The Golden Lotus, Volume 1

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  “Brother Xie,” Bojue said, “that is four cups for you.”

  “Give me two,” Xie Xida said, “I am no great drinker.”

  Shutong poured out two cups and Xie Xida drank one, then waited for Ximen Qing to sing. Meanwhile, he and Ying Bojue made short work of the nuts. Ximen Qing told them he could not sing, and would tell them a story, instead.

  “There was once a man,” he said, “who went to a fruit shop and asked the shopman if he had any olives. ‘Yes,’ said the shopman, and brought some out to show his customer. The man tasted a number of them. ‘I am glad you like them,’ said the shopman, ‘but why don’t you buy some, instead of popping them into your mouth like that?’ ‘I like them,’ the customer said, ‘because they are so soothing to the chest.’ ‘All you think about,’ the shopman retorted, ‘is soothing your chest. It never occurs to you that you are giving me a pain.’ “

  Everybody laughed. Ying Bojue said: “If you have a pain at the heart, order another two plates of nuts for us. I am like the old woman who went around picking up horses’ droppings. The moister they are, the more drying they take.”

  Xie Xida drank the second cup, and it was Ximen Qing’s turn to throw the dice. “I have left my gold pin and token behind. How much do they weigh? About fifty or sixty qian.” He threw a five. Shutong poured out two half-cups of wine.

  “Brother,” Xie Xida said, “you are no poor drinker. If you drink only two cups it won’t be fair, drink four. I offer them to you myself.”

  Then it was Han Daoguo’s turn, but he asked Ben the Fourth to throw before him, for Ben the Fourth, he said, was older than he.

  “I, too, cannot sing,” Ben the Fourth said, “so I must tell a story.” When Ximen Qing had drunk his two cups of wine, Ben the Fourth began. “Once upon a time a magistrate had to investigate a case of unlawful association. He asked the man how he set about the business. ‘My head to the East,’ said the man, ‘and my feet to the East also.’ ‘Nonsense,’ said the magistrate, ‘whoever heard of going about sexual intercourse in that unsatisfactory way?’ At that moment a man ran up and plumped himself on his knees before the magistrate and said: ‘If you’re in need of a clerk who knows how to be unsatisfactory, I’m the very man for you.’*

  “Ah ha! Brother Pen,” said Ying Bojue, “you don’t intend to miss any chances! Your master is not an old man. You might be excused for anything else, but how can you think of getting a job like that which is evidently in your mind, in his household?”

  Ben the Fourth was flustered. He blushed and said: “Uncle Ying, what do you mean? Such a thing never entered my head.”

  “What I said is like a scabbard made of sandalwood. The sword is gone and only the scabbard remains.”

  This made Ben the Fourth extremely uncomfortable, but he could not escape. He felt as though he were sitting on a cushion of needles. Ximen Qing finished his four cups of wine and it was Ben the Fourth’s turn to throw the dice. Just as he was about to take them up, Laian came in and said that he was wanted by somebody from the tile works. Ben the Fourth was so anxious to get away that, as soon as he heard this, he ran off like a golden cicada breaking out of its chrysalis.

  “Now that he has gone,” Ximen Qing said, “it is your turn, Han.” Han Daoguo took up the dice.

  “I obey your orders,” he said. “The old lady beat Hong Niang with a rod. How many blows did she administer? About forty or fifty.”

  “It is now my turn to sing,” Bojue said, “but I shan’t. I am going to tell a story.” Then he said to Shutong: “Pour out wine for all of us, not excepting your master. Then listen to my story.

  “Once a priest and his disciple went to a house to take some religious papers. When they came to their benefactor’s door, they found that the pupil’s girdle had become loose and the papers had fallen out. ‘It looks as though you had no bottom,’ the priest said to the young man. ‘If I hadn’t,’ returned the pupil, ‘you would not be able to exist for a single day.’ ”

  “You dirty dog,” Ximen cried, “but with a dog’s mouth like yours, I suppose we must not expect elephant’s teeth.”

  The party went on.

  Daian went to the front court and called for Huatong. They set off with a lantern to Aunt Wu’s house to find Li Ping’er. When they had told her that the baby was crying, she did not even wait to pay her respects to the young couple, but presented her gift and asked to be excused. The two Wu ladies would not let her go. “You must wait for the bride and bridegroom,” they said.

  Then Wu Yueniang intervened. “Please excuse her,” she said, “there is no one at home, and the baby is crying for her. We will stay, for we have no such reason for anxiety.” So the Wu ladies allowed Li Ping’er to go. Daian left Huatong, and he and Qintong accompanied the chair on its way home.

  After the bridal pair had received them, Yueniang and the others set off in their four chairs, but they only had one lantern to guide them. It was the twenty-fourth day of the eighth month and extremely dark. Yueniang asked where the other lantern was. “Why have we only one?” she said.

  “I brought two,” Qitong said, “but Daian and Qintong took the other when they went back with the Sixth Lady.”

  Yueniang said no more, but Jinlian took up the matter. “How many did you bring from the house?” she asked the boy.

  “Qintong and I brought two, then Daian and Huatong came and took one of them. Daian left Huatong behind, and went off with Qintong after the Sixth Lady’s chair.”

  “Didn’t Daian bring a lantern with him?” Jinlian said.

  Then Huatong answered. “We did bring one.”

  “If he had one, why did he take another?”

  “That is what I told him,” said Qintong, “but he took it by force.”

  “You see how it is,” Jinlian said to Yueniang. “That rascally Daian is trying to curry favor with her. When I get home, I shall have something to say about this.”

  “Oh,” said Yueniang, “how easily you get excited. They are only boys, and their master sent for her. Why shouldn’t they take the lanterns?”

  “Really, Sister,” Jinlian said, “that is no way to talk. The rest of us might put up with it, but you are the chief among us, and you ought to see that discipline is maintained in the family. If it were not dark, it would not matter, but it is dark, and here we are with four chairs and only one lantern. Really there is no excuse for it.”

  At length the chairs reached the door. Yueniang and Li Jiao’er went to their own rooms; Jinlian and Yulou got out together. As they went in, Jinlian asked where Daian was. Ping’an was telling her that the boy was serving in the back court when Daian came out. Jinlian cursed him roundly. “You flattering young ruffian. You keep your eyes open and think you’ll wait on those who are in favor. But mind your step. You had one lantern. That was enough. The way you go on will not do at all. You took another lantern by brute force, and you changed the boys. So she got two lanterns for her one chair and we, with four chairs, had only one lantern. Do you consider we are not your master’s ladies?”

  “Mother,” Daian said, “you have no reason to blame me. When Father heard the baby was crying, he told me to take a lantern and come at once to bring the Sixth Lady home. He was afraid the baby might make himself ill, crying. If Father hadn’t told me to do so, I should never have dreamed of doing such a thing.”

  “Don’t try to deceive me, you rascal,” Jinlian cried. “He may have told you to bring her home, but he did not tell you to take all the lanterns. Little Brother, you are one of those birds that always fly to the places where things are going best. Don’t make a mistake. You should put your hand to the cold stove as well as to the hot one. I suppose you think our luck is out.”

  “How can you say that?” Daian said. “If such a thing ever entered my mind, one day when I am riding my horse, may I fall off and break my ribs.”

  “You deceitful young scamp,” Jinlian said, “don’t try to go too fast. I shall keep my eye on you.” She and Yulou went to the back.r />
  “I always seem to get into scrapes of this kind,” Daian said to the other servants. “Father told me to go and fetch the Sixth Lady, and now the Fifth Lady turns and scolds me.”

  At the second door, Yulou and Jinlian met Laian. They asked him where Ximen Qing was. The boy told them that he was with Ying Bojue, Xie Xida and Han Daoguo, drinking wine.

  “Brother Shutong,” he added, “has dressed up as a singing girl and is singing for them. Wouldn’t you like to go and see?”

  The two ladies went and peeped through the window. Ying Bojue, already drunk, sat in the upper seat. His hat was on one side and his head was bobbing about as though it were pulled by strings. Xie Xida could not keep his eyes open. Shutong was still dressed as a girl, serving wine and singing Southern melodies. Ximen Qing told Qintong to put some powder on Bojue’s face. Afterwards, the boy made a circlet of grass and, stealing behind Bojue, put it on his head. Yulou and Jinlian, standing outside, could not help laughing. “The scoundrel!” they said. “Sin will be his companion as long as he lives. He behaves just about as badly as anybody could do.”

  Ximen Qing heard the laughter outside and sent a boy to see who was there, but the two women slipped away to the inner court.

  It was the first night watch before the party broke up. Ximen Qing went to sleep in the Sixth Lady’s room. When Jinlian went to her own apartment, she said to Chunmei: “What did the Sixth Lady say when she came home?”

  “Nothing,” Chunmei said.

  Then Jinlian asked: “Did that shameless creature go to see her?”

  “After the Sixth Lady came back,” Chunmei said, “Father went twice to see her.”

  “Did the child really cry so much that he sent the boys to bring her home?”

  “Yes,” Chunmei said, “he screamed terribly this afternoon. Whether he was carried about or put in his cot, it made no difference. He cried, and no one could do anything for him. So somebody went and told Father, and he sent a boy to fetch her.”

  “In that case,” Jinlian said, “all right. I suspected that that shameless creature had made up the whole thing so as to get her back. Whose clothes is Shutong wearing?”

  “Daian came to me,” Chunmei said, “but I soon packed him about his business. Finally, he got some from Yuxiao.”

  “If they ever come again,” Jinlian said, “give nothing for that boy to wear.” She realized that Ximen Qing was not coming to her that night, and she fastened her door and went angrily to bed.

  To return to Ying Bojue. He had noticed that Ben the Fourth was in charge of all the work that was being done, and apparently making money thereby. Tomorrow he was going to take money to buy Xiang’s house and would make at least several taels of silver out of that deal. So he was glad of the chance to score off Ben the Fourth, when he was so indiscreet as to tell that story, and to point out his little weaknesses. He had meant Ben the Fourth to know what he was doing. Ben the Fourth was greatly perturbed, and, the next day, he packed up three taels of silver and took them to Ying Bojue’s house. Bojue pretended to be greatly surprised. “I have done nothing for you,” he said, “why should you do this?”

  “It is a long time since I made you any present,” Ben the Fourth said, “and all I ask is that you will speak well of me to my master. If you will, I shall be eternally grateful to you.”

  Ying Bojue took the silver, offered a cup of tea to Ben the Fourth, and escorted him to the door. Then he took the silver to his room.

  “If a husband does not make his power manifest,” he told his wife, “the wife will never get a new dress. It was I who introduced that son of a dog Ben the Fourth to Ximen Qing, and now he has his finger in every pie. And everything that comes in, he puts into his own bowl, and never thinks any more about it. Ximen leaves all the work on the estate to him, and now he is going to buy Xiang the Fifth’s place. He has done well for himself. But at the party yesterday, my chance came and I took it and showed him up. That frightened him and, as I expected, today he came and gave me three taels of silver. Now we can buy some cloth, and make clothes for the children through the winter.”

  Footnotes

  * Uncle Wu’s son, Wu Shunzhen, had married a young lady named Zheng, a niece of Master Qiao’s wife. Ximen Qing had sent him some tea, and this was why invitations had been sent.

  * The fifteenth day of the seventh month.

  * Pun on the word Xingfang, which means “sexual intercourse” when expressed with one character, and a kind of clerk when another character is used.

  CHAPTER 36

  Ximen Qing Entertains the Laureate

  My heart is oppressed when I think of the distance before me

  My spirit shrinks with fear before the journey I must take.

  How can I not dread the hardship of the way?

  Yet always I think of my duty to my country.

  Ji Bu never forgot his promise

  Hou Ying was faithful to his word.

  In human hearts devotion always conquers

  And men give up the thought of gold.

  The next morning, Ximen Qing went with his colleague Xia to welcome the new governor. He also went to see his new property and distributed gifts to all the workmen to show his appreciation of their labors. It was late when he reached home. As soon as he came to the gate, Ping’an told him that a messenger from Dongchangfu had brought a letter for him from Zhai, the Comptroller of the Imperial Tutor’s household. “I took the letter to my mistress’s room,” he said. “Tomorrow about noon the messenger will call for your answer.” Ximen Qing hastened to the upper room, opened the letter, and read it.

  To be delivered at the mansion of the most worthy Ximen [it read]. For long I have been hearing of your fame and great renown, but it is long too since I beheld your glorious countenance. I have often benefited by your most gracious kindness, and it is almost impossible for me to express my sense of indebtedness.

  Some time ago, you were good enough to convey to me your instructions, and I have engraved them upon my heart. In every possible manner, I have done my utmost to serve you with his Eminence. So now, if I may trouble you about a trifle, there is a matter that I have already mentioned to your worthy attendant, and, doubtless, you have done what I desired. I take this opportunity of sending you my humble card together with ten taels of gold. Now I await your convenience. Meanwhile, may I present my best respects and trust that your high-mightiness will condescend to reply. Your kindness shall be ever in my heart.

  The new laureate, Cai Yiquan, is His Eminence’s ward. He has just received the Imperial Command to return to his native place to visit his parents. He will pass by your honorable mansion and I trust you may find it possible to entertain him. He will be grateful for any kindness you may show him.

  From my heart, the day after the Autumn Day, your servant Zhai Qian at the Capital.

  When he had read this letter, Ximen Qing sighed. “Send a boy for a go-between at once,” he cried. “However did I come to forget all about this matter?”

  “What are you talking about?” Wu Yueniang said.

  “Comptroller Zhai, of the Imperial Tutor’s household,” Ximen said, “wrote to me the other day. He said he had no son and asked me to find a young girl for him. He does not care whether she is rich or poor, and expense is no object with him. He simply wishes to find a good girl who will present him with a son and heir. He said if I told him what I spent on wedding presents he would repay me in full. And he said he would do all he could for me with the Imperial Tutor. But I have been so busy going to the office and attending to one matter and another, that I had forgotten all about it, and Laibao has not reminded me, since he is at the shop every day. Now Zhai has been put to the trouble of sending someone all this way with a letter, and he asks me what has been done in the matter, and sends a present of ten taels. Tomorrow the messenger is coming for an answer. What can I say to him? He will be very angry. Send at once for the go-between and tell her to find a girl without delay. She need not trouble about the girl’s f
amily. She must be a good girl and somewhere about sixteen or eighteen years old, that’s all. Whatever it costs, I will pay. Wait! Why shouldn’t we send him Xiuchun, the Sixth Lady’s maid? She is a pretty girl.”

  “You lazybones!” Yueniang said, “what have you been thinking about? He asked you to get him a really fine girl, and you ought to have done so. But you yourself have not left Xiuchun alone; we can’t send her. You must treat this business as one of real importance. Sometime in the future Zhai may be very useful to you. If you let your boat drift into the rapids, how can you use your oars? It isn’t like buying ordinary merchandise, where you go to the market with your money and carry off what you like. When you are buying a girl, you must wait and give the go-between a chance, and see one after another. Some girls are good and some are bad. You don’t seem to realize that it is not a simple matter.”

  “But he wants an answer tomorrow,” Ximen Qing said. “What am I to say to him?”

  “Have you been a magistrate all this time and can’t manage a little affair like this? Tell the boy to be ready for the messenger when he comes; give him plenty of journey money and a letter saying that you have found the girl, but that her clothes and things are not ready yet, and you will send her as soon as they are. When the messenger has gone, you can get someone to find a girl for you. There will be plenty of time. That’s the way out of your difficulty, and you will have done a good day’s work.”

  Ximen Qing smiled. “You are right,” he said. He sent for Chen Jingji to write the letter. Next day when the messenger came, Ximen Qing himself went to see him and questioned him. “When does the Laureate’s boat arrive? I must get ready to welcome him.”

  “When I left the Capital,” the man said, “he had just left the court. Master Zhai said he feared the Laureate might be short of money for his expenses, and perhaps you would lend him some. Then, perhaps, you will write to Master Zhai, and he will repay you.”