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Written by: Realhistories

Category: The Golden Lotus（金瓶梅）

Published: 31 December 2024

Created: 31 December 2024

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The poem says:

In the past, the luxurious days are now empty,

Silver screens and golden houses are mere dreams within the heart.

Only remnants remain of the yellow reeds in the evening sun,

Green grass and cold smoke envelop the old palace.

The oil in the tunnel's fish lamp is nearly gone,

The phoenix mirror on the vanity remains sealed.

Who can fully discuss the rise and fall of fortunes,

Like leisurely clouds, with the wind in their sleeves?

Han Daoguo and Wang Liu'er returned to Xie's Inn, as they had no daughters,

Struggling to get by, they asked Chen San'er for help,

And brought in Mr. He to assist.

Mr. He saw that Liu Er was no longer around, with one less rival,

And started visiting Wang Liu'er's house again, discussing with Han Daoguo:

"Your daughter, Ai Jie, is still in mourning at the mansion and cannot come out.

Once I sell off the goods and collect the debts, let's head to Huzhou as a family,

Let's not suffer here anymore."

Han Daoguo said, "It's great that you're willing to help."

After selling the goods and collecting the debts, they hired a boat

And went to Huzhou together with Wang Liu'er.

Han Aijie and Ge Cuiping were mourning at the mansion,

The two sisters leaned on each other, sharing a close bond,

They spent their days playing with Chunmei.

Jin Ge is now six years old, Sun Erniang gave birth to Yu Jie ten years older than her,

The two children played together, and life was quite peaceful.

Since Chen Jingji died, the commander returned to the battlefield,

Chunmei lived a life of luxury by day,

But at night, sleeping alone, she felt empty inside, lonely and unbearable.

She saw Li An as a hero, but after he killed Zhang Sheng, he became extra cautious on patrol.

One winter day, Li An was sleeping in the guardroom when someone suddenly knocked on the back door. He asked, "Who is it?" He heard someone shout, "Open the door!" Li An hurriedly opened the door, and a person rushed in and hid in the shadows. Li An recognized her as his foster mother, Jin Kui. Li An said, "Foster mother, what brings you here so late?" Jin Kui said, "I didn't come by myself; it was Grandma who sent me." Li An asked, "What did Grandma want you to do?" Jin Kui smiled and said, "Guess what? I came to check if you were asleep and to bring you something." She took a package of clothes from her back, "Here, there are also a few women's clothes for your mother. A few days ago, you helped escort the master's luggage and saved Grandma's life; otherwise, she would have been killed by Zhang Sheng." After leaving the clothes, she took a few steps, then turned back and said, "There is one more important thing." She took out a large ingot of fifty taels and gave it to Li An, then left.

Li An felt very conflicted that night. The next morning, he took the clothes back home to his mother. His mother asked, "Where did these things come from?" Li An recounted what happened the night before. His mother burst into tears upon hearing it, "Back then, Zhang Sheng was beaten to death for doing bad things. What does it mean that he’s giving you things now? I'm over sixty now, and ever since your father passed away, I've been relying on you. What am I supposed to do if something happens to you? Don't go tomorrow!" Li An said, "I won't go, but if he sends someone to call me, how should I respond?" His mother said, "Say you have a cold." Li An said, "I can't just not go; will the master be angry?" His mother said, "Go stay with your uncle, stay in Shandong with Uncle Li Gui for a few months, and see how things go." Li An was very filial, so he listened to his mother's words, packed his bags, and went to Qingzhou to stay with his uncle Li Gui. When Chunmei noticed Li An wasn't coming, she sent servants to call him several times. His mother initially said that a family member was sick, but later, when someone came to check, she said he had gone back to his hometown to raise some money. Chunmei was very angry.

Time passed quickly, and before you know it, it was the end of the twelfth lunar month and the beginning of the first lunar month. General Zhou had been stationed in Dongchang for a long time with thirteen thousand troops. He sent his relative Zhou Zhong back home to deliver a message, asking for Chunmei, Sun Erniang, Jin Ge, Yu Jie, and the children to come over. Only Zhou Zhong stayed behind: "Go to Dongzhuang and ask your second uncle to look after the house." It turned out that General Zhou had a younger cousin named Zhou Xuan living in the village. Zhou Zhong stayed in the prefecture with Zhou Xuan, Ge Cuiping, and Han Aijie to look after the house. General Ren escorted the vehicles and troops to Dongchang. This separation, who knows when they will be able to return.

Thieves from all directions gather like Tunfeng, and the flames of war turn the sky red. When the general is angry, the world is at peace, and the stench of blood is swept away by the winds of the barbarians. Public duties have long forgotten personal wishes, and I devote my life to the country without even realizing it. Suppressing the sun with golden swords, the unicorn map depicts the achievements. The autumn wind rages outside Yanmen Pass, the iron armor is spread out under the cold moon. After twenty years of hard work, the soldiers now have hair as white as snow.

The emperor clearly sees the thousands of miles ahead, and after several hardships, he receives the emperor's decree. With a golden seal hanging from his elbow, as big as a bowl, he does not disgrace his majestic seven-foot body. One day, Zhou Ren arrived in Dongchang with his family and vehicles. General Zhou was very happy to see that Chunmei, Sun Erniang, Jin Ge, Yu Jie, and the maidservants had all arrived safely, so he settled them down in the back hall of the prefecture. Zhou Ren explained that he had invited his second uncle from Dongzhuang to help Zhou Zhong look after the house. General Zhou asked, "Why bring him up?" Chunmei replied, "Because he caught Zhang Sheng, I rewarded him with two pieces of clothing for his mother to wear. While on patrol at night, he snuck into the back hall and stole fifty taels of silver that the second uncle had collected. We sent people to call him several times, but he claimed to be sick. Later, when we sent people again, he had already fled back to his hometown in Qingzhou." General Zhou said, "I see now that he is such an ungrateful person! I'll send someone to catch him soon." Chunmei did not mention Han Aijie's matter.

A few days later, Chunmei saw that the Commandant was very busy handling military and state affairs every day, with no time to eat, let alone attend to personal matters. She fell in love with the Commandant's family servant, Zhou Yi, who was nineteen years old and handsome. The two of them had a secret affair, playing chess and drinking together every day while keeping it a secret from the Commandant. One day, the Jin Dynasty destroyed the Liao Dynasty. The Emperor of the Jin Dynasty ascended the throne, and the Jin army launched a massive invasion southward, invading the Central Plains from two directions. The Grand Marshal Zhan Meihel led a hundred thousand troops to attack the capital from the Jinxing Road in Taiyuan Prefecture, Shanxi; Deputy Commander Woli advanced toward Gaoyang Pass from Tanzhou. The border defenses crumbled, and the Minister of War Li Gang and the famous general Zhong Shidao quickly mobilized troops from six different regions—Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Guandong, and Shaanxi—to defend against the Jin army. At that time, Liu Yanqing led the Yansui army in Shaanxi, Wang Bing led the Fenjiang army in Guandong, Wang Huan led the Weibo army in Hebei, Xin Xingzong led the Zhangde army in Henan, Yang Weizhong led the Zelu army in Shanxi, and Zhou Xiu led the Qingyan army in Shandong. Commandant Zhou discovered that the Jin army was invading the border. The Ministry of War sent urgent dispatches like wildfire, and he immediately set out with his troops, fully armed, traveling day and night. When the scouts arrived at Gaoyang Pass, the Jin army had already stormed through the pass, slaughtering countless soldiers and horses. It was early May, with blinding sandstorms. Commandant Zhou led the troops in pursuit, only to be surrounded by the Jin army, shot in the throat by an arrow, and killed on the spot. The Jin army tried to take away Zhou's body with a rope, but our soldiers fought fiercely to reclaim it. The Jin army then retreated, resulting in heavy casualties for our side. Unfortunately, Commandant Zhou died in battle at the age of forty-seven. It is said: "He was a loyal general to his family and country, his blood staining the sands, indifferent to wisdom or folly." The ancients lamented and composed a poem: "The outcome of battles cannot be predicted, one must be prepared for danger in times of safety. Before achieving victory, the commander has already perished, as the setting sun casts its shadow over the river, evoking deep sorrow."

Governor Zhang Shuye saw that Commander Zhou had died in battle, so he quickly sounded the retreat signal and counted the casualties. The troops returned to Dongchang with Commander Zhou's body. Chunmei's family was overcome with grief, wailing loudly, laying Commander Zhou to rest, and handing over the military tokens. Later, Chunmei's family sent the coffin back to Qinghe County, but that's a story for another time.

After Chunmei left, Gecui Ping and Han Aijie lived a devoted life at home. In late spring and early summer, the weather was clear, the scenery was beautiful, and the days were long. The sisters slowly walked in the courtyard and arrived at the flower pavilion in the west academy. Seeing the flowers in full bloom and hearing the birds sing, they couldn't help but feel sad. Gecui Ping was sad but calm, while Han Aijie kept missing Chen Jingji, lost in thoughts of him, tears streaming down her face. Just as the sisters were feeling sad, Zhou Xuan came to comfort them: "Sisters, don't be too sad, you need to be strong. I recently had some bad dreams, dreaming that the bow on the flagpole broke; I don't know if it's good or bad?" Han Aijie said, "I'm afraid something happened on our master's side." Just as they hesitated, their family member Zhou Ren rushed in wearing mourning clothes, saying, "Something big happened! Our master died in battle at the border on the seventh day of May! The funeral procession for our master and the second mistress has already arrived!" Zhou Xuan hurriedly tidied up the living room, arranged the coffin, prepared the offerings, and the entire family wept as they held a seven-day memorial service with monks and priests chanting scriptures for salvation. Jin Ge and Yu Jie also wore mourning clothes to offer condolences, and guests kept coming to pay their respects. They set a date for the burial, and Commander Zhou was laid to rest in the family plot.

Zhou Xuan took his six-year-old son, Jin Ge, to the court to request a funeral and to inherit the family estate. The court approved the request, and the Ministry of War responded: the deceased commander Zhou Xiu, who sacrificed himself for the country, was loyal and brave, so officials were sent to offer sacrifices, posthumously conferring the title of commander upon him. His son would be cared for according to tradition and could inherit the family estate.

While Chunmei was resting at home, she became even more indulgent in her desires, often keeping Zhou Yi in the boudoir all day, indulging in her pleasures. She pursued pleasure day and night, indulging excessively, and eventually contracted tuberculosis. She took medicine every day, reduced her food intake, became weak in spirit, and her body became emaciated, yet she was still immersed in sensual pleasures. One day, on her birthday, during the scorching heat of June, she slept in very late in the morning. Unexpectedly, after having intercourse with Zhou Yi in bed, she suddenly felt a cold sensation in her nose and mouth, with fluids spilling everywhere. She gasped in despair and died on Zhou Yi, at the young age of twenty-nine. Zhou Yi was terrified upon seeing Chunmei dead and secretly stole some gold and silver valuables from the chest before fleeing. The maids and the wet nurse dared not hide the truth and informed Zhou Xuan of the incident. Zhou Xuan locked up the family member Zhou Zhong and sent people to pursue Zhou Yi. Fortunately, Zhou Yi had just arrived at his mistress's house to seek shelter and was caught. After learning the truth, Zhou Xuan, worried that this would come to light and jeopardize Jin Ge's future inheritance of an official title, dragged him to the front hall and, without a second thought, beat him to death with forty strokes. Jin Ge and Sun Erniang witnessed the entire scene. Afterwards, Zhou Xuan buried Chunmei in the family tomb, alongside Commander Zhou. The two maids, Haitang, and Yuegui were dismissed to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Only Ge Cuiping and Han Aijie, despite repeated pleas to leave, steadfastly refused.

One day, the Jin army broke through the capital, Dongjing Bianliang, and the retired emperor and the Jingkang Emperor were captured and taken to the north. The Central Plains were leaderless and in chaos, with continuous warfare and ordinary people fleeing. The common people suffered greatly, with homes shattered and families torn apart. The Jin army had reached Shandong, and the ordinary people scattered in despair, crying out as they were separated from their families. Ge Cuiping was taken away by her family, all fleeing for their lives. Only Han Aijie remained, utterly alone and with nowhere to turn. She packed a few simple belongings, wearing her tattered clothes, left Qinghe County, and headed to Linqing to find her parents. When she reached the Xie family’s shop in Linqing, the shop was shuttered, and the owner had already fled. To her surprise, she ran into Chen San'er, who informed her, "Your parents went with Master He to Huzhou in Jiangnan last year."

Han Aijie carried her yueqin all the way, singing a little tune, looking for her parents. She alternated between hunger and fullness along the way, sleeping at night and traveling during the day, rushed around like a lost dog, frantic like a fish out of water. Her shoes were small, exposed to the elements along the way. After walking for several days, she arrived in Xuzhou. It was getting late, so she decided to stay in a small village. An old lady in her seventies was cooking rice over the fire. Han Aijie walked up to her, bowed, and said, "I come from Qinghe County. Due to the war, I am going to Jiangnan to seek relatives. It is already late, and I would like to stay at your house for one night. I will leave tomorrow, and the accommodation fee will not be less for you." The old lady saw that this woman was not your typical poor person, graceful and striking, so she said, "Since you want to stay, please take a seat on the kang and wait for me to cook. A few river workers will come to eat soon." The old lady was cooking on the earthen kang, quickly prepared a big pot of brown rice and slicing up two big plates of lettuce, sprinkling salt on top. Several unkempt men in ragged clothes, their feet covered in mud, came in and put down their tools, and they asked, "Hey, old lady, is the food ready?" The old lady said, "Help yourselves."

Everyone started eating their own meals. At this moment, a man around forty-four or forty-five years old, with a reddish-purple face and yellowing hair, walked up to the elderly woman and asked, "What’s your surname, ma’am?" The elderly woman replied, "This lady is from Qinghe County, heading to Jiangnan to find her parents. It's getting late, so she's staying here for the night." The man then asked, "Aren’t you my niece, Han Aijie?" Han Aijie said, "You do look like my uncle Han Er." The two hugged each other and cried. Then the man asked, "Where are your parents? How did you end up here from Beijing?" Han Aijie told him everything that had happened, without leaving anything out. "I married a man from the Prefectural Office, and after my husband passed away, I have been a widow ever since. My parents followed He Guanren to Huzhou. I wanted to find them, but the road was too chaotic, and no one could take me. I had to beg to survive, unexpectedly meeting my uncle here." Han Er said, "Since your parents went to Beijing, I haven't had much income, sold the house, and worked as a boatman here, just to have food to eat every day. In that case, I’ll go with you to Huzhou to look for your parents." Han Aijie said, "It would be great if my uncle could come with me!" Han Er also served himself a bowl of rice and ate with Han Aijie. Han Aijie took a bite and realized it was coarse rice, and she struggled to swallow it, so she stopped after eating only half. That night, everyone settled down to rest.

The next morning, the scholars all left. Han Er paid the rent to his mother-in-law, took his sister Han Aijie with him, and set off on the road to Jiangnan. Han Aijie was delicate to begin with, and her shoes were too small. She only carried some jewelry and a comb, which served as her means for the journey. They arrived in Huai'an, boarded a boat, and sailed towards Huzhou in Jiangnan. It was not a journey that could be completed in one or two days. They finally found He Guanren's home in Huzhou and were reunited with his parents. To their surprise, they learned that He Guanren had passed away, and there was no wife or children in the family, only Wang Luer, with a six-year-old daughter and a few acres of farmland. Not long after, Han Aijie's father, Han Daoguo, also passed away. Wang Luer and Han Er were already acquainted, so they became husband and wife, farming together and living a simple life. There were some wealthy young men in Huzhou who saw Han Aijie's beauty and came to propose marriage. Han Er repeatedly advised her to marry, but Han Aijie cut off her hair and blinded herself, became a nun, and vowed never to marry again. Later, she died at the age of thirty-one.

Han Er and Wang Luer became husband and wife, inheriting He Guanren's family business and land.

After the Jin army captured Dongchang Prefecture, they quickly approached Qinghe County. Officials fled, the city gates were closed, the people scattered, fathers and sons separated, and there were refugees everywhere. Thick smoke filled the air, yellow sand obscured the sky, bandits and thieves killed each other, various forces fought endlessly, flags were everywhere, cries shook the heavens and the earth, the Jin army swarmed like ants and bees, with weapons and dead bodies strewn everywhere, households closed their doors and windows, most houses stood empty, and there was no trace of the past.

Indeed, how many palace maids weep into their red sleeves while princes stroll in their white robes.

Wu Yueniang saw the Jin soldiers were coming, and every household closed their doors and fled. She also gathered some gold, silver, and jewels to carry with her. Since her uncle Wu Dajiu had already passed away, she took Wu Sanjiu, Dai An, Xiao Yu, and the fifteen-year-old Xiaoge, locked up their home, and prepared to head to Jinan to seek refuge with Yun Lishou. They were fleeing the chaos of war and hoping to arrange a marriage for Xiaoge. Along the way, there were crowds of panicked people fleeing in all directions, each person filled with terror. Poor Wu Yueniang, wearing plain clothes, along with Wu Sanjiu, Dai An, Xiao Yu, and Xiaoge, mingled with the crowd and made their way through the city gates and into the outskirts, continuing their escape.

Walking to a crossroads, they met a monk dressed in a purple-brown robe, holding a nine-ringed staff in his hand, wearing straw sandals, and carrying a cloth bag on his shoulder filled with scriptures. He hurried forward to greet Mrs. Wu and shouted loudly, "Mrs. Wu, where are you going? You still owe me a disciple!" Startled, she asked, "Master, what kind of disciple do you want me to be?" The monk replied, "Madam, don't pretend you don't remember. Do you remember ten years ago, on the eastern peak of Mount Tai, when Yin Tianxi chased you to my snow cave for shelter? I am the old monk you stayed with in that snow cave, with the Dharma name of Pu Jing. You promised to be my disciple; why haven't you fulfilled it?" Wu San's uncle said, "Master, you are a monk, how can you ask this of her? Now there is chaos everywhere, everyone is fleeing for their lives, she still has children and will have to continue the family line; how can she become a nun?" The monk said, "You really won't let me take her away?" Wu San's uncle replied, "Master, stop talking; it will delay our escape. The Jin army may be coming after us soon; we can't afford to delay for a moment." The monk said, "Since you won't give me a disciple, and it's already late, you won't be able to get away. The Jin army isn't likely to come here, so you might as well stay at the temple for the night and head out tomorrow." Mrs. Wu asked, "Master, which temple is it?" The monk pointed to the side of the road and said, "That one." The monk led them to Yongfu Temple. Mrs. Wu recognized it from her previous visit.

When they arrived at the temple, most of the monks had already left, leaving only a few monks meditating in the back. A glass lamp was lit in front of the Buddha, and incense was still burning in the censer. It was already late in the evening. That night, Wu Yueniang, Uncle Wu, Dai An, Xiaoyu, and Xiaoge stayed in the room of the abbot of the temple. The little monk arranged some food for them to eat. Master Pu Jing was meditating and chanting in the Zen hall. Wu Yueniang, Xiaoge, and Xiaoyu slept on the bed, while Uncle Wu and Dai An slept together. Everyone was tired and quickly fell asleep, except Xiaoyu, who got up to peek through the door crack to watch Master Pu Jing chanting. Around midnight, a chill wind swept through, the moonlight was hazy, and all was silent. The light in front of the Buddha was dim and unclear. Master Pu Jing saw the chaos and suffering of the world, countless people dying and injured, with compassion in his heart. He then chanted scriptures to guide the departed souls and resolve grievances. After chanting the forgiveness sutra dozens of times, a chill wind swept through. Dozens of people with burnt faces, dirty and disheveled, some missing limbs, some with open wounds in their chests, some headless and limping, some wearing shackles, all gathered to listen to the master's chanting, standing on either side. The master said, "You beings, caught in an endless cycle of vengeance, when will you ever be free? Listen carefully to my words and go with the flow. A verse says:

I urge you not to hold grudges, for deep grudges are hard to resolve. A grudge formed in a day takes a thousand days to unravel.

If you want to resolve a grudge, it's like pouring hot water on snow. I see those who hold grudges, all suffering from their own grudges.

Today, I confess and repent; each of you should come to understand your true nature. Reflect on your true heart, and your grievances will naturally be resolved.

After the monk finished chanting, he said, "By the merit of these scriptures, your sins can be absolved. Go and be reborn, and do not hold grudges again!"

Those ghosts all expressed their gratitude to him and then left. Xiao Yu glanced secretly, not recognizing a single one. After a while, a tall man walked in, standing a towering seven feet tall and quite burly, wearing full armor with an arrow lodged in his chest. He introduced himself as "Commander Zhou Xiu, who died fighting the enemy, now, by the mage's grace, destined to be reborn in Tokyo as the second son of Shen Jing, named Shen Shoushan." Before he could finish, another figure entered, dressed in neat and tidy attire, claiming to be Ximen Qing, a prosperous merchant from Qinghe County. "I drowned, and now, by the mage's grace, I am destined to be reborn in Tokyo as Shen Tong's second son, Shen Yue." Xiao Yu recognized him as her father and was too frightened to utter a word.

Then another person came in, carrying his own head, covered in blood, saying he was Chen Jingji, "I was murdered by my enemy, Zhang Sheng, thanks to the monk’s scriptures; I want to go to the capital to be born as the son of the Wang family." Then another woman came in, also carrying her own head, bloodied on her chest; she said, "I am Li Guilan, the wife of Huazi Xu and a concubine of Ximen Qing. I was killed by my enemy, Wu Song, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to be reborn as a daughter in the Li family in the capital." Next came a short man, with a dark purple face, who identified himself as Wu Zhi, "I was instigated by Wang Po to poison and kill Pan Jinlian, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to be born as a son in the Fan family in the countryside of Xuzhou." Then came a woman with a wax-yellow face, covered in blood; she said, "My name is Li Guilan, I am the wife of Huazi Xu, the concubine of Ximen Qing, and I died of hemorrhage. Thanks to the monk’s merits, I want to be reborn as a daughter in the Yuan family in the capital." Next was a man, who claimed to be Huazi Xu, "I was angered to death by my wife, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to be born as a son in the Zheng Qianhu family in the capital." Then came a woman, with a rope around her neck, saying she was Song Shi, the wife of Ximen Qing’s servant, Laiwang, "I tragically hanged myself, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to be born as a daughter in the Zhu family outside the capital." Next was a woman with a wax-yellow face, saying she was Pang Chunmei, the wife of Zhou Tongzhi, "I died of tuberculosis, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to be born as a daughter in the Kong family outside the capital." Then came a man who was bare-chested, disheveled, and covered in scars, saying he was Zhang Sheng, who was beaten to death, "Thanks to the monk’s merits, I want to be born as a son in the Gao family of the poor in Daxingwei outside the capital." Then came a woman with a rope around her neck, saying she was Sun Xue'e, the concubine of Ximen Qing, who tragically hanged herself, "Thanks to the monk’s merits, I want to be born as a daughter in the Yao family of the poor outside the capital." Then came a young girl, with a rope around her neck, who introduced herself as "Ximen Qing’s daughter, Chen Jingji’s wife, and Ximen’s eldest sister; unfortunately, I also hanged myself, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to go outside the capital to be the daughter of the servant Zhong Gui." Then came a young boy, who identified himself as Zhou Yi, "I was beaten to death as well, thanks to the monk’s merits; I want to be born as a son in the Gao family outside the capital, named Gao Liuzhu." After saying these things, they all disappeared. Xiaoyu trembled in fear. It turned out that the monk was merely conversing with these ghosts.

Xiao Yu was about to go back to the bed to tell Wu Yueniang, but found that Yueniang was sleeping soundly. Wu Yueniang, accompanied by Wu's second uncle and other family members, carrying a hundred Hu beads and a jade necklace, went to Jinan Prefecture to seek refuge with her in-laws, Yun Lishou. They arrived at Jinan Prefecture and found Yun Canjiang's military camp, and reported their arrival. Yun Canjiang was very happy to hear that Yueniang had come to seek refuge with him. After exchanging pleasantries, they learned that Yun Canjiang's wife had recently passed away, so he invited his neighbor, Wang Po, to keep Yueniang company. A lavish banquet was prepared in the back hall to host Yueniang, while Wu's second uncle and Daian were entertained elsewhere. When discussing seeking refuge with relatives, Yueniang presented the Hu beads and jade necklace to Yun Lishou as a gesture of goodwill. Yun Lishou accepted them, but did not bring up the topic of refuge. At night, Yun Lishou asked Wang Po to accompany Yueniang to rest. Wang Po, following Yun Lishou's lead, cautiously probed Yueniang's intentions and said, "Though Yun Lishou is a military officer, he is also a scholar. He has been paying attention to you since your husband passed away. He has been living alone since his wife's death. Now he guards this mountain city. Though his rank may be modest, he wields significant power over the army and the people, holding the authority of life and death. If you don't mind and are open to marrying him, you could enjoy a better life from then on, and your son can also find a good family. When peace returns to the world, you can always come back home." Yueniang was taken aback and left speechless for a moment after hearing this. Wang Po told Yun Lishou everything that had been said.

The next evening, Yun Li hosted a banquet in the back hall to entertain Lady Yue. Lady Yue only knew that he had come to arrange the marriage for Xiaoge, so she quickly sat down at the table. Yun Li said, "Sis, you don’t know, although I’m in the mountain city, I manage a lot of people and resources, have plenty of money, clothes, and jewelry, but I lack a mistress. I’ve always thought of you, like someone dying of thirst longs for water, or a hot person yearns for coolness. I didn’t expect you to come today; this is a match made in heaven. We are a perfect pair, and we can be happy together for a lifetime. What’s wrong with that?" Lady Yue, furious, retorted, "Yun Li, you are truly a monster in human form! My husband has treated you well, and you dare to say such vulgar words!" Yun Li walked up with a smile, embraced Lady Yue, and pleaded, "Madam, why did you come to me? Since ancient times, it’s easy to do business when customers come to your door. I don’t know what it is, but the moment I saw you, I was spellbound. Anyway, let’s get married." With that, he took some wine and drank with Lady Yue. Lady Yue said, "I need to see my brother first and speak with him." Yun Li smiled and said, "I’ve already killed your brother and Da'an." He immediately ordered his men, "Bring that thing here for Madam to see." Soon after, in the light, they brought in the bloody heads of Wu Erjie and Da'an. Lady Yue went pale with fear and collapsed to the ground, crying. Yun Li stepped forward and lifted her up, saying, "Madam, don’t be sad. Your brother is dead; you should be my wife. I’m a general; I won’t treat you badly." Lady Yue thought, "This scoundrel killed my brother and family; if I don’t comply, I might not survive." So she endured the pain and said, "You have to agree to my terms before I’ll marry you." Yun Li said, "I agree to any conditions." Lady Yue said, "Let my son marry your daughter first, then I will marry you." Yun Li said, "No problem." He immediately called for Miss Yun, and Xiaoge got married, shared a cup of union, officially becoming husband and wife. Then Yun Li forced Lady Yue to share his bed. Lady Yue resisted firmly, and Yun Li became furious and shouted, "You lying witch! You tricked me into marrying your son, and you dare say I can’t kill him?" He grabbed the sword from the bedside and stabbed it down, blood splattering several feet away.

A three-foot-long sharp knife rests against the neck, soaking the ground with fresh blood. Lady Yuexiang had a nightmare, dreaming that Xiaoge'er had died; terrified and sweating cold, she exclaimed, "How strange!" Xiaoyu replied that she hadn’t slept, having seen monks conversing with ghosts through the crack in the door all night. She mentioned that her father, fifth sister, sixth sister, Chen Jiefu, Zhou Shoubei, Sun Xue'e, Laiwang's wife, and eldest sister all came and then left. Lady Yuexiang explained that those people were buried behind the temple. When it was quiet at night, the spirits of the wronged dead would naturally appear!

As dawn broke, Lady Yuexiang freshened up and made her way to the Zen hall to pay her respects to Buddha. Master Pujing suddenly called out, "Madam Wu, have you attained enlightenment?" Lady Yuexiang knelt down and said she had already awakened in her dream. The master replied that since she had attained enlightenment, there was no need for attachment anymore. It's not a bad thing for her son to become a monk, so that the whole family won't die. This child was destined to meet her, all thanks to her accumulation of virtue and good deeds. Otherwise, they would have been separated long ago. Initially, her husband Ximen Qing committed numerous wrongdoings. This child was reincarnated into her family, originally destined to squander Ximen Qing's wealth and face execution before death. Now, she has guided him to become a monk. "A son becomes a monk, nine generations ascend to heaven," her husband's sins can also be offset, and she can be reborn.

The master took Lady Yuexiang into the room, only to see Xiaoge'er still sleeping. The master tapped Xiaoge'er with his Zen staff, and Xiaoge'er transformed into Ximen Qing, shackled in wooden stocks! The master tapped again, and Xiaoge'er turned back. Lady Yuexiang wept as she realized that Xiaoge'er was the reincarnation of Ximen Qing.

Xiao Ge woke up, and Yue Niang asked him why he had chosen to become a monk. He was ordained before the Buddha. Yue Niang hugged her son and cried bitterly. After raising her son with great difficulty, he was now fifteen and had decided to become a monk. Uncle Wu Er, Xiaoyu, and Daian were also heartbroken. Master Pu Jing bestowed upon Xiao Ge the Dharma name "Mingwu," and then prepared to leave, telling Yue Niang not to wait any longer, as the Jin army would soon retreat and peace would return to the world, allowing them to go home. Yue Niang sobbed and asked the master when she would see her son again. The master replied, "Don't cry; another master is approaching!" After he spoke, he transformed into a gust of wind and vanished. The poem reads: "The dust of the three descents is unknown to the world, flying over the Daedong Peak suddenly." Master Pu Jing left, and Yue Niang and the others stayed at Yongfu Temple for ten days. As expected, Zhang Bangchang proclaimed himself emperor in the Eastern Capital, Huizong and Qinzong were captured, and Kang Wang ascended the throne in Jiankang, becoming Emperor Gaozong. Zongze was appointed as a great general and recaptured Shandong and Hebei. The world was split into two dynasties, but peace ultimately prevailed. Upon returning home, Yue Niang discovered that her family assets were intact. She renamed Daian to Ximen Qing and took over the family business, becoming known as "Young Master Ximen," dutifully supporting Yue Niang until she passed away at the age of seventy. This was all a result of her lifelong good deeds. The poem goes: "Reflecting on the lost writings, who knows the cycles of heaven’s justice? Ximen's arrogance is hard to pass on, Jing Ji's madness is doomed to be destroyed. Lou Yue is kind and has a long life, Ping Mei's debauchery returns early to the spring. How strange that Jinlian faced such evil retribution, leaving a foul legacy for a thousand years as a cautionary tale."

Details

Written by: Realhistories

Category: The Golden Lotus（金瓶梅）

Published: 31 December 2024

Created: 31 December 2024

Hits: 46

The poem says:

White Cloud Mountain, Red Leaf Tree, witnessing the cycles of glory and decline, like morning turning into evening. Countless sunsets grace the fragrant grass, tides ebb and flow, welcoming and bidding farewell to people.

Ruan Gong Road and Yang Zi Road, winding like a sheep's intestine, once led the wheels astray. Recalling the place where the cold flowers neighed, the emerald-clad official played the silver zither, singing in the night towers until dawn.

To the tune of "Su Mu Zhe"

Two days later, on May 20th, coincidentally his birthday, Chen Jingji's family prepared a feast, and everyone joyfully celebrated the day. The next morning, Jingji said, "I have never been to the river below. Today, I have nothing to do, so I’ll go check the accounts and escape the summer heat. I will be back soon." Chunmei advised him, "Take a sedan chair, don’t overwork yourself." So the sedan chair came, with Xiaojing following, and they went to the riverside restaurant.

The journey was uneventful. In the afternoon, they arrived and entered the restaurant. The two accountants rushed out to greet him, asking, "Is the boss feeling any better?" Jingji said, "Thank you for your concern." His thoughts were solely on Han Aijie, and after sitting for a while, he instructed the accountants, "Check the accounts; I will come to settle them later." Then he went to the back. The madam had already spotted him and hurried to tell Wang Luer and his wife. Han Aijie was upstairs, leaning against the banister, eagerly waiting for him, still writing poems to express her feelings. Suddenly someone reported that Chen Jingji had arrived, and she quickly walked down lightly, with a warm smile, welcoming him, saying, "Sir, it's rare to see you. What wind blew you here?" Jingji greeted them, and they entered the room together. After a while, Wang Luer brought tea. After drinking the tea, Aijie said, "Sir, please come to my room." Jingji went upstairs, and the two were like fish reunited after a long separation, intimately sharing whispers. A piece of paper peeked out from under Aijie's inkstone, which Jingji picked up and read. Aijie said, "I wrote this to keep myself occupied while waiting for you; don’t mind its roughness." Jingji read it once, and the poem read:

Leaning lazily on the embroidered bed, too lazy to move, the silk curtains hang idle as her hair falls low. The jade lover has gone without news, one day of longing feels like twelve hours. Jìng Jì praised her repeatedly. In no time, Wáng Liùér brought up the food and wine, placing it on the dressing table. The two sat together, Ài Jiě poured a cup of wine, handed it to Jìng Jì with both hands, bowed deeply, and said, "Sir, you haven't been here for a long time, I miss you every day. Thanks to the money sent by Bā Lǎo last time, the whole family is extremely grateful." Jìng Jì took the wine, returned the gesture, and said, "I've been unwell recently, I hope you won't hold it against me." After they finished their drinks, Jìng Jì also poured a cup for Ài Jiě. While drinking, they chatted. Wáng Liùér and Hán Dàoguó also came up to accompany them for a few drinks, then went downstairs, leaving the two to catch up. After a long time, the wine was almost finished, the two felt a deep connection, and memories of the past arose. After an intimate moment, they dressed again and had a few more drinks. With tipsy spirits and unfulfilled desires, the young man, feeling constrained at home and preoccupied with thoughts of Ài Jiě, hadn't been intimate with his wife. Today, meeting his lover, he was reluctant to stop. It seemed they were fated to be together, as if it had been written five hundred years ago; Jìng Jì was completely enchanted by her. After a while, they found themselves entwined once more. Eventually, exhausted, they skipped lunch entirely and fell asleep on the bed.

Unfortunately, trouble came. A silk merchant named Mr. He arrived, and Wang Liu'er accompanied him downstairs to drink. Han Daoguo went out to buy groceries, wine, and fruit. The two of them were hanging out downstairs. Just before sunset, a drunken thug named Liu Er from the tavern, disheveled with his shirt unbuttoned, flaunting his muscles, staggered downstairs and shouted, "He Manzi, come out!" The two accountants saw Jing Ji sleeping upstairs and were afraid to wake him, so they quickly went out to stop Liu Er, saying, "Brother Liu Er, Mr. He has not arrived." But Liu Er refused to listen. He burst into Han Daoguo's room, pulled back the curtain, and saw Mr. He and Wang Liu'er drinking side by side. He immediately became furious and yelled, "You filthy dogs! I've been looking for you everywhere, and here you are! You've been eating and staying for free at my inn, owing several months' rent, and still having a mistress here!" Mr. He quickly came out and said, "Brother Er, don't be angry, I'll leave right away." Liu Er cursed, "Get out!" and then punched Mr. He in the face, causing it to swell up instantly. Mr. He didn't pay any mind to it and hurriedly ran away. Liu Er kicked Wang Liu'er's table over, sending everything flying. Wang Liu'er cursed, "You piece of trash! Coming to my room and causing trouble for no reason! You don't want to mess with me!" Liu Er kicked Wang Liu'er over, cursing, "You slut! Who do you think you are? Doing business here without my consent? Get out now! Move slowly, and I'll knock your lights out!" Wang Liu'er said, "You bastard! I've got someone who’s got my back! How dare you bully me?" and burst into tears. Liu Er cursed, "I'll knock your lights out, and you still won't know who I am!" The ruckus drew a crowd. Some recognized Liu Er as the nephew of Zhang Yuhou, the steward of the Prefectural Governor's Mansion, known as "Sitting Tiger" Liu Er, a bully who specialized in bullying prostitutes. They warned Wang Liu'er to steer clear of him. Wang Liu'er said, "Is there anyone tougher around? I'm not afraid of him!" It took some serious convincing from Lu Bingyi and Xie Pangzi to get Liu Er to finally back off.

Chen Jingji fell asleep, but suddenly there was a commotion downstairs, so he quickly got up to check. It was almost dark outside, and he asked, "What's going on?" Han Daoguo had disappeared somewhere, and all he saw was Wang Luer running upstairs with disheveled hair and a dirty face, crying and saying, "A real piece of work showed up, nicknamed 'Sitting Tiger' Liu Er, who's been staying at my shop and claims to be Zhang Yuhou's brother-in-law. He's looking for alcohol everywhere, and when he's bored, he kicks and hits me, even scolded me, and smashed all the utensils in the shop!" And then she started crying. Chen Jingji called two managers to ask what was going on. The managers couldn't hide it and had to say, "It's Zhang Yuhou's younger brother-in-law Liu Er, who came here to collect rent from Mr. He. He saw Mr. He drinking inside the house, and without saying a word, he yanked the curtain aside, punched Mr. He, and scared him off. He also quarreled with Han's wife, kicked her, and attracted people on the street to watch the commotion." When Chen Jingji heard this, he recognized it was Liu Er, the Taoist he had beaten before. He wanted to confront him, but he was worried that Liu Er, the thug, was too much of a bully. It was getting late, and he asked, "Where is Liu Er now?" The manager said, "We persuaded him to leave." Chen Jingji comforted Wang Luer, "You and your son can rest easy; I've got this covered. You can continue to stay; my family will handle this matter." The manager cleared the debt and handed them some cash, and Chen Jingji got on a sedan chair with his servants. Just as they entered the city, it was already dark, and he was very angry. When he got home and saw Chunmei, he handed her the interest money, then headed back to his room to get some rest.

No words were exchanged that night. The next day, Chen Jingji kept thinking about telling Chunmei about this matter, but he hesitated. He thought to himself, "Wait, I'll first slowly find Zhang Sheng's handle, then let my sister tell the lord, so he will have no place to be buried. This bastard has deceived me time and again, claiming that my current situation is because I begged him for help, knowing my details, thinking I can't do anything to him." He thought to himself:

Revenge should be served this way; seize the opportunity when it arises. It's often easy to find what you're looking for when you've searched high and low, without putting in much effort.

One day, Chen Jingji went to the River Down Hotel and saw Ai Jie and her son, saying, "I was really shaken up last time." He then asked Manager Lu, "Has Liu Er been here again?" Manager Lu said, "He hasn't been back since that day." He then asked Han Aijie, "Has He Guanren also been here?" Aijie said, "No." After finishing his meal and settling the bill, he went upstairs to Aijie's room. After chatting and catching up for a while, they came out. Chen Jingji called a waiter named Chen San'er and quietly asked about Zhang Sheng and Liu Er's activities in the mansion. Chen San'er, for some reason, revealed that Zhang Sheng had sheltered Xue'e after she left the mansion, letting her work as a prostitute in the tavern. Liu Er, on the other hand, lent money at high interest rates everywhere, using the master's name to carry out his misdeeds. Chen Jingji kept these in mind, gave Aijie some money, settled the bill with the manager, took the interest money, and rode his horse back home.

Let's not talk about these idle matters. The situation has developed to this point, with narrow enemy paths and impending disaster. Unexpectedly, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty in the capital witnessed the Jin army invading the borders, reaching the heartland, and the situation had become critical. The Emperor was thrown into a panic, and after discussing with his ministers, sent envoys to the north to negotiate peace, willing to offer a substantial tribute of gold, silver, treasures, and silk each year. At the same time, he passed the throne to the Crown Prince, changing the era name to Jingkang. The Crown Prince became Emperor Qinzong. Huizong proclaimed himself as the retired Emperor, retreating to the Longde Palace. The court appointed Li Gang as Minister of War, overseeing all military forces; and Zhong Shidao as the Grand General, overseeing both internal and external military affairs.

One day, the Jinan government received an imperial decree, promoting Zhou Shoubei to the position of military governor of Shandong, commanding ten thousand troops to be stationed in Dongchang Prefecture to assist Governor and Censor Zhang Shuye in defending against the Jin forces. Zhou Shoubei received the imperial decree and was determined not to delay. He immediately summoned Zhang Sheng and Li An, two aides, instructing them to escort the two carts filled with luggage and valuables back home first. Having served as an official in Jinan for a year, he had accumulated a considerable amount of gold and silver, all packed in boxes. He entrusted the two to escort them back home: "Be sure to count everything carefully, patrol day and night, and stay vigilant. In a few days, I will gather troops with Governor Zhang and depart from Qinghe County." That same day, the two received their orders, prepared the vehicles, and set off. Their journey was safe and uneventful. Upon arriving home, after they counted everything, everything was in order.

Chen Jingji saw Zhang Sheng driving the cart back home; the military governor of Shandong is about to arrive. He was thinking of telling Chunmei his thoughts and exposing Zhang Sheng after the military governor got back. Unexpectedly, one day, his wife Ge Cuiping went to her mother's house to live, and he was alone resting in the West Study. Chunmei suddenly came in, with the maids in tow, and the two undressed and began to make love in the room. Unexpectedly, Zhang Sheng was patrolling, ringing his bell, and when he walked to the door of the study, he heard sounds of a woman's laughter coming from inside. He stopped ringing the bell and slowly walked to the window to eavesdrop. It turned out that Chunmei was having sex with Chen Jingji. He overheard Chen Jingji telling Chunmei, "That bastard Zhang Sheng is really something, always bullying others, claiming I owe him for helping me get to where I am now, and several times ruining my reputation in public. Yesterday, he saw me opening a hotel by the river and sent his nephew 'Sitting Tiger' Liu Er to smash my shop, chasing away all my customers. He relies on being my brother-in-law's subordinate, lending money at outrageous interest rates, and having an affair with Xue'e on the side and keeping it from my sister. I've put up with it for too long, not daring to tell my sister. When my brother-in-law gets back, if I don't speak up soon, I definitely won't dare to do business by the river again." Chunmei listened and said, "This guy is unbelievable. That Xue'e, I sold her off—how can she still be messing around?" Chen Jingji said, "He not only bullies me but also bullies my sister." Chunmei said, "When his father comes home, he's going to get what's coming to him."

As the saying goes, "walls have ears, and there are people listening outside." Zhang Sheng was listening clearly outside the window. He thought, "If they're plotting against me, I might as well plot against them first!" He put down the bell, ran to the front classroom, grabbed a steel knife designed to break wrists, sharpened it twice, and entered the academy. It was truly fortunate that Chunmei was still alive. At this time, the little maid Lan Hua hurriedly ran to call Chunmei, saying, "Young Master Jin suddenly fainted; please go get Grandma to check on him!" Upon hearing this, Chunmei quickly went to see the child. Just as she entered, Zhang Sheng burst into the study with a knife, not noticing Chunmei but seeing Jing Ji sleeping naked in bed. Upon seeing him, Jing Ji shouted, "Hey, what are you doing here?" Zhang Sheng angrily said, "I'm here to kill you! You really teamed up with that vixen against me? I’ve come to settle the score! You repay kindness with betrayal! As the saying goes, 'a black-headed bug can't be saved; saving it means you'll end up eating human flesh.' Don't run, take my knife!" With that, he stabbed towards Jing Ji. Jing Ji, naked and with nowhere to hide, could only hold onto the blanket. Zhang Sheng stabbed him in the ribs, blood gushing out. Seeing Jing Ji still struggling, he stabbed again in the chest, rendering Jing Ji motionless. Zhang Sheng then decapitated Jing Ji, reciting: "Three inches of breath can be used in countless ways; in a day, everything can change."

Poor Jingji, only twenty-nine, died just like that. Zhang Sheng brandished a knife as he searched for Chunmei in the house. Not finding her, he walked quickly towards the back hall. As he reached the entrance, he saw Li An patrolling with a bell. Li An saw Zhang Sheng charging in, looking menacing with a knife, and asked, "Where are you going?" Zhang Sheng ignored him, walked straight ahead, and was stopped by Li An. Zhang Sheng then stabbed Li An with a knife. Li An sneered and said, "My uncle is the notorious night demon, Li Gui, from Shandong; I don't need to borrow anyone's skills." With that, he kicked the knife out of Zhang Sheng's hand. Zhang Sheng panicked, and the two of them grappled. Li An tripped Zhang Sheng with a kick, tied him up with a belt, and subdued him. In the back hall, Chunmei heard the ruckus and exclaimed, "Zhang Sheng broke in with a knife; I caught him!" Chunmei had just awakened Jin Ge and was frightened by the news. She ran to the study, saw Jingji killed, blood everywhere on the floor, burst into tears, and quickly sent someone to inform Ge Cuiping. Ge Cuiping hurried back home, saw Jingji's body, fainted right there, but thankfully Chunmei revived her. They laid Jingji's body to rest, locked Zhang Sheng up, and awaited Zhou's return to deal with the situation.

A few days later, a military emergency arose, prompting urgent orders for Zhou to mobilize troops. Zhou dispatched the troops, and Zhang, the governor, went to Dongchang Prefecture to wait. Once Zhou returned home, Chunmei recounted the murder of Jingji, Li An presented the murder weapon, knelt down, and reported the incident. Furious, Zhou summoned Zhang Sheng and, without hesitation, ordered him to be executed with a hundred military lashes. Then he sent people to arrest Liu Er. Sun Xue'e, fearing arrest, hung herself in the room. After Liu Er was arrested, he was also beaten to death with a hundred military sticks. This incident stirred up a storm in Qinghe County and Linqing Prefecture.

Having committed countless evils throughout his life, he faced divine retribution today.

A poem stands as testament:

One should never deceive others, for there are divine beings watching over us. If one continues to do evil without consequences, the world will be full of wicked people who harm one another. General Zhou killed Zhang Sheng and Liu Er, eliminating these two menaces. He told Li An to return the Horsehead Inn to its rightful owner and settle the accounts. He asked Chunmei to look after the children at home and to properly mourn for Jingji. He also instructed Li An and Zhou Yi to look after the house while taking Zhou Zhong and Zhou Ren to report to the military camp. In the evening, Chunmei and Sun Erniang hosted a farewell banquet for General Zhou, crying and saying, "Sir, we do not know when you will return; the battlefield is perilous, so please take care!" General Zhou replied, "You stay home and take care of the children; do not worry. Since I receive a salary from the court, I must be loyal to my country and accept whatever fate comes my way, whether I live or die, gain honor or face disgrace."

The next day, the army assembled outside the city, waiting for General Zhou to depart. The journey went without a hitch. Upon reaching Dongchang Prefecture, General Zhou sent someone to report to the city. Governor Zhang and the Prefect personally came out to welcome him. After discussing military matters, they stayed overnight in the prefecture and continued on to the border defense the next day.

As for Han Aijie and her son, upon hearing of Chen Jingji's death at the Xie Family Inn, Aijie cried day and night, refusing to eat or drink, longing to see Jingji's body at the General's residence. Despite the pleas of her parents and others, she was adamant about going. Han Daoguo had no choice but to send a group of elders to find out and learned that Jingji's body had already been buried at Yongfu Temple outside the city. When they returned, Aijie insisted on going to the grave to burn paper offerings. Her parents had no choice but to accompany her. They hired a sedan chair and arrived at Yongfu Temple, asking the elder monk where Jingji was buried. The monk took them to the back of the temple to the new grave. Aijie got off the sedan chair, lit the paper money, and cried, "My dear brother! I had hoped to grow old with you, but who knew you would...," before fainting and hitting her head on the ground, dying instantly. Han Daoguo and Wang Liu'er were shocked and rushed to help her, calling out to her, but she did not respond, leaving them even more distraught.

That day, it was the third day after the burial, Chunmei and Gu Cuiping were in a sedan chair, carrying offerings, to burn paper for the deceased. They saw a young woman in mourning attire, collapsed on the ground. A man and a middle-aged woman helped her up, but she fainted again, shocking everyone. They inquired about her identity. Mr. and Mrs. Han Daoguo stepped forward, bowed, and explained what had happened: "This is my daughter, Han Aijie." When Chunmei heard the name "Aijie," she recalled having seen her at Ximen Qing's house and recognized Wang Luer. Han Daoguo explained in detail how Aijie had left the Cai Mansion in Tokyo: "My daughter had met Mr. Chen before, and she never expected him to die. She just wanted to see him once at the grave, burn some paper money, but she unexpectedly fainted there." After everyone had helped her for some time, Aijie coughed up some phlegm, woke up, and gasped, unable to speak. After a moment of crying, she knelt and bowed four times to Chunmei and Cuiping, saying, "Although we were only husband and wife for a short time, he once made deep vows to me. I truly hoped to spend my life with him, but fate had other plans, leaving me all alone. When he was alive, he gifted me a Wu Ling silk scarf with four lines of poetry inscribed on it. I know you have a sister living with you, and I wish to become a concubine. If you doubt me..." She took out the Wu Ling silk scarf from her sleeve, with the following lines inscribed on it:

The Wu Ling silk scarf weaves patterns, the ink strokes are new. Sent to the affectionate Han Wu Jie, harmonizing like the phoenix for a hundred years.

Ai Jie said, "I also have a small love sachet that I always keep with him. Both sides are embroidered with lotus flowers intertwined, with a word written on each petal: 'Given to my beloved Chen Jun at his feet.' After the memorial service, they let Ai Jie and her son have a meal at the temple. Wang Liu'er saw that it was getting late and urged them to go home, but Ai Jie didn't want to leave. She knelt down and cried to Chun Mei and Cui Ping, "I don't want to go back to my parents' home. I want to observe mourning with my sister. Even if I die tomorrow, I want to be by his side. This is my devotion to him; I will regard myself as his wife." Tears streamed down as she spoke. Cui Ping didn't say anything. Chun Mei said, "Sister, you are still young, in the prime of your youth; being a widow will waste your good years." Ai Jie said, "Grandmother, what are you saying? For him, even if it means sacrificing everything, I will maintain my honor. I swear not to marry again." She instructed her parents, "Mom and Dad, go back; I will return to the mansion with grandmother and sister." Wang Liu'er cried and said, "I was relying on you to take care of us; we saved you from the tiger's mouth, but today it was all in vain." Ai Jie just said, "I'm not leaving; you can leave me behind. Going back home feels like just waiting for death." Han Daoguo saw his daughter's determination not to leave, wept with Wang Liu'er for a while, then left in tears, returning to Linqing Inn. Han Ai Jie, Chun Mei, and Cui Ping rode back to the mansion in a sedan chair. Wang Liu'er cried all the way, reluctant to part with her daughter, crying again and again. Han Daoguo was afraid of the dark, so he hired two fast horses to rush back. The horse, restless with anxiety, the road is poor, the body is like a floating duckweed. Only the moon on the capital city gate shines, illuminating the sorrow of separation in every direction.

Details

Written by: Realhistories

Category: The Golden Lotus（金瓶梅）

Published: 31 December 2024

Created: 31 December 2024

Hits: 41

It is said that Zhou Shoubei and Zhang Shuye, the prefect of Jinan Prefecture, together defeated Song Jiang of Liangshan, along with thirty-six leaders and over ten thousand followers, who were all pacified. With the region stabilized, they reported to the court, and the emperor was greatly pleased. Zhang Shuye was promoted to Imperial Censor and the Governor of Shandong, while Zhou Shoubei was promoted to Commander of Military Affairs in Jinan, overseeing river patrols and capturing bandits. Those soldiers who distinguished themselves were all promoted one rank. Our Jing Ji was also promoted to staff officer, receiving two stones of rice each month, ensuring he could live without worries.

In mid-October, Zhou Shoubei returned home with the imperial decree and his men. He first sent someone to inform Chunmei, who was thrilled and sent Jing Ji, Zhang Sheng, and Li An out of the city to greet him. A banquet was held at home to celebrate Zhou Shoubei's promotion. The number of people coming to congratulate and bring gifts was incredible! Zhou Shoubei dismounted and entered the back hall, and Chunmei and Sun Erniang hurried out to welcome him. After the congratulations, Jing Ji donned a red robe, hat, black boots, and belt, and, with his new wife Ge, paid his respects to Zhou Shoubei. Zhou Shoubei was quite pleased with Ge and rewarded her with a new outfit and ten taels of silver for jewelry.

In the evening, Chunmei and Zhou Shoubei were drinking and chatting about family matters in the room. Chunmei said, "It cost a lot of money to marry off my younger brother." Zhou Shoubei said, "Hey, your younger brother came to you; how can he be without a wife! Even if it cost a few taels of silver, it's for his own benefit." Chunmei said, "You’ve also set him up with a good job, enough for him to get by." Zhou Shoubei said, "The imperial decree has come down; I will go to Jinan Prefecture to take up my post in a few days. You stay at home and get some money together, let him find a job as a manager and start a small business. In a few days, let him keep track of the finances, make some money, and keep him occupied." Chunmei said, "You're right." Then, the husband and wife... (ten thousand words omitted here). They stayed at home for ten days; in early November, Zhou Shoubei was getting ready to leave. He took Zhang Sheng and Li An to Jinan for their new positions, leaving Zhou Ren and Zhou Yi at home to take care of the place. Jing Ji saw them off at Yongfu Temple, south of the city, before returning.

One day, Chunmei discussed with Jingji: "Your brother-in-law wants you to start a business, find a manager, make some money, and help with the household expenses." Jingji was thrilled. While he was out looking for a manager, he ran into an old friend, Lu Bingyi. "Brother, long time no see!" Jingji said. "My wife passed away, and that bastard Yang Guangyan cheated me out of half a boatload of goods, leaving me broke. Now my sister's married Zhou Shoubei, I’ve also gotten married and been promoted, but I want to find a partner to start a business and don’t know where to begin." Lu Bingyi said: "Yang Guangyan, that jerk, cheated you out of your goods. Now he’s teamed up with someone named Xie to open a big hotel in Linqing Matou, and he’s also lending money at high interest rates, raking in a fortune. He dresses sharp, eats well, rides a donkey, and goes to collect debts every few days, ignoring his old friends. His brother runs a gambling den at home, raising dogs and fighting chickens, and no one dares to provoke him." Jingji said: "I ran into him once last year; he didn’t recognize me and even beat me up. Luckily, a friend saved me. I hate him!" So, the two went to a hotel on the roadside to drink and discuss how to deal with Yang Guangyan. Lu Bingyi said: "As the saying goes: 'A true gentleman doesn’t hold grudges over small things; a real man has to have some guts.' Reasoning with him is pointless; we need to make him pay. I have an idea: instead of getting into other businesses, let’s just file a complaint against him, get your money back, take over the hotel, put in some capital, and do it together. You can check the accounts every few days, and you could make forty taels of silver a month, which is way better than other businesses." **Things don’t always go as planned, not even a little.**

Jing Ji listened and said, "Younger brother, you are right! I will go home and talk to my sister and brother-in-law. Once the deal is done, I will let you and Xie Pangzi take charge together." After finishing their drinks, the two men went home. Jing Ji told Chunmei everything in detail, and Chunmei said, "What will you do if your brother-in-law isn't home?" The old family servant Zhou Zhong said, "No problem, wait for Uncle to write a statement, clearly stating the money and goods that were cheated, then write a letter of petition, seal them together, and I will take them to the magistrate's office to have Yang Guangyan arrested and interrogated harshly; he will surely confess." Jing Ji was thrilled and immediately wrote the statement, added the letter of petition, sealed it, and had Zhou Zhong take it to the magistrate's office. The officials at the magistrate's office read the statement and immediately sent people to arrest Yang Guangyan.

A few days later, the officials brought Yang Guangyan and his brother Yang Erfeng. Based on Jing Ji's statement, they were interrogated, beaten, detained for a few days, and recovered three hundred and fifty taels of silver and one hundred barrels of cloth. The items from the hotel were valued at fifty taels, while Jing Ji's statement claimed nine hundred taels, leaving a shortfall of three hundred and fifty taels. Yang Guangyan sold his house for fifty taels and lost all his family property. Jing Ji took over the hotel in partnership with Xie Pangzi. Chunmei pitched in an additional five hundred taels, bringing the total to one thousand taels, to have Lu Bingyi take charge, renovate the hotel, giving it a fresh new look.

**Three families drunk from the same jar, ten miles of fragrance from the opened wine jar. Immortals leave behind jade pendants, ministers untie their golden sable fur.**

Starting from the first day of the first month, Chen Jing Ji opened a large restaurant in Linqing Matou, and the business was thriving, earning three to five taels of silver a day. Xie Pangzi and Lu Bingyi were in charge of accounting. Every three to five days, Chen Jing Ji would go to check the accounts at the riverside, with Xiaojing tagging along. Lu Bingyi and Xie Pangzi tidied up the eleven rooms in the restaurant, setting up the beds, curtains, tables, and chairs neatly, as good as new. They also prepared banquets, invited four beautiful girls to accompany the guests, and Chen Saner was in charge of pouring drinks.

One sunny March day, with beautiful spring scenery, the willows were a vibrant green, and the apricot blossoms were a brilliant red. Chen Jingji stood by the railing of the tavern, taking in the bustling scene below. He felt a surge of joy and even composed a poem:

The wind caresses the brocade of mist,

In this tranquil season, the festivities are just starting.

Inspiring heroes with courage,

Easing the sorrows of the fair maiden.

On the riverbank, three feet of willows sway at dawn,

A pole leans beside the apricot blossoms.

A man has yet to realize his lifelong dreams,

But for now, he joyfully sings himself into a drunken reverie.

One day, Chen Jingji saw two boats moored by the river from the restaurant window. Many boxes and furniture such as stools were unloaded from the boats, and four or five people were moving these things into the vacant room in the restaurant. There were also two women on the boat, one tall, dark-skinned middle-aged woman, and the other a younger woman dressed elegantly, probably in her twenties. They also entered the house. Chen Jingji asked Fat Xie, "Who are these people? Why did they move things in without saying hello?" Fat Xie said, "These are two women from Tokyo. They couldn't find their relatives and had nowhere to stay temporarily, so they asked their neighbor Mr. Fan for help and will stay for a few days. I was just about to mention it when you asked." Chen Jingji was about to lose his temper, but the young woman came forward and bowed to him, saying, "Sir, please don't be angry. This has nothing to do with Manager Xie. It was presumptuous of us. We were in a hurry and didn't have time to report first. Please forgive us. We will only stay for three to five days, and then we will pay the rent and leave." Chen Jingji saw that the woman spoke very politely, and he scrutinized her carefully. The woman also looked at him, and their eyes met, suggesting a connection. Chen Jingji thought to himself, "Why does she look so familiar?" At this moment, the middle-aged woman also looked at him and said, "Sir, are you Mr. Chen from the Ximen family?" Chen Jingji was startled and asked, "How do you know me?" The woman said, "To be honest, I am Han Daoguo's wife, and this is my daughter, Aijie." Chen Jingji asked, "How did you and your husband end up all the way out here from Tokyo? Where is your husband?" The woman said, "He's keeping an eye on the stuff on the boat." Chen Jingji quickly called someone to fetch Han Daoguo.

Before long, Han Daoguo arrived. His hair was completely white. After greeting Chen Jingji, he said, "Cai, Tong, Li, Zhu, Gao, and Li the Eunuch were all accused by Chen Dong and subsequently impeached. The emperor issued an edict to send them into exile in remote areas for military service. Cai You was executed, and his family property was confiscated. My family of three managed to escape and sought refuge with my second brother, but he had sold his house and vanished. We hired a boat and traveled downstream, unexpectedly meeting you here, which is truly a stroke of luck!" Han Daoguo then asked, "Is Sir still at Sir Ximen's house?" Chen Jingji shook his head and said, "I am no longer at his house. I am now a staff officer at my brother-in-law Zhou Shoubei's mansion. We opened this hotel together and are getting by this way. Since you have encountered me, don't leave. Stay here and make yourselves at home." Han Daoguo and his wife thanked him and began to move their belongings. Chen Jingji also asked Xiaojing and Chensan to help. Han Daoguo's wife, Wang Luer, said, "Sir, you don't need to worry." Everyone felt very happy. Chen Jingji said, "We are family, no need to be polite." As night began to fall, Chen Jingji had to go home. He told Xie Pangzi, "Please take some snacks to them." He rode his horse home, thinking about Han Aijie all the way.

The next day, early in the morning on the third day, Chen Jingji dressed neatly and brought Xiaojing to the restaurant. After checking on the business, Han Daoguo sent someone to invite him for tea. Chen Jingji was about to go when Han Daoguo's messenger arrived, so he stood up and went. Han Aijie came out with a smile to greet him, bowing and saying, "Please, take a seat inside, Sir." Chen Jingji entered the room, accompanied by Wang Luer and Han Daoguo. After finishing their tea, they reminisced about the past. Chen Jingji kept looking at Han Aijie, and Han Aijie also kept looking at Chen Jingji, both clearly interested in each other. He then wrote a poem:

The narrow shoes trimmed with spring silk, her fragrant body and soft bosom, like a nest of jade. The beautiful quality cannot withstand the charming posture, a heart full of unspoken sorrow reflected in autumn's waves.

After a while, Han Daoguo left. Han Aijie asked, "How old is the gentleman?" Chen Jingji said, "Twenty-six." Chen Jingji asked, "How old is the sister?" Han Aijie smiled and said, "I am the same age as the gentleman, also twenty-six. I met you before at my father's house, and unexpectedly met here again. It's truly fate to meet from afar." Wang Luer noticed their lively conversation and found an excuse to leave, leaving just the two of them. Han Aijie began to say some ambiguous words to Chen Jingji; how could Chen Jingji not understand her meaning? He joked with her. It turned out that Han Aijie and her mother had been a bit flirtatious since they came from Tokyo, and now, seeing Chen Jingji, they were even more in tune. When no one was around, Han Aijie walked to Chen Jingji and sat down, playfully saying, "Gentleman, let me see your golden hairpin." Chen Jingji was about to take it out, but Han Aijie held his hair down and pulled out the hairpin, smiling and saying, "I'll take you upstairs to talk." Chen Jingji followed her upstairs. The poem says:

When the wind comes, the flowers dance on their own, and spring enters the birds' speech.

Chen Jingji asked, "What does the sister want to say?" Han Aijie said, "We have fate; we met today, and I want to be with you." Chen Jingji said, "It's not every day a lady like you takes an interest in me; I'm just worried about being seen." Han Aijie grew bolder, hugged Chen Jingji, and untied his pants... The two couldn't help themselves; Han Aijie took off her clothes and lay on the bed... The poem says:

With courage as boundless as the sky, what is there to fear? A love that lasts a hundred years, like a pair of mandarin ducks.

Jing Ji asked the girl, "What do they call you?" Han Aijie said, "They call me Wu Jie since I was born on the Dragon Boat Festival, but you can also call me Ai Jie." After a while, the dark clouds cleared and the rain stopped, and the two sat next to each other. Han Aijie put the golden hairpin back in Jing Ji's hair, then said to him, "My family of three came from Tokyo to visit relatives, but we couldn't find them, and we ran out of money. If you have some money to spare, could you lend my dad five taels of silver? I promise to pay you back with interest, so please don't turn me down." Jing Ji agreed and said, "No problem, sister, just ask, I’ll get you five taels." The two sat there for a bit longer, worried about what others might say, had a cup of tea, and Aijie even asked Jing Ji to stay for lunch. Jing Ji said, "I’ve got some stuff to take care of, so I can’t stay for lunch, but I’ll bring the money over later." Aijie said, "I’ll whip up some drinks and snacks this afternoon, so don’t say no, just come hang out."

Jingji had lunch in the store, then wandered the streets for a while. He met his senior Jin Zongming, whom he had met at Yanguo Temple. Jin Zongming greeted him warmly, and Jingji told him everything that had happened. Jin Zongming said, "I didn't expect you to settle down in the Prefect's Mansion and open a store. I haven't had a chance to drop by. Tomorrow, I will have my disciple bring you some tea, and you can come to the temple when you have some time." With that, Jin Zongming left. Jingji returned to the store, and Lu, the manager, said, "Mr. Han from the Han family invites you for a drink but couldn't find you." Just then, Ba Lao came to invite him again. So Jingji went to the Han family with both managers. The table was already set. Jingji took his seat, Han Daoguo sat in the main seat, Lu Bingyi and Xie Pangzi sat beside him, Wang Luer and Aijie sat next to them, and Ba Lao poured wine and served dishes on the side. After a few drinks, the two managers exchanged knowing looks and said, "Take your time drinking, we'll go check the counter." They got up and left. Jingji wasn't a heavy drinker, so when the managers left, he started drinking freely with the Han family, starting to feel tipsy. Aijie asked, "Are you not going home tonight?" Jingji said, "It's too late, I can't go home. I'll go back tomorrow." After a while, Wang Luer and Han Daoguo went downstairs. Jingji took out five taels of silver from his sleeve and handed it to Aijie. Aijie took it to Wang Luer and then came back up. They chatted and drank until the early hours. Aijie removed her makeup, and Jingji rested in the upstairs room. That night... (details not included). Aijie used to be a housekeeper in the Grand Secretary's Mansion in Tokyo, serving the old lady, so she could play the zither, read and write, and was skilled in many things. Jingji was really pleased and took a liking to her. And so, they ended up spending the night together. They woke up late the next day, just in time for lunch. Wang Luer made some chicken meatballs and a bowl of brain soup to help him recover. They drank a few cups of hot wine. After a while, the manager came to call Jingji for lunch. After eating and washing up, Jingji said goodbye to Aijie and was getting ready to head home. Aijie was sad to see him go and started crying. Jingji said, "I'll swing by in a few days when I'm back home. Don't worry." With that, he took Xiaojinger and rode back to the city. On the way, Jingji told Xiaojinger, "Don't talk about the Han family when you get home." Xiaojinger said, "I know, I won't say a word."

" "

Jingji returned to the house and said that business at the shop was busy, so he stayed late to do the accounts and stayed out overnight. He handed the interest money to Chunmei, which amounted to thirty taels of silver. When he got home, Ge Cuiping started complaining: "Why did you stay out overnight again? You must have gone to the brothel again, leaving me alone at home, not wanting to come back!" She kept Jingji at home for a whole week or more, not letting him go to the riverbank. The shop had Xiaojinger go to collect the interest from the manager. The manager gave all the money to Xiaojinger.

Han Daoguo had his wife Wang Liuer attract customers, with some merchants coming to the house to drink tea and wine. Han Daoguo enjoyed the benefits, relying on his wife to support the family. Although Wang Liuer was old, she still had her charm, and with her daughter's help, she continued in this line of work, now doing even better. When Jingji stopped coming, Han Daoguo had the bartender Chen Saner help him find a silk merchant from Huzhou, Mr. He, to meet his daughter Aijie. Mr. He, in his fifties, had over a thousand taels of silk goods and wanted to invite Aijie. Aijie felt unhappy because she was thinking of Jingji and refused to come downstairs several times, which left Han Daoguo helpless. Mr. He saw Wang Liuer, tall and slender, with rosy skin, a melon seed face, dressed up and charming, with bright eyes and red lips, thinking this woman was definitely alluring. He left a couple of taels of silver, had drinks with Wang Liuer at home, and spent the night together. Han Daoguo stayed outside overnight. His daughter stayed upstairs and kept to herself when she saw her mother entertaining guests. From then on, Mr. He was completely taken by Wang Liuer, and the two became inseparable, meeting every few days to spend the night together. Han Daoguo also made quite a bit of money from this.

Han Aijie saw Jing Ji hadn't come for over ten days; she was really anxious and eagerly waiting for him. She asked Ba Lao to check at the Prefectural Office. Ba Lao ran into Xiao Jiang and quietly asked him, "Why hasn't the master come?" Xiao Jiang said, "The master hasn't been feeling well lately and hasn't been out." Ba Lao came back and told Aijie. Aijie and Wang Liu'er talked it over and picked up a pair of pig's trotters, two roast ducks, two fish, and a box of pastries, then wrote a letter upstairs, telling Ba Lao, "Make sure to give it to Master Chen in person and get a reply back." Ba Lao took the letter and gifts and headed straight to the Prefectural Office. When he got to the Prefectural Office, he sat down on the stone platform by the road. At that moment, Xiao Jiang came out and saw Ba Lao, asking, "What are you doing here again?" Ba Lao quickly bowed to him, pulled him aside, and said, "I've got some gifts and something to say; I can only wait for you. Can you inform the master?" Xiao Jiang turned and went in. Soon after, Jing Ji came out. It was probably May, and it was really hot. Jing Ji was wearing a gauze robe, a bamboo hat, and sandals. Ba Lao quickly bowed and said, "Is the master feeling any better? Han Aijie asked me to deliver a letter and gifts." Jing Ji took the letter and asked, "Is Wu Jie doing well?" Ba Lao said, "Wu Jie has been worried since the master hasn't visited. She asked me to inquire when the master would have time to visit." Jing Ji opened the letter, which read:

Han Aijie wrote a letter to Master Chen, respectfully inquiring after his well-being and expressing how much she misses him since their separation. She had been waiting at home for him as they had previously agreed to meet, but he never showed up. A few days ago, she sent eight old servants to inquire about his condition, but they couldn't find him. Hearing that he was unwell, she felt extremely anxious and upset, longing to be by his side immediately. However, knowing that Master Chen has a wife and concubines at home, she understood that he would not have any thoughts about her, just like a discarded fruit pit. She sent along some food and tea as a token of her concern, hoping he would accept them. She didn't have much else to say. Additionally, she sent a sachet embroidered with mandarin ducks and a strand of green silk to express her feelings.

Jingji read the letter and saw the sachet, which contained the green silk and was inscribed with the words "Sent to my beloved Chen under the knees." He carefully stored the letter and sachet, then instructed Xiao Jiang to take the eight old servants to a nearby inn for drinks while he composed a reply. Xiao Jiang quickly collected the four boxes of gifts. Jingji returned to the study, secretly wrote a reply, enclosed five taels of silver, and went to the inn to ask the old servants how their drinking was going. The servants said they had almost finished drinking and were ready to leave. Jingji gave them the silver and the reply, asking them to go back and pay their respects to Han Wujie, and also gave them five taels of silver for expenses, saying he would visit her in a few days. The eight old servants accepted the silver and the reply before departing. When Jingji returned home, Ge Cuiping asked who had sent the gifts, and he said they were from Xie Pangzi (the fat man), who had heard that he was unwell and sent his regards. Cuiping believed him. The couple discussed and had Jin Qian'er take a tray with a roast duck, a fish, and half a pig's trotter to the backyard for Chunmei to eat, saying it was from Xie Pangzi and not asking further questions. They chose not to mention this matter for now. When the eight old servants arrived at the riverbank, it was already dark. They handed the silver and the reply to Han Aijie. She opened the letter and read:

Beloved younger brother Jìng Jì respectfully receives your letter. My dear sister Hán Wǔ Jiě: I was deeply honored to receive your kind letter filled with love and affection. I always look forward to our meetings, but unfortunately, I am unable to meet your expectations due to my illness. I truly appreciate you sending someone to visit me, along with the delicious food and thoughtful gifts. I am genuinely grateful! I will make sure to reply in person within the next couple of days. Enclosed, you will find five taels of silver, a piece of silk, and a small token of my respect. I hope you can understand my situation. Respectfully yours, Jìng Jì bows again.

Also attached to the letter is a silk handkerchief with four lines of poetry:

A silk handkerchief woven with intricate patterns,

Ink and brush strokes flow fresh and new.

Sent to my beloved sister Hán Wǔ Jiě,

May our love last a hundred years, like the union of the phoenix and the phoenix.

After reading the letter and poem, Hán Ài Jiě gave the silver to Wáng Liù Er. Mother and son were very happy and eagerly awaited Jìng Jì's arrival.

When a dear friend arrives, the joy never ends,

When a kindred spirit comes, conversation flows naturally.

As evidenced by the poem:

Under the azure silk curtain, a letter is opened and read,

The paper carries the fragrance of clouds and geese.

I know your brush strokes flow with the grace of skilled hands,

Our shared longing is conveyed without a single word.

Details

Written by: Realhistories

Category: The Golden Lotus（金瓶梅）

Published: 31 December 2024

Created: 31 December 2024

Hits: 47

The poem says:

Regretting deeply the past, after many years, a deep sense of resentment. Crossing the Yue River and Wu Mountain, like a screen or barrier, perfect for exploring, yet too weary to raise my eyes alone.

Enjoying fireworks, listening to string melodies, only indulging in fleeting pleasures, which leads to heartbreak. Frequently turning to my art, forcing myself to read letters often, as if witnessing it with my own eyes.

Chen Jingji arrived at the Guard Office. After dismounting, Zhang Sheng went in to inform Chunmei. Chunmei instructed him to first go to the guard's quarters to take a hot bath, then let the nanny change his clothes, shoes, and hat. After getting ready, he could report to Chunmei. The Prefect had not finished work yet, so Chunmei told Jingji to get spruced up in the back hall before coming out to see her. Jingji knelt and bowed to Chunmei as soon as he entered, calling her sister. Chunmei returned the gesture and then sat down. The two reminisced about the past and both started crying. Chunmei was afraid that the Prefect would return from work and not see anyone around, so she gave Jingji a discreet signal, saying, "If he asks you later, say we are cousins. I am a year older than you, 25 years old, born on the 25th of April at noon." Jingji said, "I understand." After a while, a maid brought tea, and after they drank it, Chunmei asked, "Why did you go to become a monk? The Prefect didn't know I was your sister and mistakenly beat you. He regretted it. If he had kept you back then, it would have been better, but unfortunately, that nasty woman Xue'e was also there, making it hard to help you out. That's why you were let go. After sending that nasty woman away, Zhang Sheng was sent to find you everywhere, but didn't expect you to be working outside the city, ending up in this situation." Jingji said, "Sister, it's a long story. After we parted ways, I was supposed to marry Liu Jie, but my father died in the capital, and when I returned late, I didn't get married and was killed by Wusong. I heard that you were kind-hearted and buried him in Yongfu Temple, so I went there to burn paper for him. Later, my mother also passed away, and after the funeral, I got swindled out of money. When I returned home, my eldest sister died, and that wicked mother-in-law of mine accused me of a crime, taking away everything from my house. After a court case, we had to sell the house, and I ended up with nothing. Thanks to my father's friend Wang Xing'an, I was sent to Yan Gong Temple in Linqing to become a monk. Out of nowhere, I got jumped by some thugs and was brought to your place. After I left your place, my relatives and friends turned their backs on me, so I worked in the temple. Thanks to you looking out for me, Zhang the steward found me, and I could see you again. It feels like I've come back to life!" When they spoke of the sad part, both of them cried.

While speaking, the guard finished his shift, and he opened the curtains on both sides before coming in. Chen Jingji quickly knelt. The guard hurriedly returned the greeting, saying, "I didn’t realize you were Brother Xian before; I was deceived by the servants and offended you. Please don’t be angry." Jingji said, "I was rude before; I apologize for my lack of familiarity, please forgive me." He bowed again. The guard helped him up and let him sit down. Jingji, being very considerate, refused to take a seat and instead sat beside the chair. The guard sat down, accompanied by Chunmei. After a moment, tea was served. After drinking tea, the guard asked, "Brother Xian, how old are you? Why haven’t I seen you? Why did you become a monk?" Jingji said, "I’m twenty-four. My sister is one year older than me, born at noon on April 25th. After my parents passed away, our family fell on hard times, and my wife also died, so I became a monk at Yanguo Temple. I didn’t know my sister had married into a wealthy family and couldn’t come to see me." The guard said, "Since you left, your sister has been very worried, sighing constantly, until now. She has sent people to look for you but hasn’t been able to find you. It’s truly a blessing to finally meet today!"

Dear readers, although the magistrate and Ximen Qing know each other, this week they are not well acquainted with Chen Jingji. The magistrate is an upright person, and although they have interacted in the past, he has never cared about other people's private affairs. During normal banquets, he always dines with officials such as Jing Dujian and Xia Tixing, and has never seen Jingji. Moreover, Jingji used to be a monk; who would have guessed he was Ximen Qing's son-in-law? So they kept it a secret, and the magistrate believed he was Chunmei's cousin. The magistrate instructed the servants to set the table and serve the wine. Soon, the table was filled with an array of dishes, soups, rice, and snacks, gleaming with silver pots and jade cups. The magistrate conversed with Jingji, dining until evening and only wrapping up after the candles were lit. The magistrate ordered the servant Zhou Ren to clean the West Academy, where there were beds available. Chunmei brought out two sets of bedding and pillows for Jingji to rest. They also assigned a young servant to attend to him, and he was given two sets of silk clothes. Chunmei invited him to have his meals in the back hall every day. Indeed, fortunes can change in an instant. Time flies, and days and months slip by, and before you know it, you can see the plum blossoms blooming in the twelfth month, and suddenly it’s New Year's Day. Before you know it, the apricot blossoms burst into full bloom, and the new lotus leaves brush the water.

Jing Ji had been staying at the Prefectural Office for about a month. One day, on April 25th, it was Chunmei's birthday. Wu Yueniang sent over some gifts: a platter of longevity peaches, a platter of longevity noodles, two geese, four chickens, two platters of fruit, and a jar of fine wine. Dai An, dressed in a blue robe, delivered the gifts along with a greeting card. The Prefect was sitting in the hall when the gatekeeper announced that the gifts had arrived. Dai An handed over the greeting card and knelt down to kowtow. The Prefect glanced at the card and remarked, "Thanks to your grandmother for her thoughtfulness and for sending these gifts." He instructed the servants, "Take the gifts inside, serve tea to the guests. Give the greeting card to the servant to hand over to your uncle. Give the guest a handkerchief, three silver coins, and a hundred coins to the bearers. Ask them to write a reply on the greeting card." After that, the Prefect changed into his clothes and went to return the favor. Dai An waited in the hall, anticipating the return of the greeting card. At that moment, a young man in a straw hat, a blue silk robe, sandals, and fresh socks walked out from the side door, holding a greeting card and reward money. He handed it to the servant and went to the back. "This guy looks just like Brother Chen! How could he be here?" The servant handed the reward money and handkerchief to Dai An before leaving.

After returning home, Dai'an told Yuemong about his visit to the Chen family. He saw in the reply, it said, "Zhou Men Pang's family kowtows." Yuemong asked, "Didn't you see your sister?" Dai'an replied, "I didn't see my sister, but I did see my brother-in-law." Yuemong chuckled and said, "You little rascal, your family still has such a big brother-in-law! The Commandant is so ancient, and you still call him brother-in-law?" Dai'an said, "It's not the Commandant, it's our family's brother-in-law. I just walked in, Master Zhou was in the hall, I handed him the letter and bowed, he said, 'Troubling your grandma again with such a heavy gift.' Then he instructed the servants to serve me tea, 'Have your uncle take care of the letter, give him a handkerchief, three taels of silver, and give a hundred wen to the box carriers.' After that, Master Zhou got dressed and rode off. After a while, I saw him come out from the side door, gave the servants the reply and reward money, then went inside, and I came out with the box. If it wasn't him, who else could it be?" Yuemong said, "You little rascal, don't talk nonsense! How would that kid know where to scrounge for food? If he didn't freeze to death or starve to death, what could he possibly do in that mansion? Why would the Commandant recognize him and take him in?" Dai'an said, "Grandma, want to bet? I saw it clearly, even if he turned to dust, I would still recognize him!" Yuemong asked, "What did he have on?" Dai'an said, "Wearing a new wavy hat, a gold hairpin, a blue gauze robe, sandals, and clean socks, living pretty well." Yuemong said, "I just don’t buy it." Let's drop this for now.

Chen Jingji stepped into the backyard, while Chunmei was still inside grooming and dressing up. Jingji showed her the greeting card from Wu Yueniang and asked, "How did her family send gifts to you? What's going on here?" Chunmei then told the whole story from start to finish about meeting Yueniang at Yongfu Temple during the Qingming Festival, including how Ping'an stole from the pawnshop, how Wu Xunjian questioned Ping'an, how he interrogated Yueniang about her affair, how Xue Sao helped plead her case, how the commander resolved the matter, and how her family sent gifts to thank her. During the New Year, I went to her house to celebrate Xiaoge's birthday, and we got to know each other. She said she promised to send me a gift on my birthday. After listening, Chen Jingji glanced at Chunmei and said, "Sister, you really lack ambition! For that shameless woman, you have broken up our sisterhood and even caused the death of Liuji. It's best to never have any contact with her again, and you're still pleading for her! Even if Wu Dian'en tortured Daian into confessing to the affair, let them both be punished together; what does it have to do with us? If she did not have an affair with Daian, why did she give Xiaoyu to him? If I were here earlier, I would never let you plead for her. She is our enemy; why are you still associating with her? It's been dreary for days in June—think about it!" Chunmei was left speechless by Jingji's words. Chunmei said, "Let bygones be bygones; I have a good heart and don't hold grudges." Jingji said, "Doing good deeds now does not bring good rewards!" Chunmei said, "Since she sent gifts, we can't just accept them for nothing! She is still waiting for us to invite her!" Jingji said, "In the future, don't bother with that shameless woman; why invite her?" Chunmei said, "It's not polite not to invite her. Send her an invitation; whether she comes or not is up to her. If she comes, you stay in the study and don't come out to see her; we just need to avoid her in the future." Jingji was so furious that he fell silent, walked to the front, and wrote an invitation. Chunmei asked the servant Zhou Yi to invite Wu Yueniang. Yueniang dressed up and came out, with the nanny Ruyi carrying Xiaoge, followed by Daian. Chunmei and Sun Erniang dressed up and came out to welcome her, invited Yueniang to the back hall, exchanged greetings, and sat down. Ruyi bowed with Xiaoge in her arms. Jingji hid in the study and did not come out, allowing Chunmei and Sun Erniang to host the guests in the back hall, and called Han Yuchuan and Zheng Jiaoer to provide some entertainment.

Dai'an was hosting guests in the parlor. He saw a servant boy carrying a plate of food and snacks from behind and walking towards the study. Dai'an asked him who it was for, and the boy replied, "It's for my uncle." Dai'an asked, "What’s your uncle’s last name?" The boy answered, "Chen." Dai'an quietly trailed behind him to the study. The boy lifted the curtain and went in to set down the food. Dai'an quietly slipped out and went back to the parlor. He waited until dark, and when the family came to pick her up, Lady Wu took a sedan chair home. After returning home, she told Lady Wu everything: "Chen's brother-in-law is really staying at his place." Ever since Chunmei was held back by Jingji, the two families haven't seen each other.

It is:

Who knew kids faced so many hurdles, turning thoughts into grudges? Jingji was secretly seeing Chunmei in the house, and no one had a clue. When the commander was out, Chunmei and Jingji would hang out in the room, eating, drinking, playing chess, and just chatting. When the commander was around, the maid would bring him food in the study. Sometimes during the day, Chunmei would drop by the study to hang out with him for a bit before heading back. The two were pretty close, but the details aren’t worth going into.

One day, the guards took some soldiers out on patrol, and it happened to be the Dragon Boat Festival. Chunmei set up a banquet table in the flower pavilion at the West Academy, where she, Sun Erniang, and Chen Jingji drank xionghuang wine, ate rice dumplings, and had a wonderful time. The maidservants were bustling around, attending to them. Chunmei had Haitang and Yuegui, two maids, perform music and sing to liven up the festivities. They continued eating as a cool breeze began to blow, signaling the end. Chunmei raised a large golden lotus cup to toast. After a few rounds, Sun Erniang couldn't handle her liquor and went back to her room to take a break. Only Chunmei and Jingji remained in the flower pavilion, drinking and playing a guessing game, taking turns with their drinks, enjoying themselves immensely. After a while, a maid brought lanterns, and the wet nurse, Jin Kui, and Yu Tang also managed to put Jin Ge to sleep. Jingji lost the game and retreated to the study to drink, refusing to come out. Chunmei first sent Haitang to invite him, but Jingji didn't come out. Then she sent Yuegui and instructed her, "If he still doesn’t come, you’d better find a way to drag him over. If you can't, come back and I'll slap you ten times!" Yuegui went to the West Study, pushed the door open, and saw Jingji lying on the bed, fast asleep and motionless. Yuegui said, "Madam's going to be mad at me, so I had to drag you here!" Jingji, half asleep, said, "It's not my business if she hits you. I'm drunk and can't eat anymore." Yuegui pulled him up and pushed him, saying, "I'll drag you over no matter what. If I can't, then I’m not worth my salt!" Pushing and shoving, Jingji pretended to be drunk, jokingly pulled Yuegui into a playful embrace and kissed her. Yuegui got angry and said, "She kindly invited you, and you act like this!" Jingji said, "My dear sister, if you agree, we can still make it a good thing, right?" He kissed Yuegui again before they walked to the flower pavilion together. Chunmei had Haitang pour more wine, and the two played chess while drinking, thoroughly enjoying themselves. They played until all the maidservants had fallen asleep. Chunmei then asked Yuegui and Haitang to fetch tea from the back, and the two of them removed their hairpins and accessories in the flower pavilion, revealing beautiful jade ornaments, their lips painted a deep red, giving off a sweet fragrance.

That's right:

In the flower pavilion, joy mingles with the slanting clouds; the fragrant sweat condenses, permeating the crimson silk. In the deep courtyard, the sun lingers, but no one comes. Just look at the yellow birds pecking at the famous flowers. The two were having a great time when suddenly, Haitang brought in tea: "Please, Grandma, go to the back. Jin Ge'er has woken up and is crying for you, Grandma!" Chun Mei accompanied Jing Ji and had another two cups of wine, then rinsed her mouth with tea before getting up to head to the back. The maids tidied up the things, and Xi'er helped Jing Ji back to the study to rest.

The court issued an order for the guard to lead the troops, together with Zhang Shuye, the governor of Jizhou, to suppress the bandit Song Jiang at Liangshan Marsh, and instructed them to set out as soon as possible. The guard said to Chun Mei, "You take good care of the children at home, and have the matchmaker help your brother find a good family. I will take his name to the army camp. If he happens to achieve merit, the court will reward him with a promotion, and you will also have something to be proud of." Chun Mei agreed.

After two or three days, the guard packed his belongings and organized the troops, leaving Zhang Sheng and Li An at home to watch over things, while only taking his family member Zhou Ren with him.

One day, Chunmei called Xue Sao over and said to her in a roundabout way, "Before he left, his father instructed you to help my younger brother find a wife. You must find a suitable girl who matches his family background. A girl around sixteen or seventeen is fine, as long as she is beautiful and clever. He can be a bit hot-headed." Xue Sao said, "Honestly, I was thinking that even a family like your sister's wouldn’t be good enough." Chunmei said, "You better watch out or I'll slap you! I'll have him call her a concubine, and I’m not joking!" After that, Chunmei asked the maid to serve tea to Xue Sao. Just then, Chen Jingji came in to eat. Xue Sao greeted him, saying, "Uncle, it's been a long time since I've seen you. Where have you been? It's great. Grandma just instructed me to help you find a good wife. How will you thank me?" Chen Jingji blushed and said nothing. Xue Sao said, "Why aren't you speaking, old man?" Chunmei said, "Don't call him uncle anymore, that's all in the past. Just call him Uncle Chen." Xue Sao said, "I really need to be punished for being so forgetful and always getting names wrong. From now on, I'll call you Uncle." Chen Jingji couldn't help but chuckle, saying, "That really hit home for me." Xue Sao pretended to be annoyed and playfully nudged him, saying, "Look at you, saying such nice things. I'm not your shadow, how did that hit home for me?" Chunmei also laughed.

For a while, Yuegui prepared tea and snacks for Xuesao, saying, "I'll do my best to help you find a good family and a good girl, and I'll let you know." Chunmei said, "Whether it's betrothal gifts, dowry, or jewelry, as long as it's a good family and a good girl, they can enter my house." Xuesao said, "I understand, I promise to satisfy you." After a while, Jingji finished his meal and went ahead. Xuesao was still sitting there, asking Chunmei, "When did he come back?" Chunmei told her about his decision to become a monk: "I brought him back to be part of my family." Xuesao said, "That's great, you have a good eye." She continued, "A few days ago, on your special day, did his mother come to congratulate you?" Chunmei said, "He sent a gift first, and then I had someone invite him to come. He sat for a day and then left." Xuesao said, "I was busy making beds at someone else's place that day, and I was really worried." She asked, "Did Chen Uncle also see his mother come?" Chunmei said, "Would he even bother to see her? We almost argued over inviting him. He blamed me for pleading on his family's behalf, saying I had no backbone. Even if Wu Dian'en beat up his servant, it's just to help him get promoted; what’s it to you? You help him find a wife, think about how good he was to you before?" Xuesao said, "He's right. At this point, he's not holding grudges anymore." Chunmei said, "Since we accepted his gift, it's not right not to invite him to sit. It's better for him to be cold-hearted than for us to be ungrateful." Xuesao said, "No wonder you have such great fortune, you have a good heart!" After talking for a while, Xuesao took the flower basket and said her goodbyes and left.

Two days later, Chunmei's matchmaker said, "Miss Zhu from the city is fifteen this year and seems suitable, but she doesn't have a mother." Chunmei thought she was too young and turned her down. The matchmaker then mentioned the second daughter of Ying Bojue, who was twenty-two. Chunmei objected, saying Ying Bojue had passed away, and the dowry wouldn’t be much, so it was not suitable. So, they turned down all the marriage proposals.

After a few days, Xue Sao brought flowers and took out a wedding invitation from her sleeve. It was written on a big red paper: "The eldest daughter of Ge Yuanwai, who runs a storytelling shop, is 22 years old, born in the Year of the Rooster on the 15th day of the 11th month, with the nickname Cui Ping." "She looks like a painting; although not tall, she has an oval face, is gentle and intelligent, and is exceptionally skilled in needlework. Coming from a well-off family with both parents alive, the family runs a successful storytelling shop in the streets, doing business in Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. She comes with a dowry that includes bed curtains and storage boxes from Nanjing." Chunmei said, "Since she is so good, let's agree to this marriage!" and asked Xue Sao to go deliver the message. Xue Sao hurriedly agreed. The poem says:

To seek a beautiful bride from the embroidery room, red leaves are the best matchmakers.

A celestial weaver ties a fragrant silk, and countless marriage fates are fulfilled. The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl in the sky, talented scholars and beautiful ladies on earth.

When Xue Sao returned, Ge Yuanwai was pleased to accept the proposal from the Prefectural Governor's residence and sent a matchmaker. Chunmei prepared two loads of tea leaves, snacks, fruits, and had Sun Erniang go in a sedan chair to finalize the marriage at Ge Yuanwai's house. When she returned, she said to Chunmei, "That girl is really good, extremely beautiful, and the two families are a perfect match." Chunmei selected an auspicious date for the formal engagement. They presented sixteen trays of snacks, fruits, and tea, two trays of headwear and jewelry, two trays of pearls and jade, four jars of wine, two sheep, a set of gold and silver headwear and jewelry, two sets of silk robes, seasonal clothing, cotton fabric, silk, twenty taels of gold, and more. An astrologer picked June 8th for the wedding. Chunmei asked Xue Sao, "Does the Ge family have any maidservants to accompany the bride?" Xue Sao replied, "They have bed curtains and dowry items, but no maidservants." Chunmei said, "Let's buy a maid who is thirteen or fourteen years old to serve her and help with daily tasks like fetching water." Xue Sao said, "I'll bring one tomorrow."

The next day, Xue Sao indeed brought a maid and said, "This is the maid from the household of merchant Huang Si's son, only thirteen years old. Huang Si was arrested for embezzling state grain along with Li San and the one who stood as a bail guarantor for our family. They were all caught and detained for over a year, lost all their assets, and even sold their house. Li San died first, and his son Li Huo was also detained. Our bail guarantor Seng Bao'er is now wandering outside, working as a horse driver for others." Chunmei asked, "Is she coming as a guarantor?" Xue Sao said, "She is no longer called a guarantor; she has changed her name to Tang Bao." Chunmei said, "This maid is from Huang Si's family; how much does she cost?" Xue Sao said, "Just four and a half taels of silver, desperate for money to pay off debts." Chunmei said, "How about three and a half taels? Give her that." She then gave her three and a half taels of silver and wrote a contract of sale. She was given the name Jin Qian'er.

Soon it was the eighth day of the sixth month. Chunmei dressed to the nines, wearing a bright red robe and a golden belt, and sat in a lavish sedan chair carried by four bearers, heading to marry the daughter of the Ge family. Chen Jingji rode a white horse, wearing a blue robe, a Confucian headdress, black boots, and a gold hairpin, looking majestic. The poem goes:

After a long drought, sweet rains finally fall; old friends reunite in distant lands. In the candlelit bridal chamber, names are inscribed on the gold list. A fresh life unfolds with each passing moment.

When they arrived at the residence of the Commandant, the bride's sedan chair stopped. The veil was lifted, and the bride carried a precious vase as she entered the gate. The fortune teller led the bride into the bridal chamber, first worshiping the heavens and the earth, and then entering the chamber. Chunmei had the newcomer sit on the bed, then left. After the fortune teller finished the rituals, collected the gift money, and left, the band also packed up. Jingji and Miss Ge Cuiping went together to thank the in-laws and returned after drinking heavily. In the evening, the newlyweds spent a blissful evening together. The poem goes:

How many spring moments bloom—apricot blossoms unfurling red buds, the wind teasing the green willows.

That night, Jingzhi and Miss Ge Cuiping hit it off very well. Three days later, Chunmei hosted a banquet at the mansion for relatives and friends, but let's not get into the details. Chunmei always let the newlyweds eat together during meals, calling each other brother-in-law and sister-in-law, eating and sitting together. The maids and servants didn't dare to say a word. Chunmei set aside three beautifully decorated rooms for the newlyweds, with a study outside and inside, there were a bed, a table, books, and letters. Chunmei often visited the study to chat with him, quietly nurturing their bond. As the poem goes:

"In the morning, share the feast at Jingu,

In the evening, by the beautiful tower’s view.

Don’t speak of joy and delight,

As fleeting moments chase the sunset light."