Chapter 3

Over the course of a century, the Mu clan had grown increasingly powerful. The Mu residence had taken root in Yunnan like a towering tree. Not only did the descendants of the Mu family inherit the title of Duke from generation to generation, but they also shared political authority with the provincial governor and held real military power. At one point, their influence even surpassed that of the Yunnan Provincial Administration Commission, the Provincial Surveillance Commission, and the Regional Military Commission. Together with the governor of Yunnan, these positions represented the highest authority in the region. Thus, during the Jiajing era, the Mu family had become an immensely wealthy and virtually unshakable aristocratic clan. The current Duke of the State, Mu Chaofu, was the legitimate eldest son. Although he was somewhat weak by nature, his noble status meant that he naturally inherited the title at the age of eleven. He had now held the title for ten years. On the third day of the second month of the twenty-fifth year of the Jiajing era, joy filled the entire city of Kunming. A magnificent wedding procession stretched for miles, with red decorations covering the streets as the crowd slowly followed it toward the Mu family's Liuying Villa. The peonies embroidered on the red silk made the entire street seem dazzling with color. Even the blooming weeping crabapple flowers fluttering through the city seemed to lose their usual splendor. On a nearby rooftop, a young man of about sixteen or seventeen lay half-reclined in a fitted outfit. He casually tossed a thumb-sized jade carving of a crabapple flower between his fingers, lazily propping himself up as he listened to the conversations of the tea-house patrons on the second floor. "Hey, which young lady is the second son of the Mu family marrying?" "The Mu family are founding heroes of the Great Ming and hereditary dukes, so their status is extraordinarily noble. When the eldest son, Mu Chaofu, inherited the title, he married a noble lady from the Chen family." "Although the second young master, Mu Chaobi, is only a son of a concubine, his future wife must surely be a noble lady as well." "Ah, I heard that his bride is the daughter of the Zhang family, a prominent clan from Lin'an Prefecture!" "Oh my! Then she must be a true beauty. How enviable!" As the tea-house patrons exclaimed in admiration, they all leaned over the railing and craned their necks to watch the wedding procession below. On the rooftop, the young man dressed as a teenage boy lowered his eyes toward the groom at the front of the procession, sitting proudly atop a tall horse. Mu Chaobi looked handsome and dashing as he approached from afar. The young man’s fingers, which had been casually tossing the jade crabapple, suddenly stopped. The corner of his lips tilted slightly. He lowered his eyes and refused to look at the sea of red decorations any longer. Then he turned around, leaped down from the other side of the tea house, and disappeared into a quiet alley beneath the moon. Mu Chaobi seemed to sense a gaze coming from above. He hurriedly looked up. All he saw was a pale pink crabapple petal drifting on the wind and gently landing on the roof tiles. There was no one there. "Ah Yuan..." Only after the two words escaped his lips did Mu Chaobi realize that his sudden stop had caused the procession behind him to block the middle of the street. He quickly came to his senses. After steadying himself, he looked around several times before burying the complicated thoughts in his heart and continuing toward the Mu family's Liuying Villa. After climbing down from the rooftop, Ah Yuan clasped his hands behind his back. He lowered his eyes and walked along, staring at the gray bricks beneath his feet. His steps were somewhat heavy as he headed toward the end of the alley. Lost in thought, he accidentally collided with someone walking toward him. "Excuse me, young man." Ah Yuan looked up and realized that he had bumped into a thin, ragged old Taoist priest. "Sorry." "That's all right." Ah Yuan intended to walk around the Taoist and leave, but the old priest suddenly raised his hand and blocked his path. As he moved, his clothes carried with them a strong, sour smell of alcohol. Ah Yuan frowned slightly, covered his nose, and took a step backward. The old Taoist stroked his greasy beard. "Young sir, I see that you have the appearance of someone surrounded by romantic troubles, yet your heart is restless. Your emotions seem tangled, and there is a hidden disturbance between you and matters of love and marriage. Your eyes also lack spirit. If this is not resolved, you may spend your entire life drifting aimlessly." "At best, you may struggle to find a suitable match. At worst, you may not meet a peaceful end." "Why don't you let this poor Taoist take your fortune and see if there is a way to resolve it?" "Thank you for your kindness, Daoist, but I believe in Buddhism." As soon as Ah Yuan finished speaking, he tried to walk around him. But the Taoist refused to give up. He quickly stepped forward and blocked Ah Yuan's path again. "Ah, young sir, you don't understand! Buddhism and Taoism ultimately share the same purpose—they both seek to save people from suffering!" "As the saying goes, one cultivates through Buddhism and advances through Taoism!" "Those troubles caused by love and fate in this life—how could they possibly be solved by the Buddha alone?" "Ah!" "Only my Taoist path can guide you safely across that sea of suffering!" A trace of displeasure flashed across Ah Yuan's brows. He frowned slightly and raised one eyebrow. With one hand, he hooked the silk thread attached to the jade crabapple and spun the ornament around his index finger. His other hand rested on his waist. "Daoist, I left home in a hurry today and didn't bring any money. How could I possibly let you tell my fortune and resolve my troubles for free?" The old Taoist immediately realized that Ah Yuan had taken the bait. He stroked his beard, his shifty eyes flashing with excitement. His head unconsciously followed the jade ornament spinning around Ah Yuan's finger. "Eh?" "This jade is wonderfully clear, with a beautiful green hue!" "The craftsmanship is exquisite. It should be worth enough to cover a month or two of food and wine, wouldn't you say?" "Our Taoist teachings speak of forming connections through fate!" "If you don't have any silver or copper coins, you can give me an object instead. Consider it a token of the fate that brought the two of us together today!" Only then did Ah Yuan realize that the Taoist had been hinting at something. In the end, the old man simply wanted a little money. Besides, the jade crabapple no longer held much meaning for Ah Yuan. There was no reason to keep it. With that thought, Ah Yuan flicked his wrist and tossed the jade crabapple toward the Taoist. The old Taoist's eyes lit up. He caught it immediately. Taking a closer look, he confirmed that the jade was indeed a fine piece. Although his face was filled with delight, he was already thinking about what flattering words he could use to make his generous patron happy. Before he could say anything, Ah Yuan spoke calmly. "Daoist, how are you planning to read my fortune?" The Taoist hurriedly tucked the jade crabapple into his robes. Then he stroked his shiny little goatee and put on a solemn expression. "Young sir, could you extend your hand and let this poor Taoist examine your palm to determine your life's fortune?" "Ah, for young men and women of sixteen or seventeen, what troubles could there possibly be other than matters of love?" "I'll simply say a few profound-sounding words, and in the end, I'll add that 'heaven's secrets cannot be revealed.' That should be enough to send him on his way." The Taoist chuckled inwardly. He was already an experienced charlatan. He deliberately put on an air of mystery, swayed his head, and gestured for Ah Yuan to extend his hand.