"You want to ride on the camel, don't you?" he said

and lifted her up onto its back and sat behind her.

With shouts and calls, they urged the stone camel

forward. Princess Fragrance bent over double with

laughter, then after a moment she sighed.

"If only this camel could really run and could carry

us back to the Tianshan mountains," she said.

"What would you want to do there?"

She looked into the distance. "Oh, I would be very

busy. I would have to pick flowers for you to eat, and

look after the goats and feed the small deer. And I'd

have to visit the graves of my father and mother and

brother to keep them company, and think of some way to

find my sister....."

"What happened to her?" he asked.

"She was ill the night the Manchus attacked. We were

split up during the battle and I have heard no news of

her since."

Chen was silent as they remounted the horse and

started on their way. The road wound upwards and

before long they arrived at Ju Yong Pass and caught

sight of the Wall, writhing like a long snake through

the clusters of hills.

"Why did they waste so much effort to build this

thing?" Princess Fragrance asked.

"It was to stop the northern enemies from invading,"

Chen replied. "Countless people must have died on

either side of this wall."

"Men are truly strange. Why don't they all live

happily together and dance and sing instead of

fighting? I really can't see the point of it all."

"If you ever get the chance, you must tell the Emperor

not to make war on the poor peoples of the border

areas. All right?"

"I will never see that evil Emperor again," she

replied, puzzled by his sudden solemness.

"But if you were able to make him do your bidding, you

must urge him not to do bad things, and to do some

good for the people. Promise me!"

"What a funny thing to say. Do you really think I

would be unwilling to do anything you asked me to do?"

"Thank you," Chen said, and she smiled.

They walked along a stretch of the wall hand-in-hand.

"I just thought of something," said Princess

Fragrance.

"What?"

"I am very happy today, but is it because of this

beautiful scenery? No. I know it's because I am with

you. As long as you are by my side, I would think even

the most ugly place on earth was beautiful."

The happier she was, the more uncomfortable Chen felt.

"Is there anything you would like me to do?" he asked.

"Oh, but you have already done everything. You have

always given me everything I wanted, even without

asking for it." She pulled the snow lotus from her

pocket. The flower was now dry and withered, but it

still possessed a strong fragrance.

"There is only one thing you refused to do," she added

with a smile. "And that is to sing me a song."

Chen laughed. "It's true," he said. "I have never sung

you a song."

Princess Fragrance pulled a face. "Well, I'm not going

to sing for you any more either."

"I remember my mother's maid servant singing several

rhymes when I was young. I'll sing one for you now,

but you're not allowed to laugh."

She clapped her hands in delight. "All right! All

right! Sing!"

He thought for a moment, and then began:

"The light rain falls

The wind blows in squalls

Someone outside saucily calls,

I think it's my loved one,

And softly curse him round and right.

But looking once again

I see it's not, and jump in fright."

After he had finished, Chen explained the words of the

song in the Muslim tongue, and Princess Fragrance

laughed.

"The lady's eyesight was not too good, apparently,"

she said.

They explored the top of the wall, which consisted of

battlements on the northern side, a stone hand rail on

the other and a walkway in between. Every three

hundred feet or so, there was a watchtower. They came

to a beacon tower, and Chen thought of the time Huo

Qingtong had burned wolf dung as part of her plan to

destroy the Manchu army. He wondered again if she was

alive or dead, and his sadness increased.

"I know what you are thinking," said Princess

Fragrance.

"Do you?"

"Yes. You are thinking of my sister."

"How did you know?"

"When the three of us were in the Secret City

together, I could see how happy you were in spite of

the danger. Oh, you mustn't worry so!"

He took her hand, "What do you mean?" he asked.

She sighed. "In the old days, I was just a child. I

didn't understand anything. But every day I was in the

Imperial Palace, I thought about the times we were

together and realised many things that had not occured

to me before. My sister loved you all along, and you

love her, don't you?"

"Yes. I shouldn't try to deceive you."

"But I know you truly love me too. And without you, I

cannot live. So let's go and find my sister quickly

and we can all live happily together forever. Don't

you think that would be lovely?"

Her eyes and face radiated happiness. Chen squeezed

her hand. "You have thought it out perfectly," he said

softly. "You and your sister are the nicest, the best

people in the world."

Princess Fragrance stood looking out into the

distance, and noticed the sun glinting off a body of

water to the west. "Let's go and have a look over

there," she said.

They made their way across the hills, and came upon a

clear spring bubbling merrily out of a crack in the

rocks.

"I will wash my feet here, is that all right?"

Princess Fragrance asked.

"Of course," Chen replied with a smile. She took off

her shoes and socks and stepped into the water,

relishing the coolness as the crystal clear water

flowed around her milk-white feet. Chen happened to

see his own shadow on the water, and realised the sun

was already sinking into the west. He reached into his

bag and pulled out some food for them. Princess

Fragrance leant against him and wiped her feet dry as

she ate.

Chen gritted his teeth. "There is something I must say

to you," he said. She turned and put both her arms

round him, resting her head on his chest.

"I know you love me," she said quietly. "I understand.

You don't have to say it."

He cringed and swallowed what he had been about to

say. After a while, he started again: "Do you still

remember Mami's last testament that we read inside the

White Jade Peak?"

"She is living in Heaven now with her Ali. That's the

way it should be."

"You Muslims believe that after good people die, they

will live forever in paradise, is that right?"

"Of course that's what happens."

"When I return to Beijing, I will go and find an

Islamic Imam and get him to teach me so that I can

become a good follower of the Muslim faith," said

Chen.

Princess Fragrance was overjoyed. She had never

guessed he would be willing to voluntarily join the

Muslim faith. "Oh my brother," she said looking up at

him. "Will you really?"

"Definitely."

"You're willing to do even that because of your love

for me. I never dared to hope for such a thing."

"Because in this life," Chen continued slowly, "we

will not be able to be together. So I want to be sure

that after death, I can be with you every day."

The words struck Princess Fragrance like a clap of

thunder. After a moment's silence, she said in shaking

voice: "You....what are you talking about? We can't be

together?"

"No. After today, we will not be able to see each

other again."

"Why?" Her body quivered and two large tears fell onto

his gown.

Chen embraced her tenderly. "If it were possible for

me to be with you, I would be content even without

food or clothing, even if I was beaten and humiliated

everyday. But do you remember Mami? The good Mami was

willing to leave her true love Ali in order that her

tribe would no longer be oppressed and bullied by

Sanglaba and was even willing to go and allow herself

to be violated by him...."

Princess Fragrance's body went limp. "You want me to

give in to the Emperor?" she whispered. "You want me

to kill him?"

"No, he is my blood brother." He told her everything

about his relationship with Qian Long, and the Red

Flower Society's plans, about the oath sworn in the

Six Harmonies Pagoda, and of Qian Long's demand

earlier that day. As he spoke, Princess Fragrance

realised that what she had been longing for day and

night and thought she had achieved, was slipping from

her grasp again. She was overwhelmed by a wave of

panic and fainted away.

As she came to, she felt Chen holding her tightly, and

was aware of a damp patch on her dress soaked by his

tears. She stood up.

"Wait for me here," she said softly, and walked

towards a large flat rock in the distance where she

prostrated herself in prayer towards the west. She

appealed to the True God, Allah for guidance on what

she should do. The pale sunlight glanced off her white

dress, her back presenting a picture of both great

melancholy and warmth. After a while, she walked

slowly back.

"Whatever you want me to do, I will do," she

announced.

Chen jumped up and ran over to her, and the two

embraced each other tightly.

"If I had known we had only today, I would have wanted

you to hold me the whole day rather than come here,"

she whispered. Chen kissed her, unable to answer.

A long time passed. Then suddenly, Princess Fragrance

said: "I have not had a bath since I left home. I am

going to have one now." She began to take off her

outer gown.

Chen stood up. "I'll go over there to wait for you,"

he said.

"No! No! I want you to watch me. When you saw me for

the first time, I was bathing. Today is the last

time...After you have seen me, I want you to never

forget me."

"Do you really believe that I would ever forget you?"

"Please don't go," she pleaded, and there was nothing

for Chen to do but to sit down again.

While Chen watched and the mountain spring gurgled,

she removed all her clothing piece by piece, until the

golden evening sun illuminated one of the world's most

beautiful bodies. Chen felt giddy, and hardly dare to

look directly at this vision. But he could not fail to

notice her innocent, guileless expression, and

suddenly thought of her as simply a naked three or

four-year-old child. She was so beautiful and so pure.

"To make a body of such incomparable beauty, there

must be an all-knowing, all-powerful God in heaven,"

he thought. His heart was filled with reverence and

gratitude.

Princess Frgrance slowly wiped the pearls of water

from her body, and then put her clothes back on.

"This body," she thought self-pityingly. "I will never

again be able to show it to the one I love."

She rubbed her hair dry and then returned to sit in

Chen's embrace.

"I once told you the story of the cowherd and the

spinning girl, do you remember?" Chen asked.

"Yes. I remember. You said that although they met only

once a year, they still saw each other countless times

more than ordinary people."

"Yes. We cannot be together forever, but the True God

will make sure we meet again eventually. In the

desert, and here, we have been very happy. The time

has been short, but we have perhaps had more happiness

than many couples who live together for decades."

She listened to his soothing voice comforting her, as

the sun slowly sank towards the hills with her heart

following it down. Suddenly she jumped up and wailed:

"No! The sun is disappearing!"

Chen's heart shattered. "I have asked so much of you!"

he exclaimed, taking her hand.

She continued to stare at the point where the sun had

gone down. "If only it was able to rise again, even

for just a moment," she said quietly.

"It is right that I should undergo hardship for the

sake of my people, but you have never even seen them,

let alone loved them."

"I love you, so are they not my people too? Do you not

love all our Muslim brothers?"

The sky was growing darker. The sun did not rise

again, and a wave of coldness touched her heart.

"Let's go back," she said. "I am very happy. My life

is fulfilled."

They climbed onto the back of the white horse and

started back the way they had come. They were both

silent and neither turned back to look at the place of

beauty they had just enjoyed.

Less than an hour's ride later, they heard the sound

of many galloping hooves in front and several dozen

riders emerged out of the evening mist with Bai Zhen

in the lead. His face lit up as soon as he saw Chen

and Princess Fragrance, and signalling to the others

to stop, he leapt off his horse and stood by the

roadside. Chen did not even glance at him, but urged

the white horse on even faster. Soon after, horses'

hooves sounded in front once again, and the Red Flower

Society heroes appeared.

"Great Helmsman!" 'Leopard' Wei shouted. "We're all

here!"
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