CHAPTER 39 :: A drinking game sees ivory sticks fly at the pavilion, and golden carp draw fishing boats to compete on the lake

Two square tables were set in the Phoenix Pavilion with a casual meal of sixteen dishes, eight of them hot appetizers and eight main dishes. The guests followed the usual rule, and each sat with his own girl. Iron Hua, Elan Ge, Cloud Tao, and Amity Zhu took one table, and Nature Shi, Second Bai, Devotion Yin, and Harmony Qi the other. Everybody raised his cup to toast one another, and conventional etiquette was put aside. Second Treasure, still shy, did not join in.

“Don’t stand on ceremony when you’re here,” said Harmony Qi, “we all eat together and drink together. Just look at them.”¹

And indeed she saw Wenjun Yao pick up half a crab marinated in wine, shell it, and eat it. As she ate, she said to Second Treasure, “If you don’t eat, nobody will serve you, and you’ll be hungry later on.”

Smiling, Aroma Su picked up a piece of pork belly with her own chopsticks and put it before Second Treasure. Only then did Second Treasure start eating.

“Since she’s a free woman, why be a courtesan?” Second Bai suddenly asked.

“The usual story: to make ends meet,” Nature Shi answered for her.

Harmony Qi heaved a long sigh. “This city of Shanghai is like a trap; too many people have fallen in.”

Nature Shi answered, “A relative of hers came to Shanghai with her and has become a courtesan, too.”

“What’s her name? Where does she live?” Devotion Yin asked immediately.

Second Treasure took it up. “Her name’s Flora Zhang. She’s in West Civic Peace Alley, in the same house as Belle Tan.”

Devotion Yin called across to the other table to ask Cloud Tao about Flora.

“Oh, she’s quite nice. She also looks like a respectable woman. Shall we call her here?” Cloud said.

“Later. We’re going to do some drinking now,” said Devotion.

Harmony Qi asked Nature Shi to start a drinking game. Nature thought as he ate the first dish—shark’s fin—that since Cloud Tao and Amity Zhu did not like poetry and fine writing, this game had to have a broad appeal. He announced, “Well, I have an idea. Let’s each pick an item on the table and use quotation from the Four Classics to ‘stack a pyramid.’² How about that?”

“Your word is our command,” everybody said.

The servants, used to attending such literary games, moved a small tea table over and opened a sandalwood stationery box that contained all the necessary equipment: writing brushes, inkstones, ivory sticks, and dominoes.

To take command of the game, Nature Shi first drank a cup of wine. “My key word is fish,” he said. “Let’s draw lots for our turn. The one who comes last will be the next commander.”

“But there aren’t many quotations in the Four Classics we can use for ‘fish,’” said Harmony Qi.

“Let’s give it a try and see,” replied Nature Shi.

The eight men each drew an ivory stick and wrote down a quotation from the Four Classics on it, followed by his name. The servants collected all the sticks, meticulously copied out the quotations on colored notepaper, and then submitted it for their inspection. Both tables were vacated as they read it. They praised one another in unison and then each drank a cup to mark the end of round one.

Cloud Tao, being the next commander, chose the word “chicken.” They drew lots again with the ivory sticks, after which they all remained silent. Some paced around with their eyes on the ground, while others did word counts on their fingers. Wenjun Yao found the game boring. The key word “fish” reminded her of something, and, after hastily downing two cups of wine, she dashed off. Thinking she was just bored, Second Bai paid no attention. When everyone had written his quotation on the ivory stick, the servants again had it all copied out for their perusal and mutual admiration. It was then Iron Hua’s turn to be commander.

“Now that we’ve used ‘fish’ and ‘chicken,’ things are getting harder,” said Iron Hua.

“If you can’t think of a word, just drink a tumbler of wine and pass up the command. Anybody who can think of a word can take over,” said Nature.

Iron Hua stared silently ahead and then suddenly said, “Got it! What about ‘meat’?”

“Good” was the general response.

“Now it’s really getting difficult! I wonder who’s going to have to take over after this,” said Elan Ge.

Once more the servants copied the quotations out for them to read. It was now Second Bai’s turn. But instead of assuming the command, he just poured himself a full cup of wine.

“Are you going to drink and pass?” asked Devotion Yin.

“What’s the matter with you? Won’t you even let me drink?” replied Second Bai. “If you want to take over, you’re welcome.”

Smiling, Devotion turned around and told the servant to spread out the ivory sticks.

When Second Bai finished his drink, he said loudly, “Let it be ‘wine’ then!”

Harmony Qi guffawed. “It’s wine that we’re drinking, so why didn’t any of us think of it, I wonder?”

Without deliberation, everybody dashed off their quotations.

Devotion had written the last quotation. Having finished reading it, Second Bai said to him, “Now it’s your turn. Go on.”

After a slight pause, Devotion replied, “I will when you have drunk a large tumbler of penalty wine.”

“Why’s that?”

“You need a pointed top to make a pyramid. Now there are sentences beginning with the words ‘meat,’ ‘fish,’ and ‘chicken’ in the Four Classics, so the pyramids all have a tip. But you chose ‘wine.’ Is there a sentence in the Four Classics that starts with the word ‘wine’?”

Harmony Qi was the first to applaud. “That makes sense.”

Nature Shi nodded in agreement.

Second Bai had no choice but to accept the punishment. After that, he said to Devotion, “You’re what is called the convict type. Your greatest talent lies in finding fault with others.”

Devotion ignored him and proceeded with the game. “Let’s use the word ‘grain.’ There seem to be many instances of it in the Four Classics.”

Upon hearing this, Second Bai shouted loudly, “Now it’s your turn to be punished! We’re here to drink. Who wants anything to do with grain?” He snatched the wine pot and poured wine into a tumbler. Would Devotion submit to that? The argument that ensued made everybody laugh uproariously.

Just then, they suddenly heard three or four maids shouting together at the back of the pavilion. Alarmed, everybody approached the railings to look out on the lake. They saw that Wenjun Yao had got into one of the skiffs tied up by the bank and, fishing net in hand, set out to catch a golden carp. The maids, worried, were trying to call her back. But would she listen? Paddling hard, she swung out toward the middle of the lake.

Second Bai took one look and then dashed toward the river bank, where he picked up a bamboo pole and leapt onto another skiff. He freed the mooring ropes and, with a hefty kick, sent the boat off. It shot like an arrow straight toward Wenjun’s skiff. When he got to the middle of the lake, he poked the bamboo pole at the stern of her skiff. One hard push sent it spinning round and round. Though she was agitated at having lost control of her boat, she did not beg for mercy.

“You want a fish? If you persist in this, I’ll overturn your boat so you can take a bath. Don’t you doubt it!” Second Bai said, laughing.

Cheeks flushed red, she waited silently until the boat had settled somewhat and paddled herself back to the shore. He turned around and followed her.

Back on shore, she fixed him with her beautiful eyes, now wide with anger. Her cherry lips in a pout, she leapt toward him like a gust of wind. He ran; she followed in hot pursuit. But when she got into Phoenix Pavilion, he had disappeared without a trace. She was about to press on, when Harmony Qi barred the way with outstretched arms. She tried to duck under his arms, but he took advantage of the move to embrace her. “That’s enough. Now out of regard for this old man, just forgive him and be done with it,” Qi pleaded.

“No, Your Excellency! He said he’d throw me into the water. I’d like to see him do it!”

“He was talking nonsense. Don’t pay him any attention.”

Still she would not desist. Seeing Second Bai peeking through the bamboo curtain, Qi called out, “Come here! How can you run away after you’ve made your girl angry?”

Second Bai edged into the pavilion, bowing to her and apologizing for his behavior. Fired up again, she struggled free. He panicked and rushed out of the pavilion once more. She pursued him for some distance but, surmising that she would not be able to catch him, returned in dejection.

Devotion Yin said, “Come, the two of us will play the game ‘officers’ roll call.’”

It was her favorite game, one that she never turned down. So guests at the two tables joined together to play the finger game, and the squabbling was forgotten. Soon the air was filled with the tinkling of jeweled bracelets. Having lost two rounds, Wenjun was getting tipsy. Besides, the others also wanted to save some of the gaiety for the night, so Harmony Qi told a servant to ask Second Bai to come for rice.

“Mr. Gao has already had lunch with Secretary Ma in the study,” reported the servants.

Harmony Qi smiled and left it at that.

After lunch, they walked around in small groups of three or five. Some played with the cranes, others looked at the fish, yet others sipped tea or showed off plants they had found. They rested on stones washed by the stream and went in search of willows and flowers. Only the host, Harmony Qi, went back to his bed chambers for a nap.

Devotion Yin strolled idly along the lakeshore with Green Fragrance, Aroma Su, and Wenjun Yao. They happened to come round again to Panorama Hall, where they saw that the three hundred pots of jasmine had been moved to the corridors. Multicolored glass globes hung around the arbor. Thick ropes were tied around the palm beam at the center of the arbor, and a huge box of fireworks was suspended from it.

Aroma pointed at the fireworks and said, “They say they were ordered from Guangdong. I wonder if they’re really as good as people say.”

“What can be particularly good about them? They’re just fireworks,” said Devotion Yin.

“If they’re no good, why would anyone pay so much for them?” Green Fragrance asked.

“I’ve never seen fireworks before. I’ll take a look now and see what they’re like,” Wenjun Yao said. She strolled down the steps and scrutinized the box.

It so happened that Second Bai was coming this way. On seeing her in the distance, he smiled and saluted her with a bow. She simply ignored him. Second Bai walked surreptitiously toward the arbor but dared not go straight in. Green Fragrance could not suppress her titter. When Devotion Yin turned around and saw this, he said, “What is it with the two of you? When all the guests arrive later on, won’t you be embarrassed?”

Aroma beckoned to Second Bai. “Come, Mr. Gao, it’s all right. We’ll help you.”

Second Bai was just about to walk up the steps when he saw a man come running toward them. It was Qi’s steward, Felicity Xia.

“The guests are here,” Xia reported.

Second Bai held back and walked away to avoid the crowd; Devotion Yin also took off with Aroma, Wenjun, and Green Fragrance. As they strolled across the Bridge of Nine Twists, they saw in front of them the Lingering Clouds Lodge, which consisted of three rooms and was situated under an artificial hill. Nature Shi and Iron Hua were playing chess there, with Second Treasure and White Orchid leaning against the table watching the game. They filed in and stood about casually.

A note of a Kun opera song suddenly trilled in the air, accompanied by a flute. The music was carried to them on the wind.

“Who’s singing?” said Green Fragrance.

“The theater troupe must be having singing lessons in Pear Blossom Court,” Aroma replied.

“No, I don’t think it’s them. Let’s go and find out,” Wenjun said.

Following the music, she walked northward with Green Fragrance. They peeped through the bamboo fence and saw Elan Ge and Snow Scent singing a duet at the top of the steps beside the archery path, with Cloud Tao playing the flute and Belle Tan marking time on the wooden clapper. Wenjun Yao dashed across the straight path for archery practice and up the steps; Green Fragrance had no choice but to try and keep up, panting and perspiring. When she ran past the Right Target Hall, her elder sister, White Fragrance, called out, “What’re you running like that for?”

Green Fragrance had no answer. White Fragrance told her to come near, checked her bracelets and hair ornaments, and gently rebuked her.

Green Fragrance saw Amity Zhu smoking opium on the lounge at the center of Right Target Hall. “Brother-in-law,” she greeted him and then propped her elbows on the edge of the lounge and chatted with her sister. Before she knew it, it was nightfall. The servants lit the lamps in all the buildings. The three paraffin lamps at Right Target Hall shone brightly, illuminating the archery path.

Longevity Zhang came to report, “Secretary Ma is over there now.”

Amity Zhu told Longevity to put away the opium tray, while he took the Lin sisters to the banquet. Paraffin lamps lit the way to Panorama Hall, which shone gloriously through the thin mist. The front part of the hall was surprisingly quiet; there were just seven or eight actresses getting dressed there. It turned out that the banquet was set in the center hall, behind a courtyard, with nine tables arranged in three rows. All the guests had arrived and were deferring to each other as to seating order. Seeing there was still room at Devotion Yin’s table, Amity Zhu sat down across from him while White Fragrance and Green Fragrance sat next to each other. Of the girls who had been summoned later, those who were willing to sit down at the tables had room made for them, while those who wouldn’t could please themselves.

There was a stage in the hallway facing the courtyard on which the girls of the home theater troupe gave a performance. Once the gongs and drums sounded, everybody concentrated on drinking and watching the show, for it was quite impossible to talk. Even the host, Harmony Qi, could only apologize for not plying everyone with food and drink by saying briefly, “Please excuse my rudeness.”

As time passed, more girls arrived. By now, the hall was packed. Some of the guests had called two girls; even Devotion Yin had summoned another girl, Flora Zhang. Seeing Second Treasure, Flora nodded in greeting. Since Fortune Shi had stopped seeing her a long time ago, Second Treasure was ready to let bygones be bygones and did not mind talking to Flora, but the noise prevented them from having a real heart-to-heart. By the time a dessert dish had been served and two of the summoned girls had each sung an aria from Peking opera, Second Treasure found it too hot to remain with the crowd. She got up and gestured to Devotion Yin and then took Flora Zhang with her. They went out by the corridor on the left and headed toward the Bridge of Nine Twists, where they leaned against the railings to talk at leisure.

“How’s business for you?” Second Treasure asked.

Flora just shook her head.

“This guest named Yin is quite nice; just try harder with him,” said Second Treasure. Flora nodded in assent. Second Treasure then asked about Fortune Shi.

“How many times did he come to your place? He never came to West Civic Peace Alley,” Flora said.

“Guests like him are unreliable. I heard he’s seeing Third Treasure now,” said Second Treasure.

Flora was keen on getting more details, but just then somebody approached, so they both stopped talking. When the person came close, they saw it was Aroma. Aroma thought the two of them had come out to answer a call of nature, so she asked Second Treasure in a whisper. It turned out to be exactly what the latter wanted.

“I was just going to call on Pendant. Let’s go to her place,” said Aroma.

Flora and Second Treasure followed Aroma down the bridge and then headed northward. They came to a white wall with a black lacquered door. When they walked in, they saw an old woman mending clothes under an oil lamp. Aroma took them straight upstairs to Pendant’s bedroom. Pendant, who was lying in bed, got up in a fluster to greet them, addressing Aroma as “Maestro.” Aroma whispered something to her.

“But my place is filthy,” Pendant said in response.

“I don’t think you need to be so modest,” said Aroma.

Second Treasure could not suppress a smile, and then she went behind the bed. Flora Zhang withdrew to the outer room to catch the breeze at the window. Aroma then asked Pendant, “Are you feeling all right?”

“It’s nothing serious; just a sore throat. That’s why I couldn’t sing.”

“His Excellency told me to come and ask after you and to say there’s no need for you to sing if you can’t manage it. Are you coming?”

“Since His Excellency is summoning me, how can I decline to go?” Pendant said with a smile. “You mustn’t joke about coming here to invite me, Maestro.”

“But it’s true. His Excellency was afraid you were having a lie-down because you didn’t feel well. I’m just here to ask you; it’s all right if you don’t want to go.”

Pendant insisted she would. Just then Second Treasure finished and washed her hands, so Pendant made ready to go with them.

“Aren’t you going to change at all?” Aroma asked.

Embarrassed, Pendant went to get changed.

Flora Zhang suddenly beckoned to them from the outer room. “Come out and have a look. It’s fun here.”

Second Treasure followed her to the window and looked out. She saw Panorama Hall at the southwest corner of the garden, surrounded by firelight. The light was reflected in Conical Hat Lake, where the ripples flickered and formed strange patterns of light and shadow. The sound of music and singing, soft and melancholy, seemed familiar but distant, as though it had come from high above the clouds. Second Treasure, entranced, agreed with Flora that it was fascinating. They did not leave until Pendant had changed and Aroma came out to invite them to go. They deferred to each other on their way out and returned along the same route. Halfway there, they met the head steward, Felicity Xia, who had a lantern in his hand and was heading in another direction. Seeing the four of them, he stood aside to let them pass and said pleasantly, “Maestro, do go and look at the fireworks.”

Aroma asked as she walked on, “And where are you going?”

“I’m fetching somebody to set them off. They’re said to work best when set off by the man who made them.” He then went on his way.

The four women went back to Panorama Hall, where Second Treasure and Flora Zhang rejoined their table. Aroma told a manservant to place a stool beside Harmony Qi and asked Pendant to sit down.

The opera had just ended, and the musicians onstage had taken their instruments into the arbor to await instructions. Most of the guests were engaged in conversation. Pendant sat there silently with a pallid face, wearing no makeup and no jewelry, her head hung low as if weighed down by melancholy. Harmony Qi regretted his rashness in summoning her and said solicitously, “I didn’t call you here to sing, just to watch the fireworks. After that, you can go back to bed.” She stood up to answer yes.

In a moment, Steward Xia reported, “They’re ready.”

“This way, please,” said Harmony Qi to his guests. One of the menservants in attendance then spoke in a sonorous voice, requesting Secretary Ma and the honored guests to walk over to the front of the building to watch the fireworks. Thereupon everybody left their tables.

::

1. This goes contrary to the rules of the sing-song houses, where courtesans have to sit behind their clients and are not supposed to partake of the food, hence Second Treasure’s hesitation.

2. So called because each succeeding quotation has to be one word longer than the previous one.