Water Margin, Volume Two, page 17
Shih Hsiu saluted her, but she objected, "I am much younger than you, and cannot accept such marks of respect.”
"We have become sworn brothers to-day," said Yang Hsiung, "so that you are the elder brother's wife, and therefore can receive at least half of these salutations." Accordingly Shih Hsiu kotowed four times. The woman responded with two kotows, and then invited them inside. She also prepared a spare room for Shih Hsiu's use.
We need not go into many details. The next day Yang Hsiung before he left for his office in the yamen told his wife to see that Shih Hsiu had whatever clothes he required.
When Tai Tsung and Yang Lin had left Shih Hsiu in the inn they went outside the town and found an inn there. The next day they continued their inquiries for Kung-Sun Sheng without any result. So they gave up their search, and returning to Yin Ma Chuan they joined Pei Hsuan and his company and started off with them for Liang Shan Po where they were all duly introduced and placed on the strength.
Mr. Pan discussed with Shih Hsiu the question of reestablishing a slaughter house. He said that behind his house there was an alley with a dead end and also an empty house. There was also a well, and he thought it a very suitable place for a slaughter house. Shih Hsiu could live on the premises.
Shih Hsiu was much pleased at the proposal, and agreed at once. Mr. Pan made inquiries and soon found suitable assistants. He suggested that Shih Hsiu should keep the accounts. They soon purchased the stock in trade, knives, benches, etc. and after selecting a lucky day they started business. All the neighbors and relatives came to take part in the feasting on the opening day.
Matters proceeded smoothly for a long time. One day during the winter Shih Hsiu went into the country to buy pigs and upon his return three days later he found that the butchery was closed. Upon going inside he discovered that all the tools and fittings had been removed. He thought, "There is a saying, 'Men cannot be good for a thousand days, and flowers cannot bloom for a hundred days.' Yang
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Hsiung has to go to his office every day, and cannot look after the home affairs. His wife must have been talking behind my back, and finding fault because I have been away for three days. He has suspected me, and has closed the business. I will not trouble to even ask for an explanation, but will just return to my old home," So he made up his accounts, changed his clothes, packed up his own things, and entered by the back door. He found that Mr. Pan had prepared a vegetarian feast in readiness for Shih Hsiu's return. Mr. Pan said, "You have been a long way, and must be very tired."
"Sir, that's my duty," replied Shih Hsiu, "Now I have squared up the account book, and everything is in order. If there is any error may Heaven and Earth destroy me.”
"Why do you talk like this?" asked Mr., Pan. "There is no necessity for it."
"I have not been home for nearly seven years," said Shih Hsiu, "and as I must now go I have squared up all the accounts."
Mr. Pan laughed loudly and said, "You are mistaken. Please listen to me."
Revenge is sought, so toll the knell,
And send an unfaithful priest to hell.
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CHAPTER 44
YANG HSIUNG WHILE DRUNK CURSES HIS WIFE;
SHIH HSIU PLANS THE KILLING OF THE PRIEST HAI
Old Mr. Pan spoke to Shih Hsiu, "Uncle, do not go. I understand your ideas. After an absence of two days you return, and find the butchery closed, and things cleaned out, so you thought the business was finished. Even if the business was a failure you could still stay at our home. It is just two years since my daughter's first husband, Wang, died, and she wished to have a memorial service by priests. Therefore we closed the butchery and sent to the Gratitude Temple for priests. We would like you to take charge of the arrangements made. I am too old, and would he continually falling asleep in the night."
"In that case," said Shih Hsiu, "I will stay here for sometime."
"After this I must ask you, uncle not to have any suspicions of what we do here," said Old Mr. Pan.
Early the next day the priest assistant arrived to arrange the room for prayers. He erected an altar, arranged the drums, cymbals, gongs, and musical stone, and set out the lamps and incense. He then went into the kitchen to prepare the feast.
When Yang Hsiung came he told Shih Hsiu that he was on duty and would not be back that night. He must therefore not wait for him. He left all the matters in his hands.
"You need not worry about anything," said Shih Hsiu. "I will look after everything."
Yang Hsiung then departed and Shih Hsiu took charge. Shortly afterwards the door curtain was raised and a young priest entered who gave Shih Hsiu a priestly salutation. Shih Hsiu also saluted, and asked the priest to be seated. He then called out to Old Mr. Pan in the next room, "Father-in-law, the priest has arrived."
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Mr. Pan came in, and the priest spoke to him, "My adopted father, why have you not been to our temple for such a time?"
"We have opened a new butchery here so that I have had very little spare time," said Old Mr. Pan.
"This is the anniversary of the death of Wang and I have not sent you any presents, but I hope that you will accept this vermicelli and some dates I have had prepared for you," said the priest.
"Why do you spend so much money? How unreasonable!" said Old Mr. Pan. He asked Shih Hsiu to take them, and the latter carried the tray with the presents into the next room. Shih Hsiu soon returned with tea which he offered to the priest.
Just then Mrs. Pan, the Clever Cloud, came down the staircase into the room. She was plainly dressed, and had no rouge on her face. She spoke to Shih Hsiu, "Who has sent the presents?"
"They are from a priest who called your father his adopted lather," said Shih Hsiu.
Mrs. Pan, Clever Cloud, laughed and said, "I know. They are from Pei Ju-hai, the priest whose religious name is Rai She-li, a very honest man. He is the son of Mr. Pei of the woolen goods shop, and is now at the Gratitude Temple. He is two years my senior, and therefore I can address him as elder brother; uncle, you can listen to his recital of the prayers this evening, as he has a very good tone."
"Is that so? " said Shih Hsiu. In listening to her, however; he suspected she had some hidden desire.
Shih Hsiu did not follow her, but looked on through the bamboo curtain. He saw that the priest gave her a very elaborate salute. The woman asked the priest, "Why did you spend so much money for the presents?"
"Sister, the presents are so small, that they are not worth mentioning," replied the priest.
"As you have become a priest, how can we accept your presents?" said the woman.
"At our temple we have just begun a prayer for the dead which we should like you to participate. I hope that your husband will raise no objections to that."
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"I do not think he will mind that," said the woman. "When my mother was dying I made a vow that I would offer prayers, and sooner or later I will trouble you to fulfill my vow for me in your temple."
"That's my business; whatever you order me I will do as you desire," said the priest.
"Sometime I will ask you to recite the prayers for my late mother's benefit," she said.
Just then a maid-servant entered with tea. The woman took the cup, wiped it clean with her sleeve, and then offered it to the priest. The priest took the cup, but at the same time he gazed amorously into her eyes. The woman returned his gaze with a smile.
Neither of them suspected that their exchange of flirtation was being closely watched by Shih Hsiu behind the bamboo curtain. He now began to understand the woman a little better. He thought, "How deceptive are appearances. She always spoke to me in a very free and open manner, but I thought it was because I was a sworn brother of her husband. Now I think she cannot have been a very virtuous woman. She is now however in my hands, and I must deal with the matter for Yang Hsiung." He raised the curtain, and entered the room.
The priest immediately put down his cup of tea and said, "Brother, please be seated."
The woman interposed, "This is the sworn brother of my husband."
The priest had suspicions at once and hurriedly inquired, "Brother, may I ask where you are from, and also your name?"
"Met My name is Shih Hsiu. I am from Nanking! I help other people to revenge their wrongs and therefore they call me the Desperado. I am however only a stupid fellow, and if I intrude in your affairs I hope that you will not resent it."
"Never mind! Never mind!" said the priest hurriedly, "I am just now going to summon the priests to come and commence the service." He left the room at once.
That fickle woman called after him, "You must soon come back." She then went into the inner room.
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Shih Hsiu stood near the door with bowed head in deep thought. It was not long before the priests arrived, lit the candles, and began to burn incense. They began their intoning of the prayers accompanied by drum beating, cymbals, etc., when Shih Hsiu and Old Mr. Pan had supplied them with tea and hot soup.
Soon that fickle woman entered, burnt her incense, and offered prayers and her priest increased the sound of his intoning. The other priests nudged each other as they witnessed this display of the two lovers, and the service was soon in disorder. When the service was over the priests were asked to dine in the next room. The priest Hai maneuvered his way to the rear of the priests, and turning his head to the woman lie laughed. The woman smiled, but placed her hand over her mouth as though to avoid an explosion of laughter. They again exchanged lovers' glances and clearly made known their passions. Shih Hsiu had noticed all this and was more upset.
The priests in the other room had all sat down, and partook of the vegetarian food. Old Mr. Pan wished them all a good time, and asking to be excused he withdrew to go to sleep. After the meal the priests strolled about the rooms. Shih Hsiu said he had stomach ache, and begged to be excused -- he thereupon lay down on a bench and pretended to go to sleep.
The woman now felt her passions rising so to divert her own thoughts she busied herself in making tea and serving it to the priests. The service went on until about 1 a.m. when most of the priests were drowsy, but priest Hai still continued reading the prayers with great vigor. Mrs. Pan, the Clever Cloud, was behind a screen, and noticing this she allowed her passions to arise. She called a maid-servant and sent her to summon the priest Hai to come to her. The young priest continued his intoning as before but slowly made his way towards the screen. When near Clever Cloud she seized his sleeve and said, "You must come here and collect the fees, and do not forget to speak to my father about the vows I made when mother died."
"I will not forget," said the priest. "I will tell him that you wish to redeem your vows as soon as possible. What about your uncle -- is he not an awkward man?" Clever Cloud
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shook her head and said, "You take no notice of him. He is not a blood relation of ours."
"In that case I shall feel more at ease." So saying he clasped the woman's hand under cover of his sleeve and she moved the curtain to cover the act also. He laughed, returned to his place, and continued intoning the prayers as before. They did not realize that all this had been clearly seen by Shih Hsiu who was pretending to be asleep on the bench.
About 4 a.m. the service was finished, and the priests departed. Clever Cloud went upstairs to sleep.
Shih Hsiu thought, "My adopted brother, Yang Hsiung, is a great hero, and it is a great pity that he married a loose woman of this kind." He could not avoid being angry at the position of affairs.
The next day Yang Hsiung returned, but Shih Hsiu did not speak about the matter. As soon as he had had his meal he (Yang Hsiung) however left again. Shih Hsiu saw the young priest arrive, but this time he was dressed in his best clothes. Clever Cloud hurried downstairs, received him, and ordered tea to be brought. She said, "I am afraid that we put you to a lot of trouble last night, but we have not repaid you yet."
"That was only a very small affair. Last night we talked about your vows, and now we are reading prayers at our temple. You could just come to our temple, and get written statement. That would be all right."
She agreed, and sent a girl servant to ask Old Mr. Pan to come, and discuss the matter. When he arrived he saluted the young priest, and apologized for retiring so early the previous night, but he had been very tired. "Uncle Shih Hsiu fell sick, and also retired early so that there was no one, to look after you. I am sorry."
"Do not be so courteous," said the priest.
Clever Cloud now spoke, "I want to redeem the vow I made when my mother died. Our friend tells me that to-morrow there will be a service at the temple, and we might avail ourselves of the opportunity, and attend to pray for atonement."
"Very well," said Old Mr. Pan. "But I am afraid that we might be busy at the butchery to-morrow, and there will be nobody there to attend the matters."
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"You can ask Shih Hsiu to look after the business," she said.
"Just so," said Old Mr. Pan. "We can go to the temple to-morrow."
Clever Cloud then got the money for the services rendered by the priests, and handed it to the young priest. After returning suitable thanks he left for the temple.
Yang Hsiung again returned home, and after supper Old Mr. Pan told Yang Hsiung of the proposed visit to the temple the following day. Yang Hsiung asked his wife why she did not speak to him herself, to which the woman replied that she was afraid that he might refuse her.
The next day a sedan chair was obtained for Clever Cloud and she set off about 11 a.m. accompanied by Old Mr. Pan and the girl servant Ying Erh, carrying the candles and incense. The young priest Hai was waiting for them at the temple gate, and he was much pleased to see them. Clever Cloud emerged from the chair, and thanked the priest for meeting them. The priest said, "The priests have been praying in the temple since early this morning, and we have awaited your arrival. He led the way into the hall where there were still about ten priests reading the scriptures.
Clever Cloud saluted, and gave three kotows to the Buddha. After burning incense and paper, the priests were asked to go, and get their meal, and priest Hai requested Clever Cloud and Old Mr. Pan to go to his private apartments for tea. Tea was duly served in silver cups with red saucers. When tea was finished the priest Hai asked them to go into the adjoining room. It was a very small room with a black lacquer couch, and many pictures on the walls. On a small table was a vase with burning incense. Old Mr. Pan and Clever Cloud took their seats on the couch with the priest facing them.
"What a nice place you have," said Clever Cloud, "and how quiet and secluded!"
"Do not joke about my humble bare quarters," said the Priest "it is a mere barracks compared to your honorable mansion." Old Mr. Pan said, "We have given you much trouble, we will now depart."
"All the food has been provided because of your visit, why you depart without taking any?" He then ordered the
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servant to bring in the food, and this was soon done. The meal was of the best food.
"Why you prepare food for us; we give you a lot of trouble," remarked Clever Cloud to the priest.
"I am afraid the meal does not by any means equal my respects and feelings for you," he replied. He then pressed Old Mr. Pan to try the wine provided.
"What a fine taste!" said Old Mr. Pan.
"Yes, the brewing method I learned from a donor of our temple and used quite five piculs of rice in making it. I will send a bottle of it to your house to-morrow as you like the flavor."
"That is quite unnecessary," said Old Mr. Pan.
The servants kept filling Old Mr. Pan's cup with wine, and the girl servant who was sitting with them also drank several cups of wine. Old Mr. Pan wanted to summon the sedan-chair carriers also to drink of the wine, but Hai, the priest, said that it was unnecessary as they had already had some with their food outside. In fact the priest had prepared this strong wine especially for Old Mr. Pan in order to further his own plans. Very soon Old Mr. Pan was drunk, and the priest suggested that he should now have a sleep. He summoned the servants to take Old Mr. Pan into another room to sleep on the bed there. Clever Cloud had also drunk some wine, and was feeling rather confused. She asked, "What was the use in getting me merely to drink the wine?"
The priest whispered, "Because I love you. Will you now come into another room to have a look at Buddha's tooth?"
"Very well, I should like to see it," she replied.
They went upstairs to a room which was the priest's private apartment and was nicely furnished. She was much pleased and, said, "What a nice chamber, and how clean!"
"Yes, but it is short of the adornment of a woman."
She laughed, "Then why don't you get one?"
"Where is the donor who would present me with one?"
"But you asked me to come here to see Buddha's tooth."
"Well, first send away your girl servant, and then I will show it to you."
She told the girl to go downstairs, and see whether Old Mr. Pan had awakened. The girl went, and the priest closed the door after her.
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Clever Cloud was now alone with him and she laughed. "Why do you close the door?"
"I am in love with you, and have waited for two years for this opportunity. I hope that we shall now complete our desires." He embraced her.
"You must not forget that my husband would be annoyed. You must not try to cheat me. If he finds out he will never forgive you."
He knelt down and said, "I hope that you will take pity on me."
“You are so skillful in dealing with me but I like to give you big blows upon your face with my hand." He laughed, "You would enjoy beating me."
Thus they enjoyed themselves for a long time after which the priest embracing her said, "If I die now I shall have no regrets. But to-day our pleasure has been brief and I should like to arrange a whole night's assignation."
