Chapter Eight: The Treacherous Ministers Receive Grand Appointments at the New Court — The Heroic Woman Upholds Her Fidelity and Refuses the Matchmaker

Now the Prince of Fu: ever since the bandits had stormed Henan and his father had died in the destruction of the realm, he had fled to Jiangpu and remained there in hiding for several years. Little did he expect that Beijing would fall; still less that the reigning Emperor would pass from this world. The treacherous ministers of Nanjing, coveting the glory of having sponsored his enthronement, set aside all questions of virtue and fitness and jointly proclaimed the Prince of Fu regent. On the first day of the fifth month of the jiashen year, the ceremonies of offering at the imperial tombs were completed. As the court assembled to offer congratulations in the side hall, a host of civil and military officials — among them Shi Kefa, Ma Shiying, Huang Degong, Liu Zeqing, and others — knelt in obeisance at the foot of the vermilion steps. The Minister of Revenue, Gao Hongtu, and others memorialised: "We humbly request that Your Highness at once assume the full imperial throne, establish a new reign title, and receive affairs of state, so as to fulfil the hopes of your ministers and your people."

The Prince of Fu heard their memorial and replied: "I am a prince of an outer fief, of declining lineage, with but meagre talent and shallow virtue. Bowing to the entreaties of my ministers and people, I have come to guard the palaces of the founding Emperor. Yet the deep grievance of my lord and father remains unavenged — with what face could I presume to sit upon the throne of the Son of Heaven? For the present I will act only as regent in my capacity as a prince of the blood, and the reign title shall continue to be the seventeenth year of Chongzhen. All affairs of government shall proceed as usual. Ministers, do not press me further and increase my burden of guilt."

The assembled officials responded as one, calling out: "Ten thousand years! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand ten thousand years! These are the words of a truly benevolent and sagely ruler. How could we dare disobey? Yet a great revenge is not easily achieved in haste; the imperial seat cannot long remain vacant; and the positions of generals and ministers cannot be left unfilled for much longer. We present this memorial in all reverence and await your gracious decision."

An inner attendant conveyed the memorial to the Prince of Fu, who read it and said: "Having read your memorial — your urgent petitions that vengeance and the recovery of the realm be made the first priority — I see in each of you the sincerity of loyal hearts. As for establishing the positions of general and minister, I have my own judgment. Let all of you withdraw beyond the midday gate and await the imperial decree."

The officials prostrated themselves and withdrew.

Before long an inner attendant emerged to read the imperial edict aloud: "Fengyang Governor Ma Shiying, who championed the enthronement first and whose merit stands above all others, is henceforth promoted to Grand Secretary of the Cabinet with concurrent authority as Minister of War, to enter the Cabinet and conduct affairs. The Minister of Personnel, Gao Hongtu; the Minister of Rites, Jiang Riguang; and the Minister of War, Shi Kefa, are likewise all promoted to Grand Secretaries and shall each concurrently hold their own ministries. Gao Hongtu and Jiang Riguang are to enter their ministries and conduct affairs; Shi Kefa is commissioned to superintend the northern army along the Yangtze. As for the remaining officials of the various ministries and boards — those currently in post are each to be raised three grades; positions vacant are to be filled on the basis of merit from among those who took part in the welcoming procession. Furthermore, the four garrison commanders — the Marquis of Jingnan, Huang Degong; the Earl of Xingping, Gao Jie; the Earl of Dongping, Liu Zeqing; and the Earl of Guangchang, Liu Liangzuo — are all elevated to the rank of marquis and are to return to their respective posts to render thanks for this grace."

When the assembled officials had finished expressing their gratitude, Shi Kefa turned to Huang Degong and the others and said: "I have served in the Ministry of War and have always felt the shame of being unable to recover the Central Plain. The Emperor has now commanded me to superintend the northern army. We must exert ourselves to the utmost in service. I propose that we all gather at Yangzhou on the tenth day of the fifth month to discuss plans for vengeance and recovery. Each of you must make all effort and not delay. I myself set out today to take up my post." With that he departed on horseback.

When Ma Shiying saw that Shi Kefa had left and the other officials had dispersed, he laughed and said: "Who could have imagined that today I would become the Grand Chief Minister? What a glorious thing to be alive!" He was on the point of leaving when he noticed Ruan Dacheng peering around a corner, craning his neck to look in. He called out: "Is that not Old Ruan? Where are you coming from?"

Ruan came forward with a deep bow: "Congratulations, Your Excellency — you have indeed received the great appointment! Where are you going now? This is the founding of the new court and all affairs are still unsettled. Beware lest Gao and Jiang seize the reins of power — why not go at once and enter the Cabinet to conduct affairs?"

Ma Shiying said: "Old Ruan is quite right." Ruan Dacheng leaned close and said in a low voice: "Your Excellency the Chief Minister won this high position through the merit of sponsoring the enthronement. My own small service in carrying the memorial case was not entirely without effort — yet I noticed no mention of me in the proceedings."

Ma Shiying said: "Did you not hear the edict? Officials filling vacancies in the various ministries may be drawn from those who took part in the enthronement — did that not register with you?"

Ruan Dacheng said with delight: "Good, good! But I still beg the Chief Minister to put in a word on my behalf."

Ma Shiying said: "Your affairs need no special reminding. I am newly entered into the Cabinet and not yet familiar with all its workings. Come and help me along — and let us each take care." Ruan Dacheng thereupon took up Ma Shiying's tablet and the two men went together into the Cabinet.

A quatrain was composed on the occasion:

Through the east side of the palace halls, the morning mist hung yellow —

The newly appointed minister walked with proud and swelling air.

Both crossed the river riding the dragon's crest to glory —

And now tread the gilded steps, the court tablet in hand.

Now after the Prince of Fu assumed the throne, officials who had taken part in the enthronement were recommended for appointment without regard to their fitness. Thus Yang Wencong was appointed a Director in the Ministry of Rites; Ruan Dacheng was reactivated as an official of the Court of Imperial Entertainments; and men such as Yue Qijie and Tian Yang likewise received posts. All these men were confederates of Ma Shiying, and so one by one they obtained their appointments.

As it happened, there was a vacancy in the position of Transport Commissioner. The recommendation fell upon Tian Yang for promotion. No sooner had Tian Yang learned of his impending appointment than he conceived the desire to take a concubine — but he had no particular woman in mind and could not see his way forward. As luck would have it, Ruan Dacheng had been quietly watching Tian Yang's situation, and he said to him: "Elder Tian, now that you are to become Transport Commissioner, a pinnacle among the highest offices — how many favoured companions do you have in your household?"

Tian Yang replied: "Does elder brother not know? In my home there is only my wife; I have no concubine. I have been thinking of taking one, but have found no one who pleases me, and so have delayed."

Ruan Dacheng said: "I have heard that in the pleasure quarter there is a courtesan named Xiangjun, of a thousand charms and ten thousand graces — a truly peerless beauty. Elder Yang Longyou is on close terms with her. Why not ask him to put in a word and bring this matter about?"

Tian Yang, hearing this, rose with delight and offered his thanks: "Many thanks for your guidance! Tomorrow I will ask Elder Longyou to act as go-between on my behalf."

He then parted from Ruan Dacheng, went home, weighed out three hundred taels of silver, and sent it to Yang Longyou's residence as betrothal money, begging him to negotiate the engagement of Xiangjun as his concubine.

Longyou, in an unfortunate lapse of judgment, wanting to curry favour with the new Transport Commissioner, sent his steward to summon two acquaintances — the gentleman Ding Jizhi and the lady Bian Yujing — and entrusted the matchmaking to the two of them.

As it happened, Ding Jizhi and the others had come precisely because the Hongguang Emperor wished to have Ruan Dacheng's submitted opera The Swallow Letter transcribed into the general repertoire, with their company selected to enter the palace for rehearsals. They had come specially to beg Yang Longyou to use his influence to have them exempted from the selection. The steward had just set out to summon them when they appeared at the gate. The steward met them, confirmed their names, and said: "The master has just sent me to fetch you — how fortunate that you have come on your own. Wait here while I report." He went in and reported to Longyou, who said with pleasure: "What perfect timing — show them in."

They followed the steward in and bowed before Master Yang, then explained their request. Longyou said: "That is not difficult. Tomorrow draw up a list of names and send it to Master Ruan Yuanhai — he will arrange for you to be exempted from the selection." The visitors, relieved and grateful, all kowtowed in thanks.

Longyou said: "Rise. Your matter I have already agreed to help. But I have a favour to ask of you all in return. When it is done, I will repay you generously."

Ding Jizhi and the others asked: "What is it that the master requires of us?"

Longyou then explained the whole matter: that Tian Yang had asked him to act as intermediary and wished to take Xiangjun as his concubine. On hearing this, all who were present knitted their brows and said: "Since parting from the young master Hou, Xiangjun has kept herself secluded in her bower and receives no guests. This will likely be difficult to arrange. Besides, the master is on close terms with her mother — why not go in person and speak with her directly? She might find it hard to refuse you."

Longyou said: "I was the one who arranged the match between Xiangjun and Chaozong, and presided over the ceremony of her first adorning. Now to go back and urge her to marry someone else — how could I possibly speak such words face to face? I beg you all to use your best persuasion. When the matter is done, I will repay you handsomely."

Ding Jizhi and the others dared not say more. They took their leave of Longyou and made their way to Li Zhenniang's establishment.

Entering the courtyard, they found it all quite still:

The empty tower lay in silence — not a note of zither or flute;

That clinging tender face had long since ceased to welcome or send off guests.

The two of them called out loudly: "Is Zhenniang at home?"

Xiangjun heard someone calling for her mother, and looked down from the tower: "It is Aunt Bian and Master Ding. Please come up and sit. Mother is not at home. You have honoured us with your visit — what brings you here?"

Bian Yujing said: "We have no great matter to speak of. First, we came because we felt sorry for how lonely you must be, and wanted to keep you company. Second, we have a piece of happy news to share with you."

Xiangjun said: "With my husband so far away — what happy news could there be?"

Ding Jizhi then explained the whole matter in full: that Longyou had entrusted them to act as go-between, so that she might be remarried to the new Transport Commissioner Tian Yang.

Xiangjun listened to Ding Jizhi's words, and tears welled in her eyes: "Master Ding, what are you saying? I am already wed to my lord Hou. I know only that I will depend on him for the rest of my life. He is far away now, but this fan, the pledge of our love, is worth more to me than ten thousand taels of silver. I am of little fortune and have no desire to serve as a concubine in a great household. I beg you, sir, and you, aunt, to decline on my behalf. Do not misread this situation."

Before she had finished speaking, Zheng Tuoniang and Kou Baimen came up the stairs and said: "Xiangjun, this is Master Yang's kindness — he pities your solitary hardship and has found a rich and noble family for you to go and enjoy a life of ease."

Xiangjun said: "I do not seek wealth or rank. Do not speak to me of marrying again. I know only that my lord Hou is my lifelong support. No matter how full of wealth and honour the other man may be — it means nothing to your Xiangjun. Please tell him so at once. Do not bring such shameless talk before me and pollute my ears."

With that she turned and withdrew into her bedchamber.

Those left behind felt the awkwardness keenly enough. They went downstairs one by one and departed.

How fitting:

Her faithful heart is fastened firm and sure —

Each day she climbs the tower to watch for her lord.

What happened next, the following chapter will tell.