Chapter 40: Erecting the Stele, Immortals and Mortals

A few moments of silence passed, with no reply. No servant emerged to welcome them, either.

The Prefect of Xiangzhou repeated his call, waited a while longer, but still heard nothing. The clamor and celebratory sounds of the welcome party suddenly dimmed; the Prefect shot a glare at the attendants, who then hesitantly resumed their drumming and music.

He exchanged a glance with the Magistrate of Xiangyang.

Cheng Zhi raised his voice: "I am Cheng. I have come to pay a visit—is the Immortal... is the Master at home?"

Again, there was no answer.

The party stood before the courtyard gate for a quarter of an hour. Neighbors had opened their doors just a crack, but upon seeing the imposing presence of such high-ranking officials, they dared not speak.

The Prefect of Xiangzhou glanced at Cheng Zhi once more.

Biting the bullet and silently praying for the Immortal not to take offense, Magistrate Cheng reached out to push open the gate, hoping to take a closer look.

Upon inspection, he found the gate locked with a hidden bolt; the master of the house had already departed.

The Immortal was nowhere to be found. It seemed they were destined to miss each other.

A trace of disappointment flickered in the Magistrate’s heart as he whispered the news to his superior. The Prefect looked past the gate into the serene courtyard, where a few trees stood, and beneath them, a table.

"Surely, this is where the Immortal usually reads," he mused.

The Prefect sighed, "Immortals and deities transcend the mundane; it is difficult for mortals to behold their true form."

No fate to meet, it seemed.

Suppressing his complex emotions, the Prefect turned to his entourage. "Let us go. We shall head to the Immortal’s temple and set up the stele there. Today, we must complete this task."

As they watched the procession depart in a grand display, the sound of gongs and drums gradually fading, the neighbors finally let out a collective breath and began to chatter.

"So those people were looking for Master Jiang!"
"Is Master Jiang really an immortal?"
"I told you so long ago. My wife even told me to be more respectful."
"Even the high officials are like this."
"I think the officials are no better than us; we get to see the Immortal all the time."

As the neighbor spoke, a look of smug satisfaction appeared on his burly face. Listening to the neighborhood gossip, he felt quite pleased and thoroughly satisfied. As everyone began to disperse, Xu Da hesitated, then called out to a man in a long robe.

"Master Zhang, someone wrote something for me. Could you help me take a look at it later? I’ll treat you to some wine."

The neighbor invited Master Zhang into his home and offered him a cup of cloudy wine as a rare treat. He brought out the red paper that had suddenly appeared on his table that day.

The scholar, well past his fiftieth year, squinted. "What marvelous calligraphy."

He read it carefully once more.

"In the thirteenth year of Kaiyuan... the year of Yichou, I, Jiang, hereby engage with two jin of salt and vinegar and four jin of dried fish, to employ... one ink-colored cat from the house of Xu Bojin..."

"Once employed, the fish will be plentiful, the mice will flee; there shall be felt blankets for the winter and bamboo mats for the summer..."

"Once you enter my gates, you shall forever be a household treasure."

"Both parties are pleased; heaven and earth bear witness."

"Lest there be no proof hereafter, this contract is drawn up as a record..."

When Master Zhang finished reading, he saw the calligraphy was elegant and fluid, the brushwork flowing in a single, masterful stroke. Such fine writing made one yearn to possess it.

Seeing the signature at the bottom as Jiang She, and the mention of "I, Jiang" in the text, he was filled with awe.

In the end, Master Zhang merely stared at it, suppressing his own desire, and said with a chuckle, "So, Brother Xu, you’ve given away a cat? The master of the house has written an employment contract for it."

Xu Bojin had no idea that giving away a cat required such a formal document. It was all so scholarly and elaborate.

He looked at the characters; though he could not read them, he couldn't help but beam with joy. Just as he was about to put the contract away, Master Zhang stopped him.

"Wait! You still need to place your thumbprint on this."

Master Zhang said, "Since you don't have vermilion paste, I'll go back and get some. Wait here."

After a moment's thought, he added a cautious reminder: "Fate is hard to come by, and with calligraphy this fine, this is a treasure that can be passed down through generations. Treat it well."

When Master Zhang returned, Xu Lang followed his instructions and pressed his thumbprint onto the paper. Suddenly, he thought to ask, "Usually, when a contract is drawn up, doesn't each person get a copy? If I’ve pressed mine here, won't Master Jiang lack one?"

Master Zhang had no way of knowing. He shook his head. "As for the affairs of immortals, I am afraid I do not know."

...

Outside Xiangyang City.

Jiang She suddenly felt a stirring in his heart and drew the document from his sleeve. He saw the thumbprint upon it and smiled.

The Old Deer Mountain God, who was also there, looked at the kitten curled up in a wicker basket, already fast asleep. He smiled and offered his congratulations: "Master has found a fine companion. The journey will be much more interesting with a cat for company."

Yuan Danqiu sat on the carriage shaft, looking at the kitten, also finding it quite amusing. Relying on his carriage-driving skills and the thick-skinned persistence he had cultivated over years of visiting various hermits, he had bitterly pleaded for the chance to travel with Master Jiang, so he wouldn't have to stay at the residence alone to cultivate the Way.

The two servants were in the carriage carrying the luggage. Hearing the dialogue between the immortals, they dared not utter a sound, only watching with greedy eyes.

Li Bai rode alongside on his horse. "Master has been feeding this cat for nearly a month, and yet no one else is allowed to touch it."

As they spoke, a sudden, festive, and lively sound of gongs and drums drifted from afar.

Jiang She looked toward the sound, as did the others.

He could see a large group of people carrying a massive stone stele, followed by several middle-aged men in official robes. Behind them were wealthy local gentry and merchants in brocade, dressed quite ostentatiously. Further back were bailiffs and attendants, dozens in number, some following the officials and gentry, some playing music, and others clearing the way, forcing the curious onlookers to keep their distance.

He recognized a few of the faces; he could even name some of them.

Taoist priests from the Qingxu Temple held wooden swords and bowls of holy water, chanting as they circled the site to ward off evil spirits.

Flames soared into the sky as the sacrifices were made.

After the rituals, the work of erecting the stele and building the temple began.

The Mountain God stroked his beard and smiled. "These people have even built a temple for you, Master."

"Would you like to reveal yourself and meet them?"

"There is no need."

Jiang She withdrew his gaze. Riding his horse, he looked toward the lush mountains. In the Tang Dynasty, the vegetation was vigorous, the climate humid, the water and grass abundant, and the trees towering.

"Let us go."

"This lesser deity shall escort you a ways—"

The party moved on. Li Bai and Jiang She rode their horses, while the kitten stirred, squeezed into Jiang She’s arms, nudged against his clothes for a moment, and quickly fell back asleep—that was the way of kittens, always needing so much rest.

Yuan Danqiu, having squeezed his way over, drove the carriage with a flourish, while the two servants sat in the other cart.

The Old Deer Mountain God walked with a hobbling gait, yet every three or five steps, he covered several yards, moving no slower than the horses or the carriage.

Seeing the old man walking, Yuan Danqiu called out, "Mountain God, come and ride in the carriage."

The Old Deer Mountain God smiled happily. "Then I shall not decline."

The carriage slowly pulled away from Xiangyang. Jiang She, riding his horse, looked down at the cat sleeping in his arms, which was trying to burrow into his sleeve. He gave it a gentle pat to keep it from slipping inside.

He could still hear the voices of Yuan Danqiu, Li Bai, and the Old Deer Mountain God.

Yuan Danqiu suddenly remembered something. "Taibai, did you forget to inform Master Meng? He still doesn't know we've left."

Li Bai had indeed forgotten.

He said, "What of it? When we reach the post station, I'll write a letter and pay someone to deliver it. I'll just tell Master Meng in the letter."

Jiang She exchanged a glance with the Earth Deity of Black Stone Mountain, who remained behind, and gave a slight nod.

The Earth Deity bowed respectfully, watching the carriage and horses depart.

Farther away, the sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers continued. The Taoists performed their rites, and the Prefect and Magistrate personally offered incense. The mortals erected a temple and a stele, celebrating the event.

It was recorded:

"In the thirteenth year of Kaiyuan, the year of Yichou, under the governance of Prefect Han of Xiangzhou and Magistrate Cheng, the harvest was bountiful and the people were happy. An immortal passed through, wearing white robes, holding a jade whisk, his spirit refined and elegant, his movements like the clouds. The people of the prefecture saw him, and were struck by a sudden longing to transcend the mundane world..."