The old woman cut him short. “Oh, you funny young monkey,” she said. “You keep quiet! If you say a word to her, she will never forgive me and I shall not be able to go and see her.”
While Daian and old woman Feng were talking, Qintong slyly went to the window of the inner room, listened, and peeped in to see what was going on there.
Ximen Qing took a pill with the spirit, undressed himself and sat down on the side of the bed. Then he opened the case in which he kept his instruments. First he put the silver clasp on the root of his penis, and fixed a sulfur ring on top of it. Then he took a little of the red powder from a silver box, no more than the prescribed dose, and put it into the horse’s eye. The medicine worked at once. The penis’s erection was amazingly aggressive; its head swelled and the single eye opened wide; the lateral sinews stood out plainly; it was as dark as liver in color, seven inches long, and much thicker than usual. Ximen Qing was highly pleased: he decided that the medicine was a very fine thing. She sat naked on his knee, took his penis in her hands and said: “So this is why you wished to drink spirits. You wished to make him like this.” She asked Ximen where he had obtained the medicine, and he told her about the Indian Monk.
She laid herself upon the bed, with two pillows under her. He wanted to put his penis to work, but its head was so swollen that it was a long time before he met with any success, and even then he made very little progress. Eventually the juices of love flowed from her and the path became gradually easier; the prick advanced, but its head was hardly covered. Then the wine that he had drunk came to the rescue; he withdrew a little, then plunged in deep and enjoyed untold rapture. She also had an exquisite orgasm; she lay on the bed as if unable to move, and said tearfully, “Dearest of men, your wonderful prick has killed me.” Soon she whispered, “My darling, my dearest, would you like to enjoy the flower of my bottom?” He turned her onto her stomach and his penis returned to action, so violently that it made a loud noise. “Shove, darling, shove,” cried Wang Liu’er, “don’t be afraid. If you like, bring a candle, and the pleasure will be greater.” The candle was moved nearer, and below him she opened her legs wide. Ximen withdrew and plunged in, while she moved her thighs to meet him and titillated the flower in her womb with her trembling hand.
“I am going to send your husband to Yangzhou,” Ximen Qing said. “He shall go with Laibao and Cui Ben to get the salt. When that business is done, I will send him to Huzhou to buy some silk.”
“Darling,” said Wang Liu’er, “send him where you like. Why should you keep him here in idleness? But who will take charge of the shop?”
“I will put Ben the Fourth to look after the shop,” Ximen said.
“Yes,” said Wang Liu’er, “Ben the Fourth can look after it. That is a good idea.”
So these two went about the business of love and Qintong watched them through the window. Daian came along from the kitchen and tapped Qintong on the back. “You must not stand here,” he said. “Come away before they get up.” Qintong went with Daian, and Daian said to him: “In the lane behind here there is a bawdy house where there are two young girls who have but lately come. One day when I was riding that way, I happened to see them. It was at Long-legged Lu’s place. One is called Jin’er and the other Sai’er. Neither of them is more than eighteen. We will make the other boys stay here, and we will go and have some fun with the girls.”
They told the boys to watch the door, washed their hands, and said: “If we are wanted, come to the lane behind and call us.” Then they went off to the lane. The moon was shining. The lane was known as Butterfly Alley. There were not more than ten houses in it and all were for the accommodation of the public.
Daian was a little drunk. He made a loud rat-tat at the door. Some time passed. The brothel keeper Wang Ba and the procuress Long-legged Lu had been weighing silver with a balance by the light of a candle when in rushed the two boys like a couple of demons. The light was blown out, but the brothel keeper recognized Daian as Ximen Qing’s servant and asked them to take a seat.
“Call the two singing girls to sing us a song,” said Daian.
“I am afraid you are too late, masters,” Wang Ba the brothel keeper said. “They have both got visitors.”
Daian wasted no words, but dashed into the inner room. There was no light but that of the moon, but he could see two men with white felt hats on the bed. One was actually lying on the bed and the other was taking off his boots. “Who is this?” one of them cried.
“My dagger to your mother’s cunt,” Daian said, and let fly his fist.
“Ai ya,” cried the man. He ran away without troubling to put on his boots. The other got off the bed and ran away too. Daian demanded that the lamps be lit.
“The thieves, the rogues!” he cried. “How dare they ask who I am? I would have pulled out all their hair. It is lucky for them I let them get away. I ought to have sent them to the police court and let them taste the new thumbscrews there.”
Long-legged Lu came and lighted the lamps. “Please do not be angry, young masters,” she said. “They were strangers and did not know you. Don’t treat it too seriously.” She told the two girls to sing for the boys.
The two girls were wearing dresses of red and white, and their hair was done like a bundle of silk. “We did not expect you,” they said. “It is late, and we have made no preparations.” They brought four dishes of dried fruits, ducks’ eggs, dried prawns and salt fish, besides pig’s head and sausages. Daian looked closely at the girls. Sai’er had a tiny pink silk satchel for perfume, and he gave her his handkerchief in exchange for it. Then wine was brought. Sai’er took a cup and poured wine for Daian. Jin’er took up her lute, and, after offering wine to Qintong, sang this song:
In the camp of the flowers of the mist
Life is not easy.
I may not choose to sit, or yet to stand
All day I must be ready to welcome strangers.
On me the fortune of this house depends
When evening comes, the procuress
Makes me give up my earnings.
What does she care whether I live or die?
I stand beside the gate till midnight
When I come in, none asks if I am hungry.
If I must live for but a few years more
Among the flowers of the mist
My life will be a living death.
The tears drop from my cheeks like falling petals
I cannot hold them back;
Only when the iron tree comes into blossom,
Will I ever get my reward.
Jin’er finished her song, and Sai’er gave Daian a cup of wine. Then she, in turn, took the lute and was about to sing when a boy suddenly came in. Daian rose and said to Sai’er: “I will come and see you another day.” Then he went back to Wang Liu’er’s house, where Ximen Qing had got up and was drinking with his lover.
The two boys went to the kitchen and asked old woman Feng if their master had called for them. “No,” she said, “he asked if his horse had come, and I said it had. That was all.”
The boys sat down and asked old woman Feng to give them some tea. While they were drinking it, Daian told the other boys to light the lantern and bring out the horse.
Ximen Qing got up to go. “The wine is good and hot,” Wang Liu’er said to him. “Won’t you drink another cup, or are you going to have more when you reach home?”
“No, I’m not going to drink any more at home,” Ximen Qing said. He drank the cup she offered him.
“When will you come again?” the woman asked.
“I will come when I have sent your husband on this business.” The maid brought a cup of tea so that Ximen Qing might rinse his mouth. Wang Liu’er took him to the door; he mounted his horse and rode home.
* * *
Pan Jinlian was listening with the others to Nun Xue and the two young novices singing their sacred songs when she suddenly remembered that Yueniang had scolded Daian and said she did not know what tricks he was playin
g. She went to her room and found that the love instruments had disappeared. She asked Chunmei about them. “Yes, Father came here,” the maid said. “He looked in the drawers and in the bed, but I don’t know where he found them.”
“When did he come?” Jinlian asked.
“You were in the inner court with Nun Xue. I asked him what he was looking for, but he would not tell me.”
“He has taken them to the bawdy house,” Jinlian said. “I will find out when he comes back.” She went back to the inner court.
It was very late when Ximen Qing returned. He did not go to the inner court. Qintong took a lantern to light him, and they went through the garden gate to the rooms of Li Ping’er. Qintong took his master’s hat and clothes and gave them to Xiaoyu. When Yueniang saw the boy, she asked if his master had returned. “Yes,” the boy said. “He has gone to the Sixth Lady’s room.”
“The fellow hasn’t the slightest regard for decent behavior,” Yueniang said. “Here we have all been waiting for him and he doesn’t come.”
Li Ping’er went quickly to her room and said to Ximen Qing: “The Second Lady is waiting to offer you wine on her birthday. Why have you come here?”
Ximen Qing laughed. “I have had too much wine already,” he said. “I will see her tomorrow.”
“Even so,” said Li Ping’er, “you must come with me and take a cup of wine in the inner court. If you do not, you will offend the Second Lady.” She compelled him to go. Li Jiao’er offered him wine.
“Have you been alone all this time?” Yueniang asked him.
“I have been drinking wine with Brother Ying,” Ximen Qing told her.
“Of course!” Yueniang said. “I knew you couldn’t be drinking by yourself.” She said no more.
Ximen Qing did not stay very long. He staggered over to Li Ping’er’s rooms. He had not fully eased himself when he was with Wang Liu’er, because of the Indian Monk’s pill that he had taken. He had worked long and lustily, yet his weapon was harder than ever, as stiff as an iron rod. He went into the room, gave his clothes to Yingchun, and asked Li Ping’er to let him go to bed. She had not expected him and was already in bed with Guan’ge. Now she said to him: “Please go somewhere else. The baby has just gone to sleep. Besides, I am not very well. Don’t be silly. Go to somebody else.” But Ximen embraced her and kissed her.
“I particularly want to stay here,” he said. He showed her his weapon. It gave her a start.
“However did you make it so big?” she said.
Ximen Qing laughed. He told her about the Indian Monk and said: “If you won’t let me sleep here, I shall die.”
“But how can I?” Li Ping’er said. “I have been unwell for two days and I am not better yet. When I am better, I will certainly sleep with you, but please go to the Fifth Lady’s room tonight. It is all the same to you.”
“I don’t know why,” Ximen said, “but I feel I want you today. I am afraid I must insist. Tell the maid to bring some water, wash yourself, and we will sleep together.”
“You make me laugh,” Li Ping’er said. “You must be drunk or you wouldn’t behave so scandalously. Even if I do wash, it won’t be very pleasant. If, at a time like this, my juices meet a man, bad luck follows. If this means my death, I will certainly come and haunt you.”
She could not get rid of him, and, at last, she told Yingchun to bring some water, and washed herself. They got to bed together. Strangely enough, the baby Guan’ge, who had gone to sleep, woke up the moment she turned her head. This he did three times. Li Ping’er told Yingchun to give him a comforter and take him to the nurse. Afterwards, they were able to enjoy themselves more freely.
Ximen Qing sat down inside the net, and she got onto hands and knees. He plunged in, admiring the ivory white of her legs in the candlelight. He maneuvered himself to enjoy the sight of the moving prick. He reached halfway, but could go no further; she was afraid that blood would flow, and tried to dry herself with a handkerchief. Ximen struggled for an hour, and at last he held her legs apart and achieved so clear a passage that they stroked each other with their pubic hair.
His orgasm was greater than imaginable, but she said, “Come carefully, please, that hurts.”
“Now you will have all of me”, he replied. On the table there was a cool potion; when he had drunk it the sperm flowed like water. His limbs relaxed comfortably, and he felt as fresh as the spring. He was beginning to appreciate the marvel of the Indian Monk’s medicine. It was the third night watch when he went to sleep.
When Jinlian knew that Ximen had gone to Li Ping’er, she was quite sure that he had taken the instruments there. It never occurred to her that he might have been elsewhere too. She bit her lips with her silvery teeth and went to sleep.
That night Yueniang slept with the two nuns, Xue and Wang. Wang secretly gave her the afterbirth of a baby boy, which Nun Xue had made into a charm. Xue told Yueniang to pick out a renzi day, take the medicine with a little wine, and then sleep with her husband. “Do not let anyone know about this,” she said, “and you will have a baby.”
Yueniang took the medicine and thanked the two nuns. “I expected you in the first month,” she said to Wang, “but you did not come.”
“It is easy to promise,” said Wang, “but not so easy to get such things as this. Fortunately Nun Xue was equal to the occasion. She gave an old woman three qian of silver and got this from a young lady who had just given birth to her first baby. We got alum water and cleaned it, and cooked it on two new tiles. Everything was done in proper form. We sifted it through a very fine sieve, mingled it with drugs and charms, and here it is.”
Again Yueniang thanked them. Then she gave them two taels of silver and said: “If this is successful, Nun Xue shall have some yellow silk.”
Nun Xue made a reverence to her. “Your Ladyship is very kind,” she said. “Remember the proverb that says: ‘Sometimes, though we try for ten days, it is impossible to sell a load of genuine stuff; yet in one day we can dispose of three loads that are not genuine.’
CHAPTER 51
Pan Jinlian Makes Mischief
Pan Jinlian was so angry when she thought that Ximen Qing had taken the love instruments to Li Ping’er that she tossed about the whole night through. She hated Li Ping’er. The next morning, when she knew that Ximen had gone to the office, she went to the inner court to see Wu Yueniang.
“The Sixth Lady,” she said, “has been saying nasty things about you behind your back. She says you take undue advantage of your position and that you are overbearing. Last night, she says, our husband came in drunk and went to her room. She was in the inner court, and you shamed her before everybody there. She was angry, went to the other court and forced him to come to your room. He didn’t wish to come, and went back again to her as soon as he could. They talked all night. He has given himself to her, heart, entrails and all.”
This made Yueniang very angry. Aunt Wu and Meng Yulou were present, and she said to them: “You two were here yesterday. I said nothing that anyone could take exception to. When the boy brought the lantern, I asked him why his master had not come, and he said his master had gone to the Sixth Lady’s room. Then I said: ‘The Second Lady is expecting him and he ought to come.’ There was nothing wrong about that. What does she mean by saying that I take undue advantage of my position? I used to think she was a good woman, but, evidently, I was judging by appearances, and did not realize what her mind was like. You never can tell. Now I see that she is like a needle hidden out of sight, a thorn in the flesh. How do I know what stories she may have been telling my husband? No wonder he was so anxious to go and see her yesterday. But never mind, my foolish lady. Even if he goes to you every day, it shall not worry me. You can have him, you people who cannot bear the strain of widowhood. Think of it! But when I first came here, and that rogue treated me without due respect, I managed to survive.”
“Lady,” Aunt Wu said, “say no more. There is the child, you know. Those in authority always have much to put up wi
th. You are the mistress of the house, and the mistress is like a jar that has to hold all sorts of water. Both good and bad are your portion.”
“One of these days,” Yueniang said, “I will certainly ask her what she meant by saying I was overbearing.”
This alarmed Jinlian. “Sister,” she said, “you must forgive her. There is an old saying that tells us that the truly great do not concern themselves with the doings of those who are less worthy. And what person of that baser sort is without faults? We all suffer from the way she talks to our husband, especially I, who am her nearest neighbor. If I were as bad as she, there would be desperate trouble. And things are by no means better for us now that she has had this baby. She says more. She says that when her son grows up, there will be kindness for those who have been kind to her and revenge for those who have been unkind to her. We shall all die of starvation. But, of course, you knew nothing of this.”
Aunt Wu said: “Lady, how can you say such things?” Yueniang said nothing.
When people get to discussing matters in this way, there are always some who speak for fire and some who speak for candles. Ximen’s daughter, Ximen Dajie, was friendly with Li Ping’er, who had always given her needles, thread and cloth when she wanted them. She had given her fine silk and other things besides, and two or three excellent handkerchiefs. She never expected any return. So, when Ximen Dajie heard this conversation, she naturally went to tell Li Ping’er.
The Sixth Lady was sitting in her room making a charm for the baby to wear at the Dragon Boat Festival. She was also making different kinds of millet dumplings and delicacies to eat. When Ximen Dajie came in, she asked her to sit down, and told Yingchun to bring some tea.
“When we asked you to come and take tea with us, why didn’t you come?” Ximen Dajie said.
The Golden Lotus, Volume 1 Page 81
