Poo Yu meets the Prince of the Northern Quietness on the road

Poo Yu meets the Prince of the Northern Quietness on the road. Chin

Chung enjoys himself in the nunnery.

IKE PRINCIPAL DAY OF THE WEEKS‐LONG OBSEQUIES, NAMELY, THE

day of the funeral procession, had come. After the company had spent

the whole night long feasting in the brilliantly illuminated halls and be‐ 

ing entertained by the performances of two troupes of players and one

troupe of acrobats, the gigantic funeral procession set out early in the

morning for the Temple of the Iron Railings, where the ancestral vaults

of the two princely families were. The cortege, which followed the coffin

with its sixty‐four bearers, all dressed in dark green, stretched for well

over four miles. The adopted daughter, Pao Chu, who tottered along

beside the coffin in an attitude of complete dejection, sobbing inces‐ 

santly, led the procession. The male relatives, friends, and funeral

guests among them princes, counts, and high officials followed on

foot; then came the female members of the families and female funeral

guests in more than a hundred carriages and sedan chairs, and finally

the numerous servants and the bearers of the customary banners, sym‐ 

bols, and funeral gifts.

At regular intervals along the route the procession passed brightly

colored sacrificial tents, erected by prominent individual mourners for

the purpose of presenting a wayside offering of sorrowful music to the

dead lady as she passed. Th,e owners of the first four of these tents were

the Princes of Tung Ping, Nan An, Hsi Ning, and Peh Ching. As their

respective titles, "Prince of the Eastern Covenant," "Prince of the South‐ 

ern Peace," "Prince of the Western Tranquillity," and "Prince of the

Northern Quietness," betrayed, their bearers were descendants of meri‐ 

torious men of Imperial blood, who had helped the founder of the

dynasty in his conquest of the Empire. Of these four, again, the bearers

of the title Peh Ching Wang, Prince of the Northern Quietness, were

the most famous and the most respected, because their ancestor had

taken an exceedingly prominent part in the foundation of the ruling

dynasty. The present holder of the title, Prince Chi Yung, an excep‐ 

tionally handsome young man not yet twenty, was, moreover, loved and

respected by all for his charming modesty and friendliness. In consid‐ 

eration of the warm, brotherly friendship' which had existed between

his ancestor and the first Prince of Ningkuo, he would not be denied

the privilege of appearing today personally in his sacrificial tent, in or‐ 

der to render the last honors to the dead lady when her coffin passed by.

Immediately after the audience which had brought him to the Im‐ 

perial Palace at five o'clock this morning like every other morning, he

changed his Court dress for a white mourning garment, and had him‐ 

self taken to his mourning tent in his State litter, preceded by men

beating gongs, and followed by his ceremonial umbrella and a great

retinue. There he had waited patiently, sitting in his litter, until the

funeral cortege came by from the Ningkuo palace. Around him, also

waiting in silence, crowded his troop of servants, and a respectful si‐ 

lence likewise reigned among the masses who stood ranged on either

side of the processional route in the neighborhood of the princely tent.

At long last, winding its way from the north, and looking all white like

a silver stream, came the endless funeral procession.

Runners and ushers, who had hastened out far ahead of the actual

procession to clear the route, had meantime sent back word that His

Excellency the Prince of the Northern Quietness was present in person

in his funeral tent. Prince Chen halted the procession and, accompanied

by Prince Shieh and Chia Cheng, went aside to greet the distinguished

guest in his sacrificial tent. All three fell on their knees before the

Prince and paid homage to him with a ceremonial state kowtow, as

befitted his rank. Smiling courteously and quite naturally, without

any affectation, as if he were among good old friends, the Prince, sit‐ 

ting in his litter, returned the salutation with a slight bow.

Prince Chen expressed thanks for the unmerited honor which the

Prince had shown him by appearing in person. The Prince, in reply,

referred to the old hereditary terms of friendship which existed between

the two houses, in view of which his coming was only to be expected.

Then he made a sign to his master of ceremonies to offer the sacrifice

in honor of the dead. When the ceremony was at an end he turned

courteously to Pao Y,u's father and asked: "Where is the young gentle‐ 

man who came into the world with a je\vel in his mouth? It has long

be i my wish to enjoy the pleasure of his acquaintance. Will you please

ask him to come over here?"

Chia Cheng hurried back to the funeral procession, to return imme‐ 

diately afterwards with Pao Yu. Pao Yu too had long cherished the

wish to meet that Prince of whom people always said with such en‐ 

thusiasm that he united outward beauty with nobility of soul and the

first and highest degree of unaffected and kindly tact. But the complete

lack of freedom of movement which his strict father imposed upon him

had made this impossible hitherto. Therefore he was all the happier

when his ardent wish so unexpectedly found fulfillment today by the

wayside. As he entered the tent, full of eager expectation, he looked up

at the Prince who sat enthroned before him on his litter, august and

full of dignity. He was wearing on his head the silver‐winged cap with

white tassels worn by princes. His white, knife‐pleated mourning gar‐ 

ment was embroidered in a design of five‐clawed dragons, and he wore

a red leather belt studded with emeralds. His face was like a jewel, his

eyes were lustrous stars, beauty radiated from his whole form. Pao Yu

eyed him with secret admiration, and it was with no less satisfaction

that the Prince's eyes rested upon his visitor. Pao Yu was wearing a

silver cap, and round his forehead was the usual gold band in the form

of two dragons snapping at a pearl. His white mourning garment, which

was embroidered with a snake design, was fastened by a silver belt set

with pearls. His face glowed with the freshness of a spring flower, his

eyes shone like lacquer.

When he had paid his homage to the Prince, the latter opened his

arms wide and drew the boy to him.

"Truly, it is not in vain that you bear your name," he said, smiling.

"You really look like a 'Precious Stone.' But where, actually, is the

stone with which you came into the world?"

Pao Yu promptly took out the stone, which he wore on a five‐colored

cord hidden under his coat, and handed it to the Prince. The Prince

examined the amulet and its inscription carefully.

"Has the stone already shown its magic power?" he asked.

"Up to the present it has had no chance of doing so," replied Chia

Cheng for his son.

While the Prince went on speaking in terms of the utmost astonish‐ 

ment about the strange birth phenomenon, he fastened the cord with

the amulet back on Pao Yu's neck with his own hands. Then he drew

him into a more intimate conversation about his age and his studies and

other personal things. Enchanted by Pao Yu's clear, distinct speech and

the pleasing tone of his voice, the Prince remarked to Mr. Cheng:

"Your little lord seems to be a real young phoenix. Far be it from the

unworthy Prince to utter flatteries to his honored old friend, but who

knows, perhaps the fame of this young phoenix may one day outshine

that of the old one."

"Oh, my loathsome young cur is falsely misleading you into such

golden eulogies," replied Mr. Cheng with a smile. "But if, thanks to

your inexhaustible princely favor, your prophecy should be fulfilled, it

would be a source of the greatest joy to me and to my house."

"I would only point out one thing to you," continued the Prince

thoughtfully. "Because of his many perfections, your little lord is

doubtless surrounded with very special love and tenderness at home by

his revered grandmother and the whole family. But such love can easily

lead to pampering, and in this lies the danger for young people like our‐ 

selves that an otherwise good education might be utterly nullified. I

know this from my own experience, and I think that the same may be

the case with your little lord. If, as I believe, your little lord is hindered

at home in the full development of his abilities, there is nothing to prevent him from visiting me frequently in my cold home. True, I myself

am worthless and without merit, but I enjoy the advantage of being

acquainted with many of the most distinguished men of the Empire,

and when one of them comes to the capital, he seldom fails to grant me

the honor of a favorable glance from his blue‐black eyes. Thus it hap‐ 

pens that many high and noble spirits meet in my cold dwelling, and

your small princeling would find in my house many opportunities for

advantageous and beneficial exchange of thought."

Chia Cheng accepted the gracious invitation without hesitation and

with many polite bows and thanks. The Prince now unfastened a prayer

chaplet from his wrist and handed it to Pao Yu.

"Because of the unexpectedness of this, our first meeting, I have no

worthy gift at hand with which to honor ycu," he added. "But for the

present please accept these prayer beads of carved yunnan root as a

small sign of my regard. They were a gift from the Son of Heaven."

Pao Yu passed the chaplet on to his father, and both expressed their

thanks. Chia Cheng and Prince Shieh then besought the Prince not to

allow himself to be detained any longer by the funeral procession,

but the Prince gently insisted upon remaining until the corpse had

passed.

"The departed lady has joined the blessed," he said. "She is now a

higher being than we ordinary mortals who are still toiling in the red

dust of this earthly world. Although by the favor of the Son of Heaven

I have been permitted, unworthy though I am, to inherit the rank of

Prince, it would be an impertinence on my part if I were to take preced‐ 

ence over a blessed spirit."

And so Prince Shieh and Mr. Cheng and Pao Yu could not do other‐ 

wise than take leave of the Prince and let the procession proceed once

more. But they ordered that the funeral music should cease as a mark

of respect for as long as the Prince remained in his tent. Thet Prince

waited for the whole procession to pass by; only then did he continue

on his way.

After the procession had passed through the city gates into the open

countryside, Prince Chen decided that the time had come to invite the

male mourners, who up till now had been following the coffin on foot, to

continue the remaining stretch of the route, to the Temple of the Iron

Railings, in a more comfor*able manner. Accordingly, the older gentle‐ 

men took their places in their carriages and litters while the younger

ones mounted their norses. Pao Yu wanted to mount his horse too, but

Madame Phoenix, fearing that he would take advantage of the greater

freedom 'of movement and lack of supervision, once outside the town, to

indulge in all sorts of wild pranks, asked him to get into her carriage.

"Come, dear cousin, get in," she invited him with a smile. "I know

you always like feminine society. Therefore you will surely feel much

more comfortable in my carriage and by my side than in the company

of those apes on horseback."

Pao Yu dismounted obediently from his horse and slipped into her

carriage, and the two continued their way chatting merrily.

After a while two servants on horseback came galloping up and an‐ 

nounced to Madame Phoenix that the procession was just approaching

a resting point. Would not the Nai nai wish to rest for a time and

change her garments? Madame Phoenix agreed to this and ordered her

carriage to follow the two guides, who turned aside from the highway

into the open countryside. At Pao Yu's wish, his friend Chin Chung

joined the party on horseback.

After going a short stretch they arrived in front of a farmhouse. It

was a modest little dwelling of a few rooms in which the numerous

family lived crowded together. When the simple folk saw the magnifi‐ 

cent carriage with its elegantly attired occupants and its formidable

train of servants, of course they stood and gaped in astonishment as if

it were a heavenly apparition.

Madame Phoenix got out and disappeared into the straw‐thatched

cottage. She had previously told Pao Yu that he could look around the

farm for a bit with his friend and follow her in a little later. Pao Yu

understood the hint and set out with Chin Chung on a tour of inspec‐ 

tion of the farm.

He had never seen the various farming implements before. He did

not even know their names, and had to ask the servants who were ac‐ 

companying him to explain their use and purpose. When told, he could

not get over his astonishment at the number of new things he was learn‐ 

ing there.

"Only now do I understand the meaning of the old proverb about the

rice in the dish, of which every grain is the result of endless trouble

and exertion," he remarked thoughtfully.

In the course of his tour he came to a room in which he saw, lying

on the kang, a strange implement which seemed to him even more curi‐ 

ous than the others. That, he was told, was a spinning wheel with which

was made the yarn that was later woven into cloth. Full of high spirits,

Pao Yu jumped up on the kang and began turning the spinning wheel.

A peasant girl about seventeen years of age came up and stopped him.

"That is not for playing with!" she said. "You will put it out of

order!"

Pao Yu promptly desisted. "This is the first time that I have seen a

spinning wheel," he excused himself, with some embarrassment, "and I

wanted to try it, just for fun."

"You c on't understand how to work it, but if you would like I shall

show you," said the girl, amiably.

"This is getting really interesting," whispered Chin Chung into Pao

Yu's ear, at the same time plucking his sleeve.

"Stop chattering or we shall come to blows," retorted Pao Yu jocu‐ 

larly, giving the other a cuff. He too was all eyes for the pretty girl, who

had meantime set the spinning wheel in motion and was reeling off the

finished yarn with skillful fingers. Pao Yu thought he had not seen such

a charming sight for many a day, and he could not tear his eyes away

from the graceful spinster.

But alas, their pleasure was prematurely interrupted by an old

woman, who called over from the other side of the farmyard. In a trice

the pretty girl had jumped down from the spinning wheel and run out

of the room. Pao Yu gazed after her disappointed, then went back to

the farmhouse with the servant whom Phoenix had sent to find him, to

share the frugal breakfast which the friendly peasants had prepared for

their guests. In return for the meal Phoenix had little packages of

broken silver distributed among them by the servant Wang, after which

the party went back to the carriage and set off to rejoin the funeral

procession.

At their departure their carriage was surrounded by the farm folk,

big and small, but Pao Yu looked in vain among the crowd for the

pretty girl of the spinning wheel. Yet when the carriage had gone a

short way he was to see her again. Surrounded by some village children,

she came towards them from the opposite direction chattering and

laughing, and carrying in her arms a small boy, apparently a little

brother. Pao Yu gazed at her with tenderness. Unfortunately, the car‐ 

riage had already gained a lively pace and. like a cloud chased by the

wind, went all too quickly past the group. When Pao Yu looked back

once more the girl was already lost to view.

Towards noon the procession reached the goal of its journey, the

Temple of the Iron Railings. The bonzes, who had taken up their posi‐ 

tions in front of the temple in two rows on either side of the road, wel‐ 

comed the procession with drums, cymbals, banners, and pennants. In

the temple yet another Buddhist requiem for the dead was held, sacri‐ 

fice was offered and incense was burned, after which the coffin was

placed in the side chamber of an inner hall. The deceased's adopted

daughter, Pao Chu, also withdrew into this same chamber together

with her bed equipment, there to spend the next three nights until the

burial.

In the course of the afternoon most of the funeral guests took their

leave and went back to the town. Only a few of the nearer relatives re‐ 

mained, and took up their quarters in the temple for the three days un‐

til the burial. Princess Shieh and Madame Cheng also returned home

that day. They intended to take Pao Yu with them, but Pao Yu was so

pleased with the unaccustomed change of this stay in the country that

he contrived to be allowed to remain there in the company of Phoenix

until the end of the solemnities.

The Temple of the Iron Railings had been erected long ago by the

two ancestors of the Ningkuo and Yungkuo dynasties, and destined as a

hereditary burial place for all those members of both families who

should die in the capital. It was maintained from the proceeds of an

estate which had been bequeathed to the temple in addition to the

temple lands proper. Thanks to the rich revenues yielded by this con‐ 

vent farmland, the temple was maintained in the best possible style, and

on occasions such as the present one neither ample board nor suitable

accommodation was lacking for the funeral guests.

Phoenix preferred, however, to spend the three nights until the burial

in a nunnery situated not far from the Temple of the Iron Railings. Ac‐ 

cordingly, after the temple bonzes had carried out their priestly duties

and the majority of the funeral guests had bidden farewell, she repaired

together with Pao YU and Chin Chung to the Convent of the Watery

Moon, as it was called. This nunnery was also known as the "Bread

Convent" among the country folk around, because it had a bakery

which produced excellent bread. The Abbess, with two younger nuns,

received the guests at the convent gate and accompanied them to their

guest cells. Then, while Phoenix and the Abbess sat down for a good

long chat over a bowl of tea, Pao Yu and Chin Chung passed the time

strolling through the courtyards and halls and examining the interior

of the convent. "There goes Chi Neng," remarked Pao Yu suddenly,

nudging his companion. Chi Neng was one of the two young nuns who

had received them shortly before.

"Yes, but what about her?" answered Chin Chung with affected in‐ 

difference.

"Do not be such a humbugl" said Pao Yu, laughing. "Who was it

who embraced her so tenderly in Grandmother's room one time when

no one was looking, eh?"

"It would never occur to me to do such a thing!" retorted Chin

Chung, embarrassed.

"Well, I will not interfere. But will you please speak to her and ask

her to bring us some tea?"

Chin Chung did as he was bidden. "Little Neng," he called out,

"please be so good as to bring us some tea." From her childhood little

Chi Neng had been frequently in and out of the Yungkuo palace on

messages from the convent. Everyone in the palace knew her, and Pao

Yu and Chin Chung had already exchanged many a glance and many a

joke with her. Now she had grown into a mature young woman and had

gradually awakened to an awareness of the Play of Wind and Moon.

The handsome, lively Chin Chung had won her heart, and he on his

part had become very fond of the charming creature. True, they had

not yet had an opportunity of indulging in intimacy, but in their secret

hearts they had long been united.

So Chi Neng ran into the kitchen, and after a while, with a pot of tea

in one hand and a plate of cakes in the other, came along to the guest

cell occupied by the two young boys. The two held out their tea bowls

to her at the same time.

"Me first, please!" begged Chin Chung.

"No, me first!" pleaded Pao Yu.

"What contention for a bowl of tea!" she said, her lips curling in a

pert smile. "You are really behaving as if it were honey to be licked off

my hand." In the end Pao Yu succeeded in having his bowl filled first.

While seeming to sip the drink, he tried to engage Chi Neng in conver‐ 

sation, but unfortunately another nun came along and called her away.

Strangely enough, as soon as she was gone the two boys suddenly found

they had no more appetite for tea and cakes, and leaving both almost

untouched, they went out again in search of new discoveries.

When Phoenix retired in the evening to her "Cell of Immaculate

Chastity," the Abbess who accompanied her, seeing that only a few

trusted chambermaids were near, broached the subject of a personal

request.

"I have something on my mind," she said, "which I should like to

discuss one of these days with your aunt, the Tai tai Cheng, but I should

like to have your good advice first," she began.

"Please speak out and tell me what it is," replied Phoenix.

"Holy Amida Buddha ! I have to begin rather far back," groaned the

Abbess. Then she went on:

"You will recall that before I took over the rule of this convent, I

was Abbess of the Convent of Good Works in the Chang an district. A

rich patron of that convent, one Mr. Chang, used to stay in the convent

every year with his family in order to offer sacrifices and burn incense

with pious devotion. He has got a daughter named King Kuo. During

one of these visits it happened that a young Mr. Li, a brother‐in‐law of

the Prefect of Chang an, was staying with us too, and he saw the young

lady King Kuo. He fell in love with her at first sight and insisted that

he wanted to marry her, but when he sent his intermediaries to Mr.

Chang's house he heard to his grief that King Kuo was already formally

engaged to the son of the City Commandant of Chang an. Therefore

Mr. Chang could not do otherwise than refuse the suit of young Mr. Li.

"But young Li would not take no for an answer, and insisted upon

pursuing his suit. Mr. Chang, who did not at all like getting into bad

terms with the family of the mighty prefect, was extremely embarrassed

and felt inclined to give way to, his wishes. Unfortunately, the City

Commandant, hearing of young Li's designs, came rushing along an‐ 

grily to Mr. Chang and made a terrible scene. It was a nice state of

affairs if a young lady could contract several engagements at the same

time, he stormed. He had no intention whatsoever of renouncing the

first engagement and giving up the girl, and he would go to law. He

did in fact bring an action against Mr. Chang for the fulfillment of the

promise of marriage. Mr. Chang, who definitely wished to get out of the

first engagement, turned in his dilemma to me with the request that I

should find some influential advocate for him in the capital, he did not

mind at what cost. Now, as I was Abbess there at the time, I feel that I

am primarily responsible for the fact that young Li and Miss King Kuo

met in the convent, and I also feel indebted to Mr. Chang for old times'

sake. Therefore, I was unable to refuse his request and I promised him

that I would do my best for him.

"For this purpose my intention was to avail of the kind support of

your aunt. As far as I know, Marshal Yun Kwang of Chang an is a good

friend of your family, and if your aunt would move her husband to

write requesting the Marshal to intervene, I have no doubt but that the

City Commandant would give way to pressure from his commanding

officer, the Marshal. If your aunt should be disposed to take up the

matter, Mr. Chang would be ready to make any monetary sacrifice,

even if it were to make him bankrupt."

Phoenix had listened attentively.

"The matter in itself offers no difficulties," she remarked with a

smile, "but of late my aunt has not concerned herself with requests and

acts of mediation of that kind."

"Oh, but could not you yourself take up the matter, esteemed Nai

nai?"

"I am not interested in money, and moreover I do not concern myself

with such transactions," said Phoenix, discouragingly.

But the Abbess would not let the personal advantage which the busi‐ 

ness offered her escape her so easily. She searched strenuously for an‐ 

other argument to win Phoenix. At last she found it. With a sigh she

continued: "Mr, Chang already knows that I intended to seek influence

for him in your palace. What will he think, then, if my efforts are in

vain? It will simply not occur to him that you refrain from such trans‐ 

actions as a matter of principle and that you scorn monetary gain. He

will think, on the contrary, that your family is so lacking‐ in power and

influence that it cannot carry through even such a trifling matter as

that."

This argument worked. Phoenix felt her family honor attacked, and

she saw in this a convenient excuse for giving up her attitude of aloof‐ 

ness. In actual fact she by no means despised a little financial gain.

"Oho, you have known me for quite a long time," she said vehe‐ 

mently, "and you should surely know that I do not fear even the devil

himself and his court, when it is a question of getting my way. So, let

Mr. Chang produce three thousand ounces of silver and I will have the

matter put right for him."

"Splendid, if that's all you want!" cried the Abbess, delighted.

"But let him not imagine for a moment that it is for his money I will

help him," continued Phoenix. "To pull strange, stubborn oxen by the

halter for money! That is something which I prefer to leave to other

people. I need those three thousand ounces of 'silver merely for the

expenses of my emissaries, so that they shall have a little tip for their

trouble and their running hither and thither. I do not ask a single cop‐ 

per coin for myself. At the moment I have ten times as much some

thirty thousand silver ounces ‐over and to spare, so I am in no need

of money."

"Yes, of course. And may one trust that the gracious Nai nai will lose

no time, but will get to work straight away tomorrow to fulfill her

kindly promise?"

"You see for yourself, I am sure, how extremely busy I am, and how

everyone turns to me. But since I have given my word, you may count

upon my fulfilling it promptly."

"Good. My mind is at rest now. And since I know that the matter is

now in your hands, I have no doubt as to its successful outcome," flat‐ 

tered the Abbess. "A clever, energetic woman like you succeeds so

easily. She has only to give one little wink."

Praise such as this pleased Phoenix, and though she was tired, she

remained quite a while longer talking earnestly with the Abbess.

Meanwhile Pao Yu and Chin Chung had availed of their free time to

examine the convent thoroughly and observe its various apartments

in detail. Therefore, when the evening grew darker, Chin Chung had

little difficulty in finding his way unseen to Sister Chi Neng's cell. And

he was lucky, too. She was alone, busily washing up tea things by the

light of a lamp. Without any more ado he took her in his arms and

hugged and kissed her as hard as he could. At first the little creature

resisted fiercely and stamped and kicked, in an effort to free herself.

"What do you mean?" she cried. "I'll scream out!" But she did not

scream.

"Darling, I am dying of longing for you!" he pleaded. "And if you

don't listen to me I shall die here on the spot."

"What are you thinking of? Here in this narrow convent cell, where

we may be surprised at any moment? It won't do here! Have patience

until I am out of this and free," she whispered.

"That is cold comfort for my burning need. Fire such as mine must

be quenched at once," he groaned. And already he had blown out the

lamp, leaving the room in pitch darkness. Now she no longer put up

much resistance, but let him lift her up and carry her over to her kang.

True, she struggled a bit and bent and swayed, but she did not cry out,

and she let him have his way. He was in full swing, and the cloud was

about to discharge its rain, when the couple sudden! felt themselves

grasped by a strange hand and torn apart. Whoever it was had crept in

silent and unobserved. The hearts of the lovers almost stood still with

fright. The intruder now betrayed his identity by a suppressed giggle.

It was Pao Yu. Chin Chung leaped to his feet.

"What do you mean by this?" he cried, enraged.

"Let me in on your bit of fun, too. If you do not, I will raise the

alarm," threatened Pao Yu, laughing.

But the frightened Chi Neng had already fled from her cell under

cover of the darkness. Pao Yu drew his friend out of the room with

him.

"Now, which of the two of us is the stronger?" he asked jokingly.

"Very well, you may come in on our game as much as you like in the

future," replied the other, speedily mollified.

The next morning Madame Cheng sent for Pao Yu, asking him to

come home at once. But Pao Yu had so enjoyed his brief stay in the

Convent of the Watery Moon that he contrived to get permission

through Phoenix to remain on there one more night with his friend.

Then, on the third day, they returned together t6 the town, after Chin

Chung and the nun Chi Neng had exchanged numerous kisses and come

to many secret agreements.

In fulfillment of her word to the Abbess, Phoenix had already, the

previous day, confided the aforementioned matter to one of her confi‐ 

dential servants, Lai Wang, and sent him back to the Yungkuo palace

with instructions to get a letter written to Marshal Yun Kwang of

Chang an, ostensibly on behalf of her absent husband, Chia Lien, by

the latter's secretary. He rushed off to Chang an with this letter the

same day. The Marshal, who was indebted to the Yungkuo palace for

previous good services, could not do otherwise than accede willingly to

a request coming from thence. He accordingly exercised the desired

pressure on his subordinate, the City Commandant, to such good effect

that the latter relinquished his resistance and cancelled the engagement

between his son and the daughter of the rich citizen Chang.

It had taken barely two days to carry through the whole transaction,

for the distance between Chang an and the capital was only a hundred

li. There was naturally no question of heavy outlay in tips and the lik.

Phoenix kept the tidy little sum of three thousand taels all for herself,

and nobody in the Yungkuo palace except the trusted servant Lai Wang

and her husband's secretary heard a word about the whole matter. This

success strengthened Phoenix's self‐confidence and encouraged her to

undertake numerous similar shady transactions later on, on her own

initiative, undeterred by any qualms of conscience.