University of Virginia Library

CHAP. II.

THE year was now elapsed which
Shuey-keu-yé had been allowed to
spend in retirement: when the Emperor
issued out an order for his return to
court: upon the first notice of which
the Mandarine Tieh-ying wrote a letter,
to intreat him to bring the young lady
along with him. Upon the receipt of

this, he told his daughter, that as she
was now grown up to woman's estate,
he intended she should accompany him
to the court. Shuey-ping-sin testified her
compliance: "To what purpose, said
she, am I your daughter? I might as
well not have been born to you, if I
must remain always at a distance. It
is very fitting I should attend you: but
then I must humbly intreat one fa-vour."
He asked what it was. She
replied, "If at court any offers should
be made about the completion of the
marriage with Tieh-chung-u, that you
will be pleased not to consent to it."
The old Mandarine smiled at her request,
and assured her that he would
do nothing that should be prejudicial
either to her happiness or fame. He
then asked her, to whom he should
devolve the care of his house and effects.
She proposed her uncle as the
properest person to have direction without
doors, but recommended him to
leave the government within to the
care of Shuey-yeong. He followed her
advice, and having made suitable preparations
departed for Pe-king, where
in little more than a month he arrived.

As soon as he had performed his
first duty in waiting on the Emperor,
all the great officers came to visit him,
and among the rest the Mandarine
Tieh-ying: who afterwards sent his son
to pay him the same compliment. Although
the young Mandarine Tieh in
the visiting billet which he had dispatched

before him, called himself only
cousin, and not son-in-law, as he should
have done, Shuey-keu-yé attributed it
to his modesty, and admitted his visit.
The old gentleman was mightily pleased
to see him become a great Man-darine,
and grown a very personable
man[8] , which made him think him
the more suitable match for his daughter,
esteeming them both only born
for each other. "Let this young and
scrupulous pair, (said he to himself,)
object never so much to the marriage,
we old folks will over-rule them, and
make them happy in spite of themselves."

After some conversation Tieh-chung-u
took his leave and retired. As soon
as he was gone, the secretary belonging
to Shuey-keu-yé's tribunal came in
and said, "Sir, I have a relation,
who is servant to the Mandarine Tah-quay;
he hath been here to tell me
that, as his master is confined, he could
not visit your Lordship, neither could
he send a billet of compliments in
due form, but he notwithstanding presents
his services and wishes of good
health: he told me farther, that Tah-quay
having lost his wife, is very desirous

to marry again; and hearing
that you have brought the young lady
your daughter with you to court, he
intends to get the Mandarine Kwo-sho-su
to come in his behalf, and conclude
a marriage-contract for her." "Well!
said Shuey-keu-yé, and what answer did
you make to Tah-quay's servant?" "I
told him, said the other, that she had
been long engaged to the Mandarine
Tieh-chung-u. Upon which he inquired
when the marriage was to be concluded;
but I was not able to inform him.
Of this our discourse, I thought it my
duty to inform your Lordship." The
Mandarine ordered him, if any one
should hereafter question him on that
subject, to tell them that the nuptials
would be celebrated within the space
of two days. "This Mandarine, said
Shuey-keu-yé to himself, is a person of
very ill character, his proposals are
only meant to give us disturbance. But
should he apply to the Emperor himself,
there will be nothing to fear, as
my daughter is already disposed of:
however it is better to have the marriage
completed to prevent the worst
that may happen." He then went to
his daughter's apartment, and told her
she must not think it unreasonable,
that he renewed the subject of her
union with Tieh-chung-u, for that it was
necessary it should take place immedidiately.
Then he related to her all
that his secretary had told him: "Now,
said he, if we do not hasten the completion
of your marriage, this Tah-
quay may perhaps involve us in a great
deal of trouble." It instantly occurred
to the young lady, that Kwo-khé-tzu
or his father were at the bottom
of this business. She communicated
her conjectures to her father, "And
yet, added she, if Tah-quay should
persist in giving us disturbance, upon
proper application to his Majesty it
may perhaps involve him in fresh
disgrace, and be a means of renewing
his former punishment." "The
wisest course, said Shuey keu-yé, is not
to oppose an enemy, but to avoid
him. If we conclude this marriage
out of hand, his design will be defeated."—Before
his daughter could
reply, there came in a servant, to tell
him that the Supreme Viceroy had
sent his service, and begged he would
favour him with his company at his
house, for that he had urgent business
to communicate to him. "This is
a good opportunity, said Shuey-keu-yé;
I had thoughts myself of going thither.
I will therefore lay all ceremony
aside. Let my horse be got ready."
He accordingly went as fast as he
could.

As soon as he alighted, the Man-darine
Tieh-ying took him by the hand,
and led him into the hall: "This
morning, said he, as I was coming
from court, I met the Eunuch Chou-thay-kien;
who making me a very low
bow, said, he begged a favour which
he hoped I would not refuse him:

that he had a niece whom he should
be glad to have married to my son.
I told him it could not be, for he was
already engaged." He replied, "What
though he is engaged to Shuey-ping-sin,
it signifies little, as the marriage is
not yet completed." These Eunuchs,
added the Mandarine Tieh, are saucy
impertinent rascals, and presume upon
the great employments they fill: therefore
to be plagued no more on this
subject, I have sent to your Lordship
that we may get the wedding concluded
as soon as possible. "What,
said Shuey-keu-yé, have you then met
with this trouble? Such another application
hath been this day made to
myself." Upon which he related all
that his secretary had told him. "Now,
said he, this being the case, et us put an
end to the affair. When the marriage
ceremony is once over, even his Majesty's
order will not be of force to
set it aside. Nay let it be concluded
this very day: and yet my daughter
will hardly be prevailed with; she argues
against breaking the laws of decency
and custom." "My son, said
the other, talks in the same strain."
"After all, said Shuey-keu-yé, I believe
they secretly love each other: we must
not therefore regard their objections,
but exert our paternal authority."
"True, said the Mandarine Tieh; and
yet if these impertinent applications had
not been made to us, we might have
indulged them with longer time: but
as it is, there is not an hour to be
lost: I believe they would hardly be
brought to give up each other, and
therefore will now comply with our
desires." Here they parted.

The Mandarine Tieh-ying instantly
sent for his son, and related to him all
that happened both to the President of
Arms and to himself. "Now, said he,
this being the case, if you don't consent
to marry the young lady, you
will cause a great deal of trouble both
to her and yourself; which there are
no other means to prevent or avoid."
"Sir, replied his son, whatever you
command, 'tis my duty to obey you.
I am only concerned at the hastiness
of the proceedings. As to the Eunuch's
application, it is certainly the

contrivance of Kwo-sho-su: but what
signifies his proposing his niece to
me? he will but lose his labour."
"Well, said his father, although you
can so easily resist this attack yourself,
you must give the young lady
some assistance in her difficulty." "Sir,
said the youth, be pleased then to
acquaint the Mandarine her father to
give it out that we are married.
This will stop the mouths of these
people, and rescue us from their impertinence:
at the same time, we may
within doors remain single 'till a more
favourable juncture," The Manda-rine
Tieh approved very well of his
son's discourse: and did not insist
upon his further compliance. "Provided,
said he, you can but satisfy
the world that you are married, you
may act in private as you please."
Then he commissioned proper people
to chuse out a fortunate day for the
celebration of their nuptials.