University of Virginia Library

CHAP. VII.

[[41] NOW the case of] the Mandarine
Shuey-keu-yé [was as
follows;] upon receiving notice that a
war had broke out with the Tartars,
and that there was not any valiant
man to head the troops; [he had]
made inquiry after such a person, and
[had] found among the people of his
audience[42] a man called Hu-hiau, one

of the north-west country, who had
offered himself for that service. Of this
Shuey-keu-yé informed the Emperor,
who consented to employ him, there
being none other that cared to go
against the enemy. He was accordingly
constituted General, with orders
to go and visit those parts that were
the seat of war, and to act as he should
think best for the public service. He
executed these orders with such dispatch,
that he would not stop to pay the usual
visits of ceremony to any of the other
Mandarines in command, but went immediately
in search of the enemy. This
gave so much disgust to those officers
that they would not go to his assistance,
nor unite their forces with his. Nevertheless
he attacked the enemy, and
had a sharp engagement for a whole
day with equal advantage on both sides.
Small as this success was, it was represented
still less to the Emperor by the
disaffected Mandarines, and both he
and Shuey-keu-yé were suspended from
their employments: the one being sent
to prison, and the other an exile into
Tartary.

The latter had now remained about
a year in banishment: where, although
he still retained his dignity of Mandarine,
there was taken little notice of him,
and he had small hopes of returning
home. One morning a servant belonging
to his tribunal (for notwithstanding
his disgrace he still had an hall of
audience assigned him) came to tell
him that there was a messenger arrived
from Pe-king, with letters from one of
the Ministers of state. Shuey-keu-yé,
who had looked upon himself as intirely
forgotten at court, was surprized at
this news. Nevertheless he ordered
the messenger to be admitted. Chun-kéé
was accordingly shewn in, attended
by two servants whom he had brought
with him. He performed his reverences,

and presented a Tieh-tsé or billet
of compliments. The Mandarine perused
it, and finding Chun-kéé to be no
servant, but a particular acquaintance
of the person who sent him, desired
him to sit down. "I am so unhappy,
said he, as to be out of favour: and
it is a long while since I have been
taken notice of by any one. How
happens it then, that you are come so
far to me? Upon what account?" "I
should not have taken this liberty, replied
the other, had I not been sent by
Kwo-sho-su, whose business abroad I
sometimes transact: and it is on his
account that I have now taken so long
a journey." "When I was at court,
said Shuey-keu-yé, I had very little acquaintace
with that Mandarine. I suppose
therefore my punishment is now
going to be increased." Chun-kéé replied,
"It will not be long before your
Lordship will return to Pe-king: I am
only come at present in behalf of this
nobleman's son, who desires your
daughter in marriage: but as she hath
not your permission or order, I am
sent to intreat you to grant it." Then
asking the servants for the letter, he
presented it to Shuey-keu-yé: who opening
it, and having read it, thought
that the whole affair was not rightly
conducted, according to the manner
among people of quality; nor suitably
to the dignity of his rank. At
the same time being not unacquainted
with the character of Kwo-khé-tzu, and
having no great opinion of the Mandarine
his father, he resolved not to
consent to their request. This resolution
he was the rather confirmed
in, as he supposed if his daughter had
approved of it, they would never have
sent so far to him. After some pause,
Chun-kéé took the liberty to ask him
if he had read the letter. He replied,
"I have, and thank you for the great
trouble you have been at in bringing
it: I am obliged to Kwo-sho-su for the
high honour he doth me: and should
esteem it great good fortune that he is
pleased to desire my daughter for his
son: but only that I am now under
his Majesty's displeasure, and removed
above two hundred leagues from home,
from whence I have been absent five
years at court, and one in banishment.
As I have no son, and only this daughter,
who is unto me as a son, and as
such hath the whole direction of my
house, I shall therefore permit her
to govern herself in this affair according
to her own inclinations. If Kwo-khé-tzu
had so great a desire to marry
her, why did not he apply to the Che-foo
and Che-hien, who are the public
guardians of the people[43] , and to my
brother Shuey-guwin? What need had
he to take so much trouble in sending
so far?" "Sir, replied Chun-kéé, you
speak very well; and Kwo-khé-tzu did
last year pursue the method you describe;
but after she had many times
put him off, she at length confessed,
it was because she had not your permission,
and therefore he hath got me
to come for it."

The Mandarine Shuey-keu yé judged
from his discourse, that his daughter
was not inclined to marry Kwo-khé-tzu;
and therefore he said, "As I am now
in disgrace, I look upon it that I have
nothing to do with my family, nor
can I pretend to dispose of my daughter.
I have been here a twelvemonth,
and have not so much as sent home
one letter: and it is because I am not
yet acquitted. Now under these circumstances,
should I pretend to give
out an order about my daughter, it
would aggravate my offence: I dare
not therefore offer to do it." Chun-kéé

said, "Let me have but your word,
and it will be sufficient." He was
very importunate, insomuch that Shuey-keu-yé
grew downright angry, and said,
that it was not a thing of a slight or
indifferent nature: and custom required
that there should be more than two to
concert so important an affair as marriage.
Without any further satisfaction
he dismissed him, but ordered him a lodging:
from whence Chun-kéé often paid
him visits, but to no purpose: he therefore
sent to all the neighbouring Mandarines,
and got them to speak to him
on the subject of the marriage. They
were accordingly very urgent and
pressing, which made Shuey-keu yé so
uneasy, that he sent for Chun-kéé and
said: "I never did any ill to the Mandarine
Kwo-sho-su: why then doth he
give me so much trouble, and is for
taking my daughter by force? Go
home, and tell him, I will never compel
her to act against her inclinations.
As for myself, I never expect to carry
my bones home again: my life is to
me of little value: [but I will not
make my daughter miserable.] Nay
should the Emperor himself order me
to compel her, I would still leave her
to her own choice: and should all the
Mandarines here my superiors do their
utmost to make me suffer, I regard it
not. Therefore take your letter and
your present back again."

Chun-kéé finding it would be in vain
to persist, packed up his baggage and

returned to the court. Where being
arrived with no little shame for his
ill success, he gave back to Kwo-sho-su
his letter and present. At which the
Minister was very much inraged, and
resolved to resent it the first opportunity.
It was not long before he found
one, for there being a demand for
more troops to go against the Tartars,
on account of the havoc and loss which
had been made of those who went before;
that Mandarine, when he advised the
Emperor of it, did not fail to lay the
blame on the former mismanagement
of Shuey-keu-yé, and on that of his general
Hu-hiau: representing to his Majesty,
that if they were taken off by
the punishment they deserved, warriors
enow would offer themselves, and
bring the war to a conclusion: but that
this could not be expected till all suspicion
was taken away of their ever returning
into employment; in the discharge
of which they had both rendered
themselves extremely odious.

The Emperor approved of this remonstrance,
and referred it to the consideration
of the San-fa-tseh, or tribunal
of three[44] : which was commanded to

assemble and examine into the conduct
of Hu-hiau in order to bring that general
to justice.