‘Believe it or not, the crickets. The season is too early. The few that are around are mostly very small. I tested and rejected a lot of them. Finally, I heard loud chirps coming from beneath a massive stone slab. There must have been dozens of them, because a veritable cricket concert was going on. I dug a couple of holes, took a blade of grass and tried to pry out the insects, but they wouldn’t budge. So I poured some water from my drinking flask down the hole. Sure enough, a small cricket sprang out and landed in my net. As soon as I saw it, I knew I was in luck. It was so feisty! While I was examining it, a bigger one crawled out and hopped into the air. I caught it just in time! The two of them are both great fighters! The best!’
‘How can you tell?’
‘Remember the testers I caught earlier? I pitted them against one another and these two ended up with the best record.’
‘What do you feed them?’ Baba asks.
‘I grind up boiled rice, tofu and apple and put the mixture in their cages. I like to hear them sing, so I sleep with them next to my pillow. Their songs bring me good luck.’
‘How do you know so much about crickets?’
‘Cricket fighting is taken very seriously in the village where I was born. Every summer, my Baba would take me to the northern hills to hunt for crickets. He’d organize cricket fights and place bets on them.’
‘Did he win lots of money?’ Gege asks eagerly.
‘Sometimes, but not very often. People cheat a lot.’
Ah Zhao turns away, and it’s clear he doesn’t want to talk about this any more.
‘How does one cheat in a cricket fight?’ Baba says.
Ah Zhao is smiling again. ‘Easy! You paint a scent on your cricket’s head; a scent that crickets don’t like. Your cricket soon gets used to it, but the other crickets smell it and walk away without fighting.’
‘Fascinating!’ Baba says, caressing his beard thoughtfully.
‘Baba, why are you so interested in crickets, all of a sudden?’ I ask.
‘Little Sister, you are so observant! The truth is, I am obeying orders from my boss, Commissioner Ye.’
‘Commissioner Ye!’ Gege exclaims. ‘What does he want?’
‘His niece, Lady An Kai , is the Emperor’s favourite concubine. She has persuaded His Majesty to set up a championship cricket match on her birthday at the Palace. Her Royal Highness wants to win, so she asked my boss to send her a few good fighters. My boss told them it’s not cricket season yet, but Lady An Kai doesn’t want to wait until autumn.’
‘My two crickets here will be Lady An Kai’s prize-fighters!’ Ah Zhao avows with confidence.
‘Are they male or female?’ Gege asks.
‘Both are males. Female crickets don’t fight.’
‘Let’s have a trial match between them now!’ Gege says, rubbing his hands gleefully in anticipation. ‘My little one against your big one.’
‘We need to name them first,’ Ah Zhao says. ‘Any suggestions?’
‘I’ll call mine Brave Heart!’ Gege shouts.
Ah Zhao turns to me. ‘Would you like to name the big one?’
‘How about Valiant Warrior?’ I suggest.
‘Valiant Warrior he will be!’
Ah Zhao places the two crickets inside a basin. ‘Old Master!’ he says to Baba. ‘Do you wish to make a bet?’
‘No money today. But I think Gege’s Brave Heart will win.’
The two insects are looking at one another, face-to-face, but there’s no interaction. Ah Zhao plucks a bristle from his paintbrush and gently teases the two long feelers protruding from Valiant Warrior’s head. Suddenly Valiant Warrior raises his head and opens his fangs. Brave Heart springs into action in response. The two fall on one another violently. They push and pull and wrestle. It’s over in an instant.
Sadly, I see Valiant Warrior turn away in retreat, while Brave Heart jerks his body, tilts his tail, spreads his wings and begins to chirp a victory song, loudly and triumphantly.
Gege raises his fist in delight as if he has won the fight himself ! ‘The winner!’ he cries. ‘Brave Heart the champion!’
‘That was merely the first round,’ Ah Zhao says, smiling. ‘Didn’t I tell you this is a three-round match?’
He removes the two crickets from the basin and places them in a box made of paper. This time, Valiant Warrior refuses to advance no matter how much Ah Zhao pokes him with his bristle. Meanwhile, Brave Heart is marching forward and rattling his feelers aggressively. Seeing this manoeuvre, Valiant Warrior turns round and retreats to the edge of the box with his feelers pointed downwards.
‘Valiant Warrior is admitting defeat,’ Baba says. ‘He doesn’t want to fight any more. No second round, I’m afraid.’
‘Don’t be so sure,’ Ah Zhao says. ‘Watch this!’ In one motion, he scoops Valiant Warrior into his hand, makes his hand into a fist and shakes it a few times, then throws the insect into the air with a flourish. Ten seconds later, he catches the flying Valiant Warrior in mid-air and repeats the routine five times. Finally, he places Valiant Warrior opposite Brave Heart in the paper arena.
This time, things are different. Valiant Warrior faces Brave Heart without flinching, obviously eager for combat. They pause for a second before fencing one another with their feelers. Brave Heart soon spreads his mandibles. Not to be outdone, Valiant Warrior does the same. Their jaws inter-lock. They push and pull for a few seconds.
Gege and Baba sit on the side of Brave Heart, while Ah Zhao and I are perched behind Valiant Warrior. Ah Zhao hands each of us a blade of beard grass to stimulate the insects. Everyone looks on with trepidation. Gege and Baba cheer loudly at Brave Heart’s every move throughout the contest. I say nothing, but can feel my heart racing.
Suddenly Valiant Warrior wrestles Brave Heart to the ground and gets on top of him. Brave Heart retreats into a corner while Valiant Warrior breaks into song.
We can hardly believe our eyes!
‘Talk about reversal of fortune!’ Gege says dejectedly. ‘How did you turn Valiant Warrior from loser to winner so fast?’
Ah Zhao shrugs his shoulders. ‘It’s well known that a cricket that loses a match will refuse to fight again until the next day. But I’ve seen gamblers toss losing crickets into the air and turn them into instant winners by making them fly. I think something happens to crickets when they fly…’
‘They start winning!’ I exclaim, full of admiration. ‘You’re so smart!’
‘What about the third and final round?’ Gege says. ‘To be fair, you must let both of them fly for a little while before they face one another.’
‘Ah! But life is not fair!’ Ah Zhao proclaims.
‘You have another trick up your sleeve!’ Baba says.
‘That’s right, Old Master! Watch this!’ He twists a tiny piece of paper round the bristle from his paintbrush, walks to the cage with the frog and touches the frog gently with the paper.
‘What are you doing?’ Gege asks.
‘Scoop up a cricket in each hand, toss the two crickets in the air and make them fly. Good! Now catch them and hold them in your fists. Which one do you want to win?’
‘Brave Heart!’ Gege shouts.
‘Brave Heart it will be! Is he in your left hand? Good! Release him into the arena and let me apply my magic lotion.’ He corners Brave Heart and rubs the papered bristle against him.
‘What’s that for?’ I ask.
‘Crickets don’t like the smell of slime from certain types of frogs. It repels them. Why don’t you make Valiant Warrior fly in the air a few more times while Brave Heart gets used to the scent of frog’s slime on his own body? Good! Now he’s ready. Let’s go!’
Ah Zhao places Brave Heart into the basin and signals Gege to release Valiant Warrior. The two crickets face one another. Brave Heart advances aggressively, but Valiant Warrior takes one whiff and turns away, refusing to fight. We’re amazed and delighted.
Baba produces a long string of copper coins from his sleeve and turns to Ah Zhao. ‘Well
done! You provided us with a lot of entertainment this morning. Thank you. If you can spare your crickets, I would like to buy them and have you deliver them to Commissioner Ye. Take these coins, go to the market and bring back a couple of gourds for transporting the insects. Keep the change.’
He hands me the string of cash to give to Ah Zhao. It’s surprisingly heavy. About five hundred round metal coins are strung together with a sturdy piece of red silk, knotted at the end. Each coin has a large square hole in the middle. Surrounding the hole are four inscribed characters, one along each side of the square. ‘Circulating Treasure of Song,’ I read. A thought suddenly strikes me.
‘These coins are heavy, Baba! What if you buy something really expensive? How would you carry all the coins?’
‘You use silver ingots instead of coins,’ Gege replies. ‘One thousand coins are the same as one ounce of silver – and there’s fei qian (flying money) as well, isn’t there, Baba?’
‘You’re right!’ Baba says. ‘Nowadays we use flying money to buy really expensive items… such as houses and land.’
I feel confused by the idea of flying money. ‘Does it have wings and fly away?’
‘No wings,’ Baba laughs. ‘It’s called flying money because it’s made of paper, and can be blown away by a puff of wind.’
‘But paper is cheap!’ Gege frowns. ‘How did paper money become more valuable than copper coins or silver ingots?’
‘As Little Sister pointed out just now, long strings of copper coins are too heavy to carry around. So rich merchants started storing their coins at businesses such as pawnshops. In return, the pawnbroker would give a piece of paper, stating how many coins each merchant had placed with him. When someone needed to withdraw his money, all he had to do was bring his piece of paper to the pawnshop. This practice has been going on since the Tang Dynasty.
‘About one hundred years ago, the Emperor ran out of copper coins. So His Majesty began issuing official paper money, printed and guaranteed by the government, instead of coins. Nowadays we use coins to buy small things, and flying money for big purchases.’
‘Well, I won’t need any flying money or silver ingots today,’ Ah Zhao says. ‘I can place the crickets in my homemade bamboo cages and deliver them to Commissioner Ye that way.’
‘Your cages are too flimsy,’ Baba says. ‘Gourds are sturdier and more practical for transporting crickets. I don’t want those insects to die. Go to the market and bring back two gourds. While you’re shopping, I’ll write to my boss and tell him about the tricks Lady An Kai can learn to improve her luck with crickets. Transfer your crickets into the gourds when you come back, then deliver the whole lot to the Commissioner at his yamen (government office).’
‘Yes, Old Master!’ Ah Zhao says, beaming with pleasure. ‘In your note, please tell the Commissioner that these two crickets are special. I think they were probably marshals commanding great armies in their past lives. Their souls are filled with fighting spirit and potent qi (energy). They will do their owner proud!’
‘Enough!’ Baba says sternly. ‘I don’t need you to tell me what to write. On your way!’
‘I’m going with Ah Zhao to choose the gourds!’ Gege says. He turns to Baba. ‘May we go on horseback, to save time?’
‘I want to go too!’ I say, reluctant to be left behind. ‘Please, Baba, please?’
‘You’ll slow us down!’ Gege protests. ‘Besides, you don’t even know how to ride.’
‘Come with us, Baba! Please!’ I plead. ‘Let’s all go. Will you take us in your carriage?’
As Baba hesitates, we hear a cough and the unctuous voice of old Ah Wang. ‘Good morning, Old Master, Young Master and Little Miss,’ he says, ignoring Ah Zhao as if he doesn’t exist. ‘Teacher Lai has arrived, but Young Master and Little Miss have not had their breakfast yet.’
‘I’m not hungry,’ Gege says.
‘Nor am I. We don’t want any breakfast,’ I add.
‘Tell Teacher Lai to go home,’ Gege announces airily. ‘Baba’s boss, Commissioner Ye, has ordered us to go shopping today. He’s giving Confucius and Mencius a holiday. Instead, Baba’s taking everyone to the market in his carriage!’
Baba is obviously in a good mood, because he laughs and waves Ah Wang away.
10
Visit to the Capital
Instead of sitting with Baba and me inside the carriage, Gege insists on joining Ah Zhao and our coachman Little Chen (Xiao Chen ) on the driver’s bench. Baba and I sit side by side in the vehicle. I’m really excited to be going to the city because I’m seldom allowed out of the house. My last outing was three years ago when my grandmother Lao Lao, Niang’s mother, died and we buried her in the cemetery.
Although our house is only three li (about one mile) from the city gate, the countryside around us is dewy and tranquil. The air smells fresh, trees are turning green and flower buds dot the fields with splashes of colour.
As our horses trot past the farms, I see peasants bent over their crops, and men and boys ploughing their fields with the help of water buffaloes. On the narrow pathway, our carriage competes for space with goatherds, cow hands and pig farmers shepherding their animals to market. Little Chen wends his way skilfully along the muddy country lane, which soon broadens into a wider road. We pass many small, modest homes as well as a few mansions, similar to ours, before joining the main city highway. The traffic gets heavier as we roll along and we overtake many pedestrians, some carrying heavy loads balanced on shoulder-poles. Further on, we drive past a train of camels, ox-drawn carts laden with goods, donkeys with animal carcasses or sacks of grain slung across their backs, wheelbarrows, porters staggering under heavy loads, as well as rich men in palanquins and sedan chairs, borne by bearers. Young men on horseback gallop past at high speeds. All of us are headed in the same direction. There’s very little traffic going the opposite way.
As we approach the city, the noise around us increases. We hear our coachman’s yells intermingled with the sound of horses’ hooves, the singsong calls of street vendors and the jingling bells of ox-drawn carts. Our carriage rolls along, weaving deftly between buildings, carts, animals, pedestrians and open stalls. The narrow streets are lined with pottery kilns, artists’ studios, iron foundries, shoe-repair stalls and all manner of workshops. I see numerous stands piled high with wine jars, sacks of grain and fresh vegetables.
‘Where are we, Baba?’
‘We’re at the open market, just outside the city proper. Ah Zhao used to work at a store close by the Nine Dragons’ Teahouse, next to the river. They serve the best noodles in Bian Liang and I happen to have a daughter who loves noodles…’
‘Oh, Baba!’ I cry. ‘Are you taking me to a teahouse? I’ve never set foot in one before.’
‘Why not? Don’t tell your Niang, that’s all. You’re still young enough to go to a teahouse with your Baba. Once a girl gets married, her husband will never allow her to go to such places.’
‘Married! Who’s getting married?’
‘You will, one day not too far away!’ Baba says, smiling. ‘Your Niang has been talking to many match-makers lately.’
Suddenly things start to make sense. This is why Niang has been more interested in the way I look, and this is why she wants me to behave differently. She can see a way of getting rid of me for good.
‘But I don’t want to get married, Baba,’ I protest. ‘I’m happy the way I am. Besides, I’m only thirteen years old.’
‘Come now – you don’t want everyone to accuse your Niang of neglecting her duty to her daughter, do you? It will lower everyone’s respect for her. She needs to arrange a proper marriage for you, and these matters can take time.’
My heart sinks, but the idea of marriage seems so ridiculous that it’s not difficult to forget all about it. Especially when our carriage turns a corner and we see the Bian River make its dramatic appearance with Hong Qiao (the Rainbow Bridge) only a few hundred feet away. The water is thronged with flat-bottomed barges laden with wood, sa
lt, bricks, tiles, coal and sacks of rice. Little Chen brings our vehicle to a halt. He hands the reins to Ah Zhao, hops to the ground and places a footstool for Baba and me to alight.
‘You go and get the gourds, Ah Zhao,’ Baba says. ‘The three of us are going to the Nine Dragons’ Teahouse for lunch.’
I can’t help feeling sad that Ah Zhao won’t be eating with us. Although he’s so much more intelligent than Gege and me, he can never be part of our world. No matter how hard he works or how beautifully he carves, he will always be a servant. Why? Because he can’t read or write and will never be able to pass the Imperial Examination. How unfair life is! But I know that Baba will not be happy if I say this aloud. So I swallow my words.
The teahouse is situated at a busy crossroads. Baba guides Gege and me around a few donkey carts, porters, sedan chairs and strolling pedestrians. A professional storyteller is entertaining passers-by at one corner of the intersection.
The proprietor himself comes out from the main entrance to greet us and leads us to the second floor. He seats Baba, Gege and me at a square wooden table next to the balcony.
‘Window seat for the young lady!’ he exclaims.
Through the open window next to me, I have a perfect view of the river. A most delicious aroma of sizzling hot oil and burnt sugar makes our mouths water and our empty stomachs growl.
‘Ma Lao Ban (Proprietor Ma), I see you are prospering!’ Baba says.
‘Zhang Da Ren (Magistrate Zhang)! Thank you for giving me face by coming to my humble establishment so often. I am greatly honoured.’
‘What are you cooking that smells so good?’
‘That’s candied fruit, caramelized in hot oil and sautéed with fresh shrimp; a speciality of our establishment.’
‘Full house again, even though it’s so early in the morning. Congratulations! Why work so hard? Stay home and count your money!’
‘Your Honour has no idea how difficult life is for me. The people of Bian Liang are impossible to please. Just before you came in, a customer actually scolded me for serving hot dishes today. “Don’t you know it’s Han Shi Jie (Cold Food Festival) today?” he asked me.’
The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting Page 5