🧚 A Story of Old China, part 4

As she closed the letter she said, “Thanks to the gods who took my child in safety.1 My husband has then a wife and son.2 My own son is provided for; my heart is at rest.”3 She then wrote the following letter:4

“My little sister and virtuous husband: your letters of invitation are at hand.5 I cannot thank you enough for your goodness to my boy.6 I do not desire comforts and luxuries for myself.7 I only desire his best good.8 That has come.9 I have suffered only that the boy and his father might be united.10 You need not be anxious about me.11 I am entirely satisfied.12 The Superior Man may be poor in bodily comforts, but he is not poor in wisdom or virtue.13 The tiger may be very thin, but the strength of his heart is not diminished.”14 Then she called the servants, who came and gave her a greeting.15 They said they had everything ready to take her back with them.16 Also two women-servants were waiting in the cart for her.17 Yü Yüch Ying said:18

“I am poor, I have nothing to give you for all your long, weary journey.19 Please return and take this letter; I will not go with you now.”20 The servants all urged her and plead with her; showed her the boxes of garments, the silver sent for the journey; praised the beautiful home waiting for her, told of the kind old people, and most charming younger sister.21 To all she turned a deaf ear.22

“My son has found his father; the latter has comforts and riches; I will abide here; here where I have suffered will I live my life; I care not for riches; although I am poor I am not covetous.23 Our great sage said, The Superior Man may be poor, but he will never be covetous.24 Although I am poor you must not try to make me ashamed, and you need not praise their riches; I may not always be poor and they may not always be rich.25 The gods deal out to men their lives, I am content.26 In the spring the grass sends up its shoots; autumn comes and the leaves fall.27 In the autumn of life we will compare our fates.”28

As she said this the tears came; all the years of loneliness and sadness swept over her; she could not accept comforts from him who had been untrue to her, or from the one who had her place.29 The servants said:30

“Lady Yü, you are indeed a Superior Woman.31 If we go back without you, you must at least keep the garments and the money.”32

These she at first refused, but at last, to satisfy them, as she knew that the servants would suffer if she did not, she said:33

“I do not want the silks and velvets; take those back with you.34 How would I, a beggar, look in such garments.35 Give me a few changes of cotton garments; they will fit my station better and I will not appear to be other than I am.”36

This was done after much protesting; then she accepted a few ounces of silver, and told them they might use the rest on the journey back.37 They said:38

“We have a plenty for all; we will put this in the care of a big store here; our master is part owner in it, and you must go to him for it when you need it.39 You must promise us this for the sake of your son.40 You must not cause him to weep, and be sad, because of your living in useless poverty.”41 She promised them she would go when she had need of money and get from the store for her use, and with great reluctance the servants, again prostrating themselves, left her; they returned to the south and she entered her poor little room.42

Years came and went; to all the letters Lady Yü returned an answer that she was in need of nothing and would not leave her native city.43 The boys grew up together.44 They were very bright, and year by year took high honours in the examinations.45 In all the province there was no other student equal to Ting Lang.46 He was the talk of the city; and people predicted a great fortune for him.47

When he was seventeen, he and his brother went to Peking to take the examinations for the higher degrees; for these they not only wrote the three-page essay, but also a two-page “Chin Tsin,” or a short account of the family, going back several generations and giving the official positions of any of their ancestors.48

When Ting Lang entered his name and his brother’s for the examinations they had given the name of Hu and as he had not sought out his mother, no one knew that the much-talked-of young student was of the old house of Tu.49 His enemy, Yen Sung, had no thought of fear from the family.50 He was the great examiner, the head of the Hau Lin College.51 In all the Empire no one could write such characters as he.52 (At the present time, characters written by him hang in the Hall of Classics in Peking as a model of perfect writing.)53 Year by year his power had grown until the Emperor was almost a figurehead and hated him, yet no one dared to impeach him.54

Ting Lang came with three hundred and fifty-nine other men who had the degree of “Chin Shib,” to be examined for “Chuang Yuan,” the highest degree in the Empire, and a degree only given to one man once in three years.55 This year it came to Ting Lang and the degree of “Pang Yen” to his brother.56 Ting Lang’s writing was pronounced perfect by the Emperor, the style most elegant.57

At the close of the examinations a great feast was given; among those present was a powerful official by name of Hai Jui.58 He was noted as a man of great ability and as an honest and upright minister.59 He knew the story of Ting Lang’s life; felt that the time had come to expose the great Yen Sung, so at the great feast following the examinations he wrote the following on slips of paper and sent them quietly among the students:60

“A great man has come among us in our new ‘Chuang Yuan.’61 Although a boy in years, he is a man, yes a son of a god in ability and talent.62 He will be of great use to his country.63 There are officials—yes, great ones—who are traitors to the good of their country; these we must put down and give men of ability a chance.”64

Every one knew this referred to Yen Sung though no name was given.65 After the feast the students all waited outside the Hall for Yen Sung to come for audience with the Emperor.66 As he came near to his chair, Ting Lang walked up to him and said:67

“You great traitor to your country; you crafty minister; you control and insult the Emperor, hold under as slaves all officials of the Empire; you oppressor of the people, your sun is set.68 Your sons are like you in wickedness; your steward is a devil, and you plan with him.69 Your great literary name is wild and worthless; judgment awaits you, the judgment of Heaven.”70

The great Yen Sung looked around; not a friendly face; his own grew a little fearful, and yet in a loud voice he called out:71