Chapter Six: The Monkey

Zhang the peddler found himself staring blankly at Jiang Li. He had known these two young girls for several years now, having heard that they were daughters of a wealthy family who had been sent to this nunnery as punishment for some wrongdoing. Yet, judging by their clothes, it was difficult to believe they came from such a background; the maid was somewhat lively, but the young lady herself was quick to anger. Zhang always made his business brief, rarely lingering after each transaction, and this was the first time he had seen Jiang Li speak to him so gently.

With such gentle manners, she really did seem like a young lady from a noble house—though to say she was the daughter of the Chief Minister seemed far too exaggerated. Despite his doubts, Zhang had to hurry on to his next stop. He had assumed Jiang Li was joking when she spoke of spending all her money on pastries; after all, anyone with eyes could see how modest their life was. For an ordinary wealthy household, forty strings of copper coins spent on cakes was nothing—but for two girls who could hardly keep warm, it was hardly reasonable.

“If you buy so many cakes, they’ll spoil before you can finish them,” Zhang could not help but remind her.

“It’s all right,” Jiang Li replied. “We’ll finish them.”

At that, Zhang said no more. After all, it was her money. She bought nearly half of what he carried on his shoulder pole. The sooner he could leave the mountain and head home, the happier he was—there was nothing to fuss about.

As for Tong’er, though she did not understand the reason for Jiang Li’s instructions, she had never disobeyed her mistress. Suppressing her anxiety, she carried the heavy basket of pastries home, clutching it tightly whenever a passing nun in gray glanced her way, afraid they might try to snatch it.

Back in their damp little room, Tong’er set the basket of cakes on the table and closed the door behind them. At last, she could not contain her curiosity. “Miss, why did you buy so many of these?”

Jiang Li did not look at her. She pushed open the window, gazing out at the rolling hills of Mount Qingcheng. The peaks rose and fell in graceful lines, the winter snow long since melted. The slopes were painted with a blush of peach blossoms, softening the usually harsh mountains with their rosy haze, like the cheeks of a gentle beauty.

“Look,” she said, pointing into the distance.

Tong’er stepped closer and saw, perched on a peach tree far away, a small monkey with a curled tail, no bigger than a palm, happily nibbling on a piece of fruit.

“It’s a monkey,” Tong’er said, puzzled. “What’s so special about a monkey?”

There were many monkeys on Mount Qingcheng, lively and mischievous. They were used to people, especially near Crane Forest Temple, where pilgrims came and went in an endless stream. Sometimes, seeing the monkeys play in the trees, visitors would toss them peanuts or sweets. In winter, when food was scarce, the monkeys begged more frequently; but with the arrival of spring and summer, they had plenty to eat and mostly kept to themselves.

However, on this quieter side of the mountain, near the nunnery, monkeys were a rare sight—there was little to attract them where no food could be found.

“Go bring some cakes,” Jiang Li instructed.

Tong’er fetched a few pieces of walnut cake. Jiang Li broke them into small pieces and waved toward the monkey in the distant tree. Perhaps Zhang’s pastries were truly fragrant—the aroma of walnuts quickly lured the little monkey, who soon darted to the window, eyeing the treats in Jiang Li’s hand with wary curiosity, eager but hesitant to approach.

Jiang Li extended her hand further. At last, unable to resist, the monkey snatched a piece and scurried behind a rock to eat it. When it had finished, it peered back at Jiang Li, seeing her still standing at the window with more crumbs in her hand, smiling kindly. Growing bolder, the monkey returned for more.

Back and forth it went until every morsel was gone. Jiang Li clapped her hands to show she had no more, and the monkey, after a lingering look at her empty palm, finally left with its tail curled high.

Tong’er, who had witnessed the whole scene, asked, “Miss, did you just want to feed the monkey? Why use cakes? Wouldn’t wild fruit from the mountain do just as well? These cakes are expensive—it seems wasteful.”

To be the personal maid of the Chief Minister’s daughter, or even of Xue Fangfei back in Tongxiang, she would never have cared about a few cakes. If anyone else saw this scene, they might feel a pang of sympathy. Jiang Li touched Tong’er’s head and smiled. “But monkeys like delicious things more than wild fruit.”

Tong’er was about to say more when Jiang Li turned to the table and sat down. There was only one stool in the room, made by Tong’er herself from a piece of scavenged wood, its legs unsteady. Jiang Li said, “Tong’er, starting tomorrow, you’ll take these cakes to feed the monkeys.”

Tong’er’s eyes widened. “Miss, why? I don’t understand.”

People themselves could barely eat—why should they worry about monkeys? What sense did that make?

“I need these monkeys to do something for me,” Jiang Li smiled. “Think of the cakes as payment for passage.”

“But—”

“It’s just a few cakes,” Jiang Li cut her off. “When we return, you can have the kitchen make more every day. Don’t fret over a few here.”

Tong’er fell silent. Speaking of returning to the capital, Jiang Li surely felt more sorrow than she did herself, so Tong’er dared not say anything to upset her.

“These cakes,” Jiang Li tapped the basket, the sweet aroma filling the room, making their empty stomachs grumble. They lived on thin porridge and pickles; the scent alone was enough to make their mouths water. Suppressing her own hunger, Jiang Li said, “Divide the cakes into fifteen portions. Feed the monkeys one portion each day, and stop after the nineteenth day.”

Tong’er was still puzzled but agreed. “Yes, Miss.”

“The Crane Forest Temple is half an hour from here,” Jiang Li continued. “I cannot leave the nunnery gates, so you must go. Each night, leave at the hour of the Pig and, by the hour of the Rat, feed the monkeys behind the temple with these cakes. Do this until the nineteenth night; after that, you needn’t go anymore.”

Whether Abbess Jing’an had received someone’s instructions or not, Jiang Li was forbidden to leave the nunnery. Her every move was watched. Only Tong’er could come and go freely, as she went out daily to chop wood. Having lived on the mountain for six years, Tong’er knew every path by heart and would not get lost.

Mount Qingcheng often saw noblewomen making pilgrimages, and for their safety, no bandits dared lurk in the woods; otherwise, Jiang Li would never have let Tong’er out at night.

After hearing all this, Tong’er suddenly asked, “Miss, are you doing all this to prepare for our return to the capital?”

Jiang Li smiled at her. “Are you afraid?”

At that, Tong’er’s eyes lit with excitement rather than fear. The little maid was braver than one might expect, eager and ready. “Afraid? I’ve been waiting for this!”

“Good,” said Jiang Li, nodding. “We’ll begin tonight.”

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Don’t you think Ah Li is a gentle girl?