Once upon a time, in northern area of the country appeared a beautiful girl and her name was Xuan Huong. Xuan Huong white skin, beautiful face and crystal eyes. Her father was a teacher who taught her much so that she could read and write though she was not one of people who were born in mandarin, noble and rich families the people were allowed to come to school and study. When she was twelve years old, her father died, left her and her mother. When she was fifteen years old, she asked her mother to come and study in the class of a teacher who lived in their village and her mother agreed.
Nhu Mai was son of a mandarin who was one of headers of the province. Nhu Mai was a handsome man with white skin and beautiful face and he gentle as girls. Nhu Mai was very intelligent and was trying study hard to have his name in golden list which wrote names of people who passed talent selection competition of the king.
One time, Nhu Mai had a day off, he and his servant strolled. They walked cross a small village and so that Nhu Mai caught shape of a girl who was staying on a swing which was moving very high. The voice of her was nice, clear. Her laughter made him distract anything and her beauty prevented his steps and so he stopped, observing her.
“I have ever heard about the beauty of girl in here but I have never seen anyone who is beautiful like her”, he exclaimed.
Mai Thuong came back his room but the girl’s image still wandered in his mind. He distracted his learning he lazy and always thought about the girl who with sweet smile and shiny long hair was moving the swing. Her laughter seemed still to echo by his ears.
His servant was unhappy about it he scared him that he would tell his father about his distraction.
“Don’t”, he said, “If it isn’t you, no one can help me. Keep the thing in secret and find the way to help me have her.”
“If master know about that, not only you are punished but also I, a servant, would be punished much more than you”, said the servant, “Think! How can I stand up the beating?”
“Oke! Oke! I will be back my job, studying but you have to find out who the girl is and if you do well , I will give you an award”, he said.
The servant set off and three days later, he came back. The servant told him all about the girl.
“If you give me more money, I will tell you the way how to stay by her”, whispered the servant by his ear.
“Money isn’t problem but your plan has to succeed”, he said then gave the servant more money. The servant went out going to street market. He bought nice woman clothes and brought back their room. Laid the clothes down, he said:
“Put in this clothes and I will makeup for you to be a girl”, he said, “You have nice skin. Of course, your face is beautiful like girls. I’m sure no one can realize you are a man if you put in this clothes and makeup”.
“This is your plan?” said Nhu Mai suspectedly.
“Yes the best of best plans”, said the servant.
Nhu Mai spent a while thinking and later, he decided to do the plan.
“Ok, let me try”, he said.
His servant help him put in the clothes then he made up him. After an hour, all things had done. Nhu Mai saw himself in mirror and even he didn’t realize him in the mirror he looked like a real girl.
“Beautiful girl”, his servant joked.
Later, he followed his servant direction, came to house of the girl. He met her mother first.
“I heard about cloth you make. I mean it is very nice”, he said, “I want to buy some and gift my mother. Guess she will be happy one she sees it”.
“I am very happy hearing that”, said the mother, “Where are you from lady? I mean how you hear about me”.
“I am a student studying around here. My father is province mandarin”, he said.
The mother really liked him, a beautiful girl, of course that was what she saw, who was born in mandarin family so she wanted her daughter to meet him.
“I think you don’t know but my daughter is also a student. She will be very happy if she has a friend like you”, she said. “Please, wait awhile”, added her, turning away to find her daughter.
Later, she came back with her daughter, Xuan Huong.
“She will help you choice cloth”, said the mother then went away to do her work. Heard that their guest was a female student, Xuan Huong kindly helped Nhu Mai choice cloth. After conversations, Xuan Huong really liked Nhu Mai. Therefore, only short time they had been friends.
“If you don’t mind you could come to my home and we can study together”, said Xuan Huong.
“Honestly, I am very pleasant”, said Nhu Mai, trying not to show how much he felt happy.
Nhu Mai often met Xuan Huong in her house after that. It took no long time for them to be best friend. Nhu Mai was great. He was intelligent and knowledge. He helped Xuan Huong very much. Xuan Huong always gave him respect while he seemed to be filled full by happiness whenever he stayed by her the woman he loved. Of course, he always kept himself to treat her gently, politely and also, he respected as she did with him.
One time, Xuan Huong invited Nhu Mai to stay in her house one night that seemed to be the best chance he could have but Nhu Mai refused.
“I can’t”, he said, “You know I can not stay outside if my parent don’t allow.”
That was true no girl was allowed to stay outside if her parent didn’t allow so that Xuan Huong couldn’t force him.
The next time, he came, her mother was absent. Therefore, she insisted him to stay because she scared staying alone. He agreed. Whole time of that afternoon, they read, did poems together. After the dinner, they went out and enjoyed the full moon. Suddenly, Xan Huong tripped that she nearly fell down on ground by her chest but Nhu Mai got her in time.
“Thank you”, she said, “If you are a man I’m sure that I will marry with you”.
“Ahaa! Remember your words”, he said, “I will beg God to change me to a man each day and when I become a man, you will marry with me, right?”
Xuan Huong didn’t need to think, she replied immediately.
“Yes, I will. I swear”.
“No no no, your words will follow winds and vanish. I want you to write a paper and only if , I can believe you”, he said.
“No problem. I will write as we come home”, she said, laughing.
They turned to go her home. She lighted lamp and wrote a paper at one then gave him. When they went to bed, Nhu Mai took off the female clothes and of course, you can imagine front Xuan Huong, now, was a man. Xuan Huong immediately raised her hands, put them on her face.
“Omg!” she screamed, “Disgusting! You are bastard. You have lied me whole the time. GET OUT!!! or I will call people to come”.
Then she stood up and planed to run out but Nhu Mai held her.
“Don’t be scared. I am here not to harm you. I will get marry with you and that is my promise”, he said.
Then he told her about his love he gave her that started from the fist time he saw her, then the plan to stay by her and the moment he appeared front her eyes in man.
“I had to do the things because of you. What I want is only marrying with you, staying by you till we die”, he added.
While he told her sweet words and promises, she only cried.
“I know you. I know people like you, noble people. You will replace me as if you change your clothes when you feel disgusted me”, she squealed.
“I swear and God can hear my words. I will never leave you though my parent, people I love most, force me to leave you”, he said.
“Write it”, she said.
Then, Nhu Mai wrote a pappar as Xuan Huong did then he gave the papper to her. Xuan Huong stopped crying she happily took the paper.
“I believe you this time. But, you have to keep your promise. If you dare to be against your promise, I will complain you”, she said.
Next morning, Nhu Mai found the way to his room. Happy because he could have his wish. But, three days later, his father was informed that he had to move to capital and worked at there and he had no choice but to go with his father. The news was a very bad news to Xuan Huong but Nhu Mai thought that was his good chance that he could practise at there the place was known as where many great teachers and students stayed. He thought that change would help him promote and early have his goal, having his name on golden list and only if, he could marry with her without his parent’s protest.
“Wait me. I will come back to find you”, he said as they separated.
She said goodbye him in sobs, nodded her head.
Day and day passed. It had been five years since he went. Tong Nhu studied very hard. The more he felt remember her, the more he studied hard. Of course, his effort didn’t betray him that time he was first person who had his name on golden list, the valedictorian. The king appointed him to be an envoy who would went and inspected local mandarins in whole the country. He wanted to go to northern provinces first and the first province was where he had stayed before.
Xuan Huong was sad as she had to separate with him but she really trusted him, his promises and therefore, she waited him to come back. She stored all her nice clothes, treasures and didn’t makeup that she just put in shabby clothes, stayed in house and helped her mother weave. Though, it couldn’t hide her beauty from others people still came and ask her a marriage. Expecially the mandarin who was sent to there to replace Nhu Mai’s father. He heard about her beauty and aspired having her. He used to tell her indecent words when he met her in street but she always ignored him. Of course, the mandarin didn’t feel happy so he set a person to accuse her about some crimes she had never done. Later, she was prisoned then he sent his servant to prison to convince and including, frighten her but what the servant was received were curses. Next morning, the mandarin sentenced her and so that she was beaten 80 hits front of all people in area.
Few days later, she was brought to street, was tied and lying on a table. Soldiers were ready to beat her, just waited for mandarin’s order. Crowd of people gathered around them, seeing and whispering.
“Execute!” shouted the mandarin.
Soldiers raised up their rods and nearly beat her.
“Stoppp!” cried a man.
The crowd parted, turned back to look a young person riding on horse who came with soldiers. One of soldiers brought a flag which had a symbol of the king. All of people kneeled immediately as they saw the flag. The crowd of people and horses approached where the province mandarin stayed. Two soldiers left their line, approached Xuan Huong and untied her. That time, Xuan Huong realized that the powerful mandarin just coming was no one but Nhu Mai. She bursted into tears but because of happiness.
“Everyone,” he said, “listen. I am king’s envoy. I have inquired in secret for months about your mandarin and the cases in this area. Very disappointed but this province mandarin who you see there is a bad guy. He has many bad behaviors as he ruled at here. I’m sure that no one could think that I had gone to here as a beggar who asked you about your mandarin and none of you doubted to tell me all about him that helped me very much. And this girl,” he turned to her, “who has not done a crime must be released.”
“Soldiers”, he shouted.
“Yes sir”, replied all of soldier.
“Catch him”, he said, pointing at the province mandarin. The province mandarin who now was a sinner was escorted to castle while Xuan Huong was brought to doctor to be cured.
Short time later, a wedding was organized. The groom was Nhu Mai and the bride was no one but Xuan Huong. The wedding took place in three days. Many people had come and gave them good wishes. Nhu Mai and Xuan Huong was people who happy most. At last, they could live with the other.
Many year later, people still talked about their love so that I could tell you.
"Translator: Hung Nguyen"
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