Volume Three: Dream of Three Lifetimes Beneath the Moon - Hearts Aflutter in the Jewel Pearl Palace

For ten miles, radiance blazed across the Sea of Stars; a thousand tiers of flame lit the Jewel Pearl Palace.

- Record of Qingxi's Wind and Rain

After the two sank beneath the water, Ling Yier linked her arm through Xing Yan's. Her slender body swayed softly, and like a swimming fish, she vanished through the autumn lake in an instant.

A moment later, the dark waters of the autumn night around them gradually brightened. Before long, the two arrived at a wondrous place-

Beneath the vast, misty waters of Poyang Lake, deep in its secluded depths, lay a place that seemed enclosed in an immense, luminous membrane of water, faintly shedding a brilliant glow.

When they reached this watery membrane, gleaming with the color of moonlight, Ling Yier did not pause in the slightest. Drawing Xing Yan along, she plunged straight through the strange curtain of light.

Within that immense sphere of light, there seemed to be another world entirely. Palaces of pearl and towers of shell stretched on and on, faintly emitting rays of every hue. Between those jade halls and jeweled towers hung a clear haze, neither quite water nor quite air. Countless marvelous flowers and jeweled water plants swayed and drifted in that airy clarity, which seemed both water and wind.

Who would have thought that Ling Yier, the girl who had once pestered Xing Yan so relentlessly, actually lived in such an immortal abode!

Half drunk and half awake, Xing Yan had no idea he had entered this wondrous place. Half supported and half pulled by the girl beside him, half walking and half floating, he soon arrived in a secluded, elegant garden enclosed by plain white walls.

Passing through a moon gate, they stepped onto a path paved with crystalline pebbles. On either side stood treasure trees of coral, scattered at graceful intervals and shimmering with flowing colors. Each of these brilliantly hued coral trees bore a large, round, glossy lake clam at its crown. Every blue-green shell held a luminous pearl rarely seen in the mortal world, softly casting pale golden rays that made the elegant garden seem like a dream.

As they drifted along, Ling Yier lightly brushed her long sleeves. As though they understood human speech, the pearl-bearing clams closed themselves one after another once the two had passed. By the time Ling Yier and Xing Yan entered the residence, no luminous pearls shone anywhere in the garden, and every coral treasure tree had darkened. It was as though night had descended upon the immaculate courtyard.

The two doors, carved with patterns of water plants, opened without a breeze as they approached.

When they entered, four or five young, enchanting maids immediately hurried out from the sides of the seemingly deserted residence.

Ling Yier's maids were about to greet her and help her retire, as they always did-yet all at once, they stood openmouthed and tongue-tied, unable to utter a single word:

They had all seen their noble princess, always peerlessly proud and aloof, who never offered a kind look or word to young men her own age, using her precious little hand to support a strange young man who was plainly drunk, and doing so with the utmost care!

To them, this was simply too "earth-shattering." For a time, none could speak!

After standing stunned for a good while, one maid who usually enjoyed Ling Yier's favor finally gathered the courage to ask:

"Princess, who is this...?"

With all her attention devoted to supporting the youth beside her, Ling Yier only then suddenly remembered that her maids were there. Hearing the question, the young princess strove to answer in an indifferent tone:

"I was strolling by the lake this evening and happened to find this young man lying drunk beside the road-mm, I thought him truly pitiful, so I brought him back while I was at it."

Having delivered this casual explanation, Ling Yier once again concentrated on carefully supporting the youth as she headed toward the inner chamber.

She helped Xing Yan forward a few more steps. Just as she was about to round the sea-jade lotus screen, the imposing princess seemed to remember something. She abruptly stopped, looked back at the maids who were still staring blankly, and instructed them in earnest:

"You are to treat today's events as though you saw nothing. I only wished to save someone, and I do not want any idle gossip. All of you must remember that."

"Yes."

The maids answered in unison.

"Mm. Then withdraw and go to bed. I will settle this myself. There is no need for you to attend me."

At the princess's command, the lovely young maids dispersed one by one.

Once all the maids had disappeared, the "princess," so imposing only moments before, lightly patted her chest and seemed to release a long sigh of relief.

Having sent the maids away, she looked again at the youth beside her, still utterly befuddled. A trace of pity appeared on Ling Yier's face. She hurriedly guided him to her coral-and-jade bed, lifted the rosy merfolk-silk canopy, light as drifting smoke, and carefully helped Xing Yan lie down.

Looking at Xing Yan lying on his back upon her fragrant silk bed, Ling Yier felt her ears grow hot and her heart race for no reason she could name. She stared blankly for a while before remembering that he still had his clothes and shoes on. At the thought, this girl, who had never been so close to a man before, blushed again and again. After a long inward struggle, she finally seemed to make up her mind and reached out to remove the cloth shoes from the still-drunken youth's feet.

After all, this princess of the water folk had grown up in fine clothes and sumptuous comfort, with someone to do everything for her. When had she ever done anything like this-much less for a young man!

With her hands and legs trembling slightly, Ling Yier took a long time to remove Xing Yan's shoes. When she tried to take off his outer robe and began undoing its fastenings, Xing Yan suddenly shifted a little and mumbled something indistinctly. That small movement was enough to startle the always-pampered Princess Ling Yier into leaping aside like a frightened white rabbit. Her heart pounded like a beaten drum, as though she had just done something wicked!

Only after another long while, when she saw that the youth was sleeping soundly and making no further movement, did Ling Yier dare approach. She drew over the soft, fragrant silk quilt and gently laid it over him.

Accustomed to being served herself, the princess now performed these tasks for the youth with her heart filled by a tenderness she had never known before.

Before Ling Yier lay this youth, more exhausted than drunk, his coarse clothes still bearing patches, fast asleep amid a heap of fine silks soft as rainbow clouds. Truly:

His breath wafted orchid fragrance, as though he lay drunk; wrapped in jeweled rainbow clouds, he slept as though an immortal.

Leaving aside Xing Yan, who slept peacefully there, Princess Ling Yier, who had brought him back, now had nowhere to sleep-her bedchamber held only this one coral-and-jade bed. Fortunately, she was not particularly sleepy. She simply sat beside the silken bed and quietly listened to the youth's even breathing.

With nothing to occupy her, the girl kept savoring the lyrics, songs, and verses the youth had performed that evening. As she carefully tasted those words born from his heart, their fragrance seemed to linger on her lips and tongue. A faint smile appeared on her face, and she thought:

This young man isn't quite as shiftless as I imagined. For a mere musician in a pleasure house to possess such talent is truly rare! That song with its lines of varying length was far more interesting than the prim, proper four- and five-character verses I usually hear.

Beside Xing Yan, Ling Yier rested her chin on her hand, her thoughts drifting far away. A round, translucent luminous pearl hung from the merfolk-silk canopy above them, quietly casting its gentle, clear radiance...

"Huh? Where am I? The Flower Moon House?"

Several hours passed before Xing Yan finally woke from his drunken sleep.

When his hazy eyes first opened, he did not see his surroundings clearly and thought nothing of them. Only after resting a little longer, when the last of his drowsiness faded, did he discover that he was somewhere unfamiliar.

Am I dreaming?

Staring at the pink canopy overhead, thin as morning mist, and the enormous pearl so rarely seen in the world, Xing Yan truly thought he was still dreaming.

When he raised his head a little and saw the scene before him, he began to understand-

Ling Yier, who had danced upon the waves the night before, was now curled against him like a docile little cat. Her lovely head lay sideways upon his chest, and her black hair spread like clouds over the fine silk quilt covering him.

Seeing how sweetly Ling Yier slept, Xing Yan dared not stir, afraid that the slightest careless movement would wake her.

This was just the chance to settle his thoughts and work out what on earth had happened.

Xing Yan had always been quick-witted. His thoughts turned several times as he recalled the girl's many mysterious deeds in the past. Then, feeling the gentle clarity around him, neither quite air nor quite water, he suddenly conceived an astounding possibility:

Could I have reached the legendary Dragon Palace beneath the water?!

Could Miss Ling Yier be the princess of that Dragon Palace?!

...Yes! That must be it-I vaguely remember that last night, Ling Yier, the Lord of the Clouds' granddaughter, seemed to call herself some sort of princess!

Then that elderly Lord of the Clouds must be the Dragon God beneath the water?! The Lord of the Clouds, the Water Dragon's Chant...

Those two names kept turning over in Xing Yan's mind. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration seemed to streak before his eyes, and the youth could not help exclaiming:

"Winds follow the tiger, clouds follow the dragon! That old gentleman who calls himself the Lord of the Clouds must indeed be the Dragon God of the lake!"

"To think that a mere street lad like me could have such an encounter!"

After the string of extraordinary encounters over the past few days, even the youth's usually unshakable nerves could bear no more. For a moment, Xing Yan was overwhelmed with excitement-

But in his excitement, he forgot the girl curled asleep upon his chest. As he abruptly leaned forward, Ling Yier slid along the smooth silk to his pillow.

Seeing that he had disturbed the sleeping Dragon God's princess, Xing Yan was immediately startled as well. He hurriedly turned his face with great care to see whether Ling Yier had awakened. Yet she remained motionless, breathing evenly and peacefully, apparently still deep in sweet dreams-

They were now so close that Ling Yier's faintly fragrant breath washed warmly over Xing Yan's cheek in gentle waves. Breathing in that mysterious fragrance, Xing Yan found it extraordinarily pleasant, and his thoughts could not help wandering:

Now that I've witnessed it myself, the ancients did not deceive me when they spoke of breath fragrant as orchids.

Mm, no wonder she's an immortal maiden of the water. Ling Yier really is beautiful...

Gazing at the lovely face before him, like a lotus blooming upon the water, a strange thought suddenly arose in the youth's heart.

Once that thought appeared, he could no longer drive it away. At last, Xing Yan committed the boldest, most reckless act of his life thus far:

Looking at the girl's tender, lovely face so close beside his pillow, the youth felt suddenly dazzled and entranced. Unable to resist, he edged forward to kiss her cheek...

This girl, so lively and spirited by day, was so peaceful and serene in sleep. Xing Yan watched her quietly, and the longer he looked, the more delicate and utterly endearing he found her features.

After studying her for a good while, with her warm breath brushing his face again and again, Xing Yan could resist no longer. He gently kissed the girl's exquisitely lovely cheek...

His lips touched her as lightly as a dragonfly skimming water. Then Xing Yan turned his head away and looked up again at the luminous pearl, the size of a pigeon's egg, atop the canopy.

Watching the specks of clear light shining from the pearl, Xing Yan seemed at last to come back to himself. As though he had only just awakened, his mind began working again-and only then did he realize what he had done!

The youth was now deeply bewildered:

Why had he been so bold and reckless just now, daring to commit such an impudent act toward the incomparably noble princess of the Dragon Palace!

Lost in his wandering thoughts, the youth did not notice that after his warm lips lightly touched Ling Yier's delicate, immaculate cheek, it was as though a pebble had fallen into still water. A hint of red quietly emerged upon her creamy jade-like face and gradually spread like ripples across water.

Now two rosy clouds seemed to have flown onto Ling Yier's cheeks!

In truth, the noble dragon princess had awakened when she slid from the youth's chest to his pillow.

Yet though she was awake, Ling Yier dared not move at all. However pampered and willful she might ordinarily be, she had never been this close to another young man, much less shared a bed and pillow with one. Realizing how embarrassing her present circumstances were, she did not dare stir.

Ling Yier was anxiously pondering how she could slip away from the now-awakened youth!

Just as she was blaming herself for having unknowingly fallen asleep the night before, Ling Yier suddenly sensed a breath approaching her face that made her ears burn and her heart race. Then-she felt a warm, soft touch pressed against her cheek!

Oh! To think that this bold, reckless, shiftless youth had actually kissed her!

An untouched maiden was most sensitive. Once Ling Yier realized what the youth had just done, not only did a rosy flush rise upon her face, but her entire delicate body began trembling faintly without cease. Had she not tightly bitten her cherry-red lips, even her pearly teeth would have chattered.

Oh...this young man is still just as shameless! How dare he be so...impudent toward me!

Overwhelmed by shame, the girl could only repeat this thought over and over in her mind. Beyond it, everything was blank.

The youth beside her, however, knew nothing of Ling Yier's "pitiful" plight. Xing Yan vaguely felt that his state of mind when he had involuntarily kissed her was much like what he had felt while playing the Water Dragon's Chant on Horseshoe Mountain that night.

Ha...it seemed to arise naturally? Surely I can't be blamed.

Xing Yan felt considerably comforted.

Although he found that nearly spontaneous act rather wonderful, Xing Yan kept warning himself:

I must be careful from now on! If I do something this awkward again, who knows what sort of commotion Ling Yier will cause, given her usual temper-

Ha, fortunately she's asleep and knows nothing about it! What luck, what luck!

It seemed this naturally openhearted and carefree street lad of Raozhou felt no heartfelt awe toward the girl beside him in her newly discovered identity as a Dragon Palace princess. What he feared was probably more her usual unruly temper.

Meanwhile, Ling Yier, whose thoughts were surging within her, had remained motionless for a long time. Now she began to feel decidedly uncomfortable:

Oh, this wretched Xing Yan! Why won't he go back to sleep? I'm so tired from not daring to move...

Hm? Could he...be thinking of being impudent again?

As she fretted helplessly, Ling Yier suddenly noticed the impudent youth beside her gently lifting the silk quilt and carefully climbing over her. After a brief rustling, Xing Yan had put on his shoes and climbed out of bed.

Not knowing whether to feel pleased or annoyed, Ling Yier suddenly heard the shiftless youth call:

"Ling Yier, Princess, time to get up."

At last, the girl's suffering was over!

After washing and grooming himself, Xing Yan looked around and found everything wondrously new. Naturally, the youth, full of questions, asked Ling Yier where he actually was.

The girl, who had now regained her usual composure, did not hide anything from him. She told him her identity without reservation:

"Xing Yan, let's see how brave you are. Don't get frightened out of your wits-you know my grandfather, the Lord of the Clouds. He's the Four Rivers Dragon God, who governs the Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Huai River, and the Ji River. My father is the lord of Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake, Yunmeng Lake, and Hongze Lake. As for me...people often call me Princess Ling Yier. Oh, right, and there's the Snow Flute Lingyi, half of which I've temporarily shared with you!"

Hearing her words, Xing Yan froze briefly, then could not help crying out:

"Ah! So all those tales of marvels and legends I read before were true!"

Although he had already anticipated it, hearing it from Ling Yier herself still shook Xing Yan profoundly.

"Then...I must be in the Dragon Palace now?"

"Mm!"

The girl smiled with pursed lips and nodded.

"Then where is this Dragon Palace?"

"Right at the bottom of Poyang Lake, where you once came to visit."

"Ah?!"

"My eyes have truly been opened today!"

"But..."

Once his excitement subsided, Xing Yan suddenly thought of a problem and asked hesitantly:

"How do I get back now?"

"Hmph! You can't! If you go outside, you'll drown!"

Ling Yier had finally found a chance to frighten this impudent youth.

"...I'm sure you have a way? Otherwise, how could I have gotten in?"

Xing Yan was quite quick on the uptake.

"Hee, you're clever enough. But...isn't it nice here? Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

The proud princess found it rather difficult to understand.

"Ha, of course it's wonderful here. Towers of shell and palaces of pearl-I've never even heard of anything like them. It's just..."

The youth smiled and pointed at himself:

"Ah, look at me. Compared with this place, I feel ashamed of my shabby appearance. This is no place for me to linger! Ha!"

"Hmph, I don't believe you. I've never seen you feel embarrassed!"

"Uh...actually, I've heard that one day in heaven is a thousand years in the mortal world. I don't know how time is reckoned in the Dragon Palace beneath the water...I'm worried about my parents!"

"So that's what you're afraid of! What a coward. Let me tell you, it's just the same here as in your Raozhou City. All that talk about one day in heaven being a thousand years in the mortal world is nonsense!"

"Hmph, since you're so eager to go back, I'll be kind and take you home!"

"Ha, thank you!"

Watching the youth's polite manner, Ling Yier felt an inexplicable surge of vexation.

"Then...wait a little. I'll change my clothes and have a maid tidy my hair a bit. I'll be back in a moment!"

"All right. There's no hurry."

Xing Yan sat on the hollow-carved white jade stool, shaped like a waist drum, and waited for Ling Yier to emerge. Yet the girl's "moment" made him wait well over half a double-hour!

As Xing Yan looked this way and that at all the novelties, he could not help lamenting inwardly:

Ah, so a moment for Ling Yier is worth half a day in the mortal world too. Had I known, I'd have borrowed a book beforehand...

After the youth had waited and waited, Ling Yier finally emerged. Her black hair, formerly cascading like a waterfall, had now been arranged into two raven-dark buns. Two soft locks hung down, falling separately beside her ears and cheeks. She had also changed into a pale yellow skirt and jacket adorned with several pieces of clear, watery jade. As she walked, the jade pieces struck one another, making a delicate, pleasing chime.

If Ling Yier in her plain white court gauze the night before had been an immortal maiden treading the waves, her sleeves and ribbons fluttering, then her bright yellow skirt now, though it veiled some of her unworldly air, made her look even more radiant and captivating.

Only when he looked closely now did Xing Yan realize that Ling Yier's figure was graceful and slender, standing tall as jade. She was about his own height, which was quite rare among girls.

Ling Yier did keep her word. After making Xing Yan wait so long, she led him outside to take him back to shore.

As they passed through the courtyard's moon gate, Ling Yier seemed to remember something and pointed out the couplet on either side of the round opening. It read:

"A pool of water greens with spring's rising tide; through all four seasons, the lake faces the red setting sun."

The characters of the couplet were inlaid with blue-green jade shells, seeming to flow with wondrous colors beneath the watery light. The calligraphy was elegant, delicate, and gentle, with its own distinctive, exquisite charm.

Xing Yan carefully savored the couplet, then said:

"This couplet is graceful and subtle, with a tender charm in its very bones. I wonder who..."

"Hee, I composed it myself!"

Hearing Xing Yan's praise, Ling Yier felt quite delighted.

"Ha, then this untalented fellow was just moved by the scene and cobbled together a little verse. It's not a couplet, only something to join yours for fun."

"Wonderful! Hurry and recite it."

"All right." Xing Yan gave a light cough, looked at Ling Yier, and recited clearly:

"Would that a lake of cool, clear water could wash away all the world's anguished hearts."

Words were the voice of the heart; that verse was indeed a true reflection of the boy's present state of mind.

Within this clear, airy realm, neither quite air nor quite water, Xing Yan adapted rather well. Half walking, half floating, he followed Princess Ling Yier closely as she led the way.

Along the way, Xing Yan could not help looking this way and that again. There were so many strange sights that even two eyes hardly seemed enough. Ling Yier found his curiosity rather amusing and patiently answered all his questions, regardless of how ridiculous some of them might be.

They occasionally encountered oddly shaped soldiers clad in leather armor. To Xing Yan's relief, these grotesque troops, who looked like fearsome demons at first glance, treated Ling Yier with the utmost respect. When they saw the pair approaching, they never came forward to question them, but stood at a distance and saluted. Only after Xing Yan and Ling Yier had passed did they dare resume their patrols.

"Ah... it seems that old fellow Qinghe wasn't merely good at pulling the wool over people's eyes. Only now do I realize how perceptive those words of his were-there may be no principle to account for it, yet the thing itself may exist. Today has truly opened my eyes!"

As he walked, countless feelings stirred within him.

Before long, Xing Yan and Ling Yier reached that immense membrane of luminous water. Ling Yier stopped, turned back to him, and said:

"This is the boundary of the Poyang Dragon Palace. Beyond this membrane lies the water of Poyang Lake."

"Ah! Then won't I drown as soon as I go out?"

"Yes. If you go out just as you are, you're certain to drown!"

"Then how did I get in last night?"

"Because I cast a spell on you."

Perhaps because they had become familiar with each other, Ling Yier no longer referred to herself as "this princess" very often in front of the boy.

"Wow! Amazing! What spell was it? Hurry and cast it!"

Xing Yan was astonished and eager to see the girl work her magic.

"Heehee! No need to rush-actually..."

The Dragon Palace princess had been about to cast the spell at his request, but something suddenly seemed to occur to her. She stopped and uttered a few words that left Xing Yan rather puzzled.

"Hmm? Actually what?"

At his question, Ling Yier smiled faintly.

"Actually, this Return-to-Shore Spell isn't very difficult. If you want to learn it, I can teach you."

"Of course I want to learn! You really can teach me?"

Overjoyed at her words, Xing Yan stared straight at the girl.

Seeing the burning eagerness in his eyes, Ling Yier laughed.

"Of course I can! Don't tell me one night's sleep made you forget that I'm still your master!"

"Er... of course I haven't forgotten. Your disciple keeps it in his heart at every moment!"

"Hmph! What a fibber! If you remembered, why haven't you..."

Here, Ling Yier suddenly paused for a moment before continuing hesitantly:

"If you remembered, why haven't you remembered to ask me for the score of the Wind and Water Invocation?"

"Ah! I really did forget!"

At the mention of this, Xing Yan grew anxious.

"Ah! I really drank too much yesterday. Shall we go back and fetch it now? Or... perhaps you could teach me this Return-to-Shore Spell first, and then we could go back for it? Heh..."

"I knew you'd be careless. The score is right here in my sleeve; I'll give it to you once we reach the shore. For now, I'll teach you the Return-to-Shore Spell."

"Wonderful! ...But can I really learn it?"

Amid his delight, Xing Yan, who had never practiced any proper spell before, felt rather hesitant.

"Yes. As I just said, the method of this Water-Repelling Art isn't very difficult. So long as you have enough affinity with water, with the cultivation that let you play the Water Dragon's Chant, learning this spell shouldn't be hard!"

Indeed:

Having just entrusted his heart's concerns to flowing water, he now sought to make his body a swimming fish!