The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei

by Roy, David Tod

  “Master,” said Chou Chung, “even if you increase your offer to a hundred taels, Dame Wang will still demand a go-between’s fee of an additional five taels. It would be better to drop the matter for a couple of days and then, if she still raises any objections, have her arrested and given a taste of the squeezers. Only then will she be appropriately fearful.”

  Gentle reader take note: For P’an Chin-lien, as for all of us:

  Her place of birth and place of death

  were predetermined.9

  As a direct result of these few words uttered by Chou Chung, Chin-lien would find that:

  Though her deeds were done in the past,

  Today the chickens would come home to roost.

  There is a poem that testifies to this:

  In this life, although we are not

  endowed with foreknowledge;

  The causes of disaster or good fortune

  are not to be sought elsewhere.

  Good and evil acts inevitably bring

  their appropriate results;

  The only question being whether they

  come early or come late.

  Let us put this strand of our narrative aside for a moment in order to speak of another person.

  To resume our story, after Hsi-men Ch’ing had managed to have Wu Sung sentenced to military exile in Meng-chou, he was befriended by Shih En, the son of the warden of the prison camp. Later, when Shih En was engaged in a struggle with Chiang Men-shen for control of the Happy Forest Tavern, he was wounded by Chiang Men-shen and called on Wu Sung for help, upon which Wu Sung gave Chiang Men-shen a beating. Who could have anticipated that Chiang Men-shen’s younger sister Chiang Yü-lan, who was a concubine of Military Director-in-chief Chang of Meng-chou, should collaborate with her husband in framing Wu Sung, subjecting him to a beating, and sentencing him to military exile in the An-p’ing Stockade. Upon reaching Fei-yün P’u, Wu Sung murdered the two guards who were escorting him and then returned to slaughter the entire households, old and young alike, of Military Director-in-chief Chang and Chiang Men-shen.10

  After this, he escaped to the home of Shih En, who gave him a letter of recommendation and a leather case containing a hundred taels of silver and directed him to go to the An-p’ing Stockade and seek the patronage of his friend Liu Kao, the commander of the stockade. Who could have anticipated that, while on his way, he heard that an heir apparent had been designated to reside in the Eastern Palace, and that at the Suburban Sacrifice to Heaven on the day of the winter solstice, a general amnesty had been issued to celebrate the occasion. Thus, on receipt of the amnesty, Wu Sung was able to return home to Ch’ing-ho district, where, on submitting his papers at the district yamen, he was allowed to resume his post as police captain.

  On returning to his brother’s home, he looked up his neighbor Yao the Second, who turned his orphaned niece Ying-erh back over to him. At this time Ying-erh was already eighteen years old, and he took her in to live with him.

  Upon making inquiry, he was told, “Hsi-men Ch’ing is already dead, and your sister-in-law has been expelled from his household and is currently residing at Dame Wang’s place where she is waiting to be married off.”

  When Wu Sung heard this:

  His old resentment awoke in his heart.

  Truly:

  Though you wear out shoes of iron without

  finding what you seek;

  In the end you may find it without making

  any effort whatsoever.11

  The next day, he put on his turban, donned his clothes, went straight out the door, and headed to Dame Wang’s place. Chin-lien was standing behind the blind that hung over the front door at the time, and when she saw Wu Sung coming, she promptly disappeared into the inner room.

  Wu Sung lifted aside the blind and asked, “Is Dame Wang at home?”

  Dame Wang, who was engaged in sweeping up the flour by the millstone at the time, promptly came out and asked, “Who is it that is calling for me?”

  When she saw that it was Wu Sung, she greeted him with a bow, saying, “Many felicitations,” and Wu Sung bowed deferentially in return.

  Dame Wang said, “Brother Wu the Second, congratulations! How long have you been home?”

  “On being granted an amnesty I have been able to return home,” said Wu Sung. “But I only arrived yesterday. I am much indebted to you for looking after my brother’s home all this time. I will demonstrate my gratitude to you on another day.”

  Dame Wang gave him an ingratiating smile, saying, “Brother Wu the Second, you look more impressive than before and have even begun to grow a stubble of beard. Your figure has also filled out attractively, and you have picked up a knowledge of etiquette while away from home.”

  She then offered him a seat, poured out a serving of tea, and shared it with him.

  “There is something I would like to talk to you about,” said Wu Sung.

  “What might that be, Brother Wu the Second?” asked Dame Wang. “Go ahead and tell me what it is.”

  “I have heard,” responded Wu Sung, “that Hsi-men Ch’ing is already dead, and that my sister-in-law has been expelled from the household and is currently residing here with you. I would venture to ask you to tell my sister-in-law that if she does not intend to remarry, so be it; but that if she does intend to remarry, now that Ying-erh has grown up, I would like to take her as my wife, so she could look after Ying-erh and, early or late, find someone to marry into our family as a son-in-law, so that we can:

  Keep the whole household together,

  and live out our lives, without arousing the derision of others.”

  Initially, Dame Wang was reluctant to give her assent to this proposal and said, “It is true that she is living here with me, but I don’t know whether she plans to remarry or not.”

  Afterwards, however, on hearing that Wu Sung intended to see that she was amply rewarded, she said, “Permit me to feel her out on the subject.”

  The woman, who was eavesdropping behind the portiere, heard Wu Sung say that he would like to marry her so she could help him look after Ying-erh. She also noticed that while away from home Wu Sung had grown bigger and taller than ever, had put on weight, and had learned to speak even more effectively than before.

  Her former feelings had not altered, and

  In her heart she thought to herself,

  “This marriage affinity will enable me to end up in his hands after all.”

  Thereupon, without waiting for Dame Wang to call for her, she came out herself, greeted Wu Sung with a bow, and said, “If you would really like to marry me so I can help you look after Ying-erh, and find a husband for her, that would be splendid.”

  “But there is another issue,” said Dame Wang. “The First Lady of her household is demanding a bride price of a hundred taels of ‘snowflake’ silver for her.”

  “Why is she demanding so much?” asked Wu Sung.

  “His Honor Hsi-men Ch’ing,” said Dame Wang, “originally spent enormous sums of money on her; enough to cast a silver figurine of similar dimensions.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” said Wu Sung. “Since I would like to take my sister-in-law home with me as my wife, if it costs me as much as a hundred taels, so be it. In addition, I am willing to offer you five taels of silver as a reward for your efforts.”

  Upon hearing these words, Dame Wang was pleased enough to:

  Fart ferociously and pee in her pants,

  and blurted out the words, “Brother Wu the Second, you have really acquired a knowledge of etiquette from your experiences out on the rivers and lakes the last few years. You’ve really turned out to be a fine man.”

  Upon hearing these words, the woman went into the inner room, poured a cup of strong tea flavored with melon seeds, and proffered it to Wu Sung with both hands.

  “At present,” Dame Wang went on to say, “the mistress of her household is anxious to have her disposed of as soon as possible; and there are also three or four persons of official status who ar
e competing with each other to marry her. But I have refused their offers as insufficient. You had better come up with this money as fast as you can. As the sayings go:

  The first one to cook the rice is the first to eat.

  A marriage affinity between people a thousand li apart

  connects them by a single thread.

  You wouldn’t want her to end up in someone else’s hands.”

  “If you really want to marry me,” the woman said, “you must show some urgency about it.”

  “I’ll come to weigh out the silver tomorrow,” said Wu Sung, “and invite you to come home with me that evening.”

  Dame Wang was still somewhat incredulous that Wu Sung had the stipulated amount of money at his disposal but tentatively gave her consent and allowed him to go.

  The next day, Wu Sung opened the leather case, took out the hundred taels of silver that Shih En had given him for Stockade Commander Liu Kao, wrapped up an additional five taels worth of loose silver, and went to Dame Wang’s place, where he proceeded to weigh it out with a steelyard.

  When Dame Wang saw the shiny display of silver that covered the entire tabletop:

  From her mouth no word was uttered, but

  In her heart she thought to herself,

  “Although Ch’en Ching-chi promised me a hundred taels of silver and has gone off to the Eastern Capital to get it, there is no way of knowing when he will return. No matter whether:

  Things land right side up or upside down,

  it would make no sense to:

  Refrain from ringing the bell at hand,

  In order to wait for one to be forged.”12

  When she realized that he was also offering her an additional gratuity of five taels, she promptly accepted the money and bowed to him repeatedly, saying, “Brother Wu the Second, you have really acquired a knowledge of etiquette, and:

  Understand one’s vicissitudes.”

  “Since you have accepted my silver,” said Wu Sung, “I would like to invite my sister-in-law to come and cross my threshold today.”

  “Brother Wu the Second,” expostulated Dame Wang, “you’re in too much of a hurry. You’re the type who:

  Lets off fireworks behind the gate:

  Unable to wait for evening.

  You’ll have to wait until I’ve gone to the First Lady’s place and turned over the money before I’ll relinquish her to you.”

  She then went on to say, “Today:

  You’d better don shiny new headgear, for

  Tonight you’re going to be a bridegroom.”13

  Wu Sung was unhappy about this, but Dame Wang, just as though she:

  Didn’t know any better,

  continued to banter with him and sent him on his way.

  “The First Lady from her household,” she thought to herself, “merely told me to dispose of her without settling on a particular amount. Today, I might as well simply give her ten or twenty taels of silver. At the very least, barring any monkey business, I ought to be able to make off with more than half of the asking price for the support of my family.”

  She consequently chiseled off a piece of silver worth twenty taels and went to Yüeh-niang’s place to settle accounts with her.

  “Who has agreed to take her in marriage?” asked Yüeh-niang.

  Dame Wang responded by saying:

  “When the rabbit has done exploring the hill,

  It will finally go back to its original hole.

  She is being taken in marriage by her former husband’s brother, so she will end up by:

  Eating congee out of her old pot.”

  Upon hearing this, all Yüeh-niang could do was stamp her feet in resignation.

  As the saying goes:

  When two enemies meet each other,

  Their eyes are clearer than ever.14

  Later on, Yüeh-niang spoke to Meng Yü-lou about it, saying, “In the future, she is likely to die at the hands of her brother-in-law. He is the sort of man who:

  Kills people without batting an eye,15

  and is hardly likely to spare her.”

  We will say no more for the moment about the way Yüeh-niang gave vent to her concerns back at home.

  To resume our story, in the afternoon, after Dame Wang had returned home from turning over the silver, she sent Wang Ch’ao ahead to deliver the woman’s trunks and her table to Wu Sung’s place. Wu Sung, meanwhile, had already completed his preparations, buying wine and meat and appropriate foodstuffs for the occasion.

  That evening, Dame Wang led the woman over to Wu Sung’s place. She had abandoned her mourning garments, put a new fret on her hair, dressed herself in red clothing, and wore a veil over her head. As she entered the door, she observed that the parlor was brightly illuminated with lanterns and candles, and that Wu the Elder’s spirit tablet was set up in a position of honor at the head of the room. This made her somewhat apprehensive, and she couldn’t help feeling as if:

  Her hair was being pulled, or

  Her flesh was being hooked.16

  When they had come through the door and entered the room, Wu Sung ordered Ying-erh to lock both the front and the back doors.

  Upon seeing this, Dame Wang said, “Brother Wu the Second, I’ve got to go. There isn’t anyone to be relied on at home.”

  “Venerable dame,” said Wu Sung. “Please come inside and have a cup of wine.”

  Wu Sung then told Ying-erh to bring in the food and set it out on the table. In no time at all, the wine was duly heated, and he invited the woman and Dame Wang to help themselves to the wine. Wu Sung himself, however, did not proffer any wine to his two guests, but proceeded to pour himself four or five bowls of wine and drink them down one after the other.

  When Dame Wang saw that he was getting himself nastily drunk, she said, “Brother Wu the Second, I’ve had enough wine. Permit me to go. The two of you can continue to enjoy drinking together.”

  “Dame Wang,” responded Wu Sung, “you can cut out the nonsense. I, Wu the Second, have a score to settle with you.”

  All they could hear was a swishing sound as he proceeded to whip out from beneath his clothes a two-foot long, fine-edged, thick-bladed dagger, which he gripped firmly by the hilt with one hand, while holding it to her breast with the other.

  As he:

  Opened wide his weird eyes, and

  Caused his beard to bristle,

  he said, “Dame Wang, there is no reason for you to be surprised. It has always been true that:

  For every injustice there is a perpetrator;

  For every debt there is a creditor.

  You had better not pretend to be:

  Still asleep in dreamland.

  It is you who are responsible for the death of my elder brother.”

  “Brother Wu the Second,” exclaimed Dame Wang, “it’s late at night, and you’re drunk. This business of:

  Brandishing knives and flourishing weapons,

  Is not a laughing matter.”

  “Dame Wang,” responded Wu Sung, “you can cut out the nonsense.

  Even death itself does not frighten me.17

  Wait until I have finished interrogating this whore, and I will then proceed to question you. Old pig and dog that you are, if you stir by so much as a step, I’ll give you five or seven slashes with this blade.”

  So saying, he turned around to face the woman and reviled her, saying, “Listen to me you whore. Just how did you plot to do my elder brother in? If you:

  Report the facts truthfully,18

  I may forgive you.”

  “Brother-in-law,” the woman responded, “why is it that:

  The beans are popping in this cold pot?

  It doesn’t make any sense. The fact is your elder brother died of heart trouble. What does it have to do with me?”

  Before she had even finished speaking, Wu Sung drove the point of his dagger into the tabletop with a chopping sound, gripped the woman’s hair with his left hand, grabbed her bodice with his right hand, lifted her off th
e ground, and kicked over the table with one leg, knocking the cups and saucers to the floor, and smashing them to smithereens. The woman did not have the stamina to resist as her assailant lifted her lightly over the table and dragged her into the adjacent room to confront the stand on which his brother’s spirit tablet was placed.

  When Dame Wang saw that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, she fled toward the front door but found it to be locked. Wu Sung caught up with her in large strides, doubled her over on the floor, took off the belt around his waist, and tied her four limbs together in front of her in the position known as “The Gibbon Offering Fruit,”19 so that she was completely immobilized.

  Wu Sung Kills His Sister-in-law to Propitiate His Brother

  “Captain,” she called out, “there is no reason for you to get incensed at me. It is the lady herself who is responsible. I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Old pig and dog that you are!” ejaculated Wu Sung, “I know all about it. Who else are you trying to shift the blame onto? It was you who suggested to Hsi-men Ch’ing that he get me out of the way by contriving to have me sentenced to military exile. But today, it is I who have managed to return home, while that rascal Hsi-men Ch’ing is nowhere to be seen. If you refuse to speak up, I will first carve up this whore and then proceed to kill you, old pig and dog that you are.”

  So saying, he picked up his dagger and waved it a couple of times in front of Chin-lien’s face.

  The woman hastily called out, “Brother-in-law, forgive me. If you will only let me up, I’ll tell you what really happened.”

  Wu Sung responded by jerking the woman to her feet, stripping her stark naked, and then forcing her into a kneeling position in front of the stand that held his brother’s spirit tablet.

  “You whore!” Wu Sung shouted at her, “You’d better start to talk immediately.”

  The woman was so frightened it seemed as though:

  Her soul was no longer attached to her body,20

  and she felt compelled to confess the truth. She told him how, in taking down the bamboo blind over the front door, the forked stick in her hand had fallen onto the head of Hsi-men Ch’ing; how she had made up the burial garments for Dame Wang as part of the scheme to initiate their illicit affair; how Hsi-men Ch’ing had kicked Wu the Elder in the solar plexus and injured his heart; how Dame Wang had persuaded her to obtain arsenic from Hsi-men Ch’ing and administer it to her husband; how she had arranged for him to be cremated; and how she had been taken into Hsi-men Ch’ing’s household. She gave a full account of what had happened, word for word, from beginning to end.