It happened indeed that the imperial general had long known the Mandarine Leu-chung-ye, and having halted with his army at Foo-cheu, he offered him a command near his own person: and soon after they proceeded together against the head-quarters of the rebels, at Kien-cheu. After a siege of ten days, the town was taken by assault: Fan-hy-cheu disappeared in the general confusion; but his wife, the daughter of Leu-chung-ye, terrified at the approach of the soldiers, attempted to destroy herself in an interior apartment. Among the foremost was her own father, and he fortunately arrived time enough to prevent the melancholy catastrophe. With care and attention, she was gradually restored to life, and the meeting of the father and daughter was alternately a scene of joy and grief.
After the capture of Kien-cheu, the rebellion was easily extinguished, and tranquillity restored throughout the province.
The Mandarine Leu-chung-ye thought it a good time to propose a second marriage to his daughter; but no entreaties could prevail on her to comply. What, said he angrily, do you still regret that rebel from whom we have delivered you? Alas! she answered, although you call him a rebel, he was nevertheless a man of integrity and virtue. After I had the misfortune of being separated from you, I fell into his hands: in the midst of rebels he was distinguished by actions of charity and benevolence. Under the protection of Heaven, he may possibly be still alive. Let me beseech you, my father, to excuse me from entering into a second marriage, and suffer me, as a dutiful daughter, to wait on my parents at home.
Leu-shy continued with her parents in this manner several years.
In the 29th of the cycle, Leu-chung-ye was promoted to the rank of commander in chief at Fong-cheu; and soon after, an officer of rank, named Kiu arrived from Quang-cheou with dispatches from that government. Leu-chung-ye provided an handsome entertainment for his guest; and after his departure, his daughter accosted him, to enquire who was the stranger that had lately arrived?
It is an officer, said he, with dispatches from Quang-cheou.—But his voice and footsteps, added she, remind me strongly of the son of Fan-juy, the rebel of Kien-cheu.—Do not deceive yourself, said her father smiling; this officer’s name is Kiu. What connection can there possibly exist between him and the rebel of Kien-cheu?—Leu-shy had nothing to reply to this, and retired in silence.
Half a year had elapsed when the officer Kiu again arrived at Fong-cheu upon public business. Leu-chung-ye entertained him in the same manner as before. Leu-shy hearing of his return, placed herself near a crevice, through which she had a view of what was passing in the outer apartments, and the moment she saw the stranger, was convinced that he could be no other than Fan-hy-cheu, her former husband. This she communicated to her father, who accordingly, after the stranger had dined and drank wine with him, entreated that, he would confide to him his real history.
The officer Kiu blushed, and said, I have to confess that my real name is Fan, and that my father, Fan-juy, was a noted leader of the revolters, and that I was one myself among
