Now we will take up the story of Lady Chen at the mouth of the river at Lianjiang. Having eliminated the Clam Fiend, she returned to the yamen. At the port of Lianjiang, many of the people who had watched those “ascending to Paradise” saw the clam fiend. They dragged its body, weighing several thousand catties, onto the shore. The people came to sell the flesh of the fiend fish in order to get revenge and purge their hatred.

At that time, in Luo and Lian and other places, there were those who were adherents of the White Lotus teaching, and whose grandfathers and uncles had “ascended to Paradise” in the past. Only now did they know that they had been eaten by the clam fiend, and they all felt deeply distressed. When they heard that the fiend had been killed and that some people had dragged it onto the land to sell its flesh, the descendants of those who had been swallowed came to sell, cook, and offer it before the spirits of their ancestors. Then they threw the fiend’s bones into a cesspool. Although the fiend weighed more than a thousand dan it didn’t take more than half a day for it to be completely sold.¹ We won’t speak of this any further.

Now we will return to Miss Li’s father. From the evening of the day for entering Paradise, when with his own eyes he had seen the Lady capture and kill the clam fiend, he returned home awakened to the truth. He no longer ate vegetarian food or chanted scriptures, but instead he drank wine and ate meat every day.

One day, Miss Li said goodbye to her father and went out. When she reached the gate, seeing that her cousin Miss Ou had come, she greeted her and invited her in. Miss Li asked, “Worthy younger sister, what do you have to tell me?”

Miss Ou answered, “I’ve heard that you have thrown your lot in with the yamen, and are studying the true magic of Mount Lü with Lady Chen. The other day I also heard that the Lady captured and killed the clam fiend at the port, saving many people. Everywhere, people feel gratitude to her. When I heard this, I admired her with all my heart. Unfortunately, my life, like yours, is a bitter one. Early, I lost my husband, and I vowed not to remarry.² When I think that right up to the end of my days there will be no one to rely on, I desire to trouble you to remember your sisterly affection for me and bring me to Lady Chen’s school to study the true magic with you. I don’t know if you are willing to introduce me or not.”

Miss Li said, “Worthy younger sister, since you want to study magic, I will of course introduce you.”

When they had finished talking, the two women set out. When they arrived at the yamen, Miss Ou met with the Lady and immediately prostrated herself. The Lady quickly helped her to her feet, saying, “In my house we are all sisters. Why employ such ceremony?” Then she asked who she was.

Miss Li replied, “This is my cousin. She lost her husband early on, and her family consists only of a fifty-year-old paternal aunt, her, and her mother. Yesterday, when she heard that the Lady had killed the clam fiend and saved many living souls, she realized that the Lady had learned the true magic of Mount Lü, and especially pleaded with me to introduce her to you. She honors you as a teacher and entreats you to accept her.”

When she finished speaking, she and Miss Ou again prostrated themselves. The Lady looked Miss Ou over very carefully. She was indeed young and beautiful, and her physiognomy was out of the ordinary. She said, “Since you want to study magic, why would I not accept you? We will become sworn sisters. How would that be?”

Miss Ou said, “If you are willing to accept me, it would be my great good fortune, but how could I dare be sisters?”

The Lady replied, “There’s no need to be so modest. From now on we will address each other as sisters. At this time the four of us are Chen, Li, Lin, and Ou. Although our surnames are different, our affection is like that of flesh and blood.” From dawn till dusk they discussed scripture and magic. We won’t speak of this any further.

Now we will turn to the ruler of Min, Wang Shenzhi. From the first years of the Guanghua reign period of Zhaozong of the Tang dynasty, he was military commissioner.³ He was thrifty and temperate, wore only a hemp and cotton gown, and was loved by the people. Everyone praised his carrying out of the office of commissioner. In the twelfth lunar month of the third year of the Lingguang reign period of Emperor Zhuangzong (r. 923–26), he was at the royal residence due to illness.⁴ When he died, the people were inconsolable.

Luckily, the commissioner had five sons, and two adopted sons. The eldest was named Yanshu; he participated in the military administration. The next eldest was named Yanbin; he was prefect of Quanzhou. The third son was named Yanwu, and the fourth Yanwang; they assisted in the most crucial affairs of state. The fifth was named Yanyi; he was still a minor. The eldest adopted son was named Yanbing; he held the office of prefect of Jianzhou.⁵ His disposition was unyielding and forthright. The second adopted son was named Yanzheng; he was the military general responsible for training. There was a former general Cheng Bin, who was the Commander Who Raises Up the Emperor, and Meng He was the Commander Who Masters Awesomeness. These officials all rushed home for the funeral. The Wang family set out the coffin, and temples and monasteries held rituals for penance. When the seven periods of seven days had been completed, they selected a burial to the south of the sacred peaks of Mount Lü.⁶

When mourning was completed, the civil and military officials proposed to establish the eldest son, Yanshu, as ruler.⁷ They all petitioned Emperor Zhuangzong to request that he succeed his father’s position. When Zhuangzong heard that Shenzhi had died, he sighed repeatedly. He would not permit the title of king, instead sending down a proclamation enfeoffing Yanshu as Wei Wu General Commissioner.⁸

When the proclamation arrived in Fuzhou, Yanshu was extremely angry, and proceeded to proclaim himself king of Min state. He began to build a palace, and ordered all the officials to prepare materials for the ceremonies and insignias of a Son of Heaven. He destroyed people’s houses to construct the Mingwei Hall and Daming Palace. To the left he built Changchun Palace and Donghua Palace; to the right he built the Ziwei and Yuelong Palaces. Inside, he built the civil and military Great Hall and Taifu Hall, while outside were Zichen Gate, Qisheng Gate, Yingtian Gate, and Wuchao Gate. He ordered the Luo Wall in Min to be destroyed (this is the present day Jin Gate).⁹ When the towers and walls were built, Nine Immortals Mountain and Black Stone Mountain were enclosed within the walls, and the name was changed to Jia Wall.¹⁰

This was the time of major construction projects. Seven gates were built in the wall. The east gate was named Yan Gate; the west gate was named Yi’ai Gate; the north gate was named Jinxian Gate; the southeast gate was named Shuibu Gate, also known as Shanhua Gate; the northeast gate was called Tang Gate, also known as Yansheng Gate. The northwest gate was named Jinglou Gate; it was also called Tian Gate.

When the construction was completed, Yanshu was even more arrogant and cruel. He was fond of the art of gathering female yin energy to replenish his yang energy, everywhere selecting girls between the ages of sixteen and twenty from among the common people. All were to be sent to the inner palace. If any were hidden from him, punishment would extend to ten families in the neighborhood, so the people’s complaints filled the streets. Families with girls had no alternative but to send them as gifts. Those who were debauched complied, while those who were honest and virtuous committed suicide. No one knows how many died.

Going back to when commissioner Wang Shenzhi was alive, his wife had a maidservant named Chen Jinfeng, who was nineteen years old.¹¹ She was sweet and charming, elegant and refined. Her eyes were like autumn water, her eyebrows like spring mountains. After the commissioner died, this young woman prostrated herself before a Madame Yan, who had been the wet nurse to Yanshu and Yanbin, as her adoptive mother. Madame Yan’s husband had died earlier, leaving a son who was already eighteen years old. His name was Gui Lang, and his style name was Shouming.¹² The mother and son both lived in the Wang residence.

When Yanshu declared himself king and Madame Yan admonished him, Yanshu flew into a rage and wanted to kill her. To himself he thought, “In ancient times there were the mourning duties which one owed to the three categories of fathers and eight categories of mothers. To avoid killing her, she and her family are expelled from the palace.”

When Jinfeng saw her foster mother being driven out, she hugged her and wept; it was hard to part from her. She said to Madame Yan, “I saw Yanshu dizzily engaging in licentiousness, a tyrant. I want to go with you, my foster mother, out of this residence.”

Madame Yan consented. Jinfeng changed her makeup, dressed up as a man, and they both fled the palace. When they had gone part way, by chance they ran into her son, Gui Lang, and together they went to a house in East Street Alley, where the three of them talked it over. “This place is very close to the Wang residence. If rumor leaks out that a court lady is being harbored, the punishment won’t be trivial,” Jinfeng said. “I have a fellow clansman whose name is Kuangsheng,¹³ who lives at Gaogai Mountain outside the south pass.¹⁴ In his family is a Miss Li, an elderly aunt who has many fellow clansmen who do business in Changle, the ancestral homeland. What’s more, this Gaogai Mountain is a very out-of-the-way place. We could hide there for the time being, and wait with my mother’s younger brother for news. Then I will return to East Street Alley.”

After the three of them talked it over and decided that it was suitable, Gui Lang went to the riverbank and hired a small boat. Once the boat rental was settled, he returned home, took fine clothes and valuables, put them in suitcases and trunks, carried them out, and locked the door. With his mother and Jinfeng he went to Maoying Bridge to row the boat, and, before long, they reached Gaogai Mountain.

When the three arrived at Kuangsheng’s house, Miss Li inquired, “Worthy niece, you were in the palace of the king of Min, so what brings you here today? I haven’t seen you for years. You have grown up.”

Jinfeng replied, “I have a very bitter fate. When young I lost my parents and I have no brothers. Earlier I was fortunate that you, Aunt, took pity on me so that I was able to make it to adulthood. And I was fortunate that I also received the affection of the ruler of Min, who regarded me as his own child, and I had a place where I could enjoy peace. In the twelfth month last year, because the previous king fell ill and died, and his eldest son Yanshu ascended the throne, all the old servants and concubines were driven out. What’s more, he had young women brought into the palace. It was only for this reason that I, your niece, was able to come home.”

Miss Li said, “Since you’ve come home, that’s fine.” Pointing to Madame Yan, she asked, “Who is this?”

Jinfeng answered, “This is my foster mother, who was a wet nurse in the palace. Because the new king inherited the throne and had no use for old acquaintances, she has come with me to your house to stay for a few months. I beg you to let us stay.”

Miss Li then pointed at Gui Lang and asked, “And who is he?”

Madame Yan answered, “He is my youngest son.”

When Miss Li heard that they were all members of her family, she said to Jinfeng, “Your uncle is still in Changle on business, and hasn’t yet returned. You and your foster mother can certainly have a place of refuge.” Then she prepared a clean room for Madame Yan and Jinfeng to rest, while Gui Lang bought firewood, rice, vegetables, and other daily necessities. He, however, went to the East Street Alley house. He was busy from dawn to dusk, always coming and going.

Gui Lang had seen how beautiful Jinfeng was, and that she was at his mother’s side. As if she were his own sister, she did not avoid him, and his desire was aroused. Jinfeng always called Gui Lang “little brother, little brother,” and was very affectionate. Gui Lang saw that Jinfeng was very attractive and wanted to make a move, but his mother and aunt were always at her side, and their room so small and narrow that it was hard to get a chance.

One day, when Madame Yan and Miss Li were going to Gaogai Mountain to amuse themselves, they left Jinfeng sitting at home all alone with nothing to do, so she went into the garden to take a walk. There she saw several pots of balsam, while outside the wall there was a laurel. This wall had collapsed, so that she could also see that there was a flower garden with many flowers and trees. The orchids and laurels were in full bloom, their scent overpowering. When Jinfeng saw it, the scene aroused her emotions. She went to fetch the Four Treasures of the Study, and at the table in front of the window of the rear hall she began to write a poem.¹⁵

She had only written the first line when Gui Lang happened by. Seeing that his mother and aunt weren’t there, he walked into the garden, where he saw Jinfeng writing in the rear hall. When Jinfeng saw him, she smiled, and said, “Little brother, you’ve come back.”

Gui Lang asked, “Where did my mother and aunt go?”

Jinfeng replied, “They went on an excursion to Gaogai Mountain.”

When Gui Lang heard this, he was secretly pleased, and thought to himself that if he didn’t act now, when would there ever be a better time? Smiling, he said, “Elder sister, what well-turned phrases are you writing?” Jinfeng was just about to collect her things, but Gui Lang had already seen what she had written. He read her line of poetry aloud: “The golden phoenix is lovable” (Jinfeng jiu kan qin). Gui Lang said, “Elder sister, you write very well. What scenery have you chosen?”

Jinfeng said, “You’ve seen the garden beyond the wall. The laurel and orchids are both in full bloom. Your foolish elder sister has thoughtlessly written a single line. Don’t laugh, younger brother.”

Gui Lang said, “Elder sister, you have this line of poetry, and I would like to use my poor skill to continue your unfinished poem. I hope you won’t make fun of me.” He continued, saying, “Laurel and orchid, one can certainly have tender regard for them.”

Jinfeng laughed and replied, “Indeed, one can have tender regard for laurel and orchid.”

Gui Lang said, “Although laurel and orchids are lovable, they cannot be compared to the beauty of a golden phoenix (jinfeng), which is even more lovable.” Now, gui lan (laurel and orchid) and Gui Lang are similar in sound, and jinfeng was Chen Jinfeng’s name.

Jinfeng then wrote the third line: “Beyond the wall, sun and shadow move.”

Then she gave the brush to Gui Lang, and he wrote the fourth line, “Flying and falling, golden eternal spring.”

Jinfeng said, “The ‘flying’ character is not appropriate, as only remnants of flowers fly. If you changed it to ‘don’t fly’ it would be better.”

Gui Lang said, “If they ‘don’t fly and fall,’ how can they come together?”

Jinfeng said, “You fall, I don’t fall.”

Gui Lang replied, “If you don’t fall, elder sister, then I play the role of a butterfly to pick your flower heart. Then you will fall.” While talking, he embraced Jinfeng and kissed her, holding her tight and arousing lascivious feelings in her.

She said, “You and I address each other as brother and sister, so how can we behave like this?”

Gui Lang said, “This is just adding intimacy to kinship.”

When he had spoken, he carried her inside and they had sex. They were both very young; sharing the same pillow, they were mutually affectionate and vowed to live and die together. When Gui Lang had finished with all these affectionate intimacies, he still was not willing to leave the bed. Jinfeng said, “Our days of shared happiness will be very long, so why be greedy for a moment of pleasure? I am afraid that aunt and your mother will come back and find us. That would not be good.”

Gui Lang got dressed and got out of bed. He said, “Now I will go to meet my mother and aunt. If I come, do as follows.” Once the two of them had talked things over and were all set, Gui Lang went out and, after going part way up the mountain, returned with his mother and aunt. Pretending, Jinfeng said, “Younger brother, you’re back!”

Gui Lang equally falsely answered, “I must go back to East Street Alley.”

From this time on, Gui Lang often came and went. The neighbors and local toughs knew about it. They speculated that the Chen family harbored a young girl, who was very beautiful and that she daily had contact with a young man. If he wasn’t an adulterer, then he was a thief.

One day when Gui Lang returned, the villagers surrounded the Chen house. They beat on the door and shouted, “Catch the whore in her hideout!” Madame Yan, greatly alarmed, said, “This matter has leaked out. To secretly harbor a palace concubine is no small matter. We must find a place to hide Jinfeng.”

Gui Lang asked, “Who does the empty place behind the rear wall belong to?”

Miss Li said, “It is Minister of Education Hong’s flower garden. His conduct is excellent.” Gui Lang then told Jinfeng to go through the hole in the wall to hide for a time. She was to wait until the mob had left, and only then come out. Miss Li said, “We should do as follows.” Madame Yan hurried to help Jinfeng go hide, and only then did Gui Lang come out to open the door. The band of toughs swarmed in and searched everywhere, but all they saw was the two old people. There was no young woman.

Miss Li angrily demanded, “What have you all come to my house looking for? I am poor and have nothing. When the old woman’s son is not at home, you come here to bully her in broad daylight. This is unjustifiable and lawless.” She gave them a good scolding, and the band of toughs ran out the door.

They retorted, “Who wants your things? Because you are hiding a commoner woman, that’s why we came searching. We want to take her to the yamen.” When they had finished speaking the band dispersed.

Now we will speak of Minister of Education Hong, who was the father-in-law of Wu Taishou of Jiutian Mountain. Hong’s wife was Madame Ji, and they had one son, named Chengmo, who was in the capital, where he was in charge of matters at the Ministry of War, and one daughter, who was Wu Taishou’s wife. In the Hongs’ home there were only old servant men and women to order around, and no able-bodied adults. Because Yanshu, the king of Min, everywhere selected young women from among the common people, Wu Taishou thought they could have his daughter escape by reaching the house of an official. For this reason, the Wus hid their daughter Wu Yaoqin (the Hongs’ granddaughter) in the Hongs’ house. No one knew about it.

At this moment Jinfeng entered the house from the flower garden. The two old people saw the young girl and asked her why she had come. Jinfeng explained, “I accompanied my mother to Uncle Kuangsheng’s house to visit my aunt. We were bullied by toughs from the neighborhood who wanted to seize me and take me to the yamen for punishment. There was nothing I could do, so I entered your garden by slipping through a hole in the wall. I beg you two to protect me.”

Minister of Education Hong could tell that she wasn’t a common woman. He said, “Since you are a relative of our neighbor, why should we have any reason not to hide you? If you have nothing against it, you can be a companion to our granddaughter.” Then he called Yaoqin to come meet her. In speech and temperament they were alike, and the two of them became sworn sisters.

Now we will return to Madame Yan. Once the toughs had dispersed, she went with Miss Li to the Hong family to thank them. She wanted to bring Jinfeng back home, but Mr. Hong and his wife said, “There are so few people in our family that we’d like your daughter to stay as a companion to our granddaughter. She can also thereby avoid being bullied by the toughs.” Miss Li and Madame Yan thanked him over and over, said goodbye, and returned home. From this time on, Jinfeng lived peacefully with the Hong family, but Gui Lang found it very hard to give her up. Although Jinfeng thought of her lover, Yaoqin kept her there and would not let her go, so she had no choice but to exercise restraint.

One day the two of them were waiting on Minister of Education Hong, listening as he expounded a text. Minister of Education Hong explained the Han Shu, where the hegemon king of Chu (Xiang Yu) was in desperate straits at Gaixia.¹⁶ The minister told the two young women that when Xiang Yu reached the Wu River, “Xiang Yu had returned. He still had Chu.”

The two women said that Minister of Education Hong had given the first line of a couplet. Jinfeng then matched it: “Since Wen Ji [Xiang Yu’s concubine] was forced out, she lost her home.”

Yaoqin also contributed a line: “Bo Yi, even if he died, wouldn’t follow the Zhou.”¹⁷

Minister of Education Hong was shocked. To himself he thought, “In the future one of these two women will be chaste and one will be wanton.” When Jinfeng heard Yaoqin’s comparatively chaste couplet, she felt ashamed. Yaoqin also thought that Jinfeng would certainly remarry in the future and regretted becoming sworn sisters, but she kept it to herself. Truly it was:

Don’t show happiness or anger in your expression;

Only let chastity or wantonness be manifest in your heart.

If you want to know what happened after the two women wrote poems, read the next chapter.