Chapter Four: On the Dragon Boat Festival, Society Friends Revel at the Waterside Pavilion — At the Lantern-Boat Gathering, a Treacherous Man Hides in the Shadows

Now after Xiangjun had rejected the trousseau, and Hou Chaozong had in person refused Ruan Dacheng's overtures to Yang Longyou's face, his heart grew heavy and oppressed, and he longed to go and view the scenery to relieve his pent-up feelings.

It so happened that the fifth day of the fifth month — the Duanyang Festival — had arrived. The custom in Nanjing on that day was for gentry, merchants, and commoners alike to take to boats and go out for pleasure on the river, with music and singing. Now Chen Dingsheng went to fetch Wu Ciwei, saying: "Brother Ciwei, today the Duanyang Festival is in full swing, and here we are, suppressed and gloomy in our lodgings. Why not go to the Qinhuai to enjoy the festival and give some air to our stifled hearts?" Ciwei said: "I have long felt the same — I was just about to visit you and propose the very thing, and here you have come first; it suits me perfectly!" The two linked arms and went out the door, strolling along at an easy pace.

They reached the Qinhuai, and Dingsheng said: "On such a fine festival, why is there no one from our society to be seen?" Ciwei said: "They must all be at the lantern-boat gathering." Just as they were speaking, they noticed a riverside pavilion with lanterns hung and curtains lowered, clean and graceful in appearance. Ciwei, recognizing it as Ding Jizhi's waterside retreat, said to Chen Dingsheng: "This is Ding Jizhi's water pavilion — we might go up for a view." The two climbed up together and called out: "Is Ding Jizhi at home?" A servant boy came out, recognized the two men, and said: "Gentlemen Chen and Wu, please be seated! My master has gone to the lantern-boat gathering, but wine and refreshments are laid out at home for any guests who arrive — please stay and make yourselves comfortable." The two, hearing this, said together: "Delightful — the host's thoughtfulness deserves full marks!" Without further ceremony they sat down. Dingsheng said: "We are gathered here today for a refined meeting — we should find some way to keep coarser company out." He called the servant to bring a paper lantern, and with a brush wrote eight large characters upon it: "Revival Society Literary Gathering — Idlers Keep Out." This he hung before the water pavilion. The two then settled down to drink.

Just as they were drinking, they heard the sound of drums and music reverberating in their ears, and knew the lantern-boats were drawing near. Leaning on the railing to look, they saw in the distance a lantern-boat on which a woman guest was singing, while three men played beside her — winds and strings together — coming toward the water pavilion. Dingsheng looked carefully and recognized their society friend Hou Chaozong among them. He pointed at the boat: "That coming toward us looks like Hou Chaozong." Ciwei said: "Indeed it is — we should invite him to join the gathering." Dingsheng said: "The woman guest must be Xiangjun — is it all right to invite her too?" Ciwei said: "Xiangjun refused Ruan the Bearded One's trousseau — she is practically a friend of the Revival Society already. Why not invite her?" Dingsheng said: "In that case, the musicians Liu Jingting and Su Kunsheng, who also refused to remain Ruan's house-guests — they too are friends of the Revival Society. Inviting them all up here would be all the more entertaining." He called out loudly: "Brother Hou of the society — come over here!" Chaozong heard someone calling, looked toward the water pavilion, and saw his two society friends Chen and Wu. He bowed toward them from the boat: "Greetings to you both!" Dingsheng said: "This is Ding Jizhi's water pavilion, with wine already laid. Brother Hou, come up with Xiangjun, Jingting, and Kunsheng — let us celebrate the festival together!" Chaozong and the others were glad to comply; they disembarked and, playing music as they went, climbed up to the pavilion. A lyric in evidence:

Dragon boats arrayed, painted oars parting,

Sunflower and calamus leaves floating beside golden goblets.

Vermilion towers closely set, purple curtains evenly drawn —

Flute and drum blown and beaten, rising into the layered clouds.

— "Paigeizi"

Now the four of them — Chaozong and his companions — came up to the water pavilion. Seeing the words on the lantern: "Revival Society Literary Gathering," Chaozong said: "A literary gathering today! I have come at just the right moment." Jingting said: "'Idlers Keep Out' — I am afraid we are intruding!" Ciwei said: "Since you were unwilling to remain as Ruan the Bearded One's household guests, you are already friends of the Revival Society." Chaozong said: "But what about Xiangjun — does that apply to her?" Ciwei said: "For the matter of rejecting the trousseau alone, I dare say the friends of the Revival Society might fall a step short of Xiangjun!" Dingsheng said: "From now on she ought to be called our Society Sister-in-law!" Everyone clapped and burst out laughing. They called the servant to pour the wine, the six of them took their seats in order, and they drank and celebrated the festival.

While they were drinking, they suddenly heard the cry: "The lantern-boats are coming!" The six set down their cups and leaned on the railing together to watch. They saw boats on the river, each hung with colored lanterns, racing and circling around the banks. Some were drinking on their boats, some playing music, some composing verses — each lantern-boat different from the next, each group of people distinct from the others. Truly: golden ripples glittering in profusion, competing glories crossing the silver expanse, figures coming and going in a blaze of confusion. When they had their fill of watching and saw the lantern-boats beginning to thin out, they settled back in their seats and resumed drinking. Jingting said: "Tonight we celebrate the festival, and are fortunate to have the company of two honored gentlemen. We must not drink in an empty, idle fashion and let the festival pass in vain. Let Kunsheng and me play music, and let Xiangjun sing — to make this evening a festivity. What do you say?" Chen and Wu said: "It is only that we hate to put you to the trouble!" Liu and Su each displayed their artistry: the music they played was exquisitely refined; Xiangjun opened her throat and sang until her voice seemed to check the clouds in their passage. Dingsheng, Ciwei, and Chaozong drank freely and without restraint.

Just as the wine was flowing freely, another cry came: "More lantern-boats are coming!" The six went back to the railing to look. They saw that the music on this boat was quite unlike the rest, the singing more extraordinary than usual, and a figure stood at the bow of the boat, heading slowly toward the water pavilion. Kunsheng said: "Look at that boat — it seems like an old reprobate's party. Let us observe more carefully." They saw the man at the bow raise his head to look up at the water pavilion, and say: "Why does the Ding family's riverside house still have lights burning at this hour? Boys, go quickly and see who is there." A servant boy went ashore for a look and came back to report: "The lantern reads: 'Revival Society Literary Gathering — Idlers Keep Out.'" At the sound of the words "Revival Society," the man on the bow at once had the music silenced and the lanterns extinguished, and the boat was quietly poled away into the distance. The people in the pavilion saw that three splendid lantern-boats had suddenly gone dark and silent and slipped away without explanation. "Why did they put out their lights and stop their music and go off like that? Send someone to investigate!" Jingting said: "No need to investigate. Though my old eyes are dim, I saw clearly enough. That bearded fellow was none other than Ruan Dacheng. He hired boats and loaded them with entertainers, but he dared not venture out early for fear of being mocked — so he only dares come out in the middle of the night. Seeing the three gentlemen drinking here, he did not dare come near, and quietly slipped away." Kunsheng said: "I thought the music sounded unlike the others!" Dingsheng said: "What audacity! And he dares come carousing in front of the Examination Court itself?" Ciwei made to go downstairs and after the boats to snatch the old man's beard. Chaozong stopped him: "Since he has turned and gone, let us not pursue the matter to excess — besides, the boats have already gone far. Let it go!" Ciwei held back, fuming: "Lucky stroke for that dog!" Xiangjun, seeing the night growing late, said to the group: "The hour is deep — let us all break up and go home." Jingting said: "Xiangjun is thinking of her mother — let us see her home." So with Kunsheng, Chaozong, and Xiangjun, he took leave of Dingsheng and Ciwei, descended to the boat, and the oars were put out. Chen and Wu also returned each to their own lodgings. And truly:

When the revelers have all gone down from towers and terraces,

A single small boat remains, bearing a household's spring.

What happens next, the following chapter will tell.