Chapter Thirteen: Seeking the Beauty — A Poem Inscribed in the Tower; Visiting an Old Friend — Arrested at the Bookshop

It is told that Hou Chaozong and Su Kunsheng boarded a boat together and set out through the night toward Nanjing. Fortunately the winds were favorable and the vessel swift, and within a few days they arrived at the city. The hour being late, they had no choice but to find an inn and lodge there for the night.

The following morning at daybreak, Hou left Kunsheng at the inn to watch over their luggage, and with the Peach Blossom Fan tucked in his sleeve he went straight to the Qinhuai district. In no time he arrived at the gate of Xiangjun's house. The double doors were left ajar, and not a soul was to be seen. He pushed the gate open with his hand, slipped inside, and found himself at the foot of the Meixiang Tower. Chaozong said to himself: "This is the Meixiang Tower. How still and desolate it is — the bamboo curtains are drawn up in broad daylight. Perhaps Xiangjun is sleeping late in spring and has not yet risen. I shall not call out to her." He gathered up his robe, set his foot on the stairs, and crept up quietly to look — only to find that the singing gallery and dancing pavilion had been entirely transformed into a painter's studio. He started in alarm. Then he thought again: "Could it be that Xiangjun, remaining faithful to me, has refused to live as a woman of the pleasure quarters, and has turned to painting to ease the sorrow of spring?" He looked once more and said, "This is Xiangjun's bedchamber. Let me push it open gently and see what she is doing inside." He stepped forward, but found the door sealed and locked, as though it had not been opened for a long while. Bewildered and at a loss, he felt as though something precious had been taken from him.

While he stood there in anxious uncertainty, he suddenly heard footsteps below. Looking down, he saw a man climbing the stairs with a sheet of painted paper in his hand. The man, catching sight of Hou, cried out in alarm: "Who are you, to have entered my lodging?" Hou replied: "This is the boudoir of my Xiangjun — why are you living here?" The man said: "I am Lan Ying, a painter. Lord Yang Longyou of the Board of War arranged this lodging for me." Hou said: "So you are Master Lan — I have long admired your name!" Lan Ying asked: "And your honorable name, sir?" Hou said: "I am Hou Chaozong from Henan, also an old acquaintance of Longyou."

Lan Ying, recognizing the name, gave a start of surprise: "Ah! Your literary reputation has long resounded in my ears, and now at last we meet — please, sit, sit!" Hou sat down and urgently asked: "I must ask you — where has my Xiangjun gone?" Lan Ying said: "She has been selected and taken into the palace." At these words, Hou's face fell and tears welled in his eyes: "How did she come to be taken into the palace? When did this happen?" He looked at the closed canopy bed and the old kerchief still lying there, and sorrow pierced his heart. "I remember the day we pledged our love — the peach blossoms were in full bloom, reflecting off that bright new tower of hers. Who could have foreseen that the beauty would depart and all would come to this ruin? I have come back today, and again the peach blossoms are in full bloom. With such a scene before me and such feelings stirring within, how can I contain myself?" Tears poured forth without restraint.

While he wept, the cry of a procession was suddenly heard approaching the gate, and a servant announced: "Lord Yang of the Board of War has come to call on Master Lan — his palanquin has stopped outside!" Lan Ying hurried to welcome him up the stairs. Longyou, upon seeing Hou, clasped his hands in greeting: "When did Brother Hou arrive?" Hou said: "Just now — I have not yet paid my respects to you." Longyou said: "I heard you had been in Lord Shi's staff, and then accompanied Lord Gao of the Ministry of War on his river defense. Yesterday's dispatches reported that Gao Jie was killed by Xu Dingguo on the tenth day of the first month — where were you at that time?" Hou said: "I saw Gao Jie humiliating Xu Dingguo and did my best to mediate, but Gao refused to listen. Fearing trouble was at hand, I resigned my post and returned home, intending to take my father away to hide in the mountains. Worrying about Xu's troops tracking us down, I then boarded a boat and came south. On the road I met Su Kunsheng, who came to bring me the fan. I had no choice but to travel through the night to keep the appointment, and all along I did not know that Xiangjun was gone. When exactly did she leave?" Longyou said: "She was selected into the palace on the eighth day of the first month." Hou asked again: "When might she be released? I shall simply wait here." Longyou said: "There is no telling when Xiangjun will leave the palace — it could be a very long time. Moreover, this is not a place to linger. You would do better to seek another companion."

As the two men were still talking, Lan Ying finished the painting he had been working on nearby. They both looked up to see it was a picture of "The Peach Blossom Spring." They asked: "For whom have you painted this?" Lan Ying replied: "It is for Master Zhang Yaoxing, who has newly built the Pine Wind Pavilion and wants it as a decorative screen." Hou praised it: "Wonderful, wonderful! The composition and brushwork are entirely unlike the old Nanjing school." Lan Ying said: "You flatter me — please, sir, do me the honor of adding a poem to grace this humble work." Hou demurred: "I fear my writing would only be a blemish on your fine brush." Then he took up the brush and dashed off a heptasyllabic quatrain:

I am one who used to visit those flower-filled caves,

returning now — how could I find that fording place again?

The fisherman's directions pointed to empty mountain paths;

better to keep the Peach Blossom Spring hidden, safe from Qin.

Inscribed by Hou Fangyu of Guide

Longyou read it over and said: "A fine verse! The hidden meaning runs deep — it seems to contain a gentle reproach of your little brother." He rose and said: "Brother Hou, you need not harbor resentment. Today Ma and Ruan hold power and think of nothing but revenge. It happened that on the eighth of that month they held a banquet and summoned Xiangjun to sing. She, being of fierce spirit, pointed her finger at those two men and cursed them roundly. Ruan Yuanhai shoved her into the snow and kicked her. Fortunately I was there to intervene strenuously, and had her sent into the palace, which for the time being preserved her life. You must not cling to this place, Brother — I fear the petty men will set a trap for you." Hou heard this and said: "You are right, you are right — I shall take my leave at once." And so he bid farewell to old Lan and went down the stairs to depart. Truly it is as the verse says:

Chang'e once entered the moon and was gone;

above the gorges of Wu, the white clouds drift through the ages.

Now it is told that on Sanshan Street in Nanjing there was a bookshop run by a man named Cai Yi'an. His shelves were full of books from floor to ceiling, and his premises extended several stories. Not only did he deal in books from north and south, old and new, but his annotated selections, fine carvings, and quality printing were second to none. On this particular day, Cai Yi'an opened his shop, hung out his sign, and because this was the year of the provincial examination — and the President of the Board of Rites, Qian Qianyi, had submitted a memorial urging that literary styles be reformed to illuminate the new era — he had engaged the renowned scholars Chen Dingsheng and Wu Ciwei and others to work inside, editing and annotating. He had pasted a notice on the eaves announcing publications for sale, and there we shall leave him.

Meanwhile, Hou Chaozong, heeding Yang Longyou's words, hurried back to the inn and told Kunsheng everything about Xiangjun's entry into the palace and Ruan's act of revenge. Fearing that staying at the inn might attract notice, the two of them shouldered their luggage and sought a quieter place to lodge for a while, intending to gather news of Xiangjun at their leisure. Kunsheng said: "I see that human feeling has changed, and the court grows worse day by day. The men in power are busy every day ensnaring upright men and settling old scores. It is best to lie low for a time and wait patiently for news of Xiangjun." Hou said: "You are right. But there is no one I know well in the nearby districts. Only Chen Dingsheng lives in Yixing and Wu Ciwei in Guichi — I might as well go looking for these old friends, which would itself be a pleasure."

The two of them wove through the streets, and before long had reached Sanshan Street. Hou, spotting Cai Yi'an's bookshop sign, pointed and said: "This is Cai Yi'an's bookshop. Dingsheng and Ciwei often lodge here — let us inquire." Walking under the eaves, he saw a notice pasted on the pillar bearing the title "Selected Writings of the Restoration Society," with a line of smaller characters on the left reading: "Joint publication of examination papers from the Renyu and Guiwei years," and on the right: "Newly selected by Messrs. Chen Dingsheng and Wu Ciwei." Hou was delighted: "They must be staying here!" He went to the counter and asked: "Shopkeeper!" Cai Yi'an came out to meet him, and Hou asked: "Are Sirs Chen Dingsheng and Wu Ciwei present?" Cai Yi'an said: "They are inside — let me call them out." The two men, hearing that it was Hou Chaozong and Su Kunsheng, were overjoyed, and invited them inside for tea and conversation.

Now it happened that Ruan Dacheng had risen to the position of Vice-Minister of War, had been specially awarded the robes and jade insignia of a high official, and had been imperially commissioned to defend the river. On this very day, returning visits brought him to Sanshan Street, where he saw the bookshop eaves with the Restoration Society notice pasted on the pillar. He had his attendant tear it down and looked at it, then said in fury: "The Restoration Society is the successor of the Donglin faction, in league with Zhou Biao and Lei Yanzuo — the court is actively hunting them down, and they still dare to advertise their book selections? This bookseller has extraordinary nerve! Stop the palanquin at once!" He summoned the shop owner and declared: "This bookshop has broken the law of the realm and is in league with the ringleaders of the Restoration Society. I am now on imperial orders to track down rebels. Send word immediately to the Chief Military Command to dispatch officers to arrest these men. Keep a close watch and let none of them escape!"

The three men inside, hearing this, came out to the front of the shop and faced the palanquin: "What crime have we committed, that you send men to arrest us? Have you no fear of Heaven, of the spirits, of your own conscience?" Ruan Dacheng said: "And your honorable names, gentlemen?" The three men each gave their names. Ruan's fury flared: "Ah! So these are the three of you — and today you have come to introduce yourselves to me!" The three men said: "So you are Ruan Hu-zi, are you? You've come to take your revenge — very well! Let's all drag him to the court gate and make his conduct known to the world!" Ruan feigned a smile: "There's no hurry — you'll have your chance to speak." He settled himself grandly into his palanquin and departed. Moments later four bailiffs arrived at the shop with chains and placard. They asked the shopkeeper: "Where are those three scholars? Bring us to them at once!" The three men said: "We are those very men." The bailiffs needed no further words; they clapped the chains about them and swept them off in a swarm. Cai Yi'an cried: "Brother Su, quickly — this is terrible! The two who were selecting books have been taken away, and even Lord Hou has been taken — what is to be done?" Kunsheng said: "We will follow and find out what is happening, so we can think of a way to save them." Truly it is as the saying goes:

Grudges bind the righteous man in chains,

yet calamity cannot diminish the gentleman's heart.

As for the fate of the three men — hear the next chapter for the resolution.