A Dream of Red Mansions004
Chapter 4
An Ill-Fated Girl Meets an ill-Fated Man
A Confounded Monk Ends a Confounded Case
To resume. Daiyu and the other girls found Lady Wang discussing family affairs with messengers sent by her brother, and heard that her sister’s son was involved in a murder case. Since she was so occupied, the girls called on Li Wan.
Li Wan was the widow of Jia Zhu who had died young, but luckily she had a son, Jia Lan, just five and already in school. Her father, Li Shouzhong, a notable of Jinling, had served as a Libationer in the Imperial College. All the sons and daughters of his clan had been devoted to the study of the classics. When he became head of the family, however, in the belief that “an unaccomplished woman is a virtuous woman,” instead of making his daughter study hard he simply had her taught enough to read a few books such as the Four Books for Girls, Biographies of Martyred Women, and Lives of Exemplary Ladies so that she might remember the deeds of worthy women of earlier dynasties while devoting her main attention to weaving and household tasks. That was why he gave her the name Li Wan1 and the courtesy name Gongcai.
So this young widow living in the lap of luxury was no better off than withered wood or cold ashes, taking no interest in the outside world. Apart from waiting on her elders and looking after her son, all she did was to accompany the girls at their embroidery or reading.
Though Daiyu was only a guest here, with cousins like these to keep her company she felt completely at home, except for worrying sometimes about her father.
But to return to Jia Yucun. No sooner had he taken up his post as prefect of Yingtian than a charge of murder was brought to his court. It was a case of two parties claiming to have purchased the same slave girl, neither willing to give way, and in consequence one of them had been beaten to death. Yucun summoned the plaintiff for questioning.
“The murdered man was my master,” the plaintiff testified. “He bought a slave girl not knowing that she’d been kidnapped and paid for her in silver. Our master said he’d take her home three days later because that would be a lucky day. Then the kidnapper sold her on the sly to the Xue family. When we found this out, we went to him to demand the girl. But the Xues lord it in Jinling with their money and powerful backing. A pack of their thugs beat my master to death, after which the murderers, master and men, disappeared without a trace, leaving here only a few people who weren’t involved. I lodged a charge a year ago, but nothing came of it. I beg Your Honour to arrest the criminals, punish the evil-doers and help the widow and orphan. Then both the living and the dead will be everlastingly grateful!”
“This is a scandal!” fumed Yucun. “How can men commit a murder and go scot-free?”
He was about to order his runners to arrest the criminals’ relatives for interrogation, in order to find out the murderers’ whereabouts and issue warrants for their arrest, when an attendant standing by his table shot him a warning glance. Then Yucun refrained and left the court in some bewilderment.
Back in his private office he dismissed everyone but the attendant, who went down on one knee in salute, then said with a smile:
“Your Honour has risen steadily in the official world. After eight or nine years, do you still remember me?”
“Your face looks very familiar, but I can’t place you.”
The attendant smiled. “High officials have short memories,” he said. “So you’ve forgotten the spot you started from, Your Honour, and what happened in Gourd Temple?”
At this disconcerting remark, the past came back to Yucun like the crash of a thunder-bolt. Now this attendant had been a novice in Gourd Temple. When the fire left him stranded he decided that work in a yamen would be easier and, having had enough of monastic austerity, instead of going to another temple he had taken advantage of his youth to grow his hair again and get this post. No wonder Yucun had failed to recognize him.
Now, taking his hand, the prefect observed with a smile: “So we are old acquaintances.”
He invited him to take a seat, but the attendant declined the honour.
“We were friends in the days when I was hard up,” said Yucun. “Besides, this is my private office. As we are going to have a good talk, how can you remain standing all the time?”
Then, deferentially, the attendant perched sideways on the edge of a chair. And Yucun asked why he had stopped him from issuing the warrants.
“Now that Your Honour’s come to this post,” said the attendant, “surely you’ve copied out the Officials’ Protective Charm for this province?”
“Officials’ Protective Charm? What do you mean?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it? In that case you won’t keep your job long. All local officials nowadays keep a secret list of the most powerful, wealthy and high-ranking families in their province. Each province has such a list. Because if unknowingly you offend one of these families, you may lose not only your post but your life as well. That’s why it’s called a Protective Charm. This Xue family mentioned just now is one Your Honour can’t afford to offend. There’s nothing difficult about this case, but out of deference to them it was never settled by your predecessor.”
With that he took a hand-written copy of the Officials’ Protective Charm from his pocket and handed it to Yucun. It was a doggerel catalogue of the most notable families in that district with notes on their ancestry, ranks and family branches. It started off:
The Jinling Jias,
If truth be told,
Have halls of jade,
Stables of gold.
Twenty branches descended from the Duke of Ningguo and the Duke of Rongguo. Apart from eight branches in the capital, there are twelve branches in their ancestral district.
Vast 0 Pang Palace,
Fit for a king,
Isn’t fine enough
For the Shis of Jinling.
Twenty branches descended from Marquis Shi of Baoling, Prime Minister. Ten in the capital, ten in the ancestral district.
If the Dragon King wants
A white jade bed,
He applies to the Wangs
Of Jinling, it’s said.
Twelve branches descended from Earl Wang the High Marshal. Two in the capital, the rest in the ancestral district.
The Xues in their affluence
Are so rich and grand,
Gold is like iron to them
And pearls like sand.
Eight branches descended from Lord Xue, Imperial Secretary, Now in charge of the Treasury.
Before Yucun could finish reading the list, a chime sounded at the gate and a certain Mr. Wang was announced. Putting on his official robes and cap again, he went to receive the caller, coming back in the time it takes for a meal to ask for more information.
“These four families are all closely connected,” said the attendant, “Injure one and you injure them all, honour one and you honour them all. They help each other and cover up for each other. This Xue charged with murder is one of the Xues on that list. Not only can he count on the support of those three other families, he has plenty of influential friends and relatives both in the capital and in the provinces. So whom is Your Honour going to arrest?”
“If that’s so, how are we to settle the case?” asked Yucun. “I take it you know the murderer’s hiding-place?”
“I won’t keep it from Your Honour.” The attendant grinned. “I know not only where the murderer has gone. I know the kidnapper who sold the girl, and I knew the poor devil who bought her. Let me put all the facts before you.
“The man who was killed, Feng Yuan, was the son of one of the minor local gentry. Both his parents died when he was young and he had no brothers; he lived as best he could on his small property. Up to the age of eighteen or nineteen he was a confirmed queer and took no interest in women. But then, no doubt as retribution for entanglements in a former life, he ran into this kidnapper and no sooner set eyes on this girl than he fell for her and made up his mind to buy her for his concubine. He swore to have no more to do with men and to take no other wife. That was why he insisted on her coming to him three days later. Who was to know that the kidnapper would sell her on the sly to the Xues, meaning to abscond with the payment from both parties? Before he could get away with this, they nabbed him and beat him within an inch of his life. Both refused to take back their money — both wanted the girl. Then young Xue, who will never give an inch to anyone, ordered his men to beat Feng Yuan into a pulp. Three days after being carried home he died.
“Young Xue had already fixed on a day to set off for the capital. But happening to see this girl two days before leaving he decided to buy her and take her along, not knowing the trouble that would come of it. Then, having killed a man and carried off a girl, he set off with his household as if nothing had happened, leaving his clansmen and servants here to settle the business. A trifling matter like taking a man’s life wouldn’t frighten him away. So much for him. But do you know who the girl is?”
“How could I know?”
“She’s by way of being Your Honour’s benefactress.” The attendant sniggered. “She’s Yinglian, the daughter of Mr. Zhen who lived next to Gourd Temple.”
“Well!” exclaimed Yucun in astonishment. “So that’s who she is! I heard that she was kidnapped when she was five. Why didn’t they sell her before?”
“Kidnappers of this type make a point of stealing small girls. They bring them up somewhere out of the way until they’re eleven or twelve, then take them elsewhere to sell according to their looks. We used to play with Yinglian every day. Although seven or eight years have passed and she’s now a good-looking girl of twelve or thirteen, her features haven’t
changed and anyone who knew her can easily recognize her. Besides, she had a red birthmark the size of a grain of rice between her eyebrows, which makes me quite sure it’s her.
“As the kidnapper happened to rent rooms from me, one day when he was away I asked her outright. She’d been beaten so much she was afraid to talk; she just insisted that he was her father, selling her to clear his debts. When I tried repeatedly to wheedle it out of her, she burst into tears and said she didn’t remember a thing about her childhood. So there’s no doubt. It’s her, all right.
“The day that young Feng met her and paid down his silver, the kidnapper got drunk. Then Yinglian sighed, ‘At last my trials are over!’ She started worrying again, though, when she heard Feng wouldn’t be fetching her for three days. I was so sorry for her that as soon as the kidnapper went out I sent my wife to cheer her up.
“My wife told her: ‘Mr. Feng’s insistence on waiting for a lucky days is proof that he won’t be treating you like a servant. Besides, he’s a very fine gentleman, quite well-to-do, who never could abide women in the past, yet now he’s paid a fancy price for you. That all goes to show you’re quite safe. Just be patient for two or three days. You’ve no reason to worry.’
“She perked up a bit then, believing that she’d soon have a place where she belonged. But this world is full of disappointments: the very next day she was sold to the Xues. Any other family wouldn’t have been so bad; but this young Xue, otherwise known as the Stupid Tyrant, is the most vicious ruffian alive, who throws money about like dirt. He started a big fight and then dragged her off by force more dead than alive. What’s become of her since, I don’t know.
“Feng Yuan dreamed of happiness, but instead of finding it he lost his life. Wretched luck, wasn’t it?”
“This was retribution, no accident,” replied Yucun with a sigh. “Otherwise, why should Feng Yuan have taken a fancy to Yinglian and no one else? As for her, after being knocked about all those years by the kidnapper she at last saw a way out with a man who loved her, and if she’d married him all would have been well; but then this had to happen! Of course, Xue’s family is richer than Feng’s, but a profligate like Xue Pan is sure to have troops of maids and concubines and to be thoroughly debauched — he could never be as true to one girl as Feng Yuan. So this romance was an empty dream, a chance encounter between an ill-fated young couple. Well, enough of that. What’s the best way to settle this case?”
“Your Honour used to be shrewd enough in the past,” said the attendant with a smile. “What’s made you so short of ideas today? I heard that your appointment was due to the good offices of the Jias and Wangs, and this Xue is related to the Jias by marriage. So why not sail with the stream and do them a good turn, settling this case in such a way that you can face them in future?”
“There’s much in what you say. But a man’s life is involved. Moreover, I’ve been re-instated by the Emperor’s favour and am in fact beginning a new life. I should be doing my utmost to show my gratitude. How can I flout the law for private considerations? I really can’t bring myself to do such a thing.”
The attendant sneered: “Your Honour is right, of course. But that won’t get you anywhere in the world today. Remember the old sayings: ‘A gentleman adapts himself to circumstances’ and ‘The superior man is one who pursues good fortune and avoids disaster.’ If you do as you just said, not only will you be unable to repay the Emperor’s trust, you may endanger your own life into the bargain. Better think it over carefully.”
Yucun lowered his head. After a long silence he asked: “What do you suggest?”
“I’ve thought of a very good plan,” said the attendant. “It’s this. When Your Honour tries the case tomorrow, make a great show of sending out writs and issuing warrants. Of course the murderer won’t be forthcoming and the plaintiff will press his case; then you can arrest some of Xue’s clansmen and servants for interrogation. Behind the scenes I’ll fix things so that they report Xue Pan’s ‘death by sudden illness,’ and we’ll get his clan and the local authorities to testify to this.
“Then Your Honour can claim to be able to consult spirits through the planchette. Have one set up in the court and invite both military and civilians to come and watch. You can say: The spirit declares that Xue Pan and Feng Yuan were enemies in a former existence who were fated to clash in order to settle scores; that, hounded by Feng Yuan’s ghost, Xue Pan has perished of some mysterious disease; that since this trouble was caused by the man who kidnapped the girl with such-and-such a name, he must be dealt with according to the law, but no one else is involved… and so on and so forth.
“I’ll see to it that the kidnapper makes a full confession, and when the spirit’s message confirms this, people will be convinced.
“The Xues are rolling in money. You can make them pay a thousand or five hundred taels for Feng Yuan’s funeral expenses. His relatives are insignificant people, and all they’re out for is money. So the silver will shut their mouths.
“What does Your Honour think of this scheme of mine?”
“Impossible,” Yucun laughed. “I shall have to think this over carefully in order to suppress idle talk.”
Their consultation lasted late into the afternoon.
The next day a number of suspects were summoned to court and Yucun cross-examined them carefully. He found that the Feng family was indeed a small one and just out for more money for the funeral, but the case had been confused and left unsettled because of the stubborn Xues’ powerful connections.
So Yucun twisted the law to suit his own purpose and passed arbitrary judgement. The Fengs received a large sum for funeral expenses and made no further objections.
Once the case was settled Yucun lost no time in writing to Jia Zheng and Wang Ziteng. Commander-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Garrison, to inform them that the charge against their worthy nephew was dropped and they need not worry about it any longer. All this was due to the attendant who had been a novice in Gourd Temple, but Yucun, dismayed by the thought that this man might disclose certain facts about the days when he was poor and humble, later found some fault with him and had him exiled to a distant region.
Let us return now to young Xue, who had bought Yinglian and had Feng Yuan beaten to death. He came of a scholarly Jinling family, but having lost his father while still a child he was thoroughly spoiled by his mother as the only son and heir, with the result that he grew up good for nothing. For they were millionaires, in receipt of an income from the State Treasury as Purveyors for the Imperial Household.
Young Xue’s name was Pan, his courtesy name Wenqi, and since the age of five or six he had shown himself extravagant in his habits and insolent in his speech. At school he merely learned a few characters, spending all his time on cockfights, riding or pleasure trips. Although a Court Purveyor, he knew nothing of business or worldly affairs but prevailed on his grandfather’s old connections to find him a well-paid sine-cure in the Board of Revenue and left all business to his agents and old family servants.
His widowed mother, née Wang, was the younger sister of Wang Ziteng, Commander-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Garrison, and the sister of Lady Wang, wife of Jia Zheng of the Rong Mansion. She was about forty years of age and Xue Pan was her only son. But she also had a daughter two years younger whose infant name was Baochai, a beautiful, dainty girl of great natural refinement. While her father was still alive he made her study, and she turned out ten times better than her brother. However, after her father’s death it was so clear that Xue Pan would prove no comfort to their mother that Baochai gave up her studies and devoted herself to needlework and the household management, so as to share her mother’s burden and cares.
Recently, to honour culture, encourage propriety and search out talent, in addition to selecting consorts and ladies-in-waiting the Emperor in his infinite goodness had made the Board compile a list of the daughters of ministers and noted families from whom to choose virtuous and gifted companions for the princesses in their studies.
Moreover, since the death of Xue Pan’s father, all the managers and assistants in the Purveyor’s offices of different provinces had taken advantage of his youth and inexperience to start swindling, and even the business in the various family shops in the capital was gradually falling off.
Thus Xue Pan, who had long heard of the splendours of the capital, now had three pretexts for a visit to it: First, to escort his sister there for the selection; secondly, to see his relatives; and thirdly, to clear his accounts and decide on further outlay. His real reason, of course, was to see the sights of the great metropolis.
He had long since packed his luggage and valuables and prepared local specialities of every kind as gifts for relatives and friends. An auspicious day for departure had just been chosen when he met the kidnapper who was selling Yinglian and, struck by her good looks, promptly purchased her. When Feng Yuan demanded her back. Xue Pan relying on his powerful position ordered his bullies to beat the young man to death. Then entrusting the family affairs to some clansmen and old servants, he left with his mother and sister. To him a murder charge was just a trifle which could easily be settled with some filthy lucre.
After some days on the road they were approaching the capital when word came of the promotion of his uncle Wang Ziteng to the post of Commander-in-Chief of Nine Provinces with orders to inspect the borders.
Xue Pan told himself gleefully, “I was just thinking what a bore it would be to have an uncle cramping my style in the capital. Now he’s been upgraded and is leaving. It shows Heaven is kind.”
He suggested to his mother, “Although we have some houses in the capital, none of us has lived there for ten years or more and the caretakers may have rented them out. Let’s send someone on ahead to have one cleaned up.”
“Why go to such trouble?” she asked. “When we arrive, we should first call on relatives and friends. We can stay with your uncle or aunt. Both of them have plenty of space. Wouldn’t it be simpler to put up there first and take our time over opening up other houses?”
“But uncle’s just been promoted and is going to the provinces, so his place is bound to be upside down. If we descend on him like a swarm of bees, it will look most inconsiderate.”
“Your uncle may be leaving for his new post, but there’s still your aunt’s house. They’ve written year after year inviting us to visit the capital. Now that we’re here and your uncle’s getting ready to leave, your Aunt Jia is sure to press us to stay there. It will appear very strange to them if we’re in such a rush to open up one of our own houses.
“I know what you’re after. You’re afraid of being under restraint if
you stay with your uncle or aunt. You’d prefer to be on your own, free to do as you please. In that case, go and find yourself some lodgings. I’ve been parted all these years from your aunt and we old sisters want to spend a little time together. I shall take your sister there with me. Have you any objection to that?”
Realizing that he could not talk his mother round, Xue Pan had perforce to order his servants to make straight for the Rong Mansion.
Meanwhile Lady Wang, who had learned with relief of the dismissal, thanks to Yucun, of the charge against Xue Pan, had been dismayed again by her brother’s promotion to a frontier post, for this confronted her with the lonely prospect of having none of her own family to visit. But a few days later a servant suddenly announced that her sister had brought her son and daughter and whole household to the capital, and they were just alighting outside the gate.
In her joy, Lady Wang hurried out to the reception hail with her daughter and daughter-in-law to greet the whole party and conduct them inside. We need not dwell on the mingled delight and sorrow of these two sisters meeting again in the evening of life or all their tears, laughter and reminiscences.
Lady Wang took them in to pay their respects to the Lady Dowager, and they distributed the gifts they had brought. When the entire family had been introduced, a feast of welcome was spread for the travellers. And after Xue Pan had paid his respects to Jia Zheng, Jia Lian took him over to call on Jia She and Jia Zhen.
Then Jia Zheng sent a message to his wife saying. “My sister-in-law has seen many springs and autumns, and my nephew is young and inexperienced. He may get into some scrapes if they live outside. The ten rooms and more in Pear Fragrance Court in the northeast corner of our grounds are empty. Let us have them swept clean and ask your sister and her children to stay there.”
Before Lady Wang could extend this invitation, the Lady Dowager also sent to urge, “Do invite your sister to stay here, so that we can all be close together.”
Aunt Xue was only too glad to comply so as to have some check on her son, who was likely to get up to fresh mischief if they lived outside. She promptly accepted with thanks and in private intimated to Lady Wang that, if she was to make a long stay, she must be allowed to defray all her household’s daily expenses. Lady Wang knew that this presented no difficulty for the Xue family, and therefore agreed. So Aunt Xue and her children moved into Pear Fragrance Court.
This court where the Duke of Rongguo had spent his declining years was small but charming, its dozen or so rooms including a reception hail in front and the usual sleeping quarters and offices behind. It had its own entrance to the street which the Xue household used, while a passage from a southwest gate led to the east courtyard of Lady Wang’s main apartment. Every day after lunch or in the evening, Aunt Xue would walk over to chat with the Lady Dowager or to talk over the old days with her sister.
Baochai spent her time with Daiyu, Yingchun and the other girls, very happy to read, play chess or sew with them.
Only Xue Pan at first disliked this arrangement, for fear that his uncle would control him so strictly that he would not be his own master. He had to comply for the time being, however, because his mother had made up her mind to it and the Jia family pressed them so hard to stay. None the less, he sent servants to make ready one of his own houses for when he decided to move.
To his relief, after less than a month he found himself on familiar terms with half the Jia sons and nephews, and all the rich young men of fashion among them enjoyed his company. One day they would meet to drink, the next to look at flowers, and soon they included him in gambling parties or visits to the courtesans’ quarters, with the result that Xue Pan rapidly became even ten times worse than before.
Although Jia Zheng was known for his fine method of schooling his sons and disciplining his household, the family was too large for him to see to everything. Moreover the head of the clan was Jia Zhen, who as the eldest grandson of the Duke of Ningguo had inherited the title and was responsible for all clan affairs.
Besides, Jia Zheng, occupied as he was by public and private business, was too easy-going to take mundane matters seriously, preferring to give all his leisure to reading and chess.
Since Pear Fragrance Court was two courtyards away from his quarters and had its own entrance to the street through which people could pass as they pleased, the young men caroused and enjoyed themselves just as they chose. For these reasons, before very long Xue Pan gave up all thought of moving.
To know what followed, turn to the next chapter.
