Danzhu listened to Bihua Lingjun’s thanks with a remarkably composed smile. He had originally wanted to say, Your affairs are my affairs. Whatever you want to accomplish, I’ll accomplish it for you. And perhaps stroke Bihua’s hand while he was at it. But then Danzhu considered how reserved Qingxi had become. If he said such things and tried to touch him again, Qingxi might become even more guarded. They hadn’t seen each other for several days, yet now Qingxi had come of his own accord to invite Danzhu down to the mortal realm. Clearly, giving him a little space was more effective. They had a long future ahead of them. There was no need to rush the business of touching him.
Danzhu had always considered himself thoughtful and farsighted. Thus, he merely smiled with great composure and asked, “The Jade Emperor ordered you to depart tomorrow? If you have anything to prepare, you should return home first and rest well today.”
Bihua Lingjun rose. “Very well. I’ll come to invite Your Majesty tomorrow.” Danzhu inclined his head slightly.
The little thunder wolf had been napping on Bihua’s lap all along. When Bihua rose and set it on the floor, it rubbed against his feet, seized the hem of his robe between its teeth, and whimpered unwilling to part with him. Danzhu watched it with a smile. “You two seem to get along very well. Come to think of it, I’m not very good at keeping spirit beasts, and I’ll be going down to the mortal realm tomorrow. Why don’t it and Jianmeng stay at your residence for a few days? The young immortals here in Danxiao Palace couldn’t possibly care for them as attentively as your household would.”
Bihua looked at the little wolf still refusing to release his robe and hesitated. Jianmeng transformed back into human form and stood nearby, cupping his hands with an elaborate show of courtesy. “If this humble one could spend a few days at Your Lordship’s residence, I would consider it an extraordinary honor.”
The cub gazed up at Bihua with pleading eyes and gave another little whimper. Bihua’s heart softened, and he nodded.
Thus, Bihua Lingjun returned home with a thunder wolf cub and a mouse.
The little thunder wolf was delighted at the sight of a garden full of spirit beasts. Ears upright, it bounded into their midst and charged straight toward Geyue, who was lying among the flowers. Overjoyed to have found one of its own kind, it leaped forward and landed heavily on Geyue’s back. Geyue slowly shook himself, dislodging the cub. Without even glancing at it, he got up and lay down somewhere else.
Wulei opened his eyes wide in bewilderment, tilted his head at Geyue’s retreating back, then stubbornly chased after him. He sprang in front of Geyue and hopped back and forth a couple of times, tapped him with a paw, cocked his head ingratiatingly, sniffed beside his ear, and rubbed against him.
Geyue glanced at him indifferently and turned to go the other way. Wulei trotted after him, constantly bumping him lightly. Finally, Geyue stopped in exasperation, cast an immortal spell, and vanished into a secluded corner in an instant. Wulei stood there dumbfounded, unable to understand why Geyue had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
After standing stunned for a little while, Wulei continued searching for Geyue. Fortunately, he spotted the Black Tortoise by the pond and pounced toward this new curiosity instead. The tortoise was deep in meditation inside its shell and ignored him. The shell was so slippery that Wulei tumbled off as soon as he jumped onto it. He began circling the tortoise, then flattened himself on the ground, pushed his nose toward a gap in its shell, and sniffed hard. He stuck one front paw into the gap and began pawing at it, then inserted the other as well, attempting to pry the shell open.
After a few unsuccessful attempts, Wulei began digging at the earth beside the Black Tortoise. Unable to endure the disturbance any longer, the tortoise finally poked its head out, slowly and deliberately. The sight startled Wulei so badly that he sprang backward, just as he was digging with his forepaws. He cautiously peered toward the tortoise, lowered his belly to the ground again, and crept forward inch by inch. Resting his head on his front paws, he gently touched the tortoise’s head with the tip of his nose.
Meanwhile, Jianmeng was in the central courtyard, striking up conversations with one spirit beast after another.
“This humble fellow’s name is Jianmeng. I was formerly in the service of the Old Immortal of the South Pole. It is my great fortune to meet you all, and I hope you will kindly look after me in the days ahead.”
Jianmeng had chosen the wrong audience. He squatted beside Yuan Lu, Yuan Xiu, the other tiger cubs, and two little leopards. These young spirit beasts had only learned to take human form a few days ago and could not understand his elaborate, old-fashioned expressions. Jianmeng chattered away by himself for ages, while the tiger and leopard cubs rolled into a heap and fell fast asleep, snoring merrily.
Jianmeng was good-tempered enough to move on and try another conversation. This time, at last, he found Tangdi. Tangdi also enjoyed talking to others. With the little Plaster Fox still clinging to his chest, Tangdi immediately rose. “Brother Jianmeng, a pleasure, a pleasure! I am Tangdi.” As a special gesture of friendliness, he even changed his fur to the same pale-yellow mica-cloud pattern as Jianmeng’s.
Jianmeng was duly astonished by the change. “What sort of immortal art is this? I have never heard of it! Please, I beg you to instruct me.”
Tangdi replied smugly, “I was born this way. It isn’t any immortal art.”
Jianmeng exclaimed his admiration, to Tangdi’s immense satisfaction. The two sat together talking, from immortal techniques to the cultivation methods of Heaven’s various immortals, then to all the trivial, secret, novel, and curious affairs of their households. They got along so splendidly that their conversation became a torrent they could not stop. Within two zhang of the pair, it sounded as though ten thousand flies and bees were buzzing without end. All the other spirit beasts hastily made themselves scarce.
Standing in the corridor, Yunqing looked longingly at Bihua Lingjun. “Your Lordship, has Emperor Danzhu given you these two spirit beasts?”
Bihua replied, “It seems that you’re only to look after them for the few days that the emperor and I are in the mortal world. Take good care of them. Don’t neglect anything.”
Yunqing acknowledged the instruction, then exhaled and muttered softly, “So that’s all. Thank goodness. I thought His Majesty had really sent these two beasts here, so he’d have even more excuses to come visiting from now on. That frightened me half to death.”
Bihua Lingjun pretended not to hear, clasped his hands behind his back, and returned to his bedchamber.
The following day, at the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Bihua Lingjun took the entry-and-exit talisman bestowed by the Jade Emperor from his sleeve and handed it to the heavenly general guarding the gate.
The general received the talisman with both hands but remained bent in a bow, staring at the figure beside Bihua who radiated a thousand streams of auspicious energy and brilliant light. “Your Lordship, I’ve examined the gate talisman, and there’s nothing wrong with it. However, I heard that the Jade Emperor ordered Your Lordship to descend alone this time, and this talisman permits only a single immortal to pass…” He hesitated and glanced once more at the dazzling Purple-Void Immortal Emperor.
Danzhu said, “What? If I wish to visit the mortal world, do you mean to demand a gate talisman from me as well?”
The general immediately lowered his head. “I wouldn’t dare. It’s just that, since Your Majesty is accompanying His Lordship, my duty requires me to…”
Bihua Lingjun smiled. “His Majesty is only keeping me company on the way down. Once we reach the mortal world, we’ll go our separate ways. The Jade Emperor never forbade immortals from traveling down together, did he?”
The general hesitated. “I understand, Your Lordship, but…”
Danzhu said, “If memory serves, immortals may freely bring their spirit beasts through the Southern Heavenly Gate. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Danzhu moved a little closer to Bihua and said with a smile, “In that case, I am now Bihua’s phoenix. What could possibly be wrong with my accompanying him down?”
The general looked as though a bolt of lightning had struck him squarely on the head. He stared at Emperor Danzhu, then at Bihua Lingjun, and stood frozen for a long while before managing a few trembling words. “N-no… Nothing at all…”
Danzhu smiled in satisfaction and strolled leisurely through the Southern Heavenly Gate, accompanied by ten thousand rays of auspicious light.
By the time they descended to the mortal realm, dusk was deepening and night was approaching.
Danzhu had transformed himself into a scholar dressed in Confucian robes. He stood beside Bihua Lingjun on a street in the capital.
The mortal throne was currently occupied by the Xia clan, who ruled a state called Liang. The reigning emperor, Xia Jiao, was the sovereign said to be possessed by a demon and responsible for the slaughter of thousands.
After discussing the matter, Bihua and Danzhu decided to investigate the capital first, searching for any unusual demonic aura around the imperial palace and learning just how far the emperor’s supposed madness had gone.
As they entered the capital, they found countless lights shining in the twilight. The streets were crowded with merchants, shops lined the roads, and pedestrians thronged the avenues. Everywhere was an air of peace and prosperity.
It was the end of summer, with autumn just beginning. Rain had fallen earlier in the evening and had only recently stopped. The breeze carried a trace of dampness along with the scent of trees, earth, and green grass, pleasantly cool and refreshing.
Danzhu sighed deeply. “I haven’t visited the mortal realm for many years. I never imagined it would look like this. When I first came here, mortals wore animal skins and leaves tied around their waists, went barefoot with loose hair, and lived in caves. Later, immortals came down from Heaven especially to teach them to weave and sew, fell timber and build houses, farm and cook. By the time of the great war between Heaven and the demons, the mortal world was beginning to look somewhat civilized. Sadly, the war devastated it and destroyed everything once. I never imagined it would become so prosperous now. There are quite a few things here I don’t even recognize.”
Bihua Lingjun replied, “When Your Majesty speaks of those days, I hadn’t even come into existence, as far as I know. By the time I lived as a mortal, this world was already about as prosperous as it is now. Unfortunately, I was born too late to see people dressed in animal skins and living in caves. Then again, perhaps in some life before the one in which I became an immortal, I was one of those barefoot, wild-haired people myself. I couldn’t possibly know now.”
Danzhu surveyed the streetlamps with his hands behind his back. “That was so long ago that I’ve nearly forgotten it myself. You know today’s mortal world very well, while I know nothing at all. Since we’ve come down to investigate, would you mind showing me around as well, so that I can learn something about the mortal world as it is now?”
“Of course, of course,” Bihua Lingjun answered at once. “Since Your Majesty has graciously come down to help me, a little sightseeing is the least I can do.” Looking toward the street ahead, he continued, “I wonder if Your Majesty would care to try some mortal dishes, enjoy a couple of cups of mortal wine, and listen to a song or two?”
Danzhu truly knew next to nothing about the mortal world.
Bihua led him to a restaurant. All along the way, Danzhu showed an interest in everything from hanging lanterns and the pedestrians and stallholders by the road to the towel slung over the shoulder of the young waiter calling out to customers at the restaurant entrance. Fortunately, he was an Immortal Emperor, after all, and carried himself with sufficient dignity that he betrayed little of his curiosity. He did not look like a country bumpkin seeing a city for the first time.
Bihua led Danzhu into a private room in the restaurant and ordered several delicate vegetarian dishes and a pot of fine wine. Danzhu thoroughly enjoyed the meal and declared the mortal world a wonderful place. After paying the bill, they were passing through the main dining hall on their way out when a waiter came toward them carrying food for a table. On the tray lay a steaming roast chicken.
Danzhu gazed at the pitiful, red-browned corpse of a chicken, which smelled deliciously of meat, and frowned slightly. Bihua coughed quietly and began in a low voice, “Your Majesty, in the mortal realm…” “I know,” Danzhu said expressionlessly, and walked out.
They had scarcely taken two steps beyond the restaurant when a street vendor’s cry came from the roadside. “Tea eggs! Tea eggs! Eggs simmered in our secret old broth! Five copper coins each, ten for two…”
Danzhu stopped at the tea-egg vendor’s stall. “Tea eggs? What are they?”
Bihua Lingjun lowered his voice. “They’re… a kind of food… made with tea leaves, star anise, Sichuan pepper, and other ingredients…” He was only halfway through his explanation when the vendor greeted them enthusiastically. “Would you gentlemen care for some tea eggs? Give them a try! Secret-recipe broth, the finest tea leaves, and absolutely fresh chicken eggs! These are the last few. I’ll sell you three for ten coins. What do you say?”
Danzhu stepped up to the vendor’s pot and picked up a tea egg. He gazed at it for a moment, sighed softly, and put it back before continuing down the street.
Bihua hurried after him. “Your Majesty…”
“I know,” Danzhu replied. “My feathered clan has always been food for mortal mouths. Even so, when I see it before me, I can’t help feeling sorry for them. Sigh. I was just thinking that, when I burned down to an egg all those years ago, if I’d accidentally fallen into the mortal realm, perhaps I’d have become a tea egg myself.”
Bihua did not dare tell him that mortals enjoyed eggs prepared in countless ways besides tea eggs: boiled eggs, fried eggs, steamed eggs, scrambled eggs, and all manner of others. He could only stroke Danzhu’s feathers the right way. “How could an egg transformed from Your Majesty be casually boiled by a mortal? All things in the world move through cycles. Often one creature ends up inside another’s stomach. For instance, a mortal might eat a chicken in this life and be reborn as a chicken to be eaten by someone else in the next. That’s simply how the mortal world works.”
“The mortal world certainly has its advantages,” Danzhu said. “The streets now, with all their lights and people, so prosperous and bustling, have a flavor you never find in Heaven. No wonder some younger immortals dream of running away down here.”
As he spoke, Danzhu looked with great interest toward a splendid building not far away.
Gaudy lanterns hung from the building, colorful gauze fluttered around it, soft and coquettish laughter drifted out, and the heavy scent of rouge and powder filled the air.
Danzhu stared at it eagerly. “Qingxi, what sort of place is that?”
“Your Majesty, that’s what mortals call a pleasure house. It’s also known as a brothel.”
Danzhu’s eyes sparkled. “So that’s what a mortal brothel looks like. Qingxi, let’s go in and see.”
But Bihua frowned. “Your Majesty, didn’t you say mortals were still living in caves and wearing animal skins when you visited? How could there have been brothels then?”
“That was at first,” Danzhu said. “Many years later, when the war between Heaven and the demons was approaching, the mortal realm had already grown quite civilized. I remember Fuli telling me then that the mortal world had a delightful place called a brothel, particularly suited to someone like me. He even promised to treat me to a visit. Unfortunately, during the great war I became an egg, and that old fellow vanished without a trace, not even his soul to be found. So the matter simply came to nothing.”
At this point, Danzhu seemed moved by the memory and gazed toward the distant horizon. “Come to think of it, the mountain outside this capital is one of the ranges formed from Fuli’s body. I knew it as soon as I caught its scent when we descended. So let’s visit that brothel now. I’ll treat you. We’ll pretend Fuli is here, treating me as he promised and inviting you along as well.”
Bihua Lingjun looked thoughtfully toward the horizon, then smiled. “If Your Majesty wants to visit a brothel, I’ll accompany you. I already said that I’ll take care of showing you the mortal world. So this visit to a pleasure house must be my treat as well.”