Spring Once More

chapter 5

(Traditional Chinese cover scanned by Dairytea)

Chapter Five

There is a wise saying that goes— a contented mind is a perpetual feast. Likewise, the discontented are often starving.

I, Ma Xiaodong, had been a regular guy requiring minimum maintenance. Now that I’ve suddenly become a prince in a literally a brand new world, I should be dancing and celebrating this new life. But honest to G.o.d, I really can’t bring myself to be in a cheerful mood.

In the blink of an eye, a good five days in the prince’s residence hasflown by.

Life over the past five days has been so good that I couldn’t complain evenif I tried. When I open my eyes in the morning, my slightest cough summons a gaggleof attendants. One dresses me from the waist up while another attends to pointssouth, while yet another slips my feet into my shoes. Then comes the one whorinses my mouth, then the one who combs my hair, then the one who wipes my facewith a nicely wrung out towel. After that, I will finally be helped into myrobes.

Hedonists would say that I am in bliss. I on the other hand candefinitely say from the bottom of my heart: How depressing is this?

I’m my own man, yet I live under the scrutiny of dozens. Even going tothe latrine means I am followed by servants whose sole job is to pa.s.s thepaper. Wouldn’t you say it’s depressing when someone else know better than I dothe exact number of times per day that I sneeze, go to the toilet, pick my noseor scratch my ears from the moment I wake till the moment I sleep?

And don’t get me started on the food here. I a.s.sumed some other materialneeds might not be met, but as long as I got three square meals a day I wouldbe content. But who knew that once the emperor heard that his little brotherwas alive, he would send an imperial physician to check my pulse. The old fogeynarrowed his eyes and stroked his beard for a while, and I immediately saw thathe was up to some funny business. And whaddaya know? The physician declaredthat the yin energy inthe young prince’s body had yet to be dispelled and prescribed light meals tonurse my body back to a healthy state. He pulled out a piece of paper, in boldand reckless calligraphy, dashed off a list to be given to the kitchen. Andthat’s why I’ve had nothing to eat but green leaves and radish skin for fourdays.

At last, on tonight’s menu is shark fin soup. The moment the bowl isserved up, my eyes widen. It only took me two lives to finally be able to tastethis delicacy I’ve dreamt of so often! But it looks like I won’t be enjoying mygourmet meal in peace as the usual coterie of servants is already swarming: onein charge of taking the food, one scooping rice, one ladling soup, and anotherwringing out towels and wiping my mouth. So considering my current image, Ipoint gracefully to the soup bowl with my chopsticks. The soup ladler worksfast while I open up that extra compartment in my stomach. I drink to myheart’s content and somewhat manage to make up my four-day deficit of oil andfat.

After I wipe the shine off my lips, I order my servants to pull a chair sothat I can admire the twilight scene from the walkway. The residence of PrinceTai is a cla.s.sical, grand complex with tall gates and vermillion walls. Theelegant, curved roof ridges are numerous and overlapping. These divide the manycourtyards and quarters, while exquisitely decorated walkways connect them. Therailings and posts are carved with flowers, and the rising cornices arebrilliantly painted. According to hearsay, even the placement of the pond, therock formation, the flowers and the hardy banana in the garden are allmeticulously planned. I spent the last five days bouncing between my main quartersand inner main hall, but the whole time I had my eyes on the moon gate at theend of the inner court walkway.

A short gust of wind blows over me. I survey my surroundings, and abizarre sense of emptiness fills my being. These days, I’ve felt especiallymelancholy once night falls, especially when it comes time to bear lanterns,and the servants go around lighting the candles.

The most pathetic thing about humans is that we only know to cherishsomething after we have lost it; we only understand its value after we partfrom it. I once found the thirty-watt fluorescent bulb in my s.h.i.tty,three-hundred-yuan rental to be an eyesore. Now, I would gladly exchange halfof the Tai estate for a twenty-watt incandescent.

The night deepens, and the air is chilly. The candles have been lit. Theagitation inside me is becoming stronger and stronger. It’s been five days! Ihave been repressing it for five whole days. Every part of my soul is shoutingwith all I have: Let me take a drag!

Cigarettes and alcohol are men’s loyal lovers for eternity, and for me,they are my life. Throughout all those splendid early mornings, all those idlehours, and all those lonely nights, it was the unending trail of smoke thataccompanied me, faithfully, consoling my very soul. I am this close to givingmyself twenty good ones across the face. If I had known that there wouldn’t beany tobacco in this s.h.i.thole, I would have gladly gone to America and enjoyedmy life as a sixty-something-year-old even if only for a few more years. At leastI could smoke authentic Habanos and watch television in the glory of thousandsof watts with an arm around my pin-up Hollywood mistress.

I look towards the heavens and swallow my drool. Exhaling a deep sigh, Ishift my focus to the end of the walkway.

“Your Highness,” Xiao-Shun prompts from behind me, “the cold wind bringsdampness. Perhaps it is time to retire to the quarters.”

An idea pops into my head. Television, light bulbs or cigars are all toofar-fetched for this era, but the prince has at least one thing going for him.I sigh again, “The night is long, and with but a sole lantern and cold sheets,it is difficult to fall asleep by myself alone.”

Sharp lad that he is, Xiao-Shun immediately grins, and his mouthful ofyellow teeth bursts into my vision like a jumble of pomegranate seeds. “YourHighness has not summoned any night companions these days. Shall I call for onetonight?”

I do not respond. Moments later, Xiao-Shun draws close to my ear. “May Iknow which one Your Highness would like?”

Which one? OMG, there’s more than one! Just as he finishes speaking,Xiao-Shun smacks his own mouth. “This servant deserves death for forgettingthat Your Highness… Your Highness, this servant shall go according to customand fetch the sticks.”

Drawing sticks! Emperors of the past flipped tiles to decide whichchamber to visit for the night, and yet the little prince decides to drawsticks. It’s quite an innovative idea. I like it.

Xiao-Shun is quick on his feet. Before I know it, he has already broughta bamboo container in which there are at least twenty or so bamboo sticks.

Oh, the evils of feudalism... I commentruefully from my historical pedestal.

My mouth cannot help going dry as I extend my hand into the cylinder tomix things up. Then I calmly draw one. Heavens bless me. Please let it be abeautiful lady. Xiao-Shun holds the lantern up and draws closer: Number Two. Belowis a painted blossom, as well as two characters: Ruoshui.

Yin represents negative or feminine energy while yang represents positive or masculine energy. Yin as a qualifier also signifies anything related to thenetherworld.

This signifies his eagerness to explore the rest of the residence,especially the other quarters.

Common critique on theimperial times since the communist era.

Literally “likewater.”

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Dairytea:

Chapter Six

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