"That's right!" Yuan yelled delightedly, encouraging him. "Wriggle, my little fish! Wriggle!" And, throwing back his head, he roared with laughter.
But Kuei Jen was beginning to get overexcited, and this time, when he jumped, he stumbled, throwing out his tiny hands as he fell, a brief cry of surprise escaping him before he went under. Quickly, Li Yuan bent down and scooped the spluttering Kuei Jen up, holding him close against his chest, there-there-ing him, and kissing his face.
For a while Kuei Jen howled and howled, but slowly Li Yuan's gentle words had their effect and the child calmed, nuzzling in close to his father's chest.
"There!" Li Yuan said, lifting him and holding him up, above him, at arm's length. He laughed softly. "No harm done, eh, my little fish? No harm."
For a moment longer he hugged his son, kissing the dark crown of his head. "You're a good boy, neh?" he murmured. "A good boy." Then, turning in the water, he waded across to the shore and handed Kuei Jen to his mother.
Mien Shan took her son, looking past him at Li Yuan and smiling broadly. "Thank you, Yuan," she said quietly. "And you are a good father to your son. The very best of fathers."
She turned, summoning her maids. At once they were at her side with towels and dry clothing, tending to the child.
Li Yuan smiled, touched by her words, then stepped up onto the bank, letting one of his body servants towel down his legs while another brought a fresh tunic and fussed about him, dressing him. As they finished, he turned and looked across. Lai Shi and Fu Ti Chang were watching him, their heads close, talking. He smiled, then went across, planting himself between them, putting his arms about their shoulders.
For a moment he sat there, silently enjoying the day. Out on the lake the men had begun to play a game with a stuffed ox's bladder, batting it about and diving to catch it, throwing up great sprays of water, to the amusement of all. Even Kuei Jen had stopped whimpering and had turned to watch them, a smile of amusement lighting his tiny features.
Watching it all, Yuan felt a shiver of contentment pass through him. This was enough, surely? Enough for any man. To have this day, this sunlit, happy hour forever, that surely was enough?
He waited, silent within himself, but for once there was no dark voice to counter that first strong feeling of contentment. So maybe this was it—the balance he had been seeking all these years. Maybe it was simple after all. A matter of relaxing. Of letting go.
"Yuan?"
He turned his head, looking into the dark and pretty eyes of his Second Wife, Lai Shi.
"What is it, my love?"
Her eyes slipped away, meeting Fu Ti Chang's on the other side of him, then returned to his. "It's just that we were talking. Wondering . . ."
Something in her face, maybe the slightest hint of mischievousness in her mouth, told him at once what they had been talking of.
"Wondering whose bed I would come to tonight, is that it?"
Lai Shi nodded.
For a moment he studied her. Lai Shi was not the prettiest of his wives. No, for there was something about her features—some irregularity in that long northern face—that did not quite meet the conventional standard of beauty. Yet when she smiled, when her eyes sparkled with mischief, there was a sensuality to her face, a voluptuousness, that made her by far the most attractive of his wives.
Saying nothing, he turned, facing his Third Wife, Fu Ti Chang. She was the tallest of his wives but also the youngest; a long-legged willow of a girl with breasts like tiny pears and an elegance that, at times, he found intoxicating. She sat there, letting him study her, her large eyes meeting his openly, that modesty that was so ingrained a part of her character staring out at him.
"You wish for a decision?"
Fu Ti Chang nodded.
He turned. "And you, Lai Shi?"
"Yes, husband. But before you do, let me say something. That ten days is a long time for us to be without you. Last night you went to Mien Shan's bed. And before that..."
"Before that I was away." He laughed. "I understand, Lai Shi. A woman is a woman, neh? She has her needs."
Lai Shi smiled, while Fu Ti Chang looked down, a faint blush at her neck.
"Well, a decision you shall have. But first let me say what it is I most like about each of you. Why the choice is such a difficult one."
"Husband . . ." Lai Shi protested, but Li Yuan shook his head.
"No. You will hear me out. And then I shall tell you my decision."
He lay his head back on the cushions and stared out across the lake, considering a moment. Then, with a brief laugh, he began to speak.
"If we are to believe, as the ancient Buddhists once believed, that every soul has been upon this earth before, then Fu Ti Chang was once, I am convinced, a horse. A beautiful, elegant horse, with a good, strong rump, long, fine legs, and the stamina of a Thoroughbred. Many a night have I had her in the saddle until dawn, and never once has she complained of tiredness!"
There was a giggle from Lai Shi, but Fu Ti Chang herself was still, listening to his every word.
"But what I like most about my sweet Fu are her hands. For my youngest wife has the gentlest hands under Heaven. If Kuan Yin ever made love to a mortal man, then I am certain it was in the form of my darling Fu Ti Chang."
Fu Ti Chang gave a slight bow of her head, clearly touched by his words.
"Now, as for Lai Shi, well, what am I to say? That she is the naughtiest of my girls, the most willful?"
"Tell me what creature I was, husband. In my former life . . ."
He laughed. "Why that's easy, Lai Shi. You were a bird. A mischievous magpie, the bringer of good news and joy."
"A magpie!" She laughed delightedly.
"Yes," he said, smiling broadly, enjoying the game. "With a wicked, teasing mouth that, many a night, has settled in my nest." ' ,
She smiled, her dark eyes sparkling. "Can I help it if little niao needs to be fed . . ."
He roared with laughter. "Maybe so, Lai Shi. But eaten?"
He stood, then turned back, looking down at them. "Nan Ho chose well for me, neh? Too well, perhaps, for how am I to choose? Thoroughbred or magpie, which is it to be ? I feel as if I ought to have a copy made of myself."
"Two copies," Fu Ti Chang said, ever practical.
He turned, looking across to where Mien Shan was standing at the lake's edge, the now-sleeping Kuei Jen cradled against her shoulder. "Of course. I had not forgotten Mien Shan. But as for tonight . . . well, why don't you both come to my bed?"
"Both?" Fu Ti Chang stared back at him, shocked, it seemed, but,
beside her, Lai Shi was grinning broadly. She leaned close, whisper-ing something to Fu Ti Chang. For a moment Fu Ti Chang looked puzzled. She frowned intently. Then, unexpectedly, she let out a peal of raucous laughter.
"Yes," he heard her whisper, and found himself intrigued.
They turned back, facing him again, suddenly very formal, sitting up straight-backed in the long seat.
"Well?" he asked. "Is it a satisfactory answer?"
"Whatever our husband wishes," Fu Ti Chang said, bowing to him, her face cracking as Lai Shi began to giggle at her side. "Whatever our husband wishes."
He was about to comment, to ask them what was going on, when a movement to his right distracted him. He looked across. His Master of the Inner Chambers, Chan Teng, was standing there, his head bowed.
"What is it, Master Chan? Is something wrong?"
"No, Chieh Hsia. All is well."
"And the packing? That goes well?"
"We are almost done, Chieh Hsia."
"Good. Then it is something else, neh?"
Chan Teng bowed. "That is so, Chieh Hsia. Marshal Tolonen is here, for your appointment."
Li Yuan shook his head. "I did not expect him until four. Is it that late, already?"