Explore Chapter 13 of 'Moment in Peking' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Life in the Yao household in the capital gradually returned to its former calm. Yao Si'an found pleasure in reading and admiring antiques, turning a deaf ear to the disturbances of the outside world. Madam Yao, as always, managed the household affairs and doted on Tiren more than ever. Since returning from the refuge, Tiren had grown increasingly convinced that his father's discipline was a constraint and his mother's indulgence a blessing. He spent his days wandering outside, befriending unsavory characters, drinking, gambling, and even frequenting houses of ill repute. Although Yinping repeatedly advised him, he merely brushed her words aside.
The position of Yinping in the Yao household was delicate. She had originally been Madam Yao's personal maidservant, endowed with exceptional beauty and a talent for flattery, which greatly endeared her to the mistress. Tiren had long harbored improper designs on the girl, but restrained himself for fear of his father's presence at home. Now that his father spent most of his time in seclusion in the study, Tiren seized the opportunity to paw at Yinping. At first, Yinping hesitated out of concern for her reputation, making a show of resistance, but when she saw that Madam Yao pretended not to notice, she gave in to Tiren. Eventually, word of this reached Yao Si'an.
One day, Yao Si'an summoned Tiren to the study. Tiren entered trembling, to find his father's face livid, a rattan cane lying on the desk. Yao Si'an shouted, "Kneel down!" Tiren dared not disobey and dropped to his knees with a thud. Yao Si'an thundered, "Our Yao family has maintained an unsullied name for generations. How did we ever produce a degenerate like you? You loaf around all day, squandering the family legacy, and now you cannot even spare the maidservant in our own home! Do you have any shame left?" Tiren bowed his head without a word, but in his heart he thought bitterly, "You were hardly a saint yourself when you were young." Yao Si'an, seeing no sign of remorse, raised the cane to strike. Suddenly Tiren looked up and sneered, "Go ahead, Father, strike me if you will. But the things you did in your youth were probably no more honorable than what I've done!"
This remark struck a sore spot. Yao Si'an froze, then slowly lowered the cane. After a long sigh, he said, "Enough, enough. Go. From now on, I will consider you no son of mine." Tiren rose and walked out without looking back. When Madam Yao learned of this, she was both furious and anxious. She rushed to the study to argue with her husband. Yao Si'an sat with his eyes closed, speaking calmly, "The boy is beyond saving. If you continue to shield him, you will only ruin him." Madam Yao cried, "Even if he has a thousand faults, he is our own flesh and blood. If you will not take charge, then I must." Yao Si'an said no more but waved his hand, dismissing her.
From then on, Tiren became even more reckless. Not only did he carry on his affair with Yinping, he also secretly took money from the household to squander. Relying on Tiren's favor, Yinping strutted arrogantly among the other maidservants, while Jin'er, Qingxia, and the rest fumed in silence. Watching this, Mulan grew deeply worried. She knew her brother was heading for disaster. She tried to admonish him, but Tiren only grinned and said, "Dear little sister, why trouble yourself with so many things? You'd better think about your own affairs." Helpless, Mulan could only sigh to herself.
Meanwhile, trouble had also struck the Zeng household. After traveling to the capital in spring for the metropolitan examination, Pingya had been staying at the Zeng residence. He was a diligent youth, burning the midnight oil day and night, but overwork caused him to contract typhoid fever. At first, he only had fever and a cough, so he paid it no mind and forced himself to continue studying. But his condition worsened until he was bedridden. Mrs. Zeng, in a panic, hastily summoned the best physicians in the capital. They prescribed several doses of medicine, but his condition showed no improvement.
When news reached Tai'an, the old matriarch of the Zeng family was frantic. She immediately wrote a letter and dispatched a rider to the capital. In the letter, she urged Pingya to rest and instructed her daughter-in-law to seek help from the Yao family. It turned out that although Yao Si'an was a pharmacy owner, he was well-versed in medicine, especially skilled in treating typhoid fever. Following her mother-in-law's instructions, Mrs. Zeng quickly prepared generous gifts and personally went to the Yao residence to plead for medical help. Upon learning that Pingya was gravely ill, Yao Si'an did not hesitate and accompanied Mrs. Zeng to the Zeng mansion.
Yao Si'an examined Pingya's pulse and questioned him closely about his illness. He felt somewhat confident. He said to Mrs. Zeng, "Although the illness is severe, it can still be treated. But we need one very rare ingredient-a century-old wild ginseng. It must come from the Changbai Mountains and is likely unavailable in the market." Mrs. Zeng said anxiously, "Then what's to be done? Brother Yao, if you have any connections, please do help me find a way." Yao Si'an thought for a moment, then said, "I do have one such ginseng in my pharmacy, brought from beyond the Great Wall by an old friend years ago. I'll go fetch it right away."
Back home, Yao Si'an took from his secret storeroom a ginseng he had treasured for years. It had been given to him in gratitude by a ginseng hunter whose life he had once saved. He had originally intended to keep it for his own use in old age, but now, seeing that Pingya was young and promising-and the son of Mulan's benefactor-he gave it up without a second thought. He personally decocted the ginseng into a broth and took it to the Zeng residence, where he fed it to Pingya.
After taking the ginseng broth, Pingya perked up and his fever subsided somewhat. Mrs. Zeng wept with joy, grasping Yao Si'an's hands and thanking him profusely. But Yao Si'an waved his hand, saying, "Good sister, there is no need for such thanks. This illness is prone to relapse and requires careful nursing. I will come daily to check on him, and should be fine." Mrs. Zeng expressed her gratitude over and over, then insisted he stay for a meal. Yao Si'an, unable to refuse, remained for a modest dinner. During the meal, Zeng Wenpu inquired about the new-style learning in the capital, and Yao Si'an answered in detail. The two men found they had much in common and talked amiably.
Under Yao Si'an's care, Pingya gradually recovered, but his constitution was depleted and he could not regain full strength quickly. Mrs. Zeng, fearing he would overtax himself, forbade him from reading. With time on his hands, Pingya found himself thinking often of Manniang. He secretly thought that if Manniang were by his side, his recovery would probably be faster. But Manniang was far away in Tai'an, and he could not return, so he buried this longing deep in his heart.
In Tai'an, Manniang too heard the news of Pingya's illness and was filled with anxiety. Every day she burned incense and prayed before the Buddha, begging him to protect Pingya. Seeing her restlessness, the old matriarch consoled her, saying, "Heaven watches over the virtuous. Just stay at ease here. When Pingya recovers, he will come for you." Manniang forced a smile, but her heart felt as heavy as a stone. Sometimes she would sit alone by the window, staring into the northern sky, and tears would fall unbidden.
Learning of Manniang's worries, Mulan often wrote to her, reporting on Pingya's improving condition. Each time Manniang received Mulan's letter, she would read it over and over, her tears blotting the paper. In her replies, she always asked Mulan to convey her regards to Pingya and urge him to rest well without worrying about her. When Mulan passed these letters on to Mrs. Zeng, Mrs. Zeng read them and silently praised Manniang for her cultured grace, feeling more certain that this match had been well chosen.
By the end of summer, Pingya had recovered seventy or eighty percent. To ensure his complete recuperation, Mrs. Zeng sent him to stay at the Western Hills villa, where the air was fresh and conducive to healing. Pingya, accompanied by a page, took up residence there. He occupied himself with reading, admiring flowers, and taking walks, and was quite at leisure. But he could never stop thinking about Manniang and often sat staring blankly at the distant mountains.
Tiren, on the other hand, grew more outrageous. Not only had he lost money gambling, but he also borrowed from loan sharks, who came to demand payment every few days. Madam Yao secretly repaid his debts several times, but instead of restraining himself, Tiren became worse. Seeing him so incorrigible, Yinping began to regret her earlier folly. She tried to persuade him to mend his ways, but he snapped at her for meddling. Hurt, Yinping went to Jin'er to pour out her troubles. Jin'er, seeing her in pitiful tears, could only sigh and say nothing.
Watching all this, Mulan felt deeply distressed. She knew that if this continued, her brother would fritter away the family fortune. She wanted to discuss it with her father but feared angering him. After much deliberation, she decided to approach her mother first. Madam Yao was already distraught over her son's conduct. Seeing Mulan come, she took her hand and said, "Your brother has turned out like this-what am I to do? Your father refuses to intervene, and this family will soon be ruined by his hands." Mulan consoled her, "Mother, don't worry too much. Brother is still young; perhaps he will come to understand in time." Madam Yao shook her head, "I'm afraid he will have squandered everything before that day comes."
One evening, Tiren came home dead drunk again. Yinping helped him to his room, where, emboldened by alcohol, he flew into a rage, accusing her of being too controlling. Yinping swallowed her anger, undressed him, and put him to bed. After he fell asleep, she sat alone under the lamp, her sorrow growing. She recalled being sold into the Yao family as a child, and although she was a maidservant, she had enjoyed a few peaceful years. Now, reduced to this state, she could not imagine how it would all end. Overcome with grief, she buried her head on the table and wept softly.
The next morning, when Tiren woke up and saw Yinping's swollen eyes, he asked what was wrong. Yinping, afraid to tell the truth, blamed it on a poor night's sleep. Tiren paid it no mind, washed up, and went out again. Yinping watched his departing figure, her heart filled with desolation. Just then, Mulan entered. Noticing Yinping's dejected expression, she asked softly, "Sister Yinping, what's the matter?" Yinping quickly dried her tears and forced a smile, "Nothing, just a headache." Mulan knew she was lying but did not press further, merely advising her to rest.
Tiren's reputation in the outside world grew worse. His disreputable friends, knowing his family's wealth, used every means to flatter and cheat him. Tiren, thinking he had found true companions, spent money like water. One day, he even pawned the signboard of one of the family's antique shops to raise money for gambling. When Yao Si'an heard of this, he trembled with rage and immediately ordered the shop closed. Madam Yao grieved for her son but dared not quarrel with her husband again, so she could only weep in secret.
Seeing the state of her family, Mulan felt more strongly that she must become self-reliant. Besides helping her mother with household chores, she spent time with her father reading and studying antiques. Recognizing her intelligence and diligence, Yao Si'an imparted to her all the knowledge he had gained in his lifetime. Mulan's understanding expanded daily, and her grasp of worldly affairs deepened. She often thought that if only she had been born a man, she would go out into the world and make a name for herself. But she was a woman and could only remain confined to the inner chambers.
In Tai'an, Manniang also heard all the rumors about Tiren and worried for Mulan. She wrote to Mulan, advising her to take things philosophically. Mulan replied, "Sister, do not worry about me. The fate of my family is in Heaven's hands. For now, I only hope that my brother will see the light soon and that Brother Pingya will fully recover. You, sister, in Tai'an, take good care of yourself and do not grieve too much." Reading the letter, Manniang felt a warmth in her heart. She felt that aside from her mother, her closest person in the world was Mulan.
After two weeks at the Western Hills, Pingya had fully recovered. Returning to the city, he first paid respects to his parents. Mrs. Zeng, seeing his ruddy complexion, was overjoyed. She asked about his life at the villa, and he answered her questions. Satisfied that he was well, she brought up the idea of his returning to Tai'an soon to visit his grandmother and Manniang. Pingya was willing, though he did not voice it, simply saying he would follow his mother's arrangements. Mrs. Zeng then instructed the servants to prepare his baggage and set a date for his departure back to Shandong.