Chapter Nine: Forced into the Palanquin, Blood Spatters the Fan — A Cunning Stratagem, and a Mother Who Weds in Her Daughter's Place

It is told that Xiangjun, having refused every man who approached her, spent her days shut in the upper room, guarding the poem-fan and waiting for her beloved Hou Lang to return. Before she knew it, the tenth month had arrived. But alas — the Grand Secretary Ma Shiying now held the reins of government, and all he knew was how to gather factions around him; with power in his hands, he thought of nothing but settling old scores and exacting revenge.

One day, the red plum blossoms in Wanyuyuan Park had just opened, and Ma Shiying decided to invite Yang Longyou, Ruan Dacheng, Yue Qijie, Tian Yang, and a company of such small-minded men to admire the plums together. Yang Longyou and Ruan Dacheng, upon receiving their invitations, went at once to wait in Ma Shiying's gatehouse. When Shiying learned they had arrived, he summoned them in. The two men entered, and upon seeing Shiying, they heaped upon him every manner of flattery and fawning that words could barely describe. Shiying laughed and said: "The weather today is a touch cold — just right for a little drinking. I have only just come down from court, and the sun has already passed noon; the days are short and the nights are long — three hours shorter than in summer." The two men bowed deeply and replied: "That is entirely owing to Your Excellency's harmonious governance of the realm!" Shiying then asked: "Why have Yue and Tian not yet appeared?" A long-service attendant reported: "His Excellency Yue's hemorrhoid ailment has flared up; an excuse-card arrived early. His Excellency Tian is seeing his household off on a journey and will come to bid farewell this evening." Shiying said: "In that case, have the banquet laid!" Shiying took the seat of honor, with the two men at his sides, and over wine they traded talk of promotions and pleasantries and flattering anecdotes. Ruan Dacheng, seizing the moment, conceived in his heart a scheme to harm Xianggun, and said to Shiying: "Your Excellency, today's gathering among the flowers is most refined — the pear-garden players need not be called. Yet in the face of all these blossoms, one can hardly do without the sound of 'Morning Breeze and the Waning Moon.'" Shiying, smiling, turned to Longyou: "My old brother-in-law is well-versed in such matters — see if there is someone suitable who can be sent for; have the long-attendant go and summon her." Longyou said: "The others are all quite mediocre, but there is Li Xianggun from the old quarter, who has been newly learning The Peony Pavilion — she sings it rather well." Shiying at once sent the long-attendant to fetch her. Ruan Dacheng, feigning ignorance, asked: "Is this the one Tian Baiyuan recently offered three hundred taels to take as a concubine?" Longyou said: "Ridiculous — that stubborn girl is determined to keep faith with Hou Chaozong and will not hear of it; I have sent people to persuade her several times, and she simply will not come down from her room." Shiying, hearing this, flared with anger: "Such an impertinent slave! Outrageous, outrageous!" Ruan Dacheng pressed the point further: "Commissioner Tian is Your Excellency's fellow provincial — to be shamed by her is no small matter!"

The long-attendant stepped forward and reported: "I went to the old quarter to summon Xianggun, but she pleaded illness and refused to come down." Shiying considered a moment, then said: "Very well. Have a few household servants take three hundred taels in betrothal gifts along with a set of clothes, bring a palanquin, and carry her directly to Commissioner Tian's boat." The servants accepted the order and hurried off. Ruan Dacheng said quietly to Longyou: "The servants may not recognize Xianggun. If they make a mistake, it would be awkward. If Elder Brother Yang goes with them, there can be no error." Shiying said: "That is a good idea!"

Longyou went directly with the servants to Xianggun's house. When they arrived at the gate and the servants knocked urgently, Zhenli heard the clamor and had the door opened. Seeing the palanquin-bearers and lantern-carriers following Yang Longyou inside, Longyou said: "These are the servants of Grand Secretary Ma. They have brought three hundred taels of silver on behalf of His Excellency Tian to wed Xianggun. Send her out to the palanquin at once." A servant handed the silver to Zhenli, saying: "The silver is here — hurry and dress her and help her into the palanquin!" Zhenli, seeing the situation, pulled Longyou aside and they went up together to Xianggun's room. The room door was opened, and Zhenli told Xianggun everything. Xianggun said: "Elder Yang has always been kind to our mother and daughter — why would he now commit such a cruel act?" Yang Longyou said: "It has nothing to do with me; this so-called righteous errand is entirely Grand Secretary Ma's doing. My advice is to pack up and come down while you still can — these ruffian servants will be very difficult to deal with." Hearing this, Xianggun flew into a fury: "What kind of talk is that, Elder Yang? You were the very matchmaker who wed me to Hou Lang — here is the poem-fan to prove it!" She took out the fan and held it before Longyou, saying: "You have seen this poem before — can you have forgotten it? Hou Lang and I are already husband and wife. To live side by side in harmony would be the greatest joy; yet even if we are separated by life and death, I shall remain true to him alone! How could I possibly marry another and wound all propriety!" She had not yet finished speaking when the servants below erupted in unison: "It is already late — hurry into the palanquin! We must still reach the boat!" Zhenli said: "Things have come to this pass — I cannot shield you now! Elder Yang, hold her fast while I comb her hair and dress her, then carry her to the palanquin!" Xianggun gripped the poem-fan like a sword of self-defense and struck out in all directions. After she had been roughly made presentable, Longyou stepped forward to take hold of her — but at that very moment Xianggun flung her head against the floorboards of the room with all her might. Blood gushed forth, and she collapsed unconscious upon the floor. Zhenli, seeing Xianggun's condition, was both terrified and heartbroken: "My child, wake up! That lovely face is all broken and smashed, blood running all over the floor — even the poem-fan is spattered! Nurse, help carry her to the bedchamber to rest, and we shall think of what to do." Indeed:

The treacherous minister vented his long-held spite —

What care had he for a beauty's face?

Now, Xianggun had dashed her head and disfigured herself; the poem-fan was stained with blood. She had been carried to the bedchamber to rest. In the midst of all this urgency, the servants below cried out again: "It is already the third watch of the night — you have taken the silver and still have not sent anyone to the palanquin. We are coming upstairs to take her by force!" Longyou called down to them: "Stewards, do not be hasty — wait just a little longer. Mother and daughter are parting and find it hard to bear. It is truly pitiable." Zhenli heard this and was overcome with anxiety: "Xianggun is injured; outside they keep demanding someone. What is to be done?" Longyou pressed his advantage: "You know very well the power of a chief minister. If you go on resisting, you and your daughter will be throwing away your lives!" Zhenli knelt before Longyou, pleading desperately for his help.

Longyou thought for a moment and then said: "Things have come to this pass — there is no choice. There is but one expedient." Zhenli asked: "What expedient? Please, sir, tell me quickly!" Longyou said: "For a woman of the pleasure quarters to marry into proper society is, after all, a good thing. Three hundred taels of betrothal gift is no loss, and to marry a grain commissioner is no disgrace. What is more, in his household she would eat fine delicacies and wear silks and satins — more than enough for a lifetime. Since Xianggun has no fortune for such comforts, you might as well take her place — go in her stead to marry Tian Yang. That way you avoid offending the chief minister's household, and spare yourself the servants' harassment. What do you say?" Zhenli replied: "That is quite out of the question! Not only are our ages very different, but how could I abandon my household on a moment's notice? And if someone were to recognize me, that would be even more awkward." Longyou said: "There is no need to worry about that — I shall say you are Xianggun; who could tell the difference? As for your household, if these vicious servants are going to seize someone by force regardless, tell me — will you be able to hold on to it then? If you go on resisting just as Xianggun did, I wash my hands of it, and let the servants do as they please!" Hearing these words, Zhenli bowed her head in silent thought, then said: "Xianggun is already hurt; the servants are demanding someone urgently. If Elder Yang walks away and leaves us to our fate, how can I manage? I had better go along with his plan and stand in for the child." She turned to Longyou: "If you will vouch for my safety, I will go in her place. But leaving Xianggun alone here with no one to look after her — what is to be done about that?" Longyou said: "You may go in peace — this is your good fortune. As for Xianggun, I shall come to look in on her regularly." Zhenli, left with no choice, quickly made herself ready, handed the betrothal silver over to Xianggun for safekeeping, admonished her with repeated exhortations, and, weeping, bid farewell to Xianggun and paid her respects to Longyou. Then she descended the stairs and stepped into the palanquin, and went with the servants to Tian Yang's boat to be married. Indeed:

In an instant she left behind the songs and music —

Who would share this night's pillow, none could say.

What happened next — listen to the following chapter for the telling.