The Golden Lotus, Volume 2

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  “Where are you living now, my good nephew?” the old man said.

  Jingji hesitated a long time, and at last said, “I will tell you the truth. It is like this....”

  “Dear, oh dear!” the old man said. “So you are now a beggar. And yet, if I remember rightly, you come of a very respectable stock. Your father was a great friend of mine. But you were a little boy then, and had your hair dressed in a knot, and were going to school. Can it be possible you have come down to this? I am very sorry for you. Have you no relative who can help you?”

  “There is my Uncle Zhang,” Jingji said, “but he has not come to me, and I don’t feel I can go to him.”

  The old man took Jingji into his house. He told his boys to bring food and cakes and bade Jingji eat as much as he could. Then he saw how poor and thin the young man’s clothes were, and found for him a long black cloth gown, a felt hat, and a pair of strong winter shoes and socks. He gave Jingji a tael of silver and five hundred coppers.

  “Good nephew,” he said, “these clothes and shoes are for you to wear and this money is for you to spend. Rent a little room and start yourself in business with this tael of silver. You will at least be able to make something to eat that way, and it seems to me better than staying at the Beggars’ Rest, where you are bound to go downhill. When you have found a room, come and tell me what the rent is and I will pay it for you.”

  Jingji knelt down on the floor and thanked the old gentleman. He promised to do what he was told and went away with the money. But he did not go to look for a room, nor did he start a business. He spent the coppers in a wineshop, and changed the tael of silver into base money and spent it in the street. Then the police arrested him as a common thief and, when he was taken to the police station, he was well beaten. He came away with nothing but the torn flesh on his back.

  In a couple of days he had gambled his clothes away, and even taken off his socks to change them for food. Then he went back to begging on the street.

  One day he again went past old Wang’s door, and the old gentleman was standing outside. Jingji came and kowtowed to him. The old man looked at him and saw that the clothes and socks had gone. He had only the hat on his head and the boots on his bare feet. He was shivering with cold.

  “Master Chen,” the old man said, “how is your business getting on? I suppose you have come for the rent for your room.”

  Jingji could not think what answer to make. At last, when the old gentleman pressed him, he said what had happened and how everything the old man had given him was gone.

  “Ah, my good nephew,” the old man said. “That is no way to make a living. You are no use for manual labor; you must get some sort of little business. It is much better than this begging. If you become a beggar, people will look down on you, and you will bring disgrace upon your father and grandfather. I wonder why you did not do what I told you.”

  Again the old man took Jingji into his house and ordered a boy to bring him food. When he had finished eating, the old man gave him a pair of trousers and a white cloth gown, a pair of socks, a string of coins, and some rice.

  “Take this,” he said, “and do start some business. Even if you sell fire-wood or charcoal or beans or melons, you can at least make a living, and it is surely better than begging.”

  Jingji promised and took the money and the rice away. In a few days he had spent all the money on food and meat and noodles that he shared with the beggars in the Beggars’ Rest. Then he went gambling and sold the white cloth gown.

  It was the beginning of the year, and, clasping his shoulders with his hands, he went wandering about the streets. He felt very shy about approaching the old man again, but nonetheless went to the old man’s place and stood in the sun beside the wall. The old man saw him, but looked at him with cold eyes and said nothing. The young man came up hesitatingly, knelt down, and kowtowed. Then the old man found out again how Chen Jingji had spent his money.

  “Good nephew,” he said, “you are off the track altogether. Our bellies are as deep as the sea, and time flies as quickly as a weaver’s shuttle. Nobody can help you to fill a bottomless pit. Come in. Now, let me tell you. I know of a quiet and peaceful place. It would be the very best place for you, but I fear you will not wish to go there.”

  Jingji, kneeling before him, wept and said: “Uncle, if you will only take pity on me once more, I will go, no matter where you send me, and stay in peace there.”

  “Not far from the Linqing wharf,” the old man said, “there is a temple called the Yangong temple. It is a place that produces rice and fish, and much business is done there. The Abbot is a good friend of mine. He has only two or three novices at present and, if I take you to him with some presents, I think he may accept you. It will be very good for you to learn how to read the sacred books and perform sacred music. Then you will be able to offer divine worship for people.”

  “Uncle, I am very grateful to you. It is an excellent idea.”

  “If you are willing,” the old man said, “come here early tomorrow morning. It is a good day, and I will go with you to the temple.”

  Jingji went away. The old man sent at once for the tailor and told him to make a religious habit, a hat, shoes, and socks for Chen Jingji.

  The next day, Jingji came to the old man’s house. He was sent into an empty room to take a bath. Then he combed his hair and put on the new hat, and dressed himself in a whole suit of new clothes. The old man took fruits, a jar of wine, a roll of silk, and five taels of silver. He mounted a horse and gave Jingji a donkey to ride. Two boys went with them and carried the presents. They went outside the city and came to the river, about seventy li away. The sun was setting when they came to the temple. Old Wang dismounted and went in. The pine trees were very luxuriant, and the dark cypress trees were massed closely together. The walls were shaped like the character pa. On the north side were three rooms. It was a very handsome temple.

  The young monks at the gate saw them coming and went to tell the Abbot. He came out to receive them dressed in his robes. The old man told Jingji to stay with the presents outside, and went in with the Abbot. When they came to the Abbot’s apartments, the priest said: “My lord Wang, why have you been so long without coming to see me? Why am I favored today?”

  “I have been very busy, or I should have come to see you before,” the old man said.

  They sat down and young monks brought tea.

  “It is late,” the Abbot said, “and you will not be able to go away this evening.” He gave orders that the old man’s horse should be taken to the stable.

  “I have come to this most venerable temple to ask a favor of you,” old man Wang said. “I can only hope that you will grant it.”

  “Give me your orders,” the Abbot said, “and I shall not fail to obey.”

  “I have brought with me a young man, the son of an old friend. His name is Chen Jingji, and he is twenty-four years old. He is very handsome and not lacking in intelligence. But his parents died while he was still young and his upbringing has been neglected. His family is a very estimable and noble one. At one time they were rich, but they were unfortunately compelled to go to law, and now the young man is homeless. Because of the old friendship between his father and myself, I have suggested that he should come and become a monk in your temple.”

  “Since that is your wish, how dare I refuse?” the Abbot said. “Unhappily, though I have two or three novices here, none of them has any intelligence and they give me a great deal of trouble. All I should like to know is that this young man is honest.”

  “I can assure you, Sir, that he is most well-behaved. He is painstaking and clever in all things. I am sure he will make an excellent novice.”

  “When will you bring the young man?” the Abbot said.

  “He is waiting outside at this moment. I have also brought a few humble presents that I ask you to accept with a smile.”

  “My lord,” the Abbot said, “why did you not say so before?” He gave orders that the young
man should be brought in. The servants carried in the presents. The Abbot looked at the card: ‘Your humble disciple Wang Xuan respectfully offers a roll of coarse silk, a jar of wine, a pair of pig’s trotters, two roast ducks, two boxes of fruits, and five taels of silver.’

  The Abbot quickly made a reverence to the old man. “Why do you give me such a valuable present?” he said: “it would be rude for me to refuse, and it embarrasses me to accept.”

  He looked at Jingji, who was wearing a Daoist hat, gown, and shoes, and a girdle about his waist. He had beautiful eyebrows and bright eyes. His teeth were bright, his lips red, and his face as white as though it were powdered. He stepped forward and kowtowed four times to the Abbot.

  The Abbot asked how old he was.

  “My animal is the Horse,” Jingji said, “and I am twenty-four.”

  The Abbot realized that Jingji was indeed intelligent. He gave him the name Chen Zongmei. The other novices were called, one Jin Zongming, and the other, Xu Zongshun. Old Wang asked the Abbot to introduce Jingji to the others. The Abbot accepted the presents; boys brought a light and the table was set. There was plenty of food on the table, and, needless to remark, chickens, ducks, fish and meat. Old man Wang could not drink very much and, though the Abbot tried to persuade him, he soon refused any more and, asking leave to retire, went to bed.

  The next morning, boys brought him water and, when he had dressed, the Abbot came to offer him tea. Then they had breakfast and, after it, the old man drank two cups of wine. His horse was well fed, and the Abbot gave a present to each of the two boys.

  Before the old man went away, he sent for Jingji. “Work hard,” he said, “at learning the Sacred Scriptures, and obey the orders your Teacher gives you. I will come and see you again, and bring clothes, shoes and socks for you at every season.”

  “If he does not obey you,” he said to the Abbot, “punish him. I shall not blame you.”

  Then he took Jingji aside. “You must cleanse your mind and change your ways,” he said. “Learn. If you still remain as bad as you have been, I shall cease to trouble about you.”

  Jingji promised, and the old man went home. So Jingji was established at the temple, and became a novice.

  The Abbot was elderly and red-nosed. He was tall and had a loud and resonant voice. His beard was long; he was a good talker and a good drinker. He spent all his time receiving visitors. The business of the temple was managed by the novice, Jin Zongming. At that time, the government had just completed the canal and built two sluices at Linqing to control the water. So all boats, whether those of officials or people, had to stop there, and it was customary for those who traveled upon them to visit the temple. Some said prayers, some offered gifts, some came in quest of miracles, some came to do works of charity. They gave cloth and money and rice, oil, paper and candles. Some gave poles and mats.

  With the money that he could not spend, the Abbot had set up a money-changing shop and a rice store on the river, and put his novices in charge of them, taking the profit for himself.

  Jin Zongming was not a good young man. He was about thirty years old, and spent much of his time in the bawdy house. He was a great fellow for wine and women. He had some younger novices of his own, very smart, good-looking boys, and spent the night with them. When Chen Jingji came, Zongming saw how handsome he was, how white his teeth and how red his lips. He seemed so intelligent that he could make his eyes speak for him in place of his mouth. So he asked the young man to come and sleep in his room. In the evening they drank and, when Jingji was drunk, they went to bed together. At first, one had his head at one end of the bed and the other at the other end. But Jin Zongming complained that Jingji’s feet smelled, and asked him to come over the other way. Then he complained that Jingji’s breath was bad, and asked him to turn his face around. Jingji pressed his back against the other monk’s stomach and said nothing, feigning sleep. Then Jin Zongming’s penis became firm and erect like a spear. He smeared it with spittle and plunged in. When Jingji had been living among the beggars, two of his companions had misused his bottom and stretched it, so the monk’s path was now easy. Jingji still said nothing. “This fellow will fall into my hands,” he thought. “He doesn’t know who I am and he can’t do me much harm. I will let him have a taste and then I will get hold of his money.”

  He suddenly cried out. Jin Zongming was afraid the Abbot might hear, and covered the young man’s mouth with his hand.

  “Brother,” he said, “don’t make a noise. Tell me anything you want and you shall have it.”

  “I will not tell anybody,” Jingji said, “if you will promise me three things.”

  “Good Brother,” Zongming said, “do you say three things? I am ready to promise ten.”

  “Very well,” Jingji said. “If you want me, you must leave the other boys alone. You must let me have the keys of all the rooms. And, if I go anywhere, do not ask me where I have been. If you like to promise these three things, you can do whatever you wish.”

  “I will do everything you say,” Zongming said. They spent half the night in their wild pursuits. Jingji had been a dissolute young wastrel and knew all the tricks of the trade. He used these tricks for the benefit of Jin Zongming, who was perfectly delighted. The next day, he gave all the keys to Chen Jingji. He kept his promise that he would sleep no more with the boys.

  Days passed and Jin Zongming was always singing the praises of Jingji to the Abbot. The Abbot believed him and bought a priest’s diploma for Jingji. He was not suspicious, and the young man frequently took money and went to the town. There, one day, he met a certain Chen the Third who told him that Feng Jinbao’s mother was dead. The girl herself had been sold to Zheng’s bawdy house and given a new name. She was now frequenting the wine houses in the street. Chen the Third asked Jingji if he would like to see her. Jingji had not forgotten his old love for the girl. He took his money and went to a large wineshop. He had been happy enough before, but now it was as though he met her whom he had loved for five hundred years.

  Do not spare your clothes of silk and gold

  Do not let your youth be wasted.

  When you see a flower that is ripe for gathering,

  Gather it.

  Wait not till all the flowers are faded

  For then only bare branches will remain

  For you to gather.

  The wineshop to which they went was the finest in Linqing. It was known as Xie’s wineshop, and had more than a hundred rooms. There were green balconies with, at the back, a little hill and, at the front, the river. It was in a very busy position, and all the boats called there.

  The sun shines on the carven eaves

  The painted columns shimmer in the air.

  There are low green rails under the great windows

  And long green curtains hanging there.

  Young noblemen play the flute and the sheng

  Singing girls and dancing maidens serve the wine

  And bear the wine jars.

  The drinkers feast their eyes on the blue sky

  And the cloud-covered mountains.

  Water and mist, like snow of good omen,

  Take away the breath.

  The wild birds sing in the green willows

  And horses in gay trappings

  Are tethered to the willow beside the door.

  Chen the Third took Jingji in, and they went into a small room. He bade the waiter bring wine and food and send them a singing girl from downstairs. They heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and Feng Jinbao came into the room. She was carrying a little gong. She made a reverence to Chen Jingji. When the two lovers met, they could not prevent their tears from falling.

  Jingji asked her to sit down with them. “Where have you been since I last saw you?” he asked her.

  Feng Jinbao dried her tears. “After I came out of prison,” she said, “my mother died. The shock had been too much for her. Then I was sold to Madam Zheng the Fifth. But lately, few people have come to see me, and I have had to go t
o the street to pick up business. Yesterday Master Chen told me that you had a money-changing shop here. I was anxious to see you, and at last my wish has been fulfilled. I have thought of you all the time.” She began to weep again.

  Jingji took out his handkerchief and dried her tears. “Sister,” he said, “do not worry any more. I am all right again now. When I came out of prison, I had to spend all my money. Then I went to the Yangong monastery and became a priest. The Abbot trusts me absolutely, and I shall be able to come and see you as often as I like. Where are you living?”

  “I am at Liu the Second’s place,” Feng Jinbao said. “It is west of the bridge. He has more than a hundred houses, all occupied by singing girls. Most of them come to the wine houses during the day.”

  They sat side by side and drank together. While the wine was being warmed, Chen the Third gave her a lute and she sang for them.

  Tears fall in pairs

  Tears fall in pairs

  Three cups of wine at parting

  Three cups of wine at parting

  The phoenix and his mate are together no more

  The phoenix and his mate are together no more.

  Over the mountaintop

  The slanting sun sinks gradually to rest.

  Beyond the mountain the sun sets.

  Now the sky is dark and the earth is gloomy

  They do not wish to part

  They do not wish to part.

  When they had had wine enough, Jingji and Feng Jinbao went into a small room and did the work of love. It was a long time since Jingji had touched a woman, and he was very eager. Now that he had found Feng Jinbao, he put forth all his strength. They wished that they might never make an end, but at last they did so, and put on their clothes again.

  It was late. Jingji left Feng Jinbao. He gave her a tael of silver, and three hundred coppers to Chen the Third. “Sister,” he said to the girl, “we will meet here again. Whenever you want me, ask Chen the Third to tell me.” He paid three qian of silver for the wine and then started back for the temple. Feng Jinbao went with him and left him at the bridge.