 | CHAP. II. Hau Kiou choaan |  |
CHAP. II.
[LET us now return to] Tieh-chung-u
[who] immediately upon
leaving Shan-tong had repaired to his
house in the city of Tah-ming. There
the lovely Shuey-ping-sin was the subject
of his thoughts, as also the affection
and kindness with which she had treated
him. In pursuance of her advice,
of the law; and having mastered his
too hasty and inflexible temper, began
to think of qualifying himself for some
employment, and of rendering himself
famous for his learning. One day as
he happened to look into the Gazette[3] ,
he saw an account that his father had
petitioned the Emperor for leave to
throw up his office, pleading the decline
of his health, which rendered him
He was a good deal alarmed at this
information, which was quite new to
to get ready his horse and follow
him to court. He accordingly set forwards,
end of his journey, overtook a man
mounted on a mule. As he passed
knew him to be Shuey-yeong, the old
and faithful servant of his fair hostess.
He immediately asked what business
brought him thither, and where he
was going. The old man knew him,
and leaping from his mule, said, "Sir,
I was going in search of you, with
whom I have very urgent business."
Tieh-chung-u with some surprize asked
him, "What business can you have
with me? Does it relate to your master
or your young lady." He told him
it was concerning the latter. The
young gentleman's wonder at this was
increased. "How, said he! Pray what
is the matter? Perhaps Kwo-khé-tzu
hath given her fresh disturbance?"
Shuey-yeong replied; "It is so, and he
she had no other remedy, but to send
this petition to the court. Believing
me incapable of conducting an affair
of this importance as I ought, she hath
ordered me to seek you out, and intreats
you to direct me how to get it
delivered." "That is not difficult, replied
the youth: but in what manner hath
Kwo-khé-tzu troubled your mistress, to
occasion her to take a step of this consequence?"
The old man told him in
brief, that upon the arrival of the Grand
Visitor of the province, who had been
a pupil of his father's, Kwo-khé-tzu had
applied to him; and that he had been
prevailed upon to be a chief instrument
in promoting his designs, having issued
out two orders to compel her to marry
finding it impossible to avoid, in her
extremity drew up this petition, and
dispatched me away to find you out;
which I have happily accomplished in
meeting with you: and if in the course
of this affair there should be occasion
for money, I come sufficiently provided."
Tieh-chung-u was deeply concerned
at his tale; and asked the name
of the Grand Visitor; wondering how
he durst to commit such injustice.
Shuey-yeong told him his name was
Fung ying. He replied, "I know him.
Hath he done this? Very well! And
your lady's petition is against this
gentleman? 'Tis no matter. Do not
you offer to strike on the drum: I
will carry the petition myself to the
give it to the Emperor. When his
majesty returns it to the secretary, I
will so explain the affair to that minister,
that when it comes to be examined
into, the whole truth shall be
made appear without any disguise or
partiality. In consequence of which
the Grand Visitor will soon be discharged
from his office." "Sir, replied
service, it will be very fortunate for
my lady." This said, Tieh-chung-u
mounted his horse[5]
, and the old servant
his mule. Then the youth told
him, that as his horse went faster than
he could follow, he would go before
to the audience of his father, the Superior
of the Viceroys, and would order
Siow-tan to stay without to receive
him. Thither Shuey-yeong promised
him to follow.
Tieh-chung-u put forward full speed,
and arrived at his father's audience:
where he found a large concourse of
that the Emperor had not permitted
him to lay down his office[6] . Then
alighting from his horse he went in
to pay his duty to his parents, where
to his great joy he learnt that he was
right in his conjecture. When he dismounted
he ordered his servant to stay
without till Shuey-yeong arrived. He
waited till night, but the other never
came. The young gentleman imagined
that as the old man's mule was
slow, it might possibly be late before
he reached the city; and that he had
therefore perhaps put into some inn, as
morrow. In the morning he sent Siow-tan
again to wait for him, which he
did till noon, but the old man never
appeared. Tieh-chung-u thought he
might have been detained by some
acquaintance of his old master's, and
that having divulged his business he
had been directed to pursue a different
method. However he called to him
one of his father's audience, a capable
person, and sent him to make inquiry
after him. He accordingly went to
the tribunal of petitions, and asked if
any one had been there from the daughter
of the Mandarine Shuey-keu-yé: but
he was answered that none such had
been at that audience. Tieh-chung-u
then supposed he might have gone
drum is stationed; but word was
brought him that he had not been
there. He now began to consider
whether the Grand Visitor might not
have got somebody to waylay him, or
whether he might not suddenly have
dropt down and expired; which on
account of his great age and the fatigue
of the journey he thought not
improbable. He had sent about all
day long 'till it was night, and had
learnt no news of him, yet he could
not be satisfied 'till he had ordered
Siow-tan to go out again the next
morning, and to make all possible
inquiry after him.
On the morrow Tieh-chung-u arose
for thinking what could have become
of the servant with the petition. He
sent every where in search, but could
get no account of him, though he
continued his inquiries four or five
days: which rendered him very uneasy.
He thought if the petition could
be once delivered to the Emperor,
there would then be no danger from
the Grand Visitor. But he feared it
had not yet reached the hands of his
majesty. "This Mandarine, said he,
is very powerful, and what can a
poor weak girl, with all the wit and
ingenuity she is mistress of, do in
opposition to his authority? She hath
no father at home, nor any one else
to assist and protect her: all the inhabitants
interest of her adversary. Therefore
if I do not go to her assistance there is
nobody will appear in her behalf. As I
am acquainted with the state of her
affairs, I cannot in honour but fly to her
relief. I should be more cowardly than
a woman, should I forbear to help her
in this exigency, which nothing but
my ignorance of her misfortunes could
excuse." In pursuance of these resolves,
he went to take leave of his father and
mother, intreating their permission to
return to his studies. Then leaving
his horse behind him, for the greater privacy
and dispatch, he hired a mule,
and together with his servant, took
the road for Shan-tong, hasting away
to the relief of the young lady: [about
by the disappearing of her servant.]
[7]
Now it had happened that when
Shuey-yeong was almost got to the gate
of the city, he was overtaken by the
express dispatched by the Grand Visitor;
who told him he must go back with his
petition, for that the affair was hushed
up with his mistress and all was in
peace; then producing her order for his
return, he instantly obeyed it.
[Ignorant of all this] Tieh-chung-u
continued his journey, and as he hasted
along, pleased himself with the thought
the Grand Visitor: resolving to go directly
to his audience, to attack him
there before all the world, and bring
him to public shame for his injustice
and oppression. But then when he reflected
again upon the great office of
that Mandarine, and what a crime it
would be deemed to affront him publicly
although he had never so much
reason on his side, he became more considerate:
"Beside, said he, the noise that
it will make, will come to the ears of
Shuey-ping-sin: who will have a very
mean opinion of my management, and
despise me as a common headstrong
fellow: whereas she got the better of
Kwo-khé-tzu by her prudent conduct
without the least confusion or disturbance."
thought it would be better to go to the
house of the young lady herself, and
ask for the two orders which had been
issued out to compel her to the marriage;
"These, said he to himself, I
will carry to court to my father, and
get him to draw up a full and proper
petition; we shall then see what the
Grand Visitor will be able to say to it."
Having formed these resolves in his
breast, he put forward with all speed for
the capital of Shan-tong, where in a few
days he arrived.
The imperial Gazette, which is published
every day at Pe-king, and thence dispersed thro'
all the provinces, is a large pamphlet of seventy
or eighty pages, giving an account of all the
public transactions in this vast empire.
It is a collection of all the memorials, petitions,
&c. presented to the Emperor; of the answers
which he makes to them; of the instructions
he delivers out, &c. The following specimen
extracted from the Jesuites Letters, may
serve to shew their form and manner.
"In the Gazette for December 15. 1727,
which was the third day of the second moon,
first we find inserted the titles of such memorials,
as arrived at court the third of the eleventh moon,
with a short account of the subjects of them.
For instance, The memorial of the Viceroy of
Canton concerning the magazines of rice, which
require to be renewed.—The memorial of the general
of the Chinese troops in the province of Chekiang,
in which he accuses such a Mandarine of
having exacted money of his subaltern officers, &c.
In this manner notice is given of perhaps twenty
or thirty memorials.—Secondly are printed the
answers which are this day given by the Emperor
to many other memorials and petitions.
If there have been given none, then it is, This
day there have been no answers given on the part
of his majesty.—Thirdly are given the instructions
and orders issued out by the Emperor,
either of his own voluntary motion, or in answer
to articles which have been proposed to him. —
Fourthly are published the deliberations, which
the sovereign courts have presented to his majesty
to receive his confirmation.—In the last
place come many other memorials, which have
been dispatched to the Emperor by the great
Mandarines of the provinces; such are the Viceroys,
the Generals of the Tartarian or Chinese
troops, and other officers of the first rank. — In
this collection also are inserted all criminal causes
punishable with death; all public calamities,
with the means used for relief of the sufferers;
all public expences and disbursements; all new
laws and regulations: the remonstrances made
to the Emperor concerning his own conduct or
decisions: the day when the Emperor sacrifices,
ploughs, &c. the time fixed for the great Mandarines
to assemble to receive his instructions: in short
whatever relates to the public administration.
The Chinese Gazette is of great use, not only
as it affords directions for the Mandarines in
discharge of their offices, but also as it is a severe
check upon their conduct. For it not only
contains the names, places of abode, &c. of all
new Mandarines, and of those to whose places
they succeed; but also of all that are deprived
of their employments and the reasons for their
dismission; viz. this for being too severe or indulgent
in his punishments; that for embezzeling the
Emperor's tribute; another for oppression; a
fourth for want of talents to govern well. It even
records any praises or reprimands bestowed by
the Emperor. As for instance, Such a Mandarine
hath but an indifferent character; if he does not
mend, I will punish him.—In short whether a
Mandarine is accused or suspected, is promoted
or degraded, is amerced any part of his salary
or totally cashiered, it is immediately published
throughout the empire.
It is easy to imagine what excellent purposes
of government this must serve, and what influence
it must have on the Mandarines: and indeed all is
but barely necessary in an empire so extensive as
China, and among a people naturally so corrupt
as the Chinese.
N. B. It may be proper to mention that
nothing is printed in the Gazette, but what hath
been presented to the Emperor or comes from
him; those who have the care of it not daring
to add a tittle, not even their own reflections,
under pain of corporal punishment. In the year
1726, a writer belonging to the tribunal, and
another employed in the post office, were condemned
to die, for having inserted certain falsehoods
in the Gazette.
See P. Du Halde, 1. 259. Lettres edifiant. &c.
xviii. 434, &c. xix. 265, &c. xxii. 190,
&c. Where may be seen many curious extracts
from the Chinese Gazettes.
In the Translator's M.S. it is, "Tong-ching-su,
or the great Mandarine, who receives petitions."—See
also vol. 1. p. 36.—But from
the accurate Bayer we learn that this is a mistake:
the officer, who bears the title here given,
presides over the ceremonies of the court: it
being his business to give answer to the other
Mandarines on this subject.—The officer
probably meant in the text, is the Chung-shu,
or second chancellor, who (as we learn from
the same learned writer) is the immediate superintendant
of all petitions, and supplicatory epistles.
Vide Bayeri Musæm Sinicum, tom 2. p.
201, 203.
The Author did not inform us before, that
he had dismounted, this however was a compliment
to the young lady's message and petition.
| CHAP. II. Hau Kiou choaan | |