Then Shutong told him about Ping’an. “The other day, when you and I were here together, he and Huatong were secretly spying through the window. When I went out to get water for you to wash your hands, I saw them. Besides that, he has treated me as a slave before outsiders, and bullied me in a hundred different ways.”
Ximen Qing was very angry. “If I do not pull that slave’s trousers down,” he said, “I am not fit to be called a man.”
Meanwhile Ping’an himself was not idle. He went quietly to Pan Jinlian and told her that his master and Shutong were again together. Jinlian ordered Chunmei to go at once to the front court and ask Ximen Qing to come and speak to her. As the maid passed the hedge, she saw Huatong making a pine tiger.
“What do you want, Sister?” he said. “Father is in the study.”
Chunmei slapped his face. Ximen Qing, in the study, heard the rustling of skirts and knew that someone was coming. He hastily put Shutong aside, climbed upon his bed, and lay down. Shutong busied himself with the brushes and ink slabs on the table. Chunmei pushed open the door and went in.
“All very quiet,” she said, “very quiet indeed! And the door shut too! Drawing the bonds of family closer, I suppose. My lady would like you to go and talk to her.”
Ximen Qing did not move. “What does she want with me, little oily mouth?” he asked. “You go first and I will come in a moment. Let me have my rest.”
Chunmei would have none of this. “If you will not come of your own free will, I shall have to drag you,” she cried, and pulling and tugging, she forced Ximen Qing to go to Jinlian’s room.
When they reached there, Jinlian said to her maid: “What was he doing in the front court?”
“He was with that boy in the study. They had the door shut, and everything was so quiet they might have been just on the point of catching a fly. I don’t know what their little game was, but it looked to me as if there was something very close between them. When I went in, the boy was standing at the table pretending to write, and this one was lying on the bed. I had to drag him here, for he didn’t want to come.”
“Yes, he was afraid he would get into hot water if he did come,” Jinlian said. “You shameless creature! Haven’t you any self-respect left at all? In broad daylight, shutting yourself up in your study with that slave. What for? Just to make a beast of yourself with that mangy slave. And then, at night, you come to our place to sleep with us. A nice clean fellow!”
“You believe all that little oily-mouthed creature tells you,” Ximen said. “I was simply lying on the bed and watching the boy write a visiting card.”
“Why shut the door to write a visiting card?” Jinlian cried. “What secret, important words do you need for that? What three-legged Indra, or two-horned elephant, do you hide away in there that you are afraid someone may go in and see it? Tomorrow is Uncle Wu’s birthday and we have all been invited to go there. Without making any bones about it, you can find something for me to offer when I go. If you will not, I will find some other husband who will. The Great Lady is going to give a dress and five qian of silver, and the others have flowers and ornaments to give. I am the only one who has nothing, and I had better stay at home.”
“You may have a roll of fine red silk from the cupboard in the front court,” Ximen Qing said.
“No,” Jinlian cried, “I will not go at all if I have to take that red silk. Everyone will laugh at it.”
“Be quiet and wait a minute,” Ximen said. “I will go upstairs and get something for you. I am thinking about sending some presents to the Eastern Capital, some silk among them, and I will find something for you at the same time.”
He went to the rooms of Li Ping’er, where he went upstairs and took two rolls of black silk woven with a gold thread, two of Nanjing colored silk, one of scarlet mixture, and one of kingfisher blue cloudy satin.
“I want to find a dress of taffeta for Jinlian to give as a present,” he said to Li Ping’er. “If there isn’t one, I must send a note to the silk shop and get one.”
“There is no need to send to the silk shop,” Li Ping’er said. “I have one, and a scarlet under-dress, and a blue skirt. There is no purpose in keeping one without the others, so she shall have them all.” She took the clothes from a chest and herself carried them over to Jinlian.
“Sister,” she said, “take either the under-dress or the skirt, whichever you like. We will wrap them up together and let the present be from both of us. That will save the trouble of going to the shop.”
“But these are yours,” Jinlian said, “1 cannot take them.”
“Why say that?” Li Ping’er said. They argued pleasantly for some time, and at last Jinlian agreed. She asked Chen Jingji to write both their names on the card.
While this was happening, Bai Laiguang came to the gate.
“Is your master at home?” he said.
“No,” said Ping’an, “he is not.”
Bai Laiguang did not believe him and went into the house. There he found the window shut. “Well,” he said, “it seems he really is not at home. Where has he gone?”
“He has gone outside the city to a farewell party,” Ping’an said.
“Then he ought to be back soon,” Bai Laiguang said.
“Uncle Bai,” the boy said, “tell me what it is you wish to say, and I will give the message to my master when he comes back.”
“Oh,” Bai Laiguang said, “it is nothing very important, but I haven’t seen him for a long time, so I thought I would call today. Since he is not here, I think I’ll wait for him.”
“I’m afraid he won’t be back till very late,” Ping’an said. “You will be tired of waiting.”
Bai Laiguang paid no attention. He pushed open the door, went into the hall, and sat down on a chair. None of the boys did anything for him; they left him quite alone. But the Fates were kind to him. Ximen Qing and Yingchun, coming from the inner court with a roll of silk, passed the screen and came right upon him as he sat in the great hall. Yingchun put down the silk and hastily retired to the inner court.
“Isn’t this my brother?” Bai Laiguang cried. “So you are at home after all.”
There was no escape. Ximen Qing could only ask Bai Laiguang to be seated. Upon his head was a refurbished, remolded, ancient gauze hat, like those worn by the pilgrims to the summit of Taishan. He was wearing a white stuff gown that would hardly hold together and was fit only for the fire, the collar torn and the front all frayed. Upon his feet a pair of clapperclopper black boots, out of shape and torn almost to shreds. And, inside the boots, socks like stirrups of yellow silk, which would not have imprisoned a fly.
They sat down, but Ximen Qing did not call for tea. Qintong was waiting beside him, and he ordered the boy to take the silk to the guestroom and ask Chen Jingji to wrap it up.
“I have not been to see you for a long time,” Bai Laiguang said, waving his arms. “I am sorry.”
“It is kind of you to remember me,” Ximen Qing said. “Now that I have to go to the office every day, I have not much time to spend at home.”
“What, Brother?” Bai Laiguang said. “Do you go to the office every day?” “Yes,” Ximen said, “I go twice every day and hear cases in the Hall. On the first and the fifteenth of every month I have to pay reverence to the tablets and to sign and stamp public documents and carry out public business, and attend to the police reports. Even when I get home, I have a great deal to do; I hardly have a moment’s leisure. Today I have been outside the city with all the officers to say goodbye to Xu Nanxi, who has just been given a military appointment. The Governor of the Royal Estates, Eunuch Xue, has invited me to take wine with him tomorrow, but his place is so far away that I really shall not be able to get out there. The day after tomorrow I have to go and welcome the new provincial governor, and the same day the fourth son of the Imperial Tutor in the Eastern Capital is to marry a princess. Then Grand Marshal Tong’s nephew, Tong Tianyin, has recently been promoted to be the controller of the Palace Guards. All th
is makes me very busy, what with presents and so on, and, the last few days, I have been tired to death.”
They talked for a long time, and, at last, Laian brought some tea. Bai Laiguang had taken only one mouthful when Daian hurried into the room with a red card in his hand. “His Lordship Xia is here,” he said. “He is dismounting outside the gate.”
Ximen Qing hastily went to the inner court to put on his ceremonial clothes. Bai Laiguang retired to a room in the wing, and from there looked through the lattice. He saw Xia come into the great hall and Ximen Qing, dressed in his robes of ceremony, come to receive him. They greeted one another and sat down in the places of host and guest. Qitong brought cups of tea.
“Yesterday,” Xia said, “we were talking about the reception of the new governor. Today I have learned that his name is Zeng, and that he graduated in the third degree in the year Yiwei. His warrant has already reached Dongchang, and all our colleagues are going out to welcome him. Though you and I are military officers, there are administrative duties attached to our appointments, and it is one of our duties to enforce the law, which makes us rather different from mere soldiers. I think, therefore, that we should go the day after tomorrow and find a place a little distance from the town, where we may offer the new governor a dinner of welcome.”
“That is an excellent idea,” Ximen Qing said, “but pray do not trouble yourself about the matter. I will find some temple or private estate, and send servants and cooks to make all the necessary preparations.”
“It is extremely kind of you,” Xia said.
They drank another cup of tea and the magistrate took his leave. Ximen went to the gate to see him off. Then he came in again and took off his robes. Bai Laiguang had not gone. He came back into the great hall, sat down, and said to Ximen:
“For the last month or two, Brother, you have not been to our meetings, and the brotherhood is practically at an end. Sun is certainly old, but he has no capacity for organization, and Brother Ying does not trouble. In the seventh month, we went to the Temple of the Jade Emperor to celebrate the Zhongyuan* and there were only three or four of us there including myself, and nobody with any money. All were empty-handed. We gave a great deal of trouble to Abbot Wu. He was very agreeable, and had engaged a storyteller specially for us, but he had to pay the man himself. The Abbot did not say anything, but we all felt most embarrassed. It was different when you were in charge. You always knew exactly what to do and how to do it. We hope it will not be long before you come and join us again.”
“No, I think not,” Ximen said, “the brotherhood had better be dissolved. I really have no time for things like that nowadays. If I can manage it, I will send a little offering to the Abbot as a thanks offering. But that must suffice. In the future you need not give me notice of any more of your meetings.”
After this there was nothing for Bai Laiguang to say, yet he remained sitting there. Ximen Qing, seeing that he made no move, bade Qintong set a table in the side room. He had something to eat with Bai Laiguang, ordered wine to be warmed, and poured out several cups for him. At last, Bai Laiguang asked permission to leave. Ximen went with him only as far as the second door. “If you will excuse me,” he said, “I will not go with you any farther. I have not my ceremonial hat and, in the circumstances, it would not be becoming that I should see you off.” Then Bai Laiguang went away.
Ximen Qing returned to the great hall, pulled out a chair and sat on it. Then he shouted for Ping’an, over and over again. Ping’an came in and Ximen cursed him. “You thievish slave, how have you the audacity to stand there before me?” He called for his official attendants, and three or four men appeared immediately. Ping’an had no idea what was the matter, and was so terrified that his face became the color of wax. He knelt down.
“When I came home,” Ximen Qing said, “I told you that if anyone called you were to say I was not at home. Why did you not obey me?”
“When Uncle Bai came,” Ping’an said, “I told him you had gone outside the city to a farewell dinner, and had not yet returned. He would not believe me and forced his way in. Then I followed him and asked if he would leave a message with me. He said nothing, but opened the door of the hall, went in, and sat down. Just at that moment, unfortunately, you came and met him.”
“Don’t try and deceive me with a lot of words,” Ximen cried. “You are a coward. Where were you gambling and drinking, that when somebody came you were not attending to your duties at the gate?” He ordered the men to go and smell Ping’an’s breath. They did so, but said: “We cannot smell any wine.”
“You two, who can use the rod, give this slave a fair and honest finger-squeezing.”
Two of the soldiers seized Ping’an, and one put the thumbscrews on the lad’s fingers. They turned the screw till he could bear the pain no longer and screamed: “Indeed, I told him you were out. He forced his way in.”
The soldiers released the screws and knelt before Ximen. “It is done,” they said.
“Give him fifty stripes,” Ximen cried. The number was counted; they went to fifty and stopped.
“Give him twenty more,” Ximen said. They did so. The boy’s skin was torn; the flesh was bruised, and blood poured down his legs.
“Stop,” Ximen cried.
The soldiers removed the thumbscrews and the boy screamed shrilly.
“You rascally slave,” Ximen said, “you said you were at the gate. It is my belief that you are always trying to get money out of people, and so, spoiling my good name. Let me hear not so much as a whisper of anything of the sort. If I do, you shall lose your legs.”
Ping’an kowtowed, rose, and, pulling up his trousers, made off as fast as he could.
Then Ximen Qing saw Huatong standing beside him.
“Down with him,” he cried to the soldiers, “and put the thumbscrews on him.” The boy began to howl like a pig being killed.
Pan Jinlian was coming from her room to the inner court and, as she passed the door that opened into the great hall, she saw Meng Yulou standing behind the screen listening with all her ears.
“What is going on?” Jinlian said.
“I am listening to Father. He is having Ping’an beaten, and setting the thumbscrews on Huatong. I don’t know why.”
Qitong passed by. Yulou stopped him and asked what the punishment was for.
“Father is angry because Ping’an let Bai Laiguang come in,” the boy said.
“Oh, that is not the real reason,” Jinlian said. “The boy must have ruined something very precious or he wouldn’t be beaten like that. What a shameless fellow Father is. He pulls a long face to show that he is the master of the house, but he is utterly without shame.”
“What do you mean by saying that the boy must have ruined something very precious?” Yulou said, when Qitong had gone.
“I was going to tell you,” Jinlian said, “but so far I have not had a chance. The other day, I went to see my mother on her birthday. While I was away, that little slave Shutong accepted several taels of silver from somebody, and went and bought two boxes of food and a jar of Jinhua wine and took them to the Sixth Lady’s room. She and the young rascal drank there for a long time. Then he went away. When our shameless husband came back, he had not a word to say, but he and the boy went off to the study in the garden, locked the door, and goodness only knows what they did there. Ping’an had to take him a visiting card, found the door shut, and was standing by the window when Shutong opened the door and saw him. I imagine the young rascal must have told that shameless fellow all about it and today he is having the boy punished in revenge. I am very much afraid that in the future that young man will make mischief for everybody in the household, and be getting everybody into trouble.”
“That is a nice thing to say,” Yulou said, laughing. “Of course, in a household like this, some of us are wise and some are foolish, but not all of us have evil minds.”
“No, you are quite wrong,” Jinlian said. “Let me tell you this. At the present time there are only t
wo people he really and truly cares for. One is a member of the household, and the other is not. His mind dwells continually upon those two. When he sees them, he laughs, he talks. But the rest of us are out of luck. He treats us like black-eyed chickens. The robber! He will never come to a natural end. He is fickle because the foxes have got hold of him, and he has become just like themselves. Sister, mark my words. There is going to be serious trouble in this household. Today, I have had a bother with him over the present. As soon as he comes in, he goes to his study. Today, I sent Chunmei to ask him to come and see me. Would you believe it, even in broad daylight that little slave had fastened the door. Chunmei pushed it open, went in and gave him a shock. He opened his eyes very wide and didn’t know what to do. When he came to me, I cursed him well, but he simply protested and excused himself as best he could. He offered me a piece of red silk, but I would not have it. Then he went to the Sixth Lady’s room to find something for me. The brigand knew he was in the wrong, so he took a dress of material woven with gold thread from her chest, and she brought it to me herself. I refused to take it. ‘Sister,’ she said, ‘why think twice about it? Take the gown or the skirt, whichever you like best, and when you have made your choice, we will go to Brother Chen and get him to write a card for us.’ At last I gave way, and she persuaded me to take the gown.”
“Well,” Yulou said, “that seems fair enough. I think she treated you very well.”
“You don’t understand,” Jinlian said. “We have to yield place to her. In these days, the whole world fears the wide-eyed Jin Gang, and nobody bothers about the Buddha whose eyes are closed. In these affairs between husband and wife, if one gives the other the least bit of rope, he becomes like General Wang’s orderly and looks upon you as one not worth the trouble of even the crudest affection.”
“Really,” Yulou said, laughing, “you are as hot as pepper.”
They both laughed. Then Xiaoyu came to invite them to go to Yueniang’s room to eat crabs. She told them she was going to ask Li Ping’er also. Hand in hand, they went to the inner court and found Wu Yueniang and Li Jiao’er sitting beneath the eaves.
The Golden Lotus, Volume 1 Page 58
