Chapter 181: Waste

Hua Di was very troubled lately — his transfer to Wang Dou’s command had fallen through. Just yesterday, his trusted personal battalion officer had fought over a courtesan in a brothel, and during the scuffle had his head smashed. In the end, the wound was too severe and he died. The few patrons who had caused the trouble also vanished without a trace; no matter how they searched, they couldn’t be found.

All these vexations made Mao Bin’s already irascible temper even more explosive. Fortunately, these past two days his beloved concubine Gao Lingshuang had been much more amiable toward him, which lifted Mao Zhen’s mood somewhat — the little wench had finally come around. That was more like it. Sticking with him meant fine food and drink; what was so bad about that?

Today, Gao Lingshuang even hinted that he should come to her room that night. Seeing her coy and alluring manner, Mao Bin felt an unbearable itch in his heart — the little lady taking the initiative like this was truly a first. Thinking of her exquisite body, Mao Bin suddenly felt heat surge through his entire frame.

After making a perfunctory round through the camp, as soon as darkness fell, Mao Zhen could wait no longer and hurried to Gao Lingshuang’s room. He found her already meticulously dressed, her alluring eyes glistening and deeply enticing. The table was laden with wine and dishes. The moment he saw Gao Lingshuang’s appearance, Mao Bin was instantly consumed by lust and pulled her into his arms.

Gao Lingshuang cooed, “My lord, don’t be so impatient — the night is long, we have plenty of time.”

She wriggled free from Mao Bin’s embrace and, smiling radiantly, lifted a cup of wine. “Your servant has specially prepared this table of wine and food for you, my lord. Please taste it — does it suit your palate?”

Mao Zhen picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and nodded. “The flavor is good. You’ve put thought into this, my beauty.”

Gao Lingshuang said in a honeyed voice, “My lord, let your servant feed you wine.”

Mao Zhen grinned lecherously. “I want to drink the nuptial cup with my little lady.”

Gao Lingshuang coyly protested, “How hateful — my lord is taking advantage of your servant.”

Watching Gao Lingshuang’s seductive manner, Mao Zhen felt his very bones go soft and his sinews melt. Nestled against her, he unknowingly drank the cup of wine down.

Gao Lingshuang cheered sweetly, “My lord has a vast capacity — drink another cup.”

Before he knew it, Mao Bin had downed several cups. As the wine rushed to his head, he gazed at the Gao Lingshuang before him — the more he looked at the alluring figure, the more he desired her. He grinned lecherously, “My beauty, a moment of spring is worth a thousand in gold — let us go to bed.”

So saying, he seized Gao Lingshuang’s body in a fierce embrace. She offered token resistance while yielding, her seductive eyes like silk threads. “My lord, you’re so wicked.”

Today, Assistant Regional Commander Mao seemed exceptionally vigorous, and his beloved concubine Gao Lingshuang seemed exceptionally uninhibited. Her earth-shattering cries of pleasure nearly resounded through the entire Assistant Regional Commander’s residence. The personal guards and retainers outside the room, upon hearing this, exchanged grins and praised their lord’s valor. The concubines in the other rooms, upon hearing it, remarked sourly, “That seductive fox — truly shameless.”

Suddenly, Gao Lingshuang’s moans ceased, and then her piercing shriek rang out: “Someone come! His lordship is in trouble!” Everyone in the residence rushed in. They pushed open the door and saw Assistant Regional Commander Mao with eyes bulging wide, body convulsing, his breathing already faint as a thread. He was completely naked, and from his lower body, a red-and-white substance was still spurting. Looking again at his beloved concubine Gao Lingshuang, she too was naked, cowering in terror at one corner of the bedhead.

“Coital stroke?”

The moment they saw Assistant Regional Commander Mao’s condition, this term flashed through everyone’s mind.

The maidservants who had followed in, upon seeing Assistant Regional Commander Mao in this state, let out shrieks and fled the room like madwomen.

The next day, the news that Assistant Regional Commander Mao had died from ejaculatory exhaustion spread like wildfire through Yongning City, becoming the hot topic in every teahouse and tavern. Everyone embellished the story — what exactly had happened that night — each spouting froth at the mouth as if they had witnessed it with their own eyes.

Within a few days, Yongning City had lost two officials — one dead from a fight over a courtesan, the other from a coital stroke. Neither death was honorable. The various responsible officials, upon hearing the news, all shook their heads. Even the funeral arrangements were awkward to handle. Very soon, the wives and concubines of Mao Bin in the Assistant Regional Commander’s residence began quarreling over the family property. Zhang Xuejiao, who had been thoroughly squeezed out in Baoanzhou City, also came to Yongning City, intent on fighting for his younger sister’s share of the estate.

A few days later, the beloved concubine of Mao Zhen, the young lady Gao Lingshuang — who had been branded a husband-killer and a bearer of ill fortune — absconded with a sum of silver from the Mao residence and vanished without a trace. Along with her, her mother and younger sister also disappeared. With her example set before them, the other concubines seized what property they could and scattered in a single uproar, leaving the Assistant Regional Commander’s residence even more desolate.

Mao Bin’s funeral was cold and sparsely attended. In the latter part of the eighth month of the tenth year of Chongzhen, Wang Dou accompanied Acting Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng to Yongning City to pay his respects to Assistant Regional Commander Mao. Afterward, at the summons of Circuit Intendant Ji Shiwei of the Huailong Military Defense Circuit, he went to the circuit city to pay a formal visit to Circuit Intendant Ji. This was a treatment even Acting Garrison Commander Xu Zucheng did not receive, which made him sigh inwardly — what stroke of luck had this Wang Dou encountered, to be so appreciated by so many?

Upon arriving at Huailai City, Circuit Intendant Ji specially received Wang Dou in the rear garden of his residence, to express his sense of closeness. He felt a slight twinge of guilt toward Wang Dou. Wang Dou had exerted himself so wholeheartedly, yet he himself had misunderstood him because of those rumors — this was unfair to a man who served the country with utter devotion. Therefore, Circuit Intendant Ji intended to promote Wang Dou.

After meeting Wang Dou, Circuit Intendant Ji inquired solicitously about his well-being, making Wang Dou feel as if bathed in a spring breeze. When the pleasantries were done, he brought up the main business: the position of Yongning Garrison Commander had still not been settled. Circuit Intendant Ji intended to recommend Wang Dou as the new Yongning Garrison Commander and planned to submit his name to the Provincial Governor’s office.

Wang Dou was secretly startled. Normally, a promotion was a good thing, but unfortunately it meant being transferred elsewhere — how could that work? Thereupon he said, “This humble officer thanks you for your generous regard, my lord. However, this humble officer is of meager talent and shallow learning, with a thin record of service. If I were promoted to Garrison Commander, I fear the officers under my command would be far from convinced, putting you, my lord, in a difficult position. Furthermore —”

He continued earnestly, “At present, the affairs of the department city have just been set on the right track. In all matters concerning Baoan, this humble officer has poured in countless efforts of heart and mind. The affairs of the department city are not yet perfected, and this humble officer —”

Listening to Wang Dou’s sincere words, Ji Shiwei nodded repeatedly. Indeed, this Wang Dou was a genuine and honest man. His feelings were understandable.

He said, “Very well, Wang Dou. You shall remain in Baoan Department for now. When the time is ripe, this official will certainly promote you with great vigor.”

As the two were speaking, a household servant approached and said quietly, “Master, Department Magistrate Wu of Yanqing Department has sent someone — he says he has come to beg your forgiveness, Master.”

Ji Shiwei gave a cold snort. “What is Wu Zhi still coming here for? Whom has he sent?”

The servant replied, “It is precisely his son, the young master Wu Lue.”

Ji Shiwei made a sound of mild interest. “I have heard that this Wu Lue placed first in the provincial examinations as Top Graduate. Very well, let him enter.”

Ji Shiwei exchanged a few more words with Wang Dou, and then Wang Dou took his leave.

The rear garden of the Circuit Intendant’s residence covered a considerable area. Guided by a servant of the Ji household, Wang Dou was making his way out. When he reached a bend in a flowing stream, he spotted a familiar figure. That person, upon seeing him, exclaimed in delighted surprise, “Wang — Lord Wang?”

Wang Dou bowed in salute. “So it is the young lady. This humble officer pays his respects.”

The person before him was none other than Young Lady Ji. She was as charming and alluring as ever, though she seemed somewhat more haggard. She still wore a plain white silk dress, its six-panel skirt trailing like the waters of the Xiang River. She curtsied in return and said, “I did not expect to meet you here, my lord. Are you well?”

Wang Dou replied, “I am well. Thank you for your concern, young lady.”

Young Lady Ji was about to say more when suddenly a man’s voice rang out: “To think I would encounter the young lady here — truly, a chance meeting surpasses a planned invitation.”

Wang Dou looked over and saw several young men dressed as scholars. The one at their head was around twenty years of age, handsome and refined in appearance, clad in a Confucian scholar’s robe, his bearing graceful and poised. Yet his face bore an arrogance that he could not quite conceal. It was he who had just spoken.

Young Lady Ji looked at him and said coolly, “So it is Young Master Wu. What important business brings you to the residence?”

Young Master Wu replied, “This late-born student comes on behalf of my father to offer apologies and make amends to the Circuit Intendant.”

He glanced at Wang Dou, who stood beside Young Lady Ji, and probed, “May I venture to ask, young lady, who is this gentleman?”

Wang Dou, seeing the group staring at him — especially that Young Master Wu, whose expression was far from friendly — said flatly, “This official is Wang Dou, Garrison Commander of Baoan Department. And the young master is?”

“Wang Dou?”

Young Master Wu uttered the name with surprise. He looked Wang Dou up and down, then turned his head away. “So it is merely a crude military man.”

His voice was contemptuous and dismissive, and he did not answer Wang Dou’s question.

Seeing such rudeness, anger surfaced on Young Lady Ji’s face. The few men beside Young Master Wu said, “This is Young Master Wu Lue of the Yanqing Department Magistrate’s residence, who just placed first as Top Graduate in this year’s autumn provincial examinations.”

A proud expression appeared on Wu Lue’s face. He said to Young Lady Ji, “Why would the young lady exchange pleasantries with a military man? It does nothing but disgrace your own status.”

Young Lady Ji’s elegant brows furrowed. She was about to speak when Wang Dou shook his head and sighed, “A pity. Truly a pity.”

He stepped forward and said, “I have heard that you placed as Top Graduate, so your essays must be as splendid as clusters of brocade. Yet observing your words and conduct, you are but another boastful, empty-talking sort. I have seen many young men like you — unable to govern the state with letters, unable to secure the realm with arms, capable only of idle talk and pure critique. Our Great Ming has gained yet another utterly useless scholar. What a pity indeed.”

Wu Lue’s face turned ashen at Wang Dou’s words. He sneered, “A mere military brute like you — what could you possibly understand of statecraft and strategies to secure the realm?”

Wang Dou said disdainfully, “At the very least, I understand more than you. Give you a department or a county — could you govern it as well as Baoan Department? Give you a picket or a company — could you slay several hundred slave-caitiff soldiers?”

Wang Dou shook his head and looked at him pityingly. “You could not. You do not have that ability.”

He chanted aloud: “Have you not seen, Zhong Jun of the Han, who at twenty bound the captives and begged for the long tassel? Have you not seen, Ban Dingyuan, who in the farthest frontier spurred war-clouds with light cavalry! A true man should hold perilous duty in high regard — how can he let the scholar’s cap ruin this life?”

“As the ancients said — better to be a Company Commander than a mere scholar!”

He looked at Wu Lue and his companions. “Why not come serve as common soldiers under my command? If you could slay even one or two Tatars, you would at least have contributed some effort to the state, rather than living in this world uselessly consuming grain. What do you say?”

Young Lady Ji, watching Wang Dou speak with such eloquence and assurance, was first astonished, then observed him with keen interest. As for Wu Lue, he was shaking with rage. He pointed at Wang Dou and said, “You — you base commoner! How dare you so insult refined scholarship?”

His finger jabbed right up to Wang Dou’s nose. A cold gleam flashed in Wang Dou’s eyes. He seized Wu Lue’s hand. Instantly, the bones in that hand creaked and cracked. Wu Lue shrieked in agony, “It hurts! It hurts! Lighter — lighter —” Everyone around them was dumbstruck. Several servants of the Ji household hurriedly cried, “Garrison Commander, please let go! Please let go!”

Wang Dou increased the pressure. Wu Lue was in such pain that he doubled over. Wang Dou abruptly released his grip. Wu Lue immediately went tumbling out, rolling on the ground and howling at the top of his lungs. The scholars scrambled frantically to help him up.

Watching them descend into utter chaos, Wang Dou snorted coldly: "Useless trash!"

He nodded to Young Lady Ji, then strode away with meteoric steps, leaving without a backward glance.

Young Lady Ji's eyes sparkled. She watched Wang Dou's figure recede farther and farther, and for a long time she did not turn back.

Not far from there, Ji Shiwei stood behind a rockery, equally dumbfounded. After a long moment, he let out a breath: "This Wang Dou — such piercing rhetoric. This is the first time I've heard it." If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to your heart, for more chapters. Support the author, support genuine reading!