University of Virginia Library

CHAP. VI.[37]

TIEH-chung-u taking his leave of
the Grand Visitor, went and told
Shuey-yeong who had attended him there,
all that had past at the tribunal: and
concluded with desiring him to recommend
him to his mistress, and to
present his thanks for the advice she
had given him. "It is not in my

power, said he, to send any present
as an acknowledgment of her goodness:
neither could I presume to do
it, a single man as I am, to a young
unmarried lady." Then delivering
his horse to the old servant, and hiring
a mule, he departed for his own
city; and Shuey-yeong returned to his
mistress.

Let us now return to Kwo-khé-tzu
and his companions, whom we have
seen disappointed in their designs on
Tieh-chung-u. When they found he
was got clear out of their hands, they
were ready to burst with rage and madness.
The first that broke silence was
Shuey-guwin, who said, "Who would
have suspected this young man to have

been possessed of so much strength and
courage?" "It was owing to neither
of these that he escaped, said his son-in-law,
but he had got Chang-congtzu
at such disadvantage, that he could
neither help himself, nor we conveniently
assist him. But he must not
go off so: let us muster up a proper
company, and go find him out: let
us still treat him as he deserves: and
afterwards give in a petition to the
Grand Visitor." This proposal was
approved by them all: the young
Mandarine Chang instantly promised to
bring thirty people; each of the others
likewise engaged to raise as many.
These to the number of a hundred
were soon assembled, and with their
masters at their head, Shuey-guwin leading
the way, drove along the streets
like a swarm of bees. But when they
came to the inn, where the young
stranger had lodged, they were told
that he went away almost as soon as
he came home. They were quite disconcerted
at this information. "However,
said Kwo-khé-tzu to the rest, this
shall not serve his turn; we will immediately
apply to the Grand Visitor
of the province, and he shall do us justice."
Shuey-guwin told him, that their
enemy was of the province of Pe-king,
and therefore was not under that Mandarine's
jurisdiction. "Well then,
said Kwo-khé-tzu and his companions,
we will all together draw up a petition,
wherein we will accuse him of endeavouring
to raise a rebellion[38] ; this
will authorise the Mandarines of any
province to lay hold of him. The
Grand Visitor must give an account
of this at court; where we will send
to our fathers and friends to acquaint
them of the affair; thus we shall quickly
humble him, notwithstanding all his
bravery and valour."

They were exceedlngly pleased with
this proposal, and accordingly got their
petition wrote, which Shuey-guwin signed
as a witness: they then repaired to

the city of Tong-chang; and finding
the audience open for receiving petitions,
presented themselves before the
tribunal. The Grand Visitor received
their petition, and ordered them all
out of the hall, except Shuey-guwin.
"This paper, said he, contains a
strange story of a rebellion attempted
in this country by Tieh-chung-u: if he
was so dangerous a person, how came
you to be so desirous of his company,
and to invite him so earnestly to drink
wine with you? Did he drop any hint
of his intention to raise a tumult or
rebellion in the city, in the midst of
his cups, or afterwards in the quarrel?"
Shuey-guwin finding the Grand Visitor
so inquisitive, knew not what to answer,
and therefore remained silent.
"You are a very sorry fellow, said
the Mandarine. I am well acquainted
with the whole story: nevertheless if
you do not relate it exactly from beginning
to end, I will bring your fingers
to the Kiah-coon or Tormenting-sticks."
Shuey-guwin's fear became excessive
when he saw the other so angry,
and found he should be forced to confess
the truth. "Sir, said he, it is true,
he was drinking with the others."
"Very well, said the Mandarine, if
you were drinking all together, I must
suppose you all equally guilty: nay it
is more likely that you five should form
seditious designs upon the city, than he
whom you accuse, who perhaps would
not join in such an attempt, and so
you have agreed to impeach him first."
"My Lord, replied he, Kwo-khé-tzu
invited this young man to his house
out of civility and good will, and when
he was in his cups all the secret came
out. Nothing would pacify him; he
overset the table and fell to fighting,
crying out to the young Mandarines,
that if there were a thousand of them,
he would not regard them: and that
if he should come to be Emperor he
would destroy the four houses to which
they belong. The young gentlemen
deeply concerned at these things, could
not refrain from lodging a complaint
with your Excellency: which they
would not have presumed to do, had
it been false." "A likely story, said
the Grand Visitor, that one person should
beat and abuse four or five of you. No!
no! you must not think to impose on
me at this rate." "Sir, said Shuey-
guwin, the broken pieces of furniture
are still to be seen: nothing is more
certain." The Mandarine took him
up short, "How should a stranger
of another city come and raise such a
disturbance, unless he had been provoked
by some injury or insult? However
if it be as you alledge, have you
secured or brought him with you?"
"No, he replied; he was like a tyger,
there was no taking hold of him: he
went away without any one's daring
to oppose him."

The Grand Visitor ordered all he had
reported to be taken down in writing by
the secretary of the tribunal: then said to
him, "Are not you ashamed, an old
fellow as you are, to come here with

these stories: and to keep company
with young rakes, drinking and embroiling
yourself in their quarrels?
This petition you have brought me
is false and scandalous. Go home and
tell the four Mandarines sons to be
quiet: I know the whole story, better
than they imagine. If it were not for
the connections of these young men,
I would throw you into prison, where
you should die with hunger: however
I must make you a present of twenty
or thirty bastinadoes[39] ." At these words
Shuey-guwin in great terror, cryed out
that he was old, and begged he would
pardon and not dishonour him so
much. "Honour! said the Grand
Visitor, what honour have you?" He
said, "I am brother to the second Mandarine
of the tribunal of arms." "Are
you his brother, said the magistrate?
why who keeps his house? "My brother,
he replied, hath no son: but
only one daughter, who heretofore hath
received great favour from your Excellency."
"If it be so, replied the
Grand Visitor, for her sake I will pardon
you: but then tell me truly, who
it is that bears such implacable enmity
against this young stranger." "I
am not his enemy, answered Shuey-guwin:
but it is Kwo-khé-tzu, who being
disappointed in his design of marrying
my niece, by the other's interposal,
hath ever since retained a
secret malice and desire of revenge; and
it was in order to gratify his revenge,
that he now invited him to his house:
but for my part I owe him no kind of ill
will." The Grand Visitor ordered his
secretary to make a memorandum of
this; then giving him back the petition,
bade him go tell those young men
to mind their studies, and let him hear
no more of them: "For this once,
said he, I pardon them on account of
their fathers: who would find a great
deal of trouble, should such complaints
be brought against them at court."

Shuey-guwin having thus obtained
leave to retire, was ready to leap out
of his skin for joy: but when he was
got without the audience where the

others were waiting for him, he shrugged
up his shoulders, and made signs to
them to hold their tongues: at the sight
of which, and of the petition which he
held in his hand, they were alarmed;
and being informed of all that had
happened, sent in a Sho-poun[40] or billet
of thanks, to the Grand Visitor for his
lenity, and afterwards returned home
not a little ashamed. However Kwo-khé-tzu
could not be prevailed on to
lay aside his resentment, or to drop
his pursuit. On the contrary, he was
the more obstinately resolved to persist
in both; and recollecting that Chun-kéé
had been gone some time, he dispatched
a messenger to enquire after him.

Now Chun-kéé in performance of his
promise had made the best of his way
to the court: where as soon as he arrived,
he delivered to the minister
Kwo-sho-su the letter from his son. As
soon as the Mandarine had read the
letter, he withdrew with him into his
library, and inviting him to sit down,
inquired about his son's proposal of
marriage with Shuey-ping-sin. "Her
father, said he, is now in disgrace:
this match cannot be for our credit,
as we are advanced to such a degree
in the state." "This young lady,
replied the other, is endowed with wonderful
perfections both of mind and
person, and is of unexampled modesty:
in short there is not her fellow
to be found in the world. Wherefore

your son hath sworn either by gentle or
violent means to marry her." Kwo-sho-su
laughed and said, "I am afraid my
son is very weak and simple. If he had
a mind to marry her, he needed not
have sent to court, when the Che-foo
and Che-hien, the fathers of the country,
might easily have compleated the marriage
for him. You have had a great
deal of trouble in coming so far: and
now he would give me still more, in requiring
me to send without the wall
into Tartary for her father's consent."
"He hath not been wanting in application
to the Che-foo and Che-hien, replied
the other; he hath left no means to
prevail with her unattempted; but she
hath always by very gentle but artful
methods found means to elude his
pursuit. Your Lordship must not talk
of the Che-foo and Che-hien, since the
Grand Visitor of the province, who
was your pupil, endeavoured to promote
the suit of your son, but she
so far baffled him, that he hath been
glad to put forth a declaration, forbidding
any one to molest her on
the subject of marriage. Now if a
Mandarine of his rank is afraid to
meddle with her, who besides dares
approach her gates? Kwo-khé-tzu
therefore had no other remedy, but
to apply to your Lordship." The
Mandarine Kwo-sho-su was surprized at
this account, and said, "Surely this
is a young lady of fine understanding,
and it is on that account my son so
much admires her. But this Shuey-
keu-yé, her father, is a very positive
man: if he does not heartily approve of
any measure, he is not to be moved to
engage in it: besides I am not very
intimate with him. He is a man of
one word: when he held an audience,
there was very little application made
to him, because he was known to favour
no body. He hath only this
daughter; and I remember I once applied
to him about her, but without
success. However, as he is now in
trouble, perhaps he will be more inclined
to comply: there seems at present
a good opportunity to ask his consent."
"But in what manner, said
Chun-kéé, will your Lordship apply to
him?" "It must be done, said the
other, with all the usual ceremonies.
A friend must first be employed to
break the matter: afterwards we must
send a present. But here lies the difficulty:
as he is distant from us no less
than two hundred leagues, I cannot ask
any Mandarine of great quality to go
so far. I believe I must write a letter
and beg the favour of you to carry it,
together with the present." Chun-kéé
replied, "Your Lordship may command
my best services. Let me also
carry letters to such of the great Mandarnes
there as are able to influence
him." "You are right," said the Minister;
and accordingly selecting a fortunate
day, he wrote the letters and dispatched
him with them.