The Golden Lotus, Volume 1

by Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng

  “What are you laughing about?” Yueniang asked.

  “We are laughing at Father. He has been punishing Ping’an.”

  “No wonder I heard screams like those of a man running for his life,” Yueniang said. “I didn’t realize it was Ping’an being beaten. But why was this?”

  “Because he broke something precious,” Jinlian said.

  “What was this precious thing?” Yueniang asked, seriously, “and how did he break it?”

  Jinlian and Yulou broke into peals of laughter.

  “I really don’t understand why you find it so funny,” Yueniang said, “or why you don’t tell me what the joke is.”

  “Great Sister,” Yulou said, “you do not know, of course. Father was beating the boy because he let Bai Laiguang come in.”

  “If that was all,” Yueniang said, “well and good. But why did you talk about his breaking something precious? Really, I never heard of such a man. It would be far better if he sat on his behind in his own house instead of rushing into other people’s houses when he has nothing to say worth saying.”

  “He came to see Father,” Laian said.

  “Nobody had fallen out of bed,” Yueniang said, “and nobody is going to put up with behavior of that sort. It would be much nearer the mark to say that he came to fill his belly.”

  After a while, Li Ping’er and Ximen Dajie came. They sat in a circle and enjoyed the crabs. “There is some grape wine in my room,” Yueniang told Xiaoyu. “Get it and warm some for the ladies.”

  “Oh, but when we eat crabs,” Jinlian said, “we ought to have Jinhua wine.” And, a little later: “It is a pity we have only this one course. How much nicer it would be if we had roast duck with our wine.”

  “It is late now,” Yueniang said, “how can we have roast duck?”

  Li Ping’er flushed. The words were meant for her, and they showed what was being thought of her. Yueniang was a simple-minded woman and did not appreciate the meaning of what was said.

  When Ping’an had been beaten, he went outside. Ben the Fourth, Laixing, and the others hurried to discover why he had been punished.

  “How should I know?” Ping’an said, weeping.

  “I suppose Father was angry because you let Bai Laiguang come in,” Laixing said.

  “Well,” Ping’an said, “I did all I could to stop him, but he insisted upon going in and then, unfortunately, Father came from the inner court and saw him. He had really nothing to talk about, but even after tea had been served he did not go away. Then his Lordship the Magistrate came and I was sure he would go, but he only retired to the wing room, and made no move to depart. Only when he had been given wine did he go. So I was punished like this. Father says I didn’t stop him, but it was simply my bad luck that he would come in. Why should my poor legs be beaten for him? May heaven destroy this dog bone, may his sons become thieves and his daughters harlots! May the food he ate here break his backbone!”

  “If his backbone breaks,” Laixing said, “he will do well to dash in.”

  “May he choke and his gorge burst!” Ping’an cried. “Of all the shameless, faceless people in the world, there is none so shameless as this dog bone. He sneaks in so silently that the dog doesn’t even bark: he shows his teeth and gobbles down our food. It was a beggar got him, and his rump will rot, the thievish turtle!”

  “But if his rump does rot,” Laixing said laughing, “none of us will ever know. He will tell us he is dribbling.”

  They all laughed.

  “I suppose he has no rice to cook for his supper,” Ping’an said. “How hungry his wife must be if he has nothing else to do but come to other people’s houses to get food, and so save his own. This cannot go on. He had better let his wife keep another man on the quiet, and be himself a turtle. That would be more straightforward and he would not get himself cursed by the servants of other households.”

  Meanwhile Daian finished having his hair cut, paid the barber, and came away. To Ping’an he said: “I don’t wish to say anything, but I can’t help it. You are our master’s servant. How is it you don’t understand his temperament? You have no reason to complain. The proverb says: No one wants a boy to make water of gold and lay eggs of silver. What people do want is a boy who realizes what the situation is and acts accordingly. If Uncle Ying and Uncle Xie come, it is all right to let them come in whether Father is at home or not. They are good friends and have no secrets from one another, but as for the rest, if they come when our master has told you to say that he is not at home, why do you let them in? If he does not punish you, whom should he punish?”

  Then Ben the Fourth made a joke. “Ping’an,” he said, “you must learn how to be a little boy and play again. You see, he too knows how to play, and plays kickball all day.”

  They all laughed at this, and Ben the Fourth said: “You were punished for letting someone come in, but what had Huatong done? The fruit was not so tasty that you needed anyone else to help you enjoy it. When we have a banquet, we like to have others to keep us company, but I have never heard that the same thing is true when we are wearing thumbscrews.”

  Huatong rubbed his hands and cried. Daian said jokingly to him: “My son, stop crying. Your mother has brought you up too tenderly. Now somebody has given your fingers something to taste. Why don’t you settle down to enjoy it?”

  Ximen Qing watched Chen Jingji packing up the presents and the rolls of silk, and writing cards. The following day these gifts were to be sent to the Eastern Capital for their patrons there.

  The next day, Ximen went to his office. Yueniang and the others, with pearls and jewels in their hair, and silk and embroidery upon their bodies, took sedan chairs to join the festivities at Aunt Wu’s house. Laixing’s wife, in a smaller chair, was in attendance upon them. Only Sun Xue’e and Ximen Dajie stayed at home to look after the house. In the morning, Han Daoguo sent a number of presents as a token of gratitude to Ximen. There was a jar of Jinhua wine, a teal, a pair of pig’s trotters, four roast ducks, and four smoked fish. On the card that came with them was written: “The young student Han Daoguo kowtows and offers these.” Because there was no one at home, Shutong did not accept them, and the boxes were set down. When Ximen Qing came back from the office, the boy showed them to him. Ximen bade Qintong go to the shop and bring Han Daoguo to him.

  “What is this?” he said. “Why do you bring these presents? I cannot possibly accept them.”

  Han Daoguo made a reverence. “You have been extremely kind to me,” he said. “You had compassion on me and avenged me. I and all my household are grateful to you. These trifles only express a tiny part of my gratitude. Take them, please, even if only as a joke.”

  “I cannot do so,” Ximen Qing said. “You are associated with me in business, and that means that you are like one of my own household. Kindly send someone to take the things away.”

  Han Daoguo grew excited and insisted that Ximen Qing should accept them. After a long discussion, Ximen told one of the servants to take the ducks and the wine, but nothing more. The rest, he said, must all be taken back. Then he sent a boy with his card to invite Ying Bojue and Xie Xida. He said to Han Daoguo: “Tell Laibao to look after the shop this afternoon, and you come and join us.”

  “So besides not taking anything from me,” Han Daoguo said, “you pile kindness after kindness upon me.” He promised to come, and went away.

  Ximen Qing bought many fresh fruits and dishes, and that afternoon, in the arbor by the Hall of the Kingfishers, they were all set out upon a square table. Ying Bojue and Xie Xida came early.

  “Han has been at a great deal of trouble to buy presents for me,” Ximen Qing said, “but I would not take them. He implored me to accept them, but I would only have the wine and ducks. I didn’t wish to keep these all for myself, so I sent for you.”

  “He spoke about the matter to me,” Ying Bojue said; “he said he was going to buy you some presents, but I told him you certainly would not accept them and that he should not take the trouble. Wa
s I not right? I might have been in your very mind. You did refuse them.”

  They drank tea and played backgammon, and soon afterwards, Han Daoguo came. When they had greeted one another, he sat down. Ying Bojue and Xie Xida were in the places of honor, Ximen Qing in the host’s seat, and Han Daoguo opposite. Four plates and four bowls were immediately brought in, with a host of dishes. Laian was told to open the jar of Jinhua wine, and heat it in a brass jar. Shutong was told to serve it.

  “Go to the inner court,” Ying Bojue said to Shutong, “and ask your mistress if she will not send some of her crabs for your Uncle Ying. Tell her I like them very much.”

  “You foolish dog,” Ximen cried, “there are none left. Mayor Xu sent me a basket or two, but the ladies have eaten them all. We preserved the few that were left.”

  He told a boy to bring a few pickled crabs. “Today,” he said, “the ladies have gone to a celebration at the Wus’ house.”

  Before long, Huatong brought the pickled crabs. Ying Bojue and Xie Xida tried to see who could eat the faster, and ate them every one.

  “Your Uncle Ying,” Bojue said to Shutong, “never thinks of drinking wine without a song to it. You are always boasting of the way you can sing the songs of the South, but I have never heard you sing any. Let us have one today, and then I’ll drink my wine.”

  Shutong began to beat time with his hands, and made ready to sing. Ying Bojue stopped him. “If that’s the way you’re going to sing, you may go on as long as you like, but I shan’t pay any attention. When you play the part of a dragon, try to look like a dragon; and when you play the tiger, be a tiger. Off you go, get your face painted, and put on a girl’s dress.”

  Shutong stood still, glancing at Ximen Qing to see what his master had to say to this. Ximen only laughed and cursed Ying Bojue, saying that he was just the kind of man who would seek to deprave a serving boy.

  “Since he must have it so,” he said to Shutong, “send Daian to the front court, and tell him to ask one of the maids for some clothes. Then go and paint your face.”

  Daian went first to Jinlian’s rooms and asked Chunmei. She refused him. Then he went to Yueniang’s apartments, and Yuxiao lent him four silver pins, a comb, a pendant, a pair of gilded imitation jade earrings, a scarlet double-fronted silk dress and a green skirt with purple trimmings. Then Shutong took powder and rouge to the study and dressed himself. So charmingly did he adorn himself that he looked exactly like a real girl. He went back to the table and offered a cup of wine to Ying Bojue with both hands. Then he cleared his throat and sang.

  Red withered leaves swirl down towards the water

  Though the plums are still young upon the branches.

  My brows lack color: who shall give it to them?

  Spring comes, and sorrow with it.

  Spring goes, but sorrow stays.

  Mountains and deep waters sunder us; we are together no more.

  I count the days until you come again

  And the tip of my brush is wounded by my grief.

  Bojue applauded vigorously. “Anyone like you,” he said to the boy, “need feel no shame when he eats his food. Your voice is as sweet as a flute, and the girls in the bawdy house simply cannot compare with you. Many, many times I have heard them sing, but there isn’t one of them with a voice so sweet and rich as yours. Brother,” he added, turning to Ximen Qing, “I don’t wish to flatter you, but you really ought to be delighted to have such a boy in your household.”

  Ximen Qing smiled.

  “Why do you smile?” Ying Bojue said. “I am perfectly serious. You must not undervalue this boy. You should regard him with unusual favor in all things. It was most fortunate that Li thought fit to send him to you. He did you a great favor.”

  “Yes, indeed,” Ximen said. “Now, when I am out, this boy and my son-in-law are responsible for everything connected with the study. My son-in-law is mainly concerned with the shop.”

  Ying Bojue drank his wine and poured out two cups. “I shall be angry if you do not drink this,” he said to Shutong. “Since I offer it to you, there is no reason why you should not.”

  Shutong looked at Ximen Qing.

  “Since it is your uncle who offers it to you,” Ximen said, “you had better drink it.”

  The boy knelt on one knee, gracefully bent his white neck, and sipped a mouthful, giving the rest of the wine back to Bojue. Then he turned to offer wine to Xie Xida, and sang another song.

  “How old is this boy, Brother?” Bojue asked.

  “Just sixteen,” Ximen said.

  Then Xie Xida asked the boy how many southern melodies he knew. “Indeed, I know only a few,” Shutong said. “I have sung for the amusement of Uncle Ying and yourself.”

  “You are certainly a clever boy,” Xie Xida said, and he, in turn, offered Shutong some wine. Then the boy went to Han Daoguo, but Han Daoguo said: “How shall I take such a liberty in his Lordship’s presence?”

  “Today you are my guest,” Ximen said.

  “It is not to be thought of,” Han Daoguo said, “your Lordship must drink first, and then perhaps I may make bold myself.”

  Shutong offered wine to his master, and again sang a song. When Ximen had drunk it, the boy went to Han Daoguo. Han stood up to take the wine. “Sit down,” Bojue said. “The boy will sing for you.” Han sat down, and Shutong sang again. Before the boy had finished his song, Han Daoguo had swallowed all his wine in one breath.

  They were still drinking when Daian came and said: “Uncle Ben the Fourth is here, and would like to speak to you.” Ximen gave orders that he was to be shown in. Ben the Fourth came in, made a reverence, and sat down. Daian brought chopsticks and a cup for him, and was told to go to the inner court for more dishes.

  “How is the work getting on?” Ximen Qing asked Ben the Fourth.

  “We are putting the tiles on the first story,” Ben the Fourth said, “and yesterday we laid the foundations of the arbor. But we have not yet got the materials for the wings or for the back part of the living rooms. We are having to wait another five days for the flooring tiles: we cannot use any of the old ones. And we are still without some of the materials we need for the walls. We have earth enough to fill up the foundations and the artificial mound. Then we need a hundred cartloads of lime, and they will cost twenty taels of silver.”

  “Do not trouble about the lime,” Ximen said. “When I go to the office tomorrow, I will order the lime burners to get it for you. Yesterday, Eunuch Liu of the brick kilns promised he would send me some. All you need to do is to tell him what you want and send a few taels, for this matter is as much one of friendship as of business. You will only need to buy the wood.”

  “Yesterday,” Ben the Fourth said, “you told me to go outside the city to look at another place there. Early this morning Zhang An and I went. The place belongs to a noble family, but now the head of the family has died, and they are anxious to dispose of it. It is no use to us as it is, and I told them we should pull most of it down. They want five hundred taels for it but, in my opinion, if we decide to have it, we had better take some money with us and go to talk the matter over with them. We certainly ought to secure it for something like three hundred and fifty taels. Besides the wood, the tiles, bricks and mortar will amount to one or two hundred taels.”

  “Let me think whose house this is,” Bojue said. “It must be Xiang the Fifth’s. Xiang the Fifth was brought by somebody before the military court, and the case cost him a great deal of money. He used to keep Luo Cun there, and that is why he is so short of ready money. I’m sure he will be satisfied with three hundred taels. His hands are so cold that he will gladly welcome something to warm them.”

  “Tomorrow,” Ximen said to Ben the Fourth, “you and Zhang An take two large bars of silver and go and talk to him. If he will accept three hundred taels, get on with the work.”

  After a while a bowl of soup and a plate of cakes were brought from the inner court. Ben the Fourth ate them, and then drank in company with the others
. Shutong sang another song, and went away.

  “It is very dull drinking wine like this,” Ying Bojue said. “Won’t you send for a dice box and let us have a game?”

  Ximen Qing told Daian to go to the Sixth Lady’s room and get a dice box. The boy brought it and set it down before Bojue. Then he went over and whispered to Ximen Qing: “Little Brother is crying, and Yingchun told me to ask you to send someone to fetch the Sixth Lady.”

  “Put down your wine jar,” Ximen answered quickly, “and send a boy with a lantern at once. Where are the two boys?”

  “Qintong and Qitong have already gone with lanterns to bring the ladies home,” Daian said.

  Ying Bojue noticed that there were six dice in the dice box. “I will cast a number,” he said, “and I want the name of the tablet to agree with the number 1 throw. If there be anyone who cannot tell it, he must drink a cup of wine for forfeit, and the one next to him must sing a song. If he can’t sing, he must tell a story instead.”

  “Ah, you funny dog,” Ximen Qing cried, “you are too well versed in tricks.”

  “When the commander-in-chief lets forth a fart,” Bojue said, “it must be obeyed as if it were the Emperor’s command. It is no use your trying to keep me in order.”

  He said to Daian: “Pour a cup of wine as a punishment for your master, and then I will give my orders.”

  Ximen Qing laughed and drank the cup of wine.

  “Listen, all of you,” Bojue said, “I am going to give an order. If I make a mistake, I am ready to be punished for it. Here you are: ‘Zhang Sheng got drunk and lay down in the Western Pavilion. How much did he drink? One large jar or two small ones?’ Indeed it is a yao (one).”

  Ximen Qing told Shutong to pour the wine, and Xie Xida had to sing. Bojue drank the wine and passed the dice box to Xie Xida, that he might cast the dice. It was Ximen Qing’s turn to sing. When he had thrown the dice, Xie Xida said: “Thanks be to Hong’er who helped me to bed. What time was it? The third night watch, and the fourth division thereof.” Strangely enough, he really threw a four.