could all be very well removed to the front; and by these means, these two grounds, situated as they were besides so very near to each other, could, by being thrown into one, conduce to the saving of considerable capital and labour; for, in spite of some deficiency, what had to be supplied did not amount to much. And it devolved entirely upon a certain old Hu, a man of note, styled Shan Tzu-yeh, to deliberate upon one thing after another, and to initiate its construction.
Chia Cheng was not up to these ordinary matters, so that it fell to Chia She, Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Lai Ta, Lai Sheng, Lin Chih-hsiao, Wu Hsin-teng, Chan Kuang, Ch'eng Jih-hsing and several others to allot the sites, to set things in order, (and to look after) the heaping up of rockeries, the digging of ponds, the construction of two-storied buildings, the erection of halls, the plantation of bamboos and the cultivation of flowers, everything connected with the improvement of the scenery devolving, on the other hand, upon Shan Tzu-yeh to make provision for, and after leaving Court, he would devote such leisure moments as he had to merely going everywhere to give a look at the most important spots, and to consult with Chia She and the others; after which he troubled his mind no more with anything. And as Chia She did nothing else than stay at home and lie off, whenever any matter turned up, trifling though it may have been as a grain of mustard seed or a bean, Chia Chen and his associates had either to go and report it in person or to write a memorandum of it. Or if he had anything to say, he sent for Chia Lien, Lai Ta and others to come and receive his instructions. Chia Jung had the sole direction of the manufacture of the articles in gold and silver; and as for Chia Se, he had already set out on his journey to Ku Su. Chia Chen, Lai Ta and the rest had also to call out the roll with the names of the workmen, to superintend the works and other duties relative thereto, which could not be recorded by one pen alone; sufficient to say that a great bustle and stir prevailed, but to this subject we shall not refer for a time, but allude to Pao-yue.
As of late there were in the household concerns of this magnitude to attend to, Chia Cheng did not come to examine him in his lessons, so that he was, of course, in high spirits, but, as unfortunately Ch'in Chung's complaint became, day by day, more serious, he was at the same time really so very distressed at heart on his account, that enjoyment was for him out of the question.
On this day, he got up as soon as it was dawn, and having just combed his hair and washed his face and hands, he was bent upon going to ask dowager lady Chia to allow him to pay a visit to Ch'in Chung, when he suddenly espied Ming Yen peep round the curtain-wall at the second gate, and then withdraw his head. Pao-yue promptly walked out and inquired what he was up to.
'Mr. Ch'in Chung,' observed Ming Yen, 'is not well at all.'
Pao-yue at these words was quite taken aback. 'It was only yesterday,' he hastily added, 'that I saw him, and he was still bright and cheery; and how is it that he's anything but well now?'
'I myself can't explain,' replied Ming Yen; 'but just a few minutes ago an old man belonging to his family came over with the express purpose of giving me the tidings.'
Upon hearing this news, Pao-yue there and then turned round and told dowager lady Chia; and the old lady issued directions to depute some trustworthy persons to accompany him. 'Let him go,' (she said), 'and satisfy his feelings towards his fellow-scholar; but as soon as he has done, he must come back; and don't let him tarry too long.'
Pao-yue with hurried step left the room and came and changed his clothes. But as on his arrival outside, the carriage had not as yet been got ready, he fell into such a state of excitement, that he went round and round all over the hall in quite an erratic manner. In a short while, after pressure had been brought to bear, the carriage arrived, and speedily mounting the vehicle, he drove up to the door of Ch'in Chung's house, followed by Li Kuei, Ming Yen and the other servants. Everything was quiet. Not a soul was about. Like a hive of bees they flocked into the house, to the astonishment of two distant aunts, and of several male cousins of Ch'in Chung, all of whom had no time to effect their retreat.
Ch'in Chung had, by this time, had two or three fainting fits, and had already long ago been changed his mat. As soon as Pao-yue realised the situation, he felt unable to repress himself from bursting forth aloud. Li Kuei promptly reasoned with him. 'You shouldn't go on in this way,' he urged, 'you shouldn't. It's because Mr. Ch'in is so weak that lying flat on the stove-couch naturally made his bones feel uncomfortable; and that's why he has temporarily been removed down here to ease him a little. But if you, sir, go on in this way, will you not, instead of doing him any good, aggravate his illness?'
At these words, Pao-yue accordingly restrained himself, and held his tongue; and drawing near, he gazed at Ch'in Chung's face, which was as white as wax, while with closed eyes, he gasped for breath, rolling about on his pillow.
'Brother Ching,' speedily exclaimed Pao-yue, 'Pao-yue is here!' But though he shouted out two or three consecutive times, Ch'in Chung did not heed him.
'Pao-yue has come!' Pao-yue went on again to cry. But Ch'in Chung's spirit had already departed from his body, leaving behind only a faint breath of superfluous air in his lungs.
He had just caught sight of a number of recording devils, holding a warrant and carrying chains, coming to seize him, but Ch'in Chung's soul would on no account go along with them; and remembering how that there was in his home no one to assume the direction of domestic affairs, and feeling concerned that Chih Neng had as yet no home, he consequently used hundreds of arguments in his entreaties to the recording devils; but alas! these devils would, none of them, show him any favour. On the contrary, they heaped invectives upon Ch'in Chung.
'You're fortunate enough to be a man of letters,' they insinuated, 'and don't you know the common saying that: 'if the Prince of Hell call upon you to die at the third watch, who can presume to retain you, a human being, up to the fifth watch?' In our abode, in the unseen, high as well as low, have all alike a face made of iron, and heed not selfish motives; unlike the mortal world, where favouritism and partiality prevail. There exist therefore many difficulties in the way (to our yielding to your wishes).'
While this fuss was going on, Ch'in Chung's spirit suddenly grasped the four words, 'Pao-yue has come,' and without loss of time, it went on again to make further urgent appeals. 'Gentlemen, spiritual deputies,' it exclaimed; 'show me a little mercy and allow me to return to make just one remark to an intimate friend of mine, and I'll be back again.'
'What intimate friend is this again?' the devils observed with one voice.
'I'm not deceiving you, gentlemen,' rejoined Ch'in Chung; 'it's the grandson of the duke of Jung Kuo, whose infant name is Pao-yue.'
The Decider of life was, at first, upon hearing these words, so seized with dismay that he vehemently abused the devils sent on the errand.
'I told you,' he shouted, 'to let him go back for a turn; but you would by no means comply with my words! and now do you wait until he has summoned a man of glorious fortune and prosperous standing to at last desist?'
When the company of devils perceived the manner of the Decider of life, they were all likewise so seized with consternation that they bustled with hand and feet; while with hearts also full of resentment: 'You, sir,' they replied, 'were at one time such a terror, formidable as lightning; and are you not forsooth able to listen with equanimity to the two sounds of 'Pao-yue?' our humble idea is that mortal as he is, and immortal as we are, it wouldn't be to our credit if we feared him!'
But whether Ch'in Chung, after all, died or survived, the next chapter will explain.
CHAPTER XVII.
In the Ta Kuan Garden, (Broad Vista,) the merits of Pao-yue are put to
the test, by his being told to write devices for scrolls and
tablets.
Yuan Ch'un returns to the Jung Kuo mansion, on a visit to her parents,
and offers her congratulations to them on the feast of lanterns,
on the fifteenth of the first moon.
Ch'in Chung, to resume our story, departed this life, and Pao-yue went on so unceasingly in his bitter lamentations, that Li Kuei and the other servants had, for ever so long, an arduous task in trying to comfort him before he desisted; but on his return home he was still exceedingly disconsolate.
