ENG
Strong of body, skilled in fight,
Shield and spear, a valorous sight.
Heart ablaze with fervent zeal,
Love's disdain, the pain he feels.
Three centuries ago, when the Bull King still graced the Celestial Court and the Red Boy practiced under Guanyin, peace reigned over Flaming Mountains.
One day, Bishui Beast promoted a captain among the bull soldiers, and the captain moved into the night-duty chamber of the Rakshasa Palace to accommodate his increased responsibilities.
He occupied the adjoining room for rest and the main west chamber for hosting guests. One morning, he found the guest room had been tidily arranged overnight: dustless furniture, washed fruits on plates, and freshly brewed tea. Perplexed, he thought of the furry celestial maidens serving the Lady and the fox maidens attending the King's daughter. Recalling how the other guards often teased him for being more handsome than the rest, now, as a new captain, he couldn't help but feel elated-surely, there must be a secret admirer.
For over a month, this mysterious "kind-hearted maiden" visited nightly yet never revealed herself. Growing impatient, the captain resolved to wait outside the chamber one night. Around the fourth watch, he heard heavy steps, quite unlike the gentle maidens, furred or fox. Regardless, he lunged at the figure as soon as the door opened and secured a tight hold on it. The figure was muscular and sturdy, too large for his arms. Muffled grunts followed, and the voice of the Bull Sergeant emerged, "I like things tidy, and your room is always messy. That's why I'd clean it up after my night duty. You don't have to act so... grateful..."
This story takes place in the Flaming Mountains three centuries ago, when the Bull King still sat in the Celestial Court and the Red Boy trained with Guanyin. At that time things were peaceful, and the Rakshasa Palace housed bull soldiers and attendants, including furry celestial maidens and fox maidens who served the noble family.
Bishui Beast promoted one of the bull soldiers to the rank of captain. The new captain moved into the palace night-duty chamber and also used the adjoining room for rest and the main west chamber to receive guests. The opening poem describes him as strong, skilled in battle, spirited and handsome, but also suffering some romantic pain — details that help explain his expectations and vanity.
For over a month the guest room was mysteriously prepared every morning: dust wiped away, fruit washed and laid on plates, and tea freshly brewed. The captain was puzzled and, knowing the palace was served by maidens, assumed a secret admirer was tidying his room. Other guards had teased him for being more handsome than the rest, so he became excited at the idea of a hidden admirer.
Growing impatient to learn who it was, the captain hid outside the guest chamber and waited. Around the fourth watch he heard heavy footsteps unlike the light steps of maidens. He lunged when the door opened and managed to seize the intruder, only to discover the figure was large and muscular and, to his surprise, the Bull Sergeant himself.
The sergeant explained plainly that he cleaned the captain’s room because he liked things tidy and the captain’s quarters were always messy; he had been doing it after his own night duty. The reveal shows that the captain’s romantic assumptions were wrong and that the real motive was practical tidiness by a fellow guard. The scene ends with the truth exposed and the captain’s expectation humbled rather than fulfilled.