Explore Chapter 50 of 'Spring Ming Outer History' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Now, upon returning from Li Dongqing’s place, Yang Xingyuan was reminded of her earlier insistence not to waste such a splendid moonlit evening and to find some amusement. His spirits lifted immediately at the prospect, and even the thought of visiting the pleasure lanes no longer filled him with distaste. With a smile, he said, "If that’s truly the case, let us take a stroll through the lanes. But which establishment do you wish to visit?" Li Dongqing replied, "I have no particular preference. You lead the way." Yang Xingyuan said, "If you have no destination in mind, one place occurs to me." Li Dongqing asked, "Which one?" Yang Xingyuan answered, "The Pine and Bamboo House we visited last time. Wasn’t Li Yun quite pleasant?" Li Dongqing said, "Very well. Let us go and sit for a while."
Thereupon, Yang Xingyuan and Li Dongqing set off in their respective monthly-hired rickshaws, heading straight for the Pine and Bamboo House. As they entered the courtyard, Li Yun saw them from afar. To herself she thought, "The other day when Yang Xingyuan came, I remember it was He Jianchen with him. Who’s this today? This person looks familiar, as if I’ve seen them somewhere." For a moment she couldn’t place him. As they approached and Li Dongqing smiled at her, she suddenly realized-this was the same Mr. Li Dongqing she had met at He Jianchen’s house. Being uneducated, Li Yun had little grasp of formal titles. Seeing Li Dongqing, she instantly treated him as a dear friend. Without hesitation, she grabbed Li Dongqing’s hand and laughed, "Ah! Mr. Li, what wind blows you here today?" Li Dongqing was puzzled. She had no acquaintance among courtesans, so how could this one know her? And even know her surname? Seeing her hesitate, Li Yun laughed again, "Don’t you remember me, Mr. Li? I’m Li Yun, the one who often goes to Master He’s house with Master He." Only then did Li Dongqing realize this was Li Yun. She smiled and said, "So it is you. My memory is truly dreadful." All the while chatting with Li Dongqing, Li Yun ushered them into her room.
Upon entering, Li Dongqing saw an embroidered door curtain. From its hook hung a small round fan painted with fine-brush peonies against vivid green leaves. Beside it dangled an eggplant-shaped sachet of white satin, embroidered with a single cursive character for 'fortune' in black silk thread. To Li Dongqing, these ornaments lent the courtesan’s room a distinctive charm. Meanwhile, Li Yun busied herself preparing tea and tobacco. Seeing they were alone, Yang Xingyuan smiled and asked, "Mr. Li, what do you make of this room?" Li Dongqing laughed, "And what is the meaning behind that question?" Yang Xingyuan replied, "Merely an inquiry. I am here accompanying you as a friend, you mustn’t misunderstand." Li Dongqing shot him a glance and said, "It is you who misunderstands. How could *I* possibly be here to ‘patronize the lanes’?" Yang Xingyuan realized his blunder-she was, after all, in male disguise. He chuckled apologetically, "My apologies, I spoke carelessly. But given the closeness of our friendship, even if I had genuinely invited you here, it would hardly be a wicked deed." Li Dongqing smiled, "You talk nonsense again. To be frank, this is my first time in such a place. Sitting here feels like watching puppets brawl in a puppet show-quite an amusing spectacle, actually." Yang Xingyuan said, "Your words condemn our whole ilk." Li Dongqing laughed, "Do not take it to heart. I am not condemning you."
As the two were thus engaged in light banter, Li Yun returned and seated herself beside Li Dongqing, asking this and that. Noticing the diamond ring on Li Dongqing’s finger, she seized her hand for a closer look. Li Dongqing smiled, "This is merely an ornament, nothing worth such scrutiny." Li Yun said, "This ring must be worth a thousand dollars, I’ll wager?" Li Dongqing asked, "How would you know?" Li Yun replied, "Last year Master He also wanted to buy a diamond ring as a gift, but in the end, for lack of funds, he settled for a gold one. He said even the smallest diamond ring costs three or four hundred dollars. A halfway decent one runs to a thousand. Seeing the brilliant fire of your ring, Mr. Li, I reckon it must be worth that much." Li Dongqing laughed, "My, you are quite the expert. But let me ask you, what stone is this on your finger?" Li Yun said, "This is aquamarine, not worth much, a mere thirty or forty dollars." Li Dongqing smiled, "Since you know diamond rings are so dear, why didn’t you ask Master He to buy you one?" Li Yun curled her lip and said, "Him? Where would he get the money for such things?" Li Dongqing chuckled, "I find that hard to believe. I’ve heard Master He is quite free with his spending." Li Yun said, "He may be willing to spend, but the other party must also be willing to accept. To be blunt, buying such trinkets isn’t for our sake-it’s to bolster his own face. Girls in our trade, when we ask gentlemen for gifts, must secure their genuine willingness. Otherwise, even if we get the thing, they’ll turn around and mutter all sorts of complaints." Li Dongqing nodded and said to Yang Xingyuan, "Li Yun’s words show true insight. I think if He Jianchen were here, he’d be compelled to admire her perception." Yang Xingyuan smiled, "Speaking of insight, I too have an observation. It seems to me that a courtesan’s demands for money and a patron’s attitude toward her are six of one and half a dozen of the other-merely an exchange of vanity and possessiveness." Li Yun laughed, "Master Yang’s words are too profound for me." Yang Xingyuan chuckled, "Naturally you wouldn’t understand. If you did, you wouldn’t be eating this particular bowl of rice."
Just as he finished speaking, He Jianchen strode in. Yang Xingyuan said, "You scoundrel, what kept you so long?" He Jianchen replied, "I had some business at the newspaper office, hence the delay." Sitting down, he added with a laugh, "My tardiness today deserves punishment. Li Yun! Bring two bottles of beer, my treat." Hearing this, Li Yun went off smiling. In a short while, she returned bearing two bottles of beer. Yang Xingyuan said to He Jianchen, "Treating again? Wasn’t the night before last enough of a ruckus?" He Jianchen said, "That night was an exception. Today is fitting. Hearing Mr. Li was here, I rushed over to join the company." Li Dongqing said, "Please, no ceremony. I’ve already imposed on Mr. Yang for quite some time." He Jianchen said, "We’re all friends here, no imposition at all. Let’s set serious matters aside for now and have a drink first."
So the three each poured a glass of beer and sat together chatting. Suddenly, a clamor of footsteps erupted outside, and Li Yun hurried out to greet the newcomers. A boisterous crowd pushed their way in, shouting, "Where is Seventh Miss? Bring her out!" The voice sounded familiar to He Jianchen. Peering through the door curtain, he saw four or five men in silk gowns and felt hats crowding in. Their leader was a fat man who bellowed loudest. As Li Yun approached him, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a roll of banknotes, and handed her a ten-yuan note, saying, "Take this, buy yourself a little something." Li Yun said, "Thank you, Master Chen." The fat man retorted, "Thanks for what? We won at cards today and came here for a good time. Hurry up and fetch Seventh Miss!" Li Yun said, "She is not in. She’s gone out on an errand." The fat man barked, "Nonsense! I saw her at the door just now! How can she not be in?" Li Yun said, "She has just returned and is changing in the back. I will go and call her." With that, she went inside.
Soon, Seventh Miss emerged, clad in a brilliant silver-red cheongsam. The fat man saw her, stepped forward, seized her hand, and laughed, "Let’s go sit inside." Seventh Miss said, "But I have other guests." The fat man glared, "Other guests? Tell them to clear out! Your old man here won money today and doesn’t care who’s who! Anyone who makes trouble gets a beating!" Yang Xingyuan and He Jianchen heard every word clearly from inside the room. He Jianchen whispered to Yang Xingyuan, "That fat man is Chen the Big Tumor, a notorious bully. He’s drunk again. Let’s not provoke him; we should slip out the back." Yang Xingyuan said, "It’s fine. He’s after Seventh Miss, not us." Li Dongqing said, "Since he’s a bully, we’d best not linger. Let us leave."
Even as they spoke, Chen the Big Tumor barged into the room with Seventh Miss in tow. Glancing up and seeing the three of them, he demanded, "Who are you lot? I want this room. Out!" Hearing this, Yang Xingyuan’s temper flared. "We were here first. Why should we yield to you?" Chen the Big Tumor rolled his eyes and snarled, "Do you know who I am? I say move, you better move. If you don’t, I won’t be polite." Yang Xingyuan was about to argue further, but He Jianchen, fearing a scene, intervened, "Why waste breath on such a man? Let us give him the room." So saying, he pulled Yang Xingyuan and Li Dongqing out. Behind them, they heard Chen the Big Tumor cursing, "What trash! Daring to fight me for a room."
Once outside the Pine and Bamboo House, He Jianchen sighed, "What wretched luck, to run into such a tyrant for no reason." Li Dongqing exclaimed, "How can such things happen even in the city of Beijing?" Yang Xingyuan said, "Beijing is full of men like Chen the Big Tumor. We merely had the misfortune of meeting one today." He Jianchen suggested, "It’s still early. Let’s find another place to sit." Li Dongqing declined, "No need. I have lectures tomorrow and must return." Seeing her resolve, Yang Xingyuan did not press her, saying instead, "Let me see you home." Li Dongqing said, "You two should continue your amusement. There’s no need to escort me." Yang Xingyuan replied, "I have no wish to linger either. I will accompany you back."
Thus the three parted ways. He Jianchen returned to the newspaper office, while Yang Xingyuan escorted Li Dongqing home. At her gate, Li Dongqing asked, "Would you care to come in?" Yang Xingyuan said, "Not tonight. Tomorrow, then." Seeing his reluctance, Li Dongqing did not insist. Bidding him farewell, she went inside. Yang Xingyuan waited until she had entered, then hailed a rickshaw back to the Guild Hall.
Just as he reached the mouth of the lane, he saw a group of policemen escorting a youth in a Western suit from a small inn. The young man hung his head in silence. Yang Xingyuan looked closer and recognized him-it was none other than that youth in fine clothes-the one he had seen with Li Dongqing at the Amusement Park. It occurred to him, "That fellow must have been caught smoking opium in the inn." Not wishing to stare, he urged his rickshaw puller to move on quickly.
By the time he returned to the Guild Hall, it was midnight. Reflecting on the day’s events, Yang Xingyuan thought that although accompanying Li Dongqing to the pleasure lanes had led to the unpleasant encounter with Chen the Big Tumor, his rapport with her seemed to have deepened. This thought filled him with a quiet satisfaction. And so, that night, he drifted into an exceptionally sweet and sound sleep.