The Golden Lotus, Volume 1

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  “Your Lordship,” they said, “you need not ask. We have received too many kindnesses at your hands. If there is anything we can do for you, even if it means going through fire and water, we will do it.”

  “’Very well,” Ximen said, “come and see me tomorrow and I will tell you what it is.”

  “Why wait till tomorrow?” they said; “please tell us now.”

  Ximen Qing lowered his voice and told them the story of Jiang Zhushan and Li Ping’er. “I want you to avenge my dishonor,” he said, and pulling up his clothes, took about five taels of silver from his purse. “This will buy you some wine. If you do the business to my satisfaction, there shall be more for you.”

  Lu Hua would not take the money. “You have been so good to us,” he said. “When you mentioned our doing something for you, I imagined you wished us to go to the Eastern Sea and take the horns from the Green Dragon, or to the Western Mountains, to draw the Magic Tiger’s teeth— something really difficult. But there is nothing at all in this. We cannot accept your money for a job like this.”

  “If you will not take my money,” Ximen said, “I shall not ask you to do it for me.” He handed the money to Daian, and made ready to ride away.

  Zhang Sheng stopped him. “Lu Hua,” he said to his companion, “you don’t understand his Lordship. If we refuse to take his money it will look as though we decline to do anything for him.” They took the silver and made a profound reverence. “Your Lordship,” they said, “wait for us. In less than a couple of days, we promise we’ll bring a smile to your face.” Zhang Sheng added that he hoped Ximen Qing would recommend them to Xia, and this he promised to do, a promise that he later redeemed.

  When Ximen Qing reached home, the sun had set. Yueniang and the others went to the inner court, but Jinlian stayed in the summerhouse and watched the servants clear away the remains of the feast. Ximen went straight to the garden, and found her there.

  “What have you been doing while I’ve been away?” he said.

  Jinlian laughed. “The Great Lady brought us to see the garden,” she said. “We did not expect you back so early.”

  Ximen Qing explained. “Xia was good enough to engage four singing girls, though there were only five guests. I remembered what a long way I had to come, and came back early.”

  Jinlian took his long gown. “If you have had no wine,” she said, “I will order some for you.” Ximen Qing told Chunmei to clear everything away, except some dessert, and a jar of grape wine.

  He sat down on a chair, and gazed at Jinlian admiringly. She was wearing an incense-colored silken gown that opened down the middle, with varicolored ribbons at the sleeves. Below was a shimmering embroidered skirt, and beneath the skirt, red shoes with white high heels. On her head she wore a net of silvery silk, a gold inlaid comb, a plum-blossom pin, and many pretty ornaments. Her lips seemed redder, and her face whiter than ever before. Ximen was seized with sudden desire for her, took her hands, pulled her to him, and embraced her. When Chunmei brought the wine, they drank it together, and kissed more passionately still. Then Jinlian pulled up her skirts, and sat upon his knee. She passed wine from her own mouth to his, and picking a fresh lotus seed with her dainty fingers, offered it to him. But Ximen refused it; he said it was too bitter.

  “My son,” Jinlian said, laughing, “if you refuse anything your mother offers you, you are tempting the fates.” But instead of the lotus seed, she gave him a walnut. Then Ximen wished to play with her bosom, and opening her silken gown, she uncovered her exquisite, flawless, fragrant breasts. He fondled them and kissed them, delighting in their firmness. So they sat together, and enjoyed each other’s company. Ximen Qing was very happy.

  “I have something to tell you that will make you laugh,” he said. “You remember that Doctor Jiang set up a medicine shop. When I’ve done with him, he’ll be setting up a vegetable shop on his face.” Jinlian asked him what he meant, and he told her of the arrangement he had made with Lu and Zhang.

  “If you do that,” said Jinlian, “you will arouse a good deal of ill feeling. Is it the Doctor Jiang who sometimes comes to see us when we are ill? I have always thought him a most modest man. He always looks at the ground when he examines us. You ought to sympathize with him, instead of treating him like this.”

  “You don’t understand his tricks,” Ximen said. “You say he looks down, but, don’t you see, he looks down so that he can look at your feet?”

  “What a nasty-minded fellow you are!” Jinlian said. “I don’t believe he ever thinks of women’s feet. He is an educated man, and wouldn’t dream of such a thing.”

  “If you judge him by appearance, you make a mistake. He pretends to be decorous, but he’s a very dangerous fellow at heart.”

  They chattered and joked for a long time. Then the wine was finished, and the table cleared, and they went to bed.

  It was now two months since Li Ping’er had married the doctor. In the early days of their marriage, he was very anxious to satisfy his wife. He prepared love potions, bought some interesting pictures and other devices for stimulating love, and did, in fact, everything he could to make the lady happy. But Ximen Qing had been a more strenuous lover, and Jiang failed to come up to her expectations. She came more and more to hate the sight of him. She took the instruments of love and smashed them with a stone. “There is no strength in your loins,” she cried. “You are no better than an eel. What is the use of buying things like these? You have deceived me. I thought you a piece of good meat, but I find you are only good to look at, not to eat. You are like a waxen spearhead, a dead turtle.”

  Several times she sent him away in the middle of the night, and he had to go to the shop to sleep. She could only think of Ximen Qing, and would not allow the doctor to enter her room. Every day she went most carefully through his accounts.

  It was on one such day as this, when Doctor Jiang had gone to sit down in his shop, that two men appeared. They were both tipsy, swaying from side to side, and their eyes stared wildly. They found chairs, and sat down. “Have you any dog-yellow in your shop?” they said.

  Zhushan laughed, and asked them not to make fun of him. “I have ox-yellow, but no dog-yellow,” he said.

  “Well, if you have no dog-yellow, show me some ice ashes.”

  “The drug shops,” said the doctor, “sell ice pieces that come from Persia over the Northern Sea, but no ice ashes.”

  “Don’t ask him for such things,” the other man said. “The shop has only been open for a few days, how can you expect him to have such things? We have more important business to talk about.”

  “Brother Jiang,” he continued, “do not pretend not to know what you’re about. Three years ago, when your wife died, you borrowed thirty taels of silver from Brother Lu. That and the interest now make quite a lot of money. We have come to call for it. It might have seemed discourteous if we had asked you for it as soon as we came into the shop, and you might have thought we had no consideration for you, seeing that you have just married and opened this shop. So we had our little joke. We suppose you will admit your indebtedness. But if you don’t, you will have to pay just the same.”

  The doctor was startled. “I’ve never borrowed any money from you,” he said.

  “If you had not, we shouldn’t be asking you to pay. Don’t forget the old saying: If there is no crack in the egg, the flies can’t get in. It’s no use saying that.”

  “But I do not even know your honorable names,” the doctor said, “and I have certainly never had the honor of your acquaintance. Why do you ask me for this money?”

  “Brother Jiang, you are taking up the wrong attitude. Remember the old saying that those in authority are never poor, and men who don’t pay their debts are never rich. Just think how poor you used to be. You used to go around ringing a bell and selling your plasters, when, fortunately for you, you met brother Lu, and he befriended you. You would not be where you are today, if it had not been for him.”

  “I am Lu Hua,” the other ma
n said. “In such and such a year you borrowed thirty taels from me and spent the money on your wife’s funeral. Now you owe me forty-eight taels, counting the interest, and I want the money.”

  “I never had the money,” cried the doctor excitedly. “If you say I did, let me see the contract.”

  “I was the witness,” Zhang Sheng said. He took a document from his sleeve and handed it to the doctor.

  Zhushan’s face became the color of wax. “You meat fit for the gallows! You low hounds!” he cried. “Whence have you sprung to cheat me?”

  Lu Hua’s fist flew over the counter into the doctor’s face and the doctor’s nose was twisted to one side. They pulled all the medicines from the shelves and threw them into the street.

  “Robbers,” Zhushan wailed, “how dare you steal my things?” He called his boy to help him, but Lu Hua cuffed the boy away, and he dared not come again.

  Zhang Sheng pulled the doctor over the counter, and rescued him from Lu Hua. “Brother Lu,” he said, “he has been very slow to repay this debt, but we might give him a few more days. What do you say, Brother Jiang?” he added, turning to the doctor.

  “I never borrowed his money,” Zhushan cried, “and if I did, why can’t he talk about the matter quietly? Why does he behave like a savage?”

  “Brother Jiang,” Zhang Sheng said, “you talk as if you had been eating something bitter, and still had the taste in your mouth. If you had behaved reasonably, I would have asked Brother Lu to forgive you some of the interest, and you might have paid him in two or three installments. That would have been the proper method of procedure. Why did you refuse to admit the debt, and so rudely too? Did you really think that he would not ask for his money?”

  “My temper got the better of me,” Zhushan said. “I will go with him before the judge, and then we shall find out who had his money.”

  “Dear, dear!” said Zhang Sheng, “you must be drunk again.”

  Lu Hua suddenly let fly his fist; the doctor stretched his length on the ground and indeed nearly fell into the gutter. His hair was disarranged and his hat covered with dirt. “Oh, blue skies and glorious sun!” he cried. At that moment, the policeman arrived, and took them all into custody.

  Li Ping’er, hearing the noise, went to the lattice and, peeping through, saw the policeman taking her husband away. This alarmed her, and she told old woman Feng to take down the shop signs. Meanwhile all the things in the street had been stolen. She hastily bolted the door and sat down in her own room.

  Ximen Qing very soon learned what had happened. Early the next day he sent a man to the court with a message to his friend Xia, the magistrate. Xia took his place in the hall, and ordered the doctor and the accusers to be brought before him. After reading the accusation he questioned Zhushan. “You are Jiang,” he said; “why did you not pay Lu Hua the money you owed, instead of striking him? A most improper proceeding!”

  “I do not even know him,” Zhushan said. “Certainly I never borrowed any money from him. I tried to explain, but he would not listen. He beat me and kicked me and stole my belongings.”

  The magistrate called Lu Hua. “What have you to say about it?” he asked.

  “Indeed he did.” Lu Hua said. “He spent this money on his wife’s funeral. For three years he has kept putting me off. I heard he had married again and had a fine shop, so I went and asked for my money. He insulted me for all he was worth, and now he says I stole his things. Here is the contract, and Zhang Sheng is the witness. I beg your Worship to investigate the matter thoroughly.” He brought out the document and handed it to the magistrate.

  “Jiang Wenhui, doctor of this town, writes this [it said]. His wife has died, and he has no money to pay for the funeral, therefore he engages, with Zhang Sheng as surety, to borrow thirty taels of pure silver from Lu Hua. The interest shall be three fen monthly. He will spend this money, and repay the thirty taels next year with the interest without any deduction. In witness whereof, this document is drawn up.”

  When the magistrate had read the paper, he banged his fist upon the table angrily. “Here,” he cried, “are both the document and the surety. Do you think you can hoodwink me? I see you are a smooth-spoken rascal, but obviously you won’t pay your debts.” He told the attendants to pick out a strong bamboo and beat Jiang Zhushan with all their might. Three or four of them threw him to the ground and beat him severely thirty times, till his skin was torn and the blood flowed. Then the magistrate told two constables to take a white warrant board, and escort Zhushan to his house, there to collect the thirty taels for Lu Hua. If the money was not forthcoming, he was to be taken to prison.

  The doctor, dragging his aching limbs, reached home, weeping. He begged Li Ping’er to give him the money for Lu Hua. She spat in his face and cursed him. “You shameless turtle,” she cried, “have you ever given me any money that I should give some to you? I’ve known for a long time, you turtle, that you’re nothing but a braggart and a sponger. Why, I must have been blind to marry a turtle like you, good to look at and useless for anything else.”

  The constables, who were standing outside, heard this squabbling and became more urgent. “If Jiang has no money,” they said, “there is no use wasting time. We must get back to the court at once and let his Worship know.” Zhushan went out to appease them and returned again to plead with Li Ping’er.

  “Treat this matter in the spirit of charity,” he begged, kneeling on the ground before her, “and let it be as an offering of thirty taels to the Holy Ones of the Four Mountains and the Five Shrines. If you will not, I must go back to the court, and how can I bear more punishment on my poor torn legs? It would mean my death.”

  Li Ping’er could hold out no longer, and gave him the thirty taels. He gave the money to Lu Hua in the presence of the constables. The contract was torn up and the matter ended.

  After Lu Hua and Zhang Sheng had got the money they went straight to Ximen Qing. He offered them wine and food in the arbor, and they told him the whole story. He was delighted. “You have avenged me; that is all I want,” he said, and when Lu Hua offered him the thirty taels, he refused them. “Keep the money to buy a jar of wine,” he said, “and what I gave you too. One of these days I may want something more of you.” They thanked him and went away to gamble.

  After Jiang Zhushan had paid the money he returned, but Li Ping’er would have no more of him.

  “I regard those thirty taels as money paid to rid me of a plague. Now you must go somewhere else, for if you stay here any longer, all I have in the house will not suffice to pay your debts.”

  The doctor wept bitterly. His legs pained him and he had nowhere to go, but he was obliged to find other quarters. Everything that Li Ping’er had given him he had to leave behind, and he hired a cart to take away his old medicine box and his mortar.

  When he had gone, Li Ping’er told old woman Feng to throw a basin of water after him. “I am so glad that this plague is out of my sight,” she said. She longed for Ximen Qing all the time, and when she heard that his difficulties were over, she was sorrier than ever. She languished so that she did not trouble about her tea or her food and left her eyebrows unpainted. She leaned upon the door and gazed till her eyes seemed to start out of her head, but nobody came.

  One day Daian, riding past the house, saw that the gate was shut and the medicine shop closed. Everything seemed quiet. He went home and told Ximen Qing.

  “I imagine,” Ximen said, “that the little turtle has had such a good drubbing that he has to keep to his room. He won’t be able to go out and attend to his business for a long time.” He forgot all about the matter.

  The fifteenth day of the eighth month was Yueniang’s birthday, and many ladies came and were entertained in the great hall. Ximen Qing, who was still not on speaking terms with his wife, went to the house where Li Guijie lived, telling Daian to take back his horse and come again in the evening. He invited Ying Bojue and Xie Xida to play backgammon with him. Li Guiqing was there, and the two sisters together
served the wine. After a while they all went to the courtyard to play Arrows through the Jar. In the afternoon Daian came back with Ximen Qing’s horse, and found his master washing his hands in the back court. Ximen asked the lad what had happened at home during his absence. “Nothing particular,” Daian said. “Most of the ladies have gone, and the Great Lady is in the inner court with Aunt Wu. Mistress Hua sent old woman Feng with a birthday present. There were four plates of fruits, two long-life noodles, a roll of silk, and a pair of shoes. Mother gave old woman Feng a qian. She said you were not at home, and did not send an invitation to Mistress Hua.”

  Ximen Qing saw that the boy’s face was flushed. “Where have you been drinking?” he asked.

  “Mistress Hua,” said the boy, “told old woman Feng to ask me to go and see her. It was she who gave me the wine. I told her that I never drink, but she pressed me to drink a cup or two. That’s what has made my face red. She is very sorry now for what has happened, and cried for a long time. I told you before, but you wouldn’t believe me. After Doctor Jiang was at the court, the lady would have no more to do with him. She is very, very sorry and still wishes to marry you. She is much thinner than she was. She told me I must ask you to go and see her, and if you can, please tell me, because she is waiting to hear what you say.”

  “The rascally whore!” Ximen cried. “She has a man already. Why can’t she leave me alone? If you are telling the truth, say I’m too busy to go. Say she need not send presents, just let her choose an auspicious day and I’ll take the strumpet home.”

  Daian said that, as Li Ping’er was waiting for an answer, he would leave Ping’an and Huatong to go home with his master. “Go along, then,” said Ximen, “it is all perfectly simple.”

  Daian went to the house in Lion Street, and told Li Ping’er what his master had said. She was delighted. “My good brother,” she said, “I am grateful to you for what you have done for me.” She went herself to the kitchen to cook something for the boy. “I have not enough boys here,” she said, “and you must come one of these days to help me to get my things removed.”