The Debt of Tears

  ‘Fetch the general register for all household departments and call the roll. Then I want you to write out an announcement. I want everyone to know that if I detect a single case of absence without leave, or failure to come when sent for, or negligence in any other respect whatsoever, I shall have the culprit immediately flogged and dismissed.’

  ‘Yes sir!’ replied Lai Da several times. He went out and relayed this to the assembled servants, who all took due note.

  *

  Not long afterwards there was an unexpected arrival at the main gate. A man in a felt hat, blue cotton gown and sturdy, leather-patched slippers approached and bowed to the janitors on duty. They eyed him up and down and asked him where he hailed from.

  ‘From the Zhen family in the South,’ was his reply. ‘I have with me a letter from my Master, which I beg you to take in to Sir Zheng.’

  When they learned that he was from the Zhen family, the men stood up and made room for the newcomer to sit down.

  ‘You must be tired. Here, sit down. We’ll take your letter in for you.’

  One of them went in to report his arrival and deliver the letter to Jia Zheng. He opened it, and this is what he read:

  ‘My dear Zheng,

  Over many generations our two families have established close ties of friendship and mutual understanding. We have always looked up to your illustrious house with the profoundest respect. Although for my heinous crime a thousand deaths would have been insufficient punishment, thanks to an exceptional act of clemency, I have been favoured with a mild sentence of banishment to the frontier. In the general dispersion of our family establishment, I have a manservant called Bao Yong, who has served me well and though lacking any particular skill, is a thoroughly trustworthy and dependable fellow. If you could see your way to employing him in some humble capacity in your household, my gratitude would be unbounded.

  I shall write again when I can. With sincere regards,

  Your fellow-graduate and friend,

  Zhen Ying-jia.’

  Jia Zheng smiled wrily as he reached the end of the letter.

  ‘Here we are overstaffed ourselves,’ he mused aloud to himself, ‘and the Zhens must send us one of theirs. We shall have to try and find room for him somehow, I suppose.’

  He turned to the gateman.

  ‘Send this fellow in to see me, and find somewhere for him to stay. There must be some way in which he can make himself useful.’

  The gateman went out, and came back with Bao Yong, who prostrated himself before Jia Zheng and performed a threefold kotow. Rising to his feet, he declared solemnly:

  ‘My Master presents his greetings, sir.’

  Then falling on one knee, he continued:

  ‘Bao Yong offers his humble respects, sir.’

  Jia Zheng inquired after Zhen Ying-jia, and surveyed Bao Yong. He was something over five feet tall, broad-shouldered and strongly built, with heavy brows and prominent eyes, a protruding forehead, a long beard and a rough, dark complexion. He stood with his arms hanging respectfully at his side.

  ‘Have you been with the Zhens since birth?’ asked Jia Zheng. ‘Or have you only served them for a number of years?’

  Bao Yong: ‘Since birth, sir.’

  Jia Zheng: ‘Why do you wish to leave them now?’

  Bao Yong: ‘It was not my wish at all, sir. But the Master insisted that I should, and said that I’d find things here very much the same as with them. That is why I have come here.’

  Jia Zheng: ‘Your master has not deserved the hardship to which he and his family have been reduced.’

  Bao Yong: ‘It is not my place to say such things but I think the Master is far too good a man, far too honest in his dealings with people. That is what has brought this trouble on him.’

  Jia Zheng: ‘But honesty is a great virtue.’

  Bao Yong: ‘Too much of it doesn’t always go down well. Some people are irked by it.’

  Jia Zheng (with a smile): ‘If that is the case, I feel confident that the Supreme Providence will see justice done.’

  Bao Yong was about to say something when Jia Zheng went on:

  ‘Am I right in thinking that your master has a son called Bao-yu?’

  Bao Yong: ‘That is correct, sir.’

  Jia Zheng: Tell me, does he work hard at his studies?’

  Bao Yong: ‘That’s a very interesting question sir. There’s quite a story behind it. In a way our Master Bao-yu is just like his father, very single-minded, very – how shall I say – dedicated. His life has until recently been dedicated to playing with his sisters and lady cousins. The Master and Her Ladyship have given him quite a few thrashings, all to no effect. A year or so ago, however, when Her Ladyship was away on a trip to the capital, our Master Bao fell seriously ill. He had been given up for dead for a long while in fact, and the Master himself was nearly dead with worry. His funeral clothes were even laid out in readiness. In the end he recovered, thank goodness. When he came round, he said that he had been through a great archway, where he met a lady, who showed him a temple full of cabinets. And in these cabinets were a number of registers, which he saw. Then he went into a room full of girls, who turned into ghosts and skeletons. He was scared and cried out, and that was when he woke up.

  ‘After this experience of his, his father had him treated by a doctor and slowly but surely he became well. This time he was indulged and allowed to play with his sisters and cousins to his heart’s content. But who would have thought it – he had completely changed his ways! None of his old games appealed to him any more. Now it was all books and studying. And nobody could distract him. He’s even learning to help the Master with family business.’

  Jia Zheng was silent, lost in thought. Then he said:

  ‘You may go now. When we have need of you we will find you a proper post.’

  ‘Thank you sir,’ said Bao Yong, and withdrew from the room. He was shown to his temporary quarters by some of the servants, and there we must leave him.

  *

  A few days later, Jia Zheng rose early and was passing through the main gate on his way to the Board, when he noticed the porters and servants huddled together in some sort of confabulation. They seemed to be trying to attract his attention, but at the same time were evidently too afraid to speak out, and could only whisper among themselves. He called one of them over and asked:

  ‘What’s going on? What’s all this muttering in corners about?’

  ‘We daren’t tell, sir…’ replied the servant.

  Jia Zheng: ‘Daren’t tell what?’

  Servant: ‘Well sir, this morning when I got up to open the gate, I found a sheet of white paper stuck to it with a lot of rude words written on it…’

  Jia Zheng: ‘What’s this? What sort of thing do you mean?’

  Servant: ‘Something about sordid goings-on at the Temple of the Iron Threshold, sir.’

  Jia Zheng: ‘Show it to me!’

  Servant: ‘I tried to peel it off in one piece, sir, but it was stuck on so firmly that I couldn’t. So I copied the wording down instead and then scrubbed it clean. Li De has just found another one. He showed it to me, and it says much the same. That’s the truth, sir.’

  He handed Jia Zheng the most recent specimen. Jia Zheng took it and read:

  Jia Qin’s a lucky young sod –

  He’s in charge of the family nunnery.

  All those girls for just one bod –

  Whoring, gambling, loads of funnery!

  Now that rakes are running the place,

  Rong-guo House is a public disgrace!

  Jia Zheng was boiling. His head began to swim, his eyes to swirl. Telling the servants at the gate not to breathe a word of this, he gave secret orders to search every alleyway in the neighbourhood for any further posters, and sent at once for Jia Lian, who came hurrying over.

  ‘Tell me,’ asked Jia Zheng, ‘have you ever personally checked the arrangements made for the nuns and Taoist novices lodged at the Iron Threshold Temple?’
r />   ‘Not personally, no,’ replied Jia Lian. ‘That has always been young Qin’s responsibility.’

  ‘And do you know if he is competent or not?’ asked Jia Zheng.

  ‘It sounds from what you say as though he must have slipped up over some detail,’ said Jia Lian.

  ‘Take a look at this!’

  Jia Lian read the poster and exclaimed:

  ‘Why, this is an outrage!’

  The words were no sooner out of his mouth than Jia Rong came in with a letter bearing the inscription: ‘For the attention of Sir Jia Zheng – Private and Confidential.’ Jia Zheng opened it and found it to be an anonymous letter couched in the same terms as the posters.

  ‘Tell Lai Da,’ he instructed them, ‘to take three or four carts at once to the Temple of the Iron Threshold and bring all the novices back here. This must be kept absolutely secret. He is to say that they are wanted at the Palace.’

  Lai Da was given his orders and set off.

  *

  Now when the twenty-four Buddhist and Taoist novices first arrived at the Temple, they had been put under the surveillance of the older Sisters, who gave them their daily lessons and rehearsed them in their liturgies. As the months went by and their services were not once called upon by the Imperial Concubine, the girls became slacker and slacker in their studies. They also began to grow up and show a greater awareness of life. Jia Qin himself was a bit of a young fop, and reckoned that for a pretty young actress such as Parfumée the decision to enter a nunnery must have been a childish whim. She became the first object of his advances, over at Water-moon Priory. To his great surprise he discovered that she was in earnest and not at all willing to comply with his wishes. So he turned his attentions back to the Temple, to two of the young novices, a Buddhist nun called Thurible and a little Taoist nun called Crucible, both extremely attractive and much more cooperative. Many a pleasant hour they spent with him, playing music and singing songs.

  In the middle of the tenth month, Jia Qin arrived as usual with the monthly allowance. He had no intention of leaving straight away and announced to them all:

  ‘I have brought you your month’s allowance. I’m afraid I shall be too late to catch the city-gates tonight and shall have to find somewhere to stay here. On such a chilly night as this, what could be better than for us to share the wine and the few nuts and things that I happen to have with me and make a little party of it?’

  The girls were thrilled and immediately started putting out the tables. They even invited the nuns from Water-moon Priory to join them. Parfumée was the only one to abstain. After a few bowls of wine, Jia Qin suggested a drinking game. Thurible and her friends replied:

  ‘None of us can play those games. Why don’t we play guess-fingers instead? Loser to drink a bowl – that would be great fun!’

  ‘It’s only just past midday!’ objected one of the Sisters. ‘It will never do to start rioting about at this hour. I suggest we take a little drink or two now and then those who wish to may leave. Those of you who want to keep Mr Qin company can drink to your hearts’ content this evening. I shall turn a blind eye.’

  Just at that moment, however, one of the lay-sisters came bursting into the room.

  ‘Quickly everyone! Break it up! Steward Lai’s here, from Rong-guo House!’

  The girls rushed around tidying up, and told Jia Qin to hide. He was by now well in his cups, and bragged:

  ‘Why should I hide? I’m here to deliver the month’s allowance…’

  Lai Da was in at the door before he had finished speaking. Signs of the incipient orgy were all too visible, and Lai Da’s loyal breast filled with rage. He was under the Master’s instructions to keep the whole operation quiet, however, and inquired with a nonchalant smile:

  ‘Would Mr Qin be here by any chance?’

  Qin lurched to his feet.

  ‘Why Mr Lai! What brings you here?’

  ‘Pleased to find you here, sir,’ said Lai Da. ‘We must get the young ladies ready as quickly as possible, and take them back to town. They’re wanted at the Palace.’

  Jia Qin and the girls wanted to know more, but Lai Da merely said:

  ‘Come along now. It’s getting late. We must hurry or we shall miss the gates.’

  So they all bundled into the carts that were waiting for them, and Lai Da mounted his sturdy mule and led the convoy into town.

  *

  We must return to Jia Zheng. Usually so punctilious in his attendance at the Board, the Master was sitting alone in his study, breathing heavily and brooding over the anonymous posters. Jia Lian hovered within earshot, not daring to leave the house. At last there came the sound of someone at the gate and a messenger came in to report:

  ‘Excellency Zhang is indisposed, and will Sir Zheng please replace him this evening at the Board?’

  Jia Zheng had been expecting Lai Da at any moment. It was most annoying to be called away like this. Jia Lian came in.

  ‘Lai Da didn’t leave until after lunch, Uncle, and the Temple is over eight miles from town. He won’t be back till eleven o’clock at the earliest. As you are ‘on call’ for this evening I think you should go. When Lai Da gets back, I shall tell him to keep the nuns locked up and not to say anything until you have had an opportunity of settling the affair yourself tomorrow. If Qin comes, I shall say nothing. We shall see how he reacts when you speak to him tomorrow.’

  It seemed reasonable enough, and Jia Zheng left with some reluctance for the Board.

  As soon as he had gone Jia Lian set off back to his own apartment, brooding as he went on what he was going to say to Xi-feng. He held her to blame for having given Qin this job in the first place. But then he remembered that she was ill and relented. He had better not be too hard on her. He slackened his pace.

  *

  Meanwhile the news had spread among the servants. It soon reached the ears of Patience, who immediately went to tell her mistress. Xi-feng had had a bad night anyway and was feeling very low. Her feeble state intensified her ever-present anxiety about the various misdeeds that lay on her conscience, in particular her unscrupulous dealings at Water-moon Priory. When she learnt of the anonymous poster, she sat up with a jolt and asked Patience:

  ‘What did it say?’

  Patience thoughtlessly replied:

  ‘Oh, nothing much. Something to do with the nuns at Water-moon Priory…’

  This nearly put paid to Xi-feng. Her guilty conscience spelled out for her the rest of the story. She was undone! A spasm of terror quite deprived her of the power of speech. She felt the heat surging within her, her eyes began to swim. She started coughing and collapsed on her bed, her eyes staring rigidly in front of her.

  Patience called out in great agitation:

  ‘I meant the nuns at the Temple of the Iron Threshold! Something to do with the novices. There’s no cause for you to take on so, ma’am.’

  The words ‘Iron Threshold’ brought Xi-feng back to her senses.

  ‘Stupid creature! Which is it, for heaven’s sake? The nuns at the Temple or the Priory?’

  ‘At first I thought it was the Priory,’ replied Patience. ‘Then I found out it was the Temple. That’s why I got it wrong just now.’

  ‘I thought it must have been the Temple,’ said Xi-feng. ‘The Priory has nothing to do with me. But I was the one who gave Qin the job of looking after the nuns at the Temple. He’s probably been making off with some of the money.’

  ‘No, ma’am,’ said Patience, ‘I don’t think it’s anything to do with money. I heard the word ‘filth’ mentioned several times.’

  ‘Well that’s nothing whatever to do with me. Where’s Mr Lian got to?’

  ‘He’s been in ever since he heard that the Master was in a rage,’ replied Patience. ‘When I heard what sort of an unpleasant affair it was, I told all the servants to keep quiet about it. I hope their Ladyships haven’t heard. The Master has sent Lai Da to bring all the girls back from the Temple. I’ll send someone out to see what’s happened. Now y
ou settle down, ma’am. You’re not well and shouldn’t worry your head over such things.’

  Just at that moment Jia Lian came in. Xi-feng would have liked to ask him for more details, but thought better of it when she saw the look on his face. He was obviously in a bad mood and she would be best advised to feign ignorance.

  Jia Lian had not finished eating his dinner when Brightie came in.

  ‘Lai Da’s back, sir.’

  ‘Is Mr Qin with him?’

  ‘Yes, sir’.

  ‘Tell Lai Da the Master has had to go to the Board tonight. He’s to put the girls in the Garden for the time being, and tomorrow when the Master gets back we’ll see about sending them to the Palace. Tell Mr Qin to wait for me in the inner library.’

  Brightie disappeared.

  Jia Qin went as instructed to the library. On his way he noticed a lot of pointing and muttering among the servants. He could not make out what it was all about, but it was clearly something to do with him. This was beginning to seem less and less like a summons from the Palace. He would have dearly liked to ask one of them what was going on, but felt too uneasy to do so and could only wait there in ever increasing suspense. When Jia Lian arrived, Jia Qin greeted him and stood nervously with his hands at his side.

  ‘I wonder what Her Grace requires the nuns for at such short notice?’ he ventured. ‘I had to race all the way here. Luckily I was out there anyway today with the monthly allowance and was able to come back with Lai Da. But I’m sure you know all about that.’

  ‘All about what! You’re the one that should know!’

  Jia Qin could make neither head nor tail of this, and stood there tongue-tied.

  ‘A fine mess you’ve made of things!’ continued Jia Lian. ‘Sir Zheng’s in a fuming rage!’

  ‘But I’ve done nothing!’ protested Jia Qin. ‘I’ve delivered the allowance on time every month, the girls know their services by heart…’

  Jia Lian could see that he knew nothing of what had happened. He and Qin had played together as children, and he sighed.

  ‘You ass! Take a look at this!’

  He pulled one of the posters from his boot-flap and threw it in Jia Qin’s direction. Jia Qin picked it up and read it. His face grew ashen pale.