Jinting Han people

On the 299th day of the second month of the ninth year of the Yuankang reign of the Jin Dynasty ( AD), the spring sunshine shone on the window eaves of the east courtyard. Most of the light was blocked by the window panels. Only a slender and distinct snake of light quietly drilled in from the gap, then crawled on the ends of Cao Shangrou's clear hair, bringing some warmth.

Time passed, the sun moved northward, creeping up the corners of her mouth. Then a spring breeze blew, the window eaves trembled slightly, and the light swayed back and forth like branches and leaves, tickling her skin like foxtail grass, making her laugh softly, and then she opened her eyes.

Shang Rou stood up and raised the window panel. Suddenly, the room was brightly lit. Outside, she could see clusters of peach blossoms like fireworks and white clouds floating like silk threads. After a few calls of swallows, the cries of peddlers could be heard.

It was another new day. Seeing the tranquility before her, and thinking of the soon-to-return master of the room, Shang Rou was in a good mood. She called her maid, A Ying, over and began to dress up in front of the bronze mirror. She asked A Ying to do her hair while she put on her makeup.

She used an eyebrow pencil to lightly draw her eyebrows, applied rouge to her lips, and applied yellow flowers on her forehead. No need for powder. After Ah Ying tied her hair into a bun, a charming young woman appeared in the bronze mirror.

Eight years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Shang Rou still remembers what she looked like eight years ago. Back then, her face was round, her eyes were twinkling, and her eyelashes were long, making her look childish.

But Shang Rou is no longer as childish as she once was: her eyes, like tender autumn water, speak without her having to speak; her face, like a lotus, has become more composed with the passage of time; and the years of independence since her husband left her have left her with a frail yet slightly stubborn character. Time has clearly transformed her into a different person.

This made Shang Rou inexplicably melancholic. Her familiarity with history led her to recall the Han Emperor Yuan's shift from Zhao Feiyan to Zhao Hede: Beauty fades, hearts change. Eight years had passed since they last met. What had become of this prudish husband? Was he still as stubborn and naive as he was eight years ago? Could he still be as attached to her as before?
But this sadness didn't last long. Soon, Madam Fei Xiu called out from outside the door, "A Luo! Is A Luo there?"

Fei Xiu walked in slowly and saw Shang Rou wiping tears in front of the bronze mirror. He laughed a little at first, then stepped forward to comfort her, "What's wrong? I made you cry before Bi Ji came back. What will happen when we really meet later?"

Shang Rou wiped away her tears and said, "I'm going to give him a good beating. He owes me this."

"Really? I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it." Fei Xiu waved and took the hairpin from A Ying's hand, inserted it into Shang Rou's hand, and then teased:

"I don't know who tore up Bi Ji's letter, and cried in the middle of the night, tearing my cold quilt to pieces."

This really hit Shang Rou's sensitive spot. She blushed immediately. She wanted to get angry but was too embarrassed to do so. She could only cover her face and say, "Auntie, stop talking!"

"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore." Fei Xiu placed his hands on Shang Rou's shoulders, carefully examining her reflection in the mirror. He sighed, "What a pity! It's only because Xi Miao is gone, otherwise she would have loved you so much."

"Don't worry too much. I've watched Bi Ji grow up. He's just as stubborn as his great-grandfather. No matter who or what happens, once he's made up his mind, he won't change."

"I heard that this kid was completely reckless in the war. Why was he like that? Wasn't he just trying to get home early? He must have been thinking about you all the time. But he's a man and has too many responsibilities to shoulder. Don't blame him."

"I have a feeling that he won't stay long this time. At most three or four years, he'll have to leave again."

Shangrou felt the same way. Although her husband often expressed homesickness in his letters, she knew it was only temporary. He had far greater goals and a career. This was both his innate responsibility and his lingering nightmare. The Prince of Anle had never belonged to Cao Shangrou, but Cao Shangrou belonged to him.

She nodded and stood up, saying to Fei Xiu, "I know, Auntie, I've been prepared for this."

Fei Xiu showed a relieved expression, squeezed Shang Rou's hand, and said softly: "Then go pick him up. The family has prepared the food today and is waiting for him to come back."

"Then I'll trouble you with Lord Chengzuo's illness."

"It's just a small matter, a small matter. I will take care of everything at home. Please go quickly."

With these words, Shang Rou was pushed out of the bedroom.

At this moment, the maids in the mansion were busy. Ah Chun was leading the maids in cleaning the kitchen, the side rooms, and the corridor in the backyard, while also boiling a large bucket of hot water. Lame Lai Fu and Wang Qi squatted together, catching their breath. They had just slaughtered a full-grown domestic pig, drained the hot blood, and would soon cut it into pieces. The coachman Zhu Fu was still in the stable, moving horse feed. He remembered that the young master's horse was a noble breed that only ate wheat and beans.

In the hall, the family's relatives had gathered. Some sat at tables, some stood in the doorway, chatting about family matters, but their faces were all distracted, clearly waiting for the same person. When Cao Shangrou emerged, everyone's eyes lit up. She was dressed in a double-breasted purple silk flowing fairy dress, a light white gauze waistband, and fragrant wind-toutu shoes. She truly looked like a fairy.

When Second Aunt Wang Zhi saw her come out, she took Shang Rou's hand and said, "Are you going to the White Horse Temple to pick someone up? Do you want me to accompany you?"

Shang Rou shook her head slightly and said, "When Bi Ji wrote to me, he said it should be today, but I don't know if there will be any accidents on the way, and I'm not sure if I can pick him up. I'll just go and wait. I'll trouble you with the family matters."

"But the world is not peaceful right now. It's not appropriate for a woman like you to go to the White Horse Temple with only Zhu Fu by your side..."

"I've made an appointment with the wife of the Shanggu Mansion to go with me, so you don't have to worry."

"That's fine, that's fine..."

When Cao Shangrou first married into the Anle Mansion, the clan members in the mansion were a little concerned. After all, the marriage between the Cao and Liu families was still too unbelievable, and they were also afraid that Shangrou would have the temper of a daughter from a wealthy family. But over the years, everyone in the family had witnessed how much Cao Shangrou had contributed to this family. Under the pressure from the Jia family, she could have escaped unscathed with the help of her natal family, but she was willing to share the hardships in the Anle Mansion, staying alone in the empty room for several years and managing the family business. This is not something that ordinary people can do. Therefore, the whole family no longer had any doubts. Over the years, when Liu Xian was not at home, Cao Shangrou's wishes were still the main consideration.

Cao Shangrou finally bowed to Anle Gong Liu Xun and said goodbye. Then she put on a black gauze hat and left the alley in front of her door in an ox cart.

As previously mentioned, she first went to the Shanggu Mansion. Shortly after the announcement, Meng Guan's wife, Guan Shi, also dispatched an oxcart from the mansion and set off alongside Shang Rou. Mrs. Guan was forty-two years old, and despite being the mother of five children, she still possessed a certain charm. Since Meng Guan was the commander-in-chief of the rebellion and had a close relationship with Liu Xian, Shang Rou had frequently visited the Shanggu Mansion in recent months, asking Mrs. Guan for news from the front lines. As a result, the two became acquainted.

Because her family's status rose too quickly, Madam Guan shared Meng Ping's anxieties. Coming from a humble background, she couldn't enter the upper-class circles, and yet a host of relatives sought to curry favor with her, leaving her feeling deeply lonely. After getting to know Shang Rou, she discovered her distinguished family background, her excellent manners, and her close ties to her own family. She immediately took a liking to her and made her her close friend.

It was the same at this moment. On the road, Mrs. Guan didn't want to sit alone in the car, so she simply got into Shang Rou's car and complained to her:

"Alas, yesterday, another relative came. I don't know where he lives. I checked the family tree and found that he is five generations distant from me. Yet he dared to come visit. He said he hoped that my uncle could arrange a job or a marriage for him. It's really baffling!"

"If I had come a few years earlier, I would have probably accepted it. But how could I not know now? They fawn over me in front of me, gossip about me behind my back every day, ask for help but think it's not enough, and even tell people that Shushi got his position by kowtow. Haha, if they are really capable, why don't they go to the Duke of Lu's mansion and kowtow..."

Madam Guan had the usual chatterbox quality of a woman from a humble family. Once she started complaining, she would go on and on, easily annoying others. Fortunately, Shang Rou was a good listener. She usually smiled and said nothing as she listened to Madam Guan's complaints. When Madam Guan felt a little tired, she would chime in with a few words to lighten her mood.

But today, Shang Rou was really absent-minded. She had missed the opportunity to respond many times in the past, which surprised Madam Guan. But after thinking about it, she understood a little and said with a smile:
"I almost forgot. Unlike me, my sister hasn't seen her husband for eight years."

"Speaking of which, I'm also curious. Shushi rarely praises others, but he often praises your husband. And I haven't met him yet. Could he be good-looking? How does he compare to Pan Anren?"

Faced with this topic, Shang Rou laughed and said, "Huai Chong looks good, but he is far inferior to Pan Anren!"

Madam Guan's face suddenly grew serious, and she said earnestly, "Oh, sister, be careful too. Men are greedy and lustful. If a man is good-looking and has some power, he's bound to attract many men. When he comes back, you must keep a close eye on him!"

"A man's ambition is to go far and wide. How can I stop him?"

"That's not it!"

Mrs. Guan began to talk about her own experience:
"Sister, you don't know that men are also hard to deal with. Tears can only make people pity you, but to control a man, you still have to learn to lose your temper and force him to give in. Twelve years ago, Shushi wanted to take a concubine, but I refused. We had a huge fight. He even prepared the betrothal gifts, but I smashed them all and started a hunger strike. My sons also sided with me. He had no choice but to apologize to me with a dark face, and he has never dared to mention taking a concubine again until now."

Unexpectedly, the most famous general in the world was actually a henpecked general. Shang Rou covered her mouth and chuckled. But she knew that she would probably never be able to use this method on her husband. The more you love someone, the more humble you will become.

Mrs. Guan chattered about some family matters in the car. After a while, the car stopped. It turned out that it had arrived in front of the White Horse Temple.

Shang Rou got out of the car wearing a bamboo hat, pulled back her veil and looked out at the road. She could see a crowd of pedestrians on both sides of the road. This was quite normal; it was the time for spring outings. The White Horse Temple was located in the western suburbs of Luoyang, adjacent to the Luo River. It was surrounded by peach, plum, and willow trees, each emitting a faint fragrance of young buds. It was the perfect place for a spring outing.

On the grasslands to the north, scholars converse amidst the green grass, while men and women meet for conversations, each in twos and threes, each with its own leisurely charm. To the south, along the banks of the Luo River, kites of all shapes and sizes float in the sky, while children cheer and run below, creating a joyful scene. Between these two lies the solemn and majestic White Horse Temple, where monks and ascetics persevere in their studies, their chanting echoing from afar like the echo of a dream.

However, what caught Shang Rou's attention the most was that there were many women wearing gauze hats standing by the road.

The war ended, and not just Liu Xian, but the soldiers who had participated in the Western Expedition gradually began their journey home. After crossing Hangu Pass and returning to Henan County, the soldiers disbanded in Gucheng and headed home. Consequently, the roads were now often filled with warriors carrying backpacks. And these women, like Shang Rou, waited for their returnees at the White Horse Temple.

The women they knew were chatting absentmindedly, their eyes occasionally looking towards the road to the west. Standing by the roadside, they looked like a reed made of black gauze, or a group of ghosts in the daytime. Some crows flew by in the sky, and would circle curiously above for a while, thinking they had encountered some of their own kind.

Most people's eyes were filled with anxiety. Only a few received letters from home, while the majority remained bewildered. They often harbored both optimistic and pessimistic fantasies. But subconsciously, people were afraid to confront pain, so their fantasies of hope far outweighed despair. And this was the moment when these fantasies were tested by reality.

Among the returning pedestrians, some had waited for their husbands, others had waited for ashes brought back by a fellow villager, and one woman, clutching her husband's empty sleeves, wept bitterly. Most women simply watched, but beneath their calm faces, a variety of intense emotions surged.

Shang Rou felt the same way. Looking at the weeping woman, she too began to worry: Was her husband's letter merely about good news and not bad news? He'd already suffered a broken bone in Luoyang, so perhaps all those years of fighting had left him with some damage? Or perhaps his replies were written by friends, indicating he'd already met with misfortune?
In fact, the more time went on, the more unreasonable Shang Rou's thoughts became. She just lost her mind because she was too worried. She didn't know when, but her heart was still in a mess. But when her eyes flashed, she saw a group of people walking towards her from a distance. Among the two figures in the lead, one seemed somewhat familiar, yet somewhat unfamiliar.

Shang Rou was a little hesitant, not sure whether she had admitted her mistake, but her right arm had already been raised subconsciously, shaking back and forth at the person who came.

Is it him? Or is it not him?

The man was stunned, then spurred his horse away from the team, galloping on the road like the wind. There were still hundreds of steps to go, but it arrived in a moment.

Amidst Mrs. Guan's exclamation, Shang Rou felt a strong arm holding her up around the waist, and then she snuggled into a warm embrace.

Liu Xian first reined in the horse, and after Fanyu came to a steady stop, he reached out his left hand, pushed aside the veil, examined his wife's face, and chuckled softly, "A'Luo, you've lost weight."

A Luo looked at her husband infatuatedly, and the grievances of the past few years suddenly flooded her heart. The scene of separation seemed like yesterday again. Then she buried her head in Bi Ji's arms and cried uncontrollably. It seemed that she wanted to cry out all the depression and pain of the past few years at this moment.

Liu Xian hugged Ah Luo tightly, letting his tears wet his clothes. He looked at the gate of the White Horse Temple and said silently in his heart:
"Luoyang, I'm back!" (End of this chapter)