The Golden Lotus, Volume 1

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  Hua Zixu was no sooner dead than his wife sent old woman Feng to ask Ximen Qing to come and talk to her. A coffin was bought, Hua was put into it, monks were engaged, and the coffin was sent to the tomb. The brothers Hua with their wives all came in deep mourning to assist at the funeral. Ximen Qing asked Yueniang to prepare a funeral offering of wine and food. Li Ping’er went to the funeral and returned in a sedan chair. She set up a tablet in her room, but, though it was a time when she should have respected her husband’s memory, she could think of nobody but Ximen Qing.

  While Hua Zixu was still alive, Ximen Qing had taken over the two maids, but after his death the two households were practically united. One day Li Ping’er heard that it was Pan Jinlian’s birthday, and, though it was not five weeks after her husband’s death, she bought some presents and went in a sedan chair to offer her congratulations. She wore a white silk gown and a blue skirt with gold embroidery, and upon her head was a white covering adorned with pearls. Old woman Feng attended her, and Tian Fu walked behind the sedan chair.

  Li Ping’er kowtowed four times to Yueniang. “I am sorry,” she said, “that at the graveside I had nothing better to offer you. It was kind of you to send such a handsome offering.” After her reverence to Yueniang, she asked to see Li Jiao’er and Meng Yulou. Jinlian came in.

  “Is this the Fifth Lady?” Li Ping’er said, preparing to kowtow to her. She repeatedly called her Elder Sister, and begged her to accept her reverence. But Jinlian would not do so, and, after disputing amicably for a long time, they ended by making equal reverences. Jinlian thanked her for her birthday present. After greeting Mistress Wu and Madam Pan, Li Ping’er asked after Ximen Qing.

  “He has gone to make his devotions at the Temple of the Jade Emperor,” Yueniang said. She asked Li Ping’er to sit down, and offered her tea. A little later Sun Xue’e came in. Li Ping’er saw that her attire was not so rich as that of the others, but she stood up. “Who is this lady?” she said, “I should have asked to be presented, had I known there was anyone else.”

  “She is one of my husband’s ladies,” Yueniang said. Li Ping’er would have made a reverence to Xue’e, but Yueniang would not allow her to do so. “Lady,” she said, “you should make the reverence of an equal.” So they greeted each other. Yueniang took Li Ping’er to her own room to change her clothes, and ordered the maids to set a table in the middle room. Charcoal was put into the brazier, and wine and food were brought. Mistress Wu, Madam Pan, and Li Ping’er sat in the place of honor; Yueniang and Li Jiao’er in the hostess’s place, and Yulou and Jinlian sat at the side. Xue’e went to the kitchen to see to the serving of the meal, and it was some time before she took her own place.

  Yueniang saw that Li Ping’er never refused any cup of wine that was offered. She herself poured wine for everyone, and told Li Jiao’er and the others that they must do so in their turn.

  “Mistress Hua,” she said, “since you have gone so far away, we do not see so much of one another, but I often think about you. It has been cruel of you not to come to see us.”

  “You would not have come today,” Yulou said, “if it had not been the Fifth Lady’s birthday.”

  “Good ladies,” Li Ping’er said, “it is very good of you to say such kind words. I should have been only too glad to come, but I am still in deep mourning and there is nobody to leave at home. Even now it is only about five weeks since my husband died, and if I had not been afraid of incurring the Fifth Lady’s displeasure, I should not have come today.” She turned to Yueniang, and asked the date of her birthday.

  “It is still a long way off,” Yueniang said, but Jinlian contradicted her.

  “Our Great Lady’s birthday is the fifteenth day of the eighth month. You must come and see us that day.” Li Ping’er promised to come. Yulou suggested that she should spend the night with them.

  I should enjoy the pleasure of your company very much indeed,” Li Ping’er said, “but, as you know, I have only just removed to this new place and, since my husband died, there is not a soul in the house. The back of my house adjoins the garden of the princely family Qiao; it is very lonely and desolate. There are many nights when foxes come and throw bricks and tiles into my house, and it makes me very nervous. I used to have two serving boys, but the older of them has run away, and there is only young Tian Fu to attend to the front door and no one at all to keep watch at the back. Very fortunately for me, old woman Feng, an old friend, comes in frequently to do my washing.”

  “How old is Madam Feng?” Yueniang said. “She seems a very decent quiet old body.”

  “She is fifty-six this year,” Li Ping’er replied. “She has no children, but lives upon her earnings as a go-between and what she makes by washing clothes for me. When my husband died, I asked her to come and live with me, and now she and the maid sleep in the same bed.”

  “Since there is old woman Feng to look after your house,” Jinlian said, “there can be no possible reason why you should not spend the night here. In any case, Master Hua is dead, and you are not answerable to anybody but yourself.”

  “Do what I tell you,” Yulou said, “and tell old woman Feng to send the sedan chair away. You don’t go back today.”

  Li Ping’er laughed but said nothing.

  The wine had now gone around several times. Old woman Pan was the first to rise, and she went to the front court with her daughter. Li Ping’er repeatedly declined to drink any more, but Li Jiao’er said, “Mistress Hua, you drank everything the other ladies offered you, yet you refuse me. That isn’t fair.” She took a large cup and filled it to the brim.

  “My dear lady,” Mistress Hua said, “I can’t drink any more. I am not pretending.”

  “Just one cup more,” Yueniang said, “and then we will let you off.”

  Li Ping’er took the cup, and put it down on the table. She went on talking to the ladies. Suddenly Yulou noticed Chunmei standing beside her.

  “What is your mistress doing in the front court?” she said. “ Go and tell her and old lady Pan to come back at once. The Great Lady wishes them to help to entertain Mistress Hua.”

  Chunmei went away, but was soon back again. “The old lady is not very well and has gone to bed,” she said. “My mistress will be back in a moment. She is powdering her face.”

  “I never saw such a hostess,” Yueniang said, “running away and leaving her guest like this. She is a good soul, but she behaves like a child at times.”

  When Jinlian came back, Yulou saw that she had dressed herself in her most beautiful clothes. She certainly looked very charming.

  “Fifth Maid,” Yulou said, jokingly, “my good woman, this is the feast of your donkey and horse, yet you ran away to your own room and left your guest behind. Do you call yourself a human being?”

  Jinlian laughed, and slapped her playfully.

  “You hussy of a fifth maid,” Yulou cried, “come and pour out the wine.” “The Third Lady has given me too much wine already,” Li Ping’er said, “I have had as much as I can take.”

  “What she gave you is her affair,” Jinlian said, “but you must take a cup from me.” She poured out a large cup for her guest. Li Ping’er took it, but did not drink it. Yueniang noticed that Jinlian was wearing in her hair a pin with the lucky character in gold. “Where did you buy your lucky character pins?” she said to Li Ping’er. “They are exactly like those the Fifth Lady is wearing. I must get a pair with the same design.”

  “If you would like some,” Li Ping’er said, “I have several more pairs, and tomorrow I shall be delighted to offer a pair to each of you. They are some that my late father-in-law brought from the palace, and it is impossible to buy them outside the Court.”

  “You mustn’t take me seriously,” Yueniang said, there are too many of us. You can’t possibly give us so many pins.”

  The ladies laughed and drank till the sun went down in the west. Old woman Feng had been drinking in the kitchen with Xue’e, and her face was very red. At last she went into the room an
d said to Li Ping’er, “Are you ready to go now? I must arrange about the chair.”

  “Don’t go, Mistress Hua,” Yueniang said. “Tell Madam Feng to send the chair away.”

  “There is no one at home,” Li Ping’er persisted. “I will come and see you again some other day.”

  “You are very obstinate, Mistress Hua,” Yulou said. “It looks as though you don’t care in the least what we should like, since you won’t send the chair away. If Father had been here, he would soon have persuaded you.”

  They finally persuaded her to give her key to old woman Feng. “These ladies have all urged me to stay,” she said to the old woman, “and if I don’t, it will be discourteous on my part. Send the sedan chair away and tell the men to call for me tomorrow. You take the boy home, and see that all the doors are shut.” She added in a whisper: “Tell Yingchun to unlock the small box in my room. There is a little gilt case in it, and I want her to take four pairs of gold lucky-character pins out of it. Bring them to me tomorrow morning. I wish to make a present of them to these four ladies.”

  Old woman Feng made a reverence to Yueniang and went home. A little later, seeing that Li Ping’er would not drink any more, Yueniang asked her to go to the upper room and take tea with Mistress Wu.

  Shortly afterwards Daian brought in the wrapper, and Ximen Qing came in. He pulled up the lattice and, as he entered the room, said, “Surely this is Mistress Hua!” Li Ping’er rose and made a reverence to him. Yueniang told Yuxiao to take his clothes.

  “I have been outside the city to worship at the Temple of the Jade Emperor,” Ximen Qing said. “I have to preside this year, and the Abbot and I had to go through the accounts in great detail. That is why I am so late. Are you staying the night, Mistress Hua?”

  “Mistress Hua has made several attempts to get away,” Yulou said, “but we succeeded in persuading her to stay.”

  “My only reason for wishing to go was that there is no one to look after my house,” Li Ping’er said.

  “That is nonsense,” Ximen Qing said. “The constables have been very active lately, and there is nothing to be afraid of. If you should feel the least bit anxious, I would send my card to Major Zhou. He will do anything I ask him. But why do you sit there like a mouse, Lady Hua? Have you had any wine?”

  “We have tried to persuade her to drink some, but she would not,” Yulou said.

  “You are none of you any good,” Ximen cried. “Let me see what I can do. She can really drink quite a lot more.”

  Li Ping’er kept declaring that she could not drink another drop, but her objections were only half-hearted, and the maids once more set the table. Some dishes and dessert had been kept for Ximen Qing, and these were now brought out. Mistress Wu declined to drink any more, and went to Li Jiao’er’s room. Li Ping’er now sat in the seat of honor, with Ximen Qing opposite to her, and Yueniang sat on the bed and warmed her feet at a small brazier. Yulou and Jinlian sat at the side. The wine was poured again, and they pledged each other in large cups. They drank so long that Mistress Hua’s eyebrows grew heavy and her eyes could hardly see.

  When Yueniang saw that both her husband and Li Ping’er had drunk more than was good for them, and were chattering nonsense to each other, she waited no longer but went to join her sister. The others stayed drinking till the third night watch, and then Li Ping’er could neither see straight nor stand upright. Jinlian helped her to the back court to wash her hands, and Ximen Qing, who was rolling in all directions, went to Yueniang’s room.

  “Where is she going to sleep?” he asked.

  “In her hostess’s room, I imagine,” said his wife.

  “Where shall I sleep, then?” Ximen said.

  “Anywhere you like, though I expect you will go after her,” Yueniang said.

  “Nonsense,” Ximen Qing said, laughing, “I’ll stay here.” He called Xiaoyu to help him undress.

  ‘Don’t be dirty,” Yueniang said. “Where is my sister-in-law going to sleep if you stay here? Don’t provoke me or I shall tell you what I think about you.”

  “All right! all right!” Ximen cried. “I’ll go and sleep with Yulou.” He went off to her room.

  When Jinlian had shown her guest where to wash her hands, she took her to the front court and they slept with old woman Pan. Next morning Li Ping’er got up and dressed with the aid of Chunmei. She knew that the girl had passed through Ximen Qing’s hands. She gave her a set of golden hair ornaments. Chunmei immediately went to tell Jinlian, and the Fifth Lady thanked her guest most effusively.

  “I feel as though we were imposing on you, Mistress Hua,” she said “Not at all, Fifth Lady, you are fortunate to have so admirable a maid.” When they were dressed, Jinlian took her and old woman Pan into the garden, sending Chunmei to open the gate. Li Ping’er saw that a new gate had been made in the wall, and asked when Ximen was going to rebuild the house.

  “The Master of the Yin Yang has been here,” Jinlian said, “and he suggests our starting on the foundations in the middle of the second month. His Lordship proposes to make your old house and ours into one. In the front he is going to build an artificial mound, a pergola, and a large garden. At the back he will build a garden house of three rooms like mine.”

  Li Ping’er listened attentively. Then Yueniang sent Xiaoyu to invite them to take tea in the back court, and the three women went to her room. Yueniang, Li Jiao’er, Yulou, and Mistress Wu were waiting for them.

  While they were having breakfast old woman Feng came in. She took an old handkerchief from her sleeve, in which were wrapped four pairs of gold pins, and gave the pins to her mistress. Li Ping’er gave them in turn to Yueniang, Li Jiao’er, Yulou, and Xue’e.

  “I feel that I ought not to accept them,” Yueniang said. “It is really too kind of you.”

  Li Ping’er smiled. “There is nothing very wonderful about them,” she said, “I only offer them as playthings.” Yueniang and the others thanked her, and put them in their hair.

  “I believe the Feast of Lanterns is to be held near your house,” Yueniang said. “It will be very lovely, and, when I go to see it, I will pay you a call. That is, unless you tell me you won’t have me.”

  “I shall be only too glad to invite you all,” Li Ping’er said.

  “Perhaps you do not know, Sister,” Jinlian said to Yueniang, “that it will be Mistress Hua’s birthday on the fifteenth.”

  “In that case,” Yueniang said, “we will make a definite arrangement now to come and offer our congratulations that day.”

  “My little room is no better than a snail’s,” Li Ping’er said, smiling, “but if you will condescend to come, I shall be only too happy.”

  They finished their breakfast, and wine was brought. It was now late in the morning, and the sedan chair came for Li Ping’er. She said good-bye to them all and, though they urged her to stay still longer, she prepared to go. As she was about to start, she asked for Ximen Qing, but Yueniang told her that he had gone early to say farewell to one of his friends who was going away. Li Ping’er got into her sedan chair and went home.

  CHAPTER 15

  The Feast of Lanterns

  The days passed quickly. It was the birthday of Li Ping’er on the fifteenth of the eleventh month. The day before it Ximen Qing told Daian to get ready four courses of food, a large jar of wine, birthday cakes, and pastries. He himself added a suit of quilted silken clothes embroidered in gold. He wrote Wu Yueniang’s name on a card, and sent everything as a birthday present from Yueniang to Li Ping’er.

  Mistress Hua was dressing when Daian brought the present. She ordered the boy to be brought to her.

  “It is only a few days,” she said to him, “since your lady last troubled herself on my account. Now she has placed me in her debt again by sending this magnificent present.”

  “I was told to say that this is only a trifle, which you may well pass on to your maids.”

  Li Ping’er told Xiuchun to give Daian some cakes. As he was about to go, she gave him two
qian and a colored handkerchief. “Tell your ladies,” she said, “that I am going to send old woman Feng to ask them all to brighten my poor house by their presence.”

  Daian kowtowed and went away. Li Ping’er paid the porters, and sent old woman Feng with five cards of invitation to ask the ladies to come the following evening. Secretly she was to ask Ximen Qing to come later and take wine with her.

  The next day Yueniang left Sun Xue’e to look after the house. She and the other ladies, all most charmingly dressed, got into their sedan chairs to go to Lion Street, where the Feast of Lanterns was being held. Laixing, Laian, Daian, and Huatong escorted them.

  The house in which Li Ping’er now lived had three rooms at the front, and went back for the same distance. On the street it was two stores high, and, as one entered the gate, there were rooms on either side. Three formed a hall and one served as a passage to the third court, where there were three bedrooms and a kitchen. At the back of the house a wall separated the property of Li Ping’er from the garden belonging to the princely family of Qiao.

  Yueniang and the others were coming specially to see the lanterns, and Li Ping’er set out screens, tables, and cushions, and hung up floral lanterns in the rooms that overlooked the street. When her guests arrived, she welcomed them and took them to the inner court for tea. They sat down, and two singing girls, Dong Jiao’er and Han Jinchuan, sang for them and served the wine. Afterwards refreshments were set out in the upper rooms, and she invited her guests to go upstairs and look at the lanterns. The windows had been decorated with bamboo shades, lanterns, and silken streamers.

  Yueniang was dressed in a red-quilted cloak with an emerald green skirt, and she wore a mantle of leopard skin. Li Jiao’er, Meng Yulou, and Pan Jinlian were wearing white silk gowns and blue skirts. Li Jiao’er had a brown wrap embroidered in gold, Yulou a green one, and Jinlian a red one. They all wore masses of pearls and jade on their heads, and phoenix pins peeped out from their hair. They looked out of the window at the fair.