A’qing stood up. Her face was stained by tears, but her eyes was happy. “Fan Li, you won’t let them eat Old White?”

Fan Li said, “Of course not. That’s your Old White. No one is permitted to eat him.”

A’qing sighed, “You are nice. I always hate to let other people kill my goats so they can eat the meat, but mother said that unless we sell our goat, we will not have money for rice.”

Fan Li said, “From today on, I will ask people to send your mother rice and good clothes. You don’t have to sell your goats anymore.”

A’qing became happy and embraced Fan Li, “You are a good man.”

Fan Li held her hand, afraid that she might disappear like some immortal from legend. The goats followed them back to his mansion.

As A’qing herded her goats into the mansion she said, “Your house is so large! How can you live here alone?”

Fan Li smiled, “Yes, I think this house is too big for me. Why don’t you come live here with your mother? Who else do you have in your family?”

A’qing said, “Just me and my mom. I don’t know if my mom wants to come. She always says that I shouldn’t talk to strange man, but you are a good man. You won’t harm us.”

Fan Li told A’qing to leave the goats in the garden and ordered his servants to pick out the best snacks for A’qing. The servants watched in shock as the goats devoured the expensive flowers in the garden. They were even more shocked when they observed their master watching the destruction with a happy smile. A’qing ate the pastries and drank the tea. Fan Li talked with and discovered that she’s innocent of the intrigues of the world. Finally he asked, “A’qing, who taught you sword skills?”

A’qing’s large, clear eyes opened wider and said, “Sword skill? No one ever taught me anything.”

Fan Li said, “The way you used that bamboo stick. That’s sword skill. Who taught that?”

A’qing shook her head, “No one. I always knew how to play with the bamboo stick.”

Fan Li saw that she was too innocent to lie and thought, “Did heaven finally send down a miracle?” He asked again, “Do you know how to play with this bamboo since you’re a child?”

A’qing said, “No. When I was thirteen, Grandpa White came to ride my goats. I wouldn’t let him and beat him off with my bamboo stick. He returned with a bamboo stick. I then fought with him. At first, he always score hits on me and I can’t score hits on him. I play this everyday. Now, I score hits on him most of the time and he can’t score hits on me. He isn’t coming back as often now.”

Fan Li thought he finally hit something and said, “Where does this Grandpa White live? Can you take me to him?”

A’qing said, “He lives in the mountains. You can’t find him. He usually comes and find me. I never tried to find him.”

Fan Li said, “I want to meet him. Is there a way?”

A’qing said, “Hmm. You can follow me to pasture. We will wait for him on the mountain side. I don’t know when he’ll show though.” She sighed, “I haven’t seen him for a while now.”

Fan Li said to himself, “This is for Yiguang and the kingdom of Yue. A little goat herding won’t hurt.” So he said, “Good, I’ll accompany you and wait for Grandpa White.” He thought, “Grandpa White must be the sword sage who taught this girl. He must have loved her youth and innocence, so he used play to teach her. He could make a young girl into the such a great master, then he could make our warriors destroy Wu.

After the meal, Fan Li followed her to mountain pastures to her goats. His subordinates didn’t understand the reason. They were all baffled. Day after day, Fan Li went with A’qing to herd goat and sang songs, waiting for Grandpa White.

On the fifth day, Wen Zhong came to Fan Li’s mansion and saw a very worried chamberlain. He asked, “I haven’t seen Minister Fan Li for a few days now. The King is worried and ordered to me to visit. Did Minister Fan Li come down sick?”

The chamberlain said, “Minister Fan Li is healthy, but… but..”

“But?”

“Minister Wen is the best friend of Minister Fan Li. You can say things to him that are not appropriate for us to say. Why don’t you try to talk some sense into him?”

Wen Zhong was baffled, “Sense? What’s wrong with Minister Fan Li?”

“Minister Fan Li fell love with that little shepherdess. Every morning he leaves with her and don’t return until after sundown. He won’t permit any guards following him. He will not be bothered even when I have urgent affairs.”

Wen Zhong laughed and thought, “When Brother Fan Li was living in the kingdom of Chu, everyone called him Fan Li the Crazy. He never does things like other people.”

At that time, Fan Li was sitting on a mountain side gra.s.sland and telling A’qing the story of the G.o.ddess Consort Xiang. A’qing was sitting close by his side and listened to him intent, her large bright eyese never left his face. Suddenly she said, “Consort Xiang is really that beautiful?”

Fan Li said, “Her eyes are clearer and brighter than the water in this mountain stream…”

A’qing said, “Does she have fish in her eyes?”

Fan Li continued, “Her skin is like the clouds, but fairer.”

A’qing said, “Are there birds flying in those clouds?”

Fan Li continued obliviously, “Her lips are softer than the petal of this flower and redder. Her lips are moist, even more than the dews on this petal. When Consort Xiang stands next to the river, the beauty of her reflection made all the riverside flowers wilt in shame. Even fish dare not swim in water for fear of rumpling her reflection. When her white hand is dipped into the river, it was so soft that it could almost melt into the water…”

A’qing said, “You saw her, didn’t you. How else can you describe her so clearly?”

Fan Li said, “I saw her. I saw her very, very clearly.”

Of course, he was referring to Xi Shi, not the G.o.ddess Consort Xiang.

He looked at the north. His eyes looked beyond a wide, roaring river. Is the beauty in the royal palace of Wu. Is she with King Fuchai? Is she thinking about me?

A’qing said, “Fan Li! Your beard is strange, can I touch it?”

Fan Li thought, “Is she weeping, or laughing?”

A’qing said, “Fan Li, you have two strands of white beard, just like my goats.”

Fan Li thought, “When we’re separated, she wept on my shoulder. Her tear soaked half of my robe. I never washed that robe. My tears were mingled with hers on that robe.”

A’qing said, “Fan Li. Can I pull out one of your beard? I will pull gently. You won’t feel a thing.”

Fan Li thought, “She said she loved riding in a boat and float with the currents. After I take her back, I will not be a court minister anymore. I will ride a boat with her, floating in rivers and lakes, for the rest of my life.”

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his chin. A’qing pulled out a strand of his beard. She laughed prettily. Suddenly the laugh was cut off and she said, “You’re here again!”