Now it has been related how Holy Auntie told Deputy Yang upon moving into the east manor that she would report to him in about a year and a half. Who could have ever guessed that it was just an idle boast, and that she wouldn't move out for three years. Deputy Yang trusted her from the outset, but when he saw the trees and rice moved he was even surer of her genius and felt that those things must have been miracles of hers. Because of this trust and awe he ordered Old Wang the caretaker to go over to the hall and discretely eavesdrop on what was happening, he himself not daring to knock on the door in person and simply ask what the story was.

Suddenly one day Granny Yang opened a clothes trunk and felt something buried deep inside. Taking it out she found that it was the same two hundred ounces of her own silver that she had Old Mumma deliver to Holy Auntie three years before, and the seals on the package were still unbroken! Granny was startled and called Mumma over to confirm that it was so; it was indeed one and the same. This was clearly the work of the spirits, the same trick used in transporting the food and fuel. As to how it had gotten there they could only guess wildly. "This clothes box hasn't been opened for long time," Granny said. "How could the silver have gotten in? And when?" She could only send Mumma up to the east manor to do some snooping around.

Mumma arrived at the manor in a small palanquin and went directly to Old Wang's place to ask about recent events thereabouts. "Some time ago," said Wang, "halfway through the night at about the third stroke, I heard repeated shouts and gasps of excitement and shock. But come to think of it, I haven't heard a sound for quite a few days. I wonder what's going on in there?"

"Why don't you just get a ladder and I'll climb upstairs to steal a peek at whatever's happening."

"Now, when Old Wang considered that it was the chief servant Mumma yet again sent by Granny he was really eager to please; how could he dare do otherwise? So he ran quickly into the Grand Hall, brought out a long ladder and propped it up diagonally against the eaves of that second floor room in the annex. Old Mumma climbed up first, looked around and scrambled down. "All quiet in the hall," she reported, "there's absolutely no sign of activity. I'm a bit too timid to stand up there for long so why don't you have a go at it, old fellow?"

Old Wang climbed right on up there and craned his neck for a good look round, and sure enough there was nobody. He then climbed up onto the roof beam, and looked out and down into the areas in front of and behind the building. Suddenly he spotted the yellow glint of that mountain of gold. Shocked but delighted he descended the ladder, but his heart was suddenly full of caution and he decided he'd best keep Mumma in the dark about it. "I didn't see anything," he lied; "I think they must have left from the back of the compound."

After she'd left him Old Wang ran as if his feet had wings, right down to the big house to report everything to the chief, Deputy Yang. "That's what has happened, Master," he said in conclusion; "knowing what a huge blessing it must be for your family I shot right down here especially to tell you!"

"Who told you to go in there?" barked Yang.

"It was all on account of Granny's sending up Old Mumma. She told me to go and have a look and I forgot myself, because I hadn't heard a sound for a few days and I was afraid they might be gone. That's what made me do it; otherwise I wouldn't have dared."

Yang Chun pondered the matter and then called for the pageboys to prepare some horses, and he soon proceeded in person to the east manor. Breaking the seals on the gate in the back wall he entered the court of the Grand Hall and found no one. Grass was growing wildly on the ground and the side door to the annex was tightly closed. Deputy Yang knocked to summon whoever might be there but nobody answered, and so he ordered the pageboys to continue knocking for an hour, but it was all in vain. Exasperated, he next commanded some sturdy yeomen and bearers there to smash in the door. Telling them to stand back he then entered, and followed by four pageboys he went straight through to the back of the building for a look, ignoring the library and living quarters. And soon he saw that big porous rock from Lake Taihu, now turned into a great hunk of gold. "Holy Auntie's sure got no shortage of miracles!" he thought, darkly.

He was turning away when his eyes suddenly riveted on Holy Auntie, Bonze Dan and Zuo Chu standing there as tall as life right in front of him there on the ground floor. In fear and trembling he fell upon his knees before them. "Forgive me, oh Teachers, for having failed you!" he pleaded. "I've heard you've completed the transformation, and I've come here just to worship you!"

"There's no need to kowtow, Master" said a pageboy; "they aren't real. Look! Otherwise wouldn't they be returning the honor?" And when Yang Chun got up and went forth to look he indeed found them to be sculptures. Full bodied they were, looking just like their real-life counterparts and worthy of boundless praise.

Scattered all about the various rooms were piles of goods and equipment, at most worth four or five hundred in cash, but the clothes and luggage of the three were nowhere to be seen. Those four big pear trees that had been moved from the west garden were thriving surely enough in a neat row. He only wondered exactly why the three had run off so suddenly without a word in parting. Perhaps, thought Yang, the Puxian Bodhisattva didn't want a palace of magic to be built there, and Holy Auntie didn't want to talk about it and had just left on her own.

Yang Chun sighed wistfully and then called on a pageboy to go summon Granny Yang, who arrived a short time later. The deputy then commanded his wife to view the statues. "These have been sculpted for us by Holy Auntie!" he told her. Granny knelt in worship, bowing four times, and then turned to view the gold mountain.

"How reddish the gold appears!" she said proudly. "It's just a shame that she overdid the magic and made it so big and difficult to move."

I'll muster a few more men to help bring it back to the house," he said; "it'll serve as a fine family treasure for a local Commander!"

He then saw the yellow broadcloth hung as a canopy around the altar, removed it and placed the sheet over the huge golden rock. Then he instructed the pageboys to muster the farmers, porters and others in their entourage, while he negotiated for the use of timber hauling ropes, and when they reassembled there were thirty or forty men in all. They listened carefully to the pageboys' orders with neither question nor complaint, for they all knew just why they were there. Why, just seeing all that gold under wraps was enough to make them each want to steal just one little touch, and all were thrilled by the experience.

Now, the men discussed it among themselves, sombody saying that they'd live a year longer for having seen such a rare, miraculous object. There was also talk about good fortune repeatedly following close behind such a already wealthy official. And then there was talk of the Emperor being disturbed on account of it, so why not distribute a few filings to each of the poor fellows present, with plenty left for the local plutocrat do as he pleases with?

Those of greatest physical strength stood at the front, taking the end of the rope and dragging it over to the rock and carefully tying it up. Now, all went well as long as the rope was slack, but as soon as they began to pull there arose a blast of wind from under that huge stone. Suddenly out dashed that spotted yellow tiger, bounding towards them!

"Yeeow!" screamed the terrified men and women as they scattered, running for their lives. Deputy Yang managed to grab hold of Granny around her shoulder and leapt up into a second floor room, slamming the window shut and locking themselves inside. A short while later when he could hear no activity below he stole a peek out the window, and the tiger was gone. When he slid open the window and called out to the others there was no answer, so summoning all his spleen he ventured downstairs alone.

He could see only a few slavegirls and maids who had taken shelter behind the idols' legs, now beginning to run out along with the pageboys hiding behind them, now cautiously listening at the door for some news from outside. Deputy Yang was angered by their cowardice. "So where's the tiger?" he roared. "You've all seen gods and ghosts before! This should be nothing to you!"

The pages and maids finally felt safe enough to come out. Deputy Yang ordered the pageboys to prepare horses and summoned the porters to take Granny back home.

"That Holy Aunt really has got the spirit in her," the Yangs agreed when they arrived home. "She sculpted us those statues and made all that gold but won't let us take it away, and even left a tiger to frighten away folks who try to move it. If we just leave things alone there shouldn't be any problem, though."

So agreeing they had all of the unused goods brought down to the house and then consecrated those three downstairs rooms at the manor as "Holy Aunt Hall". And on the first day of the first, fourth, seventh and tenth months alms would be handed out in the west garden and Deputy Yang would enter the hall on the hill to light joss and candles and conduct a round of prayers. Afterward it would be resealed and no outsiders would be allowed in. And during other months not even family members would be admitted. Finally he told the pageboys, farmers and others that they were not permitted to engage in loose talk in front of outsiders.

Now, as they say, "Willing hands can be obtained, but tongues can never be restrained." Some of these men the master had ordered to be silent were a bit weak at keeping secrets and managed to spread forth news of the strange events, and soon the entire county was in an uproar. "A mountain of gold has appeared on Deputy Yang's estate, with a yellow-striped tiger, too!" went the wild rumor, which was not all that far from the truth. Even Yang Chun's trusted friends of an entire lifetime came round with their misgivings, and Yang Chun only denied everything. But later, in the aftermath of the Beizhou Rebellion, the State Council would order that sorcerers such as Bonze Dan, Zuo Chu and their defeated remnents be searched for everywhere. At that time Deputy Yang would already have passed away and Granny would be sick in bed. And the young master would report to the officials that he had personally ordered his farmers to smash those three idols for nights on end. The gold mountain would once again have reverted to its original form of a plain decorative pond stone, while the tiger fashioned out of paper would have turned to dust. But that is a later story. Indeed, even iron sometimes shines, while gold can fade if Fate so finds. And here is a poem:

Let us now take our leave of Deputy Yang. Dear readers, in taking up the whereabouts of Hu Mei'r we swing right around and take up yet another story. Let me introduce a man by the name of Zhang Dapeng, native of Xi An District and a student since childhood who lost both of his parents at twenty-two years of age. Following a teacher of the Original Nature school he set out on a life of indulgance, but while wandering though Yandu he was infected by an epidemic on Mount Dafang. Abandoned by that Daoist, he fortunately met a foreigner with strange powers who saved his life. And seeing his hands to be godly in appearance, the stranger passed an entire family of secret charms on to him, capable of calling up wind and rain, fighting against ghosts and exorcising spirits. If we were to compare them to the Laws of White Cloud Cave it would be six of one, half a dozen of another; just about the same.

For all of his life this Zhang Dapeng had been particularly close to a fellow in Dongjing, his sworn brother, and could often be found at his home. That man was named Zhu Neng, meaning Scarlet Power, and had a fine grasp of boxing, acrobatics and weapons handling. Now, to tell the story, it was the first year of the Xiangfu Reign and the Emperor Zhenzong was fretting over the Qidan and Dazi Tatars' aggression against China when a smooth-talking court official by the name of Wang Qinruo memorialized the throne. "Emperors ruling without the true ordination of Heaven have always failed to climb Mt Taishan," he solemnly wrote. "That's why Qinshihuang and all of his illustrious heroes fell like rain before the wind. If my Emperor truly wished to pacify the world and impress the foreign barbarians he must first receive Heaven's blessings by conducting an investiture service on Mt Taishan; only then can he proclaim the dynasty to be rightly consecrated."

"Just how many auspicious omens are received on Taishan?" asked the Emperor.

"Seventy-two in all," answered Wang.

And so Zhenzong approved the memorial, but it was all incumbent on Wang Qinruo to find an instance of all seventy-two omens having occured, and within three days! Wang took leave of the Emperor's presence with a worried look on his face. For over an hour he ruminated over those seventy-two blessings, indeed holy omens of the spirits, such as sweet dew, the unicorn, the phoenix, and so many other marvels of the world, and he wracked his brains over how he could find an example of each in only seventy-two hours!

Now, just who do you think was a learned friend and official guest of Wang Qinruo's but our own Zhu Neng, who had already heard what was on his patron's mind. "The problem isn't difficult," he said. "Just do as I say and use only one sort of auspicious omen in place of those seventy-two!"

Wang Qinruo gladly asked to hear more.

"Ordinary omens about grass, trees, birds and animals are all the work of later men, not of any real value," answered Zhu. "It's only the Eight Trigrams of Heaven working through Yin and Yang, as revealed on the back of the Dragonhorse at the dawn of history when Fuxi reigned, that can be called the ordinances of Heaven. These are the holy ancestors of all omens. If you can call down the original writings of Heaven and promulgate them at home and abroad, the blessings of Taishan will surely be secured!"

"How can we bring down Heaven's writings?"

"There's no need for my lord to worry, for I've got my own secret copy. Let the court be advised!"

That night Zhu Neng went home and discussed the matter with Zhang Dapeng. "I don't mean to brag, brother," said Zhang, "but there's a lifetime of study behind my knowledge of Heaven's law and now off it goes to that old Emperor of ours!"

"This time I've really gone in over my head," said Zhu; "I'm relying on you to help me out!"

Zhang Dapeng then employed a charm to create a dream of the bridal chamber. And asleep in his palace the Emperor Zhenzong dreamt he was in a red chamber with bright sunlight streaming in. A fairy wearing a crown of stars and a long gown appeared and offered a book to him. "The Lord of Heaven has ordained that the Writings of Heaven, in three great sections of secret laws, be handed down for your pious and devout use. Long live your holy reign!" Raising his own hands to receive and behold the book he was at once filled with intense fear and trembling. And at the stroke of the fifth watch the Emperor Zhenzong held court. Just look:

Hundreds of officials were already gathered for the early court session when the Emperor summoned Prime Minister Wang Qinruo to face him; he then brought up the dream and told him about it. And Wang presented a memorial:

"Because my Emperor was so resolute and bold he was able to achieve an understanding with Heaven, and so had this dream of receiving such an omen. Those writings of Heaven have not been seen since they first appeared on the back of the dragon-horse in Fuxi's time, at the dawn of China. Their being handed down augurs well for the state and is reason enough to preclude the need for any further talk of the seventy-two auspicious omens, for now we can be thankful for having received ten thousand such blessings. I beseech thee, my Emperor, to post at the nine gates of the palace and proclaim to all the land the news of that visitation and the appearance somewhere in the land of Heaven's writings."

Zhenzong approved the memorial. He then took a sheet of flowery dragon and phoenix imperial stationary and opened a sheet on the table, picked up his jade-bodied hare's bristle brush and in his exalted hand wrote as follows:

"I was asleep deep in the palace when a voice came out of the silence. And in a dream a divine one came to me wearing a crown of stars and a long gown. The angel spoke of the ordinances of the Jade Emperor above, and in the dream passed down unto me a book of the three great sections of charms and blessings that comprise Heaven's writings. If any of my subjects from whatever walk of life have already received them, they are commanded to come forth at court and present themselves for immediate service. And if such a person should already be an official of mine, his salary and benefits will be enhanced grandly. Obey without fail!"

First month, fifth year, ( ) day of the Jingde Emperor. (Imperial signature)

Wang Qinruo received this holy edict with both hands and left the imperial presence. He then had the documents office produce nine copies, dispatched runners to the nine gates of the palace to post them publicly, and finally put away the imperial brush, treating it as the ultimate treasure.

Suddenly cries went up from around that Zhu Neng was present for an audience with him. Wang quickly called out for him to enter, and after exchanging formalities Zhu Neng stated his business. "No sooner is that memorial about the writings of Heaven opened than along comes this imperial proclamation. Now, isn't that the ultimate in lucky timing!"

"Dare I question whether Heaven's book was really presented in the dream like the exhalted one says it was?"

"There's no need to concern yourself with whether it's true or not because it's all on my shoulders. Your excellency, those writings of Heaven are indeed to be yours. But if you could only empower me to pose as a police inspector it would be easier to find out what's happening."

"I'm afraid my lack of talent is causing so much trouble!" said Wang. "Just watch your step and if any trouble happens I'll petition the emperor repeatedly to protect you."

Wang Qinruo then dispatched a runner to carry Zhu Neng's credentials to the Secretariat of the State Council, appointing him as an imperial police inspector for the capital. And accordingly Zhu Neng left the Secretariat that day in his new post, his name tile hung on the duty roster pegs.

"I know that dream of the Emperor's was all your miracle," said Zhu to his sworn brother Zhang Dapeng. "Problem is, where do we find those "Three Great Chapters?"

"Heaven's writings have an aura all their own all around them," answered Zhang. "I've managed to take the gist of Laozi's old 'Dao De Jing' and concoct three chapters of charms, but who knows if they'll really work?"

He then produced from his sleeve an original draft and handed it over to Zhu Neng to look at. Now, Zhu had never had any great literary talent and could only pass his eyes over the work and proclaim it miraculous, deep and profound. "May I trouble you to tell me what sort of paper you used?" he asked. "I'll go get some just like it!"

It's made from some parchment that I bought when I was in Korea last year. There's still a bit left over. I've written a chapter on each page and then wrapped it in yellow silk At the drumming of the last watch tomorrow at dawn I want you to climb the drumtower and announce that Heaven's writings have come down on a carved owl's tail at the palace's Gate of Heaven. You must do exactly as I say.

Zhu was aghast. "The Imperial Court doesn't suffer fools lightly! If they don't find the book on the gate I'll be held responsible for quite a few crimes.."

"As your brother I'd never do anything to get you accused!"

Early next day at the beat of the fifth watch Zhu Neng knocked on Zhang Dapeng's door for some last minute advice, awakening him. "Everything has been taken care of," assured Zhang from his bed. Zhu then understood Zhang's plan and had no more doubts. With all his resolve he ran over to the observatory drum-tower and beat out a furious thundering alarm. The official in charge of the daily time drums reported the news to his superiors and his account was forwarded to the Court. First to hear the news of Heaven's writings come to earth was Wang Qinruo, and he was delighted beyond words.

In a short wile the three raps of the cane calling the Court to attention could be heard in the Emperor's hall, and Wang Qinruo memorialized the throne about the Imperial Observatory's report: "The writings of Heaven have descended to the Heavenly Gate of the palace, witnessed and reported by Imperial District Police Inspector Zhu Neng."

Zhenzong listened and called out for Zhu Neng to present himself. "Where is the Book of Heaven, and how did you come to learn of it?" asked the Emperor, as soon as Zhu had finished the kowtow.

"I, your servant, saw the proclamation that was posted yesterday at the nine entrances and have not been able to rest by day or night since. I thought that such a written proclamation of Heaven's Mandate would surely be set down in a lofty place, and being secret and all, certainly not by daylight. Early this morning while passing on patrol below the Gate of Heaven I saw yellow silk protruding off of one of the ornamental owl's tails. Why, I thought to myself, it must be those writings of Heaven! I didn't dare but report it immediately!"

Now, Zhenzong's Imperial countenance beamed with delight. Down he leapt from the throne, bounding like a dragon or tiger right out to the Gate of Heaven. All of the officials, civil and miltary, mobbed out of the hall behind him, suddenly unconcerned with rank and ceremony. Zhu Neng pointed out a carved owl's tail to the Emperor, who commanded two servants to bring a ladder and climb up to get it. And sure enough there had indeed been a fine little packet wrapped in yellow cloth, tied with twin chords to the top of an ornamental owl's tail. It was brought down and placed in the hands of Wang Qinruo, who in turn submitted it to Zhenzong. And here is a poem:

Crowns of stars and owl's tails have no roots in solid ground In all that noise and stench how could a holy book be found?

As if in dream do princes and their ministers appear Just whom their "words of Heaven" fool is not so very clear!

Zhenzong bowed repeatedly toward Heaven, and then holding the book up with both hands proceeded back to the hall where he handed it to Hanlin Academician Chen Yaosou to open and recite; the "Blessed Omens of the Great Mean" divided into three sections, each full of Daoist terms. And when the reading was complete the gathered officials rose for a thundering "Wansui!"--Banzai! Ten thousand years!

Zhenzong then ordered some servants to load up a golden sacrificial table and take it over to the Imperial Mausoleum as an offering to his ancestors. A pure jade and chrystal hall would soon be built just to hold the holy book.

Chen Yaosou was commanded right then and there to draft an edict changing the title of the year 1008 from "Bright Virtue" to "Blessed Omens of the Great Mean" and to proclaim this throughout the land. And then a day was selected for a journey to Mt Taishan.

In addition to the above, Zhenzong invested Wang Qinruo as the Duke of Yan and made Zhu Neng a Deputy Magistrate in Jingnan. Within three years he would rise to be the joint civil and military commander of the region.

Now, it was all because of Zhang Dapeng that Zhu Neng could know such wealth and power. But when Zhang came calling he received only a contemptful scowl from Zhu, suddenly afraid that his sworn brother of old would talk of days past and reveal what all had happened. Zhang was put off by his friend's sudden animosity but gave him the benefit of the doubt and said nothing bad about Zhu. From this we can clearly see that Zhu Neng was not a very good person.

Within a short time after this, however, a grand total of fifteen army units and civil districts memorialized the Emperor, each claiming to possess the writings of Heaven. The Son of Heaven didn't know which to believe and suspicion arose in him. Now, there was an active politician at court named Ding Wei, who had also earned approval through flattery and eventually came to challenge the power of Wang Qinruo. Ding accused Zhu Neng of having lied and deceived the Emperor, and secretly notified Zhenzong to that effect. The Emperor then placed Ding Wei in Wang Qinruo's post as Prime Minister and sent an official to arrest and interrogate Zhu Neng for his crime. But Zhu was expert at martial arts and killed this man, calling upon his subordinates and troops to rise in revolt. When the rising was subdued and Zhu captured he eventually confessed and gave the name of Zhang Dapeng. By Imperial decree Zhu was crushed and sliced to death, and a warrant was put out everywhere for the capture, dead or alive, of Zhang Dapeng.

And so Zhang Dapeng swirled off into the void and reemerged south of the Yangzi, changed his name to Zhang Ying, or "Oriole Zhang", and styling himself Prince Chongxiao, "The Sky Soarer". His entire body filled with the magical charm of flight there was nowhere he couldn't go, and so it had to be for as the old saying goes "the authorities are never more than three days' ride away." But after a few years he became lazy and complacent.

It was while living such a freebooting life that Zhang Ying heard that the son of Zhenzong had already grown up, a human manifestation of the fairy called Barefoot. How could this be? Well, when Zhenzong had ascended the throne at the age of twenty-one there was no immediate successor to him, and so a proclamation was sent to all the monasteries and nunneries throughout the land, calling upon them to pray and sacrifice to the Jade Emperor of Nine Heavens for a Prince to be sent. Now, the Jade Emperor had been meeting with a group of fairies when he heard the prayers from below and wondered out loud just which of them might wish to go. The assembled dieties were silent, except for Barefoot who began to laugh. "Where there's laughter there's worldly desire!" snapped the Jade Emperor, and with the force of destiny he ordered the fairy Barefoot down to the palace to become a child in Imperial concubine Li Chen's womb.

After birth the infant only cried day and night and many physicians and healers were called to the Imperial cradle, when one day an old Daoist told a servant he could stop the infant's tears. The Emperor Zhenzong summoned him into the palace, had the Prince brought out in arms and told the old man to try and heal the babe.

"Don't you cry, my little child," he whispered twice in the Prince's tiny ear; "At first you shouldn't have laughed and smiled!" And the Prince stopped crying at once. Zhenzong was delighted and asked the old man how he had done it, and he answered only that the baby's vexation was now over. He then went out of the palace gate, vanished into a sudden gust of wind and was gone.

Now, just who was this baby Prince? Why, none other than the future Emperor Renzong, destined to reign over forty-two years of universal peace. At home in the palace he loved to go barefoot and didn't at all like wearing shoes or slippers, a manifestation of himself. As for Zhenzong, he was moved to worship and offer frequent sacrifices and charity to appease the spirits and he became even more pious as time passed, going on prayer retreats to all of the Daoist temples.

When Zhang Ying heard about all of this he assumed that it was had all been simply destined to be part of the flow of Dao. Now, when he had previously lived in the capital he had been acquainted with the palace eunuch Lei Chonggong, and the two men respected each other highly. This eunuch Lei Chonggong had a special love for wielding power, controlling the appointment and dismissal of officials and the announcement of new policies through his open and secret associations with Prime Minister Ding Wei. Because of this Zhang Ying returned to Kaifeng and called upon the eunuch Lei, telling him how he had been wrongly accused in that earlier affair, and he implored Lei to ask Prime Minister Ding to intervene on his behalf. And he boldly brought up the matter of an official title for himself, empowering him to build a flourishing Daoist faith. Such a party of wizards, he explained, could secure the obeisance of ghosts and spirits and protect the Dynasty from punishment.

"Bygones are bygones, so don't worry about the accusation," said Lei; "These are new times. Why don't you take up residence in my quiet garden? I'm really busy just now because a woman of the harem is being selected for the Crown Prince, and the Empress Dowager has got all sorts of things to say about the character of the future Princess. Wait till I've got a bit of free time and we'll go together to see Prime Minister Ding to discuss it further."

Zhang Ying left left ever so gratefully, following a subordinate of Lei's to his temporary domicile in the lovely Chinese garden to wait for the time being.

Now, as is recorded in the official History of the Song Dynasty, the Emperor Zhenzong changed reign titles five times: in Xianping Six, Jingde Four, Xiangfu Nine, Tianxi Five and Qianxing One. At present it was the middle of the second lunar month of Xiangfu Nine. One night Zhang Ying felt the moonlight to appear almost like that in a painting, and went for a stroll in the garden. Suddenly black clouds obscured the moon and there arose a strange gale, comin out of the west. "How weird!" exclaimed Zhang. "Is yet another immortal coming around?" Casting his hand in a command to halt the wind, he stared intently ahead, focusing his eyes on the scene as the gusts passed and the moonlight again shone. He then heard a sharp sound, and there halfway up in the sky was a woman, slowly descending! And here is a poem:

Why, that girl was none other than our little fox-spirit Hu Mei'r! When we left her in Chapter Six she had just departed Swordgate Mountain with Holy Auntie, the two traveling together until they reached the Yongxing region where they held up on account of darkness, intending to pass the night in a forest. But just as they were pressing on toward those woods a black squall suddenly arose, so strong that they couldn't stand. That old mother of hers was then called to an audience with Granny Wu Zetian at her palace in Hades. Now, this young fox-girl was picked up by a blast of wind, swirled and lofted too and fro and carried directly to Eunuch Lei's garden in Kaifeng. The Empress Wu had prophesized she would meet Prince Chongxiao and so it has come to pass, as "Chongxiao" is Chinese for "Skysoarer" as Zhang Ying had styled himself.

Zhang Ying thought at once that there was something strange about this girl's recent past, and sure enough when he approached for a better look at her he saw that she was half frozen from riding that cold wind. After carrying her to the study and forcing her to drink some hot soup she came around, and he asked her name.

"I'm a poor girl from An De Zhou by the name of Hu Mei'r," she answered. "I was on my way with my mother to worship at Mt Hua when we suddenly met with a strange black squall that carried me up into the sky. Since then I've been asleep, only hearing spirits whispering something like "The fox girl surnamed Hu will be the Queen in house of Wang...Now off you go to Prince Chongxiao and hurry right along". And a while later the clouds around me were gobbled up and I drifted down just like a leaf for who knows how many li until I arrived here. You, kind officer, are my only hope!"

Dear reader, Is this little nun fated to enter a harem? Well if Sir Lei has any difficulty selecting a girl of special charm for the Prince, here is surely an exotic number for him to consider!

And so Zhang Ying called on Lei Chonggong. "I've got a niece we call Hu Mei'r," he announced, "and quite a woman at that. Her parents are both dead and she's got no way to earn a living, and now she's come here to stay with me. If it pleases your excellency can you place her name in the running as well? Perhaps if I'm lucky I'll become an outside relation of the throne!"

Delighted, Lei Chonggong accompanied Zhang Ying back into the tranquil garden. It's like this: