"We're filled with joy from your wine and hospitality" proclaimed the mother, "and it's getting late so let's call it quits for tonight!" But by now Wizard Jia, still peeking at Hu Mei'r, was truly taking leave of his senses. Upon hearing the words "call it quits" he sputtered "let's have another round!" Alas, when he hurriedly fumbled for the pot to serve some more wine he found that unknownst to all it had been drained bone-dry by Quezi, whose mind had all along been set on just this one purpose. At that point the mother and children bowed and expressed their gratitude and the Wizard reciprocated with a ceremonious wave and some fitting words. Then all eyes were on Assistant Wizard Nie, still standing there like an imbecile holding an empty winepot in his hands.
"How long have you been here?" asked Wizard Jia, wryly.
"Since I arrived!" was Nie's sharp answer. Anger now arose in Jia Qingfeng's belly but he couldn't reveal it. So swallowing his rage he ordered Nie to quickly clean up, and turned toward the old mother.
"These two rooms," he explained, "were built last spring by my own hands. Though hidden away and tiny they are indeed serene. In fact they are retreat rooms, and my colleagues have never been in them." He continued: "Because I'm concerned about your daughter's security and convenience I'm going to open them for you."
The old mother was moved: "How much of your loving kindness we've received! How can we ever repay you?" The Wizard went on.
"There's a hammock in the chamber upstairs and a small wooden bed too. Feel free to use them as you please." And pointing to a small passageway over the courtyard he added: "There is my humble nest; if you should be short of any old thing whatsoever, just give a little whistle and it's yours in a wink!"
Now, our old mother was overcome with relief at seeing so kind and diligent a host.
"Reverend," she half whispered, "how kind of you to consider our welfare like this. Someday we'll repay you in full."
And so the Wizard went out for awhile; after scrounging around frantically he found a lantern and placed it on the table. "Now I'll be able to invite the three for dinner," he thought while boiling some lentils. And he ordered Nie to borrow a basin from the temple Master's room and place it upstairs, just in case the two women needed to relieve themselves during the night. Wizard Jia had a maternal aunt over fifty, a nun at the Fujiang Rapids Convent not far from Swordgate Mountain. Every few months she visited him for a day or two and was again on her way; each time she borrowed the same basin for her toilet, so he had no doubts about his present guests. Now indeed Jia Qingfeng was thoroughly aware that Wizard Nie might be up to some tricks of his own and kept his eye on him until Nie was downstairs.
"It's hard to find a holy man this diligent and careful" said the woman; "he's suffering on account of us. Tomorrow," she continued, "if there's a break in the snow let's get out of here and who cares if the roads are slippery? Why, even the spare time and most humble possesions of monks and nuns are priceless. How dare we go on imposing like this?"
Quezi disagreed. "Well," he said, "we've had the nerve to intrude on him, so why not put on a humble face and tough it out for a few more days? We might just as well wait here for patiently for a clear dry spell. If we run away and have to turn back because of the weather they'll sure have a laugh! Go ahead if you like but I'll wait here. You'll be back!"
Mei'r laughed. "Elder brother's drunk so much that now he can't tear himself away!"
Quezi was indignant. "Ordinarily," he snapped back "I can never keep up with your blazing pace no matter how I try, and that road up Swordgate is really steep and hard. It's downright foolish to try and pull off something like this with so little preparation. What I'm saying is that I'd like us to take a little more time to think things over; if we can, we go, and if can't we stay. And you say I'm only a drunkard, as if I want to stay here and enjoy a cold food feast every morning and a nightly Yuanxiao festival! Why, this Wizard is only being polite to new guests, and who can say how long he'll be so hospitable? But then I'm supposed to be drunk so I'm shutting my mouth.."
Mei'r answered back as if stung.
"Gosh," she exclaimed, "I was only kidding. I know you're only telling it like it is!"
"You two stop your bickering," said the mother; "come daylight I've got a plan."
At this point Quezi wandered off, and having indulged his desire for drink he lay down upon his bed and nodded away. And for her part the old woman, lantern in hand, retired upstairs with Mei'r.
Wizard Jia was now alone in his room. "To think that Heaven," he mused, "has produced such a beauty; why, if she'd marry me I'd forsake my vows!" And he pondered onward: "Hmmm, at first she detested me like the plague, but by and by she's really warmed up. Now, if Heaven only allows a few more days of heavy snowfall, with drifts so high that they'll have to stay a bit longer...she'll be caught up, all right. And if by chance they can't go, I'll once more share their follies and hardships and when I get the chance I'll hook her. For the human heart is only flesh; could its ways really be irrevocable? Besides, her mom's a poor old woman and Quezi only craves drink; these aren't very serious problems."
And so Wizard Jia, tossing and turning, wracked his brains all night so that the dark curtains of sleep never closed around his imagination. And if this weren't all strange enough, who would have dreamt that our very own Wizard Nie was also driving himself crazy with the most one-sided sort of raving mad infatuation and desire; he was truly lost in love. Clearly he was like a hideous, slimey toad craving to know the flesh of a regal white crane. How could he ever hope to get a taste, this pleasure boy with grizzled face! It's really like this: