countries to band together to oppose the hegemonies. So does Jiu Ye want to oppose the Han dynasty? I can see that he's conflicted and torn, and that his background is clearly not as simple it appears on the surface.

I tell Hong Gu to hire m a teacher on the old scholars, especially Mo Zi, for me to learn. The teacher won't come teach at the dancing house so I go and listen to his lecture, leaving me with much food for thought. When I return, Hong Gu excitedly tells me that the Princess sent lots of reward today because Li......has become Consort Li. Soon Consort Li might be sending gifts as well.

Hong Gu sighs that Li Yan is truly something, having only entered the Palace last Fall and already she's become Consort Li, second only to Empress Wei. My attention is caught by the Lover's Vines, where tiny white flowers are sprouting. I clap my forehead and ask if the Emperor has dispatched an army recently. Hong Gu looks confused, which gives me relief that the army likely hasn't left yet for war. I tell Hong Gu to catalogue all the gifts and keep only what she likes, the rest will be sold for a good price now before one day we are in need of money and sell it for cheap.