Chapter 53: 052 The Gentry! The Local Worthies!

If you counted the daughters born of concubines as well, Fei Yuanyi had a full sixteen granddaughters.

The eldest, Fei Yinghuan — his principal wife was fierce, he took no concubines, one son and two daughters.

The second, Fei Yingqi — his principal wife was fierce, he took no concubines, three sons and one daughter.

The third, Fei Yingke — his principal wife was meek, eight concubines, five sons and twelve daughters.

The fourth, Fei Yinggong — his principal wife died young, he never remarried, never took a concubine, and brought home one illegitimate daughter.

Granddaughters — truly no shortage!

Fei Yuanyi was an old xiucai, with a rich life in his later years, particularly fond of attending literary gatherings and dashing off a few trite poems.

These were gatherings of the elderly literati, usually led by retired officials, with the local gentry and elders happy to play at refined pursuits. They seldom drank with courtesans; even if they summoned a famous singing girl to perform, they listened to the music in all earnestness — the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak!

Most of the time, bamboo staff and straw sandals, roaming hills and woods at leisure, chanting poems and composing verse.

Or else calling together friends and companions to fish, drink, take tea, listen to opera, play cards — enjoying their twilight years, utterly at ease.

Do not imagine these old fellows had no presence to speak of!

Any County Magistrate who wished to have his name enshrined in the Temple of Worthy Locals had to first win their approval.

Disputes among the common folk, which ordinarily would not be reported to the authorities, were likewise brought to them for mediation and judgment.

If bandits appeared, or natural disaster struck, and the County Magistrate needed to raise funds and grain, he would also call upon them to issue appeals and solicit donations.

When the Regional Inspector rode circuit through the region, listening to so-called popular opinion, he was usually conversing with these old fellows.

The gentry — the local worthies!

To move in this circle, first one needed reputation; only second came wealth.

Reputation, face — these were Fei Yuanyi's very lifeblood, the source of all value in his life, far more important than a single granddaughter born of the principal wife!

The year before last, the Shanxi rebel army stormed the county seat, and the County Magistrate had nimbly fled in advance.

Fei Rulan's betrothed was rather foolish. Duped by the city's great clans, he stepped forward to raise a militia and hold the city. In barely the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, a traitor opened the gates and surrendered the city. The wretch turned and fled in terror, and the rebel army caught up and cut him down with a single blade.

After the fact, the court determined he had died a martyr defending the city, and ordered the local government to commend and honor him.

When the old fellows gathered, someone exclaimed in admiration, "Brother Zimei, you truly have a fine grandson-in-law — fought to the death without retreat, gave his life for the nation. His Majesty has already bestowed a chastity-and-righteousness memorial arch!"

The speaker meant nothing by it, but the listener took it to heart.

Fei Yuanyi found it ever grating. Returning home, he tossed and turned, and no matter how he looked at her, his granddaughter seemed an eyesore.

His grandson-in-law was a martyr for the realm, honored with an archway bestowed by the Emperor himself. Yet his granddaughter was alive and well. If she did not die to follow her husband, how could it ever be justified? From this day forward, he feared, he would be endlessly ridiculed, unable to lift his head before the assembled gentry!

Over the past half year, Fei Yuanyi had probed repeatedly, but his granddaughter had always pretended not to understand.

Until today, Fei Yuanyi simply laid it all bare, speaking without leaving the slightest room, invoking the family ancestors to force his granddaughter to take her own life.

……

Outside the door, a household slave paced back and forth, frantic with anxiety yet not daring to enter and disturb.

After waiting and waiting, Fei Yuanyi finally finished a piece of calligraphy. Wiping his hands, he said, "Old Five, why has there been no word from that side yet?"

The household slave addressed as Old Five hurried over and said, "Master, we can't get into Jingxing Court at all."

"Can't get in?"

Fei Yuanyi did not understand. He said, "I only told you to send people to gather news. If Rulan truly followed her husband in death, then help handle the funeral arrangements. If Rulan refused to obey, still unwilling to die, you were simply to come back. What do you mean, can't get in?"

Old Five explained with a bitter face: "Master, I sent two groups of men, one after the other. The first group indeed heard that the Young Miss had taken her own life, so they hurried in to handle matters — who would have thought they'd be seized and locked in the woodshed. I sent a second group to bring them back and find out what happened, but the moment they entered Zhongqin Court, they vanished without a trace."

"Vanished without a trace?" Fei Yuanyi still did not grasp the situation.

Old Five continued explaining: "Right now, over at Jingxing Court, whether the inner or outer courtyard, the main gate and side gates are all blocked tight. No one is allowed in or out, no matter what. What exactly is going on inside — we simply cannot find out."

"Tell Jingxing Court to release the men at once!" Fei Yuanyi said angrily.

"They refuse. They say they must wait for the Young Madam to return," Old Five said aggrievedly. "That is the Eldest Young Master's courtyard. We can hardly send men with torches and weapons to truly smash down the door."

Fei Yuanyi said, "Tell them it is my order — have them release the men immediately!"

"I did. It was useless," Old Five seized the chance to stir the pot. "That courtyard of the Eldest Young Master grows more arrogant by the day. Ordinarily, they don't even put our Gongbei Court in their eyes."

Fei Yuanyi flew into a rage, slammed the table, and roared: "This is rebellion! Take men yourself — if they won't open the door, break it down!"

Having received his imperial edict, Old Five immediately mustered the household slaves and swept toward Jingxing Court with a storm of fury.

"Open the gate at once and release the men, or we won't be polite!"

By now it was nearly dark. Old Five bellowed, holding a torch aloft, with an air that suggested he might set the house ablaze at the slightest provocation.

"Catch!"

Someone inside — who, no one knew — answered and suddenly tossed out an object.

Old Five had a subordinate pick it up. It was a pouch, and the pouch still held something inside.

"Open it and look," Old Five ordered.

The subordinate opened the pouch and held a torch to it. Instantly, his soul nearly fled his body in terror. He shrieked, "It's four severed fingers!"

Old Five's face went deathly pale from fright as well. Pointing inside, he cried, "You... you people dare to kill?"

No one answered.

Old Five was already advanced in years and could not withstand such intimidation. He instructed his men: "You stay here and keep watch. I will go ask the Master for instructions!"

The fellow ran all the way back, sprinting and shouting: "Master, Master, there's been a killing!"

Fei Yuanyi was just about to eat. Frowning, he said, "What are you panicking for? Speak properly."

Old Five produced the severed fingers: "Master, not only did Jingxing Court refuse to open the gate, they threw out several fingers."

"Amitabha, Amitabha..." The old matriarch set down her chopsticks and began chanting the Buddha's name over and over.

Fei Yuanyi was utterly stupefied. He had no idea how to handle this.

All he had wanted was to force his granddaughter to commit suicide, and to send men over to gather information.

If she truly killed herself, he would immediately arrange the funeral and swiftly contact the County Magistrate for a commendation and memorial arch.

If she did not kill herself, then there was nothing to be done — he could hardly send men to beat his granddaughter to death, could he?

It was that simple a matter, and now it's been thrown into complete chaos. Two groups of household slaves were sent over, and both were detained by Jingxing Court, which even blockaded the main gate to cut off all contact inside and out.

And now it's even more outrageous — they've actually tossed out several severed fingers.

In a matter like this, Fei Yuanyi cannot possibly show his face in person, yet if he does not show his face in person, his household slaves below are utterly helpless.

Fei Yuanyi was caught between a rock and a hard place. Suddenly he looked at his wife: "How about you make a trip over there?"

The old matriarch, fiddling with her prayer beads, stood up. She would not even finish her meal and headed straight for the family shrine, tossing back only one line: "The sin you have sown, you clean up yourself. Do not disturb my prayers."

Fei Yuanyi stood frozen in place for a long moment, then suddenly flipped the dining table over: "Rebellion! All of them, in open rebellion!"

"Master, this…" Old Five did not know what to say.

Fei Yuanyi forcibly suppressed his rage: "You go. Say it was all a misunderstanding today, and bring the men back to me at once. A whole crowd of servants from my courtyard, detained overnight by the main branch — what kind of talk will that stir up when word gets out? The Fei clan of Goose Lake will become a laughingstock!"

Old Five hurriedly ran toward Jingxing Court again. This affair was beyond his comprehension, and he truly had no idea how to resolve it.

The son's servants detaining the father's servants — nothing like this had ever happened in all of Yanshan!

Gasping for breath, he ran up outside the main gate. Old Five shouted: "Today was a misunderstanding. Release the men at once."

Zhao Han answered from within: "Today, villainous servants trespassed into Jingxing Court. Their conspiracy is unknown. We have no authority to release them. We must wait for the young madam to return and deal with this!"

"Who exactly are you?" Old Five demanded.

Zhao Han answered: "I am the eldest young master's loyal servant."

Old Five could only shout: "The master says, release the men at once. What happened today shall not be pursued further."

Zhao Han exclaimed in astonishment: "Could it be that these villainous servants, who trespassed into the inner court and the women's chambers, were sent by the old master himself?"

"Of course not!" Old Five dared not admit such a thing.

Zhao Han roared in rebuke: "If they were not sent by the old master, then how could the old master speak of not pursuing the matter? Impudent, cunning slave, harboring malicious intent, daring to falsely transmit the old master's orders! Just what are you trying to make of the old master? What is your surname and given name? Report your name at once!"

"I… you…" Old Five was so furious he felt like vomiting blood.

Zhao Han mocked: "Have I exposed your true face, leaving you utterly speechless?"

"You… I… I am enraged to death!" Old Five stamped his feet madly. Taking the blame for nothing, his blood and qi surged upward, and he nearly fainted.

Just at that moment, Madam Lou returned.

Paying no heed to the scene before her, Madam Lou walked over unhurriedly, her face showing not the slightest anger. She approached the courtyard gate and said gently: "I have returned. Open the gate."

"Eee-yaa!"

The heavy courtyard gate swung open at once, emitting a sound that set one's teeth on edge.

Madam Lou remarked: "The door pivot is old and rotted. It needs oiling. That sound is terribly grating."

Zhao Han, knife in hand, cupped his fist: "Madam, today villainous servants trespassed into Jingxing Court. I have captured them all and locked them in the woodshed."

The maid Dongfu suddenly stepped forward and whispered in Madam Lou's ear, recounting the entire course of events from beginning to end.

Madam Lou smiled approvingly: "Brother Han, you have done very well."

Zhao Han replied: "It was my duty."

Madam Lou then said to the other household servants: "You have all done very well too."

The assembled servants were all overjoyed. A reward in silver was surely guaranteed.

Old Five stepped forward and said: "Young madam…"

"Not so hasty," Madam Lou cut him off at once. "I have not yet sorted out the affairs here. We shall take them one by one, slowly."

Old Five started to speak, then stopped, and in the end said nothing.

Madam Lou suddenly barked: "Men! Drag out that treacherous slave who eats from the family bowl while serving outsiders!"

Who was eating from the family bowl while serving outsiders?

Madam Ling, of course!

Even if she was not, she had to be — because she was one of the old matriarch's people. Someone had to be dealt with today, to show the old master and old matriarch's side.

Madam Ling was dragged into the courtyard. She shrieked in terror: "Madam, spare me! I am wronged!"

Fei Chun was also greatly alarmed. He hastily knelt and kowtowed: "Madam, spare my mother, I beg you. My mother did not collude with outsiders."

Madam Lou said to Moxiang: "Let me ask you, what are this cunning slave's offenses?"

Moxiang did not even need to read from her notes; she recited straight from memory: "I keep an account book. I shall omit the fine details, and round off the odd amounts as well. In the fourth year of Tianqi, Madam Ling embezzled and skimmed forty-seven taels. In the fifth year of Tianqi, Madam Ling embezzled and skimmed seventy-nine taels. In the sixth year of Tianqi, Madam Ling embezzled and skimmed one hundred twenty-five taels…"

The head steward of Jingxing Court, Madam Ling's husband and Fei Chun's father, Fei Lin, was not at home at that moment. He had been ordered to the farmstead to collect the summer grain rent — Fei Yinghuan owned land in his own name.

Madam Ling trembled in terror, kowtowing frantically and begging for mercy.

"Beat her!" Madam Lou roared.

Fei Chun could only turn to Fei Ruhe for help, crying out: "Young master, please save my mother!"

Fei Ruhe's heart softened somewhat. He said: "Mother…"

"Shut your mouth!"

Madam Lou rebuked him sharply and gave the order: "Beat her ruthlessly! Whether she is beaten to death or crippled, it counts for nothing!"

"Ah… Madam, spare me!"

Madam Ling let out a piercing, miserable scream. Perhaps the pain drove her past reason, for in the end she actually shouted: "Young madam, I am one of the old madam's people! You cannot beat me to death like this!"

"Beat her to death! Beat her to death for me!" Madam Lou grew even more furious.

Seeing Madam Ling beaten until her skin split and her flesh burst open, Zhao Han stepped forward and advised: "Madam, you must at least leave the young master some face."

The "young master" in those words referred both to Fei Yinghuan and to Fei Ruhe.

For Madam Ling's husband was the study companion who had grown up alongside Fei Yinghuan. And Madam Ling's son was the study companion who had grown up alongside Fei Ruhe.

Madam Lou had vented a burst of rage. Hearing Zhao Han plead for mercy, she raised her hand and said: "Stop."

Madam Ling was already on the verge of losing consciousness.

Madam Lou asked: "Do you admit your guilt?"

"I admit it, I admit it," Madam Ling said, her voice barely a whisper.

Madam Lou asked again, "Whose person are you?"

Madam Ling answered, weeping, "In life I am the Young Madam's person; in death I am the Young Madam's ghost."

Madam Lou gave a cold laugh. "Take her away to treat her wounds. The monthly wages you withheld from the servants of the inner courtyard — you will make them up yourself within half a month, or I will have you sold off! As for the silver you embezzled, I will not pursue it further… Madam Ling!"

"I'll make it up, I'll make it up, I'll certainly make it up," Madam Ling said in terrified, bitter weeping. "Many thanks for the Madam's mercy, many thanks for the Madam's mercy. This slave is no Madam Ling; this slave is just a lowly bondmaid, and dares not call herself any madam again. I dare not call myself a madam anymore. I am just a lowly bondmaid, this slave is a lowly bondmaid. A bondmaid, truly a bondmaid…"

Madam Lou could not be bothered to pay her any more attention and ordered, "Bring out all the wicked slaves from the firewood shed. I will personally escort them back to Gongbei Court!"

In all, nineteen household slaves, bound tightly with ropes, were marched out of the firewood shed.

Madam Lou said to those household slaves, "Come. Follow me to see the Old Master."

Dismissing the crowd, Madam Lou took only one maidservant and set off on foot for Fei Yuanyi's Gongbei Court.

She stood in the courtyard and called out, "Your daughter-in-law comes to pay respects to Father-in-law. Today some wicked slaves forced their way into your daughter-in-law's inner quarters. I did not know earlier that they were Father-in-law's men; now that I have questioned them and gotten to the bottom of it, your daughter-in-law dares not decide on her own, and so brings them to be handed over for Father-in-law to deal with."

Fei Yuanyi's voice came from the inner room: "I will handle these wicked slaves myself. It is already late; you may go back now."

"Your daughter-in-law takes her leave!" Madam Lou bowed and withdrew.

Bang!

A muffled crash came from the inner room — the Old Master was smashing things again.

(End of Chapter)