III: Doing His Job
The sun was high in the morning sky, and still Sun Shang Xiang had not stirred from her couch.
Her head throbbed as badly as the last time she'd spent the evening playing drinking games with Gan Ning and Ling Tong – except she hadn't had a drop to drink last night. Her silk coverlet stuck to her body, plastered with sweat. When she woke, her eyes burned: they were dry from hours of crying.
Liu Bei is a good man. I know him well from our time spent campaigning together, and I am certain that your low opinion of him will change in time. I do this for a reason, Shang Xiang.
Shang Xiang squeezed her pillow convulsively – however hard she tried, she could not put out of her mind the words she'd exchanged with her father yesterday after dinner. She had begged and pleaded for Sun Jian to explain why he had what he'd done, and his reply had been evasive – cowardly.
I don't want to leave my home. I love everybody here too much. Why can't I marry one of our own people?
You do not understand yet, daughter. You cling to your homeland and your friends because you are all the same. Like and like make good friends, but who amongst us can you marry, Shang Xiang? You are brilliant, headstrong, lively…and you detest being outshined. Can you imagine what it is like to be married to a husband just like yourself? You two would never find peace together. You will always be competing each other – even if subconsciously – trying to gain dominance over one another. All the officers of this court are as competitive and headstrong as you, and I shudder to imagine the consequences if I gave into your demands to be married with one of them. Liu Bei, however…he is temperate, gentle and just. Instead of trying to put you in your place, he will lovingly admire you; instead of striving against you, he will appreciate you. And he will never mistreat you, I am certain.
Shang Xiang began to sob again at the recollection of those words. Sun Jian's words were meant to be reassuring, but instead they had the opposite effect: they only stoked the fire that raged in her heart, consuming her whole.
Being as talented, headstrong and self-confident as she was, Shang Xiang hated the idea of having to dedicate herself to a man for life. As a child she had proudly told her father that she would never marry anyone and would think only of serving and fulfilling Wu's ambitions for unification. To this her father would laughingly reply that she really didn't mean what she said, and that "all your notions and opinions would change with years and experience". Again and again Shang Xiang made the same vow, and unfailingly Sun Jain replied:
"You shall think differently, Shang Xiang, one day. And then you will thank me on bended knee for having guided you down the correct path."
He is wrong, she thought vehemently. She would not bend or eat her words. If she despised one thing more than anything else, it was hypocrisy and weakness of character.In addition, her stubbornness aside, Liu Bei was still a complete stranger. They had never met before, whether on the battlefield or in a more proper setting. What made him even more mysterious was the lack of information to be had about any of the people surrounding him: of his officers Shang Xiang only knew Zhuge Liang, the peerless military genius, who had come to Jian Ye a few months prior to the engagement at Chibi to work out a few tactical chinks with Zhou Yu. Even then she had never had a proper conversation with him: listening to his extraordinary debates with the Wu Cabinet (which validated his reputation in her eyes) only made her afraid to approach him. Liu Bei she certainly would not know or see until her wedding day. Any impression she had of him came from his territorial disputes with Zhou Yu – unflattering impressions, if ever.
It was no wonder, then, that she flatly refused to obey her father. But this time her stalwart resistance produced no effect: whereas Sun Jian would typically listen to reasoned objections, he did not relent this time, and even drove Shang Xiang from his room after an hour of arguing, snapping that if she didn't agree to marry Liu Bei she would be offered instead to one of Cao Cao's sons – they just couldn't afford another war against Wei. So Shang Xiang had hurled herself upon her couch and sobbed her heart out, where she remained until morning.
She did not think herself capable of crying like this. She had not cried as much as the time her father had nearly been killed on campaign against the Yuans, or even when Ce had nearly been carried off with illness. She despaired like she never had, because control over the one thing she guarded jealously – her own destiny – had been forcibly wrested from her.
Father, she thought vehemently, watching her room dissolve into a dark blur under a new flood of tears. You are no father to me.
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Shang Xiang finally got up only because Ce's insistent pounding on her door made her headache even worse. Knowing she could not appear in public as she was – her eyes were horribly swollen, and her cheeks dangerously flushed – she reached for her nearly untouched cosmetic kit and, fighting the innate revulsion, painted her face - mascara, lipstick, powder, and violently green eye shadow (the color, she hoped, would make the swelling less apparent). Then, overcome with the desire to cover and efface herself, she donned a long black dress – one she had never worn in her life. When she finally stormed out of her apartments she kicked the door open so suddenly and forcefully that Sun Ce, standing inches away, was flattened against the wall. Feigning ignorance, she dashed off, leaving the mortified doormen to extricate the howling prince; and when she saw him later, his face comically swollen and a blood-stained handkerchief shoved up his nose, she felt no remorse for her accidental-on-purpose move.
They've probably already had breakfast without me, she thought, as she blazed down the corridors – the morning meal in the Palace was held promptly at half-past-eight, and this time Sun Jian probably didn't bother starving everybody else at the table to wait for her. Shang Xiang didn't mind: she felt quite ready to turn up anything she put in her mouth. Her outfit stirred as much shock among onlookers as had her scream yesterday. When had Sun Jian's masculine daughter started putting on makeup? Could anyone remember the last occasion on which she actually wore a dress instead of pants or tights? And why that horrid color, black?
Shang Xiang simply ignored their stares, which at any other time would have made her crimson as her hair; for the first time in her life, she wanted the attention. Let them stare, she thought savagely, with the same eagerness as if she were beckoning enemy officers to a duel. At times she crossed paths with friends; the Qiao sisters gawped in unflattering shock at her outfit; Lu Meng gave her a quick nod and then walking right past her as if she had turned invisible; and Zhou Yu, who more than anyone else could divine Shang Xiang's feelings and motives, gave her a strange look – one between perturbation and pity – but said nothing. And, to her mortification, she ran into Sun Jian himself, who was emerging from his morning session with the Cabinet. He did not meet her eye, but turned his head away as if he were avoiding the glare of the sun and strode past her with marked haste, his billowing robes grazing her fingers.
After almost half an hour of walking around, attracting conspicuous stares and igniting gossip in every corner of the Palace, Shang Xiang arrived at the very back of the enormous palace. The gigantic crimson gates, which were usually shut, yawned wide open, and beyond a flood of stone steps Shang Xiang could see a forest of ships moored at a long row of docks – the private docks used by returning court officers and visiting dignitaries. Voices floated toward her, carried by the breeze – one voice more distinct than all the others. Recognizing that voice, she pulled up her skirt and hurried over –
"Yes, the gold can go in the holds below! Silks up on the deck – who knows if this boat leaks or not, we don't want them ruined – this is out of the Treasury itself, and it cost a fortune!"
"General Lu!" cried Shang Xiang, dashing toward him and almost tripping over her dress. "Boyan!"
The small, lithe figure turned around, and sunk into a hasty bow.
"Your Highness…Princess…" he stammered. "I wasn't expecting you here."
Shang Xiang seized him by the forearms and pulled him out of his bow. For the first time, it seemed, she realized just how short and young he was; his head only came up to the tip of her nose.
"My – aren't you the dandy today! Who are you trying to outdo – Zhang He or the Qiaos?"
Lu Xun was not wearing his red uniform today, but an outfit splendid enough for a prince. His tunic was of white satin embroidered with silver dragons, with pale green piping and mink trim; a gauze sash secured his sword to his waist. His brown hair had been combed up and secured under a diamond-studded headdress, and his boots shined like black mirrors. Under the Princess' open-mouthed gaze he flushed beet red.
"Well…er…the Cabinet wanted me to make the best impression possible."
In spite of her misery, Shang Xiang laughed. "And did they make you pay for this outfit out of your purse?"
"Thank Heavens, no!" he squawked. "This outfit used to be our Lord Sun Jian's when he was a boy my age…of course he's outgrown it, and so have the two Princes, so he gave it me as a token of gratitude for my service. I feel fortunate to serve a family as great as yours, Princess."
The remark was meant to flatter Shang Xiang, but it produced exactly the opposite effect. "If only my father were as kind to his own children," she said bitterly, averting her eyes.
Lu Xun, mortified, hastily dropped into another bow – he didn't know how exactly to apologize for an affront he didn't mean to inflict.
Fortunately for him, a guard approached him just then, giving him an excuse to turn away from the Princess.
"General Lu, sir, all the articles have been loaded as you wished and we are ready to sail. When shall we leave?"
"Right now – "
"No," said Shang Xiang. "I need to finish speaking with the General."
"Yes, ma'am," said the guard, bowing and retreating.
A very uncomfortable silence followed. Lu Xun kept his eyes on the golden rooftops of the palace, feigning fascination. Shang Xiang, knowing she had embarrassed him, put a hand on his cheek and turned his face toward her.
"Look, Boyan, I didn't mean to say that…I've nothing against you. You're only trying to do your job."
"That was not your mistake either," Lu Xun replied quickly, now keeping his eyes resolutely trained on the ground. When he finally dared to look up at Shang Xiang, a wave of cold water invaded his stomach: her eyes had begun to glisten dangerously.
"Oh no – don't cry – don't be upset, your Highness! It's only – it just hurts me to see you so miserable on account of all this, and if the proposal ever falls into place it'll be my fault, because I'm the one who's supposed to make it work!"
By now Sun Shang Xiang had entirely disintegrated into tears.
"Oh, Boyan!" she cried, collapsing against Lu Xun in a suffocating embrace. Hot tears poured onto the flawless satin of his tunic. Lu Xun would have made a run for the docks and dove into the yellow waters of the river to escape the stares of the sailors and guards around them, but Shang Xiang held him too tightly even for him to breathe. His face burning, he reached up gingerly and patted her head very awkwardly, hoping to calm her down.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Highness?" he rasped.
Shang Xiang finally let go of him, but only because of the half-strangled sound of his voice, and shook her head tearfully.
"You know," he whispered, when she continued to cry wordlessly, "if you really wanted…I really care about you, you know…I could always make this proposal fail…on pur – "
"Don't say that!" gasped Shang Xiang, and she clamped a hand to Lu Xun's mouth before he could finish his sentence. "I might despise the thought of marrying that man, but never, Boyan - I would never want to retain my liberty at the price of your dismissal."
"Sun Jian won't dismiss me," Lu Xun mumbled, and Shang Xiang released her hand. He could feel the gazes of all the people around him burning holes in his back, and his mind began to spin. Oh God, now everybody must have guessed what I was suggesting to her…"He'll just yell at me a little and take this outfit back. Probably see if Zhou Yu fits it… that's all."
Lu Xun meant the statement at face value (he knew how subjects fared at Sun Jian's treatment much better than the Princess herself), but Shang Xiang thought he was being flippant and glared at him.
"I don't want you fired, or yelled at, or anything. Just…just…do your job…to the best of your ability…and don't think of how I'd feel when you're interviewing Liu Bei, because it'll ruin your concentration."
"I'll find it hard not too," said Lu Xun, and he bowed again out of respect. "But I'll try."
The sound of a throat being cleared next to them startled both. Sun Quan stood with his arms crossed, dressed in a violet robe and a matching hat. He had walked up to them quietly while Lu Xun and Sun Shang Xiang were too absorbed in one another to notice – and he had heard what Lu Xun had whispered.
"Good morning, Boyan," he said, curling his fingers in greeting. He turned to Shang Xiang and smoothed her hair. "Hello, Sis. You've got a rather somber dress on."
Shang Xiang grimaced slightly under her brother's touch, but did not recoil. Quan, in return, assumed a hurt look:
"Don't give me that, Sis. I wasn't the one who came up with that stupid contract, it was – "
"I know," replied Shang Xiang flatly. "I don't need to be reminded."
"And, uh – speaking of uh, You-Know-Who – he knows you must be feeling ravenous right now, so he ordered Chef expressly to whip up something for you – "
"I'll turn up anything I eat," Shang Xiang declared. "I won't go."
"Sugar pancakes in cherry sauce," lilted Sun Quan, raising an eyebrow. "Ladles of cream thick enough to walk on and positively oozing with butter…with a platter of fresh lychees at the side. Your favorite."
"I'm still not going."
"And just in case you didn't know," added Sun Quan, changing tack at the speed of light, "poor Ce's being vented on by Pa, and rather violently, I might add. He actually tried to persuade Pa not to bother you – gallant but futile thing to do, if ever – and he got a vase thrown at his head. Missed the worst parts, but gave him a purple blotch on the cheek, in addition to that broken nose you've been so kind to give him – "
"It's broken?" exclaimed Shang Xiang.
"That's what Ce said," said Sun Quan, shrugging.
"I'm still not going."
"Just for our brother Ce – and for me too…please?" whined Sun Quan, starting to get desperate. Perhaps chairs were being thrown at Sun Ce now. "Pleeeeaaase – "
"You made that rubbish up just to scare me," snarled the Princess.
"Don't be ridiculous," snapped Quan, dropping his whiney façade.
"Fine then," spat Shang Xiang. "But I'll still throw up everything he force-feeds me, just to spite him."
"Whatever you feel like doing, dear Sis," Quan said airly, waving an arm.
He then turned to Lu Xun, who looked, if possible, even more embarrassed than he had been in the first place to witness such a conversation.
"Well then," he remarked, "all dressed up, the gifts ready…you ought to be going now, shouldn't you?"
"Uh – yes," replied Lu Xun uncertainly, and then he realized that because of Shang Xiang running into him he had fallen about ten to fifteen minutes behind schedule. "You're right, sir, I really think I should be going…I'll be late if I don't start sailing soon."
"Hmph," snorted Sun Quan, crossing his arms. "You'll be neither punctual nor late, Lu Xun, because nobody's expecting you over there…but Pa does want to you to make quick work of this."
"Yes, sir," said Lu Xun, and great relief he bowed and made for the ship.
"Wait, Boyan!" cried out Sun Shang Xiang, and Lu Xun's heart sank faster than a plummeting rock. "Please – come back here – hug me again, just one last time – "
Lu Xun had no choice. He turned around, tottering back to the teary-eyed Princess, who engulfed him in another strangling embrace. By now the onlookers around them had collected into quite a crowd; Quan gave them all a killing glare and set to work prying his crying sister away from the choking boy.
"My dear girl, re-lax," he said in her ear loudly, in a conscious imitation of Sun Ce. "He's not setting out on an interminable campaign to some place a thousand miles away. No, really, calm down, you're making a spectacle of yourself…you're going to see him again today, probably even at dinner – that is, if you'd bother to show up for dinner."
"I just want to wish him good luck!" wailed Sun Shang Xiang, finally releasing Lu Xun after mounting pressure from her brother's pulling. The strategist staggered away, massaging his throat, but that was not the end of his ordeal: Sun Quan dealt him a powerful blow in the back with his fist, his signature goodwill gesture.
"Go hook her up, like Pa wants you to!" he shouted bluntly, and as he gripped Shang Xiang by the shoulders and slowly turned her away from Lu Xun he gave him a clandestine wink. After all, I've got her out of your bleached and shampooed hair for you, you little squirt.
Lu Xun didn't need to be told twice. He whipped around and bolted as fast as he could, across the quay, up the gangplank and onto the deck of the small ship, without even glancing back at the retreating pair. He felt strangely sick.
"What are you staring at?" he snapped at the troupe of gawking sailors, and they immediately scattered like cockroaches overwhelmed by light to their respective stations. "All sails up and oars ready! I want this old floating log to be at Caisang before noon!"
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Next Chapter: The folks at Shu are having a very pleasant breakfast until Lu Xun suddenly arrives at their doorstep with his momentous proposal. How will they react? And how will Liu Bei respond to Sun Jian's offer?