And just then the buffalo boy came back inside. "Oh, you're awake," he said when he saw Minli. As much as he tried he couldn't hide the leftover smiles and laughter from his visit; his eyes sparkled as he sprawled himself out on the bed of gra.s.s. "I talked to my friend. She said that the king might be at the Market of Green Abundance tomorrow morning, but you are going to have to find him yourself."

"Really?" Minli said, "How does she know?"

The boy shrugged.

"You didn't ask?" Minli asked, "Don't you think it's mysterious that you only see her once in a while? And you never visit her, she only visits you? And that she knows things like where the king might be tomorrow? Who is she, really?"

"She's my friend," the boy said simply. "That's who she is and that's enough for me."

As Minli looked at the buffalo boy, aglow with happiness against his poor surroundings, she saw it was enough for him. More than enough, as the smile that kept curling up on his face told her. Minli's questions fell from her as she realized there was nothing else to say.

CHAPTER 20.

Ma and Ba walked quietly through the forest. Their steps made a rhythm to the music of forest noises. Ba's arms ached from carrying the goldfish bowl, but he said nothing.

"I can carry the goldfish if you are tired," Ma said.

Ba opened his mouth to protest when he heard, "Let her, old man. It's her way of saying she's not angry anymore."

Ba closed his mouth and looked at the fishbowl and then at Ma. She stood, waiting, clearly ignorant of the fish's words. He handed the bowl to Ma. "If it gets heavy, I can take it back." he said.

"We can take turns," Ma said, nodding.

Ma was carrying the fishbowl when the night fell and they came back home to the village. The neighbors saw their return and all crowded around as if they were selling good luck. "Did you find Minli?" they asked. "Where is she? Where did you get a goldfish?"

Both Ma and Ba shook their heads over and over again. "No," they said, "we didn't find her. We don't know where she is. The goldfish is from the goldfish peddler. We followed his footprints thinking they were Minli's."

"And we decided," Ba finally said, "to come back and wait. After she finds Never-Ending Mountain, Minli will come home."

"Wait for her!" one of the neighbors said. "How can you let your daughter search for Never-Ending Mountain? You are just as lost as her!"

"We tried to find her, but now we do not know where to look. So, we will wait," Ba said, and then glanced at Ma, who, though her lips tightened at the neighbors' words, did not disagree. "We trust Minli. She will come home."

And then Ma and Ba went into their house, leaving the sea of shaking heads behind them. Ma placed the goldfish bowl on the table, and quietly began making dinner. A soft breeze seemed to blow in the moonlight, spilling it through the open window and lighting the bowl like a lantern. Ba looked at Ma cautiously; her face looked weary but the gentle wind which rippled the bowl's water seemed to smooth the creases of her face. And, when the cloud-white rice was finished, Ma took her chopsticks and fed the fish from her bowl.

CHAPTER 21.

Minli and the buffalo boy pushed through the crowd as the sun burned the tops of their heads. Minli, used to the spare harvests of her village, couldn't help gape at the tall mounds of food for sale at the Market of Green Abundance. The street and open courtyard were filled with umbrella-covered stands and stalls, flaunting jade-colored cabbages, curled cuc.u.mbers, purple eggplants, and tangy oranges. Glossy sugared hawthorne berries, like rubies on a stick, made Minli's mouth water.

"I don't see the king anywhere," Minli said.

"Well, maybe he's not here yet," the buffalo boy said.

"I don't know if I'll find him here," Minli said. Now, in the daylight, the buffalo boy's friend didn't seem as extraordinary. "What would the king be doing at a street market anyway?"

"She said he'd be here, so he will," he buffalo boy said, his mouth making a stubborn line.

"Hey! Get away from that!" a vendor yelled as the buffalo attempted to eat frosty green lettuce. The buffalo boy quickly pulled him away. "Get your buffalo out of here!" the vendor shouted, as red-faced as the radishes he was selling.

"I better take him away," the buffalo boy said, pulling the buffalo's head away from the arrays of tempting food. "He's hungry, I should take him to pasture."

"I'll stay here," Minli said. "You don't need to look for the king with me."

"Okay," the boy said. "If you need a place to stay tonight, you know where my hut is. If not, maybe I'll see you around! Good luck!"

"Thanks," Minli said, but as he carelessly waved goodbye, she realized that she might not see him again. Before he disappeared from sight, she grabbed the last coin out of her bag, and ran to him. "Wait," Minli said. "Here, take this."

"No," the boy laughed, "I don't need that, you keep it."

"But..." Minli started, but he had already turned around. "Good-bye!" she heard him call, and the buffalo snorted a farewell as well. Minli smiled wryly to herself.

Now what? Minli thought, as she wandered past stalls, weaving around merchants and customers, Minli thought, as she wandered past stalls, weaving around merchants and customers, How am I supposed to find the king here? How am I supposed to find the king here?

"Please, spare a piece of fruit for an old man," a voice creaked. Minli turned around and saw a wrinkled, poor man begging at a peach stand. He was dirty and bent and his clothes looked as if they were made from rags used to wash floors. "Please," he begged the peach vendor, "I'm so thirsty. One small peach, your smallest?"

"Go away, old man," the fat vendor said. "No money, no peach."

"Please," the beggar said again, weakly. "Pity a tired, old man."

"Get away from here, you worthless beggar!" the vendor spat out. "Or I'll call the guards on you."

The vendor's loud voice had attracted attention from pa.s.sersby and a small crowd began to form in front of the peach stand.

"It's disgraceful to treat an old man like that," someone murmured. "Just give him a peach."

"All of you are so generous with my my property," the vendor glared at the crowd, "If you care so much, property," the vendor glared at the crowd, "If you care so much, buy buy him a peach." him a peach."

As Minli watched the beggar's hands outstretched and shaking with hunger, she felt a sharp pang inside her. It reminded her of Ba, reaching out with his last chopstickful of rice for her fish. The copper coin she had offered to the buffalo boy was warm in her hand. She could almost feel her heart beating against its round edges.

"Here," she said, handing the vendor the coin. Then she picked the largest peach on the stand and handed it to the old man. He bowed to her gratefully and eagerly ate the peach. Forgetting about the Inner City and the Palace for the moment, Minli watched him. In fact, as if under a spell, the whole crowd stood and watched him swallow the fruit until he held a peach pit in his hand.

"Thank you," the beggar said in a much stronger voice, and he bowed to the onlooking people. "The peach was so delicious, I wish for all of you to be able to taste it. If you would humor an old man and stay a little while I'll share my good fortune."

The old man took a small stick out of his pocket and bent down. In the dirt next to the black bricks, he dug a small hole and planted his peach pit. He stuck his stick upright in the little mound and then asked for water. Minli, now completely fascinated, took out her water jug and handed it to him. As he poured water onto his stick, it trembled, and - was she imagining it? - it seemed to grow.

And it was was growing. The stick grew higher and higher and thicker and thicker, until it was the width of Minli's arm. When she could no longer see the top of it, pink flowers and branches began to blossom out of it. As the sweet scent of the flowers filled the air, Minli realized the stick had become a peach tree. The crowd of people seemed to realize this too as they all gaped at it open-mouthed. Even the stingy vendor left his fruit stand to stare at it in awe. growing. The stick grew higher and higher and thicker and thicker, until it was the width of Minli's arm. When she could no longer see the top of it, pink flowers and branches began to blossom out of it. As the sweet scent of the flowers filled the air, Minli realized the stick had become a peach tree. The crowd of people seemed to realize this too as they all gaped at it open-mouthed. Even the stingy vendor left his fruit stand to stare at it in awe.

Like pink snow, the petals fell from the tree and made a soft carpet on the dirt. Green leaves sprouted and, as they cascaded over the branches, pale moon-colored b.a.l.l.s like pearls developed. Almost as if they were small balloons being blown with air, they grew into round fruit, blushing pink and red as they developed. Soon, the tree was heavy with them and the air was full of the enchanting smell of ripe peaches. Children gathered around and stared longingly at the luscious fruit while the adults gulped with their mouths watering.

Finally the old man reached up, plucked a peach from the tree and handed it to one of the people in the crowd. "Please," he said, waving his hand, "help yourself."

The crowd needed no other urging. Young children climbed the tree and pa.s.sed down the fruit, while the taller adults simply stretched and grabbed. A boy with a tired horse climbed onto its back to reach an especially red peach that called him. Before long, everyone's mouths were full of soft, sweet peach flesh and groans of delight. Even the peach vendor, his stand forgotten, stood under the tree with his eyes closed contentedly and peach juice dribbling out of his mouth.

Minli, however, didn't join in the feast of peaches. If I hadn't been eating peaches all the way to the city, If I hadn't been eating peaches all the way to the city, Minli said to herself, Minli said to herself, I'd be the first one climbing the tree. I'd be the first one climbing the tree. But as she was slightly tired of peaches, Minli saw what no one else did. She noticed that every time someone plucked a peach from the tree, a peach from the fruit stand disappeared. But as she was slightly tired of peaches, Minli saw what no one else did. She noticed that every time someone plucked a peach from the tree, a peach from the fruit stand disappeared.

The beggar is using the vendor's peaches for his tree! Minli laughed to herself as she glanced at him through the fruit-eating crowd. He was watching with an amused look, and suddenly Minli saw that the beggar wasn't really that old at all. "He must be a magician. Maybe he can help me get into the Inner City." Minli laughed to herself as she glanced at him through the fruit-eating crowd. He was watching with an amused look, and suddenly Minli saw that the beggar wasn't really that old at all. "He must be a magician. Maybe he can help me get into the Inner City."

Minli edged toward him. As she weaved her way to him, the last peach was picked from the tree and the leaves and branches began to disappear. The tree trunk seemed to shrivel into itself and it grew thinner and shorter. The crowd had finished their peaches and the ground was littered with peach pits. When Minli finally reached the beggar, the tiny twig of the tree vanished underneath the pile of peach pits and the beggar was turning to leave.

"Wait!" Minli said, and grabbed his arm. However, as Minli took hold of his sleeve, it pulled back and a glint of gold shone. Hastily, the beggar pushed back his sleeve, but the quick glance was enough for Minli to see that he wore a gold bracelet in the shape of a dragon. They stared at each other, as Minli's quick-thinking mind somersaulted. Only the imperial family is allowed to use the image of a dragon, Only the imperial family is allowed to use the image of a dragon, Dragon had said. Dragon had said. Everyone knows a golden dragon is always and only worn by kings, Everyone knows a golden dragon is always and only worn by kings, said the buffalo boy. The words flashed in her mind and Minli could scarcely breathe. said the buffalo boy. The words flashed in her mind and Minli could scarcely breathe.

"You're wearing a dragon," Minli gasped. "Only the... is allowed to wear a golden dragon... you must be... you must be..."

"Where's that beggar?!" a loud angry shout cut through the chaos. Minli recognized the vendor's voice. "He stole my peaches! I'll get him!"

Quickly, the beggar shook off Minli from his arm and began to run. She stared in shock as she finished her sentence. "You must be," Minli whispered to the ragged, disappearing figure, "the king!"

CHAPTER 22.

Minli shook herself from her shock. "The king!" Minli said. "I can't lose him now!" And in a panic, she began to run after the tattered figure.

And it was a quite a chase, or it would've been if the beggar had realized he was being followed. He wove in and out, around people and bins of rice, each step taking them closer to the unused areas of the city. Behind a pile of discarded baskets, Minli thought she had lost him but luckily the gray sleeve of his loose jacket waved at her and she saw him round the walled corner of the Inner City. As an abandoned wagon hid her from his view, she saw him push against a portion of the wall. With a slow groan, the wall moved!

"It's a secret door to the Inner City!" Minli gasped, and she was able to reach it just before it closed completely. With both hands she pressed hard against it and the door pushed open.

And like a lid of a jewelry box, the door opened into a landscape of radiant colors. The bamboo, pine, and plum leaves seemed to shine in the sun as if carved from emeralds and the accents of the pink and red flowers were like nestled rubies. Steps away from her feet, Minli could see a patterned pathway made of water-worn pebbles. The central jade green lake mirrored the arching tiled roofs of the pavilions and the rough beauty of large weathered rock sculptures. A winding covered walkway lifted up from the cloudy water like a lotus flower. It could only be the Palace Garden.

But Minli barely noticed this. Instead she stood with large eyes, staring at the figure in front of her. The beggar was wiping his face with a delicate white cloth and Minli saw again that he was not an old man at all. In fact, he was younger than Ba - the grey of his hair was wiped away with the cloth as well - and his beard and head were as glossy black as Minli's. His gray rags had been cast off in a pile next to him and he was clothed in a bright yellow silk, the color of the sun. Intricate dragons and multicolored clouds that matched the designs of the gold bracelet he wore were embroidered on his robes and glittered in the light. There was no doubt now that he was the king.

Then, the king turned around and saw her. At his glance, Minli shrank to the ground in a humble kowtow.

"Your Majesty," Minli breathed, and her knees could feel the thumping of her heart in her chest.

"Caught!" Minli heard him say, and she peeked up to see the king looking at her with the same amused expression he had as a beggar watching the people eat the peaches. He shook his head at her. With his eyes twinkling at her he could've been the young father of one of her village friends. "And by you," he said, "my little benefactor. I knew you were a clever one."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" a chorus of voices came through the air towards them and Minli could see a parade of servants in the distance running across the zigzagged bridge.

"Well, you mustn't be caught by them!" the king said to Minli. "Then they would find out all about my little adventures and then where will I be?" And he pulled Minli up to her feet and pushed her behind one of the giant gnarled stone carvings, kicking his rags over her. "Quickly, quickly!" he said. "And don't say a word. I command you not to say a word or to come out until I say so."

Minli clutched the rough stone and made herself as small as possible. Hundreds of footsteps were approaching, like falling rain from a thunderstorm.

"What is this?" the king demanded. "Has the war been declared on the city?"

"Your Majesty," an out-of-breath voice said, "we have been searching for you..."

"Searching for me?" the king said. "I have been here in the garden for hours."

"We... we must have missed you," the voice stuttered. "None could find you... the guards had not seen you and we feared..."

"You feared the King of the City of Bright Moonlight had been spirited away?" The king laughed. "Not this time, Counselor Chu. However, I do feel the wish to commune with the moon tonight."

"Your Majesty?" the voice said.

"Yes," the king said decisively. "Tonight, I wish to be alone in the garden with the moon. Have a meal brought to me in the Clasping the Moon Pavilion and do not disturb me until morning."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the voice said. And Minli couldn't help but peek out. She saw rows and rows of finely dressed people kneeling with their heads on the ground in front of the king. Their rich silk clothing shimmered in the fading sunlight. One man, dressed in black, kneeled closer to the king, separate from the rest of the courtiers. Minli guessed he was Counselor Chu.

"Actually, bring me two meals," the king said and glanced toward Minli. She caught his eye and quickly shrank back out of sight.

"Two meals, Your Majesty?" Counselor Chu asked with just the faintest question in his voice.

"Yes, two meals." The king said, "I shall honor the spirit of the moon with her own meal, since she will be keeping me company. It is only fair."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Counselor said. Minli could only guess how puzzled he was, but he was well trained enough to keep it out of his voice.

"In an hour's time," the king said, "I shall be at the Clasping the Moon Pavilion. I want the food waiting for me and nothing else. I do not wish to be disturbed by anyone this evening."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the voice said again, and Minli could hear the shuffling and swishing of silk as the group rose and took leave of the king.

"They've gone," the king said in a low voice. "You can come out now."

Minli crawled out from behind the sculpture.

"Well, my little friend," he said to her, "now that you know who I am, come walk with me and tell me who you are."

CHAPTER 23.

Minli and the king walked through the garden and she told him her name and where she was from and about her journey. Remembering the fish's warning, she carefully didn't mention Dragon waiting for her in the forest. As they walked, the patterned stone pathways gently ma.s.saged her feet and the sun seemed to disappear like a closing flower. When they finally approached the pavilion, night had fallen.

"So," the king said, "now you have come here to find the guardian of the city."

"Yes," Minli said, and looked at him expectantly.

"And you think the guardian is me," the king said.