6

Lord Ge Gives Away Pearl Maiden

During the Spring and Autumn Period [770–476 B.C.E.], there was a King Zhuang, Mi Lü by name, of the state of Chu, who was one of the five great leaders of the time. Once, he treated his ministers to a grand banquet in the private quarters of his palace, with court ladies in attendance. When a sudden gust of wind blew out the candles, one of the guests took advantage of the darkness and tugged at a court lady’s clothes. The woman snapped o the strap of his helmet and complained to King Zhuang, asking for investigation and punishment of the culprit. The king thought to himself, “It is only natural to forget one’s manners under the influence of wine. How can I give out punishment just for a woman’s sake, at the risk of becoming a laughing stock? It is shameful to value feminine beauty over the merits of a worthy man.” So he ordered, “Let all those present break o their helmet straps in celebration of this joyous occasion.” By the time the candles were relit, all the helmet straps had been taken o . There was no way of finding out who had flirted with the woman. Later, in a battle with the state of Jin, King Zhuang found himself besieged by Jin soldiers. He was in critical danger when a warrior fought his way through the tight encirclement and rescued him. Once out of danger, King Zhuang asked, “Who are you, savior of my life?”

Prostrating himself on the ground, the warrior said, “I am the one whose helmet strap was snapped o . Since you did me the great kindness of covering for me instead of punishing me, I am more than willing to die for you in payment of my debt of gratitude.”

King Zhuang was most pleased. “If I had listened to that woman,” said he, “I would have lost a brave warrior.”

The Jin army was later put to rout. All the lords of other states abandoned Jin and swore allegiance to Chu, which rose to be the greatest power of the time. There is a poem in evidence:

The average man in this world is narrow-minded and mean, and takes delight in digging up dirt in other people’s pasts in order to show his own shrewdness. If he does succeed in discovering some wrongdoing, do not expect him to show mercy! Such people harbor no benevolence in their hearts but only meanness. If it so happens that they fall into a desperate situation, no one will be there to share their worries and lend them a helping hand. In contrast, King Zhuang of Chu forgave a petty misdemeanor and, as a result, accomplished his goal. This was truly a heroic action, rare in times past and present.

Storyteller, is there really not even one other man like him?

Dear audience, let me tell of another one. Of what dynasty was this man? He was a man of the Five Dynasties [907–60], at the end of the Tang dynasty. What were the Five Dynasties? Namely, the Later Liang [907–23], founded by Zhu Wen; the Later Tang [923–36], founded by Li Cunxu; the Later Jin [ 936–46], founded by Shi Jingtang; the Later Han [ 947–50], founded by Liu Zhiyuan; and the Later Zhou [951–60], founded by Guo Wei. Our story is about a valiant commander in the court of the Later Liang dynasty by the name of Ge Zhou, a man of a magnanimous mind and high aspirations. A battle-tested warrior, he had the strength to fight ten thousand men at once. He started his career with Zhu Wen at Mount Mangdang. After Zhu Wen received the imperial power from the Tang and established himself as emperor of the Later Liang, Ge Zhou was granted the posts of commander-in-chief and regional commander and ordered to defend Yanzhou in Shandong. Yanzhou was near Hebei, which was the territory of Li Keyong of the Later Tang dynasty. That was precisely the reason why the Liang emperor sent his trusted subordinate Ge Zhou to that strategic area with the mission of guarding Shandong while preparing for an invasion of Hebei. The mere mention of Ge Zhou’s name struck such awe in the people of Hebei that a two-line song began to spread throughout the region:

Henceforth, he came to be called Lord Ge. That he had under him a hundred thousand fearless soldiers and a galaxy of valiant generals need not be described further.

Of all his subordinates, our story will now focus on a certain Shentu Tai, a native of Sishui, seven feet in height, handsome in appearance, and skilled in swordsmanship and archery. Before his time had come, he was nothing more than one of Lord Ge’s bodyguards. During one of Ge’s hunting expeditions on Mount Zeng, Shentu Tai shot down a deer. The army martial arts instructor came up to claim the deer, but Shentu easily overpowered him. With the dead deer in hand, he went to Lord Ge to ask for forgiveness. The latter was so impressed by his bravery that, instead of reproaching the man, he had a mind to promote him. The following day, during martial arts practice on the drill ground, Lord Ge praised him for his archery and horsemanship and promoted him to the position of captain, to be at the commander’s service at all times. He was also entrusted with all important military matters. Without the wherewithal for marriage, Shentu took up residence in a small room by the side of the central chamber in Lord Ge’s mansion. As all the guards of the mansion called him Chamber Chief, he came to be known to all and sundry, superiors and subordinates alike, as Chamber Chief. Truly,

Our story branches at this point. As he had more concubines than could be comfortably accommodated in his present residence, Lord Ge had a geomancer study the topography and started building a magnificent mansion on an auspicious site to the southeast of the old residence. The construction was to be finished within a year. The Chamber Chief was given the mission of inspecting the site twice a day.

It was the Clear and Bright Festival.⁵ Everywhere were men and women out to enjoy the spring and the lush green grass. Lord Ge had a feast arranged in Yueyun Tower, the highest point in the city of Yanzhou. He led his entourage of concubines up the tower for a view of the panorama. Among the multitude of his concubines, only one, Pearl Maiden, had great beauty. How did she look?

Lord Ge showered favors on her and kept her by his side day and night. Within the mansion she came to be called Madam Pearl. On the day of which I speak, she was with Lord Ge in Yueyun Tower, enjoying the pleasures of wine.

After having made his rounds of inspection at the construction site, Shentu Tai proceeded to the tower to report on the work. Lord Ge summoned him upstairs and rewarded him with fine wine served in big golden vessels shaped like lotus flowers. After three servings, Shentu Tai bowed in acknowledgement of his gratitude and rose to stand at one side. When he raised his head, his eyes chanced to rest upon a radiant beauty with bright eyes and white teeth standing by the side of Lord Ge. “Could she be of this mortal world? Or is she a fairy from heaven?” he wondered. Being in the prime of his life, he was at the age when desire for women is strongest. Moreover, he was still a bachelor. He had heard that Lord Ge had a most attractive concubine called Madam Pearl and was annoyed at the lack of opportunity to lay his eyes upon her. Now, he was convinced that this was none other than Madam Pearl. So entranced was he that he kept his eyes fixed on her as if he would never get tired of the sight. (When down on their luck, gallant heroes tend to find sustenance in wine and feminine beauty. Ma Zhou¹⁰ and Shentu Tai are no exceptions.) Quite unexpectedly, Lord Ge directed a question at him: “Chamber Chief, when will the construction be finished? Hey! Shentu Tai, Shentu Tai! I am asking you when the construction will be finished!”

The repeated questions failed to solicit a single response from the man. As the proverb has it, one mind cannot be used for two purposes. It so happened that as his mind was all set upon the woman, Shentu Tai did not hear a thing. Seeing that Shentu could not take his eyes o the woman, Lord Ge ordered, with an understanding smile, that the banquet table be cleared. He did not address any more remarks to Shentu Tai, nor did he give any indication that he knew what the latter was preoccupied with.

The guardsmen present at the time were breathless with alarm when Lord Ge got no response from Shentu Tai. Relieved that no word of reprobation came his way, they also wondered why and told Shentu what had happened. Shentu was mortified. “I am as good as dead,” he told himself. “It’s only a matter of time.” Fear for his life kept him awake all night. Verily,

The following day, while Lord Ge held court, Shentu Tai stood at a far distance from him without even once daring to raise his head. His only wish was for the session to be dismissed early so that another day would pass without mishap. For several days in succession, he was absent-minded and restless, knowing no peace sitting or lying down. Aware of his distress, Lord Ge sent him some kind words to comfort him and ordered him to the construction site, where he was to devote all his time supervising the project. He was as relieved to leave Lord Ge’s presence as if he had gained a new life. Hardly had any peace of mind set in than uneasiness grew again for fear that Lord Ge would still inflict punishment by finding fault with him in this new job. Therefore, he went about his mission gingerly, working long hours from morning till night and sparing no pains to acquit himself well.

One day, Lord Ge sent a certain Officer Xu Gao to replace Shentu Tai, who was to return to the mansion. The news again filled him with apprehension. In great trepidation, he left the construction site and requested an audience with Lord Ge. “For what assignment did you summon me, sir?” he asked.

“His Majesty su ered a setback in the battle at Jiazhai, and Tang soldiers are coming in by di erent roads. Li Cunzhang of Tang and his troops are advancing upon our border with Shandong. As local troops have been sending in urgent requests for immediate help, I am preparing to go to the front line and push back the enemy. Because there is no one else here worthy enough, I would like you to go with me.”

“I will certainly obey your order,” said Shentu Tai.

He was then presented with a suit of bronze armor taken out from the arsenal. Shentu Tai bowed in gratitude, but his feelings were mixed. He was glad at the opportunity to follow Lord Ge to the battlefield and prove his worth but was also worried that a minor slip could lead to punishment for the previous misdemeanor as well. Truly,

Let me now turn to Lord Ge, who selected his generals and soldiers and, that very day, led the troops on their way. It was truly an awe-inspiring sight, with banners and flags blocking out the sky, and the sound of gongs and drums shaking the earth. General Li Cunzhang of Tang was about to storm the city of Tancheng when he heard about the imminent arrival of troops from Yanzhou. He then seized a high vantage point on Langya Hill as a preemptive step and pitched three camps of varying sizes. Upon reaching the city and realizing that they had lost the advantage in terrain, Ge Zhou’s forces retreated thirty li and pitched camp there to avoid confrontation. For four or five days in succession, Ge Zhou’s men went forward to challenge the Tang troops to a battle, but Li Cunzhang firmly held his ground and paid no heed to the taunting remarks. On the seventh day, Ge Zhou’s troops broke camp and marched straight up to Li’s main camp to dare him to come out to battle. Li Cunzhang was well prepared. He put his troops into a square formation at the foot of the hill so as to be able to engage the enemy on all four sides. Within the formation were hidden archers shooting at all who tried to break up the array. Lord Ge personally led some of his men to the battlefront and, at the sight of the orderly ranks as impregnable as a mountain, said with a sigh, “I have heard about Li Cunzhang’s famous battle at Baixiang.¹² This array truly convinces me of his talent as a great general. This battle array is the formation of Nine Palaces and the Eight Trigrams, which helped Fu Chai, King of Wu, in ancient times defeat the King of Jin at Huangchi. The only way to breach the formation is to wait and attack when the soldiers are tired and begin to show signs of disorder. Otherwise, throwing such a formation into disarray is a formidable task.” Lord Ge promptly ordered his troops to refrain from rash actions and just stand in combat readiness.

At around three in the afternoon, Lord Ge saw that his men were fidgeting from hunger and thirst. He was inclined to beat a retreat but hesitated for fear that the Tang forces would sweep forward in pursuit, riding on the crest of their victory. He suddenly caught sight of Shentu Tai at his side. “Chamber Chief, what advice do you have?”

Shentu Tai replied, “In my humble opinion, though their army is still in good shape, the soldiers must be as tired as we are. I suggest that several daring men who are ready to risk their lives charge at the enemy in a surprise attack. If they can break up the array, the main troops can then follow, and victory will be at hand.”

Stroking his back, Lord Ge said, “I’ve always known you to be a brave man. Will you do this for me?”

Without letting a moment slip by, Shentu Tai mounted his horse, sword in hand, shouting, “Those who are brave enough, follow me and crush the enemy!” No one moved. Without even a look back, he galloped toward the enemy battle array.

In great alarm, Ge Zhou quickly led several generals in charging forward to provide cover for Shentu Tai. Behold! There he was, his horse galloping with the speed of lightning, his sword slashing about like a wind-driven wheel, with never a moment of pause. Recklessly, he rode straight into the enemy ranks. It so happened that the Tang troops did not take this lone rider seriously at the beginning. To their dismay, this daredevil man charged back and forth in the array as if he were in no man’s land, wielding his sword with supernatural swiftness, hacking men down as if chopping gourds or vegetables. Chancing upon Shen Xiang, the vanguard, he knocked him down from his horse after only one exchange of blows and, jumping down to the ground, decapitated him. Shentu Tai then remounted his horse and rode out of the enemy lines, encountering no resistance. By this time, Ge Zhou’s troops had arrived. “The Tang troops are in disarray! All those who want to kill the devils, follow me!” So exclaiming, Shentu Tai threw Shen Xiang’s head before Ge Zhou’s horse and turned back into the enemy ranks.

At the waving of Ge Zhou’s insignia banner, Ge’s troops marched as one man and pushed deep into the enemy lines, driving them into great disorder. Unable to control his men, Li Cunzhang spurred on his horse and took flight before all others did. The Tang troops were driven in all directions by the Liang army. The swift of foot survived. Those less swift became ghosts of the battlefield. Li Cunzhang, the renowned general of Tang, met a crushing defeat. His men fled pellmell at the mere sight of the enemy, leaving behind more weapons and horses than could be counted. It was a total victory for the Liang army. Lord Ge said to Shentu Tai, “All the credit for today’s victory goes to you.”

With a deep bow, Shentu Tai replied, “What ability do I have? It was entirely due to your awe-inspiring might that the battle was won!”

Overjoyed, Lord Ge wrote a report to the imperial court and issued orders that the soldiers be rewarded with bounties. After three days of rest, the victorious army returned to Yanzhou. Truly,

Upon Lord Ge’s return to his residence, all the concubines and the sta greeted him with words of felicitation. Smilingly, he said, “To a general, defeating enemies in battles is all in a day’s work. What is there to congratulate me for?” Pointing at Madam Pearl, he continued to all the other women, “It is she you should congratulate.”

The women said, “The imperial court will certainly reward you for having beaten the enemies and saved the territory. All of us in your service feel honored as well. Why is Madam Pearl alone to be congratulated?”

“The victory is entirely due to one man who put up a hard fight. Having nothing to reward him with, I will give her to him as his wife. Isn’t it to be rejoiced that she will enjoy a blissful marriage for the rest of her life?”

Secure in the knowledge that she was his favorite, Madam Pearl did not believe what she heard. “Don’t you tease me,” she grinned.

“I never tease people. I have already withdrawn from the treasury six hundred thousand in cash to buy a dowry for you. You will sleep tonight by yourself in the west chamber, and I will not trouble you with service at dinner.” (A clean break, like the man of action that he is.)

Madam Pearl was so startled that tears streamed down her cheeks and she dropped to her knees, begging, “Since I started serving you years ago, I have never displeased you. Now that you have thrown me out to another man, I would rather die than obey your order.”

He roared with laughter. “Silly girl! I am not made of wood or stone. How can I not have any feelings for you? But the other day at our feast in Yueyun Tower, I noticed that this man couldn’t take his eyes o you. I could tell that he had fallen in love with you. He is a young bachelor who just did me outstanding service. Only you can please him most.”

Pulling at his sleeves, Madam Pearl pouted and sulked coquettishly, saying she would never comply with the order.

“This matter is not up to you to decide,” said Lord Ge. “It is better to be a wife than a concubine. Consider it your good fortune that this man’s future status will not be any lower than mine. I am not doing you any harm. Why do you lament so?” He told the other concubines to help her to her feet and make her stop crying. The other women all loathed Madam Pearl for her monopoly over the master and were only too anxious to be rid of her. Her marriage could not have been better news for them. Now, swarming forward, they helped her up and dragged her along to the west chamber, all the while trying to pacify her with soothing words. By this time, Madam Pearl was resigned to the situation and just heaved a sigh upon realizing that the commander’s lofty mind rose above his a ection for women. From that day onward, Lord Ge sent two di erent concubines every night to eat and sleep with Madam Pearl, and never did he ask for her again. There is a poem that bears witness:

Now I come to Shentu Tai. After his return from Tancheng, Shentu Tai reported to Lord Ge without any mention of his merit in the battle, and resumed his job as supervisor of the construction of Lord Ge’s new mansion. It so happened that on the day the construction was completed, the treasury clerk came to report, “Items of the dowry worth six hundred thousand in cash are now ready, and we await further instructions.”

Lord Ge said, “Keep them where they are until I settle down in the new residence.” He then had a fortune-teller select an auspicious day, and the whole family moved to the new mansion, leaving behind only Madam Pearl and tens of waiting women. Upon the orders of Lord Ge, the treasury officials moved all of the dowry items to the old residence and furnished the whole mansion in grand style. General speculations were that the decoration was done because Lord Ge wanted to have the old residence as a second home. Who could have guessed the real reason!

On this particular day, Shentu Tai was o ering congratulations with other military officers in the new mansion when Lord Ge called him forth and said, “Reward for your service at Tancheng is long overdue. Since I heard that you are still a bachelor, I now give you as your bride my beautiful concubine. I have prepared a meager dowry, which is in the old residence. Today being an auspicious day, you may hold your wedding right away, and I o er you and your wife my former residence.”

Shentu Tai turned pale with fright. He kept bowing and was only able to come up with the words “How dare I!” So mortified was he that speech was beyond him.

Lord Ge said again, “A true gentleman would o er his head, let alone a concubine, out of loyalty for a friend. My mind is made up. Do not refuse me.”

While Shentu Tai was still voicing protests, Lord Ge had the other officers put flowers and a red cape on him, and the band struck up music. The officers thundered, “Shentu Tai! Make a bow and thank his lordship!”

As if in a dream, Shentu Tai made a few bows and was involuntarily pushed by the crowd out of the house onto a horse and straight to the old residence, led all along the way by the band. All the former guardsmen of the residence, having received orders ahead of time, were already there to greet him. The whole mansion was decked out with flowers and multicolored festoons. As the maids and waiting women brought out the bride for the ceremony, music from the band resounded to the skies, and tables were set for the wedding banquet. Fixing his eyes upon the bride, Shentu recognized the very woman whom he took to be a heavenly maiden when he first laid eyes on her in Yueyun Tower. His fixed gaze on her had almost brought upon him trouble serious enough to cost him his life. Who would have foreseen that on this day, he would be joined with her in matrimony when least expecting it. What a stroke of luck that was! When he walked into the mansion, what met his eyes were all kinds of brand new furniture and housewares. At the thought of being provided with such a comfortable nest, he was overwhelmed with a sense of unworthiness in the face of such generosity. That night, the couple took up their quarters in the west chamber. Their happiness goes without saying.

The following day, the couple made their way to the new mansion to thank Lord Ge, but the latter had ordered that a sign saying that he was not seeing anyone be posted on the gate. Soon after they returned home, it was announced that his lordship himself was at their door. Shentu rushed out and sank to his knees in front of Lord Ge’s horse. Lord Ge dismounted, raised Shentu to his feet, and headed straight for the hall, where he took out a letter of appointment and promoted Shentu to be chief of sta . In those days, regional commanders usually kept blank forms of imperial appointments and could, on their own authority, fill out the forms if they saw suitable candidates in the army. Only then would they submit the forms to the imperial court, which never failed to approve such requests. Besides, Shentu Tai did indeed have a fine record of service. The court would naturally grant the application priority consideration and give its approval. Lord Ge had a belt of office put on Shentu Tai and acknowledged Shentu’s new status with proper decorum. Shentu’s heart overflowed with gratitude to him for having removed for good the nickname Chamber Chief.

One day, in a casual conversation with his wife, he asked her how Lord Ge could have brought himself to part with her, his favorite concubine, whereupon Madam Pearl told him how his eyes were seen glued upon her in Yueyun Tower. (Recalling the past.) “Lord Ge said that you were in love with me and gave me, his favorite concubine, to you as a gift.”

Shentu Tai now came to appreciate fully what a noble mind it took to understand human nature so much as to value merit in a subordinate more than love for a woman. As the story spread, no one in the army failed to praise Lord Ge for his magnanimity, and all were ready to serve him to the best of their ability, even at the cost of their lives. For the rest of his life, he was held in high esteem by the populace, and the area under his jurisdiction enjoyed peace and security. A poem written in later times had this to say of him: