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Messenger
of Love |
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Caroline
Young |
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One autumn day, a young Tang scholar is strolling beside a stream that is winding back and forth under
the palace walls, when he spies a beautiful maple leaf with writing, floating on the water. Intrigued, he
retrieves it and reads a poem, obviously written by one of the emperor's concubines, lamenting her lonely
existence behind the palace walls. Much moved, he finds another perfectly formed maple leaf and writes a
poem in response. This he sets onto the water and watches as the stream carries his message to the lady
within the
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Not long after, the emperor releases three thousand or so of his concubines, and our young scholar is
fortunate enough to marry one of them. On his wedding night, he brings out his treasured maple leaf and
shows it to his new bride, Han Cui-ping. He relates his story and asks if she recognizes the handwriting.
Without another word, she takes from the folds of her clothing the corresponding leaf that he had sent
along the stream. Joyously, the couple drink a toast to their matchmaker, the maple leaf.
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