A Visitor in the Night

"Get me six jars of the Xinjiang wine and then take your ugly face away, don't come disturbing me for the rest of the night or I'll have you beaten within an inch of your life!"

Song Weiming banged the table and his man servant scuttled away hastily. "At once, sir. At once."

Brooding, he put his foot up on a chair and massaged his temples with a groan. "That stupid physician. I've never done anything like that before, but he made me so angry! The cheek of him, to push me--me! With his bare hands! I want that robe I was wearing burned. The disgrace of it. And those two fools were there watching it all as well."

He was in a foul mood. Half of him wanted to relieve his spirits with a visit to the brothel, as he usually did, but the sense of humiliation made him unwilling to face anyone, even though they didn't know what had happened. Instead, he sulked in his room and abused his servants.

Song Weiming was not a violent man by nature. In fact, being much of a coward, he tended to rely on his smooth talking and charisma rather than blustering and bullying. But at heart his vanity was as fragile

He had always been secretly insecure. His older brother Weiguang looked down on him and made fun of his ineptitude in the martial arts and academics, while their father always disapproved of his frivolous ways and often scolded him. Weiming had consoled himself with his good looks and his ability to charm people, especially women--something which his stiff, wooden-faced older brother could never do.

It was one thing for a woman to fight shy and reject his advances; it was all part of the game it was to him. Suzhen's coldness, though it ruffled him, didn't throw him off. But for another man to stand up to him was too much.

"Who does he think he is?" he growled. "My father? My brother? They are the only people who dare to talk back to me like him. Xuxian, you've got nerve. A common village physician acting so high and mighty! What kind of face did you give me, in front of my servants? If I didn't beat you up, I would be pathetic."

He had effectively convinced himself that he had done the right thing, and with a loud groan he threw himself onto the couch, wallowing in his sense of injury.

There was a timid tap at the door and his man servant came in with the wine. Nervously, he put the jars down on the table, watching Song Gongzi uneasily from the corner of his eye.

Song Weiming's eyes followed him nastily. He stealthily reached for the closest object at hand, which thankfully turned out to be just an embroidered bolster. As the servant backed away he hurled the bolster fiercely at him. "Now get lost, you scum!"

The servant ducked hastily and ran out with a gasp of fright. The bolster knocked over a bottle of wine which smashed on the floor. Song Weiming jumped up with a snarl of annoyance. "That idiot! Making me waste a perfectly good bottle of wine. I should get rid of him, the useless piece of garbage."

Glowering, he locked the door with a last vicious shout of "And stay out of my sight!"

He sat down heavily at the table and uncorked the first jar of wine moodily.

"How can I give up on her now? Wouldn't that be practically admitting I'm a failure? I can't back down now, it would be telling everyone I've lost out to a stupid little physician."

He downed a cup and poured another one carelessly, spilling the wine on the table.

"Ah, Suzhen, Suzhen, what trouble you're causing me. Why do you have to make this so difficult?"

"Is Song Gongzi complaining about me?"

Song Weiming's hand jerked violently and he shakily set down the jar of wine. Slowly he turned around.

Bai Suzhen was standing there quietly, her hands folded in front of her, watching him with a small smile.

He dropped his cup and sprang up. "Madame Xu--I mean, Suzhen. How--"

She came quickly forward and startled him by placing a finger on his lips playfully. "Shh. Does it matter how I came?" she said teasingly.

"Don't make a scene." she added urgently, as he opened his mouth. "Do you want me to get into trouble? Surely you must know I've risked my reputation to be here." Her voice was winsome, coaxing.

Incredulous, he took hold of her hand eagerly. "My lady, I can't believe you came to look for me. Is anything the matter?"

Suzhen drew her hand away and sat down at the table. She rested her cheek on her hand, and looked up at him. "Xuxian told me you sent me a handsome winter cloak, and a pair of boots. Of course, I must thank you. It is unfortunate I was not around when you came."

Or Xuxian would not have got hurt, she added silently to herself. And the chances are you might not be alive either.

She continued with a courteous bow, "I thought, I would spare Song Gongzi the trouble of another visit, and come myself to thank you and receive your generous gifts."

Song Weiming smiled. He was sure that no woman could resist fine clothes and trinkets; it seemed he was right after all. He had never seen Suzhen smile so sweetly at him, and he was charmed. How beautiful she looked sitting there, even in her coarse brown tunic. He pictured her dressed in scarlet, embroidered with gold and silver thread, with jade drops dangling from her ears, and gold jewellery glittering in her smooth dark hair; and drew a breath of ecstasy at the image. Not for nothing did he pride himself on having a refined aesthetic sense when it came to clothes and women.

He came up beside her, studying her profile admiringly as she sat calmly at the table examining a jar of wine with interest. How graceful and composed she was, with an air every bit as genteel and refined as any court lady or official's daughter. If only he had a bride like this to show off; surely father and Weiguang would be impressed, that he, Xiaoming, could win the heart of such a beautiful and charming woman! It was a pity she was a commoner; she could never be more than a concubine for any self-respecting man of noble blood.

But the way she spoke! One could have sworn she was of noble blood. And that skin, like the purest white jade...

He drew closer, feeling excitement growing within him as he reached out to touch her cheek.