The Golden Lotus, Volume 1

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  Jinlian said nothing. She pushed him aside and went to wash herself. The happiness they enjoyed that night is beyond description.

  The next day was the twenty-third and a renzi day. Yueniang got up and dressed herself. She told Xiaoyu to set out a table, and on it she placed an incense burner and burned some precious incense. Then she placed on the table a volume of the Scripture of the White-robed Guanyin. Yueniang knelt towards the west, added more incense, and opened the book. She read it once and knelt down once, and so twenty-four times, reading and kneeling time and time again. She took the medicine from a small box, put it on the table and knelt down four times. Then she made this prayer: “The woman Wu prays to Heaven most high that, by the help of this medicine, prepared by the nuns Xue and Wang she may be blessed with a male child.” She took the wine that Xiaoyu had warmed and knelt towards the west again. Then she swallowed the pills and the powders. When the medicine passed her throat, it tasted very fishy, and she had to gulp it down. She made reverence four times more, then went back to her own room and remained there.

  The next day, when Ximen Qing had got up in Jinlian’s room, he sent Shutong with a card to thank Huang and An for the banquet they had given him. Ying Bojue came. He made a reverence to Ximen and said: “Brother, what time was it when you came back from Liu’s place yesterday?”

  “They were very kind and pressed me to drink a great deal of wine,” Ximen said. “I had a long way to come home, and it was after the first night watch when I got here. I was drunk. That is why I am so late getting up.”

  Daian brought breakfast, and the two friends ate it together. A servant came and announced their Excellencies An and Huang. Ximen Qing dressed, and told the servants to make haste and clear the table. Ying Bojue disappeared into another room. An and Huang got out of their chairs and greeted Ximen Qing. They came in, and the servants brought tea.

  “We were lacking in politeness last night,” the two gentlemen said.

  “You were most kind,” Ximen said, “and I was just thinking of coming to see you when you arrived.”

  “You cannot possibly have been satisfied with your entertainment or you would not have left so early,” said An.

  “I fear I was very drunk last night,” Ximen said. “When it was time for me to leave, noble Liu gave me more than ten cups of grape wine. I was almost sick as I rode home, but I managed somehow to control myself. I have only just waked up and even now I am not quite sober.”

  They laughed, drank three cups of wine, then talked for a while and took their leave. Ying Bojue said he had business to attend to and went home.

  Ximen Qing went to the inner court and had lunch. Afterwards, he got into a sedan chair and went to pay a return call upon An and Huang. He had two red present cards written and told Daian to buy two sets of presents. These he took with him.

  That evening, when he came home, Yueniang had made every preparation for him. As soon as he arrived she told Xiaoyu to bring food and heat wine. Husband and wife sat together. “Last night,” he said, “I was drunk and you wouldn’t let me stay. You tried to pretend you were not well, but you were only fooling me.”

  “No,” Yueniang said, “I really was not well. Why should husband and wife not be free and open with one another?”

  Ximen Qing drank ten cups of wine, ate some fish and some duck, then would not eat any more. Yueniang told her maids to clear away. Xiaoyu perfumed the bedclothes. They bathed and went to bed. That night they enjoyed delight beyond all measure. Yueniang’s monthly sickness was just over, and she had every reason to hope that the joy she sought would be granted her. She was as lively as a fish in the water. So a child was conceived.

  The next day, when Ximen Qing got up, Yueniang prepared for him lamb, wine, eggs and kidneys, and he went to his office. When he returned, he went to Li Ping’er’s room to see Guan’ge. He found her nursing the baby.

  “Some time ago,” she said to him, “I vowed to make a sacrifice, but I have not done so. These last few days, every time I go for a certain purpose, I lose a little blood. I ought to carry out my vow, but, so far, I have been too busy.”

  “If you like,” Ximen Qing said, “I will send Daian for Nun Wang and you can talk to her about it.” He gave the necessary instructions to Daian, and the boy went away at once.

  Shutong came and said: “Uncle Ying and Uncle Chang are here.” Ximen Qing went out to see them.

  “The other day, when Xie Xida and I had wine with you,” Bojue said, “I told you about that matter of Huang and Li, and you promised they should have the money.”

  “But where am I to find the money?” Ximen said.

  “The other day you promised. Why have you changed your mind? Brother, don’t try to pretend. You are such a rich man that it is no use your professing not to have any money. You must give them some.”

  Ximen Qing did not answer. He looked at Chang Zhijie.

  “It is a long time since I last saw you,” Chang Zhijie said. “How is your young son?”

  “Thank you,” Ximen said. “My wife has just been telling me that she is anxious to have a service for him. I have sent for a nun called Wang to see about it.”

  “When people have money,” Ying Bojue said, “children make a great difference. When a child comes into the world, he needs the utmost care. It is like planting seeds. They must be watered when they are young if they are ever to come to anything. My little brother is more valuable than ten thousand pieces of gold. He is a pearl upon your palm. You can’t help taking more care of him than common people do. There is always trouble with children in their second year, the sixth, and again in the ninth. There is always danger of smallpox and scarlet fever. Forgive my plain speaking, but I feel that you should indeed offer sacrifice for your child, and so secure the happiness that you have already. If my sister-in-law wishes it, it must be done. Then your troubles will end and the rearing of the baby will be a simple matter.”

  Daian came and said: “Nun Wang was not at the temple. She had gone to Wang’s palace. I went there to look for her. After I had waited a long time, she came out and I gave her the message. She promised to come at once.”

  Ximen continued his conversation with Ying Bojue and Chang Zhijie. Shutong brought them tea.

  “Brother,” Ying Bojue said, “you have been very kind to me, but I have never ventured to ask you to come and see me, because my house is so unsuited for your entertainment. But if you are free tomorrow or the day after, I hope you and Brother Chang will come and spend a day with me in the country, and so give me an opportunity to show my friendship.”

  “I am sure you cannot fail to appreciate the motives of my friend Ying, and I hope you will accept his invitation,” said Chang.

  “I am not busy tomorrow,” Ximen Qing said, “but I do not like to bother you.”

  “I cannot remember the number of times I have bothered you,” Bojue said. “Besides, I am making no very great preparations. Just a poor cup of wine.”

  “I will keep tomorrow free for you,” Ximen said.

  “I have engaged the young actors,” Bojue said, “but perhaps it would be more satisfactory to have two singing girls.”

  “Don’t let that trouble you,” Ximen said, “I will arrange for Wu Yin’er and Han Jinchuan to come.” He told Qintong to go at once to the two singing girls and tell them that, the next day, they must go to the park outside the city.

  Before long, Nun Wang came. She made a reverence to Ximen Qing. “You sent for me,” she said. “May I hear your commands? I was at his Lordship Wang’s place and could not get away before.”

  “This is the situation,” Ximen Qing said. “When Guan’ge was born, we promised to have a service of thanksgiving, but we have been so busy that we have omitted to do so. We wish to give thanks to Heaven for protecting him so far and letting him grow so big. In the first place, I wish to thank Buddha for his favor, and, secondly, to forestall any calamities and troubles that might be in store for him, and ensure his long life. So I sent for you.�
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  “The young master’s body is worth ten thousand pieces of gold,” Nun Wang said, “and we must trust in Buddha’s protection for him. Your Lordship may not know it, but in the Sacred Scriptures of Buddha it is written that in the world of men there prowl demons and devils whose business it is to inflict injuries upon people and destroy their children. When a child dies before its birth, or in its infancy, some demon is always responsible. The best thing we can do for your son will be to read the sacred texts and implore the assistance of Buddha. Anything else would be inappropriate.”

  “What is the most suitable form for our devotions to take?” Ximen Qing asked.

  “First,” Nun Wang said, “we will go through the scripture of the Master of Medicine. Then, I suggest that we prepare two Tuoluo charms. They cannot fail to be efficacious.”

  “And when will you begin reading the scriptures?”

  “Tomorrow is an excellent day; I will have the service at my temple.”

  Ximen Qing agreed. Nun Wang went to the inner court to see Yueniang and the others. They were with Li Ping’er. She made a reverence to them all. Yueniang said: “We are anxious for you to do something for the baby. When will you do it?” Nun Wang said that she would begin at her temple the following day. Xiaoyu brought tea for her.

  “Teacher,” Li Ping’er said to her, “I have something to say to you.” The nun begged her to speak. “Since I have had this baby,” Li Ping’er said, “I have never been quite well. When you read the sacred scriptures, pray for me too. I will see that you are well paid for it.”

  “That will be no trouble,” Nun Wang said. “When I write out the prayers, I will put down your name. That is all.”

  End of Volume One