"Yes, about that..."<br/><br/>Wu cleared his throat.<br/><br/>"Officially, of course, the deeds of the Beautiful Monkey Princess are not recorded, much as her origins are rarely discussed.  Yet it is undeniable that among the Chivalrous Bretheren tales circulate of a woman with reddish hair and golden eyes, whose chi is mighty and whose skills are without flaw.  Sometimes she is said to fight with a staff like an iron bar, or with a pair of golden fans.  But this humble one believes she, having been trained by her illustrous father, might use any tool at hand."<br/><br/>"As the tale goes, one day the Beautiful Monkey Princess was going along in the world, out for her own reasons, when she came upon a man in a tavern, downcast and gloomy.  Seeing the cut of the man's cloth, she asked the tavernkeeper what ailed such a gentleman of quality.  Told that he had seven daughters but no sons, she laughed...and invited herself to sit at the man's table, calling for wine and a dozen catties of beef and a dozen of chicken.<br/><br/>'Why the long face,' she asked him.  'Are you not respected?  Are you not wealthy?  Not a hundred<em>li</em>from here is a land where many a man would give his own mother to have your luck!  Silver and gold spring from your every look, great fortune follows your every breath.'<br/><br/>'Alas,' the man replied, 'that the gods have been good to me!  Yet I have no heir.  My daughters may not inherit and the best I can do is seek good husbands for them in hopes that they will be used kindly.'<br/><br/>'Ah,' she nodded.  'That is the way of things?  Never worry, honorable father!  Are your daughters proper and dutiful?  Then your humble servant can easily find six fine sons-in-law for you, whose honor is unimpeachable and whose praise for you shall be as filial and devoted as any!'<br/><br/>The man regarded her with shock, first because she spoke so directly and second because she promised so much.  'Who are you to do me such a kindness,' he asked.  'And what would be your price?'<br/><br/>'We may discuss price after I have proven to you that my word is good.  Else you might pay for a mountain and receive a single pebble.'<br/><br/>Reluctant, the man nodded.  'Very well.  I am Squire Yu.  My mansion is on the hill to the west of this village.  Come and stay for a few days.  Take what measure of my daughters will best help you find these husbands, and I shall pay what you ask.'<br/><br/>She feigned reluctance, but allowed him to convince her to stay under his roof for a few days, during which she met all of his daughters and spoke with them each at length, both all together and each alone.  She also spoke with Squire Yu's wife, but for now no more need be said of these, for in the end she took her leave, kowtowing to the venerable man and promising to return within a month with the six husbands."<br/><br/>Wu pauses and reaches for his wine.<br/><br/>"And I shall need a drink..."<br/><br/>