Chapter Sixteen: The Maiden of the Fish

Yang Nan lifted the teacup and took several harsh gulps of cold tea before setting it down. Seeing her master’s clear distress, Die Yi gently tried to comfort him, “Young master, you needn't worry so. Perhaps once Young Master Yun leaves, he may never return.”

But Yang Nan shook his head. “I may not be skilled in reading faces, yet I can see Yun Cang is a stubborn soul, almost foolish in his persistence. For those who cultivate the Dao, the greatest taboo is entangling oneself in needless karma. I fear this matter is far from over.” Thinking on it, his ire rose again. “Baiyi, all this trouble is because of you. I’m forbidding you from drawing in water vapor for three days as punishment!”

Baiyi, untouched by mortal concerns but ever fond of water, knew she had indeed provoked her master’s anger. With a bitter expression, she lowered her head in obedience.

Chiyang smiled with deep meaning. “A’Nan, you needn’t be troubled. For mortals seeking the Dao, all must experience the vicissitudes of the world. Should you reach the Great Sage realm, you will need to sever your seven emotions and six desires. If you have never tasted worldly karma, if there is no cause and effect, how can you ever hope to sever it?”

Yang Nan found great sense in Chiyang’s words, though he only half understood. The notion of karma and fate is not solely a Buddhist concept; Daoism and Confucianism share similar views. Yet Yang Nan was only a novice in the Dao, the Great Sage realm a distant prospect—perhaps there was little need to dwell on it.

“Thank you for your guidance, elder brother.” He realized Chiyang was advising him to mature his heart in pursuit of the Dao, and his earlier gloom vanished.

“Young master, it appears the fleet has stopped—perhaps we have reached a dock,” Die Yi, ever perceptive, interrupted her laughter and glanced out the window.

The boat trembled gently. Chiyang waved his hand dismissively, “No need to worry. Perhaps Captain Wang is loading cargo here. I’ll go see what’s happening.”

After Chiyang departed, Yang Nan stood and summoned the Azure Dragon, continuing his cultivation of the Xuan Yi Azure Water Technique. Glancing at the lotus demon Baiyi, he said, “Baiyi, your soul core is not yet formed. Why aren’t you cultivating?”

Baiyi pulled a mischievous face but was inwardly delighted. Earlier, Yang Nan had threatened to punish her, but now he was telling her to draw upon water and cultivate—did this mean he had already forgiven her?

Yang Nan soon lost himself in the intricacies of the technique. Though he did not yet understand all the principles of cultivation, he knew that diligence was the key. Forming a soul core in a month was nothing extraordinary. Now, traveling on the river, it was wise to strengthen himself for protection.

Before long, Captain Wang had docked at Dejiang Prefecture’s harbor. As the owner of a fleet, he could not rely on a single port’s trade alone. He had people stationed at various prefectures, collecting goods and storing them on the docks, awaiting his ships.

Yang Nan paid little mind to such mercantile matters, but since the boat would be stopping in Dejiang for a full day, he felt restless after so many days aboard. He stowed away his technique and opened the window to watch the lively scene outside. The dock bustled with noise. A group of soldiers, stern-faced, boarded the vessel, and Yang Nan’s heart skipped—were they here to search the boat?

Chiyang returned and spoke in a low voice, “A’Nan, be cautious. As expected, that scoundrel Yang Cheng reported us to Dejiang. The soldiers are using the pretense of hunting water bandits to search the boat. Captain Wang cannot stop them.”

Yang Nan steadied himself. Soon, several soldiers entered. Chiyang stepped forward, offering them bags of gold and silver along with a few flattering words. The soldiers’ eyes gleamed at the sight of money. Finding no hidden men or water bandits in the women’s quarters, they made things easy and withdrew.

Yang Nan breathed a sigh of relief. Captain Wang entered, wearing a pained smile. “Miss Li, I hope you were not frightened?”

Yang Nan shook his head, feigning ignorance. “I wonder, Captain, why these officers singled out your boat?”

With a wry smile, Captain Wang replied, “These brutes care nothing for reason. They’ve made a mess of my ship, claiming to be searching for an imperial criminal. There’s no such person here; they merely wanted to extort some silver.”

The emperor’s long illness had emboldened local officials, and the soldiers were even more brazen. Though Captain Wang had his connections, the lower officials were always troublesome. Only by paying them off could he resolve the matter.

After Captain Wang left, Baiyi laughed, “This captain seems to care deeply for you, young master—even coming up himself to check on you.”

Yang Nan laughed heartily. “He’s not worried for me—he’s worried about the hundred taels of gold I promised him! Merchants care only for profit, not sentiment. He’s afraid that if ‘Miss Li’ is offended and disembarks in anger, the deal falls through and he’ll have to refund the gold—losing both money and the client.”

Chiyang and the two women all smiled knowingly at Yang Nan’s jest.

Now that soldiers had searched the vessel, Yang Nan’s hope of resuming his true form was dashed. He could not leave the third floor and had little else to do but gaze out at the river’s bustling scenery.

Dejiang Prefecture was only a few miles from the Hun River port; merchants came and went in an endless stream. Along the riverbanks stood splendid mansions. The sound of stringed instruments drifted from the docks. Though Yang Nan was young, he had some knowledge of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In this world, there were no such things as concerts; everyone from merchants to scholars to commoners took pride in appreciating classical music.

After listening for a while, Yang Nan heard a melodious guqin tune drifting from the river. Looking out, he saw a small green wooden boat approaching. At its prow sat a plainly dressed woman with a hairpin, her slender hands playing the zither. As the boat passed Yang Nan’s large vessel, it suddenly stopped. The woman looked up and called softly, “May I ask if there is a Miss Li aboard?”

Baiyi leaned out the window and answered, “Who are you? My mistress’s surname is indeed Li.”

Yang Nan frowned. Using his spiritual sight, he saw a white mist above the woman’s head—she was clearly a river demon! How had a demon come seeking him?

The woman’s face lit up. She rose from the little boat, stepped aboard, and entered Yang Nan’s cabin, bowing gracefully. “Yuniang pays her respects to her benefactor.”

“Yuniang?” Yang Nan mused, then realization dawned. “Are you related to Yufu?”

Yuniang smiled and nodded. “Thank you for asking, benefactor. Yufu is my elder brother.”

Yang Nan couldn’t help but laugh. Since Yufu was a blue carp spirit, Yuniang must also be a fish demon—they were even siblings! Yufu was an honest, simple soul. He had once insisted on repaying Yang Nan for a small kindness. So today, Yuniang must be here to repay that debt on her brother’s behalf.

That a demon could understand gratitude better than some humans moved Yang Nan deeply.

“Yuniang, where is your brother now?” Yang Nan regarded her. She was dignified and serene in plain attire; though not a great beauty, she carried a refined and composed air. Were it not for the white mist above her head, Yang Nan might have thought her the daughter of a fallen official’s household.

Such bearing alone marked her as someone of extraordinary potential.

Yuniang replied candidly, “My brother transformed himself into the green boat to bring me here. Had he not recognized this ship, I would never have found you.”

As she spoke, the green boat on the water instantly became a man in blue. He stood atop the river, laughing heartily, and leaped through the window into the cabin. Still dripping from the river, he shook water everywhere. Die Yi shrieked as a few droplets landed on her clothes. Yufu, still grinning foolishly, pointed at Yang Nan. “Sister, benefactor, that’s him—my benefactor!”

Yuniang pulled her brother aside with a reproachful look. “Brother, you’re being reckless again!”

The man was homely with a silly smile—none other than Yufu, the carp spirit who’d once sneaked in to eat their food. Yang Nan found the sibling bond between these fish demons amusing and touching, warmer even than that of many humans. Since he had Daoist powers, and Yuniang was forthright, he saw no reason to conceal his own background.

In the Hun River, every five hundred li was overseen by a Water Warden, who governed the aquatic creatures on behalf of the River God, who in turn answered to the Water God in Heaven. Yuniang was originally a white carp, clever by nature. She had cultivated in the riverbed near Deyang for over three hundred years. One day, a mysterious pearl fell from above. As a naive youth, she was captivated by its brilliance and swallowed it, not knowing it was infused with potent water energy. This greatly increased her power, allowing her to take human form in less than five centuries.

Compared to her, Yufu had fared less well. They had known each other since youth; Yufu was honest and loyal. When other river creatures bullied Yuniang before she had gained her strength, Yufu always stood up for her. Both being fish spirits, they became sworn siblings.

Yang Nan, seeing Yuniang’s clarity and honesty, smiled. “What brings you two to seek me out?”

Yuniang bowed her head. “To be frank, benefactor, we are but young demons who have cultivated less than a thousand years. My brother is honest and straightforward. The Water Warden of Deyang—a crab spirit of eight hundred years, armored in black and the most powerful in the river—has long oppressed the other demons. He wishes to marry me, but I have always yearned for the Dao, hoping one day to transcend my form. Naturally, I refused, so he began to harass us.”

Before she could finish, Yufu blurted out, “That crab… he’s so aggressive! He pinched my backside once, and it still hurts!”

He rubbed his rear with a pained expression. Yang Nan and Chiyang couldn’t help but laugh.

Chiyang gazed thoughtfully at the docks. “Now that you’re in Dejiang’s waters, the Deyang Warden shouldn’t be able to reach you, right?”

Clearly, these fish spirits were not here to repay a debt, but to seek refuge, having sensed the Daoist powers and kindness of Yang Nan and Chiyang. This much was obvious to both men.

“Benefactor, you see truly. My brother and I have come to seek your protection. We would willingly serve as your servants if you would take us in. As a token of our gratitude, I have brought you a gift.”

A demon bearing a gift? Yang Nan and the others were intrigued, their eyes wide with curiosity to see what treasure Yuniang might present.