| The next day was his mother's birthdayFor ten years, he had been away from home, and now that he was back in southern China, his mother was already deadHe thought of her kindly, smiling face and of the common fate that awaits all men, and tears began to trickle down his face
The first light of day began to spread across the skyChen plucked the red flower off his gown and placed it in his bag, then strolled towards the eastern gate to the cityThe guard on duty stared at him, then saluted: he was a Red Flower Society man
"Since you are leaving the city, do you need a horse, Great Helmsman?" the guard asked
"Yes, thank you," answred ChenThe guard went jubilantly off and came back a short time later with a horseFollowing behind were two minor officials who both bowed respectfully before ChenThey felt fortunate to have had an opportunity to render a service to the Great Helmsman
Chen mounted up and galloped offThe shop prada handbags horse was fast and he reached the western gate of Haining city by noonIt had been ten years since he left his home town, but everything was still as it had beenAfraid of meeting someone who would recognise him, he turned his horse northwards and rode two or three miles further onHe stopped at a farmhouse and ate lunch, then lay down to sleepHaving been up the whole previous night, he slept very deeply
Noting his gentleman's attire and the fact that he spoke the local dialect, the farmer and his wife treated Chen with great courtesy, and killed a chicken for dinnerChen questioned them about events of the past few years and the farmer said: "The Emperor has ordered that the whole of Haining county be exempt from taxes for three yearsIt's all because of his respect for Minister Chen
Chen thought about how many years it had been since his father had passed away, and wondered again why the Emperor had suddenly begun louis vuitton mahina to bestow such handsome favours on his familyWhen he had finished dinner, he gave three taels of silver to the farmer in thanks and rode towards his family home in the northwest of the city
As he reached the gate of the house, he stopped in surpriseIn the old days, it had been named 'Secluded Garden', but the old name board had been taken down and replaced with one which read 'Peaceful Pool Garden'The characters were rounded and flowing, and he recognized the calligraphy as being that of the Emperor Qian Long himselfperplexed, he leapt over the wall into the compoundNext to the old house, new structures had been erected with endless pavilions and platforms, mansions and chambers
He passed along a covered walkway towards the Jade Bracelet Hall, but again found a new name board over its door inscribed 'Beloved Days Hall', also written in Qian Long's handThe words 'Beloved Days' referred to the filial affection of wholesale tiffany children for their parentsWhat was the Emperor doing writing such a thing here?
He emerged from the hall and walked across a zig-zag bridge with red railings into a thick bamboo grove towards the 'Fragrant Bamboo Lodge', the former residence of his motherThis name board had also been changed, this time to read 'Spring Sunshine Hall'Chen sat down on a rock, greatly confused'Spring Sunshine' was a poetic allusion used to describe a son's gratitude for his mother's loveIt had no other meaning
"Why has Qian Long placed this name board on my mother's house?" he wondered"Even if he is more stupid than I think, he would not have been so thoughtlessCould it be he knew I would come back here and wrote out these name boards in an attempt to befriend me?"
He tiptoed up the steps, and looked through a window, into the main room of the lodgeIt was arranged exactly as it had been when his mother was alive, with redwood omega replica watches furniture, a large carved bed, a clothes chest inlaid with gold, all as he remembered them from ten years beforeA red candle flickered on the tableSuddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps from an adjoining room and an old woman enteredIt was his mother's personal maid, Nanny HuanThe woman had reared him, and Chen felt closer to her than to any of the other servants
He jumped into the room and hugged the old woman
Greatly frightened, she opened her mouth to scream, but Chen covered it with his hand and whispered: "Don't shout, it's me She stared at him, too shocked to speakIn fact, his appearance and manner had changed so much in the ten years since he had left that she did not know who he wasDon't you recognize me?" he askedou are Jialuo? You've come back?" the woman asked, completely confused
Chen smiled and noddedShe gradually recovered her senses and vaguely discerned the features of the mischievous child she had replica chanel jewelry k |
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