Of course the parents could not let their son t
That made me sad. But the trip to the low world that followed made me worried. Van’s body was the incarnation of one of the cruellest rulers of a clan that was feuding with the Shi Nan Song family who had to suffer humiliation in his subsequent incarnation as a girl. The fact that his soul might find a more ‘suitable’ body was a matter for concern, as then it would be a more serious threat for the Nan Song family. And this would be likely to happen during the lifetime of my child.
In the evening guests arrived. They were the heads of the noble families and their wives who had been invited to the Northern House of the Nan Song to bring their registries of days of conceptions and births, so that the most favourable marriage could be chosen for Shi. The astrologists were sitting in a separate room, where the heads of the families were invited in turn. After all the dates had been copied and verified, the astrologists started their calculations. They had a lot to do.
Following a long walk in the garden, where the visitors could admire the fish in the pond, and wondrous trees and flowers, the guests headed for the dining hall, where they could see a huge revolving disk which served as a table. There were, actually, three concentric disks that made up the table, the largest was the lowest, the smaller ones were placed one above the other. In the centre of the top disk, there were four big gilded statues of the Buddha and four smaller ones, thus, in total, eight; they were surrounded by plenty of flowers in special flat vases and cassolettes with incense. The candles were placed in lotus shaped gilded candle holders which reflected their light and made its structure fine, which, in turn, made the silk glitter as if alive.
The guests and the hosts could see each other. All disagreements were forgotten. They were looking forward to a peaceful dinner. Since there were a lot of guests, the table was spun at a special signal, the ring of a tiny bell, so as to please every guest. In a twinkling of an eye all three disks were covered with steaming dishes. The empty plates were noiselessly disappearing, and new and new dishes were coming as if by magic.
It was a gastronomical feast. Cashew nuts, and chicken bits of the same size dressed with sesame oil, bamboo shoots fried golden – everything was disappearing fast. Black eggs, salted ears, calamari, sea cucumbers, long seed white rice with shrimps and something else, unrecognisable; black rice with salted nuts, fried vegetables, fried pieces of eel, and lots and lots of other foods, which would take thousands of pages to describe – it might be the tastiest book, though. The sweet dishes were also a success that day, only the mini cakes could make a separate story: they were impregnated with juices of different fruits and berries, contained transparent candied fruit or green, red, orange and all other unthinkable colours. It is worth mentioning, though, that the tremendous abundance and diversity of food did not mean that every guest was expected to try everything – not at all! Each person was choosing his or her food, the one which was good for him or her, correct on this day of life according to the gastronomic horoscope.
When the treats were eaten and the dishes cleared away, there was a short pause before the Hostess announced a surprise. Everybody became still in anticipation.
From nowhere appeared dressed up girls. Each of them was holding a little golden bowl in her hand. Approaching ‘her’ guest each girl bowed to offer the bowl.
A great cheer went up from the guests.
“This is lotus fruit compote,” said the Hostess.
In the bottom of each bowl was a little oval seed, a bit bigger than a pea, but of irregular form.
“I bestow it upon you to show my appreciation. May the fine emanations from this treat instigate harmony and prosperity in each home.”
That was the concluding chord to the long day. The ladies proceeded to their rooms, and the gentlemen used that time to talk shop, to discuss military or political matters, which, however, was not essential for them.
It was announced that the astrologists’ calculations would be provided the next day, after the tea ceremony. And right after that the guests would have to leave for their homes.
Chapter Three
Tossing out a brick to get a jade gem
Shi did not like the ceremony, but it was his duty to be present there, because that moment was to determine his fate. One of those guests was to become a relative of his children. The women were looking at him, and everyone was remembering her wedding ceremony, and it was evident that some women were even trying the role of his future bride themselves, which made their cheeks flush even through the thick layer of powder, betraying them. Their attire and hairdos were incredibly sophisticated constructions, and to describe even one of them you would need as much silk as it took to make their outfit. It was a fireworks of forms, colours, and filigree details. A multitude of embroidered flowers, birds, bamboo shoots, could fit onto a tiny piece of silk, the size of a child’s palm, without making it heavier.
A special pride of each woman was her fan. It served as the extension of her hand, and the extension of her sight, and a magic item of power for each of them. None of them would exchange her fan for a diamond necklace, although their costs were comparable, because the fans were unique pieces of the finest art. Every lady was a virtuoso in using her fan, so that if she were prohibited from talking, the fan would speak on her behalf.
Never in his life had Shi seen so many exquisite granddames. His heart was beating violently, although none of them had incited a desire in him. For him it was the first time that he was confronting the feminine element, something unknowable. It was a different world, infinite and scary. He had a feeling that he was sitting alone, absolutely naked and unprotected, and he felt their sight, and hands stretching out for him, touching him, teasing him. He was doing his best to control himself and look relaxed, but the jade baton did not want to obey him and was responding to their furtive, imaginary caresses.
The incenses were smoky, helping everybody to relax and indulge in pleasant conversation, but they could not suppress the notes of jasmine, cananga, geranium, patchouli, lavender, cinnamon, rosemary, neroli, rose, which made hearts now beat faster, now flutter. These fragrances were thronging the senses, sending the present moment from their minds. The women knew what they were doing. They had been preparing for this visit thoroughly, choosing the best perfumes to harmonise with their bodies. But there were too many of them. Overlaying each other, the scents of their bodies, which combined finest attars and feminine hormones, were awaking the deepest and the most ancient layers of the consciousness. They were causing bellicose excitement in men and making their bodies inject immense amounts of adrenaline into their blood.
Modern perfumes involve a great deal of chemically synthesized components to ensure steady quality; this is why their data cannot be read, not because there was no meaningful input, but as we do not attempt to read the meaning of a clearing in a forest. They either fail utterly to stimulate these primeval centres, or stimulate them in an uncontrollable way.
In those times, however, the language of fragrance was at the level of art, although just a few people had mastered it. Shi wished he could run away and hide himself, but his duty as a warrior and a sovereign demanded courage. He took it as a trial. At the moment of infirmity, when he felt a note of ylang-ylang in the cacophony of smells, he felt an instant wish to have Van next to him and feel her hands caressing him. His eye lids closed, and he gave a soft groan, but immediately came around and continued observing the situation.
When, finally, the guests proceeded to their rooms and his tortures were over, he went for a walk in the garden. He could hear sweet groans from the windows. It was a good sign: guests, who were making love in the house of the host, were contributing to the prosperity and the fertility of the household. Children who were conceived in the