The Prince Hermit's birthday is celebrated in the Ningkuo palace. The
sight of Phoenix awakens carnal desires in the heart of Chia Jui.
KJNG YUNG HAD INDEED PERFORMED HIS KOWTOW OF APOLOGY, BUT
he was still devoured with resentment. Having come home, he said to
his mother, nee Hu: "This Chin Chung is just as distantly related to
the house of Chia as I am; he is only connected by marriage and has no
better claim to a place in the family school than I have. But on the
strength of his close friendship with Pao Yu he thinks he can put on airs
and look down on the like of us. If he at least behaved blamelessly one
could excuse him, but he must think we are all bHnd, he carries on so
openly, now with this, now with that one. The quarrel was due to the
fact that I caught him at it today. And must I lie down before him after
that?"
"Do not be so headstrong, and keep out of other people's affairs!"
his mother advised him. "Thanks to my intercession with Aunt Huang,
and to her ceaseless petitions to Madame Phoenix, you have been
lucky enough to procure a scholarship in the family school. Do you
want, through your defiance, to throw away the benefits of this free edu‐
caticn? What should we do then? We cannot afford the luxury of a pri‐
vate tutor. Besides, you get free meals in the school, and how could I
manage to clothe you properly except for this saving in food? And you
think a lot of being well and neatly dressed. Besides, you have to thank
the school for the valuable friendship of that elegant young gentleman,
Hsueh Pan. In the one year you have been friendly with him, he has
given you up to seventy or eighty taels. Where else would you have so
many advantages combined if by your obstinate folly you forfeit the
chance of staying on at the school? You might as well try to climb up
to heaven. Therefore be sensible and swallow your resentment!"
To this King Yung had nothing to reply, so he just had to swallow his
anger. The mother had succeeded in silencing her son, but she herself
could not refrain from telling Aunt Huang, who visited her the next
day, the whole story of the incident in the school, from beginning to
end. Aunt Huang was a sister of King Yung's deceased father and the
lawful wife of one Chia Huang, who was a poor collateral relation of
the Ningkuo branch of the family. He had only a very small private in‐
come and was notorious in both the eastern and the western palaces for
the frequent begging visits which he paid, together with his wife, now
to Princess Chen, now to Madame Phoenix.
When Aunt Huang heard of the humiliations which had befallen her
nephew in the school, she felt that her family pride was hurt. So she
got into her carriage again as quickly as she could and drove straight
off to the Ningkuo palace. She wished to pay her respects to Princess
Chen and then to complain to the latter's daughter‐in‐law, Mistress
Yung, of the behavior of her brother Chin Chung. But she did not suc‐
ceed in carrying out her intention. When, after a few preliminary words
about the weather, she asked the Princess why her daughter‐in‐law was
not to be seen, she learned that young Mistress Yung had been seriously
ill for the last two months and was unable to receive visitors. The whole
household was worried and troubled about her, and tomorrow a new
doctor, a young man, was expected, the skill of all the other doctors
who had been consulted having proved in vain. Moreover, everyone in
the Ningkuo palace was fully occupied preparing for the celebrations
which were to take place in two days' time in honor of the birthday of
the head of the family, the Prince Hermit Chia Ching. Under these cir‐
cumstances the visitor rightly thought it would be tactless to bring for‐
ward a complaint about a mere trifle. Besides, the kindly way Prince
Chen personally invited her to stay to a meal helped to change her ini‐
tial ill‐humor into a feeling of .Satisfaction, and so she took her leave in
the end without having touched on the school incident by a single word.
"What on earth did she want?" the Prince asked his wife when the
visitor had departed. He suspected that it was some new request.
"Nothing special. In the beginning something seemed to be on her
mind, but in the course of the conversation, when I told her about the
illness of our daughter‐in‐law, her face became more tranquil. She was
actually considerate enough not to accept your invitation to a meal.
This time she did not ask for anything."
The Prince nodded thoughtfully. A visit from sister‐in‐law Huang
without a request seemed to him decidedly odd.
"I visited our Elder today in his hermitage out in the mountains and
invited him to come here the day after tomorrow to receive birthday
congratulations from the whole family," he reported. "The old gentle‐
man declined with thanks, however. 'I do not wish to be disturbed in
my contemplative peace,' he said, 'and I have no desire to return to
your world of conflicting opinions and to take part in a useless, noisy
feast. If you wish to give me pleasure, see that my recently completed
treatise on "The Blessedness of Work in Solitude" is neatly and per‐
fectly copied out and engraved upon wood for the purpose of making
copies of it. I would prefer that a hundred times to any outward display
of festivity. As far as I am concerned, the family may feast to their
hearts' content at home with you 'for the two days. But spare me from
gifts and visits ! Even you may spare yourself the trouble of a visit, but
if you insist upon making me a kowtow of congratulation, well, you are
at liberty to make it now in advance. But kindly leave me in peace the
day after tomorrow!' In these circumstances, then, there is nothing for
us to do but celebrate without the old gentleman. Give your orders to
the majordomo Lai Sheng in good time to arrange the two days' ban‐
queting."
The Princess accordingly sent the necsssary instructions to the ma‐
jordomo by her son Chia Yung. Then Chia Yung had to go to the west‐
ern palace and personally invite the "old Tai tai" and the "big Tai tai"
and the "second Tai tai" and sister‐in‐law Phoenix to the birthday fes‐
tival.
On the morning of the birthday Prince Chen sent his son to the
"Great Elder" at his hermitage. A troop of servants had to drag with
them sixteen large gift boxes filled with select dishes and chosen fruits.
"Tell the Elder," he said to his son, "that your father has complied
with his orders and is refraining from paying a visit. At home, before
the assembled members of the family, he will dutifully show his rever‐
ence by performing a kowtow before the Elder's throne of honor. And
do note whether this form of respect meets with his approval."
The first visitors to appear were Chia Lien from the Yurigkuo palace
and Prince Chen's foster son, Chia Chiang. They viewed the arrange‐
ments of the tables with curiosity, for they wanted to know what enter‐
tainment would be offered. They were informed that a company of ac‐
tors and a troupe of musicians had been engaged and were just now
getting ready to appear on the garden stage. The chief guests, who
were received by the Prince and Princess Chen at the entrance to the
reception hall and accompanied up the steps, gradually arrived. They
were Princess Shieh, Madame Cheng, and Madame Phoenix, with Pao
Yu and the others. Only the Princess Ancestress had remained at home.
"The old Tai tai is the oldest of all the kinfolk, our Elder is only her
nephew, and no doubt it was presumptuous of us to expect her to take
the trouble to come over for a nephew's birthday," remarked Prince
Chen, hiding under a smile his unpleasant surprise at the absence of the
Ancestress. "But we invited her all the same because of the beautiful
autumn weather and as the 1 chrysanthemums are just in full bloom with
us. We thought it would give her pleasure and entertainment to take
part in the general family gathering and to see all the children and
grandchildren together. It is a pity that we are deprived of the pleasure
of her presence."
"Only yesterday she still intended to come," Madame Phoenix re‐
plied quickly, instead of Madame Cheng, who really should have an‐
swered. "But last night she upset her stomach with a fresh peach and
this morning she felt too weak to go out. She wishes to be excused, and
asks if there is anything special on the table to send her over a morsel
to taste, but nothing rich, only invalid food."
The Prince was satisfied.
"I thought at once there must be some special reason for her not
coming. Usually she loves these family parties so much."
The conversation turned to the illness of Mistress Yung and to medi‐
cal matters. Then Chia Yung appeared and reported on his visit to the
Prince Hermit. The old gentleman had shown himself visibly pleased at
the attentions planned for him, and asked his son, Prince Chen, to give
the best possible hospitality and entertainment to the whole family.
Moreover, he again expressed the wish that his treatise on "The Bless‐
edness of Work in Solitude" should be quickly printed. It would be the
greatest birthday pleasure possible for him to see his work printed in
an edition of ten thousand copies and circulated.
After the sumptuous banquet, served to the male and female guests
separately, had been successfully consumed, and the company had
rinsed their mouths and washed their hands, Chia Yung appeared again
and invited the ladies to come to the theatrical performance in the gar‐
den. The gentlemen had already taken their seats. Four Imperial
princes, six princes, and eight counts had sent their congratulations to‐
gether with presents* he said. He had had all the gifts registered in the
Estate Office and given the various messengers their receipts, and the
messengers had been decently served with food and drink.
Princess Chen accepted her son's report with satisfaction, and then
rose from the table with the other ladies in order to see the theatrical
performance in the garden. Madame Phoenix left the company. She was
longing to pay a visit to the patient, Mistress Yung, of whom she was
very fond. Pao Yu expressed the wish to go with her.
"But do not stay too long in the sickroom! Remember, the patient
is your niece!" his mother impressed upon him.
Soon afterwards, at his cousin Phoenix's side, he entered the familiar
room which awakened in him a secret memory of that strange dream in
which he was carried off to the Phantom Realm of the Great Void. How
terribly his poor lovely niece had changed ! She wanted to get up from
her bed when her visitors entered, but Cousin Phoenix anxiously
pressed her down on the pillow again.
"Do stay quietly on your back, good Nai nai! Otherwise you might
get dizzy," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking the pa‐
tient's hand. "Oh, how thin you have got, you poor thing, since I saw
you last!"
"Yes, unfortunately I have lost weight!" sighed the patient, forcing
herself to smile. "It is my misfortune not to be very well. What love and
kindness I have enjoyed from all sides! My parents‐in‐law treat me as if
I were their own child. My husband, although he is so young, esteems
me as I esteem him; our marriage is a most happy one. And also from
the other relations, both old and young, I receive nothing but kindness
and sympathy. And now this silly illness comes along and prevents me
from repaying all this. And to you, dear Aunt, I should like to make
some acknowledgment for all your touching love and attention, but un‐
fortunately I lack the strength to do so. I feel as if my end were near.
Who knows if I shall live to see the New Year?"
While they were talking Pao Yu was looking steadily at the painting
on the wall, which represented a person sleeping beneath begonia
branches, to the right and left of which was written:
Gentle coolness surrounds the dreamer early spring!
The breezes which caress him fragrant as wine.
The remembrance of his own spring dream, which he had experi‐
enced in this same room and with this same beautiful Ko Ching whom
he now heard uttering gloomy presentiments of death, gripped him
powerfully and touched him to the very core. He felt his heart pierced
by a thousand arrows, and his eyes rilled with tears. This did not escape
Cousin Phoenix, who herself was deeply moved. But she remembered
that the purpose of her visit was to cheer and comfort the patient, and
not to make her still more sad by wearing a sad face.
"Pao Yu, do not behave like an old woman!" she cried, rousing her
cousin out of his soft mood. "Your niece is still young and will be able
to overcome this little illness. She makes out that she is much worse
than she really is.
"You should not give in to such gloomy thoughts! That does not
help to make your condition better," she admonished the patient
gently.
"Above all, she must get back her appetite, then I shall not be wor‐
ried about her any more," interjected the young husband, Chia Yung,
reassuringly.
"That is my opinion too," agreed Phoenix. "And now be so good as
to take Pao Yu back to his mother. She told him emphatically not to
stay here too long. I should like to stay alone with our patient for a
little while."
The uncle and nephew then left Phoenix alone with the patient and
went to the theatrical performance in the Garden of Assembled Per‐
fumes.
Phoenix stayed on for a long time by the sickbed, and they had to
send for her three times before she came away. After she had quietly
and thoroughly discussed all kinds of confidential matters with the sick
woman and tried to cheer her up, she at last stood up to go.
"Well, I wish you a speedy recovery, and I will come again soon,"
she said on departing. "Meantime, do not be downhearted! The new
doctor will certainly cure you."
"Perhaps he will be able to give me some relief, but he will not be
able to alter my fate even if he were gifted with supernatural powers,"
replied the patient with a weak smile. "I know perfectly well that I am
only dragging on from day to day."
. "Do not give in to such ideas! Your fears are quite groundless. You
are having the best possible care now, and luckily you belong to a
family where there is no lack of every available remedy, even the best
and dearest ginseng. But now excuse me, I must go back to the others."
"You must excuse me for not seeing you out, and do please visit me
soon again when you have time!"
"You may rely on me!"
Sunk in thought, Phoenix, after traversing many winding paths,
came through a side door into the Garden of Assembled Perfumes. The
charm of the scenery which surrounded her here made her slacken her
pace and stroll along thoughtfully.
The ground at her feet shimmered yellow with chrysanthemums,
from the hills and slopes aspen trees and silver poplars nodded. Orna‐
mental bridges stretched over murmuring brooks, narrow zigzag path‐
ways crossed wide roads which led to moon terraces. From cliffs shin‐
ing springs trickled down. Exquisite perfumes came borne on the
breeze from fruit trellises. From time to time a light gust of wind irom
the w3st made the reddish tops of the trees, which stood here and there
in artistic groups, tremble and shake. The song of the golden oriole and
the chirp of the grasshopper could still be heard in the warm sunshine.
Up above, the watchtower beckoned from a steep height; down below,
the water pavilion with its triple arched roof was reflected in the lake.
In the distance the playing of flutes and the beating of drums could be
heard.
Phoenix was walking along quietly completely absorbed in the
beauty of the scenery, when she suddenly heard hersel called by some‐
one who emerged unexpectedly from behind an artificial stone cliff and
now stood before her.
"Tsing an, Sister‐in‐law!" he greeted her, bowing politely.
Phoenix stepped back startled.
"Is that you, Chia Jui?" she asked a little uncertainly.
"How is that? Don't you recognize me, Sister‐in‐law?"
"Yes, I do; only I was rather confused by your sudden appearance."
"It must indeed be Providence which has caused us to meet here,"
Chia Jui remarked with an oily smile. "I stole away from the table just
now to take a little walk after the meal in this quiet secluded spot. And
here I meet you! Really, it must be the work of Providence."
While he j was speaking his little eyes, bright with wine, blinked
fixedly and brazenly at the beautiful woman opposite him. Phoenix had
sufficient knowledge of human nature to enable her to size up the situa‐
tion by nine‐tenths.
"I have always heard much that is good and praiseworthy of you,"
she flattered him, with assumed friendliness. "And now hearing you
speak I know that people have not exaggerated when they praised you
as a man of intellect and great worth. Unfortunately, at this moment I
must deny myself the 'privilege of a long conversation with you, as I am '
expected to join the ladies over there. But perhaps we shall meet again
another time."
"It has long been my intention to pay my respects to you. But
through consideration for your tender youth, I did not venture to do so
up to now," interjected Chia Jui eagerly.
"Oh, among near relations age and years are not so important." she
said, seeming to encourage him and putting on a charming smile.
Chia Jui could hardly contain himself for secret triumph. I would
never have dreamt that I would succeed so easily with her! he thought
to himself, while his mien betrayed his lustful desires so distinctly and
disgustingly that Madame Phoenix thought it advisable to get rid of
him as quickly as possible.
"Hurry back to your companions, otherwise you will have to pay a
fine of a drink," she urged him cunningly, and in fact she succeeded in
making him move hesitantly away, though he could not refrain from
turning round again and again to look at her. She let him go on a good
way, and then she herself followed slowly. On the way she thought to
herself: A man like that has a human face, but behind it there's only a
beast. My word, he will get to know me yet if he dares try any liberties.
At a bend in the road behind a projection of rock three serving
women came breathlessly towards her. Princess Chen had sent them to
look for her, being quite worried because she had stayed away so long.
"After all, I am not a spirit that can fly," remarked Phoenix dryly,
continuing at her easygoing pace, not in the least disconcerted.
"How many acts have already been performed, then?"
"Eight or nine."
Talking and chatting away, they arrived at the spectators' entrance to
the garden theater. In front of the entrance Phoenix caught sight of her
cousin Pao Yu engaged in‐ a visibly lively and exuberant conversation
with a crowd of young waiting maids and actresses.
"Mind, no silly tricks, Cousin Pao Yu!" she called over to him in
mocking threat.
"This is the stairway to the upper platform," said a maid, leading the
way. "The other ladies are all up there already."
Phoenix tucked up her skirt and followed the maid up the steps to the
upper platform. Princess Chen was waiting for her at the top of the
stairs.
"You have been gone a long time," she said with gentle reproach.
"Since y6u find it so difficult to tear yourself away from your beloved
niece, it will be better if you move over to us at once and go to live
with her. But now take your seat. Here is a program. Read it through
and see if there is a piece which you would like to have performed."
"Why am I to have that honor? That is a matter for the others who
have precedence of me in rank and age," protested Phoenix modestly.
"Oh, please choose; we others have chosen already," said Princess
Shieh and Madame Cheng.
Phoenix read the program attentively and indicated two items, the
sketch "Ghostly Apparition" and a song accompanied by lute music.
"Where are the gentlemen gone to?" she asked, bending down to
look over the balustrade.
"To the Pavilion of Crystal Brilliance to continue their drinking; and
they have taken tiie band with them," she was told.
"Aha, they want to be to themselves; who knows what mischief they
will be up to behind our backs!"
"You cannot expect everyone to be as good and virtuous as you are,"
said Princess Chen jocularly.
When the theatrical program had come to an end the company sat
down to another abundant meal. After this the female guests took their
leave. Pao Yu went with them, trotting on horseback behind his
mother's carriage. The other male members of the clan remained on for
a long time drinking merrily together, and continued their revels the
next day.
After that meeting with Phoenix, Chia Jui had no more peace of
mind. He wanted to see the beautiful sister‐in‐law again without fail,
and as the foolish fellow had almost convinced himself that she had
made advances to him in the Garden of Assembled Perfumes, he was
brazen enough to call repeatedly at the Yungkuo palace to pay his re‐
spects to her. But it always happened that Phoenix was not at home. At
last he was lucky enough to meet her.
It was at the beginning of the twelfth month. Phoenix had just re‐
turned from one of her frequent visits to the eastern palace and had
changed her visiting frock for a nice comfortable house gown which the
maid Little Ping had carefully warmed at the stove.
"Did anything special happen in the house while I was away?" she
asked the maid.
"Nothing special. Mrs. Wang sent the interest she owed you on the
three hundred taels. And Chia Jui inquired again whether you were at
home. He wished to pay his respects to you."
Phoenix shuddered with horror.
"Is the fellow bent on ruining himself? Well, I shall just let him visit
me!"
"Why does he want to visit you?" asked the maid. Phoenix told her
of that fatal meeting two months previously in the gardens of the
Ningkuo palace.
"What? Does the mangy toad lust after tender swan's flesh?" cried
the maid indignantly. "How can a man disregard all the rules of the
basic human relationships like that? Such presumption deserves to be
punished with death!"
"Let him come ! He will experience something more than he bargains
for!" declared Phoenix, smiling.
What Chia Jui was to experience will be revealed in the next chapter.