Explore Chapter 6 of "八十一梦 五子登科" with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
As the story goes, after Jin Zi'an had spent that day at the new house mingling with Miss Tian, Miss Liu, and the others, he felt quite pleased with himself. He was by nature a sociable man, and with ample funds at his disposal, he moved about both inside and outside Beiping with great energy. One day he received an invitation to a banquet hosted by a certain bank manager, to be held at a large hotel on Wangfujing Street. He changed into a newly tailored Western suit, took up a gold-headed walking stick, and prepared to attend the feast.
Out on the street, the streets were thronged with carriages and pedestrians. He hired a rickshaw and headed straight for the hotel. At the entrance, a waiter promptly stepped forward to open the door. He walked in with head held high. In the banquet hall, he saw the guests all in their Western suits and leather shoes, glittering with jewellery. When the manager saw him, his face broke into a smile. He came over and shook his hand, saying, "Mr. Jin, I've long admired you, I've long admired you! Today I have invited a few friends, all from the financial and industrial circles, so we can have a good talk."
Jin Zi'an nodded his thanks and took a seat at the table. Several female guests at the table were dressed in the height of fashion. Some wore cheongsams, some wore Western-style dresses. Every one of them was powdered and rouged, their fragrance pervading the air. Jin Zi'an chatted with them, and found their conversation quite agreeable. One lady, a Mrs. Zhou, who claimed to be the wife of a certain company manager, had refined speech and manners, and especially caught his attention.
After several rounds of wine and the full array of dishes, the conversation turned to the current political situation. Someone said, "In Beiping these days, there are undercurrents flowing. On the surface it may seem calm, but inside there is plenty of scheming." Another said, "We businessmen just care about making money. What do we care about the political situation?" Jin Zi'an smiled faintly and said nothing. He thought to himself: These people are living in a picture of peace and prosperity-who knows what storms are gathering behind the scenes?
When the banquet was over, Jin Zi'an walked out of the hotel alone. Dusk had fallen. He was about to call for a rickshaw to go home when suddenly someone called to him from behind: "Mr. Jin, please wait a moment!" He turned around and saw that it was Mrs. Zhou. She stepped close and said in a low voice, "Mr. Jin, I have a few words I wish to discuss with you in private. Is it convenient for you?" Jin Zi'an was taken aback for a moment, then said with a smile, "Mrs. Zhou, if you have something to say, please say it here. Why must it be private?" Mrs. Zhou shook her head. "This is not the place to talk. If you are willing, I will wait for you at the entrance of Beihai Park at nine o'clock tonight." With that, without waiting for his answer, she turned and got into a car and drove away.
Jin Zi'an stood by the street, staring after the car as it disappeared. He pondered to himself: What could Mrs. Zhou want? Could it be some business deal? Or perhaps… He shook his head and dismissed the thought. He hailed a rickshaw and went home.
That evening, he changed into a lined gown, took some money, and headed straight to Beihai Park. At the entrance, he saw Mrs. Zhou standing alone under a streetlamp, waiting. She wore a dark green cheongsam, with a white cashmere short jacket over it, looking very elegant and refined. Jin Zi'an walked up to her and said with a smile, "Mrs. Zhou, you have kept your word." Mrs. Zhou gave a charming smile and said, "How could I break my promise? Let us go in and stroll a while, and talk as we walk."
The two entered the park and walked slowly along the stone path by the lakeside. Moonlight spilled over the water, making the ripples glisten. Suddenly Mrs. Zhou sighed and said, "Mr. Jin, do you know why I asked you to meet me today?" Jin Zi'an said, "I was just about to ask." Mrs. Zhou lowered her voice. "To tell you the truth, my husband has run into some trouble recently. The company he manages has been secretly sabotaged by a director named Liu, and it is nearly bankrupt. I have heard that you have connections in financial circles, Mr. Jin, and I would like to ask you to help us find a way out."
Jin Zi'an listened and pondered for a while. "That should not be too difficult. But this Director Liu-since he can be so devious, he must have considerable influence. Do you know his background, Mrs. Zhou?" Mrs. Zhou said, "He used to be in banking, but now he has left the profession and specializes in manipulating industrial companies. My husband says he is ruthless and not easy to deal with." Jin Zi'an smiled. "The more devious such a person is, the more vulnerable he becomes. If we can get something on him, he will have to bow his head."
When Mrs. Zhou heard this, her face lit up with joy. "If Mr. Jin is willing to help, my husband and I will reward you handsomely." Jin Zi'an said, "There is no need for lavish gratitude. But I must first meet your husband and hear the full details." Mrs. Zhou nodded. "That is easy. Tomorrow at noon, my husband and I will prepare a meal with wine at home and await your honoured arrival." She took a name card from her handbag and handed it to him. "Here is the address." Jin Zi'an took it and put it in his pocket.
They talked a little longer, then each went their separate ways. Jin Zi'an returned home, but he felt a little uneasy. He thought to himself: Mrs. Zhou's affair is probably not so simple. But since he had already agreed, he would have to take things as they came.
The next day at noon, he went to the Zhou residence as promised. It was a Western-style building with strict security at the gate. He rang the bell, and a servant opened the door and led him inside. In the living room, Mrs. Zhou and a middle-aged man were sitting and talking. When they saw him, they both stood up to welcome him. The man was Manager Zhou. He was tall and thin, with a pale complexion, and there was a worried look on his face when he spoke. The three sat down, and Manager Zhou related the whole story. It turned out that Director Liu had used false accounts to swindle a large sum of money from the company, and had also colluded with outsiders to take over his shares. Jin Zi'an listened thoughtfully and said, "To handle this, we must start from the bank. I have a friend who is a section chief at the Central Bank. I can ask him to check Director Liu's accounts." Manager Zhou was overjoyed. "If you can do that, I will be eternally grateful!"
Jin Zi'an then wrote a letter, gave it to Manager Zhou, and told him to go and see that friend. Manager Zhou took the letter and thanked him profusely. Jin Zi'an sat for a while longer, then rose to take his leave. Mrs. Zhou saw him to the door and said in a low voice, "Mr. Jin, if this matter succeeds, I will reward you handsomely." Jin Zi'an smiled. "You are too kind, Mrs. Zhou." With that, he went out.
A few days later, relying on Jin Zi'an's letter, Manager Zhou indeed uncovered Director Liu's weakness. A lawsuit was filed, and Director Liu lost the case, being forced to return the embezzled funds. Manager Zhou's company was saved from crisis. Mrs. Zhou was extremely grateful to Jin Zi'an and repeatedly invited him to dinner, but he declined each time. He thought to himself: In this Beiping city, all the rich and powerful are just using each other. I should not take things too seriously.
From then on, Jin Zi'an's reputation in Beiping grew even greater. Every day was filled with social engagements-either banquets or mahjong games. Gradually he began to feel that while such a life was lively, it was also somewhat empty. Sometimes in the dead of night, sitting alone under the lamp, he thought of his wife and children back home, and a sense of melancholy crept over him. But he had already set out on this path, and turning back was no longer easy.