But the infamous kings of later times (Chieh, who ruined the first dynasty; Chou, who ruined the second dynasty of Shang; Huan, who destroyed the law of succession in Lu; and King Mu of Ch'u, who rebelled and slew his sovereign) all had ears, eyes, nose, and mouth-the seven apertures of the human face-but the hearts of beasts. Ordinary men cling to a single appearance in search of the highest wisdom and never reach it.

The Yellow G.o.d-king of the north fought the southern G.o.d-king of Fire in the wilderness of Fanch'uan. In the vanguard the Yellow G.o.d-king led bears, grizzlies, leopards, saber-toothed and common tigers. Buzzards, ospreys, falcons, and hawks served as flag and signal bearers. Thus the Yellow G.o.d-king had power to make birds and beasts fight for him.

The sage-king Yao put K'uei in charge of music. K'uei struck the chime-stones sharply and softly, and all the animals danced in order. When the ancient royal wind music of Shao was performed, the sacred phoenix presented itself with ceremonial grandeur. Thus the sound of music brought bird and beast under Yao's influence. How, then, does the mind of these creatures differ from man's? The difference is one of outer shape and speech only. But man has lost the art of communicating with them. Only the sage, with his wide knowledge and thorough comprehension, is able to lead them into his service.

The natural faculty of self-preservation is common to beasts and to man; beasts do not learn it from man. Male and female pair. Mother and child hug. Beasts avoid the open and keep to rough terrain. They shun cold and seek warmth. When they are settled, they herd; on the move, they form ranks with the weakest on the inside, the strongest on the outside. Whenever one of them finds water, he leads the others to it; whenever one of them finds food, he calls the herd. In the most ancient days the beasts lived and moved alongside man. Only in the reign of emperors and kings did they disperse in fear. And now in our own evil times, they lurk in dark places or scurry for safety lest man slay them.

Today in the eastern land of the Chieh tribe, the people have a special gift for understanding the speech of domesticated animals. But the sacred sages of ancient times knew all there was to know about the natures of things. They understood the cries and calls of different species, gathered them in a.s.sembly, and taught them as if they were people. Indeed, first the sages would bring together the spirits of the dead and other demons, next they would gather the peoples of the eight outlying directions, lastly they would a.s.semble the beasts and insects for their lessons. This shows that all species which have blood and breath do not differ much in their hearts and minds. The holy sages knew this well, and that is why they taught all and left none out.

-Lieh Tzu The Fish Rejoice Chuang Tzu and his close friend Hui Tzu were out enjoying each other's company on the sh.o.r.es of the Hao. Chuang Tzu said, "The flashing fish are out enjoying each other, too, swimming gracefully this way and that. Such is their joy!"

"You're no fish," said Hui Tzu. "How can you tell they are enjoying themselves?"

"You're no Chuang Tzu," said Chuang Tzu. "How can you tell I can't tell?"

"As surely as 'I'm no Chuang Tzu' proves I can't tell," said Hui Tzu, " 'You're no fish' proves you can't tell. It's perfectly logical."

"May we begin at the beginning?" returned Chuang Tzu. "By asking 'How can you tell the fish are enjoying themselves?' you acknowledged I could tell you! And what's more I can do it from up here!"

-Chuang Tzu Wagging My Tail in the Mud The hermit poet Chuang Tzu was angling in the River Pu. The king of Ch'u sent two n.o.blemen to invite Chuang to come before him. "We were hoping you would take on certain affairs of state," they said. Holding his pole steady and without looking at them, Chuang Tzu said, "I hear Ch'u has a sacred tortoise that has been dead three thousand years, and the king has it enshrined in a cushioned box in the ancestral hall. Do you think the tortoise would be happier wagging his tail in the mud than having his sh.e.l.l honored?" "Of course," replied the two n.o.blemen. "Then begone," said Chuang Tzu. "I mean to keep wagging mine in the mud."

-Chuang Tzu WOMEN AND WIVES.

Li Chi Slays the Serpent In f.u.kien, in the ancient state of Yueh, stands the Yung mountain range, whose peaks sometimes reach a height of many miles. To the northwest there is a cleft in the mountains once inhabited by a giant serpent seventy or eighty feet long and wider than the span of ten hands. It kept the local people in a state of constant terror and had already killed many commandants from the capital city and many magistrates and officers of nearby towns. Offerings of oxen and sheep did not appease the monster. By entering men's dreams and making its wishes known through mediums, it demanded young girls of twelve or thirteen to feast on.

Helpless, the commandant and the magistrates selected daughters of bondmaids or criminals and kept them until the appointed dates. One day in the eighth month of every year, they would deliver a girl to the mouth of the monster's cave, and the serpent would come out and swallow the victim. This continued for nine years until nine girls had been devoured.

In the tenth year the officials had again begun to look for a girl to hold in readiness for the appointed time. A man of Chianglo county, Li Tan, had raised six daughters and no sons. Chi, his youngest girl, responded to the search for a victim by volunteering. Her parents refused to allow it, but she said, "Dear parents, you have no one to depend on, for having brought forth six daughters and not a single son, it is as if you were childless. I could never compare with Ti Jung of the Han Dynasty, who offered herself as a bondmaid to the emperor in exchange for her father's life. I cannot take care of you in your old age; I only waste your good food and clothes. Since I'm no use to you alive, why shouldn't I give up my life a little sooner? What could be wrong in selling me to gain a bit of money for yourselves?" But the father and mother loved her too much to consent, so she went in secret.

The volunteer then asked the authorities for a sharp sword and a snake-hunting dog. When the appointed day of the eighth month arrived, she seated herself in the temple, clutching the sword and leading the dog. First she took several pecks of rice b.a.l.l.s moistened with malt sugar and placed them at the mouth of the serpent's cave.

The serpent appeared. Its head was as large as a rice barrel; its eyes were like mirrors two feet across. Smelling the fragrance of the rice b.a.l.l.s, it opened its mouth to eat them. Then Li Chi unleashed the snake-hunting dog, which bit hard into the serpent. Li Chi herself came up from behind and scored the serpent with several deep cuts. The wounds hurt so terribly that the monster leaped into the open and died.

Li Chi went into the serpent's cave and recovered the skulls of the nine victims. She sighed as she brought them out, saying, "For your timidity you were devoured. How pitiful!" Slowly she made her way homeward.

The king of Yueh learned of these events and made Li Chi his queen. He appointed her father magistrate of Chiang Lo county, and her mother and elder sisters were given riches. From that time forth, the district was free of monsters. Ballads celebrating Li Chi survive to this day.

-Kan Pao The Black General Kuo Yuan-chen, who later became the lord of Tai, failed the official examination during the K'ai Yuan era (A.D. 713-742). Afterwards, while traveling, he lost his way in the night. A good while later he saw the rays of a light far, far away, and a.s.suming that it was a dwelling, headed toward it.

He rode some three miles until he reached a tall and imposing structure. In the corridors and the main hall, lanterns and candles were blazing brightly as he entered. Delicacies and sacrificial meats were laid out as in the home of a family whose daughter was to wed. Yet it was silent and deserted.

Kuo tied his horse outside the west corridor and climbed the steps. In the hall he hesitated, not knowing where he was. Presently from the east chamber he heard the sound of a girl sobbing uncontrollably. "Is it human or ghost who cries in this house?" Kuo called. "And why is the hall so splendidly arrayed, with no one here but you alone in tears?"

"There is a temple in my village," she replied, "for the Black General, who can bring men good fortune or ill. Each year he demands a mate from the villagers, and from the local virgins they select a beauty to be his bride. Though I am ugly, my father stood to gain five hundred strings of cash from the villagers by secretly agreeing to my selection. This evening the young girls of the village, my friends and companions, made me drunk in this room, then locked me in and left, leaving me to wed the demon. My father and mother have abandoned me. Nothing remains for me but death. I am beside myself with grief and terror. Sir, are you a real man? Can you rescue me? For the rest of my life I would be your obedient servant."

"When do you expect this 'General'?" asked Kuo, indignant.

"At the second watch."

"I am a man-if I may say so-and will do all I can to save you. If I fail, I shall sacrifice my life instead. For I would never allow you to suffer death at the hands of this lewd demon!"

The girl's sobs subsided. Kuo seated himself in the west hallway and moved his horse to the north of the building. He also a.s.signed a servant to stand in front of him and wait like a master of ceremonies receiving guests.

Soon there was a blaze of torches and hubbub of horses and carriage. Two purple-robed servants entered the building and walked out again, saying, "The prime minister is in there!" Then two yellow-robed servants entered timidly and again went out, saying, "The prime minister is in there!" Kuo was inwardly gratified and thought to himself, "If I am destined to become prime minister, I know I will overcome this demon!"

Then the "General" himself slowly descended from his carriage, and the heralds again reported to him. "Enter!" said the General. With that he strode in, surrounded by armed attendants, and went to the foot of the steps leading to the east chamber. Kuo ordered his servant to step forward and announce, "Master Kuo presents himself." Then Kuo himself made a formal salutation.

"How does Master Kuo come to be here?" asked the General.

"I had heard of the General's wedding this evening and was hoping to be of a.s.sistance in the ceremony," answered Kuo.

Pleased, the one known as General invited Kuo to take a place at the table. They sat opposite one another, their speech and laughter cordial. Kuo had a sharp knife in his bag which he thought he would use to kill the Black General, so he asked, "Have you ever tasted preserved venison?"

"It would be hard to find in a place like this," said the General.

"I have a small supply of choice quality," said Kuo. "It comes from the imperial kitchen. May I slice some for you?"

The General was delighted. Kuo got up, took the venison and his small knife, and began slicing it. He set a plate before the General and asked him to help himself. Unsuspicious, the General reached for the meat. Quickly Kuo threw down the venison, seized the General's wrist, and cut off his hand.

With a shriek the Black General fled. His followers scattered in terror. Kuo took the severed hand and wrapped it in a piece of his own clothing. Then he sent the servant outside to reconnoiter; the grounds were deserted. He opened the door of the east chamber and said to the tearful young girl, "I have here the hand of the Black General. We will follow the trail of blood, and soon he will be done for. Now that you are safe, come out and help yourself to some food."

The tearful la.s.s came out. She was only seventeen or eighteen, and most attractive. Bowing to Kuo, she said, "I swore to become your servant." Kuo consoled and comforted her. As day was about to dawn, he unwrapped the hand and saw that it was a black pig's foot. Presently they heard sounds of cries and sobs gradually approaching. It was the girl's kinfolk and the village elders, bearing a coffin to take the girl's body for burial.

When they saw Kuo with the young maid still alive, they were amazed and questioned him. Then the elders grew angry because he had injured their local divinity. "The Black General is a G.o.d that guards this village," they said, "and we have served him for a long time. Each year we offer him one of our young maids as a mate, and we keep safe and sound by doing so. If the ritual should be delayed, we will suffer storm and hail. By what right does a stranger who has lost his way come to harm our ill.u.s.trious G.o.d and bring down on us his divine violence? What has our village ever done to you to deserve this? You ought to be killed and offered to the Black General, or bound and delivered to our magistrate!"

They were about to order their young men to seize Kuo when he began to admonish them. "You people are old in years but not in experience. I am one who is acquainted with the ways of the world. Listen to what I have to say. When a G.o.d receives the mandate of heaven to protect an area, is it not the same as a territorial lord receiving the mandate of the emperor to govern his domain?"

"Yes, it is," they agreed.

"Now then, suppose the territorial lord were angling for illicit pleasures in his realm; would not the emperor be angry? And if that lord were cruel to the people, would not the emperor punish him?

"Is he whom you call General a real divinity? Surely no divinity has a pig's foot! Has heaven ever given its mandate to a l.u.s.tful demonic beast? Indeed, is not such a beast a criminal in heaven as well as on earth?

"I had the right when I punished the fiend. How could this be wrong? There is no righteous man among you, if you could send your tender girls to a violent death at the hands of a demon year after year! Can you be sure heaven has not sent me to redress these crimes?

"Accept what I say, and I will rid you of the demon so that you will never again have to deliver a bride to it. What do you say?"

The villagers realized that this was the truth and were only too happy to accept Kuo's leadership. Kuo ordered several hundred men to take bows and arrows, swords and spears, spades and hoes, and to follow him in a group. They pursued the trail of blood left by the Black General, and after about seven miles it led to the burial chamber of a large tomb. They formed a circle and hacked at it. The opening began to widen. When it was as wide as the mouth of a large jar, Kuo ordered bundles of firewood to be kindled and thrown inside so they could see. The interior was like a large chamber. They saw a giant swine missing its left forefoot lying in a pool of blood. Dashing out of the smoke, it was killed by the encircling men.

The villagers rejoiced with one another. They collected a farewell gift to thank Kuo, but he refused it, saying, "In fighting evil for the people, I seek no gain." The maiden who had been rescued bid goodbye to her parents and kinsmen, saying, "I was fortunate to be born a human being and your own flesh and blood. I had never even been out of my chambers and surely committed no offense deserving death. Yet for the gain of five hundred strings of copper, I was to be married off to a demon. You were hard-hearted enough to lock me up and leave me behind. Is that what human beings ought to do? If it were not for Master Kuo's courage and humanity, I wouldn't be here today. He gave me life; my parents gave me death. It is my wish to go with Master Kuo and never give another thought to my old home." Tearfully bowing, she followed Kuo and would not be dissuaded, so he took her as his concubine and she bore him several sons.

Kuo's official career was one of uninterrupted high position, as the Black General's demon-servants had foreseen. Though he was born in a remote part of the country and failed in the official examinations, the spirits could not harm a wise and righteous man.

-Niu Seng-ju The Master and the Serving Maid To decide right and wrong, we have only tradition and law to go by. And yet there are cases where people single-mindedly follow their convictions without the approval of tradition or sanction of law.

In my own clan there was a serving maid named Liu Ch'ing. When she was seven her master ordered that she be given in marriage to a young servant named Yi Shou. When she was sixteen a day was set for the wedding. But suddenly Yi Shou ran away because of some gambling debts, and for a long time there was no news of him. The master was ready to match Liu Ch'ing with another servant, but she swore to die before she would agree.

Liu Ch'ing was rather appealing, and the master himself tried to interest her in becoming his concubine. Again she swore to die before she would agree. The master sent an older woman to talk her into it. The woman told her, "Even if you're not going to give up on Yi Shou, you might as well accept the master for now. Meanwhile we'll do all we can to find Yi Shou and marry you to him. If you refuse, you'll be sold away to some remote area and lose all chance of seeing Yi Shou again."

For a few days Liu Ch'ing cried silently. Then with head bowed low, she offered her pillow to the master. But she kept insisting that the search for Yi Shou go on. Three or four years later, Yi Shou returned to accept his fate and settle his debts. True to his word, the master ordered the nuptials.

After the wedding the serving maid resumed her duties, but she never exchanged another word with the master. She promptly avoided his slightest approach. He had her whipped and gave Yi Shou money to coerce her, but she firmly refused any relations with the master. In the end the master had no choice but to send them away with his blessing.

As Liu Ch'ing was getting ready to leave, she placed a small box before the master's mother. Then she departed, touching her head to the floor in respectful submission. When the box was opened, they found all the personal gifts the master had made her over the years. Not a thing was missing.

Later Yi Shou became a peddler, while Liu Ch'ing took in sewing to survive. But she had no regrets to her dying day.

When I was living at home, Yi Shou was still trading in bra.s.s and ceramic utensils. His hair had gone white. I asked him about his wife. "Dead," he replied.

Strange! this serving maid neither chaste nor unchaste, both chaste and unchaste! I see no way to unriddle it, so I made this record for more learned gentlemen to judge.

-Chi Yun A Cure for Jealousy The young scholar Hsien-yuan of Changchou was childless at thirty. His wife, a woman of the Chang clan, was abnormally jealous, and Hsien-yuan was too afraid of her to take a second wife who might bear him the sons he wanted. Chancellor Ma of the Grand Secretariat, the presiding official at Hsien-yuan's degree examination, felt sorry for the young man and presented him with a concubine. First Wife Chang was furious at this intrusion into her family affairs and swore to repay Chancellor Ma in kind.

It happened around then that Chancellor Ma lost his own wife. So Lady Chang found a country woman widely known for her bad temper and bribed a go-between to persuade Ma to make the shrew his new first wife. The Chancellor saw through Chang's scheme but proceeded with the betrothal. On the wedding day the trousseau included a five-colored club for the purpose of beating husbands. It was an heirloom that had been in the country woman's family for three generations.

When the wedding ceremony ended, Ma's host of concubines offered their respects. The new first wife asked who all these women were, and they told her that they were concubines. The bride lashed out, "What social law sanctions concubines in the household of a dignified chancellor?" She took the club to attack the women, but Chancellor Ma ordered them to seize it and beat the wife instead. She fled to her room cursing and crying, while the concubines created such a din with gongs and drums that her sobs could not be heard.

The new wife then declared that she would do away with herself. Promptly offering her a knife and a rope, the attendants said, "The master has been expecting you to try something like this. So he has given us these dreadful things to present to you." At that the concubines beat upon wooden drums and chanted the mantra so that her soul would ascend quickly to paradise. They made such a racket that the first wife's ravings about taking her own life were not heard.

Chancellor Ma's new first wife was basically a woman of dignity. Realizing that she had exhausted her bluffs and threats, she conquered her anger and called for the Chancellor. Putting on a proper expression when he entered her room, she said, "My lord, you are truly a man! The tricks I have been using were handed down from my great-grandmother-effective, perhaps, for intimidating the spineless men of this world, but not the way to treat you, my lord. I want to serve you from now on. And I hope that you for your part will treat me according to propriety."

"If it can be so," replied the Chancellor, "so be it." And they saluted one another again as bride and groom. Chancellor Ma ordered the concubines to apologize by knocking their heads to the floor. Then he put his first wife in charge of all money and gems and of the account books for their fields and dwellings. And in a month's time the Ma household was orderly and harmonious. There was no criticism from inside or out.

Now Chang, the first wife of Hsien-yuan, having sent one of her followers to Chancellor Ma's wedding, learned all about the confrontation between the first wife and the concubines. "Why didn't she beat them with her club?" asked Chang.

"She was overpowered."

"Why didn't she curse and cry?"

"The noise of their drums and the clamor of their voices drowned her out."

"Why didn't she threaten suicide?"

"They had knife and rope all ready, and they sang the mantra for rebirth to bid her farewell."

"What did the new first wife do then?"

"She submitted to good form and gave in."

Enraged, Lady Chang exclaimed, "For the world to have such a good-for-nothing woman! She has spoiled everything."

Now when Chancellor Ma had first presented the concubine to Hsien-yuan, Hsien-yuan's cla.s.smates prepared lamb and wines and went to congratulate him. As soon as everyone at the party was feeling mellow, Lady Chang began abusing the guests from behind a screen. Everyone bore her insults impa.s.sively, except for one cla.s.smate who was a habitual drunkard. He stepped forward, seized Lady Chang by the hair, and slapped her. "If you show respect to my elder brother Hsien-yuan, you are my sister-in-law," he said; "otherwise you are my enemy. Your husband was childless, and that is why his examiner and patron, Chancellor Ma, presented him with a concubine. He was thinking of the future of your ancestral line. One word more, and you die under my fist!" The other guests rushed forward and pulled the man off her so that she could escape. But she was humiliated, for her skirts were torn and some clothing was damaged, nearly exposing parts of her body.

Lady Chang had been nicknamed the Female Demon. With her ferocious pride badly hurt by the turn of events, her hatred of Chancellor Ma increased. She expressed it by doing everything she could to make life miserable for the concubine he had presented. But the concubine, who still received secret instructions from the Chancellor, remained compliant and agreeable. Though she was now a part of the household, she never exchanged a word with Hsien-yuan. For this reason Lady Chang stopped short of having her put to death.

In a short while Chancellor Ma personally presented one hundred pieces of silver to Hsien-yuan. "Next spring," he told his protege, "there will be a triennial examination for the highest degree. Take this for your expenses and go to the capital now, so that you can spend the next few months in study."

Hsien-yuan accepted the gift and went home to tell Lady Chang that he was leaving. Since she had been worried that he would become intimate with the concubine, the first wife was only too glad to bid him goodbye.

As Hsien-yuan was boarding the boat to the capital, however, one of Chancellor Ma's servants intercepted him and took him to Ma's own home. There in the seclusion of the back gardens, the young man pursued his studies in peace.

At the same time, Chancellor Ma sent a go-between to persuade Lady Chang that she should take advantage of Hsien-yuan's absence and sell the concubine. "That's what I'd like to do," said Lady Chang, "but it must be to a buyer in a remote place, so there will be no problems later on." "No problem at all," said the go-between.

Presently a cloth seller from Shensi province came to see Lady Chang. He was ugly and bearded but carried three hundred pieces of silver. Chang summoned the young concubine, who pleased the traveling salesman no end. The bargain was struck, but Lady Chang was not satisfied until she had stripped the gown and shoes from the concubine. Now poorly clothed, without even a hairpin in the way of finery, the concubine was put into a bamboo sedan chair and taken off. As the porters carried her over the north bridge, she cried out, "I won't go so far away," and she jumped into the water. (However, a small boat darted out, picked up the concubine, and ferried her to Ma's rear garden, where she joined Hsien-yuan.) When Lady Chang heard that the girl had drowned, she fell into a state of fright and confusion. Then the salesman from Shensi burst in on her and raged: "I bought a live woman, not a dead one. You sold her without making the situation clear to her. How dare you force a good woman to do something mean? You have taken advantage of a simple traveler. Give me back my money." Having no defense, Lady Chang returned his three hundred pieces of silver.

The following day a man and a woman, white-headed and tattered, appeared at Lady Chang's house. "Chancellor Ma took our daughter and presented her to your household as a concubine," they wailed. "Where is she now? If she lives, return her. If she is dead, return the body." Lady Chang had no answer. The two old parents knocked their heads against Lady Chang, ready to give up their own lives. They threw plates and smashed bowls until not an article in the household was left unbroken. They would not leave until Chang gave them money and her neighbors interceded and begged them to go.

Another day, four or five fierce constables from the county magistrate came carrying the official crimson arrest warrant. "This is a case involving human life," they said. "We must conduct the culprit Chang to appear before the magistrate." They threw their iron chains on the table with a resounding clang. Lady Chang asked the reason, but they would say nothing. When she offered them money, however, they told her that a certain concubine's parents had reported the suspicious death of their daughter.

Lady Chang was now terrified, and she wished that her husband were at home to deal with these things so that she, a lone woman, would not be shamed and made to stand up in court. She keenly regretted her bad treatment of her husband, her violence toward the concubine, the mistakes she had made, and the helplessness of being a woman. She was torn between resentment and remorse when someone dashed up wearing the white mourning cap. "Master Hsien-yuan has died suddenly at the Lu Kou Bridge," he shouted. "I am the muleteer; I came straightaway to tell you."

Lady Chang was too shaken to speak. "We had better go," said the constables to each other, "since there has been a death in the family." Lady Chang went to prepare her costume for the funeral. A few days later the constables came again, and Chang engaged a lawyer to a.s.sist her. She p.a.w.ned her trousseau and sold the house to bribe the court clerk to delay her case. This gave her a respite, but now she was bankrupt and could not even buy food.

Again the go-between arrived and said, "Madame is in such straits-and without a son to raise in widowhood!"

Lady Chang was so distressed that she went to a blind fortune teller. The woman cast Chang's horoscope and said, "It is your fate to wive two men. Wearing gold and pearl, you will marry again."

After hearing this, Lady Chang summoned the go-between and told her, "I would be willing to remarry; destiny cannot be avoided. But since I am arranging my own marriage, I must see the groom first." The go-between brought a handsome, splendidly dressed young man for her inspection. "That is Master So-and-So," she said.

The delighted Lady Chang put off her widow's weeds and married the youth before the end of the forty-nine-day mourning period. As the couple were performing the wedding ritual of sharing the cup, an ugly woman wielding a large club rushed out of the house. "I am the formal wife and mistress here!" she screeched. "How dare you come into my home as a concubine! I won't allow it!" She beat Lady Chang severely, and Lady Chang regretted having been deceived by the go-between even as she realized that this was exactly how she had treated Hsien-yuan's concubine. "Is that the will of heaven?" she wondered. Her tears fell silently.

Guests and friends finally persuaded the first wife to stop. "Let the young master consummate the wedding," they said, "and save the complaints for tomorrow."

Several youths holding wedding candles escorted Lady Chang to the bedroom. No sooner was the screen raised than lo! Hsien-yuan himself was sitting grandly upon the bed. Certain that he was reappearing as a ghost, Lady Chang fell to the ground in a faint. When she returned to consciousness, she pleaded through her tears, "Do not think I have betrayed you, my lord; truly I had no choice."

With a laugh Hsien-yuan waved his hand. "Have no fear. Have no fear," he said. "Your two marriages are still one marriage." Then he put her on the bed and told her how she had been taken in by Chancellor Ma's scheme. At first she could not believe it, but soon everything became clear to her. She felt remorse and shame, and from then on she reformed her conduct. In fact, both Lady Chang and the country woman whom Chancellor Ma had married turned to the paths of virtue and became worthy wives forever after.

-Yuan Mei The Fortune Teller District Superintendent Chao told this story about a Superintendent Li in the capital. Li was a third-rank official of great wealth and status, but he was well into his fifties and had no son. He had heard that east of the emperor's council headquarters there was a magician who was running a fortune-telling room and making amazing and accurate predictions. Superintendent Li decided to see if the man could tell him whether he would have a son.

"I am interested neither in money nor in long life. I only want to know if I am to have a son."

The fortune teller smiled and replied, "You already have one. Are you trying to put something over on me?"

"The truth is, I have none," said Li. "How could I be putting something over on you?"

The fortune teller became angry and said, "You must have had a son when you were forty years old. Now you are fifty-six. What are you doing, if not putting something over?"

Many of the army men sitting around were amazed to see the two of them arguing. Then Superintendent Li thought long and quietly to himself before saying to the fortune teller, "When I was forty, one of my serving maids became pregnant. At the time I had to go north to the Mongol capital on official business. When I came home, my wife had already sold the maid. No one knows where she went, but if she had a son, he must be mine."

"He will be returned to you," said the fortune teller. Li bid the man goodbye and left.

A legion commander who had witnessed all this took Superintendent Li to a tea shop and told him, "Fifteen years ago, I too had no son. I went to the capital to arrange for a concubine, and it happened that the woman was already pregnant. When I returned home with her, my wife was with child. Each gave birth to a son hardly a month apart. Now the boys are sixteen. Could one of them be yours?"

The descriptions the two men gave of the concubine agreed. Li went home to speak to his wife who, though she had once been cruel and jealous, was softened now from regret that they had no heir. The next day they invited the commander to their home and laid a sumptuous feast for him. They set a time to meet again and parted.

The commander went on ahead to his home in Nanyang. Li reported the situation to his superior, an important official attending the emperor, and asked permission to travel to the commander's home. "This is a wonderful thing!" said Li's superior. "I shall pet.i.tion the emperor for you." Li and his wife received the emperor's permission to make the journey in the imperial stagecoach, with all expenses paid.

When Superintendent Li arrived in Nanyang, he found a crowd of officials to welcome him at the roadside. They all went to the home of the commander, where a great banquet awaited them. Li presented a variety of precious things to the commander and to that officer's wife, concubines, and servants. Then the commander ordered his two sons to come forward.