Hai-t’ang then addressed her, saying, “You managed to drink what Yüeh-kuei offered you. If you don’t drink what I offer you, the mistress will beat me instead.”
This threw Auntie Hsüeh into such a state of consternation that she got down on her knees, so her torso looked as though it were sticking straight out of the ground like a post.
“That will do,” said Ch’un-mei. “Bring a pastry over for her to eat, so she can manage to get down the rest of the wine.”
Yüeh-kuei did as directed, saying, “Auntie Hsüeh, no one is more considerate of you than I am. I have saved these corn flour pastries with rose-flavored stuffings for you to eat.”
She then presented her with a large plateful of stuffed rose-flavored cream puff pastries.
Auntie Hsüeh ate only one of them, after which Ch’un-mei said to her, “You can tuck the rest into your sleeve and feed them to that cuckold of yours when you get home.”
Auntie Hsüeh then drank the wine and endeavored to hide her embarrassment as she took the servings of smoked pork and salt-cured goose from the platter, wrapped them up, first in absorbent grass paper and then in cloth, and stuffed the package into her sleeve. Hai-t’ang obstinately insisted on getting her to drink another half goblet of wine. Only upon seeing that she was about to throw up did she desist and clear away the utensils.
Ch’un-mei then said to Auntie Hsüeh, “Come back to check on things tomorrow, and we will weigh out the silver for the young maidservant you brought with you.”
She also sent Hai-t’ang to ask for Sun Erh-niang’s opinion of her, and, upon returning, she reported, “She said she would like to keep the maidservant and requested that you would pay the asking price for her.”
As Auntie Hsüeh was about to say farewell and go out the door, Ch’un-mei said to her, “Auntie, you must not persist in:
Pretending to be both deaf and dumb.
That pair of ornaments inscribed with auspicious clouds that you brought me is not well enough made. You should bring me a set of better ones to look at another day.”
“I understand,” responded Auntie Hsüeh. “My Lady, would you please have one of your maidservants accompany me, lest the dog should bite my leg.”
Ch’un-mei laughed at this, saying, “Our dog knows what he is doing. He stops biting when he reaches the bone.”
She then sent Lan-hua to escort Auntie Hsüeh as far as the postern gate.
To make a long story short, at sunset that day, Commandant Chou Hsiu came back from his round of inspection, accompanied by a squad of cavalry with their identifying insignia, carrying blue command standards, and followed by another contingent holding long spears with decorated handles. When he entered the rear hall, the attending maidservants took his official cap and outer garments, after which he went into the master suite to see Ch’un-mei and his young son and was:
Delighted in his heart,
as he sat down to join them. Yüeh-kuei and Hai-t’ang brought him a serving of tea, after which he recounted the events of his tour of inspection that day. Before long, a table was set up, and a meal was served; after which, the candles were lighted, goblets were brought out, and they proceeded to have a drink together.
Upon his asking if anything had happened that day, Ch’un-mei fetched the note and gave it to the commandant to read, saying, “It seems that over at Wu Yüeh-niang’s place, thus and so, the page boy P’ing-an stole some head ornaments and has been arrested and incarcerated by the police chief Wu Tien-en, who has not allowed her to reclaim the stolen objects, and beaten the page boy in order to induce him to falsely accuse Yüeh-niang of engaging in hanky-panky with Tai-an. In the hope of extorting money from her, he is threatening to forward the case to the prefectural and district authorities.”
When the commandant had finished reading the note, he said, “This case falls within the jurisdiction of my office. How can he propose to forward it to the prefectural or district authorities? This rascal, Police Chief Wu Tien-en, is acting outrageously? I will issue a summons for him tomorrow and deal with him myself.”
He then went on to say, “I have heard that this police chief Wu Tien-en used to work as a manager in their household. It was only because he was sent by his employer to deliver some gifts to Grand Preceptor Ts’ai Ching in the Eastern Capital that he was able to obtain this office. How can he do such an about-face and bring a false accusation against his former benefactors?”
“It is just as you say,” remarked Ch’un-mei. “See what you can do to take care of the matter on her behalf tomorrow.”
Of the events of that evening there is no more to tell.
The next day, he sent a message to Wu Yüeh-niang telling her to draft a written deposition on the matter and have it delivered to him. He then made out a certified document in the courtroom, written on stationery with decorative borders, and placed it in an envelope. The document read: “The Office of the Regional Military Command of Shantung, with regard to a case of larceny, requests the appearance of the relevant police chief and the culprit before his court. Delivered by the inspectors Chang Sheng and Li An. The above request is mandatory.”
Wu Tien-en Acts Treacherously and Suffers Disgrace
The two of them, thereupon, took the document with them and proceeded to go first to Wu Yüeh-niang’s residence. Yüeh-niang treated them to wine and food and gave each of them a tael of silver as a reward for their efforts. Since Manager Fu Ming was still confined to his bed at home, Yüeh-niang’s brother, Wu the Second, agreed to accompany them to the police station.
Police Chief Wu Tien-en, on seeing that P’ing-an had been incarcerated for two days without anyone from Hsi-men Ch’ing’s household offering to grease his palm about the situation, was in the very act of ordering a clerk to draft a document forwarding the case to the prefectural and district authorities, when the two emissaries from the office of the Regional Military Command showed up and delivered the certified document to him. When he saw that the inscription in red ink on the envelope indicated that both he and the culprit were ordered to appear before the commandant, and opened and read the enclosed deposition by Wu Yüeh-niang, he was thrown into a state of panic. Doing his best to placate Li An and Chang Sheng, he gave them each a tip of two taels of silver, wrote up a document about the case, and then took the accused with him as he made his way to the office of the Regional Military Command. Upon arriving there, he had to wait for what seemed like half a day before the commandant took his place on the bench, with soldiers and jailers lined up to either side, and ordered them to be brought before him.
Police Chief Wu Tien-en handed up the document he had drafted, and after the commandant had read it, he said, “This case is one that falls under the jurisdiction of this office. Why have you not forwarded it to me for a decision, but chosen to procrastinate this way, no doubt in the hope of obtaining a bribe? It is clear that you are guilty of malfeasance.”
Police Chief Wu Tien-en pleaded, “Your humble servant was just in the process of drafting a document to forward to Your Honor when your summons unexpectedly arrived.”
“You dog of an official!” the commandant cried at him. “This conduct of yours is detestable. How high an official are you to try to manipulate the law this way, in defiance of your superiors? I have been commissioned by the Emperor himself to protect this territory, apprehend thieves and bandits, command the military forces, and oversee the canals and waterways. My jurisdiction over these matters is clearly established. How can you feel entitled to arrest a suspect without reporting it to higher authorities, and have the culprit tortured and beaten in the endeavor to get him to falsely implicate innocent parties? It is obvious that you are guilty of malfeasance.”
When Police Chief Wu Tien-en heard this accusation, he tore off his official cap and proceeded to kowtow before him at the foot of the steps.
“I really ought to prosecute you, you dog of an official,” said the commandant, “but I will let you off this once. If you commit the same offense in the future, however, I
will see to it that you are indicted and arraigned.”
He then had P’ing-an brought before him and said, “You slave, you are not only guilty of stealing objects but have also given false evidence implicating your employer. If every slave were like you, people would not dare to employ servants.”
Turning to his attendants, he said, “Give him thirty strokes with the heavy bamboo; and seal up the stolen objects so that their original owner can send someone to repossess them.”
He then called Wu the Second before him and gave him a receipt entitling him to take custody of the objects in question, and gave a card to Chang Sheng to take back to Hsi-men Ch’ing’s residence, indicating that he had performed the favor that had been asked of him. Wu Yüeh-niang gave Chang Sheng some wine and something to eat and rewarded him with a tael of silver, after which he went back to report to Commandant Chou Hsiu and Ch’un-mei.
Police Chief Wu Tien-en not only had arrested P’ing-an in vain but had lost quite a few taels of silver for his pains. Wu Yüeh-niang saw to it that the head ornaments and the buckle were returned to their owner, who recognized them as his original objects and took them away without saying a word. When Manager Fu Ming had arrived home, he came down with an acute intestinal fever and was bedridden for seven days when, because it was not properly treated:
Alas and alack,
he died. When Yüeh-niang realized how much trouble it had caused her, she directed that the pawnshop should accept the repayment and redemption of property that had already been pawned but should not pay out anything in return for pawned objects in the future. She merely had Wu the Second and Tai-an continue to operate the wholesale pharmaceutical shop at the front of their property and employed whatever proceeds were made from day to day to cover her household expenses. Now that this matter has been explained we will say no more about it.
One day, Wu Yüeh-niang summoned Auntie Hsüeh and offered her three taels of silver as a reward for her successful intervention.
“I don’t want it,” responded Auntie Hsüeh. “I fear that if word of it gets to the commandant’s household, the young mistress will think ill of me.”
“I am much indebted to you,” responded Yüeh-niang, “but:
Heaven would hardly condone letting you go
unrewarded for your pains.
I will not mention it to her the next time I see her, that’s all.”
Thereupon, she bought four platters of delicacies, along with a freshly slaughtered pig, a jug of southern wine, and a bolt of satin fabric, and entrusted them to Auntie Hsüeh to deliver to the commandant’s household as an expression of her thanks to Ch’un-mei. Tai-an donned a black silk jacket, put the card with the list of gifts into a gilt lacquer box, and accompanied her on her way to see Ch’un-mei. Upon arriving there, Auntie Hsüeh led him
into the rear hall where Ch’un-mei came out, wearing a gilt-ridged cap, gold hairpins and combs, and the ornament with its nine phoenixes on her head, an embroidered jacket on her torso, and a brocade skirt, and accompanied on either side by the maidservants and wet nurses in her service. Tai-an promptly proceeded to kneel down on the floor and kowtow to her.
Ch’un-mei ordered a table to be set up and provided with tea and delicacies for Tai-an and then said to him, “What I did didn’t amount to anything. Your mistress ought not to have done all this on my behalf. What need was there for her to take the trouble to send all these gifts to me? I am sure that my husband Commandant Chou will also refuse to accept them.”
“My mistress says,” responded Tai-an, “that the settlement of that problem caused by P’ing-an the other day was entirely owing to the efforts expended on her behalf by His Honor and Your Ladyship. This doesn’t amount to anything. These:
Paltry and insignificant gifts,
are proffered to the two of you to dispense as you see fit.”
“I do not feel right about accepting them,” said Ch’un-mei.
“Venerable Lady,” said Auntie Hsüeh, “if you refuse to accept them, the sender will hold it against me.”
Ch’un-mei then invited the commandant to come in and consult with her, after which, they agreed to accept the pig, the wine, and the delicacies, but to return the bolt of fabric. They then gave Tai-an a handkerchief and three mace of silver for his pains and also rewarded the bearer who had carried the gift box with two mace of silver.
Ch’un-mei then asked him, “How is your mistress’s infant son doing?”
“The little boy is a very playful sort,” responded Tai-an.
She then went on to ask, “Tai-an, when did you put up your hair and start wearing a hair net; and when did you and Hsiao-yü get married?”
“It was during the eighth month,” replied Tai-an.
“When you get home,” said Ch’un-mei, “be sure to convey my greetings to your mistress, and tell her how grateful I am for her generous gifts. I would like to invite her to come by for a visit, but the commandant is going to leave on another tour of inspection sometime soon. Next year, during the first month, on her son’s birthday, I intend to come pay her a visit.”
“If you plan to do so,” said Tai-an, “I will not only tell my mistress about it when I get home but also offer to come escort you there when the day arrives.”
When they had finished speaking, Tai-an prepared to leave, and Auntie Hsüeh said to him, “You go ahead. The mistress wishes to say something else to me.”
Tai-an thereupon escorted the bearer of the gift box on the way home and, on seeing Yüeh-niang, told her, thus and so, “The commandant accepted only the pig, the wine, and the delicacies but has returned the bolt of fabric. Ch’un-mei invited me back to the rear compound, gave me a serving of tea and something to eat, asked how Hsiao-ko was doing, and how things were going in the household, rewarded me with a handkerchief and three mace of silver, and the carrier of the gift box with two mace of silver, and asked me to convey her greetings to you, and thank you for your generous gifts. Initially, she refused to accept any of the gifts, but Auntie Hsüeh and I finally persuaded her to accept the delicacies, the pig, and the wine, although she insisted on my bringing back the bolt of fabric. She would have invited you to come by for a visit, but the commandant is due to set out on another tour of inspection in a few days. Next year, during the first month, on Hsiao-ko’s birthday, she plans to come here for a visit.”
He then went on to explain, “She occupies the master suite of five rooms; was wearing a brocade skirt, an embroidered jacket, and a gilt-ridged cap; looks plumper than she used to; and is waited on by a considerable number of maidservants and wet nurses.”
“Did she really say that she is planning to come visit us next year?” asked Yüeh-niang.
“She really did say just that,” responded Tai-an.
“When the day comes,” said Yüeh-niang, “we will have to send someone to escort her here.”
She then went on to ask, “Why has Auntie Hsüeh not appeared?”
“When I prepared to leave,” said Tai-an, “she was still seated there engaged in conversation and told me to go on without her.”
From this time forth, the two households resumed their social relations without interruption. Truly:
The way of the world responds to cold and warmth;
Human prestige is thereby enhanced or diminished.
There is a poem that testifies to this:
Success and failure, flourishing and decay,
are controlled by fate;
Everything is determined by the year, month,
day, and hour of birth.
Those who harbor ambition in their breasts
may achieve their goals;
But those whose purses are devoid of money
cannot depend on talent.5
If you want to know the outcome of these events,
Pray consult the story related in the following chapter.
Chapter 96
CH’UN-MEI ENJOYS VISITING THE POOLS AND PAVILIONS OF HER OLD HOME;
COMMANDANT
CHOU HSIU SENDS CHANG SHENG TO LOOK FOR CH’EN CHING-CHI
Households that are solid without but hollow within
must cover their deficiencies;
In entertaining guests and responding to associates
their expenditures are great.
When one’s horses have died and one’s servants fled
it is hard to host a banquet;
When towers are foundering and buildings collapsing
pipes and voices are silenced.
One’s leased farmland and rented commercial outlets
must revert to their owners;
One’s collections of antiques, or gold and jewelry,
are given to female peddlers.
If one wishes to borrow something temporarily from
some well-to-do household;
How can one ever hope to open one’s mouth without
suffering embarrassment?
THE STORY GOES that:
Light and darkness alternate swiftly;
The sun and moon shoot back and forth like shuttles,
and, before long, it was the twenty-first day of the first month of the following year. Ch’un-mei, after consulting with Commandant Chou Hsiu, prepared a sacrificial table, replete with four kinds of preserved fruit, and a jug of southern wine, and sent their servant Chou Jen to deliver it to Wu Yüeh-niang. In the first place, it was the third anniversary of Hsi-men Ch’ing’s death; and in the second place, it was Hsiao-ko’s birthday. Yüeh-niang accepted the gifts and rewarded Chou Jen with a handkerchief and three mace of silver; after which, she hastened to arrange for Tai-an to don his black livery and deliver an invitation to Ch’un-mei to come pay her a visit. The invitation read as follows:
Deeply moved by your bountiful gifts, our humble household has hastily prepared a meager potation as a deferential compensation for your generous largess. It is our ardent wish that you will deign to mount your elegant equipage and condescend to pay us a visit. Our gratitude for your favor will know no bounds.
Respectfully indited by the lady, née Wu, of the Hsi-men household and addressed to the dressing table of the virtuous and venerable consort of His Honor Chou Hsiu.
The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei Page 47