Courtesans and Opium Read online

  The acolyte burned the paper offerings and set off the fireworks, and a priest came forward to greet and congratulate the visitors. Wei Bi paid for the cost of the service and also gave a hundred cash to the acolyte. The priest thanked him and invited the visitors to take seats in the hall, where the acolyte poured tea in covered teacups and offered one to each of them. There was also a tobacco vendor who came up and filled the water pipe. Wei Bi played dice with a vendor and won a number of Water Mice8 from the man’s basket of prizes.

  When Wei Bi had paid for the tea and tobacco, he and the others wandered about admiring the scene. After looking at the peonies, they came to Everspring Peak, which, when viewed from its base, appeared to be very steep. Fragrance was afraid to go up, but Lu Shu took her hand and, side by side, they made their way to the top, where they found the temples of Three Branch Canal and Pagoda Bend spread out below them.9 The visitors rested in the pavilion on the summit and then went down again to the boat, by which time it was past noon. Wei Bi told the boatman to take them to the east side of Rainbow Bridge and tie up.

  Once ashore, they walked to the Dexingju restaurant, where Wei Bi chose a large table at the back and invited his companions to take their seats. This time Jia Ming was given the seat of honor, while the others sat in order of seniority, with Fragrance opposite Wei Bi at the bottom of the table. The pages, Fragrance’s servant, and the two musicians sat at a separate table in the outer room. The proprietress, Mistress Wang, a woman in her fifties, came over to them. “Well, gentlemen,” she said, “what would you like?”

  “You choose,” said Wei Bi to Jia Ming.

  “Now that we’re sworn brothers, we’ll be spending a lot of time in each other’s company, and we oughtn’t to bother with all these conventions. We’ll only enjoy ourselves if each of us orders what he likes.”

  After politely deferring to each other for some time, they settled on an order. It consisted of plates of large melon seeds, water chestnuts, hot ham in thick slices, Korean beef, fried beets, shrimps in soy sauce, fried kidneys, and fried chicken feet; a bowl of ham and boiled greens; dishes of bamboo shoots, roast pork, and steamed chicken; and a bowl of boiled black mullet. Fragrance also ordered fried noodles in meat sauce. First they ordered two catties of All Flowers wine. The waiter set out cups, chopsticks, and hors d’oeuvres, then brought out the various courses one by one. They played guess-fingers, and Fragrance lost three times to Lu Shu but pleaded with him to set her some lesser penalty than drinking a cup of wine.

  “For the first loss I’ll drink in your place,” said Lu Shu, suiting his action to the word. “For the second loss you can please yourself.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But for the third loss, I’d like you to sing us a popular song.” Fragrance handed over the counter,10 and someone brought her the lute. She adjusted it and then sang a “Played and Lost”:

  Snowy Rushes, where the steps are covered in snow.

  Snowy Rushes, where the steps are covered in snow.

  Aiya!

  All the Red Chamber maidens are here!

  What joy!

  Baoyu in his cape stands at the Green Bower,

  The Green Bower door.

  A crystal vase clutched in his arms,

  A crystal vase clutched in his arms.

  Aiya!

  A gentle rap, the door is open.

  “Oh, good!

  I hope the Fairy Maid will pity me and break off a branch,

  A branch of plum blossom.”11

  As she finished, her audience applauded, and each of them drank a cup of wine in celebration before returning to the game. Again Fragrance lost, this time to Jia Ming, and he declared that as a penalty she should sing an operatic aria. The musician was called in, and he struck up the melody on his flute. Fragrance sang the song “Turquoise Phoenix Feathers,”12 which caused the people at the nearby tables to turn their heads and look at her. Again her hosts applauded and drank up in celebration before resuming their guess-fingers games and boisterous drinking. Fragrance called the other musician to sit beside her and play the fiddle, commonly known as the erhu.13 She sang a suite of Erhuang music,14 after which they had their lunch and wiped their hands and faces. Fragrance paid a visit to Mistress Wang’s room, and Wei Bi’s page asked Wang to make out the bill.

  Wei Bi then invited everyone back on board. By this time a number of other pleasure boats were out on the water, and the air rang with music and song, while gorgeously dressed women were everywhere to be seen. Wu Zhen lit the opium lamp in the cabin, and Fragrance prepared the opium for him. The boat took them on a tour of Peach Blossom Temple, Fahai Temple, Pingshan Hall, and the Chiwu Building. In each place they admired the peonies, their red and white colors mingling together and vying with each other in brilliance. Fragrance broke off a few sprigs of spring-in-the-jade-palace15 and brought them back to the boat. They lit the paper spills meant for their water pipes and set off the many Water Mice that they had won. They had afternoon tea and continued their tour until evening, then told the boatman to return to the dock at Tianning Gate, where he moored the boat and let down the gangway. Wei Bi’s page told the boatman to call at the family compound the next morning to collect his pay, and Wei Bi himself invited everyone ashore, while the boatman poled his empty boat back to the dock at Little East Gate.

  The men accompanied Fragrance back to the Jinyulou, where she took them upstairs and showed them into her room. They observed how immaculate it was and noticed on the paneled walls four paintings of beautiful women as well as a pair of calligraphic scrolls on pink betel paper:

  The moon16 palace bars the entry of mere mortals;

  Fragrance clings to the garments of the great scholar.

  The first line of the attribution read: “Playfully composed by the courtesan Fragrance.” The second line read: “Written and presented by the Flower Lover.”

  Fragrance invited them to sit down. The woman with unbound feet served them tea and filled their pipes, and Cloud and Lute came in to keep them company. Having heard Cloud call the woman with unbound feet by her name, Wu Zhen addressed her the same way: “Maid Zhang, light a lamp for me, would you?” She arranged a small mat on Fragrance’s bed and did so. Wu Zhen then took his opium case from his pocket and lay down on the bed, while Lute hurried over to help him start. Meanwhile Wei Bi ordered wine to be served.

  A servant came in and addressed them: “There are five of you gentlemen, and we have only three courtesans in the house. Would you like us to call two more from some other house, or will three be sufficient?”

  “We’ll make do with three,” said Jia Ming. “But do hurry up and serve the food. We need to get back into town.”17

  Lu Shu and Fragrance were sitting on a couch together. He asked about her family. “My parents died when I was very young,” she said, “and I have no brothers or sisters, only an uncle, who brought me up and taught me to sing opera and popular song. The year before last he indentured me to a house in Qingjiang and for two years received a great deal of money over and above my private savings and expenditure on clothes. This year he brought me here to Yangzhou, where I’m also indentured. I’ve been here a little over a month.” Lu Shu sighed, overcome with pity.

  Before long the table was brought out and set for dinner. Wu Zhen, who was still on the bed smoking opium, was invited by Cloud to join them. The others added their voices to hers, and eventually he put down his pipe and got to his feet.

  Again they took their seats in order of seniority. As the youngest brother and also the host, Wei Bi sat at one end with Lute beside him. Cloud and Fragrance sat on the opposite side. Lu Shu’s place, fourth in order of seniority, was very close to Fragrance’s. Once they were seated, the three courtesans took turns offering wine, fruit, games of guess-fingers, dishes of food, and popular songs. So intent on their merry-making were the others that they never noticed the loving glances that passed between Fragrance and Lu Shu, or the play of hands and feet under the table, signs of an increasi
ngly passionate relationship. Lu Shu undid a fine white-jade pendant in the shape of a carriage wheel that he wore at his waist—the wheel, which was free and could turn on its axle, was of exquisite workmanship—and surreptitiously passed it to Fragrance, who tucked it away. Then they played guess-fingers, and she lost again and begged for a lighter penalty. He sentenced her to perform a “Lovers’ Rendezvous”18 for the guests. She put up a counter and rose to do so, summoning a musician to accompany her on the flute. She picked up a crimson crepe-silk handkerchief embroidered with pictures in gold couching of dark blue butterflies sporting among the flowers and began to sing in a melodious voice, “Mistress, O mistress, how lovely she is.” When she came to the line “Oh, who will discharge my senseless debt of love?” with her left hand thrust inside her lapel she bent forward and scratched furiously at her head with an ear-pick hairpin, all the while looking out of the corner of her eye at Lu Shu. The sheer wantonness of her pose was more than words could capture.

  By this time Lu Shu was in a state of delirium, his soul completely in thrall. Fragrance finished her song to general applause, returned to her seat, and canceled the counter. The guests celebrated her singing by drinking another round. With their long experience of the brothel scene, they realized that Lu Shu and Fragrance had fallen in love, and Jia Ming said to Cloud, “Today we’ll serve as matchmakers for your Miss Fragrance and our Master Lu.”

  “I appreciate the generous thought,” Cloud replied, “but there are some details that I need to point out.”

  If you are wondering what she told him, you must turn to the next chapter.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Lu Shu considers marriage to a prostitute;

  Wu Zhen arranges dinner at a brothel.

  When Cloud heard Jia Ming offer to serve as matchmaker, she replied, “I appreciate the generous thought. It’s all one might hope for, and I couldn’t possibly refuse. There’s just one problem, though. Fragrance is still a virgin, and although she has lost her parents, her uncle expects to make a fortune out of her, which is why matters have dragged on until now. Since Master Lu has taken a liking to her, he should first cultivate her friendship and then talk things over with the uncle. After that, congratulations would be in order.”

  “Excellent!” said Jia Ming. He told Fragrance and Lu Shu to drink a pledging cup to confirm their friendship. Everyone drank a toast to congratulate the couple, after which they played several rounds of guess-fingers. Cloud and Lute each sang two popular songs, and Fragrance sang a “Floating Gossamer,” after which the party came to an end. Wu Zhen went off to smoke some more opium, while Lu Shu and Fragrance expressed their love with an even greater ardor. The other guests then persuaded Wu Zhen to finish his smoking and accompany them downstairs. The courtesans saw them as far as the landing and leaned over the railing to watch them leave. Fragrance pressed Lu Shu to come earlier the following day, which he promised to do. By this time the pages had already lit their torches to guide their masters home. After leaving the Jinyulou, they went through the Tianning Gate and as far as the crossroads, where they separated after arranging to meet at the Futura teahouse the following morning.

  Lu Shu returned to his uncle’s house, where he sat musing in the study. Fragrance is a real beauty, he thought, and she has the most charming ways about her. My purpose in coming to Yangzhou was to buy a concubine, and now that I’ve met this enchanting girl, there’s no point in looking any further. Unfortunately, though, she’s fallen into prostitution, and because of her beauty and talent, it will no doubt cost the earth to buy her out. I think I’d better have a word with Brother Jia tomorrow. I need to find some way to bring this off if I’m ever to gain my heart’s desire. He lay down on his bed, but with tumultuous thoughts such as these running through his mind, he tossed and turned and never did get to sleep.

  Early the next morning he hurriedly arose and washed, then headed for the Futura accompanied by Felix. He found Jia Ming, Wu Zhen, and Wei Bi already there. After thanking Wei Bi for his hospitality of the day before, he greeted the others and sat down and drank his tea. Yuan You came in to join them with a young man of about twenty who was wearing cotton clothes, shoes, and socks. The others stood up to call them over. Returning their greetings, Yuan said to his companion, “These four gentlemen are sworn brothers of mine. Come over and pay your respects.” Blushing furiously, the young man bowed before them.

  “Who is he?” Jia Ming asked.

  “He’s a cousin of mine who came to visit us yesterday.” The others promptly returned the young man’s greeting and invited him to join their table. The waiter poured two more cups of tea.

  The others asked the newcomer his name and where he was from. “My name is Mu Zhu,” he replied. “When I was a little boy, my teacher gave me the style Ouren. We live at the south end of Huo Family Bridge.” Pointing to Yuan You, he continued, “He’s my cousin, and I’m his cousin. I’m getting married, and my father has sent me to Yangzhou to buy some odds and ends. I arrived yesterday, and I’m staying at my cousin’s house.” From this speech the others concluded that he was a country bumpkin and did not pursue the discussion any further.

  “Would you gentlemen be kind enough to come to my mistress’s place in Qiang Da’s house on Ninth Street for an all-day celebration?” asked Wu Zhen. “I do hope you’ll honor me with your presence.” Jia Ming, Yuan You, and Wei Bi were happy to accept.

  Lu Shu had been planning to host them all at the Jinyulou, but when they accepted Wu Zhen’s invitation, he could hardly do so and instead accepted the invitation himself. Turning to Jia Ming, he said, “There’s something troubling me, and I’d like to ask you for your advice. I’ve been married for three years without having a child. Since I’m an only son, my father is eager for me to produce a grandson, and he sent me to Yangzhou not just to see my aunt but also to find a concubine. Yesterday I found out that Fragrance is still a virgin. What I should like to do is to take her out of the brothel and bring her home with me to relieve my father’s concerns. I hope I can count on you and the others for help in deciding how to go about it? If it can be arranged, I shall be deeply grateful.”

  Jia Ming turned to the others. “You see what a prophet I was yesterday?”

  “If this can be worked out, it will truly be a match of the brilliant and the beautiful, which is one of the most gratifying things in the whole world,” said Wu Zhen. “You must do your level best to help him.”

  “Courtesans are always rare merchandise in the eyes of their families,” said Jia Ming. “And on top of that, Fragrance has such talent and beauty, and she’s still a virgin—why, she’s a regular money tree! They’ll never let her go for anything less than a fortune. I don’t need to repeat what Cloud told us yesterday. In my opinion, Brother Lu ought not to be too hasty about this. The first thing is to win Fragrance over with a series of small favors. Brother Lu is such a handsome young fellow, how could she fail to be attracted? He ought to wait until they’re in love and her heart belongs to him. I understand her only relative is an uncle. If Brother Lu lays out two or three hundred taels, and we do some quiet matchmaking with Fragrance, we’re bound to succeed.” The others chorused their approval.

  When they had finished their breakfast, Yuan You said to Mu Zhu, “Let me take you back now. There’s some business I need to see to today, and I won’t be able to keep you company.”

  Mu Zhu stood up to go, but Wu Zhen held him back and said to Yuan You, “I don’t mean to criticize, Brother, but since he’s a relative of yours, why shouldn’t we entertain him? What harm would there be in bringing him with us?”

  “You don’t understand,” said Yuan You. “That isn’t the sort of place we should be taking him to.”

  Wu Zhen insisted, however, and after settling the bill, he took Mu Zhu’s arm and led him and the others out of the back door of the teahouse, along Paragon Street, around into North Willow Lane as far as Tianshou Temple, then down the South Spur landing to the moat. They crossed over by ferry and walked throug
h one of the gaps in the wall to a house on Ninth Lane.1

  After Wu Zhen had invited them inside, they found themselves in a large reception room, behind which were five or six side rooms. Greeted by servants, they were shown into a room on the east side. It had a speckled-bamboo door screen, embroidered bedding, and a brocaded coverlet, as well as furnishings in the finest taste. On the paneled walls hung four paintings of beautiful women as well as a pair of scrolls on green wax paper:

  The cassia tree’s fragrance spreads further yet in the breeze;

  The forest flowers’ colors seem lovelier still in the sunlight.

  The first line of the attribution read, “Elegantly composed by the courtesan Cassia.” The second read, “Written by the Guardian-of-Flowers Immortal.”

  There was a prostitute in the room when they arrived, a girl of seventeen or eighteen who had put her hair up but had not yet washed her face. She had slender eyebrows and sparkling eyes. She wore a white imported cotton robe with an embroidered collar piece; on top of it a green woolen padded sleeveless jacket lined with pale pink silk and possessing an embroidered collar piece; crimson imported-crepe lined over trousers; blue nankeen trousers; and a jade green foreign crepe belt with an embroidered hem, from one side of which hung two silver bells and a crimson purse. She had not yet put a skirt on. On her feet, which were four inches long, she wore white water-crepe stocking wrappers and wooden-soled shoes of which the uppers were dark blue embroidered with bright yellow satin. She had merely slipped into her shoes, which were not yet laced up. On her wrists she wore bracelets of silver filigree. Although hardly beautiful, she had a certain charm that was distinctly pleasing. She had been sitting at her veneered dressing table, silently brooding over something, when the six men came into her room, and she sprang to her feet to welcome them. “Gentlemen,” she said, “all five of you, please sit down.”