by Cao Xueqin
‘Look at that smart relation of yours, sir – that Mr Jia Yu-cun you’ve always been so friendly with. In a few years he’s done very well for himself, and all because he’s shrewd. He’s got a good sense of what’s what in the world, he knows how to handle his superiors and staff and how to keep everything running smoothly …’
Jia Zheng: ‘This is ridiculous! Are you suggesting that I possess no such sense? Harmony is one thing: but I draw the line at collusion!’
Li: ‘It’s only my concern for you that causes me to speak my mind, sir. If I stand by and let you carry on like this, if I don’t even warn you and if your career is ruined as a result, you’ll think very poorly of me.’
Jia Zheng: ‘Well: what precisely are you suggesting?’
Li: ‘My advice is to take immediate action; do the sensible thing, secure your own interests now, while you’re in your prime and still in favour at court, and while Her Old Ladyship still enjoys good health. Otherwise, before the year’s out, you may find you’ve used all your own funds to cover official expenses. No one in the government service will have the slightest sympathy for you then. No one will believe that you’re poor. They’ll all think that you’re sitting on a secret pile of money; and if anything goes wrong, none of them will come forward to help you. You’ll find it impossible to clear yourself, and by then it’ll be too late to wish you’d followed my advice.’
Jia Zheng: ‘In short, what you are saying is that I must allow myself to be corrupted! The consequences for myself of such a dereliction of duty, even death itself, I consider as nothing compared with the disgrace that would tarnish my family’s honour.’
Li: ‘You’re a wise man, sir. If it’s family honour you’re bothered about, then think back for a moment to that group of officials who got themselves into such disgrace a few years ago; good friends of yours they were, good men, men you used to call “above corruption”. Where’s their family honour now? But certain other relatives of yours, men you used to call “downright rogues”, have done very well for themselves, gone from strength to strength. What’s been their secret? They just knew how to adapt. You’ve got to look after the common people, but you’ve got to look after the local mandarins as well. If your ideas came into general fashion and the shire or district mandarins were strictly forbidden to take even the tiniest squeeze, why, nothing would ever get done in the provinces!
‘You keep things respectable on the outside, and leave all the inside work to me. I’ll manage things so you don’t have to be personally involved. I am only trying to be helpful, sir. It’s the least I owe you after being with you all these years.’
Jia Zheng hesitated. ‘I suppose I too must look to my own survival,’ he said in the end. ‘Do whatever you must. But I will play no part in it.’
He walked stiffly back into his private chambers.
Li Ten now came into his own and began to implement his plans with a vengeance. He had soon organized, behind Jia Zheng’s back, an elaborate squeeze operation involving yamen staff and local mandarins. On the surface, day-to-day business in the yamen began running smoothly again, so smoothly that Jia Zheng allowed himself to set his mind at rest and, far from suspecting that anything was amiss, put absolute faith in Li. Any irregularities reported to his superiors were discounted by them in view of Jia Zheng’s record for scrupulous honesty. His private secretaries had a shrewder idea of what was going on and tried to caution him. When he refused to listen, some of them resigned, others decided to stay on for friendship’s sake. Thus it was that the tax-grain for that year was eventually collected and shipped to the capital without any apparent mishap.
One day, in one of his free moments, Jia Zheng was sitting in his study reading, when the chief clerk sent in a letter. It bore an official seal and the superscription:
From the Commandant of Haimen and surrounding Coastal Region
To the Yamen of the Kiangsi Grain Intendant
By Express Delivery
Jia Zheng opened the envelope and examined its contents:
Honoured Sir,
Last year when duty called me to the capital, I was privileged, on the strength of our common Nanking origin, to enjoy your hospitality on a number of occasions. At that time you graciously favoured my suggestion that the connection between our two families be further strengthened by a matrimonial alliance. I have since then had this constantly in the forefront of my mind, but was reluctant to press the matter after my transfer to maritime defence in this remote region. That circumstances should have put such an obstacle in the way of our plans has been a source of great regret to me. Now that the light of your noble presence illumines these southern skies, however, that obstacle has been removed. I had been thinking to write and send you my felicitations, when I received your letter.
From his bivouac an old soldier raises his hand in humble salute! Even on these distant shores, I feel myself basking in the genial warmth of your benevolence.
Dare I hope for your consent if I now propose this alliance once more? My son was favoured, I recall, with your gracious approval, and we have long anticipated the great joy that your daughter’s charming presence would bring to our household.
If you are kind enough to confirm your acceptance, I shall despatch a go-between without delay. Though the journey is a long one for your daughter, it can be accomplished by boat. And though I cannot offer much in the way of pomp and ceremony, I can at least send a suitably furnished barge to receive her.
This brief missive carries my most sincere congratulations on your new appointment. In eager anticipation of your favourable response, believe me to be, honoured sir, your most humble and respectful servant,
Zhou Qiong.
‘Fate seems indeed to play a decisive role in affairs of matrimony,’ reflected Jia Zheng to himself after perusing the letter. ‘I do remember suggesting this betrothal last year. There seemed to be several factors in its favour: Zhou was taking up an appointment in the capital, he and I were old friends and both from Nanking families, and his son was a good-looking enough young man. It was only a casual suggestion, and I never mentioned it at home. Afterwards he was transferred to Maritime Defence and the matter was dropped. And yet now an unforeseeable stroke of fate has sent me here to the provinces, and Zhou has broached the subject once more. Theirs seems a suitable family, and I think it would be a good match for Tan-chun. But I am here on my own, and I shall have to write home to consult them first.’
He was still deliberating, when one of the gate-attendants came in with an official despatch summoning him to a conference with the Viceroy, and he had to set out at once for the Viceroy’s seat. After his arrival there, he was awaiting further instructions and sitting in his temporary lodgings, idly leafing through a pile of Peking Gazettes that lay on the table, when his eye was caught by a report from the Board of Punishments:
‘In the case of Xue Pan, travelling on business, registered domicile Nanking …’
‘Good heavens!’ exclaimed Jia Zheng in some alarm. ‘Have they memorialized already?’
He read on more carefully. The gist of the report was that Xue Pan, having killed Zhang San ‘in an affray’, had connived with the relatives of the deceased and other eyewitnesses to get himself off on a charge of ‘accidental homicide’. Jia Zheng brought his hand down with a thump on the table.
‘He’s done for!’
He read the report through to the end:
The Metropolitan Governor has forwarded the following abstract of the case:
Xue Pan of Nanking, while travelling through the town of Tai-ping, stayed at Li’s Inn. One of the waiters employed by Gaffer Li the proprietor was a certain Zhang San, with whom Xue was not previously acquainted. On the __ day of the __ month of the year ___, Xue Pan placed an order with the proprietor for some wine, as he had invited Wu Liang (a native of Tai-ping) to drink with him. When his guest came, he sent the waiter Zhang San to bring them the wine. The wine was sour, and Xue Pan told him to replace it with something better. Zha
ng San argued that since that particular wine had been ordered, it was impossible to change it. Xue Pan considered Zhang’s behaviour insolent and raised his cup to throw the wine in his face. Unfortunately he exerted too much force and the cup slipped from his hand just as Zhang lowered his head to retrieve a chopstick from the ground. The cup struck Zhang on the top of the head, there was a substantial loss of blood, and he died shortly afterwards. Gaffer Li hurried to the scene but was too late to be of any help. He informed Mrs Zhang, née Wang, the deceased’s mother, who came to the inn only to find her son already dead. She called out the beadle and brought a plaint at the local yamen. The then acting magistrate held an inquest and the coroner completed the usual certificate. Two crucial facts were, however, omitted: first, that the bregmatic fracture was one and one-third inches long; and second, that Zhang had also sustained injuries in the small of the back. The case was then sent up to the prefectural yamen, where it was confirmed that Xue Pan had only intended to throw the wine, that the cup had slipped from his hand, and that he had therefore accidentally caused the death of Zhang San. He was dealt with according to the law relating to Accidental Homicide, and permitted to pay a fine in commutation.
The Board has investigated the evidence given by the accused, by the various eyewitnesses and by the relatives of the deceased, and has found it to be inconsistent. It has also consulted the detailed provisions of the code relating to homicide, wherein a fight is defined as a ‘struggle between two persons’, and an affray as a ‘struggle in which the parties strike one another’. There must be no evidence of such a fight or struggle if the offence is to be classified as accidental homicide. The case was therefore handed back to the office of the Metropolitan Governor to establish the exact facts, on the basis of which a final recommendation for sentence could be reached.
This is the substance of the Governor’s final findings: Xue Pan was already intoxicated when Zhang San refused to replace the wine. Seizing Zhang by the right hand, he struck him in the small of the back. Whereupon Zhang began to abuse Xue Pan, who then hurled his wine cup at him, inflicting a severe wound on his skull. The bone was fractured, causing damage to the brain and immediate death. In other words, Zhang’s death was directly caused by the force with which Xue Pan threw the cup. Xue Pan should therefore pay for this crime with his life. In accordance with the code relating to Homicide by Blows, he should be kept in custody until the Assizes, and then executed by strangulation. Wu Liang should be flogged and sentenced to penal servitude.
The Prefectural, Shire and District Magistrates implicated in this miscarriage of Justice should be dealt with as follows …
The report broke off at this point with the note ‘To be continued’.
Jia Zheng reflected that it was he who, at Aunt Xue’s request, had brought pressure to bear on the local magistrate to reverse the verdict in Xue Pan’s case. If that magistrate had now been cashiered, and an enquiry had been held, he could be implicated himself. It was very worrying. He read through the next issue of the Gazette, but there was no further mention of the case. He searched through all the remaining issues without being able to find the conclusion of the report. He began to feel more and more uneasy, and was deep in thought when Li Ten came in and said:
‘Will you please proceed to the yamen to attend on the Viceroy, sir? His attendants have already beaten the drum twice.’
Jia Zheng was miles away and heard none of this. Li had to repeat himself.
‘What can I do?’ muttered Jia Zheng to himself.
‘Is something the matter, sir?’ asked Li.
Jia Zheng confided to Li his anxiety about the report in the Gazette.
‘Don’t you worry too much about that, sir,’ said Li. ‘In fact, if you ask me, Mr Xue was quite lucky. Back in the capital I heard that he invited a lot of women along to that very inn and that they were all there together getting drunk and causing quite a rumpus on the very evening when he beat this waiter to death. And I heard that the local mandarin was not the only one to do the family a favour. Apparently Mr Lian spent a small fortune on the case, and sent bribes to every yamen concerned, to try to get Mr Pan off. It’s funny the Board hasn’t mentioned that in its report. I suppose in one way it’s only to be expected. Now this affair has come to light, the people involved must all be busy covering up for each other. They’re trying to sweep the whole thing under the carpet. They want to make it seem like a minor case of negligence. Then the worst that can happen to them is that they’ll lose their jobs. They’d never want to admit to bribes being taken. Much too serious. Don’t you worry about this one, sir, I’ll get hold of the inside story. We’d best not keep the Viceroy waiting any longer …’
‘You don’t understand,’ said Jia Zheng. ‘It’s the local magistrate I feel sorry for. For doing us this favour, he has forfeited his job. And that may not even be the end of it for him.’
‘It won’t do any good worrying about him, sir,’ said Li. ‘Your attendants have been waiting for a long time. You’d best be going in to see the Viceroy now, sir.’
To learn what it was the Viceroy wanted of Jia Zheng, please read the next chapter.
Chapter 100
Caltrop disturbs an elaborate seduction and inspires bitter resentment
Bao-yu learns of a distressing betrothal and laments an imminent departure
Jia Zheng was with the Viceroy for a long time, and outside the yamen speculation mounted as to the reason for the summons. Li Ten, in the absence of any information, assumed that his master was wanted in connection with this latest trouble in the Gazette, and feared the worst. At last the interview was over, and Li hurried forward to meet Jia Zheng and accompany him home. He was too impatient to wait until their return, and as soon as they were alone he asked Jia Zheng:
‘What kept you so long, sir? Something of great importance, I suppose?’
Jia Zheng smiled.
‘Not really. It turns out that the Commandant of the Haimen region, who has offered his son’s hand in marriage to my daughter, is himself related to the Viceroy, and has written asking him to take a special interest in my well-being. The Viceroy was most affable, and even went so far as to say to me: “Now we are related too!” ’
Li rejoiced inwardly, seeing in this new turn of events cause to be bolder still in his own schemes. He encouraged Jia Zheng enthusiastically to proceed with the marriage.
Communications between Kiangsi and the capital were slow, and it was hard for Jia Zheng to know whether or not he was personally implicated in Xue Pan’s troubles. At such a great distance it would be difficult for him to influence the course of events in Xue Pan’s favour. When he returned to his own yamen, he despatched a family servant to the capital to ascertain exactly what had happened, and at the same time to carry a message to Grandmother Jia, informing her of the marriage proposal. If she agreed, he suggested that Tan-chun should be sent straight away to join him, in preparation for the wedding. The servant set off with all speed for the capital. He reported first to Lady Wang, and then went to the Board of Civil Office, where his enquiries revealed that the only person to have suffered in the Xue Pan affair was the acting magistrate of Tai-ping, who had lost his job, and that Jia Zheng was not in any way implicated. The servant sent back a reassuring report to Jia Zheng, himself remaining behind to await further developments.
It will be remembered to what lengths Aunt Xue had gone, and with what large sums of money she had bribed the various courts involved, to bring in a verdict of ‘accidental homicide’ in the earlier stages of Xue Pan’s case. She had been proposing to raise the money for his fine by selling the family pawnshop business. Now when she heard of the new verdict brought by the Board of Punishments, she sent still more bribes, but to no avail. The sentence was confirmed – death by strangulation after the Autumn Assizes. Day and night she wept tears of grief and rage.
Bao-chai visited her several times and tried to offer consolation:
‘Brother Pan must have been born under an unlucky
star, Mama! With the fortune that Grandpa left, he should have been able to lead a quiet and comfortable life. But instead it’s been one disaster after another. First came Nanking and that disgraceful business over Caltrop. He was entirely to blame for that poor young man’s death, and it was just lucky for him that we still had plenty of pull and money in those days, and were able to get him off.
‘You’d have thought a scrape like that would have been enough to make him mend his ways. You’d have thought he might have taken life a bit more seriously after that and devoted more time to looking after his own mother. But no, as soon as we arrived here, it was the same story all over again. I hate to think how much you’ve suffered on his account, Mama, how many tears you’ve shed. Then he got married, and at last we thought life might quieten down a bit for all of us. But fate evidently had something else in mind. Eventually that dreadful woman drove him away with her insufferable carryings-on.
‘And even that was not the end of it. As the saying goes: “Fate moves in a narrow lane, and collisions are hard to avoid!” It was only a few days before he was mixed up in this new murder case! You and Cousin Ke have done everything you possibly could. Apart from all the money you’ve spent, you’ve never stopped asking for help and thinking of ways to get him out. You can’t go on struggling with fate. He’ll have to pay the price for his own misdeeds.