Now, when Ziya saw that Hong Jin had been caught, he knew that Princess Longji had succeeded. Hong Jin was set down below the vermilion steps. A little later Princess Longji came into the chancellor’s residence. Ziya half rose and thanked her: “Today, Princess, you have done a very great service — a blessing to the altars of the land and to all the living.” The princess said, “Since I came down from the high mountain I have not done the least service for you, Chancellor. Today I have caught Hong Jin; it is for you, Chancellor, to deal with him.” When she had said this, Princess Longji went back to her quiet room. Ziya had his attendants push Hong Jin forward to the front of the hall and said to him, “When has anyone who goes against Heaven as you do ever got away with so much as a scrap of armour?” He ordered: “Take him out, behead him and hang up his head as a warning!” Nangong Kuo was to supervise the execution. He waited for the order to carry out the sentence, and just as the blade was about to fall, a Daoist came hurrying up, panting for breath and crying only, “Spare that man!” When Nangong Kuo saw him, he dared not strike, and hurried into the chancellor’s residence to report: “Chancellor, I was about to behead Hong Jin, and the blade was just about to fall, when a Daoist came crying, ‘Spare that man!’ I did not dare act on my own, and ask for your orders.” Ziya sent word: “Ask him in.” A little later the Daoist came before the hall and made a Daoist salute to Ziya. Ziya said, “Where have you come from, Daoist brother?” The Daoist said, “This poor Daoist is the Old Man Under the Moon3. The Immortal Elder Fuyuan once told me that Princess Longji and Hong Jin are bound by a marriage in the mortal world — their feet were long ago tied together with the red cord. So this poor Daoist has come especially to tell you. Besides, it will help you, Lord Ziya, take your army through the Five Passes; it will lend you a strong arm. Lord Ziya, you must not go against this great matter.” Ziya thought to himself: “She is a fairy of the Pistil Palace. How can I talk to her about a marriage of the mortal world?” So he had Deng Chanyu go first to see Princess Longji and lay before her what the Immortal Elder Under the Moon had said; then they could talk it over. Deng Chanyu went straight into the inner quarters and asked the princess to come out of her quiet room to discuss a matter. The princess came out quickly, saw Deng Chanyu and asked, “What do you want to see me about?” Deng Chanyu said, “The Immortal Elder Under the Moon has come and says that you, Princess, and Hong Jin are bound by a marriage in the mortal world — your feet were long ago tied together with the red cord — and you are meant to be husband and wife for a lifetime. He is in the front hall now, talking it over with the chancellor. So the chancellor sent me first to tell you, my lady; then you can discuss it face to face.” The princess said, “Because I broke the rules of purity at the Jasper Pool, I was banished down to the mortal world, never to go back to the Jasper Pool and see my mother again. Now that I have come down the mountain, how can I take on yet another worldly entanglement?” Deng Chanyu dared not say a word. A little later the Immortal Elder Under the Moon came with Ziya to the rear hall. Princess Longji saw the Immortal Elder and made a Daoist salute. The Immortal Elder said, “Today, Princess, you have returned to the true Way. You have been banished to the mortal world precisely to settle this one worldly bond; after that, of course, you will go back to your origin and return to the source. Besides, Ziya is soon to be installed as commander, and when his army goes through the Five Passes, you and Hong Jin are to win deeds such as the world has never seen and leave your names on bamboo and silk4. On the day that work is done, banners and pennants will come from the Jasper Pool to welcome you back to the palace. This is Heaven’s reckoning; even if you wished to force it otherwise, you could not. That is why this poor Daoist, at the bidding of the Immortal Elder Fuyuan, has not shrunk from the toil of coming here in person, especially to act as go-between for you, Princess. Think — Hong Jin was just going to his execution, and this poor Daoist arrived neither too late nor too early but exactly at the moment: from that you can see how it was ordained in the dark. You should do as this poor Daoist says, Princess. Do not let the happy day slip by, or your offence will be heavier still, and then it will be too late for regrets. Think it over well, Princess!” When Princess Longji heard the Immortal Elder Under the Moon’s speech, she could not help heaving a long sigh: “Who would have thought I was bound by such a karmic debt! — But since you, Immortal Elder, keep the register of marriages among men, I cannot refuse by force. It is for the two of you to decide.” Ziya and the Immortal Elder were delighted. So they freed Hong Jin and dressed his sword wound with medicine. Hong Jin went out to his camp himself and called back Ji Kang’s men, and on a lucky day chosen for it he and Princess Longji became husband and wife. Truly: