“He is in the room,” Xiuchun said, “watching my mistress make some clothes for the baby.”
Ximen had taken two rolls of material, one of scarlet linen, and the other of light parrot-green silk, so that Li Ping’er might make some little shirts, a little gown, a vest and a hat for Guan’ge. They had laid a cover on the bed. The nurse was there with the baby, and Yingchun was ready with an iron. Xiuchun went in and quietly pulled the other maid’s sleeve.
“Don’t pull me,” Yingchun said, “I shall drop the iron.” Xiuchun told her that Huatong had come to say Master Ying wished to speak with his master.
“You naughty little slave,” Li Ping’er said, “if Uncle Ying is here, why didn’t you come and say so instead of pulling Yingchun by the sleeve?”
Ximen Qing told the boy to ask the two men to wait: he would join them in a few moments. He watched the women finish cutting out the clothes, and went to the study in his ordinary dress. When he had greeted Bojue, they sat down to take tea. Han Daoguo sat facing them. At last Ying Bojue said: “Brother Han, you have, I think, something to say. Pray tell his Lordship what it is.”
Han Daoguo had just begun to say that certain wicked neighbors of his, whose names he didn’t know..., when Bojue interrupted him. “My dear boy,” he said, “you are going the wrong way about it. You shouldn’t wrap up the bones of the affair, and simply show the flesh. Be perfectly frank. Brother Han has been spending most of his time at the shop. There was no one to look after his house except his wife and his little daughter. The neighbors are not by any means what they should be, and, when they saw that there was no man in the place, they began to throw bricks and tiles, and play tricks generally. His worthy younger brother, Han the Second, found this sort of behavior to be too much. He came to the house and told the rascals what he thought about them. Then they all set upon him, beat him nearly to death, and finally seized him and shut him up in jail. Now he has to appear before the magistrate in the morning. Brother Han came to me and wept and asked me to beg you to send a card to his Worship so that his reputation might in some degree be saved. If only his brother goes before the magistrate, it will not be so bad, but his wife should not be allowed to appear.” He said to Han Daoguo: “Let your master see the paper you have written. Then he will send a man to get the matter arranged for you.”
Han hastily took the paper from his sleeve, and knelt down before Ximen. “I have had the good fortune to be employed in this household,” he said. “Will you not, for Master Ying’s sake, deign to do something for me, and I and all my house will not forget your kindness so long as the teeth are in our mouths.”
Ximen Qing pulled him up and read the paper. “The accused woman Wang,” it said, “implored you of your goodness, to withdraw the prosecution.” “That is not how you should write it,” Ximen said. “Mention your brother only.” He said to Ying Bojue: “I will certainly send a card to the court, but I think a much better plan would be to arrange for the charge to be altered so that the young man appears before me.”
“Brother Han,” Ying Bojue said, “your master’s idea is excellent. You should make a reverence to him.” Han Daoguo knelt down again and kowtowed.
Ximen ordered Daian to go at once for the officer of the police on duty, and, in a little while, a policeman in black clothes was ready in attendance. Ximen Qing called him forward. “Go to Han’s house and find out to which quarter of the town it belongs. Then go to the officer of that quarter and tell him that it is my order that he shall release Mistress Han forthwith. Afterwards, take the names of the young men concerned, make the necessary alterations in the charge sheet, and see that all the rascals are brought to my court tomorrow for examination.
The officer went away. “Brother Han,” Bojue said, “you had better go with him and see after things. I have something else to talk to his Lordship about.”
Han Daoguo repeatedly thanked them both and went home with the policeman.
Ximen Qing and Bojue sat in the Kingfisher Hall, and Ximen told Daian to go to the Great Lady and ask for the wine that Eunuch Liu had sent. He was to ask for the mackerel too. Hearing the word “mackerel,” Bojue lifted his hands.
“Oh dear,” he said, “I haven’t thanked you yet. Those two mackerel you sent me yesterday were excellent. I sent one of them to my brother, and told my wife to send a portion of the other to our dear daughter. The rest she minced, put in sweet oil and preserved in a porcelain jar, so that I may have some to eat whenever I feel like it, and if a friend should call, he too may have a little and participate in your generosity.”
Ximen told him how the fish had been given him. “Liu Bohu,” he said, “Eunuch Liu’s brother, has done pretty well out of the Imperial osier beds. A short time ago he built a house at Wulitian. Unfortunately, he used the imperial timber to build his house, and Magistrate Xia, who, as you know, is a colleague of mine, got to know about it. Not only did he propose to fine Liu a hundred taels but also to send the papers to the Provincial Courts. This was very distressing to Eunuch Liu, and he came to see me about it. He brought a hundred taels with him and said there was nothing he desired more than to see the matter ended. Now I don’t mind telling you, I don’t do so badly out of my business, and the money he offered was nothing to me. Eunuch Liu is a friend of mine: we see a good deal of one another and he often gives me presents. When he asked me to help him, I could hardly turn a deaf ear. But I wouldn’t touch a penny of his money. I told them to pull the house down as fast as they could. Liu the Third’s servant was beaten forty stripes and that was the end of the matter. Eunuch Liu was very grateful. He killed a pig and sent it with a jar of lotus wine of his own brewing, two fish, about forty jin in weight, and two rolls of flowered silk, with gold embroidery. He came in person to thank me, and each of us appreciated the advantages of friendship a little better than we had done before.”
“Brother,” Ying Bojue said, “money means very little to you, but Xia has been a soldier. He has never had anything of his own, and now he must make what he can. Have you had much to do with him since you have held your present post?”
“We have tried a few cases together, some great, some small. On the whole he is fair enough, but he is too fond of taking little presents. To him, so long as he gets his fee, all cases are of the same complexion, and the parties are set free. It is quite contrary to justice, and I have protested several times. We are both, as I tell him, officials of no very high degree, yet we represent the law and we should maintain its dignity.”
When wine and dishes had been set before them, Ximen poured the lotus wine into a golden cup. They drank together and chatted till after the first night watch.
Meanwhile the black-robed policeman did as he had been told. Han’s wife was set free and allowed to go home. The officer in charge of the records was sent for; the young men’s names were taken down and they were ordered to appear before the court the following morning. Then they began to look at one another. They knew that Han Daoguo was employed by Ximen Qing, and realized that he had secured Ximen’s help. They saw that Han the Second alone was detained, and began to think that the matter would end badly for them.
The next day, Ximen Qing and Xia took their places in the great hall and the police brought in the culprits. Han the Second came first and knelt down before the dais. Xia read the charge.
“Ox Hide Alley, in the fourth quarter of the first ward. officer of the Records Xiu Zheng reports a breach of the peace by the following, Han the Second, Che Dan, Guan Shikuan, Yu Shou and Hao Xian.”
He asked Han the Second how the trouble began.
“My brother is a tradesman,” Han the Second said, “and he is seldom at home. Only a young girl and myself were there. There are a number of young ruffians living about there, and they used to gather around the door and sing lewd songs. At night they used to throw bricks at us and insult us in every conceivable way. One day when I was at my brother’s house, I found these insults more than I could stand, and said a few words to that effect. T
he scoundrels would not listen to me. They threw me on the ground, kicked, and struck me. And now we are all before you. I pray, Sir, that you will establish the truth of the matter.”
Xia asked the others what they had to say. “Your Worship,” they cried, “do not believe these cunning stories. Han the Second is a gambler and a rogue. When his brother was out, he made love to his sister-in-law. As for her, she is always trying to show how clever she is and insulting her neighbors. Yesterday we caught them in the act, and her trousers are here for evidence.”
At this, Xia asked the policeman why Mistress Han was not before the court. The policeman did not dare to say she had been released, so he said her feet were so small that she could only walk slowly and would come later. Han the Second looked at Ximen Qing. A few moments later, Ximen bowed to Xia. “Your Worship,” he said, “it seems hardly necessary to bring the woman before us. I suppose she is a pretty woman, and these young rascals hoped to have some fun with her and were disappointed. They probably plotted this in revenge.”
He called Che Dan forward and questioned him. “Where did you catch Han the Second?” he asked.
“We caught him in the woman’s room,” the man said. Then Ximen said to Han the Second: “What relation are you to this woman?” A policeman said that she was his sister-in-law. Then he asked the police: “How did these fellows get into her room?” The policeman told him that they had climbed over the wall.
Ximen put on an air of great indignation. “You scoundrels!” he cried, “since he is her brother-in-law, they are near relations. Why should he not go to see her? What is his business to you, you scamps? How dared you climb over the wall? The husband was out, and she had only a little daughter in the house. It must have been one of two things. Either you intended to rob her, or you meant to rape her. Bring the rack,” he shouted to the attendants, “rack each of them once, and give them twenty stripes with a heavy rod.” Then they were all beaten and racked till their flesh was torn and the blood gushed forth. As none of them had been so punished from the day he left his mother’s womb, they shrieked and yelled loudly enough to rend the skies and then lay groaning on the ground.
Ximen Qing did not give Xia an opportunity to speak, but ordered Han the Second to be taken away to await further examination. The other four were to be put in jail until they confessed. They bemoaned their fate, and their friends in the prison frightened them the more by saying that they would be banished and probably die in exile. This put them all in a terrible state, and, when their people sent food to them in prison, they secretly sent messages to their fathers or elder brothers to spend more money bribing the officials both high and low. Someone went and attempted to bribe Xia. “The woman’s husband,” said Xia, “is employed by his Lordship Ximen Qing. So long as he is concerned in the matter, I can do nothing. He is my colleague. You had better go and talk to him.”
One of them thought of going to see Uncle Wu, but as for Ximen himself, they knew that he was very rich, and dared not offer money to him. So the fathers and brothers of the poor young men were greatly put about and finally held a conference.
“It is no use going to Master Wu,” one said, “he can do nothing for us. But they tell me that Ying, the silk merchant’s brother, is on very friendly terms with Ximen. We had better get together as much silver as we can, and ask him to plead with Ximen for us. Then we may have some success.”
Che, the wineshop keeper, Che Dan’s father, acted as spokesman. The others contributed ten taels apiece, so that they had forty taels in all; then they went to Ying Bojue’s house to implore him to intercede with Ximen. Bojue accepted the money and sent them away.
“You have already worked for Han against these people,” his wife said. “How can you take their money now and act for them? Han will be very angry.”
“Do you think I haven’t foreseen that difficulty?” Ying Bojue said. “I know what to do.” He weighed out fifteen taels of silver, wrapped them up, put them in his sleeve, and set off for Ximen Qing’s house.
Ximen had not yet returned, and Ying went into the hall. Shutong was coming from the study in the west wing. The boy was wearing a tile-shaped hat, with a pin fashioned like a lotus. His gown was of Suzhou silk with a jade-colored jacket, summer shoes, and white socks.
“Pray sit down in the guest’s place, Uncle Ying,” he said. Then to Huatong: “Boy, go at once and bring some tea for Uncle Ying. If you stay there playing knucklebones, I shall tell Father the moment he comes in.” Huatong went to get the tea.
“Is your Father not back yet from the courts?” Ying Bojue asked.
“A message has just come to say that, after leaving the office, he went with his Lordship Xia to make a call. Is there anything I can do for you, Uncle?”
“I want nothing,” Ying Bojue said.
“Uncle,” the boy said, “the other day you came here on Clerk Han’s business. Yesterday my master had those fellows beaten and sent to prison. Tomorrow the papers will be made out and they will be sent for trial.”
Ying Bojue took the boy aside. “I will tell you one thing,” he said, “their people have heard that they are to be examined further, and they are very much alarmed. Last night they came to me, cried and knelt down before me, and begged me to speak to your master for them. I realized that as I had already taken a hand in the matter, I could do nothing for them without upsetting Han, so I suggested that they should give me fifteen taels of silver, thinking that I might come to you, and perhaps you might think fit to mention the matter to your father, and we shall see whether he takes pity on them or not.”
He took the money from his sleeve and handed it to Shutong. The boy broke open the packet. The silver was in four large and four small pieces.
“Uncle Ying,” he said, “I will, of course do anything you command, but I think I should have five taels more. Then I will mention the matter to Father, though, naturally, I can’t say whether he will be willing to listen. Uncle Wu was here yesterday and Father refused him point-blank. My influence is no bigger than a sesame seed, so what can I do? Really, Uncle, I cannot expect to succeed without some help. I shall have to lay out the money on the Sixth Lady, who has just borne a son. We must get to work indirectly.”
“Very well,” Bojue said, “I will add a word too, but remember: they want their answer tonight.”
“I don’t know when Father will be back,” Shutong said. “They may have to wait until tomorrow.”
Bojue went away, and Shutong took the silver to the shop, keeping a tael and five qian. This he spent on a jar of wine, two roast ducks, and two chickens, two qian on fruit pastries and delicate pastry, and one on sweet rolls. He ordered these things to be sent to Laixing’s room, and then went to ask Laixing’s wife to set them out for him.
Jinlian was not at home that day. Early in the morning she had taken a sedan chair and gone outside the city to celebrate her mother’s birthday. Shutong borrowed a square tray and sent Huatong with the delicacies to Li Ping’er. He himself took the jar of wine.
“Who has sent these things?” Li Ping’er said. Huatong told her they were a present from Shutong. “The young rascal!” Li Ping’er cried. “What does he mean by this?”
Then Shutong came in. Li Ping’er was sitting on a gilt bed, playing with the baby and a tortoiseshell cat.
“You young scamp,” she said, “for whom have you brought all these things?”
Shutong laughed, but did not answer.
“Why don’t you answer instead of standing there laughing?” Li Ping’er said.
“If it is not for you, for whom do you imagine I have brought them?”
“You rascal,” Li Ping’er said, “I don’t suppose you are doing this without a reason. If you don’t explain yourself, I shall not accept them.”
Shutong opened the wine jar, set down the dishes on a small table, and asked Yingchun to bring a silver wine pot. Then he poured out a cup of wine and offered it to Li Ping’er with both hands.
“When you have drunk this,
I will tell you,” he said, kneeling before her.
“Say what you have to say before I drink it,” Li Ping’er said. “Otherwise, you may kneel there a hundred years, but I will have none of it. Stand up at once and tell me.”
Shutong told her how Ying Bojue had spoken to him about the four prisoners. “He had already done something for Han, and he did not see how he could work for the other side too. He suggested that I should come to you. If Father questions you about it, don’t say I told you, but tell him that Uncle Hua sent someone to see you about it. Meanwhile I will go to the study in the front court and write a petition, and show it to him. I will tell him that you gave it to me, and perhaps you will say anything else that seems necessary. After all, Father has already had the men punished, so if you persuade him to make an end of the matter and let them go, it will be a very gracious action.”
“If that is all,” Li Ping’er said, “there need be no difficulty. I will speak to your master as soon as he returns. There was no need for you to get all these things for me. You rogue, I suspect you’ve made something out of them.”
“I will not deceive you, Lady,” Shutong said. “They gave me five taels for myself.”
“You are a clever young rascal, making money in this way.” She would not drink a small cup, but made Yingchun bring a large one shaped like a flower. After drinking two cups herself she poured one out for Shutong.
“I dare not drink,” the boy said. “It would make my face red, and I should not like my master to see me.”
“What does it matter if I give it to you?” Li Ping’er said.
The boy kowtowed to her and drank the wine at a breath. Li Ping’er took some of each of the dishes and made the boy eat some. He drank two more cups of wine, then dared not drink any more, for fear his face should be red. Then he went to the shop where he had left half the cakes and dishes he had bought. He set them on the counter, bought another jar of wine, and invited Clerk Fu, Ben the Fourth, Chen Jingji, Laixing and Daian to have some. The dainties vanished like a whirlwind or like melting snow. He forgot to invite Ping’an, the gatekeeper, who sat outside the gate pulling a long face.
The Golden Lotus, Volume 1 Page 56