Unfaithful wives are always like this. However intelligent their husbands may be, with a few words their wives can twist things about in such a way that their husbands are completely hoodwinked. Such women are like the privy floor. They stink, but they hold their ground.
So Huilian made a fool of her husband and the night passed. Next day, she went to the inner court and asked Yuxiao who had been telling tales about her. As neither of them could fix upon the right person, she could only go about suspiciously, grumbling.
One day Yueniang wanted Xue’e and sent Xiaoyu to find her. Though the maid looked everywhere she failed to find her, until she went to the front court. There she saw Xue’e coming out of Laiwang’s room. She supposed that the woman had been chatting with Laiwang’s wife, but, when she reached the kitchen, Huilian was there, mincing meat. Meanwhile, in the front court, Ximen Qing had been talking to Master Qiao, who had come on behalf of a certain Wang Sifeng, a soda merchant of Yangzhou, who had been put in prison by the magistrate of that district. Qiao had brought two thousand taels of silver and wanted Ximen Qing to approach the Imperial Tutor, and secure the soda merchant’s release. As soon as he had seen Master Qiao to the gate, Ximen called for Laiwang, who promptly came from his own room.
After this everybody knew that Xue’e and Laiwang were carrying on together.
One day when Laiwang had been drinking, he began to revile Ximen Qing before the servants in the front court. “When I was away,” he said, “he got Yuxiao to take a roll of blue satin to my place and seduced my wife. At first, he had his way with her in the garden, but afterwards the Fifth Lady made a nest for them in her place. Let him look out for himself. If he falls into my hands, I will certainly kill him. My knife shall go in white, and it will be red when it comes out. Yes, and I’ll kill that whore Pan as well, and get rid of the pair of them at the same time. You shall see whether I don’t do as I say. I haven’t forgotten how, when that whore Pan murdered her husband Wu Da, and her brother-in-law Wu Song brought an accusation against her, it was me they got to go to the Eastern Capital to get her off and have Wu Song banished. Now that she feels herself secure once more, she forgets all about the one who saved her life, and makes a whore of my wife. My hatred for her is as deep as the heavens. But there is a proverb which says that a man may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. I don’t care whether I die or not, but I’ll thrash his Majesty, even if I get chopped in ten thousand pieces.”
Laiwang talked in this strain without realizing that anyone was eavesdropping, but Laixing overheard everything he said. Laixing was the servant to whom Ximen Qing had originally entrusted the business of buying and changing money for the household, but, after Ximen had fallen in love with Laiwang’s wife, that business had been handed over to Laiwang. Since then Laiwang and Laixing had not been on the best of terms. So, when he had heard the kind of thing his rival was saying, Laixing slipped away to Jinlian’s room. When he pulled up the lattice and came in, she was sitting with Yulou.
“What can I do for you?” she said. “Where is your master amusing himself today?”
“He has gone to a funeral with Uncle Ying,” Laixing said. “Lady, I have something to tell you, but you must keep it to yourself, and not let anybody know I told you.”
“If you have anything to say, let us hear it,” Jinlian said.
“It is only this,” Laixing said. “That rascal Laiwang got drunk somewhere yesterday, and made a fine hullabaloo, cursing everybody the whole day long. He wished to pick a quarrel with me but I came away and left him. In front of everybody he cursed Master, and you too, Fifth Mother.”
“Why should the rogue curse me?” Jinlian said.
“I hardly like to tell you,” Laixing said, “but since there is only the Third Lady here, and she is not a stranger, I will. He said Father had got him out of the way so as to be able to make love to his wife. He also said that you, Fifth Mother, had arranged everything for them, and allowed his wife to sleep with Father in your room from morning till night and from night till morning. He has got a knife to kill you both, and says it may be white when it goes in but it will be red when it comes out. He says you poisoned your first husband and sent him to the Eastern Capital to hush up the matter, and that though you owe your life to him, you only repay his kindness by injuries and help his wife to be unfaithful to him. I felt I ought to warn you. Fifth Mother, you must be continually on your guard against this fellow’s plottings.”
Yulou might have been plunged in a cold bath, she was so shocked when she heard this. Jinlian flushed beneath her powder and ground her silvery teeth. “The murderous villain,” she cried, “I’ve never done him any harm in the past, and I’m not doing any now. If his master takes a fancy to his wife, what’s that to do with me? That slave and I shall not both remain in Ximen’s household. How dare he say I got him to save my life? You may go now,” she said to Laixing, “and if your master asks you any questions when he comes back, be sure to tell him what you’ve told me.”
“Fifth Mother,” Laixing said, “I have only told the truth. I have repeated exactly what I heard. If Father questions me, I can only tell him what I have told you.” He went to the front court.
“Is it true that there is anything between his master and that woman?” Yulou said.
“Did you ever know that unprincipled scamp to lose an opportunity of getting hold of a pretty woman?” Jinlian said. “Now he has given himself into that slave’s hands. The strumpet was once a servant in Cai’s house, and there she and her mistress played the whore together till they were found out and she was sent packing. Then she married Jiang Cong. Was one man enough for her? No, indeed, she must have lovers like grains of rice. She is up to every trick you could think of. That wretched husband of ours, who is cunning enough to deceive even the spirits—he could play tricks on a spook—told Yuxiao to take her a piece of satin to make a gown of. I meant to tell you this before. Don’t you remember the day the Great Lady went to a party at Master Qiao’s house? We were all playing chess in the front court when one of the maids came and said, ‘Father has come back.’ We stopped our game and I went to the inner court. Well, when I got to the gate, Xiaoyu was standing in the passage and, when I spoke to her, she didn’t answer. She made some sort of a sign with her hand. I went on, and when I reached the garden, that little scamp Yuxiao was standing at the corner gate. She was keeping a lookout for them. Still I didn’t realize what the game was and was going on, but Yuxiao got in my way and wouldn’t let me go farther. ‘Father is there,’ she said. I cursed her, because I had an idea that she was up to some trick of her own, but when I did get in, there he was in the grotto with that woman. She blushed crimson when she saw me, and ran away. He didn’t know what to say, and he had to listen to a few remarks from me, the shameless fellow.”
“Afterwards the woman came to see me. She knelt down and begged me not to say anything to her mistress. Then, in the first month, he was going to bring the whore to spend the night with him in my room, but I and Chunmei told him plainly what we thought about him. We said, of course, we would not allow him to do anything of the sort. The wretch tried to get me mixed up in the business, but I was not going to have that pretty little whore carrying on with him in my place. Even if I had been willing, young Miss Chunmei would never have allowed it.”
“No wonder the wicked little wretch never stands up when we come in,” Yulou said. “I should never have dreamed of anything of the sort. It is most improper on his part to want her when he can get a woman anywhere. Look at the opportunity to talk scandal he gives the slaves!”
“Yes,” Jinlian said, “but it is tit for tat. If he has fallen in love with the slave’s wife, the slave has done as much for him. There’s a nice little exchange going on. That little thief Xue’e has had plenty to say about us, but now even if I give her a smack on the face, she will have to keep her mouth shut.”
“Shall we tell him or not?” Yulou said. “The Great Lady will not do anything about it, and if that fellow
really has made up his mind, and we keep silence about it, Father will know nothing, and, some time or other, the slave will get him. I think you ought to mention it to him.”
“If that slave were my father,” Jinlian said, “I might possibly forgive him, but he isn’t, and nothing will ever induce me to do so.”
Late that evening Ximen Qing came home. He found Jinlian in her room, her cloudlike tresses in disorder, her fragrant cheeks heavy with slumber, and her eyes red like two peaches from weeping. When he asked what was amiss, she told him that Laiwang had got drunk and was going about saying he was going to kill his master. “Laixing heard this with his own ears,” she said. “While you were stealing that slave’s wife, he was doing as much for you. If the wretch only intended to murder you, I shouldn’t worry so much, but he means to kill me too. If we don’t do something about it at once, sooner or later we shall fall into his clutches. We have no eyes at the back of our heads.”
“Who has been telling tales?” Ximen said.
“It’s no use asking me,” Jinlian said. “Ask Xiaoyu. The slave said several nasty things about me. For one thing he said I poisoned my husband and, after you married me, we sent him to find somebody to save my life. This is the sort of thing he has been saying all around the place. It is a good thing I have no children. That slave’s scandal-mongering would not make good hearing for them. ‘When your mother first came to this house,’ he would say, ‘she was in a very unpleasant predicament. She had to ask me to get her out of it. I saved her life.’ And if he goes around talking in that strain, what about your good name? It won’t be any too glorious. If you are devoid of decent feeling, I’m not, and if that is the sort of life I’ve got to live, well, I just won’t live.”
Ximen Qing listened. Then he went to the front court, called Laixing to a quiet spot, and asked him many questions about the matter. Laixing told him in detail everything that had happened. Ximen Qing went back to the inner court and questioned Xiaoyu. Her account of the matter agreed perfectly with that of Jinlian. She told him how she had seen Xue’e coming out of Laiwang’s room one day when his wife was out. It was a fact, she said.
Ximen Qing flew into a rage. He gave Xue’e a drubbing till Yueniang made him desist. He took away her ornaments and fine dresses and made her work in the kitchen with the maid servants, and forbade her ever to come out. Later, in the inner court, he told Yuxiao to bring Huilian to him in secret, so that he could hear what she had to say.
“Oh dear! Oh dear!” she cried. “Father, you mustn’t talk like that. I am ready to swear by all I love that he never said anything of the sort. He may have been drunk, but no matter what state he was in, he would never have forgotten himself so far as to curse you. Why, how could he accept favors from Zhou Wang and then turn around and accuse Zhou Wang of being a scoundrel? He is dependent upon you for his livelihood. Don’t believe everything people say to you, Father. Who told you this story?”
Ximen Qing shut his mouth firmly. He would not answer until the woman pressed him. At last he said: “It was Laixing.”
“Father,” Huilian said, “you gave Laixing’s job to us and he credits us with having got him out of it. He can’t make so much money as he used to. So he hates us and spits out slanders against us with his bloody mouth. And you believe him! If my husband were really plotting a thing like that, I would never forgive him. Father, do what I tell you. Don’t keep him here. Give him a few taels and send him away somewhere to act as your agent. When he has gone, you and I can talk together whenever we feel inclined, and it will be much pleasanter for both of us.”
Ximen Qing thought this an excellent idea. “You are right, my child,” he said, “I think I’ll send him to the Capital to see the Imperial Tutor about this business of Wang Sifeng. He can take the birthday presents at the same time. But he has only just come back from Hangzhou and I didn’t think it was fair to send him off again so soon. I made up my mind to send Laibao instead. But now you suggest it, I will send him to the Capital and, when he returns, he shall have a thousand taels of silver and I’ll send him to Hang-zhou with someone else to act as a manager, and set him up in the silk business there. Will that suit you?”
Huilian was delighted. “Nothing could be better,” she cried. Ximen Qing saw that there was no one about. He took her in his arms and kissed her. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, and they exchanged a long passionate kiss. “You promised me a new hairnet,” Huilian said. “Why haven’t you got it for me? If you don’t get it now, I never shall have one. I shall have to wear this old one every day.”
“Don’t be impatient,” Ximen said, “tomorrow I will give the silversmith eight taels of silver, and he shall make one for you. But your mistress will probably ask you where you got it. Then what will you say?”
“Don’t worry,” the woman said, “I shall find an answer. If anybody asks me, I shall say I borrowed it from my aunt. That will be all right.” They talked a little longer and then parted.
Next day Ximen Qing took his seat in the hall and sent for Laiwang. “Get your clothes and luggage packed,” he said. “Tomorrow is the twenty-eighth day of the third month, and you will start for the Capital to see the Imperial Tutor. When you come back, I am going to send you to do business at Hangzhou.” Laiwang was very pleased. He bowed, and went back to his room to pack. Then he went out to buy a few things.
Laixing heard what was going on and went to tell Jinlian. She was told that Ximen Qing was in the bower in the garden and went there, but she could not find him. Chen Jingji was there, packing up the presents.
“Where is your father?” she said. “What is that you’re packing up?” “Father was here a moment ago,” Jingji said. “He has gone to see the Great Lady and get the silver for that affair of Wang Sifeng. These are the presents for the Imperial Tutor.”
“Who is going to take them?” Jinlian asked.
“I believe Father has told Laiwang to go,” Jingji said.
As Jinlian was going down the steps towards the garden, she met Ximen Qing bringing the silver. She asked him to go to her room. “Whom are you sending to the Eastern Capital?” she said.
“Laiwang and Clerk Fu are going together,” Ximen said. “You see, there are not only the presents, there’s this silver to be spent for the soda merchant Wang Sifeng. Two will be safer than one.”
“You always think you know best,” Jinlian said. “Why don’t you do what I tell you? You believe every word that strumpet tells you. There is not the slightest doubt she is thinking of her husband. Only a day or two ago that slave declared before all the servants in the house that you have taken his wife and he will have your money. If you lose your money, my good Brother, you will do so with your eyes open. You might as well make him a present of a thousand taels and have done with it. You want his wife. Very well. If you keep him here, it will be awkward, and, if you send him somewhere else, you won’t be any better off. If you let him stay here, we shall never be safe against his evil designs, and if you send him away, he will run off with every penny of your money. So long as you are after his wife, he won’t care a fig for anything you say. The best thing you can do is to get rid of him for good and all. You know the proverb: ‘If you cut the grass, but do not pull up the roots, new shoots will spring up as before; but if you pull up the roots, there can be no new shoots to come up.’ You would have no reason to be anxious, and you could do what you liked with the woman.”
These words made Ximen Qing think.
CHAPTER 26
The Tragic End of Song Huilian
As Wu from Yue is parted, so I from my lord
Through the passing years the jade pillow marks our separation.
I climb the watchtower and look towards the north
I see but heavy mist and rain.
I turn again and cry to the moon hanging in the skies.
The night is dark and hides the spears beside the gate
I wander through the corridors and sleep alone.
I seek in vain for you
in the inner chamber
My spirit goes to the waste lands and my soul to the waters.
After Pan Jinlian had talked to him, Ximen Qing changed his mind once more. The next day, though Laiwang, with his luggage all ready, waited for the order to start, noon passed, and still he received no word. At last Ximen Qing came and called Laiwang to him.
“During the night, I have been thinking the matter over,” he said. “I remembered that you had only just come back from Hangzhou, and I decided that, instead of sending you to the Eastern Capital as I had intended, it would be too much for you, and I ought to send Laibao and give you a rest. Later on I will find something nearer home for you.”
In matters of this sort, the master invariably has the last word. Laiwang could only acquiesce. Ximen gave the silver and the presents to Laibao and Clerk Fu, and, on the twenty-eighth day of the third month, they set out. Laiwang went back to his room in a temper, drank more than was good for him, and said all manner of foolish things, telling his wife he was going to kill Ximen Qing.
Huilian scolded him. “A dog that really means to bite never shows its teeth,” she said. “You are talking nonsense. Remember the walls have ears. You are drunk again.” She sent him to bed.
Next day, she went to Yuxiao’s room in the inner court and asked her to go for Ximen Qing. They found a quiet place behind the kitchen wall where they could talk and Yuxiao kept watch for them by the door. Huilian was very angry.
“What a man you are!” she cried. “You promised me to let him go. Why have you changed your mind and sent somebody else instead? You have a mind just like a ball. It does nothing but bob up and down. You can’t keep steady long enough to hold a candle. One of these days I shall build a temple in your honor and set up a banner pole, and bestow on you the title of Father of Lies. Never again will I believe a word you say. I did trust you, but evidently you don’t care about me any more.”
The Golden Lotus, Volume 1 Page 42
