In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

36 Beware the Concubine s Tang th e Troublemake r wa s full o f grievances o n hi s retur n fro m presentin g the gifts at the palace gate. When he arrived at his residence, he first indulged in hi s opiu m smoking , the n h e relive d th e event s o f th e day: 'Clearly , today' s calamity wa s attributable t o th e Thre e Eggs ' incompetence. I have treate d hi m not badly and regarded him as a human being. And yet he is so unreliable! If you had told me you could not do it, I would have asked someone else. Then I would not have been disgraced in this way' The more he thought about it, the more exasperated he became. Yet matters had develope d t o such a state where he coul d not d o without hi s service. Eve n though he knew the Three Eggs was useless, he could not very well rebuke him. The only course open to him was to keep his annoyance to himself. Having satisfied himself with opium and taken his meal, he looked for someone on whom to let off steam. The victim was his clerk who was chosen as the objec t of his anger . Even th e Thre e Egg s could not tolerat e th e endles s ranting, so h e asked, 'What about the twenty thousand you have promised others?' Tang the Troublemaker said, 'What about it? It is just my bad luck to have to lose money! ' Thu s speaking , h e aske d a friend t o obtai n a promissory not e fo r twenty thousand taels from the money-changer's and pass it to the Three Eggs. Then h e gav e th e Thre e Egg s a deep bow an d sai d mockingly, 'Pleas e tak e good care of your foolish brother-in-law this time. Though I can afford t o pay, yet my money was not stolen. I do not dare to hope for any advantage now, all I want is to have some peace and quiet.' Beware the Concubines 349 The Three Eggs of course understood the sarcasm. Having a guilty conscience, his face turned red and white alternately; he wanted to say something in retort but could find nothing to say. Struggling for words, he finally blurted out, 'We are close relatives. I am not a man if I trifled with you. Since they were being difficult, ther e was nothing I could do!' Tang the Troublemaker just ignored him, so he could but go away with Tang's friend t o obtain the money. Tang the Troublemaker remaine d i n his residence. But after waitin g for fiv e hours and when it was about to get dark, there was still no sign of his brother-inlaw . He again became suspicious and was about to send someone to look for hi m when h e sa w his brother-in-la w comin g hom e i n a state o f grea t joy , shoutin g repeatedly, 'Congratulations! ' Hearing th e greetings , Tang's anxietie s a t onc e dissipated . H e asked , 'Hav e you paid the money? What abou t the birthday presents?' Cha th e Three Egg s replied, 'O f course the money has been duly paid. Th e presents too have been handed up. I hear that His Majesty i s most pleased. With the suppor t o f th e Chie f Steward , th e Imperia l Edic t ha s alread y com e down , awarding you the rank of the Fourth Degree.' Tang the Troublemaker said, 'What Fourth Degree? I am even now already an official o f the Secon d Degree . Having presente d suc h a lot o f thing s I shall b e awarded th e Firs t Degree . Why i s i t stil l onl y th e Fourt h Degree ? Am I to b e reduced to wearing the blue button?' 'I don' t kno w abou t this, ' sai d Ch a th e Thre e Eggs . 'Bu t whateve r th e benevolence, be it large or small, since it comes from the One Above, you have to express your gratitude. As t o th e re d button yo u ar e now entitle d t...

Share