Water Margin, Volume One

by Shi Nai-An

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  "How honest you are!”said Mrs. Wang.

  When Ho Chiu-shu had burnt his offering, he told Mrs. Wu that the men were now ready for the cremating. The ladies thanked him for his trouble to which he replied that he was only too pleased to be able to do some assistance. He then suggested that they might retire to the guest room in the adjoining temple and entertain the neighbors. He would attend to the other part of the business. When they had gone he supervised the burning of the corpse, and when it was over he took two bones and dipped them in a pool of water near at hand. He saw that they were quite black. After hiding the bones he went to the guest room of the temple, and joined in the general conversation. After a time the corpse burners gathered the bones of the body and threw them in the pool of water. At last all the neighbors had left on their way home. Ho Chiu-shu took the two bones home, wrapped them in paper, and recorded carefully on a paper the date, and also the names of the neighbors who had been to the funeral. He then wrapped them along with the silver in a bundle, and put them carefully away in the house.

  Upon returning home Mrs. Wu erected a tablet in the front room, and wrote on it the characters: "In memory of the late Wu Talang." She then placed a glass lamp in front of the mourning curtain and hung there much paper money, gold and silver imitations. But every day she received Westgate in her bedroom. Previously at Mrs. Wang's place there had always been need for caution, but now in her own house there was not the least cause for any restraint, and Westgate could stay there all night. All the neighbors knew what was going on, but they were all so afraid of Westgate's power and influence that they dared not say a word about it. There is a saying, "Extreme pleasure is followed by sorrow; extreme sorrow must be followed by something better."

  Now let us turn to Wu Sung. Time passes with great speed. He duly reached the Eastern Capital, and presented the magistrate's letter and the presents to the latter's relative in accordance with the orders he had received. After doing this he had several days of leisure, and spent them, strolling about the streets. Then he received the reply, and departed for Yang Ku Hsien. Altogether his journey there to and fro,

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  had taken about two months. When he had left it was the middle of winter, but upon his return it was the beginning of spring. On the return journey he did not feel easy in his mind, and was anxious to get back and see his elder brother again. Upon entering the town he went straight to the yamen, to present the reply, and the magistrate was much pleased to see him. The magistrate reading the letter, knew that all the presents had been delivered, and he rewarded Wu Sung with an ingot of silver, and entertained him with wine and food.

  Upon reaching his lodging Wu Sung changed his clothes, shoes, and socks, and put on a new turban. He then locked the door, and left for his brother's in Purple Stone Street.

  The neighbors on all sides were all rather upset at seeing Wu Sung coming back. They whispered to one another. "Now trouble will arise within the doors, but what will be the end of it? There will certainly be some trouble."

  Upon reaching the house he lifted the door screen and entering he saw the mourning curtain and the tablet with the inscription, "In memory of the late Wu Ta-lang," at which he was dumbfounded. He said to himself, "Surely my eyes are deceiving me." He then called out, "Sister-in-law, I have returned." Now Westgate happened to be upstairs with Mrs. Wu. At the time when he heard Wu Sung say this, he was panic-stricken and rushed out of the back door to Mrs. Wang's house. Mrs. Wu called out, "Brother-in-law, please sit down, and I will come down in a moment." Now although her husband had been dead only a short time she was not in mourning. So she hurriedly washed the rouge off her face, took the jewelry out of her hair, and ruffled up her hair. She took off her red embroidered skirt and coat, and put on the white mourning clothes. She then commenced an imitation of crying.

  Wu Sung called out for her to stop crying, and to tell him when his brother had died; and of what sickness and who had given medicine to him.

  She replied between her sobs, "Your brother was suddenly seized with some heart disease, about twenty days after you had left. He was sick for about nine days, and then he prayed to the gods, and sought to ascertain by divination whether he would get better. He took all kinds of medicine,

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  but they did him no good, and at last he died. He left me with nothing but grief."

  Now in the next house Airs. Wang was listening at the partition wall, and when she heard this she was afraid that Wu Sung would soon find out the truth. So she at once hurried to come across to Mrs. Wu's assistance, by interjecting evasions.

  But Wu Sung continued, "My brother had never had any heart trouble how could he die of this illness?"

  Mrs. Wang who had just arrived replied, "Lieutenant Inspector Wu, why do you ask such a question? There is a saying, 'Man's fate is as uncertain as the weather.' Who can guarantee at any time what is going to happen?"

  "I was like a crab without legs," said Mrs. Wu. "I could do nothing, and I am much indebted to this lady and many neighbors who helped me."

  "Where was he buried?" he asked.

  "I was by myself so how could I go to find a burial place?" replied Mrs. Wu. "After three days I had his remains cremated."

  "How long is it since my brother died!"

  "In two days more it will be the seventh week since the funeral," Mrs. Wu replied.

  Wu Sung was wrapt in thought, but said nothing, and then he left the house, and went to the yamen. He unlocked the door of his quarters, and put on white mourning clothes. He summoned a soldier to bring a hempen rope which he tied round his waist according to custom. He then concealed in his clothes a very sharp dagger, and some silver. He then ordered the soldier to lock the door and go with him to buy some rice, flour, vegetables, incense, candles, paper money.

  When this had been done it was evening and they went again to Wu Ta-lang's house, and Mrs. Wu opened the door, and Wu Sung ordered the soldier to prepare a meal. He then lighted a candle, and placed it with some food in front of the memorial tablet. All was ready by about 10 p.m. when Wu Sung knelt down and offered sacrifices to the spirit, and prayed, "Elder brother, your soul is not far away. When you were alive you were good-natured; but now that

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  you are dead you cannot tell me who cheated you. But if anyone has injured you I ask you to give me the information in a dream, and I will take vengeance for your wrong." He then poured the sacrificial wine on the ground, burnt the paper money, and sobbed bitterly. The neighbors on both sides heard him crying, and could not help being sorry for him. Mrs. Wu in the inner room also kept up her imitation wailing. When Wu Sung had stopped weeping he took the sacrificial food and wine and invited the two soldiers to join him in eating some. He then asked for two mats, and told the soldiers to sleep on them at the two doors of the room. He himself lay down near the mourning curtain to sleep. Upstairs Mrs. Wu fastened the trapdoor of her room before going to sleep. But Wu Sung could not sleep, and frequently turned over on his mat. The two soldiers however were sound asleep, and he heard them snoring. At last about midnight he got up, and noticed that the light in the glass lamp was just flickering. The watchmen outside were beating the hour of midnight on their drums. He heaved a sigh, and sitting down on the mat he soliloquized, "My brother was always weak, and now that he is dead his spirit will be weak." Just then there came a strong gust of cold wind from underneath the curtains, whirled round in a circle, blew out the flickering flame in the lamp, and blew the paper money around the room. The hair on Wu Sung's head stood on end, and looking around he saw the shape of a man come from under the curtain and say, "Younger brother! I died a miserable death." But as Wu Sung was not sure whether he had heard correctly he looked fixedly, but then he failed to see anything, and the cold wind had also gone. He sat down on his mat, and wondered whether he had seen and heard anything or was it really the dream he had expected. The two soldiers were certainly still there snoring. He thought that his
brother must have died of an unknown trouble, that his spirit might have come to tell him about it, but had been vanished in the presence of his valor at once. But Wu Sung kept all this to himself, and did not speak to anyone about it.

  At last the dawn came, and the soldiers arose to boil some water. When Mrs. Wu came downstairs she asked Wu Sung whether he had slept well. Wu Sung did not reply

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  to this, but asked, "Sister-in-law, of what sickness did my brother die?"

  "Brother-in-law, how is it that you forget it? I told you all about it yesterday. He died of some disease of the heart."

  "But whose medicine did he take?"

  "I have the prescription for the medicine here," she replied.

  "And who bought the coffin?"

  "It was bought by our neighbor Mrs. Wang,"

  "And who bore the coffin away?" he asked.

  "That was arranged by the head of our ward -- Ho Chiu-shu."

  "So it was like that. Well, I must now go and sign the attendance book at the yamen." He then left with the two soldiers, and when outside on the Purple Stone Street he asked them if they knew Ho Chiu-shu, the head of the ward. They replied that they knew him well, and that he lived on the Lion Street. He asked them to take him there, and when they reached the house he dismissed them.

  Wu Sung pushed the door open, and called out, "Is Ho Chiu-shu at home?" When Ho heard this he, was very flurred, but he quickly got the parcel containing the bones and silver and hid them in his clothes; he then went to meet Wu Sung. He greeted him with the question, "Lieutenant, when did you return?"

  Wu Sung replied that he had come back yesterday, and as he had something to discuss with him he asked him to accompany him to some other place.

  "Inspector, I will accompany you, but before we go please take a little tea."

  Wu Sung declined the invitation. They both then went to a restaurant in an alley, and ordered wine.

  "Lieutenant, you have just arrived, and I ought to ask you to drink wine. It is contrary to the usual procedure for you to ask me to take wine." Ho Chiu-shu however really had a good idea of what was coming. The waiter brought the wine, and they drank it, but still Wu Sung did not speak. Ho Chiu-shu did not like this continued silence, and became confounded as to the outcome, so he thought he might introduce some other matter, but Wu Sung paid no attention to anything he said. When, however, they had drunk several cups of wine, Wu Sung at last took off his coat, and seizing his dagger and stuck it in the table where it stood erect.

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  The waiter was startled at this, and retreated to a distant part of the room. Ho Chiu-shu's face turned yellow, and he was holding his breath. Wu Sung rolled up his sleeves, and grasping the dagger with one hand, he pointed with the other at Ho Chiu-shu and said, "I am a rough fellow, but still I know 'a wrong has its instigator, and a debt has its lender.' You need not be afraid, as I only want you to speak the truth. Tell me the cause of my elder brother's, death, and nothing shall trouble you. If I hurt you I would not be a man. But if there is the slightest attempt at deceiving me I will take this dagger, and drill several hundred big holes in your body. Tell me clearly the conditions of my brother's body." So saying he planted both hands on his thighs, and looked fixedly at Ho Chiu-shu with wild, fierce staring eyes.

  Ho Chiu-shu took the parcel from his sleeve, and placing it on the table said, "Lieutenant, please restrain your temper. Here is the important proof." Wu Sung opened the parcel, and saw two brittle black bones and an ingot of ten ounces of silver. He asked how these things could be proofs, and Ho then explained all that had happened.

  "Who is the adulterer?" asked Wu Sung.

  "I do not know who he is," replied Ho Chiu-shu, "but I have heard people say that a boy named Yun went with Wu Ta-lang to a tea house to seize the adulterer. In this street I think everybody knows who he is. If you want to go into this matter carefully, you better see the boy Yun first."

  "Very well," said Wu Sung, "we will go together, and find him." He took his dagger, and put it back in the sheath; hid the bones and silver in his clothes, and paid the bill for the wine. They then departed, and soon reached the home of Yun. There they saw the boy with a basket made of willow twigs over his arm, containing rice which he had evidently just been out to buy.

  "Elder Brother Yun!" called out Ho Chiu-shu, "do you recognize this lieutenant?"

  "Of course, ever since the big beast was killed and carried to the city," replied the boy. "But what do you two want with me?" Really the boy had a good idea what it was about, but he continued, "There is, however, one thing; my father is sixty years old, and has no one to look after him

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  so that I cannot take part with you two in a, court dispute."

  "Good younger brogher," said Wu Sung, "here take these five ounces of silver to your father, and then come back as I have something to say to you."

  Yun knew that the silver would be enough to cover their living expenses for about four months. So he thought that he might run the risk even of presenting himself at the court. He gave the money and basket of rice to his father, and then accompanied the two men to a restaurant in an alley. Wu Sung ordered rice for all three, and then spoke to the boy, "You are a very young boy, yet you know your filial duty of supporting a family. I have already given you five ounces of silver, but I have a matter for you to do, and when that is satisfactorily settled I will give you another fifteen ounces which you may use as a capital. Now tell me, 'How did you go with my brother to a tea house to seize an adulterer?

  Yun then recited all the details of the affair omitting nothing, and when he had finished Wu Sung asked him, "Is this really true? You, must not tell me any lies."

  "Even. if you took me to the yamen I would say exactly the same," replied the boy.

  Wu Sung was satisfied and when they had eaten the rice he paid the money, and they all three left. Ho Chiu-shu wanted to go home, but Wu Sung asked him to accompany them to the yamen to make a statement there. So they all went to the yamen, and when the magistrate saw them he asked what accusation the lieutenant had to make.

  Wu Sung stated, "My brother's wife has committed adultery with Westgate, and also poisoned my brother. These are my two witnesses. I request you to take action in this case."

  The magistrate then heard what Ho Chiu-shu and Yun had to say. The magistrate discussed the matter with his officers, but as they were all on intimate terms with Westgate, they did not like to act in the matter. The magistrate then spoke to Wu Sung, "You are a lieutenant in the yamen, and should know the law in these matters? There is an ancient saying, 'In arresting adulterers you must get both; in arresting a thief you must get the stolen goods; when a man is killed you must see the wound." In this case you have not

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  seen your dead brother's corpse, but have listened to these people's statements so there may be some mistake somewhere. You had better consider the matter carefully, and if you find it correct then we will act."

  Wu Sung produced the two bones, the ingot of silver, and the paper with the names on, and gave them to the magistrate. He appealed again to him. "I again press my case. These proofs have not been fabricated."

  The magistrate replied, "You may get up now, and I will reconsider the matter. If I find that you have a strong case then I will arrest the adulterer."

  Wu Sung detained the two witnesses in his quarters. Now Westgate heard of what had happened in the yamen, so he sent a confidential servant to the secretary of the magistrate to promise bribery.

  Early the following day Wu Sung again entered the court, and strongly urged the magistrate to issue a warrant. But to his surprise the magistrate handed him back the bones, etc. and said, "You had better not listen to other people's talk, and become so keenly opposed to Westgate. The case is not clear to me so that I cannot act. The sage said, 'Even if you see a thing done, yet you cannot be sure that it is really so. How can you believe what is said behind one's back?' Don't get nervous
so easily."

  A jailer who was there said, "In cases of murder we require to see the corpse, examine the wounds, ascertain the cause of death, obtain the things used, and find traces or clues. If all these five necessaries are obtainable then the case can be taken up."

  "As Your Magistrate will not take the matter up now, I'll think of another plan," said Wu Sung. He took the bones, etc., and handed them back to Ho Chiu-shu. He then went to his quarters with the two witnesses, and had a meal prepared for them. After the meal he asked them to wait there till he came back.

  He took three soldiers with him, and hid in his clothes an ink slab, a brush, ink stick, and about five sheets of paper. He sent two of the soldiers to buy a pig's head, a goose, a chicken, some wine, and fruit, and take them to Mrs. Wu's house. He then took the one soldier with him to the same place where he arrived about 10 a.m.

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  Mrs. Wu was already aware that his appeal for justice at the yamen had failed so she was not afraid of him, and felt quite confident of herself. Wu Sung called out, "Sister-in-law, please come downstairs as I have something to say to you." She presently came down, and then asked him what he had to say.

  "To-morrow will be the end of the seventh week for sacrificing to my elder brother's spirit. You have caused trouble to the neighbors, so now I am thinking of giving them a feast so I have bought some wine, etc."

  She was pleased with this, but asked what he wanted to thank them for.

  "We must not be stinting in courtesy." He then told the soldier to light two candles in front of the mourning curtain. He also placed there an incense bowl, and spread the paper money on the floor. The food was arranged on the table ready for a feast. One soldier was sent into the kitchen to warm the wine. Two soldiers set out the tables and chairs and two others were put as sentries at the front and back doors. When all, this had been arranged Wu Sung asked Mrs. Wu to stay there to receive guests, as he would go and invite them.