Accomplishment

Dispel the spell, halt its power.

The burning flames slowly wiped out the characters on the paper. The candlelight flickered across Beigong Juechen’s face, casting shadows and light. When the paper was finally consumed, only a pile of black ash remained. He scattered it into the flowerpot nearby and rose to open the window.

“The night air is chilly. If you wish to feel the wind, elder brother, you ought to wear more clothes,” Beigong Qiyi remarked, entering from the outer chamber. He saw the man standing at the window only thinly clad, so he took a cloak from the rack and draped it across his shoulders. The youth seemed to have just finished bathing; his long black hair was damp. Beigong Juechen closed the window and said quietly, “Your hair is still wet.”

Beigong Qiyi’s dark, shining eyes darted mischievously. He let a meaningful smile curl his lips. “Are you worried about me, brother?” The man regarded him with a half-smile. “What gives you such confidence to assume so?”

Embracing the man before him, Beigong Qiyi slowly and deliberately licked the length of his brother’s pale, elegant neck. “You never admit it, but there are things you can lie about with your mouth, not with your heart.” The man’s slanted brows knit together involuntarily. The youth’s hot lips traveled from neck to cheek. Beigong Juechen closed his eyes, cupped the youth’s head, and kissed him deeply.

Beigong Qiyi was momentarily startled, then responded with passionate fervor. The sound of wet, decadent kisses filled the air. Clinging to the man’s neck, their bodies pressed together, moving in rhythm.

[Now to speak of Lin Daiyu, who since arriving at the Rong Mansion, has been cherished in every way by Grandmother Jia, her daily life cared for as intimately as Baoyu, and even the three granddaughters Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun fall behind her in favor. The closeness between Baoyu and Daiyu is also unique, spending their days together, sitting side by side, and sharing their nights. Their words and thoughts are in harmony, and there is never the slightest discord.

But unexpectedly, Xue Baochai arrived. Though only a little older, her character was upright and her beauty radiant, many said Daiyu could not compare. Baochai’s open and easy manner, adapting to circumstances, was unlike Daiyu’s lofty pride and disregard for those beneath her, winning Baochai the affection of the servants. Even the young maids preferred to play with Baochai. Thus, Daiyu felt some melancholy and dissatisfaction in her heart, though Baochai herself was oblivious. Baoyu, still a child, was by nature simple and eccentric, treating all siblings equally, with no distinction between close and distant. Because he sat and slept with Daiyu in Grandmother Jia’s rooms, he was somewhat more accustomed to her than the other sisters. This familiarity bred greater intimacy, and intimacy sometimes brings quarrels and unexpected rifts.

One day, for reasons unknown, their words clashed; Daiyu, upset, sat alone in her room shedding tears, while Baoyu, regretting his reckless words, went to apologize. Daiyu gradually recovered. Meanwhile, the plum blossoms were blooming in the garden of Ning Mansion to the east, and Jia Zhen’s wife, Lady You, prepared wine and invited Grandmother Jia, Lady Xing, Lady Wang, and others to enjoy the flowers. She first brought Jia Rong’s wife to formally invite them. After breakfast, Grandmother Jia and the others came, playing in the Huifang Garden, with tea followed by wine. It was a gathering of the ladies of the Ning and Rong mansions, a small family banquet, with nothing novel or noteworthy.

Baoyu soon felt tired and wanted a nap. Grandmother Jia ordered someone to soothe him and let him rest. Jia Rong’s wife, Lady Qin, smiled and said, “We have prepared a room for young master Baoyu. Please rest assured, old ancestor, just leave him to me.” She told Baoyu’s nurse and maids, “Nannies, sisters, please bring Baoyu along.” Grandmother Jia knew Lady Qin was reliable, graceful, gentle, and mild in all she did, the first among her great-granddaughters-in-law, so she felt at ease leaving Baoyu in her care.

Lady Qin led a group to the inner chamber. Baoyu looked up and saw a painting on the wall. Though the subject was fine, the story behind it displeased him, and he did not care who the artist was. There was also a couplet, reading:

“To understand the world is knowledge; to master human relations is literature.”

After reading these lines, despite the exquisite chamber and luxurious furnishings, he absolutely would not stay there. He hurriedly said, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” Lady Qin laughed, “If this isn’t good, where else shall we go? Perhaps to my own room?” Baoyu nodded and smiled. A nurse commented, “How can an uncle sleep in his niece’s room?” Lady Qin laughed, “Oh, don’t worry about his annoyance. How old is he, really, to be concerned with such things? Didn’t you see my brother last month? Though he’s Baoyu’s age, standing together, he might even be taller.” Baoyu said, “How come I haven’t seen him? Bring him for me to see.” Everyone laughed, “He’s thirty miles away, how could we bring him here? There’s time enough for a meeting.” With that, they arrived at Lady Qin’s room.

As they approached the door, a delicate, sweet fragrance greeted them. Baoyu felt his eyes droop and his body relax, exclaiming, “Such a lovely scent!” Entering the room, he saw a painting by Tang Bohu on the wall, with a couplet by Song scholar Qin Taixu:

“Soft chill locks the dream for spring is cold; fragrant air enfolds us, it is wine’s aroma.”

On the table was a treasure mirror once placed in Empress Wu Zetian’s chamber, beside it a golden plate danced with by Flying Swallow, holding the quince thrown by An Lushan that wounded Lady Yang. Above was the couch where Princess Shouchang had lain beneath the Han Zhang Hall, draped with the beaded curtain crafted by Princess Tongchang. Baoyu smiled, repeating, “This place is wonderful!” Lady Qin laughed, “Even immortals could live here.” She unfurled the gauze quilt washed by Xi Shi herself, moved over the mandarin pillow hugged by Red Maid. The nurses settled Baoyu comfortably, then withdrew, leaving Xiren, Meiren, Qingwen, and Sheyue to keep him company. Lady Qin instructed the young maids to watch the cats and dogs play in the corridor.

Baoyu, barely closing his eyes, drifted into sleep. It seemed Lady Qin was still before him, and he floated after her to another place. He saw red railings, white stones, green trees, clear streams—a place rarely visited, untouched by dust. Baoyu rejoiced in his dream, thinking, “How delightful is this place! I’d gladly spend my life here, even lose my family, better than being beaten daily by parents and teachers.” Just as he indulged these thoughts, he heard a song behind the mountain:

“The spring dream scatters with the clouds, flying petals follow the water’s flow,

To all young men and women, why seek idle sorrow?”

Baoyu recognized the singer as a woman. As the song faded, a figure emerged, graceful and ethereal, truly unlike any other. A verse attests:

“Just left the willow bank, newly emerged from the flower chamber. Where she walks, birds startle among the courtyard trees; as she arrives, her shadow glides across the corridor. Her immortal robes flutter, the scent of musk and orchid fills the air; her lotus attire stirs as the sound of her jade ornaments rings clear. Her smile rivals the spring peach, cloud piled atop emerald hair; lips blossom like cherries, pomegranate teeth conceal fragrance. Her slender waist sways, dancing as wind and snow; her jewels shine, her brow glows with yellow. She moves among flowers, perfect for joy or anger; lingers by the pond, seeming to fly, seeming to float. Her moth eyebrows gather, she is about to speak but holds back; her lotus steps shift, ready to stop yet longing to walk. Admire her pure nature—ice and jade; her splendid attire—glittering with literary grace. Love her beauty—fragrant and carved like jade; her bearing—phoenix soaring, dragon leaping. How pure—like spring plum blossoming in snow. How clean—like autumn chrysanthemum frosted. How calm—like pine growing in a deserted valley. How radiant—like dawn’s glow on a clear pond. How refined—like dragon swimming in a winding pool. How divine—like moonlight shining over a cold river. She shames Xi Shi, truly embarrasses Wang Qiang. Marvelous! Born in what land, from whence does she come? Surely, no equal in the Jade Pool or the Purple Palace. Who is she, so wondrously beautiful?”

Baoyu saw she was a fairy maiden, and joyfully bowed, asking, “Fairy sister, where have you come from and where are you going? I do not know where this place is; please guide me.” The fairy smiled, “I reside above the Sky of Bitterness, within the Sea of Sorrow; I am the Fairy of Illusion from the Cave of Fragrant Spring in the Realm of Illusion: I oversee the debts of love and passion in the human world, manage the grievances of women and the obsessions of men. Recently, romantic entanglements have grown here, so I came to investigate and spread longing. Now we meet unexpectedly, not by chance. This place is near my realm, nothing else here but a cup of immortal tea I picked myself, a jar of wine I brewed, several dancers trained in magical arts, twelve new immortal songs. Would you like to tour with me?” Baoyu, forgetting Lady Qin, followed her to a place with a stone plaque inscribed with “Realm of Illusion” in four large characters, with a couplet:

“When false becomes true, true also is false; where nothing becomes something, something returns to nothing.”

Passing beneath the arch, they reached palace gates, titled “Sea of Sin, Sky of Passion.” Another couplet read:

“Deep earth and high heaven—how endless is love through the ages,
Foolish men and grieving women—how hard it is to repay debts of passion.”

Baoyu pondered, “So this is the truth. But what is ‘love through the ages’? What are ‘debts of passion’? I must experience them myself.” While lost in thought, he unwittingly invited some demons into his heart. He followed the fairy through the second gate to the side halls, each with plaques and couplets, too many to take in at once. He noticed some labeled: “Department of Passion,” “Department of Grievance,” “Department of Morning Lament,” “Department of Night Complaint,” “Department of Spring Emotion,” “Department of Autumn Sorrow.” He asked the fairy, “May I trouble you to guide me through these departments? May I see them?” The fairy replied, “Each department keeps records of all women, past and future, across the world. Your mortal eyes and body cannot comprehend them yet.” Baoyu protested, pleading repeatedly. The fairy finally said, “Very well, let us briefly visit this department.” Baoyu was overjoyed. He looked up to see the plaque read “Department of Ill-Fate,” flanked by couplets:

“Spring regrets and autumn sorrows are self-inflicted; for whom do flowers and moon shine?”

Baoyu sighed as he saw several large cabinets, each sealed with strips labeled by provinces. One cabinet’s seal read in seven characters: “Official Registry of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling.”

The true energy sent from the youth’s body was gradually absorbed and harmonized. Beigong Juechen imperceptibly clenched his hand, a faint smile curving his lips. Beigong Qiyi wrapped the man’s legs around his own waist and leaned in, claiming his lips.

Beigong Juechen reversed their roles, thrusting his tongue deeply into Beigong Qiyi’s mouth, stirring fiercely, then bit lightly on his lower lip. Grabbing his hair, he pulled him away and raised an eyebrow. “Go to the bed.”

Author’s note: Recently, I’ve been completely enchanted by the beauty of my idol! Haven’t written in so long… tossing out a chapter first.

Chapter word count unchanged; find the full text in the column for the email address~ 166 Reading Network