by Shi Nai-An
The first person he went to was Mrs. Wang, who lived next door, but she declined the invitation. He reminded her that she had been of great assistance before, and this was why he wished her to come to the feast. He had provided food and wine, and as all was now ready he hoped that she would come. She at last agreed, took down her shop signboard, closed the door, and then went out by the back door to Mrs. Wu's house. Wu Sung there asked Mrs. Wu to take the seat of honor, and Mrs. Wang sit opposite to her. Mrs. Wang had got the news from Westgate so she drank the wine without restraint. But both women were wondering what Wu Sung was going to do.
Wu Sung then went and invited a silversmith named Yao Wen-ching to come to the feast, but he said he was too busy. But Wu Sung pressed him to go, and asked him even to drink one cup of wine, and then leave. At last Yao agreed to go, and Wu Sung got him to sit next to Mrs. Wang.
Wu Sung then called on another neighbor called Tsao Chung-ming who was a maker of paper horses for funerals.
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He also pretended to be very busy in his shop, and begged to be excused. But Wu Sung pressed the invitation, and said that most of the neighbors were already there so he could not stay away. At last he also consented and upon reaching the house Wu Sung asked him to sit next to Mrs. Wu on account of his venerable age.
Wu Sung next went to invite Hu Cheng-ching to the feast. He had a shop for the sale of cold wine, but as he had previously been an employee at the yamen he suspected that Wu Sung was arranging something so he declined to go. But Wu Sung would not agree to this, and at last dragged him off by force, and made him sit next to Mr. Tsao.
Wu Sung asked Mrs. Wang who was her neighbor on the other side. She replied that he was named Chang, and sold small cakes, etc. When Wu Sung entered Chang's house the latter appeared to be surprised, and asked what he wanted. When he heard of the invitation to the feast he also declined, but after some persuasion he went, and Wu Sung placed him next to Mr. Yao.
When these people were once inside they found they could not depart as there was a soldier at both the front and the back door. There were altogether six persons at the feast. Wu Sung took a stool, and sat down at one side of the table. He then told the soldiers to close the doors. When fresh warm wine had been served by the soldiers, Wu Sung saluted the gathering and addressed them, "I hope that you, honorable neighbors, will forgive my rude manner of inviting you to attend this feast."
They replied, "We, mean people, ought to have welcomed you back from your journey, but instead you have invited us to this feast."
"This is only a small affair, but I hope that you will not laugh at it."
The soldier came round and filled up their cups with mulled wine. The neighbors thought that Wu Sung had some evil object in view, but they could not yet grasp his ideas. When they all had drunk three cups of wine Hu Cheng-ching got up and said that he must now go as he was very busy. But Wu Sung would not let him go. "Since you have come, how can you go? Even if you are busy you must stay." Hu Cheng-ching was very much upset by this, and his
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heart was beating like fifteen buckets being hurriedly lowered into a well for water -- eight going down while seven were coming up. He thought that as Wu Sung had pressed him to come and drink wine, and now strongly objected to his leaving, there must be something else coming. Wu Sung called for more wine, and the soldier kept on filling their cups until they had all had seven cups so that they all began to feel like having eaten Empress Lu Hou's (B.C. 180) thousand feasts. Then Wu Sung told the soldier to clear the table, and said that they would resume their feast later on. When this had been done the neighbors all got up to take their leave, but Wu Sung caught hold of those on either side of him, and asked them to wait as he had something to say to them. He then asked which of them could write characters, to which Mr. Yao replied that Hu Cheng-ching was a good writer, and Wu Sung asked the latter with salutation to oblige him in that work. He then rolled up his sleeves, drew forth his dagger, and placed the hilt against his breast with the blade pointing outwards; and then with wide glaring eves he addressed them, "Honorable neighbors! There is a saying, 'A wrong has a source, a loan has a lender.' Now I want you all to act as witnesses." He then seized hold of Mrs. Wu with his left hand, and pointed with his right hand at Mrs. Wang. The neighbors were astounded at this unexpected movement, and stood with open mouths looking at each other, but not one of them dared say a word. Wu Sung called out, "Neighbors, you must not be afraid. You know that I am a rough man. I face death without fear. If there is an injury I will avenge it. If I have an enemy I will oppose him. But I have no intention of injuring you gentlemen, as I only brought you here as witnesses. If you gentlemen go I may change my attitude, and give you a surprise. If any man goes now he will have to face my dagger, and I will be responsible for his death upon my life."
The neighbors all stood aghast, and dared not move.
Wu Sung glared at Mrs. Wang and shouted, "You, old dog, must now listen to me. You are the sole cause of my brother's death. I will now ask a few questions." He then turned his head and addressed Mrs. Wu, "You adulteress
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must listen to what I say. Now, how did you kill my brother? If you speak the truth I will forgive you."
Mrs. Wu replied to this, "Brother-in-law, how unreasonable you are! Your brother died of some heart trouble, and I had nothing to do with it." She had hardly finished saying this when Wu Sung caught her by the hair, and with the other hand grasping her clothes he lifted her and placed her on the ground in front of the mourning curtain. He held her in that position by standing on her with both feet. Then taking his dagger in his hand he spoke to Mrs. Wang, "You old sow! Now you speak the truth." She would have liked to escape, but she could not move an inch. She said, "Lieutenant, you need not get angry. I will tell you all about it."
Wu Sung ordered the soldier to arrange on the table the paper, ink brush, and ink slab, and pointing his dagger at Hu Cheng-ching he told him to write down every sentence as it was spoken.
Hu Cheng-ching was trembling with fright and he stuttered in reply, "I--I--will--will--write--write--" He then rubbed the ink on, the slab, took up the pen, and then told Mrs. Wang to speak the truth.
Mrs. Wang replied, "It is not my affair. What do you want me to say?"
"You old sow!" swore Wu Sung, "I know all about it so what are you delaying matters for? If you do not speak the truth immediately, I shall stab my dagger into this adulteress, and then kill you, the old dog." So saying be brandished the dagger above Mrs. Wu's face, and she quickly called out, "Brother-in-law, please forgive me. Let me get up, and I will tell you all about it."
Wu Sung lifted her up, and made her kneel in front of his late brother's curtain, and shouted, "Adulteress, hurry up!"
Mrs. Wu was now thoroughly terrified, and she told Wu Sung the whole affair from beginning to end: how his brother had been kicked, and how Mrs. Wang had planned the poisoning. She hid nothing. As she spoke Hu Cheng-ching wrote it all down sentence by sentence.
Mrs. Wang then spoke to Mrs. Wu, "You biting reptile! You first confess, so that I cannot get out of it. There is only bitterness for me, old as I am." She then confessed all
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her part, and it was all written down by Mr. Hu. Both women were then told to sign their statements. All the four neighbors were then asked to sign their names as witnesses. Wu Sung then told the soldiers to bring the scarf, and tie Mrs. Wang's hands behind her back. While they were doing this he rolled up the document, and put it away in his breast. He then told the soldiers to bring a cup of wine, and place it in front of the mourning curtain of the late Wu Ta-lang. He then seized Mrs. Wu and dragged her along the floor, and summoned Mrs. Wang and made both of them kneel before the curtain. Shedding tears, he addressed the tablet of his brother saying, "Elder brother! Your spirit cannot be far away! To-day, I take revenge for you." He then told the soldiers to bum some paper money. Mrs. Wu saw the danger of what was being done, and attempte
d to speak, but Wu Sung seized her by the hair, and pushing her on the floor stood upon her two arms with his feet. Then he stooped down, and ripped open her blouse exposing her breast. Taking his dagger he cut open her breast, placed the bloody tool in his mouth; and ripping open her breast, took out her heart, spleen, liver, lungs, and kidneys and offered them to his brother's tablet. He then cut off Mrs. Wu's head, and the floor was covered with blood. The witnessing neighbors were so horrified that they dared not even offer advice, but covered their faces with their hands. Wu Sung told a soldier to go upstairs, and bring a bed sheet. He wrapped Mrs. Wu's head in it, cleaned his dagger, and replaced it in its sheath. He washed his hands, and then said, saluting, "I am afraid that I have somewhat upset you gentlemen, but I beg to be excused. Please go upstairs, and I will soon be with you." The neighbors looked at each other but there was not one who dared to disobey him, and they all went upstairs. Wu Sung then told a soldier to take Mrs. Wang upstairs also. The trapdoor upstairs was closed, and he placed two soldiers as sentries to watch the place.
Wu Sung then left with the bundle containing Mrs. Wu's head, and hurried off to Westgate's medicine shop. Upon arrival there he asked the manager whether his master was in, and was informed that he had just gone out. Wu Sung asked the man to come nearer as he had something further
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to say to him, but the manager recognized Wu Sung and dared not refuse to meet him. He took him to a quiet part of the alleyway outside, but there he changed his manner, and said, "Do you want to live or die?" The manager replied, "Lieutenant, I am only a small man, but I have never injured you in any way."
Wu Sung said, "You will die if you do not tell me where Westgate has gone to; but you will live if you tell me the truth."
"He has just gone--gone--to--to--a wine shop at the--the--Lion Bridge--to--to--drink--wine."
Wu Sung rushed away at once, but the manager was so astonished that he was almost rooted to the spot.
Upon reaching the wine shop Wu Sung asked the proprietor who was drinking wine with Westgate, and was told that he was upstairs drinking wine with another wealthy man in a small apartment. Wu Sung went upstairs, and peeping through the door screen he saw Westgate and a friend sitting at a feast with two singsong girls. He opened the bundle, and took out the head with blood still dripping from it. Holding it in his left hand and a dagger in his right, he thrust the curtain to one side, and entered the room and threw the head into Westgate's face.
Westgate recognized Wu Sung at once, and was startled. Jumping up, he stood on his chair, and placed one foot on the window sill with the idea of escaping, but when he looked down into the street below he dared not jump.
Wu Sung sprang on the table, and kicked off all the dishes. The two girls were so astonished that they could not move, and the friend collapsed on the floor. Westgate seeing the fierce attitude of Wu Sung suddenly kicked Wu Sung's right hand, and knocked the dagger out of his hand, and it flew through the window into the street.
Westgate was now, no longer afraid of his opponent so raising his right arm as a guard he flung his left fist at Wu Sung's breast. But the latter avoided the blow, and seized hold of Westgate's hair, and lifted him up. As he lifted him up with one hand, he caught hold of a foot with the other hand, and called out, "Now, go away!" Westgate felt as though he was in the grasp of some aggrieved soul; that Providence would not forgive him; that he was
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helpless against Wu Sung's great strength; Wu Sung had turned him upside down, and threw him through the window. He fell on his head in the street below, and was unconscious. The people on the street were stupefied at this strange occurrence. Wu Sung then picked up the head, and jumped with it through the window, into the street below. There Westgate was stretched out stiff yet his eyes were moving. So Wu Sung took his dagger and out off his head also. Fastening the two heads together and with his dagger in hand, he hurried off to Purple Stone Street. Calling out to the soldiers inside to open the door, he entered and placed the two heads in front of the mourning curtain of his late brother, and then sprinkled the cold wine on the floor as a libation for the spirit. Weeping he addressed the dead man's tablet: "Elder brother, your spirit cannot be far away, but it may now ascend to heaven. I have avenged the wrong for you, and killed both the guilty persons. I shall now burnt your tablet so that the funeral ceremony is now completed."
He then told the soldiers to bring, the neighbors downstairs, and when they arrived he placed Mrs. Wang in front of them. Holding the sword in one hand and the two heads in another, he said, "I have still one thing to say before you go."
The neighbors all agreed to listen to whatever he had to say.
His glorious record would not save
This man from being treated vile.
Abandon his official post,
And wanders far as brigand bold.
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CHAPTER 26
THE NIGHT OGRE SELLS A MAN'S FLESH AT
MENG CHOU; WU SUNG MEETS CHANG
CHING AT THE CROSS ROADS
WU SUNG spoke to the four neighbors, "I have revenged my brother's injury and I should feel no resentment if I had. to die for it. I am sorry for having frightened you. I must leave now but I do not know whether I shall live or die. I had better now get my brother's mourning curtain burnt. I however want you to sell all the furniture here, as I can make use of the money in the yamen when the case comes up. But whether the case is taken seriously or lightly I hope that you will be my witnesses and speak only the whole truth." He than took his brother's tablet and burnt it. Upstairs were two boxes which were accordingly brought below, and opened, and he requested the neighbors to sell the contents. He then took the heads, and escorted Mrs. Wang to the yamen. The news of the murder had spread all over the town so that the streets were crowded with people. When the magistrate heard about the murder he was surprised, and got ready to hear the case.
Upon Wu Sung entering the court with Mrs. Wang under arrest, he knelt down in front of the bench, and placed the two heads and his sword just below the steps leading to the bench. He knelt on the left, Mrs. Wang in the center and the four neighbors on the right. Wu Sung took the signed document from his breast, and read it all out. The magistrate instructed the clerk of the court to cross-examine Mrs. Wang, and her evidence agreed with the document. The four neighbors, and also Ho Chiu-shu, and the boy (who had also entered) gave their evidence quite straightforwardly. The magistrate then deputed an officer to go with the coroner, and take all the persons concerned to the
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house on the Purple Stone Street and make a careful investigation there. They went to Wu Ta-lang's house and afterwards to the wine shop near the Lion Bridge, and examined the bodies of Mrs. Wu and Westgate. All the details were recorded and, upon their return to the yamen the same were duly reported to the magistrate. That official then ordered that large cangues be put on Wu Sung and also Mrs. Wang, and that they be both sent to the jail, while the witnesses were to be detained in the waiting room near the entrance.
Seeing that Wu, Sung had been moved by his chivalrous spirit, and that he had done the business in the capital in a proper manner, the magistrate wished to save him from the trouble. So he consulted with his secretary. "From the evidences I see that Wu Sung acted from a keen sense of justice so I want you to rewrite those documents to the effect that as Wu Sung was paying homage to his late elder brother's memorial tablet Mrs. Wu not only refused to let him worship, but knocked over the sacrificial table. Because of this Wu Sung was very angry, and attacked her and in his passion he killed her. Also that Westagate was a lover of Mrs. Wu and when he heard of this he took the opportunity of meeting Wu Sung near the Lion Bridge, and there they fought. And in this fight Wu Sung killed his opponent."
The secretary did this, and read the new documents to both the prisoners and also the witnesses who were then sent to the prefectural governor with a dispatch asking him to give judgment.
Now Yang
Ku Hsien was only a small place, but the inhabitants were very upright, so that many subscribed money to present to Wu Sung, while others sent wine and food to him in prison.
Before his departure he was allowed to go to his quarters and pack up his things, and place them in charge of his orderlies. He also sent about twelve ounces of silver to Elder Brother Yun's old father. His soldiers even sent him food and wine as presents.
The yamen officials took the necessary dispatches, and then sent them with the prisoners and witnesses to Tung Ping Fu. Upon reaching that place they found large crowds
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around the entrance to the yamen. The governor having been informed of the affair took his seat on the bench. The governor Ch'en Wenchao was a very intelligent official, and after reading the dispatches and cross-examining the witnesses he had the bones, sword, and other material evidences sealed up and locked up in the storeroom. He ordered that Wu Sung's cangue should be replaced by a much lighter one, and that he be remanded to prison. But on the other hand he ordered that Mrs. Wang should have a much heavier cangue fastened round her neck, and that she be sent to the prison where criminals were awaiting execution. He then told the official from Yang Ku Hsien that he could return, and that the witnesses also could return to their homes. The wife of Westgate had also come to watch affairs, and she was ordered to remain in the governor's yamen until the emperor's decision was known.
The governor Ch'en knew that Wu Sung was a chivalrous and honest man, and from time to time he deputed men to look after him. For the same reason the jailers gave him food and wine without asking for any money.
