“You have been so kind to us,” Li said, “that, of course, we shall not be slow to pay. As soon as we recover the money, we will bring it to you before we touch a penny ourselves.” They checked the silver, thanked Ximen Qing repeatedly, and withdrew.
Ying Bojue was going too, but Ximen pressed him to stay. While they were talking, Ping’an came and said: “Laibao has come back from the Eastern Capital.”
“There,” Bojue said, “didn’t I tell you yesterday that he was due back?”
Laibao came in and kowtowed to Ximen Qing. “Did you see Uncle Zhai? What happened about this business of Guijie’s?” Ximen asked him.
“I saw Uncle Zhai himself,” Laibao said. “As soon as he had read your letter, he sent a man to the Minister. I went with the man, and the Minister told me that he would have had all the prisoners released, seeing that we came from his Eminence’s palace, but, unfortunately, the matter had been taken up by Grand Marshal Huang, and all he could do was to prevent any further pursuit of those who had escaped. He said he must keep in jail those who had already been taken. But eunuchs, he said, never carry things to a conclusion and, before long, the Grand Marshal will have forgotten all about the matter. Then it will be easy to settle the matter of the prisoners.”
“In that case, Qi Xiang’er will not be arrested,” Bojue said. “The little strumpet is in luck’s way.”
“Uncle Zhu and the others will probably receive some slight punishment,” Laibao said, “but I don’t think they will be sentenced.” He took Zhai’s letter from his pocket and gave it to his master.
“Old Sun and Pockmarked Zhu can never have dreamed that I would come to their rescue,” Ximen Qing said.
“But you have such a kind heart, Brother,” said Bojue.
“Uncle Zhai seemed very pleased to see me,” Laibao continued. “He asked whether you were going to the Capital to congratulate the Imperial Tutor on his birthday. I did not dare to say you were not going, so I said very probably you were. Uncle Zhai said it would be very nice of you to go and see him.”
“I never had any idea of going,” Ximen Qing said, “but, after what you have said, I shall have to go.” Then he said: “You must be tired. Go to the inner court for some refreshment and then rest. I shall want you to go to Yangzhou in a day or two.”
Laibao went out. Ximen Qing went to tell Li Guijie. He said to Bojue: “You stay here. I shall be back in a moment.” But Bojue was anxious to go after Li and Huang. He said: “I must go now, but I will come back.” He went away.
When Ximen Qing came to Wu Yueniang’s room, Guijie had already heard the news. She hastened to kowtow to Ximen Qing and Yueniang. “Father and Mother,” she said, “it is only by your kindness that I have been rescued from desperate straits. I don’t know what I can do for you in return.”
“Since you came to us,” Yueniang said, “we could do no less than get things put right for you. If we had not done our best, there would have been no point in your coming.”
“Father and Mother,” Guijie said, “you have saved my life, but that little whore Qi Xiang’er had no claim on you, and you have saved her too. She made a lot of money; she involved me in her own trouble, and we have treated her well. I can’t help feeling she is in our debt.”
“Yes, indeed,” Ximen Qing said, laughing, “the little whore has come out of it very well.”
They talked for a while, then Guijie prepared to go away. “My mother has not heard the news,” she said. “I must go and tell her or she will go on worrying. I will come again with her to thank you.”
“Very well,” Ximen said. “I will not keep you. Go home and tell your mother.”
“You must have something to eat before you go,” Yueniang said. Guijie declined. Again she thanked Ximen Qing, Yueniang, and the others.
“You are safe now,” Ximen Qing told her, “but see that in future you have nothing to do with that young man Wang.”
“Father,” Guijie said, “what are you talking about! How could I even let him touch me! Why! if I meet him in the street, I shall be done for. It was not I who asked him to come the other day.”
“That is all right,” Yueniang said. “Only don’t see him any more. There is no need to be so positive about it.” They sent for the sedan chair and saw the girl off.
Ximen Qing told Yueniang he was thinking of going to the Eastern Capital.
“If you make up your mind to go,” said Yueniang, “we must begin to get things ready at once, or you will be rushed.”
“I have already got ready the things for the Imperial Tutor’s birthday, the dragon gong, the embroidered stuffs, and the golden flowers,” Ximen said. “Only my personal baggage is not ready yet.”
“Oh, your things will be no trouble,” Yueniang told him. Ximen Qing went to see Li Ping’er.
The next day Ximen was sitting in the arbor. He told Chen Jingji to write a letter to Censor Cai. This was the letter for Laibao to take. He gave Laibao some money and told him to start for Yangzhou the following morning.
Several days passed. The Imperial Tutor’s birthday was drawing near. Ximen Qing picked out an auspicious day and told Qintong, Daian, Shutong and Huatong that they were to accompany him. They were to get their things ready. Wu Yueniang, Meng Yulou, Pan Jinlian, and the others packed Ximen’s clothes and the things he needed for the journey. With the presents there were more than twenty loads. On the eve of his departure, the ladies gave a feast in honor of their husband, and afterwards he went to Yueniang’s room to sleep with her.
The next day he sent off in advance the loads and his baggage and procured a passport so that his things might be cleared through all the stages on the way. When he had attended to these details, he went to see Li Ping’er and his little son Guan’ge.
“Take care of yourself,” he said to Li Ping’er. “Whenever you need any medicine, just send somebody to Doctor Ren. I shall be back before long.”
Li Ping’er said good-bye to him with tears in her eyes. “Be careful on the way,” she said to him. Then she went with him to the great hall where Yueniang, Yulou, Jinlian, and the others were waiting. All together they escorted him to the gate. Ximen got into a light sedan chair and, with the four boys on horseback, set out for the Eastern Capital. Every day they rose early to continue their journey, and every night they rested at an inn or post stage. The scenery was delightful. The travelers they met were mostly civil and military officers going with their presents to the Capital to congratulate the Imperial Tutor on his birthday.
In ten days they reached the Capital. They entered by the Gate of Ten Thousand Blessings, and, as it was late, they went straight to the Arch of Dragon Virtue to see Zhai.
When the Comptroller heard that Ximen Qing had come, he hurried out to welcome him. They greeted one another and tea was served. Ximen Qing told Daian to have the baggage brought in, but Zhai bade his own servants attend to it. A banquet was served in honor of Ximen’s arrival. A table of carved horn was set and there were some very rare dishes. It would have been perfection if only there had been dragons’ livers and phoenix marrow. Even the Imperial Tutor himself could not have done better. The servants brought wine. Zhai offered a cup to Heaven, then to Ximen Qing. Ximen offered a cup in return. Fruits and dishes followed one another like water flowing in a stream.
After drinking two cups of wine, Ximen Qing said: “I have come specially to celebrate his Eminence’s birthday and have brought with me a few trifling gifts for him. But I am afraid he may refuse them, and, to be candid, I should like you to go to him and speak to him about me. Besides, I hope that his Eminence may take me under his guardianship. If he will do this, I shall be happy all the rest of my life. But it may be difficult to persuade him.”
“There will be no difficulty,” said Zhai. “Though his Eminence is the most powerful of his Majesty’s subjects, he is somewhat susceptible to praise and flattery. Let him but see the value of the presents you have brought him, and not only will he accept you as his ward, he will see that you
get promotion.”
Ximen Qing was delighted to hear this. They went on drinking and, after some time, Ximen said he had drunk enough. Zhai pressed him to drink one more cup, but Ximen said he had serious business to attend to on the morrow and he dared not drink too much. But, being pressed, he did drink one cup more.
Zhai saw that the boys were served with refreshments and invited Ximen Qing to go and rest in a study in the inner court. A bed with silken curtains and bedclothes, exquisitely perfumed, had been made ready and there were many servants to wait upon him. Ximen Qing lay down alone upon the bed. This was something to which he was not accustomed, and he found it hard to pass the night. Before dawn he was anxious to get up, but all the doors were shut and he had to wait till sunrise. Then a man came with a key and opened the doors; boys came with water and towels, and Ximen Qing dressed. Zhai came in and sat with him. A servant brought a red box in which were thirty different kinds of delicacies and a silver wine pot. The wine was poured and they ate their breakfast.
“After breakfast,” the Comptroller said, “I will go before you to the palace and speak to his Eminence about you. I will let you know when to send the presents.”
Ximen thanked him. They took a few cups of wine with their breakfast and the table was cleared. “Sit here,” Zhai said to Ximen Qing. “I must go, but I shall be back very soon.” It was indeed only a short time before he was back again. “When I got to the palace,” he said, “his Eminence was washing. There was a host of civil and military officers waiting to congratulate him on his birthday, but not one of them had seen him yet. I spoke of you to him, and you must go at once. There is a crowd at the palace. I will go first and you can join me there.” He went away again.
Ximen Qing was delighted. He ordered his own servants and asked some of Zhai’s servants to carry the presents to the palace. Dressed in ceremonial robes and hat, he got into his sedan chair. A host of officials, great and small, all come to congratulate the Prime Minister, were pressing shoulder to shoulder and back to back. In the distance Ximen Qing saw one officer, also sitting in a sedan chair, near the Arch of Dragon Virtue. When he looked more closely he recognized his old friend Miao of Yangzhou. At the same time Miao recognized him. They got down from their sedan chairs, bowed, and saluted one another. Miao was a rich man and now held a very comfortable position. He had attached himself to the Imperial Tutor’s faction, and had come, like the rest, to congratulate his Eminence on his birthday. So they chanced to meet. They were both eager to get on to the palace and did little more than greet one another, exchange addresses, and then separate. Ximen Qing came to the palace, bowed, and entered through the Great Archway. There Zhai met him.
Ximen Qing noticed that the middle gate was shut and that the officers were all coming in by the gates at the side. He asked Zhai the meaning of this and was told that the Emperor had once passed through that door and, ever after, it must be closed to ordinary men. Ximen Qing followed the Comptroller through one door after another. Each was guarded by a military officer. There was excellent order everywhere. The military officers bowed to Zhai and asked who Ximen Qing was. Zhai told them that Ximen was his relative from Shandong, come to congratulate his Eminence. They went through more doors and down more passages. Everywhere were carven pillars and painted beams. Music could be heard faintly. It seemed to come from heaven. “The palace is far distant from any other place,” Ximen said. “Where is the music coming from?”
“His Eminence,” Zhai said, “has commanded the attendance of twenty-four girl dancers. They know all such dances as the Dance of the Evil One, the Rainbow Skirt Dance and the Dance of Guanyin. They play every day when my master breakfasts, dines, and sups. At present he is taking his breakfast.”
Ximen Qing smelled some incense that he had never smelled before, and the music seemed nearer. “Step softly,” said Zhai, “we are quite close to his Eminence’s study.”
They went through another passage and came to a great hall that seemed to Ximen Qing like the palace of the angels. Outside were storks and peacocks and many strange birds. There were the Hortensia flowers that confer Eternal Life, Flowers of the Sacred Cloud, and the Fusang Plant; flowers that never faded, blossoming so luxuriantly that the eye could scarce bear to dwell on them. Ximen Qing did not dare to press forward. He asked Zhai to go before him.
They went into the hall. In the midst of it stood a great throne with a tiger skin thrown over it, and, on the throne, sat a man robed in a gown with dragons embroidered upon it. This was his Eminence the Imperial Tutor. Behind a screen were twenty or thirty exquisite maidens in a row, all dressed after the fashion of the court. Some held kerchiefs, and some held fans with which to refresh his Eminence. The Comptroller stood beside him, and Ximen Qing kowtowed four times. His Eminence rose and, standing upon a rug, returned the salutation. It was the first time they met.
The Comptroller approached the Imperial Tutor and whispered. Ximen Qing knew that he was being spoken about, and again kowtowed four times. Now the Imperial Tutor did not rise. It was a sign that he was prepared to accept Ximen as his ward. Then Ximen spoke and called him “Father.”
“Your son,” he said, “has nothing to offer. I have brought no more than a few trifles in honor of your most illustrious birthday. It is as though one brought a feather for ten thousand li. But may your Eminence live as long as the Mountains of the South!”
“You are very kind,” the Imperial Tutor said. “Please sit down.”
An attendant gave Ximen Qing a chair. He bowed twice and sat down. Tea was brought. Zhai went out and ordered the presents to be brought in. There were more than twenty loads. They were brought and laid before the steps. A small box was opened and the inventory taken from it. It said: One crimson dragon robe; one green dragon robe; twenty rolls of Hanfigured satin; twenty rolls of Sichuan silk; twenty rolls of foreign cloth; other rolls, forty, both plain and figured; a girdle of a lion’s head in jade; another girdle mounted in gold of tagaraka wood; of jade goblets and horn goblets, each ten pairs; four pairs of golden wine cups with flowers for decoration; ten fine pearls and two hundred taels of gold. These were the present.
The Imperial Tutor looked at the inventory and then at the twenty loads of offerings. He was pleased and thanked Ximen Qing. Then he told Zhai to have them sent to the treasury and called for wine to entertain Ximen Qing. But Ximen remarked that his Eminence was very busy. He rose and prepared to take his leave. “Very well,” said the Imperial Tutor, “but come this afternoon.” Ximen Qing bowed and went out, the Imperial Tutor taking a few steps with him. Zhai went farther, but he too was busy and had to return, and Ximen Qing went back alone to the house. There he took off his hat and girdle and had dinner. After dinner, he went to the study and slept for a while. Then a man came and asked him to go and see the Imperial Tutor. Ximen gave the man some gold and put on his robes. He told Daian to make up a number of parcels of silver and put them into a box. The four boys followed him as he made his way again in a sedan chair to the Imperial Tutor’s palace.
His Eminence sent invitations to all who came to congratulate him upon his birthday, but these invitations were spread out over a period of three days. The first day was reserved for members of the Royal Household and the eunuchs, the second for ministers and officials of high rank, and the third for the commoner class of officers. But Ximen Qing was a stranger and had offered so magnificent a present that his Eminence was pleased with him and gave him a special invitation. He even came to receive his guest. Ximen very politely begged the Imperial Tutor to go before him. He bent his back and walked delicately.
“It has been very kind of you to come such a long way especially on my account, and to give me such a splendid present,” his Eminence said. “I trust you will take a meal with me that I may at least show my inclination for you.”
“My life in this world,” Ximen said, “is entirely dependent upon your Eminence’s kindness. The trifles I brought are not worth mentioning.”
They chatted and jo
ked together as though they really were father and son. The twenty-four beautiful maidens played for them, and attendants brought wine. His Eminence desired to offer Ximen a cup of wine. Ximen expressed his unworthiness, but, being pressed, rose and drank a single cup. They sat down. Then Ximen Qing bade Shutong bring a peach-shaped cup of gold. He filled it to the brim and, taking it, knelt down before his Eminence and said: “Live for a thousand years.” The Imperial Tutor smiled.
“Stand up, my son,” he said. He drank the wine.
Ximen Qing rose and took his place again. The food served was so rare and varied that it can hardly be described. Ximen Qing stayed until sunset. Then he distributed the packets of silver among the attendants and took his leave of the Imperial Tutor. “Father,” he said, “you have much to do and I must not detain you. I shall not trouble you again.” Then he left the palace and returned to Zhai’s house.
The next day he decided to visit Master Miao and told Daian to find out where he was staying. Daian discovered that he was at a house outside the Imperial City belonging to a eunuch named Li. Ximen Qing went there with Daian. The boy presented Ximen’s card and Master Miao came out. “I was hoping that some good friend would come and have a chat with me,” he said. “You have come at the right moment.” He insisted that Ximen should stay for dinner. There was a magnificent spread of food of every kind. Two very handsome singing boys came and sang several songs.
“These two foolish boys,” Ximen Qing said, pointing to Daian and Qintong, “can only eat and drink. They cannot compare with your two boys.”
Miao smiled. “I’m afraid they will not be of much use to you, but, if you really like them, I shall be only too glad to give them to you.”
Ximen Qing said: “ I dare not accept anything that you must appreciate so much yourself.” They did not stop drinking till very late. Then Ximen said good-bye to Miao and returned to Zhai’s house.
For eight or nine days, nearly all the important officials at the palace sent invitations to Ximen Qing. Then he felt anxious to get home and ordered Daian to pack up his baggage. The Comptroller pressed him to stay one day more. This he did. The two men drank together and treated one another as though they were blood relations. Then Ximen Qing set off on his way back to Shandong.
The Golden Lotus, Volume 2 Page 3