Chapter 6: The Tale of Wang Jin- On Hair and Other Matters
It was Wang Jin! Or at least someone who looked like her.
"Y-y-your hair!" remarked Lin Chong in shock, pointing at Wang Jin. The latter was no longer in official government clothing. But unlike before, her hair was much shorter. It was curtained and only reached down to the bottom of her neck; she looked much more like an ordinary peasant from the West.
The cutting of hair was considered very taboo, at least for the people in Dongjing. As the mother underwent great pains to give birth, any body part that grew from thereon had its origin from the mother (and technically, the father as well). Thus, willingly removing an organ, be it a kidney or a strand of hair, save for great need or as the result of some ill circumstance or punishment, was considered an insult and a dishonor towards the mother.
These included fingernails and toenails as well.
Unless one did any physical labor, had any desire to walk outside, wanted to practice any form of martial arts, had any chance of being in the military, and... well really most people cut their nails because those could get really bothersome cooking, grabbing things, wrestling, romance, etc. It was seen as quite a romantic gesture to send someone their nails, as not only did it symbolically mean that they would sacrifice their body for them, but they wanted to intimately connect with each other immediately, so to speak, before the nails grew back.
But unlike fingernails or toenails, hair could be bent and shaped, which was why many people adopted some form of a topknot as a hairstyle.
"If you're done gawking at me like a bird, I'd like to go inside now," amusingly commented Wang Jin as she turned around and entered her former student's home, "I've waited long enough for your drunken ass to get here. I'm starving."
Lin Chong blinked a few times and breathed on her hand, smelling it. Then, with annoyance, she followed her master inside, "I am not drunk! I only drank a few bowls... And who cut your hair? Who do I need to beat up?!"
Wang Jin had firmly told her former student that she would explain after eating. Lin Chong's disappointment was palpable, but that faded quickly as soon as she saw the bowls and dishes on the table.
It was a dinner for three now, as Lin Chong's Husband first uncovered a steaming bowl of soup.
"Impressive... looks like we're not the only ones good with a knife," commented Wang Jin. In the center of the bowl were thin egg slices meticulously shaped into a blooming yellow peony. Tendrils of steam wisped in the air, dissipating. Surrounding the egg peony were scallions and boat-shaped dumplings; as if the boats themselves were competing on who first reached a giant flower in the center of a lake.
"Oooh, it looks even better than last time," noted Lin Chong with bright eyes.
Lin Chong's Husband gave an embarrassed smile, "well, this was actually the first time it came out well. Usually, the egg petals sag and fall off or the dumplings float sideways. Maybe it's because you're visiting us, Master Wang. They dare not disappoint."
"Hmm, I've heard worse attempts at sucking up."
"They dare not disobey you, Master," added Lin Chong, "…or not. One of the boats turned over... and another one. Oh, the peony is collapsing. I think they just realized you were staring at it, Instructor Wang."
"Typical, they lack discipline," commented Wang Jin with a wry smile, "what's on that plate next to the soup?"
He lifted the plate covering, revealing what appeared to be slices of a bread loaf surrounded by steamed vegetables. Except...
"How did you have enough time to make this?" said Lin Chong in astonishment, "that's duck meat inside of chicken meat!"
The outside of the two-bird roast was dotted with a remnant of a five-spice blend, and it also glistened with a glaze of duck fat. The juices of both birds coalesced at the bottom, and the steamed vegetables were covered in a thin gravy-like substance. The meats were cooked perfectly, with the red duck meat contrasting the white chicken meat.
"Honey, you did take a long time at the tavern," teased Lin Chong's Husband as he separated some of the pieces with chopsticks. More steam and juice dripped from the meat.
"It was only a few drinks!"
"Yes yes, only a few drinks," he nodded and smirked without looking her in the eye. Then, without waiting for a retort, he lifted up the next dish. Slices of stewed white cabbages piled on a luscious oiled red sauce.
"You used to hate cabbage, Chong'er. What changed?" Wang Jin commented, pouring some soup, an egg petal, and a few dumplings inside her own bowl.
"Well, your Chong'er has grown up," responded Lin Chong proudly as she also took dug out a portion of the soup, which now looked like collapsed giant petals amongst sunk ships, "and my Egghead makes it delicious."
Wang Jin gulped down a portion of the soup, sighing in contentment, "you're just not used to the village life. Boiled vegetables... rice porridge... mystery meat soup... roasted mantou... whatever fruit was ripe… those were staples. Oil and meat were a luxury for the average peasant when I was a child."
Lin Chong, hearing about her mentor's past, gave her a gentle look, "is it true then? About your mother?"
The former Head Arms Instructor sighed, "six months or so left, at least that's what the healers said. Ma can't eat much anymore."
"I still remember when she visited us in our training sessions," Lin Chong wistfully commented, "we all wondered about your parents. You never did talk about them much."
Wang Jin spooned out another dumpling from the soup, "I had my reasons. Ma moved to the capital very soon after I became the Head Arms Instructor. Wanted to retire in a place where one didn't have to work for a living."
Lin Chong's Husband then revealed the last dish, a pile of sesame seed flatbread covered with a five-spice blend.
"Mm-hmm," responded Lin Chong, grabbing some flatbread and dipping it in the soup, "I bet your mother came due to the food. Your village had some of the worst-tasting grub I've eaten on that training trip."
"Training trip and not a vacation," Wang Jin replied, wagging her finger, "and we had plenty of meat from the taverns. Not everyone can cook like your husband."
"They should!" Lin Chong insisted, mouth full of the two-bird roast, "the alcohol was amazing though."
"Of course! It had to be; how else could we distract ourselves from the hard life?"
"How did you get strong, Master Wang?" Lin Chong's Husband asked, changing the subject, as he used his chopsticks to grab some of the cabbage, "that does not sound like a soldier's diet."
"Milk curds and whey," replied Wang Jin, grabbing some of the two-bird roast, "helps strengthen the bones when we start our strength training at the age of seven, and my Ma was the village arms instructor. The villagers used to gift us livestock when we did some good deeds. We had quite a few hens that laid a lot of eggs. A couple of cows too. Too much milk made my stomach hurt but the curds and whey helped. A bit tastier too."
Lin Chong, in the middle of finishing one of the flatbreads, then asked, "did you 'ave shor' hair back then 'oo?"
"... Heh, one of these days you'll choke to death."
"Mmrmph phrm frmphmph!"
"To answer your question... Chong'er… yes and no. My hair was quite the target for the villagers who didn't like my parents nor had the guts to challenge my Ma. I was born at an unfortunate time when Wainriders constantly raided and my parents had to spend part of the time raising me instead of putting their entire focus on defending the village. That led to some of the cowards taking their frustration out on me. So, instead of tying my hair into some topknot, one day I claimed that a troll ripped part of it out and so my hair was short for a while. Kept on changing the lie until I could kick all their asses. Then, I grew it out."
"Did the villagers see sense then?" asked Lin Chong's Husband, who was separating the duck from the chicken in his own dining bowl, "the infighting... seems pointless and meaningless."
"Hmph. Says the person who lived in the capital most of their life. Your ignorance shows."
At this, Lin Chong's Husband turned his face away, suddenly finding interest in his fingers.
"Hey! You are a guest in this house, mentor or no!" protested Lin Chong dropping her utensils as she stood angrily.
Wang Jin gulped down more of her soup as she remained seated, "your mentor is going to give you a bit of insight into the outside world. So, I suggest you sit down, Lin Chong."
And so the Lance instructor sat back down, grabbing a slice of the two-bird roast with her bare hands as she chewed it vigorously.
"Most of us in our village were illiterate," Wang Jin continued, "even my parents and I only knew just enough to understand orders, weapons, issue out reports, etc. Why, it was only until I started living in the capital that I found these scribbles more than just logograms. Each had its own story to tell. There were no artists, writers, lawyers (besides the magistrate), wrestlers, dancers, singers, musicians, or accountants (besides the tax collector) in our village. Most of us couldn't take the Civil Service Examination. We were all pure corvée laborers half the year with the other half recovering from its hardships and training for the next labor assignment."
"That doesn't explain why you called my husband ignorant!" Lin Chong angrily stated, ripping off a big chunk of the meat with her teeth.
"It does. Unless you no longer expel your 'monthly water,'" retorted Wang Jin.
"I-... YOU CAN'T JUST!... we're eating dinner, Master!" stammered a flushed Lin Chong.
At this point, Lin Chong's Husband quietly interjected, "actually... I think I'm beginning to understand a little. Could you continue, Master Wang?"
"I never did say you were an idiot now, did I?" Wang Jin gave a small smirk towards Lin Chong's Husband, "now, where was I?
"Aah yes, labor and production. We were defined by what we produced through our hands and tools. That's fine and all... if not for the fact half of us young folk, including me, simply were not allowed to do heavy work for a few days in a month. A mandate from the First Emperor of the Eastern Empire from over a thousand years ago. The punishment for disobeying was... death. If we didn't have it, we would automatically be sent back to the village to see if we had grown old enough to no longer have it. Something about malnutrition. Shudder to think what would've happened if that order did not exist. For very understandable reasons, of course. It's harder for us to sweat as the monthly event draws nearer. We tend to get more irritated (for very understandable reasons) which means work distractions. Cramping is particularly annoying to deal with when you need to lift logs and boulders. Also, the mess that happens when certain supplies are sh-..."
"Please, Master... don't... I know what it all... husband... here." Lin Chong begged.
"... wasn't your husband here when I had to explain everything to you two after you had your first monthly water, Chong'er?"
"I... yes... but please. Embarrassing," Lin Chong muttered, "can you please tell me who cut your hair so I can beat them up now?"
"After we finish dinner. Not before.
"But I wasn't done talking about the effect of the... end of that period every month in terms of our production (at this, Lin Chong covered her face with her palms). We envied the older women who didn't have to go through this anymore. The older married men who knew of our situation, the smart ones, didn't really pose a problem. But, you see, this led a lot of the young men of our village, especially the ones who were single, to question our ability. 'Why do they get a few days off?' 'It's just a bunch of bleeding,' 'They're weaker than us,' and other such garbage."
"So most of the infighting you had were because these young village men saw you as worse than them?" asked Lin Chong's Husband.
"Just because I was the daughter of the Village Arms Instructor, did not mean I represented all women in our village. When I could beat everyone up (except for my parents and... another person), no. For some reason, the men actually found it relatable. Something like 'Wang Jin's mortal, like us.' or 'so that person knows pain, after all.' Or maybe they just wanted me to bear their children. Whatever. The point is... Most of the infighting in our village was between the young women and me. At least when the Wainriders weren't raiding us."
"They then talked behind your back? That's awful!" commented Lin Chong's Husband with a frown.
"Some did, and maybe that made them happy. Didn't change the village men's opinion of them. Gossipers were generally frowned on. No, the older I got in the village, most of the people I fought against were young women wanting to prove their toughness. There just simply weren't enough invading Wainriders to prove their courage, I guess. They probably thought that if they could stand up to me, then they would prove their strength. And these were actual physical fights with hands and feet. I did my best to only strike them in the face, upper body, or arms in case."
Before he could interject, Wang Jin raised her index finger.
"These weren't your wannabe long-nailed courtesans. Each villager was trained by my mother, and myself I suppose, on how to defend themselves. These fights were often a bloody mess. I took it as self-control training, and, ugh, it was a miracle none of them died or were permanently injured in any of those fights. Thank the elves for that.
"But I think it helped those women prove to the young village men that they were tough, or at least got them a few suitors. I would like to say it won them more respect and showed them that they would absolutely continue to work if not for a dire reason. A fair trade-off for a broken nose, jaw, teeth, black eyes, broken arms, and other injuries."
"...You're scary and I'm a little frightened you're my wife's mentor.
"What were the elves doing all that time? Did they not try to stop any of it?" he asked.
"Doing elf stuff. Healing, scouting, helping us from afar. They explained to us that elf-women had a similar process, they just had much more control over when they wanted to have children, and apparently, it's not worthy of song. But the male elves certainly did not think of the female elves any less."
"But they just watched as you beat yourselves up black and blue?"
"Oh, they intervened before things got too rough," waved off Wang Jin, "something about 'not our time anymore,' 'at least they're not mutilating each other,' and 'let them learn some things by themselves.' Some part of me thinks they actually find our conflicts intriguing. More fun than watching their pet mountains slowly erode or something.
"The whole infighting in our village continued because we wanted more respect and were willing to do anything, outside of being executed by the government, to achieve that. But what do I know about any of this? I'm just Wang Jin, a former Head Arms Instructor. What do I know of any of this crap?"
Lin Chong's Husband responded, "you should give yourself more credit, Master Wang," then he had another frown on his face as if he was deep in thought. At this point, Lin Chong, who had apparently zoned out of the conversation and was focusing on eating, then asked:
"So... disregarding all that, who cut the great Wang Jin's hair?"
"All this talking made me miss out on your husband's cooking. I'll tell you after I finished eating my share you impatient..."
After dinner was completed, Lin Chong's Husband began cleaning up the table. It was at this point in time that the Lance Instructor once again asked...
"Why is your hair short, Master? And who cut it?"
"Well let's first talk about this new 'Grand Marshal.' That son of a..."
Then Wang Jin promptly began ranting about how the Imperial Court was the dumbest entity on Earth. That they hired a ruffian that she beat up years ago just because he was good at football and brought money to the court. If the military assembly meeting was scheduled a week later, she would've been agitated and angry enough to rip his head off with her bare hands, strangle him with his intestines, stuff his stupid hat up his stupid ass, and rip his balls off with a rusty knife to send it as a belated birthday gift to the New Emperor. Then she would punch all the teeth out of the New Minister of Flowers, make it into a bracelet, strangle the minister to death using said bracelet, and then hang the calcium-rich jewelry up in her home for display as a trophy.
"That's very... cruel and unusual, Master," commented an aghast Lin Chong, "but what do you have against the Minister of Flowers?"
"The Minister of Flowers' name is Gao Yannei," answered Wang Jin, "I beat that person with one punch. The Minister is vengeful and would likely do the same to me once they find out who I am. Except it would take many more punches and they'd likely break their wrist doing so.
"Remember the name, Gao Yannei, Lin Chong, and do not cross that person. I don't think I need to remind you not to cross the new Grand Marshal (spit) either."
"Yes Master," she replied, warily eyeing the wet spot on the floor where her mentor spat, "you then cut your hair off in frustration?"
"Tempting but no," corrected Wang Jin, "I… 'talked' with Shi Wengong and they cut it. Did a pretty nice job actually."
"HUH? WHAT?" shouted Lin Chong, "you've gone too far Wengong! Drugging and taking your hair, I won't allow it!"
"I allowed it."
"HUH? WHAT?"
"You keep on shouting like that, everyone will hear you. Lower your voice!" hissed Wang Jin. She turned her head to see a concerned-looking Lin Chong's Husband peeking his head from the kitchen, where he was currently washing the dishes.
"Nothing wrong here. Just make sure the neighbors don't hear us," Wang Jin reassured and requested. Lin Chong's Husband nodded and went back into the kitchen. Two shuts of the window were heard in the kitchen.
Lin Chong looked utterly confused, "b-but your mother spent so much pain bringing you onto this earth. How could you willingly let someone cut your hair?"
"Yeah, yeah, you sound like Ma when I first cut my hair off back during the village days," Wang Jin responded, "but this time is different. You see... me and my Ma are going to be on the run for now. Both Gao Qiu and Gao Yannei want my head. They can't do it now with all these generals and instructors from throughout the realm here. But within a week... well let's just say I plan on leaving tomorrow at dawn."
"What? But... that's so soon!" Lin Chong replied in shock, "why can't we just tell the New Emperor?"
"They're friends with the New Emperor. Best friends. As in, spending hours together painting and drinking from the same cup best friends. Not going to work."
"Then stay for more than a day at least!"
Wang Jin shook her head, "the more time I spend, the more of an opportunity they have in poisoning or trapping me. I best leave as soon as possible."
"Then let me come with you then! Your mother's dying, right? So, you need an extra person to watch your back."
"You're married now."
Lin Chong's Husband popped out from the kitchen door, "I'm good with cleavers. I can come with."
"No you're... not," Lin Chong hesitatingly said as she soon realized the implications.
Wang Jin waved her hand dismissively, "Lin Chong, I know you hate hearing this but you look like a combination of a human panther-leopard. Everyone would recognize the Lance Instructor of Dongjing's 80,000 by your face alone."
The Lance Instructor's mouth and eye twitched but she said nothing.
"And while I'm sure we can outrun Dongjing's finest for a while, my Ma can't do that anymore," Wang Jin then pointed towards her former student's torso, "also, what about loyalty to the Empire? Did you not always want this job? You actually like being an instructor."
"This has only been my second year..."
"And even now I hear so many compliments about your skill. 'Instructor Lin is so kind,' 'Instructor Lin is so much more patient than Instructor Wang.'"
"Wow, I did not realize... well I did have a good teacher, instructor, and mentor," Lin Chong said, smiling, "and I can once again be your student like the old days. Let's run away together, see new places, travel to the West, visit the Inland Sea..."
"... I don't think you understand your own words. But maybe I'll change my mind if you do one thing."
"And what is that request, Master?"
Wang Jin then paused, and her countenance changed. Her face became as solemn as stone, her next words chiseled screeching marks in Lin Chong's ears,
"Go outside, kill the next person you see, and bring me their head."
...
...
"This... is some cruel... this is not funny. You're jesting are you not?" Lin Chong asked with a disbelieving smile on her face that slowly withered away as Wang Jin's stony expression did not change.
"You think I would joke about murder? Do this and I'll let you follow me."
"No. No. Absolutely not. No no no," Lin Chong said with a panicked look in her eyes, "I will not do something that... that barbaric! Murdering in cold blood... no! Why, why would you even ask me this? I just don't... understand."
"... and that is why you can't go on the run with me," Wang Jin sighed, as Lin Chong gave her a confused look, "you think being an outlaw means caring about things like honor? Honor gets you killed! I swear I've told you this 500 times. When will it get into your thick skull?! Have you listened to the old folk tales? You know, that story about Black Sword? or the Tale of Homeless and the Goddess?"
"... I really only cared about the fights, battles, and the romance to be honest. Still don't know how Black Sword managed to sleep with both an elf princess and their sister (bleh!) at the same time..." she responded to Wang Jin, concentrating, "oh. They were both outlaws and were the only survivors in the end! Is... no, you can't mean."
"and I prefer to be the last survivor in my tale, Lin Chong. Why would I want you to get killed?"
Lin Chong did not respond for a few seconds, thinking of a proper retort, "I... but we're both good fighters. We use polearms, which have longer reach, unlike those swords they used. Why can I not let you do all the dishonorable actions while I do the honorable ones?"
Wang Jin tilted her head, giving her a look of disbelief. Then she sighed, her expression softening with the exception of a steely, commanding stare from the eyes.
"Hear me and remember these words, Lin Chong: I have known you for 10 years now, seen you grow up with my own eyes, seen you spar against some of the best and some of the worst. Seen you face down sights that would have left others pissing their pants. I have seen you work with and practice against Lu Junyi and Shi Wengong. In practice, you are their match. But those two, in particular, do not have your biggest weakness. What is your biggest weakness?"
Lin Chong did not respond, focusing on her mentor's words.
"You don't like to kill; you're too kind! Even when you thought someone drugged me and cut my hair earlier you did not threaten to kill them. Mark my words, Chong'er, your kindness will earn you a grave one day."
Lin Chong's eyes widened and she looked away.
"I wonder then, my former student," Wang Jin continued, as she moved closer to the Lance Instructor of Dongjing's 80,000 soldiers, "look at me, Lin Chong. if The Emperor ordered you to strike me down right now. Or not even right now, in five or ten years when I'm a clear fugitive of the State for tax evasion, would you do so?"
Lin Chong stared at her mentor's eyes which beckoned for a firm response. She blinked and slowly replied, "I... don't know."
A myriad of different emotions played across the former instructor's face. She looked surprised, then disappointed, then angry, then amused, and finally, she settled into a neutral gaze.
"Until you can say 'no,' you cannot follow me."
The Lance Instructor slumped back into her seat, resting her hands on her face as she attempted to hide the tears that were beginning to form.
"There are a few things you can do to help me, however," conceded Wang Jin.
"What, Master?" mumbled Lin Chong, still hiding her face as she struggled to maintain her composure.
"I need provisions. Water, dried fruit, that delicious spiced shaobing five-spiced bread your husband makes, dried meat. Oh, fabric and dried grass of course. No sand. It's coarse, rough, and gets everywhere. Next week could be horrid."
"We've got plenty of all those," Lin Chong's Husband's voice echoed from the kitchen.
"Well Master," the Lance Instructor responded, as two lines of tears flowed down her slightly sunken cheeks, which had formed into an amused smile, "I guess you're mortal after all."
Wang Jin paused, unsure of what that meant, until recognition hit, "… clever! So, you were listening earlier after all."
"How could I not? Your stories disgust me sometimes..."
"... Well I tarried here long enough. Any more time and I might as well hide out with you two," Wang Jin said as she put on a shawl to cover the top of her head. The disguise was very effective; she looked like an ordinary peasant going through a mid-life crisis in a city.
"One last thing, Master! A final gift from your favorite student!" said Lin Chong. The tears had dried and she put on a cheery grin as if her mentor were only going on a short road trip.
"... I'll be pissed if you're going to try and kn-," Wang Jin began to say until she was enveloped in a fierce hug. Shocked for only a second, her eyes softened as she returned the embrace.
"... Still my favorite student," Wang Jin commented with a tender smile, feeling drops of liquid fall on her back. Not rain, but her student's tears. The hug lasted quite a while until Lin Chong herself let go.
The goodbyes were uttered, and off Wang Jin went, leaving Lin Chong alone standing at her house's doorway reminiscing about their times together. A sea of memories that she found easy to enter and difficult to leave.
It was only later that she realized something: Wang Jin never did tell her why Shi Wengong cut her hair. But that didn't quite feel important now.
Meanwhile, Wang Jin, with the bag of provisions and other supplies strapped to her back, walked Dongjing's streets one last time at night. Crescent moonlight and the thousands of stars in the skies guided her eyes as she did not want to be seen by the guards. The shawl and shorter hair made it a lot harder for people to recognize her in the dark, which was a blessing. She first saw, at a distance, the Imperial Palace, still aglow with torches showing off its golden-yellow roof.
She stuck her tongue out at it.
Then she walked past the walls of the city's military district where she spent much of her time in Dongjing. Recalling the countless soldiers as well as the many memories, Wang Jin tarried around there for a bit.
Passing the peddlers, selling their late-night snacks, she drank in the aroma of the roasted mackerel, fruit, and the mouthwatering smell of bread. It reminded her of her first visit to the city, walking under the lanterns with both her parents.
After wandering around, she walked towards a section of Dongjing that she had not visited for quite a while. The buildings were shabbier, yet they were camouflaged by trees curving around the walls and houses. She paused, as memories and echoes of the excited squeals and chattering of children surrounded her. Two of her apprentices once lived here.
There, on a certain tree, she remembered a certain nine-year-old climbing and jumping with the ease of a monkey and the grace of a cat. No wonder they called Lin Chong "panther head."
Wang Jin breathed out a sigh as she looked upwards at the countless stars floating in the night sky, like tiny holes in a large fabric covering the earth from a blinding light.
Out of the corner of her eye, however, she recognized that she wasn't alone.
Another pair of eyes were watching her, and Wang Jin focused her attention on who that might be, her fists clenched, ready to strike down anyone who would reveal themselves to her... in the next chapter.