by Mingmei Yip
Now seizing the chance, I chimed in, "Yes, Big Master Fung, please forgive me. I thought you liked it; you screamed that I was excellent and you acted so happy. It was just an accident."
Mama gave out a tentative chuckle. "Yes, so can't you just forgive the little girl and forget about the little accident?"
Seeing that Big Master Fung had calmed down a little, De pinched my hip while throwing me a meaningful glance. I immedi ately tugged at Big Master Fung's pant. "Big Master Fung, please forgive me and don't smash the cave!" I said, tears started to roll down my cheeks while I exaggerated the heaving of my shoulders.
Miraculously, those tears and heavings worked; now Fung's anger seemed to abate. He even lifted the corners of his lips to resemble a smile. "Hmmm ... let me think what I should do to this little naughty witch-"
De pleaded, "Forgive her; just forgive-"
Mama chimed in, "And forget, it's just a little girl's little mistake."
I paraded kowtows with my head hitting loudly on the floor. "Yes, Big Master Fung. I'm sure a generous man like you also has a generous heart, so forgive me, please! If not," I took a deep breath, then blurted out in a girlish, high-pitched voice, "my little bottom will be furiously blossomed, even right in the middle of this cool room! "
At hearing this, Big Master Fung finally burst into laughter. We all felt relieved. De swiftly stood up to pour tea for him-a gesture of respect and apology. Mama flipped open her fan and fanned him vigorously-a gesture to please and flatter. She winked to me and I immediately knelt down beside him to massage his legs.
Big Master Fung sat and smiled superciliously like an emperor being served by his fat maid, suave eunuch, and flirtatious concubine.
This went on for a long time before Fung's anger had completely dissipated.
When he finally took leave, he said, "I'm too tired today and I need some balm for my bruises. Anyway, I'll come back. "He turned to scan us. "And next time I'll get an imperial treatment. You understand?"
This was the first time that all three of us answered with one heart and one mind. "Yes, Big Master Fung!"
11
Rape of the Rock
that evening I felt so relieved that I actually danced in my room. Then I bathed, changed into my pajamas, and collapsed into the bed. But I couldn't sleep because events of the day kept spinning in my mind like a merry-go-round lantern.
Big Master Fung's face lingered. I could almost see him returning with his gang to Peach Blossom Pavilion. At first he'd ask for a massage, after that, he'd press his wrinkled, spotty body against mine and peck his stinky mouth all over my face. When I refused his demand of introducing his jade stalk inside my golden gate, he'd kick over the furniture and smash the cave!
"Heaven, help!" I jolted awake from the nightmare, the back of my pajamas soaking wet.
While I was taking deep breaths to calm myself, I noticed a creaking sound. I flung off the bed sheet, jumped out of the bed, and went to check the windows-all tightly closed. As I was about to return to bed, I felt an arm grab me from behind. My heart knocked around like a trapped mouse. Before I could scream, a hand had already sealed my mouth. I struggled but the arm clasped me as tightly as the chain around Mama's safe.
While one hand pressed against my mouth, the other dangled something before my eyes. A snake? Cold sweat broke out on my forehead and armpits.
Finally the person released me. "You like this, Xiang Xiang?"
I couldn't believe it was Wu Qiang's voice!
I turned to find his face looming ominously over mine. "De . . . " I racked my mind, trying to think of some way to placate him. "Thank you today for helping me with Big Master Fung-"
"Your sorry doesn't mean anything. You have to do something to make amends."
"Like what?"
Now he grinned widely, his teeth neat like watermelon seeds. "Like," he said, again dangling the snake.
It was not until then that I realized what it was. A whip!
Chills splashed down my spine. "De, please don't whip me! Big Master Fung is not angry anymore!"
"Whip you?" He pinched my face with his long-nailed fingers. "Ali, of course not, silly girl. You think I have the heart to do that to your pretty face and lovely body?" He leaned close and murmured into my ear, "Xiang Xiang, I want you to whip me." He winked. "Like what you did to Big Master Fung today."
"But I didn't-" I stopped in midsentence; how could I tell him what had actually happened?
"Don't lie to me, Xiang Xiang. We all know what you did today to make Big Master Fung a very happy man." He paused, then, "Anyway, now I want to be as happy as him, but this time don't overdo it, all right?" He handed me the whip, then slipped off his shirt and went to lie facedown in bed.
Aii-ya! The whip was as heavy as a drunken snake!
Wu Qiang's voice rose in the dark. "Just whip me. The others will think it's just another customer and a sister stirring up the clouds and rain." He hollered, "Come on, swing the damned thing!"
I mustered up all my energy and sent it to the whip. The swinging was at first tentative, then, seeing that he actually enjoyed it, I slashed harder. And harder. Ha, now I could finally avenge myself for all I'd endured in the prostitution house! The whip fell sharper and sharper onto the squirming flesh. De moaned and cried as if he didn't know whether to feel joy or pain. Under the moonlight streaming in from the window, I saw on his back big beads of perspiration scatter like sightless pupils.
The whipping went on for ten minutes until finally he told me to stop. We both felt extremely exhausted and happy.
Then ... he pulled me down on the bed and forced his jade stalk into my precious gate.
When I was crying hysterically, Wu Qiang pulled up his pants and cursed, "Shit! Shit! You're a rock, a rock! Why didn't you tell me you're still a virgin?"
I kept crying.
He plunged on, "Why are you still a virgin? Didn't Big Master Fung fuck you? Tell me the truth!"
I shook my head.
"He didn't?"
I shook my head again.
"Then what did he do?"
I was still too stunned to say anything.
De snatched up the whip and swung it menacingly in front of me. I smarted just from the smacking of leather against the cold floor.
"Are you deaf? Did you hear my question? Didn't Big Master Fung stick his stalk into you? ! "
"No!"
"Oh, my heaven!" Now the whip dropped on the floor like a gutted eel. "But you played sex games with him, you whipped him!"
"No, I didn't!"
"You didn't? Then why was he hurt?"
I told him what had actually happened.
"You kicked him in the face?"
"But just by mistake!"
Wu Qiang looked as if his only son had just jumped off the roof. Silence passed before he threw me a chilling glance. "Don't tell your Mama anything about tonight, or I'll kill you!" Then he let out a bloodcurdling laugh. "You're smart, Xiang Xiang, which would you prefer: to be skinned alive, whipped till you become a mess of rotten flesh, or just keep your mouth shut?"
I was too stunned to reply. The handsome, scholarly-looking De had shown himself to be a wolf hidden in human skin!
Tears streaming down my cheeks, I dashed to Pearl's room, but her door was tightly closed. Sounds of her voice and the pipa wafted from within-she was entertaining a guest. I went to her room three more times but a male voice could be heard through the closed door, so I did not dare knock.
Waiting till next morning, I slipped into her room and told her about Big Master Fung and Wu Qiang.
Pearl spat, "That thousand-knives-slashed bastard!" Then her eyes, instead of darting like a butterfly, now fixed on me, full of concern. "Are you all right, Xiang Xiang? Did De hurt you?"
Of course he did, but what could I do? If I ran away and got caught, I'd end up a delicious meal for the rats in the dark room. Anyway, living in a prostitution house, sooner or later I would be "raped." So, what difference did it make?
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So I hardened myself and lied, "Not really. Anyway, don't worry about me, Sister Pearl. I'm fine." I changed the conversation. "Why was De so upset?"
"Because many people had bid for your first night and Big Master Fung won by paying the highest price. So if he comes back and finds out that you're not a virgin anymore, he'll really smash the cave this time. Yesterday was nothing, he just kicked over a table and smashed the mirror and a few plates. Anyway, everyone will be in big, big trouble, Mama, you, and especially De. Since he drank the first soup of your virginity paid for by Big Master Fung, not only is it an insult to the man, but he has also lost the chance to rejuvenate himself-"
"But there are so many other virgins here-"
"But you're the prettiest one, and he's already paid a lot."
I started to cry.
Pearl pulled me into her arms and we nestled against each other for long moments.
Finally she released me. "Xiang Xiang, don't worry too much. Since we sisters all have a scheming heart, we can always figure a way out-"
"But how?"
"When Big Master Fung comes again, Mama will give you a small vial of chicken blood to smear on the white cloth. She always prepares the girls for that to cheat the customers. Sometimes we even smear lipstick on our lute strings to charm those chou nanren.
"But I can't tell Mama this, De said he'll skin me alive!"
"All right, then I'll prepare that for you."
"But I'll get caught by Big Master Fung!"
"You'll get him drunk first."
"But what if he doesn't drink?"
"Ha! Don't you worry about that! If a customer doesn't drink, he doesn't whore either. They all come for the five poisons-whoring, gambling, drinking, idling, and opium."
"Then what about if he asks me to drink with him and then I get drunk instead?"
"When a customer asks you to drink with him, get him drunk by refilling his glass, but you spit out the drink onto one of the potted plants."
"Then what if he just won't get drunk?"
"Then feed him with opium. I'll give you some when Big Master Fung comes back. I've stored some away over the years for emergency use.
"What about if he won't smoke opium?"
"Xiang Xiang, you're a little worrier, aren't you? But it's a good sign, proves you're cautious. I like that." She patted my arm. "I told you not to worry. Remember how I taught you how to seduce a man with your eyes?"
I nodded.
"I bet before Fung's lips touch any liquor, he'll already be drunk from your gaze. Especially if you let your clothes slip down to reveal your shoulder. You understand?"
I nodded again. Moments passed before I blurted out, "What about if he doesn't come back?"
"Ha! You mean after he's paid for everything?"
"But I kicked him in the face."
"Xiang Xiang, you really don't know about men, do you? He won't lose interest in you until he's fucked you. Now you're still an exotic dish on top of a tall table over which the little boy in him drools. Believe me," Pearl spat, "he won't pull his pants up until he's tasted the delicious sauce from your golden plate!" She plunged on, "That's why the Whoring Classic says, `Wives are less appealing than concubines, concubines less than prostitutes, prostitutes less than someone else's wives. And the greatest appeal of all is the woman you fail to seduce.' "
Now Pearl looked at me with concern. "But of course Fung might also come back just to smash the cave."
All the channels in my body jolted awake. "Then what am I going to do?"
"But it hasn't happened yet. And when it does, I'll find a way out. I always do."
The time when Pearl had appeased the police chief and saved Spring Moon flashed across my mind. Suddenly overwhelmed by a deep emotion, I flung myself into her arms. "Sister Pearl, thank you so much. I don't know what I would do without you."
She rocked me gently, like a mother cooing over a sick child.
When she finally released me, I said, "Sister Pearl, can you play the qin for me, please?"
She immediately took the instrument from underneath her bed. Then she lit the incense and began to tune it. "This time I'll play you `Three Variations on the Plum Blossom.' "
After Pearl had played a few notes, she stopped. "Xiang Xiang, the plum blossom is the only flower that survives the severest winter unscathed, always standing erect and looking proud. It represents uprightness and the unconquerable spirit." She then told me the story of the famous swordsman Nie Zheng, whose father was murdered by an evil warlord. Nie hid in the mountains and cultivated himself by playing the qin until he could return for justice.
Pearl sat straight and meditated, her fingers resting on the edge of the sound board, ready to dissolve my pains and worries. Then she began to play.
Mesmerized by the purity of the qin's tones and the choreography of Pearl's fingers, I could almost see Baba, hair turned white and body emaciated, marching fearlessly up a mountainside in a snowstorm. He seemed to look at me and say, "Xiang Xiang, you can let people take away your life, but never your spirit." Then, as his back was receding into the distance, I heard his proud voice recite, "If there's no bitter chill to the bones, how can there be extra fragrance from the plum blossom?"
There was a chill on my life now but I would never let my spirit be taken away. I must work very hard to accumulate a lot of money so that one day I could leave Peach Blossom Pavilion and find Mother. But Baba was dead; there was no place to look for him. However, I could be like Nie and cultivate secretly-alas, not on a mountain but in a whorehouse-until I could avenge Baba's death. I'd find that thousand-knives-slashed warlord who'd destroyed our family and put a bullet in his head! But how to find this bastard?
Now all I could do was watch intently as Pearl's fingers plucked and flicked, pulled and glided zealously, like plum blossoms wrestling with the snowstorm, until tears filled my eyes. The music ended with a few soft harmonics like the fading away of thunder in a distant land.
I wiped my tears and sighed. "Sister Pearl, can you also teach me to play this one?"
"Only if you promise me one thing. Xiang Xiang," she said, looking deep in thought, "remember I told you that Spring Moon reminded me of someone?"
I nodded. "Who is it?"
"My elder sister."
"Where is she now?"
Pearl's eyes moistened, but this time the moistness didn't make her look flirtatious, but sad. "Gone."
"What happened?"
"Ruby hanged herself in the temple of the haunted garden here."
"Oh! I'm so sorry, Sister Pearl. But why?"
"I can't tell you now. Xiang Xiang, after what you've gone through, you need a good rest. Why don't you go back to your room?"
I shook my head. "Sister Pearl, what difference does it make?"
We remained silent, staring into each other's eyes.
Finally she spoke, "All right. But promise me to keep this a secret until the day you die. Can you do that?"
"Yes."
She lowered her voice to a whisper. "My father was a revolutionary trying to overthrow the Ch'ing government-"
"Oh heaven! "
Pearl cast me a sharp glance to shut me up. "After the movement failed, he disguised himself and fled into the countryside, but the emperor's soldiers soon found him and executed him. Not only that, since he'd been extremely influential, the government also tried to eliminate all his relatives. My mother changed our names and sent me and my elder sister here where no one would look for us. Then she ... killed herself."
Tears rolled down Pearl's cheeks, while I remained silent, too stunned to say anything. She wiped her face with the back of her hand. "That's why although Peach Blossom Pavilion is a whorehouse and Mama and De are nothing but monsters, I can't forget that I owe my life to coming here.
"My sister died eight years later-"
"What happened?"
"Ruby met an opera singer and fell madly in love with him. But he had no money, so she gave him her big diamond ring-a gif
t from her most favored guest.
"One evening the guest saw her eating with the opera singer in a restaurant. The diamond ring was sparkling on his finger. Next day, when Ruby was leaving Peach Blossom to answer a call for a party, a stranger dashed up and splashed acid on her face-"
I instinctively covered my cheeks.
"Ruby never looked at her face again. She walked right back to the temple in the haunted garden and hanged herself."
I reached to touch Pearl's hand. "Sister Pearl, I am so sorry."
She sighed. "Like you, I was totally left alone in this world. So I swore I'd never let any dog-fucked stinking males break my heart and ruin my life." Suddenly Pearl tilted her head and laughed. "The strange thing is, the more aloof I act, the more they cling to me like babies to nipples. So I'm going to stay here for a few more years to exercise my charm." She paused, then spoke again in a near whisper, "I've never told anyone this but you. Actually the real reason that I stay is because of Ruby."
"But ... she's dead."
"Yes. But her spirit is still alive."
I felt my hair standing on end. "You mean her ghost?"
