【Illustrated Record of Fragrance】【24】【Author: Qingzhu Qiu Shi】

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Scheme to Deceive Others Backfires, a Tale of Retribution, and a Lingering Sentiment. It is said that Bai Cheng and Liu Yun, having finalized their plan, went to deceive Leng Huan. Bai Cheng returned to his room, grabbed a lamp, and hurried out of the nunnery. Approaching the Leng family's gate, he deliberately slowed his pace, calmed his breathing, and feigned composure before entering. He saw the gatehouse brightly lit, with the Leng family's servants inside drinking and playing drinking games. Upon seeing Bai Cheng, they all stood up and said, "Brother Bai, you've come at the right time! Have a drink!" Bai Cheng smiled obsequiously, "I have business to attend to at your esteemed residence. Could someone please inform them?" A servant quickly led Bai Cheng to the study. Leng Huan had already eaten dinner and was pacing back and forth, deep in thought. Seeing Bai Cheng enter, he hurriedly invited him to sit down, and a servant brought two cups of tea before leaving.
Leng Huan asked, "What brings you out tonight? Is there some good news?" Bai Cheng replied, "I didn't get any news, but I did find a good opportunity, which is good news. Just now, my young master asked me to go shopping, and I ran into the second master, who is close to the governor. We know each other well. I asked him about his situation, and he said that the governor is busy raising funds to send letters home, so he probably doesn't have time to deal with your master's matter. I asked him what kind of funds he was raising. Does such a large governor's office not have enough money and need to raise funds? He said that because my eldest young master is going back to his hometown to find a wife and also to repair the ancestral hall, he needs to take at least seventy or eighty thousand taels of silver back. He has already raised more than seventy thousand taels, but still owes several thousand taels. My master is straightforward and unwilling to use treasury funds. Although the office is large, it's impossible to borrow seventy or eighty thousand taels of silver in a short time. Even these seventy thousand taels have taken a lot of effort. My master told me to do whatever I wanted." I'll borrow a few thousand taels of silver from that shop and pay it back in two days. I need to go and discuss the loan with the shop. I'll send them off tomorrow, so I won't have time to chat with you. After saying this, he hurriedly left. I think your master is planning to do that thing, so why not send a few thousand taels of silver to him first to make things interesting? Wouldn't that be a good opportunity? I went back and told my master, and my young master also said that my idea made sense. He also said that there's no concrete news about that matter yet, and if we ask Master Leng for the silver first, he might not believe it. Fortunately, the governor didn't specifically ask Master Leng for the silver, so you shouldn't go and tell him. I said that's fine too. It's a rare opportunity, so I'll go and tell him. I'll leave it to him to decide, and I won't force him. My young master agreed, so I specially sent this letter. You can decide what to do. In my opinion, it's something that has to be sent sooner or later. We originally said we'd ask the governor for a favor, and that we'd incur some expenses outside. Now we're going to use the money from outside... "Send some in to please him, wouldn't that be better! We're only involved in one matter anyway."
Leng Huan laughed, "Your master is too worried. It's all for my sake, he doesn't care about himself. If I didn't trust him, I wouldn't have asked your master in the first place. Your young master is too inflexible, your second master is much more shrewd. It's really difficult for you; you'll just have to double the reward after it's done. Second master, please sit for a while, I'll have someone exchange the silver and send it to you." Bai Cheng said, "Since your master trusts to send this silver, I have something I don't want to hear, but I must tell you. He'll certainly be happy to receive the silver, but we can't send it openly, lest the governor become suspicious. Does he think our great government can't even handle a few thousand taels of silver? Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock? My young master must secretly take it in himself and explain the situation. Otherwise, if we send it and he turns his back on it, that would be a huge loss." "Things have gone wrong."
Leng Huan said, "It's truly thanks to your foresight that I almost made a mistake. So what? I'll send the silver to your young master in a moment, and he can handle it however he sees fit. It's bound to be right. In any case, I'll thank you all later. I won't waste my time with empty words now." Bai Cheng laughed, "Your master is truly generous and decisive, not petty at all. I remember when I was in the capital with my master, he was still working in the ministry. When he did something, everyone praised him, saying he would be more than just a minor official. I think he had a similar temperament to you, and sure enough, he later entered the cabinet and was appointed to a high position, just as everyone predicted. I'm not afraid you'll worry, though he may not become prime minister, he'll certainly be a governor or provincial governor. People with real achievements always act differently from others." Leng Huan was beaming with pride as he spoke, and chatted with Bai Cheng for a few more minutes. Bai Cheng took his leave, then instructed Leng Huan, "Your master should send it over quickly. If he has already borrowed it, sending it over will just be accepting it, and it won't necessarily show true affection." Leng Huan repeatedly said he understood.
Bai Cheng returned to the nunnery and told Liu Yun in detail. Liu Yun was overjoyed and praised Bai Cheng for handling things so well. Not long after, someone knocked on the door. Bai Cheng hurriedly went to open it and saw two servants from the Leng family carrying official lanterns, leading several burly men, carrying two sheaths of silver. They handed them to Liu Yun for inspection and said a few words of entrustment. Liu Yun said, "Please rest assured, my master, prepare for your new post." Bai Cheng invited them out, served them tea and fruit, and then went to get a receipt written by Liu Yun himself, "Received three thousand taels of silver from the Leng family," to give to the messengers to return and complete their mission. After sitting for a while, the Leng family servants took their leave. Bai Cheng came in, and he and Liu Yun opened the silver sheaths and carried the silver into the room one by one.
The nuns rushed to inquire, and Liu Yun replied, "It was forwarded from Nanjing, fearing I would lack supplies in a long time. Actually, I'm silly, how could I possibly use so much? Do you think I'd spend the New Year here?" The nuns said, "We were just about to keep you here for the rest of our lives. It's so hard for you to leave now; you must be reluctant to part with us." Liu Yun laughed and said, "I don't want to go back to Nanjing either. Tomorrow I'm going to visit some relatives in the Shi family. They'll be here in three to five days. I'll only take Bai Cheng with me. I have a partner here, and my family is staying here, so you can rest assured that I won't run away. If I really wanted to run away, I wouldn't have told you." Seeing that Liu Yun wanted to visit his relatives but wasn't taking his partner with him, the nuns didn't want to stop him too much. They just said, "Go quickly and come back quickly, don't worry about us." Liu Yun had already agreed with Bai Cheng, "Only you and I can leave secretly. We'll have to abandon the rest of the servants. Otherwise, if the bald monks become suspicious and get caught up in it, and word gets back to the Leng family, it will be difficult for us to escape." That night, Bai Cheng put all the silver from the Leng family into an empty box and hid the valuables in two beds of luggage. After finishing, he saw the sunrise and hurriedly went inside to wake Liu Xiu, then feigned instructing the servants not to cause trouble. "I'm going to Shaoxing to visit relatives; I'll be back in a couple of days." Bai Cheng had already hired two horses for riding and a cart to carry his luggage the previous night. After bidding farewell to the nuns, he mounted the animals, sped out of the city, hailed a small boat, and set off for Nanjing that very night.
Meanwhile, the next morning, Leng Huan ordered his servants to prepare a sedan chair to greet his guests. Upon leaving, he saw people whispering and gossiping in the streets, learning that something had happened in Hangzhou. He quickly summoned one of his servants and told him to go and inquire. Before long, the servant who had gone there rushed to the sedan chair in a panic, panting, and said, "I don't know what crime the governor has committed. Two imperial envoys from the capital have come to confiscate his property and arrest him for questioning. I was afraid it was a lie, so I went to the governor's office to inquire. Sure enough, all the civil and military officials in the city were there, and many soldiers surrounded the office, not allowing anyone to peek in. As for what the matter was, I had nowhere to ask and don't know." Leng Huan was greatly alarmed, his heart pounding. He hurriedly said, "Go and inquire carefully again. Don't be careless." He then instructed the sedan chair bearers to turn back and not pay their respects to the guests, "Go quickly to the Purple Bamboo Temple to visit Master Liu and ask him for the details." The sedan chair bearers agreed and went to the temple to report. A moment later, the servants of the Liu family led the sedan chair to
pay their respects, saying, "My master went to Shaoxing this morning to visit relatives. He will return in a couple of days and then pay his respects at the esteemed master's residence." Upon hearing that Liu Yun had already left, Leng Huan became extremely anxious, his mind filled with suspicion. He had no choice but to return to Mi in the sedan chair. Entering the gate, he saw that the servant who had inquired had already returned. Following Leng Huan to the study, the servant explained how the censor in the capital had impeached the governor for greed and illegality, thus allowing the imperial envoys to seize the property. Fearing the news would leak out, the governor had manipulated things, and the two imperial envoys had disguised themselves as merchants the entire way, entering the city the previous night without anyone knowing. This morning, the censors had informed the city's civil and military officials to mobilize troops for the search, and then went to read the imperial edict. "When I returned, I personally saw the governor already in shackles, sitting in a small, open sedan chair, surrounded by many soldiers. The rest were mostly people carrying the items to be searched." Leng Huan listened without saying a word, pacing back and forth in his study, utterly indecisive. He then took a young boy and went to the market to inquire. Sure enough, the governor had already arrested him and taken him to the capital; the governor's seal was temporarily held by the provincial treasurer. Leng Huan returned dejectedly.
A few days later, he went to the governor's office again to investigate further, only to discover he had been deceived by Liu Yun. He was furious. If he made a fuss, it would be detrimental to him because they were in the same examination; if he didn't, he would have lost a lot of money for nothing. He then went to the Purple Bamboo Nunnery to find Liu Yun's servants, hoping to find out where his master was. The nuns said, "Don't mention those filthy bastards; I chased them away yesterday. They were a group of swindlers who cheated people out of their money, and two of them ran away first. We nuns wouldn't expose them; we just chased them away to avoid implicating our peaceful place." Hearing this, Leng Huan's hopes were dashed; he could only accept his bad luck and admit he had befriended the wrong people. We'll make other plans once the new governor arrives in the province.
Liu Yun and Bai Cheng left Hangzhou overnight and arrived in Changzhou in less than a day. Liu Yun said to Bai Cheng, "I haven't heard from Hangzhou for days, and I'm afraid the Leng family won't let this go and will report us. Secondly, if we return to Nanjing, the old master will definitely reprimand us for acting without orders and for causing trouble in Yangzhou. It would be better to wait a few more days until the old master calms down before returning, then we can be sure of nothing happening." Bai Cheng said, "Whatever you say, sir. Even if you're not afraid, I can't bear the responsibility. It would be better if we didn't go back at all. When the old master misses you, we can take advantage of that coincidence to go home, and there won't be a single word of gossip."
Liu Yun nodded in agreement and said, "It's not good for us to wander around like this. I think the current prefect of Zhenjiang is my classmate. Tomorrow, we can pretend to stay at his office for a while, and we can even save on expenses." "The weather is fine, let's go ashore for a stroll. I've heard the nuns of Huiquan Mountain are famous throughout the land, you should definitely check them out." Bai Cheng laughed, "Alright, let's not talk about those bald heads anymore. The tricks in Hangzhou haven't even died down yet, and you're already thinking about the nuns of Huiquan Mountain again. You've truly forgotten the pain once the wound has healed. What about us, the group left behind at Zizhu Nunnery? I wonder what's become of us? I wonder if those bald men would still be willing to support us for even a day longer? If you're really happy, please go for a stroll. This place is unfamiliar, I dare not leave the boat for even a moment." Liu Yun said, "That's fine, you stay on the boat. I'll be right back after I go ashore." He then opened his chest, took out a small silver pouch, and went ashore with it.
Bai Cheng sat alone in the cabin, lost in thought: "Although I've done it, I'm starting to feel afraid. If the Leng family reports it, and my master is angry when I get home, he'll blame it all on me. Besides, he's only interested in playing around, and he doesn't care about the money he gets from outside. He spent two thousand taels of silver in Hangzhou in just over two months. If he spends this three thousand taels recklessly, it won't be enough. If he runs out of money, there will be no way to make ends meet. Although he says he's going to Zhenjiang, his heart is still on Huiquan Mountain! Why should I live in fear and follow him?" I won't gain anything either. Since I devised a plan for him to lose his accomplices in Hangzhou, he'll realize his mistake tomorrow and lose me too. That would be like setting a trap for himself! Look at Wang De of the Zhu family; I've heard he fawned over his master, risking his life for him, and now he's suffering punishment. It's all because of his master. I don't want to end up like him; that would be terrible." Bai Cheng became increasingly frightened as he thought about it. Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he laughed, "I'll also find a loophole for him, a deception within a deception."
Just then, Liu Yun returned to the boat. Bai Cheng served him dinner and, with a forced smile, asked, "I visited several nunneries today. How do they compare to Hangzhou?" Liu Yun replied, "This place is much better. I'd like to spend another day exploring before setting sail tomorrow. Would you be willing?" Bai Cheng laughed, "What are you saying, sir? If you want to spend a whole day exploring, would I dare stop you? I wouldn't even accept that. Tomorrow I'll go with you and see for myself how wonderful this place is." Liu Yun was delighted to hear that Bai Cheng wanted to go too, saying, "You'll know I wasn't lying after you've been there tomorrow." Bai Cheng said, "Who said I was lying?" The night passed.
The next morning, Liu Yun changed into a new, brightly colored outfit and ordered Bai Cheng to take several dozen taels of silver, "to have a good time today so we can set sail tomorrow." Bai Cheng agreed, took the silver, and went ashore with Liu Yun. He turned back and told the boatman, "Keep an eye on the people in the cabin; we'll be back quickly." The two of them chatted and laughed on the way, and soon arrived at a nunnery with the inscription "Ephemeral Flower Nunnery" above the door. Liu Yun had visited the day before. He strode in, and three or four nuns greeted him, laughing and saying, "Master Liu is truly a trustworthy man; he's even punctual for appointments." Bai Cheng noticed that these nuns were all still-naked, like laywomen, heavily made up, with alluring figures, and all around twenty years old. They invited Liu Yun to sit in the inner room and asked Bai Cheng to sit in the servants' quarters, where two young nuns also came to keep him company. After
chatting and laughing for a while, Bai Cheng stood up and said, "I'll be right back. If my master asks about me, please tell him I went to relieve myself. If I'm late, please cover for me so I don't have to come back and get angry. To tell you the truth, I also have a lover, and I want to sneak a peek at him." The two nuns laughed and said, "Oh, that man must be very handsome, that's why you're so eager to see him. If your master asks about you, I'll tell him for you. But don't forget us when you come back, even though we're not good enough for you..." "It wouldn't be beneath you, my dear friend. There are temples everywhere, why must you go all the way there to burn incense?" Bai Cheng laughed, bowing as he walked out, saying, "You two are truly kind people. Please allow me to prepare a grand feast for you." Then he heard Liu Yun shouting loudly from inside, "If I get drunk at your house tonight, I definitely won't be going back. My master's feast must be just as grand as mine."
Hearing this, Bai Cheng knew that Liu Yun wouldn't leave anytime soon, so he became even bolder and rushed back to his boat from the temple gate. As they approached the boat, he deliberately feigned a flustered appearance, his face flushed and breathless from running all the way back. Upon boarding, he immediately asked, "Are all your men on board?" The boatmen, seeing Bai Cheng's state, were puzzled and hurriedly replied, "We're all here. What's the matter, Second Master, that you're in such a hurry?" Bai Cheng waved his hand, stepped into the cabin, and stamped his foot, saying, "This is bad luck! Even if I stayed here for a day, I wouldn't run into the enemy." The boatmen asked, "What is the matter, Second Master?" Bai Cheng clapped his hands and said, "What is it? It's just that the matter in Hangzhou has taken place. And of all things, during this one day of delay, the magistrates of Renhe County have arrived. I think this lawsuit is going to be very complicated!"
The boatmen had been traveling from Hangzhou to Changzhou for seven or eight days, and they had often overheard their master and servants murmuring about the Hangzhou affair. Although they didn't understand, they occasionally caught a few words.
Since it didn't concern them, they paid no attention. Now, hearing Bai Cheng speak of it, they realized it was about what had happened in Hangzhou. Seeing Bai Cheng's alarmed state, they asked, "Second Master Bai, will this matter implicate us?" Bai Cheng sighed, "How could it not implicate us? I'm just afraid they'll come after you boatmen and make you their hideout, that would be terrible." Upon hearing this, the boatmen turned pale with fright and kowtowed to Bai Cheng, saying, "Second Master Bai, you know we boatmen can't afford to be implicated. We didn't even get anything from this deal, and now if we get dragged into a lawsuit, we'll be doomed. We beg you, Second Master, to have some decency and find a way to let us off the hook!"
Bai Cheng deliberately hesitated for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll take the blame myself. It's pitiful that you have such a small boat and so many people to feed, how can you afford to be implicated? Quickly move my belongings ashore, and you should sail to another place to hide for a day or two, then everything will be fine." The boatmen were extremely grateful and hurriedly went down to the cabin to help Bai Cheng move his belongings. Bai Cheng bundled the silver from the box together and tucked it into his pocket. Seeing that the boatmen had already packed their belongings, Bai Cheng hurriedly went ashore and led them to a pawnshop. He told them to put the items down, saying, "Why don't we pawn these things temporarily to lighten our load and prepare for the lawsuit?" At this point, the boatmen were too frightened to make a decision, only wanting to leave as soon as possible to avoid being a burden. They could only agree to Bai Cheng's suggestion. Bai Cheng moved the items and luggage one by one to the counter, told the pawnshop to appraise them, and instructed the boatmen to hurry up. The boatmen thanked him and quickly returned to their boats, heading off elsewhere. Here, Bai Cheng pawned the items for several hundred taels of silver, hired a fast boat, and rushed back to Nanjing that night to pick up his family and head towards Qinghuai. The rest will be explained later, so we will not go into details for now.
Meanwhile, Liu Yun was having a lively time at the Tanhua Temple, laughing and joking. After a while, wine was served, and they played drinking games and made merry. Suddenly, she asked Bai Cheng, "Is he also drinking outside?" The old woman replied, "He said he went to relieve himself and had other matters to attend to. He was afraid he'd be late, so when you asked him, he told us to relay his message." Liu Yun didn't mind and continued drinking until the moon set and the water clock dripped. He was thoroughly drunk and lay down on the table. The old woman and the others helped him into his room to sleep, and assigned a young nun to keep him company. That night, they indulged in passionate lovemaking. The next day, around noon, he finally got up and left his room. Liu Yun repeatedly called for Bai Cheng, but the old woman said, "He didn't come last night."
Liu Yun was quite surprised, and his face changed color. He said, "This servant is really strange. Please go to the boat and call him up. I have something to say." The nun agreed and went away. After a while, she returned, muttering, "I've searched the entire riverbank, but I haven't seen your boat. Are you treating our journey like a game?" Liu Yun panicked upon hearing this and stood up, saying, "If he's not here, has he run away? Let me go look for him." The nuns hadn't paid much attention to Bai Cheng's absence last night. This morning, the nun went to look for him but couldn't find him. She became a little suspicious, and seeing Liu Yun's alarmed reaction, she wasn't about to let him go alone. She called the nun and a male servant to go with Liu Yun to search. When they arrived at the place where the boat was moored, Liu Yun looked around and, sure enough, he wasn't there. When they asked the people on the neighboring boats, they all said, "Yesterday afternoon, your second master rushed to the boat in a panic, mumbled something for a while, and then took the boatman to send all the luggage and belongings ashore. The boatman returned empty-handed a short while later, and then the boat set sail again. We asked him, but he wouldn't say anything. It seems like something bad happened." Liu Yun, upon hearing this, broke out in a cold sweat and stood stunned on the shore. The nun said, "You know where he went; he must have explained it to you. Go back to our nunnery; we'll find him there."
Helpless, Liu Yun had no choice but to follow the nun and the others back to the nunnery. The nun then told the other nuns what had just happened. The group of niggers sneered, “How strange! He didn’t leave earlier or later, but you stayed here one night, and he left. It’s quite a coincidence, as if it were pre-arranged. Besides, he’s someone you rely on, and he didn’t run away no matter how far he traveled. If he weren’t someone you relied on, you probably wouldn’t have entrusted him with the money. Since he’s run away, you must have been after him. Please pay back the money we paid for serving you yesterday, so you can get back to your proper work.” Liu Yun’s face turned purple, and he forced a smile. She said, "Even if I say something more now, you won't believe me. It would seem as if my servant and I conspired to deceive you. No matter what, he won't leave; he's still staying in your nunnery. We'll find him, or I won't let this go."
The nuns all sneered, "Don't worry about your suspicions, what do we rely on all year round? If one goes and another goes, our nunnery will have been sold off long ago.
We don't expect your patronage. Please use what you had yesterday, then go find your boat. You can wait there; you know the answer in your hearts." "You said you wanted to stay in our nunnery and search at your leisure, wouldn't that mean we'd lose both our wife and our army!" With that, the two older nuns turned and went inside, scolding the old woman, "You blind lot, you'll recruit anyone, human or ghost, without even opening your donkey eyes to look!" Then they saw the younger nun who had spent the night with Liu Yun, crying, "You should also examine your conscience, they only used some of our money, I sold my parents' bodies for money." The two old women also stepped forward, saying, "Mr. Liu, please do us a favor, listen to us..." "And all the complaints! We've worked so hard to serve you, and all we get in return is resentment."
Their barrage of words left Liu Yun utterly ashamed, wanting to disappear into thin air. She couldn't bear it any longer, wanting to lash out but knowing she was in the wrong, she couldn't say anything. In a fit of pique, she removed her watch and other jewelry, including the jade and gold ornaments, saying, "Keep these as collateral, and I'm sure you won't suffer anymore. I'll go find him and come back to redeem him." The nuns initially refused, but two old women pleaded with them before finally accepting the jewelry, hurling insults at her as they chased her out. As soon as Liu Yun stepped out of the nunnery, the two old women slammed the door shut and spat twice.
Liu Yun was furious, her eyes red and brows furrowed. She went back to the riverbank to search again, but still found no trace of him. She realized that Bai Cheng had taken advantage of the situation and colluded with the boatmen to escape. Penniless, he had no choice but to take off his short woolen jacket and pawn it for a few taels of silver. He found an inn to stay temporarily and planned to visit people later. He intended to return to Nanjing, but now, penniless and alone, he had no face to go home. Although he had several old friends in Changzhou, without his jacket, how could he face them? He was in a dilemma, at a loss for what to do. Two days later, the few taels of silver were gone, and he pawned his long gown again.
Seeing his condition, the innkeeper sighed incessantly, fearing he might commit suicide and bring trouble upon himself, so he kicked Liu Yun out. Now, without his long gown, he was even more ashamed to face people.
He walked to a deserted spot by the riverbank and shed a few tears. He cursed himself for being foolish, for not recognizing kindness, and for deserving of his suffering. He then cursed Bai Cheng as a heartless beast, "I've treated you well all this time, yet you repay kindness with enmity, making it impossible for me to return home or face my parents. I have no way out; death is my only option. Even as a ghost, I cannot forgive you." He then looked towards Nanjing and cried out, "Father, your unworthy son bids you farewell today!" Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes, buried his head, and plunged into the river. He created a large puddle and sank, rising and sinking again in the distance. Liu Yun felt a thunderous ringing in his ears, his mouth churning with water, drifting aimlessly downstream. If only he had swallowed enough water, he would die!
But Liu Yun's fate was not sealed. Several official boats approached from upstream, sails unfurled and gongs blaring. Who was on those boats? It was Chen Xiaoru, with his family, returning to their hometown to pay respects to their ancestors. Xiaoru had been in Jiangning Prefecture for two months, handling a long-standing unresolved imperial case. Several officials had been unable to solve the problem, but after Xiao Ru consulted with them, the matter became clear. Cheng Gong submitted a separate memorial to the emperor, and Xiao Ru was promoted to the position of Circuit Intendant of Yangzhou. Just then, the position of Provincial Treasurer of Jiangning was filled with the death of a relative, and Cheng Gong was transferred to the position of Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, which brought Xiong Guisen to the fold. Xiong Guisen was Xiao Ru's teacher for the provincial examinations, and the two had a good relationship. Upon assuming office, Xiong Guisen requested that Xiao Ru take over the duties of Provincial Treasurer. Less than two months later, the new Provincial Treasurer arrived, and Xiao Ru, having already handed over his duties, took the opportunity not to return to his post as Circuit Intendant, but to request a four-month leave to return to his hometown for ancestral worship. Xiong Guisen, knowing that the Circuit Intendant was currently acting, granted Xiao Ru's request, as it was permissible to postpone his return. Xiao Ru chose a date to return home with his family. Now a Circuit Intendant, he was not considered a prefectural or county official, and he received numerous farewells along the way. Today,
he has arrived in Changzhou, where the current Prefect, He Bing, was Xiao Ru's tutor for the provincial examinations. In terms of official rank, the Changzhou Prefecture should have welcomed him, but since Xiaoru was his student, he shouldn't have gone to greet him. He quietly instructed the boatmen not to anchor here and to sail straight downhill. Xiaoru was enjoying the scenery with Madam Fang and their three children by the window. Xiaoru's eldest son was eleven years old and named Baozheng, his second daughter was nine years old and nicknamed Saizhen, and his youngest son was eight years old and named Baoyi. All three were exceptionally beautiful, with fair skin and delicate features. The two sons were also very intelligent and were currently studying at the government office. Xiaoru was happy to see his three children.
Suddenly, he heard a commotion on the bow of the boat and immediately ordered someone to find out what was going on. Shuangfu entered the cabin and reported, "A corpse was floating downstream. Our ship's helmsman and crew pulled it out. His chest was still slightly warm. His family went over to see, and he looked like Liu Renxiang from Nanjing. Several sailors who knew him said he looked exactly like him, so everyone was talking and making a fuss." Xiaoru hurriedly said, "Don't ask who he looks like. Since his chest isn't cold, quickly bring him back to life. Ask him if he accidentally fell into the water or committed suicide. Get back to me when you know." Shuangfu agreed and went out. After a while, he came back in and said, "It's truly a strange story. That person has been brought back to life. When asked for his name, he initially refused to say, but after repeated questioning, he turned out to be Liu Renxiang from Nanjing." Xiaoru asked in surprise, "How did he get here? How did he fall into the water? Can you ask him for details?" Shuangfu then explained how Liu Yun fled to Hangzhou to avoid trouble, how he ended up in Changzhou, how he was tricked by the servant Baicheng, and how he was now trapped and ashamed to return to Nanjing, which is why he committed suicide. "He now knows it's our ship, and he's incredibly ashamed, yet he still insists on jumping into the water. His family has ordered the sailors to keep watch, and they're asking for instructions on what to do with him."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ru sighed, "Retribution is clear and accurate. Liu Yun, who abused his power and committed countless sins, has now met such an end, unable to return home. Considering he was once a scholar, a respected official in the court, his actions have brought him utter disgrace and ruin; it is truly lamentable." Madam Fang also sighed, saying, "It is clear that good is rewarded and evil punished; there is a natural order. Liu Yun and Zhu Zixin, those two scoundrels, have repeatedly dragged Uncle Zhu down. Uncle Zhu only suffered some setbacks and is now still successful, unharmed. I recently heard that Zhu Zixin, having lost his in-laws' support, has gone to the South China Sea to cultivate himself in resentment. It's fortunate he repented early and still has some insight, unlike Liu Yun who continued his evil ways and ended up in this state. Today, our ship happened to pass by here, and we were fortunate enough to rescue him; it is truly a stroke of luck that fate intervened." "Let's leave this merit to us. You mustn't hold a grudge against him for his past actions. As the saying goes, 'Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.' Besides, he tried to restore order several times before, but he didn't cause any trouble for my family. This time, he's reaping what he sowed." Xiao Ru laughed and said, "If it weren't for that, even if you hadn't advised me to save him, I wouldn't have. Now that I've saved him, why not save him completely? Take Zhu Zixin's case the other day, for example. He framed the Shen family, and he deserved it. I didn't make any demands outside the law. If I didn't consider Liu Yun's friendship with me from our school days, I would have pursued the matter based on Zhu Zixin's confession. What was there to fear about Liu Yun flying to heaven? Fortunately, the Shen family didn't specifically accuse him, and I knowingly turned a blind eye and let him go. Now that he's being punished by heaven, it wouldn't be my usual character to hold a grudge against him. Don't you know my character?" Saying this, he got up and left the cabin. Shuang Fu said, "The master is out."
Liu Yun had been rescued by the sailors and, after vomiting out a lot of water, was gradually recovering. Hearing that it was Chen Xiaoru's boat, he was filled with fear and trepidation, thinking to himself, "Xiaoru and I passed the imperial examination in the same year, and I even entered the Imperial Academy a year earlier. But because of my wicked intentions, I failed to harm others and instead harmed myself, ending up in this miserable state, too late to die now. Although Xiaoru became a Jinshi two years ago, he only got a minor county magistrate position. He became famous as soon as he took office in Jiangdu, and within two years he had already reached the position of provincial governor, achieving great success and fame. I also heard that he enjoys the favor of the emperor and the censorate, and he is not afraid of not becoming a governor-general in the future. Compared to him, I am as different as heaven and earth." The more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt, and he secretly regretted his wickedness. He even wished he could jump into the water again, but the sailors held him back.
Suddenly, he saw Xiaoru walking out with a smile. Now Xiaoru had become fat, his face was like a silver basin, his beard was neither too thick nor too thin, and his body was round and his steps were heavy, which was worthy of a high-ranking official. Liu Yun had no choice but to put on a brave face, trembling like a drenched chicken as he stood up. He rushed forward, half-kneeling, half-kneeling, and said, "Grand Ancestor, it's been a long time. Nan Zhisheng is truly inhuman, worthy of death. I presume you know all the details of my past, Grand Ancestor, so there's no need to elaborate. I am deeply grateful for your great kindness in saving my life, and I am eternally indebted to you. But how can I, Nan Zhisheng, bear the shame of living in this world again? I'd rather be buried in the belly of a fish, let the river wash away my shame, and death will cleanse me." After saying this, he couldn't help but burst into tears.
Xiao Ru also felt a pang of sorrow and quickly stopped him, saying, "Renxiang, you mustn't do this. We've been friends for generations, not strangers. Do you think I'd laugh at you? Everyone makes mistakes in life; as long as you know when to stop and repent, you're a true man. Besides, we're both in our prime; who can predict what the future holds? And you're usually such a magnanimous person, why are you so short-sighted?" He then turned and scolded the servants, "Can you see that Master Liu is soaking wet? Why hasn't he brought some clothes to change into?" He then invited Liu Yun into the cabin, where Shuangfu quickly brought a set of clothes for Liu Yun to change into. Liu Yun bowed again to express his gratitude, and Xiao Ru hurriedly returned the bow. After they were seated, he ordered warm wine to be prepared for him to ward off the chill, and said, "Tomorrow I will hire a boat to take you back, and also prepare some clothes and other personal items for you. Once you arrive in Nanjing, no one will know. If you worry that your parents will be angry, I will write a letter to them, tactfully conveying your situation. They only have you as their child; as long as you are happy and dutiful, they will be overjoyed. They won't treat you like an outsider, still holding a grudge. Even outsiders at this point would only feel sorry for you." The young scholar's words were half sarcastic and half persuasive. Liu Yun blushed with shame, deeply grateful, and speechless, only able to obey. A short while later, the boat docked, and the young scholar again ordered wine to be prepared to calm Liu Yun's nerves. During the meal, he gave him a stern lecture, and the host and guests drank until the third watch. Nothing more was said that night.
The next day, Xiao Ru sealed off a ship and gave Liu Yun four hundred taels of silver, instructing him on how to purchase new clothes. He also assigned a capable servant to escort him back to Nanjing, where he was to personally meet with Old Master Liu to present a letter of greeting and explain the situation in detail. Liu Yun thanked him profusely and wept as he took his leave.
After several days on the road, he arrived in Nanjing. Xiao Ru's servant escorted him back to his residence and presented the letter to Liu Xianda in person. Liu Xianda was worried about his son's whereabouts. Upon seeing Liu Yun return and reading Xiao Ru's letter, he felt both angry and pitiful. He scolded Liu Yun a couple of times but had no choice but to let it go. He then wrote a reply, nothing more than words of thanks, and generously rewarded the messenger before sending him back to report.
Xiao Ru then saw Liu Yun off and set off without much delay. He arrived in Hangzhou that day, where he paid respects to his ancestors and visited relatives and friends, which need not be detailed. He was busy for more than two months, and as his vacation was about to end, he prepared to pack up and set off again. Suddenly, a letter arrived from Nanjing informing him that the newly appointed Provincial Treasurer had been transferred elsewhere, and the vacant position of Provincial Treasurer of Jiangning would be filled by Chen Meishou. The Governor-General's office also
sent a letter urging him to proceed to his new post immediately. Upon hearing this news, relatives and friends offered their congratulations and farewells, making the occasion even more lively. Xiaoru had already chosen three days to depart and sent messengers to various places to say goodbye. Suddenly, Shuangfu delivered a letter, saying it was from Zhu Boqing and others in the capital. Having arrived in Nanjing, they had heard that Xiaoru had returned to Zhejiang and had come to greet him. Xiaoru saw that it was a letter from his close friends in the capital and hurriedly took it to read. What does the letter contain? Let's find out in the next chapter.

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【Illustrated Record of Fragrance】【24】【Author: Qingzhu Qiu Shi】

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