Li turned around and was overjoyed when she saw Hou standing right beside her. She felt like she was dreaming. She said, “Hou, is it really you? I missed you so much!” With these words, tears began to run down her face.
Hou Fangyu handed the fan to her and said, “How can I repay you for these blood peach blossoms?”
Having gone through hell and high water, Li Xiangjun and Hou Fangyu finally reunited after so long. They were so immersed in their joyous reunion that they were unable to extract themselves from each other"s arms. Unaware of their indecent behavior they suddenly heard someone shouting loudly from the sacrificial altar, “How dare you two flirt with each other here?”
Zhang Yaoxing came over. He grabbed the fan, tore it up and threw the pieces to the ground, shouting angrily, “This is a peaceful and quiet place meant for Taoist worship, not love or public indecency.”
At this moment, Cai Yisuo, the bookstore owner came and recognized Hou immediately. He hurried told Zhang Yaoxing, “This is Scholar Hou Fangyu from Henan Province. You should have known him”.
Now Zhang recognized Hou but he asked, “Who is this woman then?”
Lan Ying answered for Hou, “I know this woman. She is Miss Li Xiangjun from Jiuyuan, Scholar Hou’s wife”.
Zhang Yaoxing’s anger abated a little and he explained to them how he had become a priest and why he practiced Taoism in that place. Meanwhile, Lan Ying told Hou, “I came with Xiangjun to look for you and didn’t expect you two would meet here!”
Holding Xiangjun’s hand and feeling excited, Hou announced to the people around, “We owe a debt of great gratitude to you all who helped us reunite in times of such adversity. When we return home, we will repay this great kindness”.
Zhang Yaoxing said angrily, “Don’t babble and talk nonsense! At a moment when our country is in peril and our homes lost, how can you be so infatuated with passionate feelings ‘among the flowers and in the moonlight’?”
Hou Fangyu justified himself, “I do not agree with you. In my opinion, all the people in the world pursue love in spite of the hardship they may endure. The love between us comes from our hearts. How could we possibly suppress it?”
Zhang Yaoxing was furious at what Hou Fangyu said: “you are an adherent of the great Ming Dynasty, but you think about nothing but your love affairs. Take a look around you. Where is our country and where are our homes? As a member of the Restoration Society, could it be that you have forgotten the true meaning of loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness, without regret for our conquered nation? So you think all of these things are of lower worth than your love affair ‘among the flowers and in the moonlight’?”
Zhang Yaoxing’s words brought Hou Fangyu back to reality. He had been intoxicated by the joy of his reunion. Now he was speechless. Suddenly all the events and experiences in the past few years flashed through his mind. He recalled himself drinking wine and composing poems on the Qinhuai River and pledging love at the bridgehead in the moonlight. Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng were guilty of bringing calamity to the nation and the people, but come to think of it, what had he been doing at that time? When corruption was rife at court, he had busied himself with love and romance. Now that the country had fallen, could it be that he would indulge in love affairs again and be killing his time only to satisfy his own volition. As he thought of this, Hou came to realize his faults and fallacies. He hurriedly bowed to the master and expressed his gratitude. “Thank you for your advice. I am enlightened”. Li Xiangjun said bashfully, “I too come to understand what you mean, Master.”
At that, Hou Fangyu and Li Xiangjun began to seek advice from different teachers and tried to cultivate themselves according to the religious doctrines. They finally converted to Taoism and hid their passionate love in deep remorse together with the subjugated countrymen in their conquered nation.
