[Romantic Anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty Court] [06] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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

Chapter Six: The Red-Robed Concubine Runs Away with the Young Master, the Purple-Bearded Knight Steals the Military Seal.
Li Jing, having left the Prime Minister's residence, returned to the Huguo Temple, utterly displeased.
He immediately collapsed onto his bed. Li Jing was a young man of great ambition. Seeing Emperor Yang's debauchery and knowing the court's incompetence, he abandoned his pursuit of fame and fortune, traveling far and wide, befriending many heroes.
Seeing the country's rampant oppression and the people's suffering, they long planned to emulate Chen Sheng and rise in rebellion, killing the tyrannical emperor and saving the people. It was Li Jing who persuaded them, personally coming to the Prime Minister's residence to persuade him. He argued that Yang Su held military power, and if they followed his advice, punishing the wicked and relieving the people would be easy. However, this old man, Yang Su, was only interested in immediate pleasure and had no ambition for such a great undertaking, leaving Li Jing disappointed after his initial high hopes. Moreover, he had traveled thousands of miles to reach Xijing, having already exhausted his travel expenses; now, returning in disappointment, he felt his belongings were meager and lamented his desolation and impoverished state.
"The abbot of Huguo Temple, upon hearing that Li Jing had come to see the Prime Minister, considered him a distinguished guest and served him fine wine and food morning and night. Because the outer guest rooms were incomplete, fearing to offend the honored guest, he invited him to stay in the west courtyard. This west courtyard was a bright and clean place, with clear water and lush trees, a very elegant place. Li Jing stayed there for ten days without paying a single penny for food or lodging.
Now, seeing Li Jing return dejectedly from the Prime Minister's residence, the abbot knew that his lodging and lodging fees had been wasted, and immediately changed his attitude, coldly saying to Li Jing: 'This old monk sees no fortune in you, sir; you should stay home and study more, so that one day you can take the imperial examination and perhaps even become a minor official, or tutor a few children at home to avoid hunger and cold. Why did you foolishly come to see the Prime Minister! Now the Prime Minister has bestowed upon you a title...'" "What official position has the lord assumed? Perhaps the post is too low, displeasing you, hence your sullen mood? Whether the lord's position is high or low, it's none of this old monk's business. The food and property of this temple are entirely obtained through the alms collected by a few wealthy benefactors. Now that the lord has become an official, he has disturbed the temple's water and rice for several days. Today, this old monk has come specifically to ask the lord to donate a few coins." These words were sarcastic and biting. Li Jing was a man of iron will; how could he tolerate such filth? Unfortunately, he was penniless at this moment, and his career had failed. He had no choice but to bow his head and put on a polite face, saying to the abbot, "Prime Minister, you must be summoned another day. The room and board fee will be repaid another day." He kowtowed repeatedly to the abbot and sent him away.
"Here, Li Jing had a bellyful of complaints, nowhere to vent them, and alone, he paced back and forth in the courtyard with his head down." Autumn deepened, and only the sound of the autumn wind could be heard, making the lone wild geese cry mournfully in the sky. Withered leaves fell from the trees, swept east and west by the wind. Looking at the fallen leaves, Li Jing suddenly thought of his own life, like those leaves, wandering aimlessly year after year, his future uncertain. A pang of sorrow gripped his heart, and he couldn't help but shed a few tears. The west wind blew against him, and he suddenly felt a chill in his sleeves, quickly retreating into the house. It was already dark; usually, the monks in the temple would have already lit their lamps, but today, there was still no light in the west courtyard. Li Jing sat silently on the kang (heated brick bed), seething with anger. He recalled his childhood discussions with his uncle Han Qinhu about military strategy, often saying, "A man should strive for fame and fortune through merit, not be a mere scholar of texts!" Such boastful words! Now, he found himself in this miserable state.
Just as he was pondering this, a man suddenly pushed open the door and entered. He wore a hood and a cloak, and carried a large bag. The man sat down on a chair by the window. Seeing his surprise, Li Jing hurried over and asked, "Who are you?" He asked again and again, but the man remained silent. The room was extremely dark, and the visitor's face and mouth were completely indistinguishable. Li Jing had no choice but to go out himself and beg the novice monk to bring a lamp. The visitor, however, had remarkably handsome features.
Li Jing looked at him, and the visitor simply smiled back at Li Jing. After the novice monk left the room, the woman stood up and gracefully walked to close the door. Turning around, she removed her headband and cloak. In a sweet voice, she said, "Does my husband recognize me?" Li Jing was greatly surprised. "It turned out she was none other than the concubine who had been with Duke Yang Su of Yue, holding a red whisk, whom he had met at the Prime Minister's residence earlier that day." Now, dressed in a bright green and red robe, she stood smiling before Li Jing. Li Jing asked, "What brings you here, young lady?" The concubine then nestled against Li Jing's lap like a sparrow, her pink cheek pressed against his chest, and said in a soft, sobbing voice, "My lord, you spoke so patriotically and benevolently to the Prime Minister during the day. Could it be that my lord cannot even protect a weak woman?" As she spoke, tears welled up and fell onto Li Jing's hand. Li Jing's heart stirred. He lifted the woman's face to look at her. She had long, arched eyebrows, shy phoenix eyes, delicate features, and bright red lips—a truly celestial beauty. He hurriedly helped her up, saying, "The Prime Minister wields immense power; how can you, my lady, escape his grasp? My beauty is full of unrequited love, but I fear my fate is unkind!" The woman laughed and said, "Everyone in the world fears the Prime Minister, but I alone do not. Yang Su is but a dying man, his death imminent; what is there to fear?" Hearing this, Li Jing felt a surge of courage.
But then he thought, "I have nothing of value; how can I support my beauty?" He felt a renewed sense of melancholy. The woman asked him, "What troubles you?" Li Jing replied, "My travels are bleak; I only worry about how to provide for my beauty." The woman chuckled upon hearing this, took Li Jing's hand, and led him to the kang (a heated brick bed). Opening the large bundle, they found it filled with gold, jewels, and numerous small packages, covering the entire kang. Li Jing immediately embraced the woman, exclaiming, "Wonderful woman!" They were overjoyed for a long time, repeatedly putting away the gold and jewels. He then took out another ingot of gold, placed it on the table, and instructed the woman to put on her cloak and cape again. Li Jing went out and called the abbot into the room, giving him an ingot of gold as a reward. The monk was delighted, shaking his bald head wildly, constantly calling him "Master," and saying that his complexion had improved, and that wealth and honor were just around the corner. Li Jing ignored him, only instructing him to quickly prepare wine and food. The abbot readily agreed, went out to prepare a fine vegetarian feast, and sent the novice monks to the west courtyard.
"Li Jing and the concubine Hong Fu sat knee to knee, chatting intimately, exchanging cups of wine, and enjoying a very sweet meal. The concubine introduced herself as Zhang Yiniang, who had been in the Prime Minister's residence for three years. Seeing the Prime Minister's advanced age and clouded judgment, indulging in wine and women, she knew this wealth and status would not last. Being young herself, she was unwilling to perish with him and had long harbored a desire to admire heroes; however, she found the young men who came to the Prime Minister's residence to be all despicable and filthy, only seeking profit and power, lacking any sense of integrity. Today, seeing Li Jing's dashing and romantic nature, and his integrity as a young man, she knew he had a bright future, so she couldn't help but ask for his name and address, and personally..." They came seeking refuge there. The feast lasted until late into the night. Seeing the concubine's pitiful, drunken state, Li Jing took her into his bedchamber. This night of passion became a timeless tale. The next day, Li Jing and Hong Fu rose together and sat by the window. He held the beauty's face in his hands, growing more and more enamored with her. He personally combed her hair, drew her eyebrows, and applied powder. He then dressed her in a cloak and cape, transforming her into a handsome man. Li Jing and she looked at themselves in the bronze mirror, their faces surprisingly similar. Delighted, they simply held hands, looking at each other and laughing.
Li Jing suddenly remembered that a favored concubine of the Duke of Yue had suddenly left his household. How could they not search for her? Since Yang Su became Duke of Yue, his power had grown immensely. The entire capital was filled with the Prime Minister's spies. They must flee the capital quickly. He then shared this with Hong Fu, who agreed that her husband's insight was excellent. The two hastily bid farewell to the abbot and mounted their horses, hurrying towards the main road of the city gate. Seeing they were almost at the gate, Li Jing glanced back at Hong Fu, cracked his whip, and the two horses galloped towards the gate like the wind. Upon reaching the city walls, Li Jing's heart sank. The city gates were tightly shut, and a large, imposing army stood guard at the foot of the walls. They approached to question him, and Li Jing said, "My brother and I are going out to do business. Please, gentlemen, open the gates and let us out." One of the soldiers said, "Last night, by order of the Prime Minister, someone went missing from the mansion. All four gates are to be closed. No one, soldier or civilian, can leave without the Prime Minister's military tally. It's easy for you two to leave; just produce your tally. If you don't have it, go home and wait for the Prime Minister to search every house. The gates will be opened then." Upon hearing this, Li Jing was stunned.
Hearing that the Prime Minister was going to search every house, Hong Fu, knowing her life was in danger, felt dizzy and almost fell off her horse. Luckily, Li Jing reacted quickly and caught her. The two turned their horses around and returned to their original route, finding an inn on Chang'an Street to stay in. At this time, the whole capital was abuzz with rumors that a favorite concubine of the Prime Minister had gone missing, and that the four gates were now locked, awaiting the Prime Minister's search of each house before she could be released. Upon hearing this, Li Jing and Hong Fu were so frightened that they hid in their room, not daring to peek out. All they could hear were the neighing of horses and the commotion of people. It turned out that the Prime Minister had dispatched countless soldiers to drive away idlers throughout the streets, forcing them to go home and await the search. Upon
hearing this news, Li Jing simply embraced Hong Fu. Stunned, he was deeply grateful to have gained this beauty; he had long since disregarded his own life. But looking at this celestial beauty, if the Prime Minister were to find her and take her back, she would surely be beaten to death, perhaps even hanged; pitifully, she had only sought a night of pleasure, thus casting her timeless beauty to the dust. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shed tears, which rolled down Hong Fu's cheeks; yet Hong Fu, nestled in Li Jing's arms, smiled broadly, showing no trace of sorrow. She said... "I would gladly give my life for a single night of your love, my lord! But the times are urgent, and your future is bright. You must abandon me and flee for your life. If you ever think of me, I only hope that every last night, you will light a stick of incense in the quiet room, and my soul will forever remain with you." As Hongfu spoke, tears streamed down her face. They embraced, cheek to cheek, gazing into each other's eyes, one wiping away the other's tears; a heart-wrenching lamentation, a confession of their deepest feelings. She cried and complained, then cried and complained again. Hongfu urged her husband to leave quickly, but Li Jing only held her waist tightly. They could hear the soldiers on the street driving away pedestrians, their pursuit growing more and more fierce. Hongfu said, "My lord, hurry up and leave! If you delay any longer, you won't be able to go!" But Li Jing refused to leave. Hongfu, helpless, broke free and personally put a handkerchief on his head, then took the pearl hairpin from his hair and placed it in his bosom. She said, "My soul is entrusted to this hairpin!" She then took two large ingots of gold from her bundle and put them in Li Jing's travel bag. Seeing her actions, Li Jing was even more reluctant to leave; helplessly, he was persuaded by Hongfu's gentle words, and she escorted him to the door, opening it for him with her slender hand. Just as she opened the door a crack, a troop of soldiers appeared from the porch outside. Panicked, she quickly slammed the door shut. She heard the soldiers repeatedly instructing the waiter: "By the Prime Minister's decree, no one is allowed to leave your shop without the Prime Minister's military tally. Wait for the Prime Minister to send men to search. Disobey and you will be executed!" The waiter, seemingly speechless, agreed. Inside, Li Jing and Hong Fu were in dire straits, their lives hanging in the balance. Hong Fu knelt before Li Jing, repeatedly saying, "It's all my fault, my lord! Now we're prepared to die! Heaven have mercy! After we die, we wish to be husband and wife for all eternity." Li Jing embraced Hong Fu, showering her with countless words of comfort. It was nearly dusk, and all was quiet inside and out; only from the guest room came mournful sobs. Just as
Li Jing and Hong Fu were locked in a tug-of-war, a figure suddenly leaped in through the window and stood there. Hong Fu, seeing this, quickly hid in Li Jing's arms. Li Jing looked and saw a tall, imposing man, dressed in black boots and a long, flowing beard, his eyes wide and glaring at Li Jing. Li Jing was stunned. After a long while, the man burst into laughter: "What a foolish pair! Both of you are desperate and have nowhere to turn; you, Li Jing, are quite famous in the martial world, how could you encounter such a trivial matter?" "So you're also at a loss for what to do? And you even talked about matters of national importance like saving the people and punishing the guilty!" Li Jing, hearing his tone, knew he was someone of importance, so he quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Hero, save me! I, Li Jing, have roamed the world and have never feared any danger; but now, faced with this woman's deep affection, I'm at a loss for what to do. Since you've come here, you must have heard what we have to say. Could you please save our lives?" The burly man stroked his beard and said, "That's not difficult. Just ask the young lady where the military tally is hidden in the Prime Minister's residence. I'll go and steal it for you immediately and get you out of the city." These words enlightened the two of them. Hong Fu was no longer afraid and quickly told the burly man the path to the inner quarters of the Prime Minister's residence in detail; she added, "The military tally is hidden in a large box on the kang (heated brick bed) on the east side of the Prime Minister's bedroom." "No sooner had he finished speaking than the burly man stamped his feet, leaped out of the window, and vanished without a trace.
" Li Jing and Hong Fu, half worried and half relieved, waited anxiously, their sweat dripping down their faces. They listened to the distant watchtower; the second watch had passed, but the burly man still hadn't returned. Looking out the window, they saw only a vast expanse of blue sky, cloudless, with a single, cold moon shining on the silent earth. Li Jing and Hong Fu, hand in hand, gazed at each other in silence.
"Just then, Li Jing heard the distant sound of horses' hooves. He jumped up from his chair, one arm around Hong Fu, the other pointing out the window. Hong Fu listened; the hoofbeats grew closer and closer, galloping towards the window, causing it to shake violently." The group of horsemen suddenly stopped at the inn's entrance. The sound of whips scraping against the door startled Hongfu, who clung to Li Jing's shoulder, her delicate shoulders trembling. A moment later, the innkeeper opened the door, and more than twenty soldiers rushed in, shouting, "Search! Search!" They began searching the guest rooms one by one, until they reached the next room. Li Jing, anxious, stared intently at the door. Then he heard someone banging on the door. Li Jing turned to look at Hongfu, tears streaming down her cheeks. Hongfu, flustered, collapsed against Li Jing's shoulder, her breath coming in short gasps, her eyes half-closed. Hearing the soldiers pounding on the door, Li Jing knew there was no escape. He lowered his head and kissed Hongfu's lips, saying, "I'll fight them to the death, even if it means my death, to repay my wife's kindness!" Just as he was about to let go, the burly man leaped through the window, tossed the military tally onto the table, snatched Hongfu from his arms, and hoisted her onto his shoulder, saying only, "We'll meet at the Ten Mile Pavilion outside the East Gate." With a flick of his wrist, he vanished without a trace. Then, with a loud thud, the door was knocked down by soldiers. More than ten men, like tigers, pounced into the room. Seeing Hongfu gone, Li Jing's courage grew. Seeing the soldiers, he quickly shouted, "Halt!"
Pointing to the military tally on the table, he said, "The Prime Minister's military tally is here. I've secretly searched this inn; I haven't found any of the Prime Minister's concubines. You should search elsewhere." Seeing the Prime Minister's tally, who dared disobey? They all readily agreed, retreated from the room like a swarm of bees, jumped onto their horses, and landed, kicking up a cloud of dust. The men and horses disappeared without a trace.
"Li Jing, however, leisurely packed his bags, instructed the innkeeper to prepare a horse, and rode to the East Gate. The guard at the gate verified his military tally and let him pass. He whipped his horse several times and rode straight to the Ten-Mile Pavilion. When he dismounted, Hong Fu was already standing at the pavilion entrance, waiting expectantly; the burly man laughed heartily and came out of the pavilion. Li Jing and Hong Fu both knelt down without realizing it, and the burly man helped them up. In the moonlight, a beautiful woman, a scholar, and a burly man with a large beard made for a striking sight. Li Jing repeatedly asked the burly man his name, and the burly man laughed and said: 'I am fond of meddling in other people's business in the martial world and have never left my real name; now that I have helped Mr. Li to a happy marriage, that is enough for me. Why must I leave my name and cause such a fuss?'" "How timid I am! If the heroes of the world knew, they would laugh at my shallowness! If you lack a proper name, my lord, this big beard is my best name! Just call me Lord Beard." Upon hearing this, Li Jing bowed deeply and said, "Lord Beard, I will repay your kindness another day; we shall meet again, farewell." With that, he helped Hong Fu and turned to leave. Lord Beard rushed forward, grabbed him, and said, "Where are you going, sir? The world is in turmoil, and the dragons are without a leader; your future is bright, and you should find a way out. Thirty miles away, in Tongjiaji, I have a good friend who lives there. You and your wife should stay with me for a while. I'll take care of it and find you a good position so that you can rise to prominence and repay your wife's kindness."
Li Jing was desperately seeking refuge, and upon hearing Qiu Ran Gong's words, he nodded in agreement.
The three of them, each on horseback, traveled through the desolate mountains and wilderness by moonlight, traversing forests and streams. Hong Fu, having lived a secluded life in her chambers since childhood, was unfamiliar with such wilderness; however, because of her love for Li Jing, she felt no fear. The two of them, horse to horse, shoulder to shoulder, walked slowly, talking intimately. They continued until the moon set and the stars began to shine, finally reaching Tongjiaji. The bearded man led them to a thatched cottage, where they went inside to meet the owner; the owner, a handsome man with a long, three-stranded beard, surnamed Chen, styled Mu Gong, was also a learned scholar. The bearded man explained his purpose, and Chen Mu Gong was delighted. From then on, Li Jing and Hong Fu settled in Tongjiaji, while the bearded man continued his wanderings.
Autumn turned to winter, and snow fell heavily. Li Jing and Chen Mu Gong were gathered around a stove, brewing wine. Suddenly, the bearded old man appeared, his footsteps treading through the snow. As soon as he entered the house, he urged Li Jing, "Hurry, come with me! There's a wide way out." This bearded old man was known for his loyalty and integrity, and never lied. Hearing his words, Li Jing immediately put down his wine cup, went back to his room, and put on his snow cloak. When Hong Fu found out, she couldn't bear to part with him, so she also put on her windproof cape and cloak. They rode their three-horse steeds again, braving the wind and snow.
Seeing that they were heading towards Xijing, Li Jing stopped his horse, hesitating.
The bearded man glared at him and said, "Does Prime Minister Li not trust me?" Li Jing quickly bowed in thanks, remaining silent and keeping his head down as he rode into the capital.
When they reached the gates of the Duke of Yue's mansion, Li Jing became frightened and whispered, "Does the bearded man intend to betray me?" The bearded man patted his chest and said, "If anything goes wrong, I will die to atone for it!" Li Jing had no choice but to steel himself and follow him into the mansion. Hong Fu, having reached this point, could no longer be called timid and simply followed closely behind Li Jing.
As they entered the inner hall, her heart pounded wildly. The three of them stopped at the eaves. After a moment, a voice called out from inside, "The Prime Minister requests an audience!" Someone came forward and lifted the curtain; the bearded man was the first to stride in. "Go," Li Jing said, taking Hong Fu's hand and joining her. Seeing Yang Su sitting high above, their legs went weak, and they both collapsed to the ground. Yang Su, seeing this, burst into laughter, quickly getting down from his seat and personally helping them up, saying, "What a beautiful and talented couple! I'm now even more pleased with Prime Minister Li, and have recommended you to the Emperor for a position as a Palace Attendant. From now on, you two can live happily ever after!" It turned out that Yang Su, heeding Qiu Ran Gong's advice, not only spared Li Jing's life but also gifted him his beloved concubine and recommended him for an official position, thus gaining a reputation for magnanimity and ensuring Hong Fu's happiness. Although Yang Su was now dead, Li Jing's career had soared, rising from Minister of Personnel to Assistant Magistrate of Mayi. This was truly a victory for women in their own right!" Hou Qing paused here, picking up his wine cup and taking a sip.
This story had lasted for over an hour. When the story reached the part about danger, the concubines and Miss Jiao Na all frowned with worry for him; when the story reached the part about sorrow, everyone took out their handkerchiefs to wipe away their tears, grieving for the two of them; when the story reached the part about love, Fei Hong and Miss Jiao Na both secretly glanced at Hou Qing, smiling sweetly, while the concubines, including Chu Xiu and Wu Yun, lowered their heads, their teeth clenched, lost in longing; when the story reached the part about happiness, everyone at the table listened with pride, laughing heartily. Hou Qing had completely captivated the hearts of more than twenty women, including maids and servants, leaving them utterly mesmerized. Rong patted Houqing with a smile, saying, "You're such a lovely boy! Since you came to my house, you've been laughing and joking every day. Good boy, you should stay here permanently. Everyone in my family will miss you!" Feihong, who was the quickest-witted, laughed and said after hearing Rong's words, "It's easy for my nephew to stay here permanently; it's just that we can't find a beautiful and affectionate Lady Fu!" Her words made all five aunts at the table blush. Everyone laughed and scolded, "This aunt has become sick from listening to stories! She might as well spill her own secrets." Mianyun also laughed and said, "Aunt, do you have a sweetheart outside? If you want to be Lady Fu, go ahead and be her, but don't drag others into it!" Feihong got anxious at these words and snatched Mianyun's hand like a swallow into her arms. Rong persuaded her, saying, "What would it look like if my nephew saw her like that?" Only then did the two of them let go. The family feast was lively and lasted until dusk, when everyone was tipsy and dispersed.
From that night on, Houqing slept in his aunt's backyard, while Miss Jiaona slept in the east wing of the front yard. The lights of the front and back yards faced each other. Ever since their love blossomed under the moon and flowers, it was as if someone sat in their hearts, someone they could never forget. That night, Houqing got very drunk and went to his room to sleep. Although his mind was hazy, he couldn't forget his beloved Jiaona. Facing the flickering lamplight, he drifted off to sleep. Suddenly, he felt someone shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw Miss Jiaona standing gracefully before his bed. Houqing was overjoyed and sobered up. He sat up abruptly, but felt extremely dizzy and couldn't stay upright, so he fell back onto the bed. Miss Jiao Na went to support him, propped his back with a high pillow, and poured him a strong cup of ginseng soup, serving him sip by sip. Feeling slightly more awake, he sat up and leaned against Jiao Na's chest. Jiao Na sat on the edge of the bed, her left hand supporting Hou Qing's neck, her right hand tightly held by Hou Qing. Jiao Na whispered, "Brother is very drunk, lie down quietly for a while." Hou Qing actually fell into a deep sleep in Jiao Na's arms. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

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[Romantic Anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty Court] [06] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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