The Ten Canvases

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Wen Yuan was taken aback. So what if it’s River Zhen? Even if I have to cross the boundless sea, it is nothing as long as I can meet her. He felt the urge to leave the little boat behind and swim ashore, but then the thought occurred to him. This lady indeed wanted this, but if I were to meet her abruptly at this late hour, wouldn’t it be damaging to her reputation if someone saw us? How could I be so thoughtless? He then sat down and played “The Reed”. “Green, green the reed, dew and frosted gleam. Where’s she I need, beyond the stream... Upstream I go, the way is long. Downstream I go, she’s there among... White, white the reed, dew yet to dry...” The melody lingered elegantly in the air as if it was expressing his deep, infinite yearning for the woman whom he could hear but not laid his hands on. Whenever he was about to touch her, she would turn around and leave. The end of the song left him nothing more than a figment of his own imagination.

As he plucked the last note, the only sound left on the surface of the lake was the evening breeze. Wen Yuan felt unsettled as he wondered what the lady would be thinking of right now. Moments later, the sound of a pipa could be heard. Again, it was a poem called “Wind And Rain” by Zheng Feng. The meaning of the words was vaguely conveyed in the song, “As the wind blew and the rain poured, the chickens clucked. When I saw you, my happiness was indescribable. As the wind blew and the rain poured, the chickens called....” It alluded to a windy and rainy night with the chickens clucking continuously in the barn, and one’s heart was filled with gloom. Being so, how could one not feel delighted after meeting one’s lover?

Poured with devotion, the soulful sound of the pipa became softer as it faded away. Wen Yuan stood at the prow of the boat, his heart laden with deep emotions as if he could still hear the song resounding on the lake water.

The next morning, Wen Yuan left the East Lake. Reminiscing the memory of encountering the woman with a poem last night, he could not help getting lost in his train of thoughts. It was so unforgettable that he thought to himself, an unplanned trip to Jiang Nan led me to a woman like her. It is such a pity not being able to meet her! I wonder if we'll ever have the fate to see each other again?

Absorbed in his own musing, he continued his journey aimlessly and finally reached the suburb of Hang Zhou in the afternoon. The streets were crowded with people and bustling with noises. Most of them must be tourists who came to visit the West Lake. Wen Yuan thought, people said the beauty of the hills and lakes at the West Lake is neither describable with words nor paintbrushes. Wouldn’t it be a waste if I did not take this chance to see it for myself? Putting away is reverie, he made his way to the lake with light steps.

The first stop was the Dyke Bai. Both Dyke Bai and Dyke Su stretched across the lake, separating it into the Inner Lake, Outer Lake, Little South Lake, Lake Yue and Lake Xi Li, among others. Dyke Bai was planted with willows and peach trees. Elongated greenish leaves and pinkish-yellow peaches added to the breathtaking scenery. Wen Yuan admired the view while he strolled. Feeling uninhibited, he could not help but praise, “Bai Letian has poetry that goes ‘Blossom-filled flowers that allure, greenish fields that cover the hooves. West Lake can’t get me full, especially the hiding dyke under the willows.’ What a splendid poem! People say that West Lake is one of the top 10 tourist attractions, but how could it be only one of the top 10? It should be the best!”

Nearby, a group of people was talking and laughing under a willow tree. Upon hearing his words, one of them, a scholar, approached Wen Yuan and made a bow with his hands folded in front. “Are you visiting alone? If you don’t mind, would you like to join me in enjoying the view and have a chat?” The man looked like he was in his forties with a graceful demeanor and spoke with courteous words. Wen Yuan responded by bow and smiled immediately. “Sure.” Then, he followed the man to the willow tree.

They were a group of three men and three women enjoying the scenery under the willow tree. With Wen Yuan’s presence, they were now a party of seven. Wen Yuan introduced himself to the group before the scholar introduced the others to him. Two of the men were middle-aged scholars. One looked neat while the other was tall and skinny. They were brothers from Su Zhou, and they went by the names, Zhang Zhide and Zhang Zhifang. They were friends of the elder scholar, Song Shangqian. As for the ladies, one of them was Song Shangqian’s wife, Lady Song, while the other two were the maids of the couple, Ping’er, and Cui Xiang. Ping’er looked delicate and Cui Xiang was also rather attractive. Dressed in casual clothes, they seemed quite tender and pretty. A yellow cloth was laid on the ground with a spread of dishes and drinks, and it appeared that a lavish picnic was going on.