With Xueyi married at last, the lovers had finally become husband and wife; there was no need to dwell on all their tender intimacies. Apart from the couple themselves, none were happier than Xing Yan's parents. Old Zhang and his wife finally felt that their long hardships had borne fruit. Every day, the sight of their lovely daughter-in-law and fine son left them grinning from ear to ear. Xueyi was gentle and virtuous by nature. After her marriage, she treated Xing Yan's parents with the utmost respect. Each day, in the time left over from needlework and tending to her husband, she went into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs. Undeterred by deep gullies or treacherous ravines, she picked rare flowers and wondrous plants and brewed them for the elderly couple, hoping to prolong their lives.
After a month of such respectful, diligent care from this enchantingly beautiful woman, the elderly couple began to feel guilty. Repeated attempts to dissuade her failed, so they could only feign impatience and take matters firmly into their own hands, driving their beloved son and his bride into Horseshoe Mountain to establish a separate home and enjoy their newlywed bliss. Even so, every few days Xueyi still accompanied Xing Yan home, bringing fine fruits and precious gifts to greet his parents and fulfill her filial duties.
Leaving these worldly matters aside, their secluded days in Horseshoe Mountain were happy and carefree. Deep in the mountains, along bewildering paths, not a speck of the mortal world's red dust could reach them. Adorned with sweet herbs and fragrant orchids, they kept company each day only with mountain flowers and woodland grasses. Green bamboo grew throughout the valley where they lived, and their bridal home lay hidden deep within the grove. Whenever the mountain wind blew, the