Page 74 of Silk and Sensibility

Reaching out, she patted Meilin’s hand. “I mean it. You are my hero.”

海水夢悠悠，君愁我亦愁。

南風知我意，吹夢到西洲

My dreams are like ocean waves

crashing to shore.

I know you have worries

which make me worry too.

But the south wind knows my heart

and carries my dreams west to you.

—Poem from Southern Dynasties period, transcribed by Fan Enze

Chapter 30

Meilin

Though Meilin and Ailin escaped from immediate danger, it was clear the home they had returned to was not the same as it was before. Batong Mansion was quieter, and, though there was enough to eat, the fare was not as extravagant as it once was. People in the household dressed simply, and their jewelry began disappearing. Meilin wondered how much was being used to trade for medicine and other necessary supplies for those in need.

The markets in the northwest quadrant of the city where the Jiangs lived and owned numerous shops should have been bustling during the summer. This year, however, the area near Chang Gate was desolate, heavily impacting the family’s business.

Despite the Wōkòu disturbance, the Jiangs were faring better than many of their neighbors, as well as the refugees who filled the streets. Aunt Meng insisted on using their food stores to make porridge for the needy. Grand­mother Jiang and Mama supported her, one with encouragement, the other with labor.

After a month of recuperation, Meilin wanted to help distribute porridge too. Staying inside made her restless, especially when she was curious about the world outside Batong Mansion’s walls, a world Captain Bai was literally fighting to protect with his life.

Mama hesitated to let Meilin go because she had not yet regained full use of her arm, but Meilin contended that the wound had closed and her feet were fine, so there was no harm in walking with the others who were going. In the end, she convinced Mama to let her accompany Begonia, Tian, Ming­ming, Lucky, and Sun on a small trip outside.

As the oldest in the group, Begonia and Tian led the way. Meilin smiled to see them walking together. Begonia carried a big pot of porridge while Tian followed with a wooden table. Begonia had spent weeks angry at Tian for leaving Meilin and Ailin behind during the escape from the Wōkòu, but after much convincing from the sisters regarding his heroic assistance to Uncle Meng, she had forgiven him and was now happy to have him close.

Cousin Lucky, a boy the same age as Ming­ming, followed Begonia and Tian while carrying a stack of bowls for the porridge, but, behind him, Ming­ming and Sun were arguing. For a girl of fourteen, Ming­ming could carry quite a load of bowls, but Sun could carry twice as much because he was a year older and had military training, which irked Ming­ming for some reason.

Meilin slipped between Ming­ming and Sun so the two would stop bickering. It was strange how easygoing Sun was with anyone but Ming­ming. Her little sister seemed to have a special talent for bringing out the most intense parts of other people’s personalities.

Begonia had everyone stop and set up their porridge station at an intersection a few blocks away from Batong Mansion. People began lining up for porridge as soon as Begonia began ladling the soupy concoction into bowls.

As Meilin handed out full bowls to people with her good arm, she was surprised to see that the people in line looked worse off than the lowest servants at Batong Mansion. Some were dressed in rags and looked like they hadn’t eaten in days.

“These are the lucky refugees who got into the city,” Ming­ming whispered to her. “The first time I came here with Begonia to distribute porridge, we could hear people crying from outside Chang Gate. They say hundreds were trampled when they tried to rush into the city, and the local commander did nothing but close the gates.”

Meilin stared at her sister in horror.

“That’s why I brought you and Ailin-jiě through Xu Gate,” Sun added as if he had been listening to her conversation with Ming­ming the whole time. “Captain Bai knew Commander Rén was keeping it open, unlike the coward at Chang Gate.”

Meilin shook her head as she realized how doubly lucky she was to have been found by Captain Bai.

After dishing out the last of the porridge and collecting all the empty bowls, the small group from Batong Mansion headed home. Meilin felt more exhausted than she had in days. She was walking through the courtyards, looking forward to going straight to bed, when the melody of “Flowing Water” stopped her in her tracks.

The rendition of Bóyá and Zǐqī’s legendary song was surprisingly good, even though the soft notes obviously came from a child’s fingers. Meilin followed the sound of the zither until she found Sandy practicing alone in a garden.

“What are you doing here by yourself?” Meilin asked.

Sandy had moved into Batong Mansion full-time since Captain Bai left to fight Wōkòu, but she was usually with Treasure and Fortune, not alone.