Chapter Ten: Duanlang Reads the Gazette and Is Shaken by News of Exile — Changnü Reviews the Essays and Detects Plagiarism with Uncanny Discernment

A lyric to the tune "Visiting the Golden Gate":

Long parted, I no longer know

whether he fares well or ill.

Orion and Antares, morning star and evening star —

such separation only deepens the sickness.

The boastful feel no shame in their deceit;

the plagiarist believes he commits no wrong.

Yet a keen mind will see through it all,

and lay bare the ugliness of the hour.

(To the tune of "Ye Jin Men")

Now it is told: ever since Chang Yong had heard Zhou Zhongwen's words and learned that Miss Chang was a woman of great talent, he had been scheming to take her as a daughter-in-law for his son. Wishing to discuss the matter with the tutor and also to assess his son's learning, he made his way directly to the study. The tutor in question was surnamed Wu and given the name Qu — a commoner enrolled as a jiansheng student who had gained his position entirely through flattery. Having learned through inquiries that General Chang had a son in need of instruction, Wu Qu arranged for a powerful patron to recommend him. General Chang, unable to judge quality, happily took him on. Though he did lecture Chang Qi on books and compositions day after day, it was no more than hollow performance.

On this particular day, Chang Yong came striding unexpectedly into the study. Wu Qu, supposing he had come to inspect the student's work, was seized by a sudden fright. Recovering quickly, he bowed low and said, "Your son's studies have been progressing remarkably of late. I was just about to present his recent fine compositions for your review." Chang Yong replied, "That can wait. I have a matter to discuss with you, teacher. If it can be brought to a successful conclusion, my son and I will be indebted to you forever."

Hearing that Chang Yong had not come about schoolwork, Wu Qu felt a stone lift from his heart. Then, hearing that there was something to discuss, he grew bold. He bowed again and said, "Whatever instructions the General might have, though this student's stratagems fall short of Chen Ping's and his wisdom cannot match Zhang Liang's, wherever I may be of service — though it were to wade through boiling water or tread upon burning coals — I would not refuse."

Chang Yong was greatly pleased. Drawing close, he said in confidence, "Today at Zhou Yinweng's home over wine, it came out that the birthday memorial composed some days ago was not the work of Adviser Chang himself, but of his daughter. This stirred in me a great admiration for talent, and I find myself wishing to join families with him — to seek his daughter as a bride for my son. Should it come to pass, two gifted young people, a talented young man and a beautiful young woman, would together compose verses in the manner of the pure and lofty style — would that not make a fine story of a blessed household? With the prestige of this general's household behind us, and no expense spared in the betrothal gifts, with proper ceremony and a fine matchmaker to arrange matters, there is every reason to believe it can be done. My concern, however, is this: Adviser Chang, having sired such a talented daughter, must himself be carefully seeking a talented son-in-law. The birthday memorial she wrote — though I do not myself understand it deeply — I am told is genuinely impressive. My son has long received your instruction; I wonder how his learning truly stands? I fear that even if he has talent, it may be suited only to the examinations. As for poetry and miscellaneous literary arts, he may not be refined enough. Should Adviser Chang, upon meeting him, make an unexpected request, what then would we do? I must take precautions. Can you devise a plan?"

Wu Qu replied, "No plan is needed. When it comes to prose writing, Your son's talent yields to none in the Hanlin Academy. As for poetry and song lyrics, these are mere trifles for a man of letters — your son would not deign to bother with them. Moreover, poetry and prose are quite different things. Prose grows ever fresh and ever more astonishing. Poetry is nothing but flowers and grasses, cobbled together from stolen phrases and borrowed lines, arranged to dazzle the eyes and ears. If Miss Chang prides herself on her poetic talent and demands to see the young master's work, that is no great difficulty. I shall simply take the most striking lines from the ancient poets, shift them about and recombine them into several poems. Then send along a few of his best prose essays for her judgment, and she will certainly be won over. This match, I guarantee, will fall into your hands like a ripe fruit."

Chang Yong was overjoyed. "With such wisdom and such ingenuity from you, what have I to fear?" He took his leave and went inside. Truly:

In verse they pass off the false as true,

in prose they pass off the true as false.

Do not blame the student for having no true learning —

the teacher he has hired is himself a fake.

A few days later Chang Yong wrote two invitation cards and sent a man to invite General Zhou and Adviser Chang to a banquet. The messenger went first to General Zhou's residence and delivered the card. Zhou Zhongwen, seeing it was an invitation, said to the messenger, "The other day the General was here and it was nothing but a simple meal. Your master is being too considerate in reciprocating. Still, it would be awkward to refuse. Tell him my master and Adviser Chang will both come tomorrow." After the messenger left, Zhou Zhongwen sent the card on to Chang Quan.

The next day, seeing that Zhou Zhongwen had accepted, Chang Quan felt he could not decline. He rode over together with Zhou Zhongwen. They arrived before long. Chang Yong had already brought his son out to receive them at the gate of the private quarter. The parties exchanged greetings and courtesies, then took their seats. Chang Yong said, "I ought to have arranged a grander feast, but between close friends speaking from the heart, such formalities seemed unnecessary. I hope you will not take offense." Zhou Zhongwen replied, "The other day I was the one imposing on your hospitality and could not adequately express my feelings, yet here you trouble your kitchen again for us — I truly feel the warmth of your hospitality."

The three men talked for a while of military affairs, then of court matters, and drank freely and deeply. Chang Yong then said, "The other day, after I returned home, my son and I carefully read Miss Chang's composition together — it is beyond words, unrivaled in the present age. My son wished to imitate its meaning and write a piece in response as a gesture of admiration, but he refused to put brush to paper, saying that with such a pearl before him he would only feel ashamed by comparison." Chang Quan hastened to demur, "My daughter's learning is shallow and unpolished — hardly more than scribbling. Though she managed not to disgrace herself, every time I think of it I feel inwardly embarrassed. How could I deserve such kind regard from you and your son?"

Zhou Zhongwen said, "Your son is a brilliant and outstanding young man — even without asking, one can see he is a horse that can travel a thousand li."

Chang Yong replied, "My son, though endowed with a modest nature, has bent his will toward hard study. In the way of prose composition — though I myself am no judge — I see him often praised by those who know, and I cannot help but be pleased. There is no great literary authority here in this place, and my son frequently chafes at that. I honestly do not know the full extent of his learning. Today I have had him attend upon us precisely because I wish to seek the guidance of you, Elder Yinweng, and of Adviser Chang."

Zhou Zhongwen said, "Your son is a fine spirited horse — even without examining him one knows he is a thousand-li steed."

Chang Quan, hearing the two men exchange such praises, began looking Chang Qi over carefully again and again. Noticing that Chang Quan kept stealing glances at his son, Chang Yong was inwardly delighted, and added, "My son not only studies hard, but has one remarkable quality that sets him apart: at seventeen, he has not yet been willing to discuss marriage. He insists on achieving a name first, so as to fulfil the ambitions both great and small. I often laugh and call him a foolish boy with foolish dreams." Zhou Zhongwen said, "Those with ambition always succeed in the end. Your son's future cannot be measured."

Chang Yong continued, "I have long heard that Adviser Chang once entered the prefectural school. Though you have since left that path, your standards of literary judgment remain firm. Would you permit my son to copy out some of his recent compositions to bring for your assessment, and offer a word or two of guidance? I beg you not to withhold your instruction."

Chang Quan had no choice but to reply, "Your son's talent is heaven-given — how would this student dare to soil such a fine thing?" With that, the cups and goblets flew freely around the table until every ounce of pleasure had been spent. They then took their leave, mounted their horses, and departed. Truly:

Selling a fraud depends entirely on praise;

in boasting of talent, have no fear of shame.

When praise and boasting find their mark,

even a clear-eyed man may be turned aside.

Zhou Zhongwen and Chang Quan drank and returned home — but of them for now we say no more.

Now let us turn to Duan Chang, who had grown up to sixteen years of age in the Duan household compound. One idle day, having nothing to do in his schoolroom, he went out with a household attendant for a stroll. He noticed a man approaching with a book in his hand. Not knowing what the book was, Duan Chang went forward and asked to see it. Seeing it was a young gentleman, the man readily passed it over. Duan Chang looked — it was an edition of the Officials' Register. It touched a chord in his heart. He thought, "Feng Xiaojie's father, Feng Yi, holds an official post in the capital — he must surely be listed here." He turned through each department in the capital one by one, but found no name of Feng Yi. Startled, he thought, "Could he have been transferred to a post outside the capital?" He searched again carefully, but still could not find him.

He was about to start over from the beginning when the man said, "Young master, which official are you looking for?" Duan Chang did not answer, and looked through the whole register again — still nothing. He said, "He holds a position in the capital — why is his name not here? How strange." The man said, "Young master, you may not know: official appointments change constantly — some are idle positions, some face death sentences, some are exiled or sent to penal colonies. They can change several times a year; nothing is fixed. I make my living running dispatches. If the young master is looking for a particular official, just ask me and I will know."

Left with no other choice, Duan Chang said, "I am looking for a relative — Feng Yi." The man said, "That Feng Yi has not been in the capital for some time." Duan Chang quickly asked, "Has he perhaps retired and returned home?" The man replied, "It is nothing like retirement. He offended the court, and he and his entire family were long ago exiled beyond the frontier."

Hearing that the entire family had been exiled, Duan Chang was so frightened that cold sweat poured from him. He could only ask again, "Elder brother, is this news reliable?" The man said, "We handle official court dispatches for a living — how could it not be true?" He took back the register and went on his way.

Hearing that it was indeed true, Duan Chang thought of the young lady and could not suppress his grief. His whole body went limp and he could barely walk. He said to the attendant, "I suddenly feel unwell — I will not go walking after all." He turned back to the compound, went into the study, sat in numb and silent thought, and reflected, "How ill-fated we two are — obstacle after obstacle! Heaven will not allow us to be reunited. Why then did we ever meet? Having allowed us two to meet and fall deep into feeling, why must it then toss us about so cruelly? Our lives hang uncertain, no way to meet. I am in the south, she in the north. Between us lie a thousand deaths and one chance of survival. What can this mean? Can it be that this bond between us is doomed never to be fulfilled?"

He thought again, "Feng Xiaojie is a tender flower, a willow in the breeze — a delicate, lovely form. Even sheltered in the deepest inner chambers of a golden house she might barely endure. Yet now she must face the frost and winds of a long journey to a bleak frontier, far from home, not a familiar face to be seen — to whom could she speak her grief? Her tender heart must be breaking inch by inch, her sorrow without end. How could she avoid growing thin at the waist and her fair face becoming worn? If Feng Xiaojie suffers so, what reason have I, Duan Chang, to go on living? Moreover, the feeling she showed was deep — if I think of her, she must certainly think of me as well."

At this, Duan Chang could no longer hold back his tears. When a household boy brought in the evening meal, he could not eat, and lay down fully clothed. He slept until past the second watch when moonlight began to flood through the window. Duan Chang thought, "Why not rise and offer a prayer by this moonlight?" He got up, walked to the courtyard, quietly carried out the writing desk, and seeing that the incense burner was still warm, quickly added more incense. He knelt and bowed deeply in the moonlight, praying: "Chang'e, Chang'e — you are the immortal of the Cold Palace. Even if you care nothing for my own wandering east and west, at least take pity on Feng Xiaojie's suffering in exile on the frontier. Bring her home early, and give the two of us a place of reunion."

When his prayer was done, Duan Chang found the moonlight so beautiful that he lingered in the courtyard. He thought again of the vow they had made, also beneath such a moon as this. That moon had once shone on both of them together; tonight it shone on him alone. "You shine here on me," he said, "and no doubt shine on her as well. Having taken the trouble to illuminate both of us, why not take pity on us two and carry each one's heart to the other, so that I may feel grateful for your deep grace?" When he had spoken and thought all this through, he bowed to the moon once more. By then the moon shadow had slanted toward the west and the fifth watch was approaching. With nothing more to do and desolation in his heart, Duan Chang finally went to bed and fell into a lonely, forlorn sleep.

Suddenly he saw Feng Xiaojie walk into the study. She looked at Duan Chang and said with a smile, "Elder brother — I have come." Duan Chang was overjoyed. He leapt to his feet and said, "At last our fated union is fulfilled!" Just as he was about to pour out all the sorrows of their separation, a cock crowed and he started awake. He was still in his bed. He let out a long sigh. "Cursed golden cock — where now can I go to find her?" He tried to call back the lovely image of the young lady from his dream, longing to hold it before his mind's eye, but his head felt as though split by an axe, his whole body burned with fever, his mind drifted in a heavy daze — half sleeping and half waking. Truly:

In life there is no greater pain than longing;

the ache is hidden, known only to oneself.

Do not say the clever mind sees through all —

when love runs this deep, even wisdom turns to folly.

By the next day Duan Chang slept straight through until after breakfast. The schoolroom boy, seeing he had been asleep so long, finally came to rouse him — only to find Duan Chang's face red as fire, giving only muddled responses. The boy was alarmed and ran at once to inform the master and mistress. Duan Ju and his wife Li Shi rushed into the study and found Duan Chang lying there, unable to answer when spoken to. They hastily summoned a physician. Fortunately Duan Chang's constitution was robust and no lasting damage had been done. After more than a month of treatment and nursing, he gradually recovered.

Reflecting on the deep care and affection that Duan Ju and his wife had shown him, Duan Chang thought, "I now carry three family names and have received profound kindness from all three. All their hopes rest on me alone. If I were to abandon myself to ruin, would I not be the greatest sinner under heaven? As for my bond with Feng Xiaojie — though we are separated for now, I trust she will hold firm. In the affairs of the world, parting leads to reunion and reunion to parting — this is the natural order. Better to follow Feng Xiaojie's words at our parting, and strive to win a name and position. Then the kindness of three families can be repaid, and I may have the means to seek her wherever she has drifted. To throw away my life now would be utterly useless." With his mind made up, he set himself resolutely to his studies and awaited the time of the examinations. Truly:

Thinking of the past, one resolves to die for love;

thinking of the future, one sees that achievement matters more.

If one would achieve and see one's heart's desire fulfilled,

the path through all of this is merit and renown.

Now as for Duan Ju's former students: after they had all passed successively in the capital, they entered the Hanlin Academy. Grateful to their old teacher Duan for his discerning recognition of their abilities, they put their heads together and applied their connections to speak on his behalf with the minister of appointments. When the selection period came around, they quietly and smoothly arranged for Duan Ju to be appointed as county magistrate of Yicheng County in Xiangyang Prefecture, Huguang. Before long the news reached the Xinyu County school where Duan Ju was serving. He thought quietly to himself, "As a jiansheng student, I have been content with this post here. I have no connections in the capital and no means to cultivate patrons — yet I have suddenly received this fine promotion. I can only be grateful beyond measure for the grace of the Emperor and the blessings of my ancestors." He sent the messenger on his way. Not half a month later, the yamen runners of Yicheng County arrived to escort him to his new post. This reception was on an entirely different footing from before — the full ceremony befitting a county magistrate. Duan Ju set off with his household to take up his new position. After arriving, he put the administration in order, observed the conditions of the people, and governed with complete integrity. The people all held him in pleased submission. But of this we say no more for now.

Now let us return to Chang Yong. Since entertaining Zhou Zhongwen and Chang Quan, seeing Zhou Zhongwen praise his son in such glowing terms and observing Chang Quan's frequent attentive glances, he was filled with joy and felt the match was all but certain. He instructed Wu Qu to gather the best of Chang Qi's past compositions and copy out several pieces to send to Chang Quan, so that Chang Quan would be won over by the talent on display. Wu Qu agreed readily and set to work without delay. He selected several famous and excellent essays from printed collections, and fearing that Chang Qi's handwriting was not fine enough, hired a skilled calligrapher to copy them out in a neat and elegant hand — fifteen or sixteen pieces in all. They were truly splendid, every one a piece to be proud of. He filled in Chang Qi's name on them all and presented them to General Chang, saying, "These several compositions are truly your son's finest work — every line is embroidered silk, every page rings like jade. With the hand of a champion essay-writer to win a beautiful bride, I predict success on the spot."

General Chang was overjoyed. He had them sealed up and dispatched by messenger. The messenger delivered them to General Zhou's compound. Zhou Zhongwen opened the package, saw that it contained several essays by General Chang's son intended for Adviser Chang's review, and went to find Chang Quan himself. He said, "The elder Chang, knowing you are a man of letters, has sent his son's essays for your assessment. Please add your comments and remarks carefully, so that your literary judgment may be demonstrated."

Chang Quan accepted them and could not refuse. He took the essays into his study and read through them carefully. They were indeed polished and mature throughout. He thought to himself, "When I met his son the other day, I saw a sincere and solid young man — that was well enough. But I only thought General Chang was boasting out of a father's blind love for his son. Who could have guessed the young man truly possesses such literary ability? His prospects for the future are hard to predict." Then he thought, "My daughter is now of marriageable age. If she were to marry such a talented man one day, I would have nothing to worry about." He read through the essays again with great pleasure, loath to set them down. Then he thought again, "Talented men are hard to come by and should not be missed when they pass before one's eyes. Moreover, here I am drifting in a foreign land — where else could I find someone? These military commanders' sons and nephews are experts in archery and horsemanship — that is their strength. A son with this sort of literary talent is truly not easy to find. I only wonder what fate decrees for these two young people." Then again, "Let me take these essays to my daughter and have her read them. I will see how she responds. If she is favorable, I shall know what to do."

He called for the maidservant Qiusu and said, "Please go and ask the young mistress to come speak with me."

Before long the young mistress arrived and asked, "Father, why have you called for me?" Chang Quan replied, "General Chang has sent along several of his son's compositions for me to review and annotate. Since I have not taken up my brush for some time, my judgment has grown rusty, and it would be difficult for me to be precise right away. Would you look them over for me? If they are truly impressive, add some favorable comments, so that he may see I know what good writing is."

The young mistress duly read through each of Chang Qi's essays one by one. When she had finished, she said, "These several pieces all display the talent suited for the examinations and capable of advancing one's career, but they each have a different style — the brushwork is uneven, the temperaments diverge. It seems they do not all come from one hand. Could there possibly be a problem with plagiarism?"

Chang Quan heard this and was inwardly startled. He said, "Your observation is not wrong, and your point is reasonable. But when a man of great talent reaches a depth of learning, when his brushwork reaches a stage of effortless vitality, he often displays his gifts in many different modes — now a living dragon, now a leaping tiger; now a spring breeze among flowers and willows, now a withered tree with cold crows on its branches. Would he confine himself to a single consistent style? Such variety is entirely possible. You need not read too much into it." Seeing that her father had put it this way, the young mistress felt she could not argue further. She only said, "Father's view is once again far above mine." Chang Quan then took up his brush and wrote his annotations with hearty praise. The next day he sent a man to return them to Chang Yong. Truly:

Each reader brings their own clear eye to the text;

each critic carries their own deep mind to the page.

To pass off the false as true and deceive the judges —

the one who truly knows and the one who does not may be hard to tell apart.

Chang Yong, receiving the essays back from Chang Quan and seeing the annotations after each piece filled with genuine praise, was overjoyed. He went to find Wu Qu and said, "The old adviser Chang is thoroughly won over by my son's writing." He handed over the original essays. Wu Qu looked them over and found the margins behind each piece thick with commendation. He was so delighted he danced with joy, saying, "What did I tell you? I said your son's talent had made great advances — and now that he has seen them, he is indeed fully convinced. This proves that this student's words were not wrong." Chang Yong said, "My son's learning has truly been built up by your instruction, and your contribution is no small thing — I will find a way to reward you generously. But I have one more thing I wish to ask of you — you must not refuse." Wu Qu immediately bowed with clasped hands and said, "I wonder what task the General wishes to entrust to me?" Chang Yong then slowly began to explain. Because of what he said, there would come to pass:

The banana tree divided — a deer dreamed in vain;

the plum stands in for the peach — the substitute takes the fall.

What happened next? Read the following chapter for the explanation.