The History of China - #152 - Special: Strange Tales 3.5 [NSFW]

Episode Date: October 28, 2018

A very sexy Halloween edition... Stir Fry - 1:45 Steel Skin - 4:15 Silkworm - 5:35 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast. Four hundred years ago, a trio of tiny kingdoms were perched on some damp islands off the coast of Europe. Within three short centuries, these islands would become the centre of an empire which ruled a quarter of the globe and on which the sun never set. I'm Samuel Hume, a historian of the British Empire, and my podcast Pax Britannica follows the people and events that built that empire into a global superpower. Learn the History of China. Episode 152, Strange Tales 3.5, the Not Safe for Work edition. Today, we take a rather different look at the fiction of the Ming and Qing eras,

drawing once again from the strange tales of Pu Songling. But today, rather than looking at the ghoulish, ghastly, and scary, we're going to be hearing of one of Mr. Pu's other habitual topics, that of human sexuality, as well as non-human sexuality. As I mentioned at the closing of the last episode, it can often be easy to forget that the people of the past were just as human as you and I. Just as kinky, lusty, and downright dirty as anything HBO could ever offer up. Oftentimes, even more so. Sex in Imperial China was something to be done behind closed doors, to be sure, but it tended to be viewed as just another part of life, normal, expected, encouraged even, rather than the more

puritanical worldview of much of the West. And so, let this be a word of warning. If you're squeamish, if you've got kids gathered around the speaker, or if you're at work without a nearby set of headphones, maybe save this one for later, or give it a pass entirely. I leave it up to you. Are you still with me? Alright then, let's get into it. Our first story involves a man hoping to spice up his love life with his wife, and so he brings home a helpful toy. Her innocent naivety, however, leads to hilarity. So it's often said that you are what you eat, so be cautious if you're ever served up stir-fry.

A certain scholar was staying in the provincial capital for an extended period for the latest set of examinations. He returned home as night was falling, and after having made a couple of shopping excursions. He had bought from the local vendor several lotus roots and lotus seeds for he and his wife's supper, and for after, from another vendor entirely, of course, he had acquired a dildo made of rattan cane. This he placed in a bowl of water so that it would soften before the night. His evening plans were immediately interrupted, however, when the neighbors, having heard him return home, came around with wine to spend the evening carousing together.

Quickly hiding the bowl, he hurried to greet his visitors and invite them in, calling out to his wife that she should prepare food for them all. Dutifully, the wife set to work peeling, chopping, and cooking the ingredients in a large wok and making a stir-fry for them all. When it was ready, the two families dined together and conversed raucously. In due course, the neighbors departed to their own homes and beds, and the couple found themselves, at last, alone. Sensing that the time was right, the scholar went to his bowl to show his wife his brand new sex toy and suggest that they take it for a test run, only to discover that the bowl had been

emptied and the dildo nowhere in sight. He called out to his wife, asking what had happened to the contents of the bowl, and she replied, oh, that thing? I figured it was just some new ingredient you'd bought, and I cooked it together with a lotus root just now. Why? Were you saving it for something? At this, he recalled that indeed there had been a curious black and exceptionally chewy ingredient in the stir-fry that, try as they might, neither he nor his guests had been able to identify during dinner. At this, he laughed and said, you foolish woman, how could you think of serving such a thing to guests? His wife stood there in puzzlement. I was curious why you didn't give me a recipe for it.

It was such a nasty looking thing. I had no idea what it was. I've never seen anything like it before. All I could do to think was to chop it into little pieces and to cook it as thoroughly as possible. He proceeded to explain what the nasty-looking thing really was, and the two of them had a good laugh over it, before retiring to their bed. This man went on to become a gentleman of rank, and in time tale of the amazing Man of Steel. Sha Huizi was a master of the powerful form of Kung Fu known as Steel Skin. He could hack through the neck of an ox with the flat of his hand. He could thrust his hand directly into the animal's belly. One particularly notable demonstration of Master Sha's was recounted by a Mr. Chilpeng San.

As he tells it, a large block of wood was suspended up by the air by a rope. Sha then ordered two strapping men to hoist it up and let it swing back. The log arced down directly into Master Sha, but where any other person would have been crushed flat, the log merely smashed off of his naked belly with a great thwack and bounced away across the room. But Sha was not done. To the great astonishment of all present, he then took out his penis, laid it on a stone, and began hammering away at it with a great wooden mallet, without causing himself the least pain or injury. Everyone was greatly impressed and astonished at this feat, although it was noted that, when asked, Master Shaw did refuse to try the feat with a knife.

Our third and final tale is an epic story recounting the plight of a poor young man with very little to work with down there. Try as he and his family might, life is tough when all you've got going on downstairs is a silkworm. Fu, a Cantonese gentleman in his 60s, had an only son named Lien. This lad was exceptionally intelligent, and yet for that suffered the terrible misfortune of what was then called being born a eunuch. This was not exactly the case, of course, but his member was so tiny and shriveled, no bigger than a silkworm, that it caused his father no end of anguish and shame. How could his family line become anything but extinct with nothing more than a silkworm to work with? Alas, in the course of him seeking out some cure to his son's

condition, it became such common knowledge around the region that by the time the boy had reached the age of seventeen, no other family would even think of marrying a daughter to him. Thus it was that Fu despaired, certain that his line would die with him and his born-a-eunuch son. The Fu family was well off enough to be able to afford young Lian to be tutored at home, though the tutor they hired was rather strict, even by the standards of the time. It so happened that one day, for some reason or another, the tutor left the schooling room unattended, and Lian noticed a man passing by with a performing monkey. Lian loved circus acts, and hurried outside to see the show, quite forgetting his studies altogether.

But when the show was over, the potential consequences of his absence from class came crashing down on Lien. What would his tutor say? What punishment would he receive? It was all too much for him to bear, and he grew so scared that he ran away from home entirely. A few miles down the road, Lien sighted a young lady in a white dress walking ahead of him along with her attendant maidservant. The lady turned to look at him, and he saw at once that she was bewitchingly beautiful. She was hobbling along on her tiny bound feet, and he was soon able to catch up with her. As he approached, the lady said to her maid, I should like to ask that young man if he is by any chance on his way down to Hainan Island, to the port of Chongzhou.

Dutifully, the maid hailed the end down, and he asked her what she wanted. It was the young lady, her mistress, who replied, however, If you are going to Hainan Island, and in particular Chongzhou port, I have a letter that I would very much like for you to deliver to my home there. I can assure you that my mother will take excellent care of you once you arrive. As young Lian had no particular destination in mind, a trip out to sea seemed as good an idea as any, and he happily accepted the commission. The lady took out her sealed letter and handed it to the maid, who then in turn handed it to Lian. Lian accepted it and asked for the pertinent details he would need to find and then deliver the letter. The family name is Hua. They live in

Qin Nu village, about a mile or so to the north of Chongzhou proper, came to reply. And so, bidding the lady and her maid farewell, Lian made his way to the southern harbor and boarded a ship bound for Hainan. Upon arrival, he made his way to the northern outsk boarded a ship bound for Hainan. Upon arrival, he made his way to the northern outskirts of Chongzhou, as dusk already yathered, and asked the way to Qinnu Village. Curiously, though, no matter who he asked, none seemed to have any idea of the place or its location. Lian continued northward into the twilight, until night fell and the moon and stars gleamed brightly overhead. There was nothing around him resembling an inn, and as he pressed on, Lien began to worry about how he was going to pass the night.

When low, he spied an ancient tomb by the roadside. Seeing few other options, he resolved to take shelter beside it and rest for a while. In order to put himself out of reach of the dangers he imagined might lurk in the forests —tigers and wolves surely roamed these woods, he thought — he decided to climb a tree and rest in its branches. With a monkey-like agility, he climbed up and perched in the canopy, clinging to one of the branches. He could hear the wind sowing through the pines, and the plaintive chirping of crickets

and other nocturnal insects, and was beginning to feel thoroughly miserable out here, cold, alone, and scared by every passing noise in the pitch of dark, that he came to regret that he'd ever been so foolish as to undertake the errand. All of a sudden, he heard a voice from far below, beneath the very tree in which he perched. Looking down, he was shocked to find that what he'd before taken to be a long-abandoned tomb, was now a complete and brightly lit courtyard house. In the courtyard, seated on a stone, was a beautiful lady, waited on by two maidservants, both holding brightly colored lanterns. Turning to the maid on her left, the lady of the house exclaimed, just look at the moon and stars tonight, what a beautiful sky. We should celebrate the occasion and brew some tea that Auntie Hua sent to us.

The scene unfolding had a definite otherworldly quality to it, like he was dreaming, and at once Lian sensed that there must be some manifestation of the surely haunted tomb. He found himself trembling so badly with fear that he could only breathe in short gasps, a noise that drew the attention of the ghostly occupants upwards. One of the maidservants spotted him and pointed, crying, Look, there is a man in that tree! What shameless fellow thinks that he can spy on us like that? the lady cried out. In his terror, Lian let go and tumbled out of the tree, and then prostrated himself on the ground, begging for mercy. Approaching now, the lady regarded the cowering youth,

and seeing that he was indeed a handsome specimen, quickly dismissed her initial anger. Drawing him up from the ground, she bid him accompany her and sit with him. Lian found himself gazing up at a young lady of seventeen or eighteen, and of quite surpassing charm and beauty. And where would you be on your way to? she asked him, speaking in the local Hainan brogue. I'm just delivering a letter for someone, Leanne stammered out. You never know what might happen out here in the wilds. It's far too dangerous to be sleeping in the open. You're welcome to join us in our humble home for the night. Casually ignoring his stammered protests, she led him into the house, which was indeed small and had just one couch.

She then instructed that the maids lay out two quilts atop it. At once, Lin became extremely self-conscious of his physical handicap and insisted that he should sleep on the floor. The lady smiled coyly. Oh, but it would be unpardonably rude of me to sleep alone up there and let my guest sleep on the floor. To this, Lian felt he had no reasonable excuse, and as such felt obliged to do as she insisted. Yet he was so terrified that he curled himself tightly into a ball facing away from his hostess. By the by, he felt her slip a dainty hand under his quilt and began to softly fondle at his body. Not knowing quite what else to do, Lian continued to pretend to be fast asleep and not notice what she was up to. Yet she persisted, and a few minutes

later, she had lifted up his cover and climbed inside with him, now shaking him rather insistently. Still, Lian pretended to give no notice or hint of consciousness. She slipped her hand further down into his waistband and began to feel for his member. Yet no sooner had her hand found its target than, with obvious disappointment at its puny dimensions, it immediately withdrew, and with a harumph of frustration, she slipped back out of his quilt and into her own. For uncounted minutes thereafter, he heard his bedmate weeping bitter tears and felt pangs of remorse, silently cursing the fate that had afflicted him so. Meanwhile, the lady had composed herself enough to call out for one of her maids to light a lantern. Seeing her mistress in tears, my maid worriedly asked what the trouble was. I am lamenting my wretched fate, sobbed the lady, once again on the verge of

tears. The maid stood at the foot of the bed, looking into her mistress's face, and softly replied with understanding, It's probably best if we wake the gentleman and send him on his way, ma'am. This made Lien feel more miserable than ever. Moreover, it was still the middle of the night, and outside was dark and strange, and he had nowhere to go. He was wrestling with his fear when all at once the front door opened and another woman entered the room. Auntie Hua is here, announced the other maid. From beneath the blanket he was curled within, Lian stole a glance at the woman. She was in her fifties, well-preserved and stylishly dressed.

As she entered, she observed that the young lady was awake and inquired why, but received no reply. She then noticed Lian's still form in the bed and asked who had been sleeping with her. Clever, for such, Lian heard was the young lady's name, was silent. Finally, one of the maids piped up. A young man arrived during the night and stayed here. At this, the old woman laughed. So, I had no idea that this was Clever's wedding night. She then noticed the tears still wet on her cheeks. What? Crying on your wedding night?

That's not right. Has he been treating you roughly? The young lady still said nothing, but looked unhappier than ever. Auntie Hua made her way over to the bed where Lian lay still, and began throwing off the quilt to have a look at him. As she did so, she dislodged the letter that he had been charged with delivering from his robes, and it fell onto the floor. Gazing at its cover, she started, Why, this is my daughter's handwriting! She unsealed the letter and read through it, from time to time sighing or gasping in surprise. The girl, clever, inquired what the letter

contained. It's from Tertia, replied Auntie Hua. She says her husband, Mr. Wu, is dead, and she has no one to turn to and is in a dreadful plight. The young man there told us that he was delivering a letter, said Clever. I guess it's a good thing that we didn't kick him out. Auntie Hua now roused Lian awake and began to question him about the letter and the girl who had given it to him to be delivered. He told her the story in full. When he had finished, Auntie Hua nodded and said, You've gone to a great deal of trouble on our behalf. I'd like to do something for you in return. She now looked at him up and down with a light chuckle. By the way, whatever did you do to upset young Clever? I really don't know,' he mumbled pathetically.

"'Auntie Hua then turned to Clever "'and once again questioned her about the night's events "'that had so upset her. "'At last she answered with a sigh, "'I feel so wretched. "'It isn't enough for one lifetime "'to have the misfortune of marrying one eunuch, "'yet now in death I must find myself in bed with another. "'It just isn't fair.'

"'Auntie Hua looked over at Lien. So, you're more woman than man, are you? Well, you are my guest, after all. I must treat you better than this. Let's see what I can do for you. She led Lien off to the eastern side of the house, where she proceeded to feel around inside his trousers in order to verify Clever's verdict. Ah, no wonder the girl was so downcast, she cried out.

But at least we've still got a bit of a stump to work with. Now then, let's see here. She lit a lamp and started rooting through her boxes of possessions, with each item she pulled out stranger than the last. Eventually, she seized upon an exceptionally large pill of medicine of some sort. Bringing it over to him, she instructed Lien to swallow it whole and at once, and then, seeing that he was very much uncertain of this situation, whispered kindly into his ear that he absolutely should not take fright.

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Once he'd done as he'd been told, she took her leave and Lien lay down alone, brooding on his strange predicament and wondering what possible cure it could be that the woman hoped to effect with her strange pill. After some time, he fell asleep. Some hours later, as the first hints of dawn had begun seeping into the night sky, Lian awoke with a start and a very curious feeling indeed. A warmth was traveling from his stomach down towards his groin, and when it arrived, it transformed into a stirring, and then feelings of wiggling and tingling, followed thereafter by an alien, but somehow familiar, sensation of something dangling from his crotch.

He slowly reached down into his trousers to see what it might be, and lo, he was a real man! A real man! His trepidation was at once replaced with pure joy and pride, like a loyal imperial minister presented with some rare decoration of honor. When dawn finally arrived in truth, Auntie Hua came in with some freshly baked cakes for him, telling him that he must be patient and wait there, but to eat. She went out again, closing the door behind her, and then took Clever aside. That young man has done us a service. In return, I want Tertia to adopt him as her brother. I've put him in the guest room and locked the door, so you won't have to see him and upset yourself again. And with these words, Auntie Hua was on her way.

Lin, meanwhile, was growing rather bored and cooped up in the room. From time to time, he went to a crack in the door and peeked through, pressing his face up to it like a bird in a cage. Whenever he saw Clever pass by in the other room, he so very much wanted to call out to her and tell her of his great news, but was always too shy to actually follow through. It was evening by the time Antihua returned with her daughter Tertia and pushed the door open. I fear we've kept you cooped up all day, she exclaimed. Come, Tertia, say thank you to this kind gentleman for delivering your letter. Her daughter came forward, and indeed it was

the very same lovely girl he'd met on the road out of Canton the day before. She approached him, brought her sleeves together, and curtsied to Lien, giving her thanks. Antihua then told them that thenceforth they were to address each other as brother and sister. At this, Clever couldn't help but give a snicker in the background and mutter bitterly, wouldn't it be more appropriate to call him sister, too? Antihua gave no indication that she'd heard this, and they all proceeded together to the main room, where they sat a while and drank. After a few cups of wine, Clever began teasing him more directly. Tell me, do eunuchs get excited, too, when they see a beautiful woman?

This would even a day before have been a truly cutting remark for Lien, but now he was able to quit back. The cripple can never forget the joy of walking, nor the blind man the joy of sight. This brought a round of laughter, yet late as it was, Clever saw that Tertia was tired after her long days of travel to and from the mainland, and so urged her to go have a rest. Auntie Hua agreed at once, and then gave her daughter a knowing look, indicating that she ought to go with Lian. At the suggestion, the girl was understandably bashful. Come, urged her mother, with false sincerity. There's really nothing to fear. He may seem to be a man, but just as clever. He's really more of a woman.

She then shivvied them along to their quarters, only briefly pulling Lian aside to whisper briefly into his ear conspiratorially. Between ourselves, you're already as good as my son-in-law, even if to the outside world you're only her adopted brother. So don't be shy. Go impress her with your new surprise. Lian's face lit up, and he at once took Tertia gently by the arm and hurried into the bedroom. Once the door was shut and lashed, he set to in earnest, and since his was a newly honed blade, his joy in his newfound accomplishment can be

readily imagined, as can Tertia's own pleasant surprise. Afterwards, the two of them conversed intimately. Tell me something about Clever, he asked her. What sort of person is she? Well, she is a ghost, replied Tertia matter-of-factly. Such a beautiful girl, but so unlucky. In life, she was married to a man named Mao, but as I imagine you've guessed by now, he turned out to be no man at all, and even at eighteen unable to,

well, you certainly know. So the poor girl had a sad time of it. She grew so bitter in her heart that it wound up killing her. Lian was astonished at this tale and wondered to himself if Tertia might be a ghost as well. She seemed to read his mind and replied, No, to be totally honest with you, I am a fox spirit. Clever was living in this tomb on her own, and my mother and I have no home of our own. She let us move in with her. Nalien was well and truly terrified. Not only had he almost slept with a ghost, but now he had slept with a fox spirit? He'd heard tales of the sly foxes, and how very dangerous they could be to hapless mortals who crossed their path, and that they could suck the souls out of men to empower their own immortality and magic powers and deliver good or ill luck with mercurial capriciousness.

Tertia sensed his rising panic and motioned him to remain calm, telling him soothingly, don't be afraid. We may be a ghost and foxes, but truly we will do you no harm. You're safe here. And so it was, from that day forth, Leon spent his time with both Tertia and Clever, taking meals as a trio and whiling away the days in pleasant conversation. Although he knew Clever to be a ghost, he was nonetheless greatly attracted to her, and yet somehow could not muster the confidence to show his feelings. For her part, Clever grew to find him a gentle, refined person and witty conversationalist, and was herself drawn to him.

One day, Auntie Hua and her daughter Tertia went out, and as usual, they locked Lian up into his room while they were out. This time, though, Lian felt very much at loose ends, and prowled restlessly around the chamber, occasionally storming up to the locked door and calling out Clever's name. At last, Clever replied, and directed one of the maidservants of the household to try her several keys on the door lock, and in the end, one of them fit and the lock snapped open. Opening the door, Lianne emerged out of the room and discreetly whispered something into Clever's ear, whereupon she immediately dismissed the maid to leave them alone in the room. Lian took her up in his arms and carried

her over to the bed, embracing her passionately. She returned his embrace with equal passion, clutching toward his crotch and murmuring, Oh, my poor darling, what a pity that you have nothing there at all. And she was cut off at once, though, when her hand found something that most certainly had not been there before, and it was truly substantial. What's this? she exclaimed. Why, before he was a midget, and now a giant has taken his place. When first you met him, Lian laughed, he was a bit shy.

Today he's hurt by all the horrid things you've said about him, and is all angry and puffed up like a frog. They lost no time, and were soon making love. Afterward, Clever said angrily, No wonder Antiqua kept you locked away. To think that when those foxes had nowhere to go, I took them in and gave them a home. I even taught Tertia to sew. I shared all I had with them, and yet in return they wanted to keep you and your giant companion all to themselves. Lien comforted her, telling her now exactly what happened to him in truth, and how it was Auntie Hua who was to thank. Yet even so, Clever was still rather resentful. You must keep this a secret, urged Lien. Auntie Hua made me promise that I'd tell no one. They were still in bed and talking, though, when Auntie Hua returned,

and the two jumped up in a great fluster. Auntie Hua stood there glowering at them and finally growled, Who opened this door? I did, replied Clever with an awkward smile. Auntie Hua grew even angrier at this and began to rant, but Clever cut her off smartly. But Auntie, if what you said is true and he wasn't really a man, then what was all the fuss about? Through this back and forth, Tertia had entered, appraised the situation, and was most distressed by the two of them at each other's throats. She tried her utmost to mediate the conflict,

eventually succeeding in restoring peace between them. Clever regretted many of the harsh words she'd said in anger, and now did her best to humor Tertia, who she realized must be feeling rather miffed about this whole situation as well. For her part, in the days afterwards, Antipois kept a very close eye on Lien, making sure that he and Clever had no further chance to be alone with one another. One day, Antipois finally broke the growing silence between her and Léon, saying, well, now that it seems that both Tertia and Clever are your wives, it seems to me that you cannot go on living here forever. You should go home and tell your family how things stand so that they can make arrangements for a proper marriage to the girls.

She packed a few things for him and urged him to leave. The two girls bade tearful farewells to Lianne as he left, especially Clever, who was in a dreadful state and could not stop weeping. Antihua told the girls to dry their eyes and then hurried Lianne on his way. The moment he found himself in the open and away from the courtyard house, he turned to find that it had vanished entirely and was once again nothing more than an ancient tomb in deep disrepair. Auntie Hua accompanied him onto the boat, saying before she departed, when you're gone, I shall bring the two girls and rent a house in

your part of the world. If you still remember your love for them, come and claim your wives in the ruins of the Li Garden. And so Lian set off for home. In the meantime, his father had been sorely anxious about what had become of his only son in the course of his disappearance, and so of course was overjoyed to finally welcome him home. Lien told him the story of his strange and wondrous experiences of Auntie Hua and how she had promised him the two girls in marriage. Never trust the word of spirits like that, was the old man's response. It's your illness that saved you. If you'd been a fully-fledged man, they'd never have let you go.

You've had your life force sucked out of you. They may not be human like us, protested Lian, but they have true feelings. And they're so quick-witted and so beautiful. If I were truly married to wives such as them, then I'd be able to hold my head up and I'd no longer be a laughingstock. His father found he had nothing with which to reply, and only smiled quizzically at his son. Lin withdrew to his own quarters.

In the days to come, though, he found himself unbearably frustrated by his inability to continue testing out his newly discovered virtuosity. Eventually, unable to contain himself any longer, he formed a secret liaison with one of the household's maids. One thing led to another, and soon they were indulging in full-blown intercourse in broad daylight. Lian was actually hoping to, in this way, bring his newfound skills to the attention of his parents. One day, in the course of such an encounter, one of the junior maids spied them while they were at it, and hurried to go off and inform the mistress of the house.

Mrs. Fu could scarcely believe what she was hearing, and insisted on going to take a peek herself. Looking in, she was utterly amazed by what she saw, and later on even summoned the maid involved to personally verify and attest to her son's newly acquired credentials. Suffice it to say, both mother and father were overjoyed by this turn of events, and spread the word far and wide that their son was now a properly qualified man, and quite suitable for marriage for families of suitable station.

When he heard of what his parents were doing, however, Lian pulled his parents aside, and repeated that he would marry none but the Hua girls, Tertia and Clever. His mother complained, But there are so many beautiful women in this world. Why pick a fox and a ghost? If it weren't for Auntie Hua, I'd still not know anything of being a man. If I break my word now, it will only bring ill fortune upon myself. In the end, his father agreed with Lian's argument,

and so sent a servant and a matchmaker to discuss the marriage with Auntie Hua. Arriving by carriage a couple of miles east of town, the two spied a thread of smoke rising in a bamboo grove that proved to be the ruins of Li Garden, coming from a broken-down cottage. Knocking on the door, the old crone of a matchmaker and the servant were greeted by Auntie Hua and Tertia, and explained her mission. So, this is your daughter, the young master's wife-to-be. What a lovely young lady.

No wonder the master dreams about her day and night. She then asked about Clever, and Auntie Hua heaved a sigh. Ha, you must mean my foster daughter. I'm sad to say that three days ago she suddenly fell ill and died. Nevertheless, plans were drawn up and concluded for the wedding to go forward, though Leanne was heartbroken to learn of Clever's death. On the day of the wedding, he pulled Hua aside and questioned her further, and she told him that Clever had been reborn somewhere far away in the north. At this, Lian shed bitter tears of grief. He took Tertia as his wife, but could never forget his love of Clever. And whenever travelers

arrived at Canton from the north or south, he always made sure to ask them if they'd heard stories of a ghostly girl. One such traveler told him that the sound of weeping had been heard at the tomb near Qin Yu village, which was very strange to Lian. Hua had told him that Clever had been reborn in the north, not remained alone in her tomb on Hainan. When he asked Tertia about this, she heaved a great sigh, and at length began to speak, tears running down her cheeks. I've done Clever a great wrong. When Mother and I came here, we didn't tell Clever that we were leaving.

We simply packed up and left her behind. So that must be her, you see. I would have told you sooner, but I was afraid of revealing what my mother had done. At this, Lian leapt up, casting aside his sorrow and calling for a carriage at once. He traveled all day and through the night to reach Hainan and that decrepit tomb, and upon arriving, knocked on its wooden entrance. Clever! he cried out. Clever, it's me! Suddenly from within appeared a young woman with a baby in her arms. She looked up with a sad little cry and gazed at Lian with an expression of injured grief.

He took her up in his arms and gazed down at the child, asking whose it was. Yours, of course. This is the fruit of the seed you left in my womb. It was born just three months ago. Lian sighed. I should never have listened to Hua. Even my own father warned me about that old fox's trickery. Leon sighed. She was delighted to see what a handsome, sturdy, and by all appearances, entirely human-looking sort of child it was, not at all the half-ghost she might have feared. In spite of everything that had happened, Tertia and Clever got along well with one another, and were both devoted to Lian's parents for the rest of their lives.

In time, Lian's son grew up, and he greatly resembled his father. He was highly intelligent, and passed his examinations at the age of 14. And so, that concludes our trio of stories into the spiritually sexy world of Strange Tales. I hope you enjoyed it. Next time, we're back to the main narrative and the final overthrow of the Northern Song regime. Thanks for listening. The French Revolution set Europe ablaze. It was an age of enlightenment and progress, but also of tyranny and oppression. It was an age of glory and an age of tragedy. One man stood above it all.

This was the Age of Napoleon. I'm Everett Rummage, host of the Age of Napoleon podcast. Join me as I examine the life and times of one of the most fascinating and enigmatic characters in modern history. Look for the Age of Napoleon wherever you find your podcasts.