by AnonYMous
“Godmother, you’ve just reminded me of something that I meant to tell you. Half a month ago I noticed that he was no longer wearing his gold rings. I asked him what had happened to them, and he said that when he visited the bathhouse he took them off to soap himself and left them on a bench by the cold pool, then forgot to put them on again. Later, when he went back and searched for them, they were gone. I suspected that he’d given them to that vile creature, and we quarreled about it all night. But the other day he went out, and when he returned the gold bracelet on his arm as well as that pair of gold toothpicks on his gown were also gone. I asked him about them, and he said a relative of his had borrowed them to pawn. It occurred to me that since his uncle is in charge of accounts at the Salt Administration, he must be comfortably off, and it’s unlikely he would borrow anything to pawn. I felt sure that he had pawned the things himself. And the last day or two I haven’t noticed that emerald thumb ring of his, either.”
“I have an idea,” said Mother Xiao. “Try him out with a really big request, and then we’ll decide what to do.”
Fragrance agreed, and when Lu Shu returned she fawned over him more than ever. “The other day Sister Lute had an out-of-town client who gave her a gold headband, and now she makes a point of showing it off in front of me. I’d like to ask you for one. It should be at least one ounce six qian; I don’t want one of those skimpy things. Get it for me within a day or two so that I can torment her with it.”
Lu Shu had never refused a request from Fragrance. Now that she had asked for a gold headband that would cost twenty to thirty taels, what was he to do, considering that he had spent all his money? He couldn’t refuse her, so he had to put her off with a vague answer, but after two or three days she began to press her demands. “I’ve sent someone home for money,” he replied, “and as soon as I have it, I’ll get you your headband.” She gave a cynical smile and from that moment on began to treat him much more coldly than before. When Mother Xiao heard from Fragrance that the request had not been honored, she concluded that Lu Shu had spent all of his money and became more insistent in her own demands. His answer was always that the money hadn’t come in yet, for which he offered a variety of excuses.
One morning, when Lu Shu arrived at the Futura, Jia Ming was the only one there. The two men greeted each other and then sat down and drank some tea. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jia Ming said, “There’s something I’d like to say to you, Brother, but you mustn’t take offense.”
“Please tell me what’s on your mind. There’s no way I could take offense.”
“When you first arrived in Yangzhou, you said you had come here on orders from your father to find a concubine. Because Fragrance was so charming and beautiful, you wanted to buy her as your concubine. My brothers and I should not have let you go fishing with too little bait, but you threw your money around and forgot the main purpose of your visit. By my calculations, you’ve spent hundreds of taels over the last few months. In those places, money is all that counts. When I was over there the other day I noticed that Fragrance was not as loving to you as she used to be. You’re away from home, Brother, and if you’ve spent all your money, it won’t be just this whore who’s giving you the cold shoulder; when you get home, you’ll find it hard to face your father, too. You ought to give this some thought: If Fragrance can be gotten, then get her. But if they put too high a price on her, find yourself some other concubine as quickly as possible and take her home to fulfill your parents’ hopes. Whatever you do, don’t wait, for with no concubine and no money, you’ll be in real trouble. You’re in love, but since I’ve taken a vow of brotherhood with you, I cannot remain silent. Please don’t take offense at me for being so blunt.”
Lu Shu’s face flushed as he listened to what Jia Ming had to say. “I may be ignorant, but I could never take offense at your valuable advice,” he said. “However, I have talked this over with Fragrance, and I know that she has feelings for me. Several letters have been written calling on her uncle to come, and I’m told he will definitely be here in the eighth month. Assuming he does come, one word from him could clinch the matter. That’s why I’ve been sitting about instead of looking for another concubine. However, your mentioning this has really cleared things up for me. I must start making my plans as soon as possible.” As they were talking, Wu Zhen, Yuan You, and Wei Bi had come in one after the other. When everyone had had his breakfast, Jia Ming invited them to Qiang Da’s for lunch.
Here my story branches off to tell of Lu Shu’s uncle, Xiong Dajing. As head of the accounts department of the Salt Administration, he was kept extremely busy, with no time to spare for family matters. When Lu Shu arrived in Yangzhou, he said only that he had come to visit his aunt. Xiong Dajing had invited him to stay with them, but since his wife was at home to see to his nephew, he had not concerned himself with the young man. On the eighteenth of the sixth month he had invited his departmental colleagues to an excursion on the lake. Among them was one who remarked on Lu Shu’s lavish spending in Yangzhou and pointed him out to Xiong Dajing—he was on a boat a good way off, accompanied by a number of prostitutes. Xiong Dajing’s anger welled up at the sight. “If the little swine is so debauched, it must be because his father spoiled him,” he said. “I had no idea he was carrying on like this in Yangzhou. I’ll certainly pack him off home as soon as I can.”
“I didn’t mean to be so blunt, but I was afraid that your nephew might get into some trouble that could affect you.”
“I’m very grateful for your concern.”
Meanwhile, Lu Shu had gone on enjoying himself in the boat, oblivious to the fact that his uncle was also out on the lake.
Xiong Dajing returned from the excursion with this concern uppermost in his mind, then took time off from the office and went home early. After supper he told his wife, Mistress Lu, about Lu Shu’s behavior. She was astonished, and next morning, after Xiong Dajing had gone to the office, she called in the gatekeeper, Wang Fu. “Wang Fu, do you know where Master Lu spends his time and who the people are that he associates with? What do they do together, and when does he come home at night?”
“When he first arrived, he would go out in the morning and return at the second or third watch, but since the beginning of the fifth month he’s been spending only one night here in every four or five. I asked Master Lu’s page, Felix, about it, and he said his master had sworn brotherhood with several others and every day they meet and amuse themselves at some house or other in the Scripture Repository, beyond Tianning Gate. If Madam wishes to know the details, you should call Felix in. He’ll be able to tell you.”
“Is he in now?”
“He goes out every day and doesn’t come back until after supper.”
“Then bring him to see me as soon as he comes in. There’s something I want to ask him.”
During the second watch, Felix knocked on the gate. His breath smelt strongly of wine, and he was about to go off to the study to sleep when Wang Fu stopped him. “Not so fast, Brother. Madam wants to see you first. She has something she wants to ask you.”
Felix was startled. If Madam is calling me in to ask me questions, he thought, it must because she’s heard what the master’s been up to and wants to ask me about it. Should I try to cover up for him? If I do, I’m afraid she’ll find out and punish me, but if I don’t, the master will be furious. Felix was in two minds and hesitated for some time before it occurred to him that the truth would inevitably come out. The master has used up all his money, he thought, and if I try to cover up for him now, I’ll never be able to get back to Changshu. Even if the master does find out, I’ll excuse myself by saying that Madam must have heard it from someone outside the family. Having made his decision, he accompanied Wang Fu to the back of the house.
Xiong Dajing had not yet returned, and Mistress Lu was sitting in the central room beneath the lamp, drumming furiously on the table with a pair of ivory tiles. Wang Fu stopped at the entrance and said, “Madam, Felix is here.” Felix quickl
y paid his respects, then stood with his hands at his sides.
Mistress Lu pushed aside the tiles and asked, “Felix, there’s something I have to ask you. What sort of people is your master associating with in Yangzhou? What do they do all the time? And why doesn’t he come back for days on end? You’re his page, so tell me the truth. If you waffle and try to cover up for him, I’ll get the master to obtain a warrant and have you taken to the county yamen and beaten under interrogation. Then you’ll talk, all right!”
Felix saluted and said, “Don’t be angry with me, Madam; I wouldn’t dare deceive you. When the master came to Yangzhou, he visited the Parade for amusement’s sake, and at a teahouse there he met a man named Yuan who had previously been exiled to Changshu, as well as three other men, Jia, Wu, and Wei.”
“What sort of people are they?”
“Yuan is said to be in the loan business, Jia is a clerk in the local Salt Administration, Wu is a runner for the Yangzhou Customs, and Wei is the son of a candidate for the Salt Administration. All five of them swore an oath of brotherhood on Little Gold Hill, and since then they’ve spent all their time amusing themselves at dinner parties with girl entertainers. The master took a fancy to a prostitute called Fragrance in the Scripture Repository outside Tianning Gate. He bought her a gold bracelet and had a great deal of clothing made for her. The first time he stayed the night with her he also spent over a hundred taels. At the Duanyang Festival, they went to see the dragon boats to celebrate Fragrance’s birthday. Later she got ill, and they held a service to give thanks for her recovery. On the eighteenth of the sixth month they hired a lantern boat, and the master took her on an excursion around the lake. He’s always staying the night at her house. By now he has spent the five hundred or more taels that his father gave him and the hundreds of taels plus several hundred silver dollars that he took from his mother without permission. He has also pawned his gold bracelet, gold rings, gold toothpicks, plus a great deal of clothing and spent all the money in that same place. Everything I’ve told you is the truth. I wouldn’t dare deceive you.”
Mistress Lu was aghast. “But he came to Yangzhou just to see me! Why did he bring so much money with him?”
“Madam, you must know that my master does not get along with his wife and that they’ve never had a son. My master’s father gave him the money and told him to come to Yangzhou, buy a concubine, and bring her back with him. Did the young master ever mention that to you?”
“Don’t be silly! If he had, I would never have let him go out and run wild like this! You’re his page, and you came with him to Yangzhou. When he started to go out and squander his money like this around town, why didn’t you come and tell me? Now that he’s spent all his money, how am I ever going to face his parents? Is your master coming back today?”
“He’s staying the night there. He told me to come back on my own.”
“Go and see him tomorrow and ask him to come back. Tell him there’s something I need to talk to him about.” Felix promised to do so, then left the room with Wang Fu and went to the study to sleep.
When Xiong Dajing came home, Mistress Lu told him everything Felix had said, and he proceeded to put the blame on her. “I was held up at the office. I couldn’t be in two places at once, and I entrusted all these family matters to you. Since your nephew arrived here, he’s been living with us a long time and has actually stayed out for whole days and nights. You were at home, and yet you never even realized! And now he’s squandered all the money he brought with him. He may be a useless creature with no idea of the way to behave, but how on earth are we going to face his parents?”
“Well, that’s the situation we’re in, and it’s too late now for any regrets.” They made ready for bed.
The next morning Felix got up, washed, and went to the Futura teahouse. The others were already there drinking tea, but Lu Shu had not yet arrived. Felix paid his respects, then joined the other pages at their table for breakfast. Afterward he left for the Jinyulou to convey his aunt’s invitation to Lu Shu.
If you are wondering what happened, please turn to the next chapter.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A talk between aunt and nephew ends in a bitter outburst,
And a quarrel between husband and wife leads to jealous rage.
Lu Shu was in Fragrance’s room, standing beside the dressing table and watching a maid comb Fragrance’s hair. He held a white copper tobacco container in his hand and was bending over to fill Fragrance’s pipe. When Felix arrived at the Jinyulou, he went upstairs and stood in the doorway of the room before pulling aside the door curtain. The sight of his page at the door gave Lu Shu an uneasy feeling, and he flushed. “What is it?” he asked.
“Sir, your aunt would like you to go back and see her. She has something important to say to you.”
Lu Shu frowned. “All right. I’ll go after lunch.” Felix went back downstairs.
Lu Shu waited until Fragrance had finished her toilette and then had his lunch. Felix had to come upstairs several times to hurry him up before he finally left for his uncle’s house. When Wang Fu saw him come in, he sprang to his feet with a cry of “Sir!” Lu Shu acknowledged the greeting and went straight through to the rear quarters, where he greeted his aunt respectfully and took a seat beside her. A servant offered him tea.
“You’ve been living with us for several months,” began Mistress Lu, “and your uncle has been too busy to attend to you. You’re young, and we haven’t taken you to see the sights, which was very remiss of us. I’ve been wondering, do you have any other relatives in Yangzhou? Or any friends? And why do you stay out for whole days and nights? Last night when your uncle came home he asked me all of these questions, and I didn’t know how to answer, so today I sent your page to invite you here for a little talk.”
“After I arrived in Yangzhou, I met a man named Yuan who had served a term of exile in Changshu and with whom I had become close friends. I swore brotherhood with him and several others, and I’ve often spent time with them. Sometimes we’ve gone on rather late, and they’ve invited me to stay the night. That’s why I haven’t come back.”
As he finished speaking, Mistress Lu started to weep. “Oh, dear! What evil has the house of Lu committed that we should produce such an unfilial wretch? You lead a riotous life, you squander your money—and then you try to fob me off with all these lies! I expect your father gave you money to come here and buy a concubine precisely because you were behaving wildly at home. He must have thought that taking a concubine would cause you to have a change of heart. When you got here, you ought to have told us why you had come. Of course we’d have helped you find someone and get back home in short order. But you never said a word about it. Instead you went out and took up with a pack of scoundrels and squandered all the money you had brought with you in those frivolous places. Let me ask you this: how will you ever be able to face your parents when you get home? Well, I give up. The trouble you’re in is all of your own making. The only thing that concerns me is that your parents are sure to blame my husband and me for it. They’ll say our nephew came to Yangzhou with money to buy a concubine and didn’t ask a penny from us. Not only did we not find anyone for him, we let him run wild in Yangzhou and spend all his money while we stood by with our hands in our pockets, shutting our eyes to what he was doing. Frankly, if my son had gone to stay with you and done nothing but spend a thousand or more taels to no earthly advantage, I’d have blamed your parents, too, in those very terms. But whoever could have imagined that you, you little swine, would fail to tell us anything at all? It would be a false charge against us, but it’s not one we could ever refute.” As she said this, she began a tremendous weeping and wailing and shed buckets of tears, all the while continuing to revile him.
Lu Shu had been doted on and spoiled from childhood on, and he had a proud and conceited nature. No matter how serious his misdeeds had been at home, no matter how much money he had squandered, his parents had never raised their voices to him or scolded
or cursed him. Now, on hearing his aunt’s words, he felt no regret, just a sense of mortification that quickly turned to anger. “There’s no need to be so angry, Aunt. In any case the money that I spent I brought with me; I never borrowed a penny from you. If you’re afraid my parents will blame you, well, I’ll be home soon and I’ll explain to them that I never told you anything. You certainly won’t get the blame.”
This answer only made Mistress Lu more furious. “I say a few words to you, and you flare up! You young people are simply too ignorant! Tomorrow I’m going to write to your parents, and then I’ll have a servant take you home. No matter how you carry on there, at least it won’t be in front of me, making me angry.” She told the maid to call Wang Fu in. “Go down to the dock and hire a boat,” she told him. “Tomorrow you’re going to take the young master home.”
“Very well,” said Wang Fu.
“Don’t bother, Aunt,” said Lu Shu. “You’re just afraid that I’ll stay on in your house and ask you for a loan when I run out of money. Well, I’m leaving right now. Felix, pack up my bedding and call in a porter to carry the bags.”
This retort made Mistress Lu so furious that her limbs turned to ice and she lost all power of speech. Wang Fu tried to dissuade Lu Shu, but Felix called a porter, packed up Lu Shu’s bags, and handed them to the man to carry. Still seething with resentment, Lu Shu left by the main gate, accompanied by Felix, who was watching the bags. Wang Fu was afraid that his master might question him when he returned home, so he secretly followed them to see where the bags were taken.
