Governor Cai Dispenses Rewards And Punishments As Circumstances Demand; Wang Xiao'er Changes His Face With The Turn Of Fortune (2)

Wang Xiao’er was at the counter settling accounts. Seeing Shubao return, he asked:

“Have you received your acknowledgment? Your farewell wine hasn’t even been prepared. What shall we do?”

Shubao replied:

“There’s no need for the wine.”

Xiao’er said:

“Since we’re sitting here, why not settle the account first?”

Shubao said:

“Bring the account over, then.”

Xiao’er said:

“Your Honor arrived at my humble inn on the sixteenth day of the eighth month, and today is the eighteenth day of the ninth month. The eighth month had thirty days, making thirty-two days altogether. Our inn has a rule: we do not charge for meals on the day of arrival or departure, counting those as welcome and farewell hospitality. That leaves thirty full days. Your horse has received fine fodder, and Your Honor has had three meat meals daily. At one tael a day, reckoned at seven-tenths, the total comes to twenty-one taels of fine silver. You have already paid four taels, leaving seventeen taels outstanding.”

Shubao said:

“These three taels were bestowed by Governor Cai. They are good silver.”

Xiao’er said:

“Then only fourteen taels remain. It’s a small matter. Master Qin needn’t write an account; just weigh out the silver. I’ll fetch the scales.”

Shubao said:

“Wait a moment, Second Brother. I’m not leaving yet.”

Xiao’er said:

“Master Qin has received his acknowledgment. There is nothing more to keep you here.”

Shubao said:

“I have a friend surnamed Fan who went to Zezhou to submit his documents. He has some of my traveling silver with him. I imagine Governor Ma of Zezhou also went to Taiyuan Prefecture to congratulate Master Li. Once the governor returns and my friend collects his document, he is certain to come and see me. Then I’ll have the silver to repay you.”

Xiao’er replied:

“I’m an innkeeper. If Your Honor stayed here a whole year, that would be excellent business!”

Shubao wrote out an acknowledgment of debt: on the eighteenth day of the ninth month, after deducting payments received, fourteen taels of fine silver remained outstanding, with no fractions.

Although Wang Xiao’er said that Qin’s continued stay was welcome, he was making other calculations in his heart.

The few pieces of luggage he had seen were not worth much silver. There was a horse, but that was a living creature that needed feeding. If Qin rode it out to water, how could he prevent him from leaving? Even if he traveled to Qizhou Prefecture and found the heroes employed in its government offices, how could he possibly sort out the affair with them? Would he have to waste his traveling expenses and time merely to collect an unpaid food bill? That would be like leaving a bell unstruck and going off to cast the bronze for another.

He thought that the official acknowledgment was an important document. Without it, Qin could not return and face his superior. Taking possession of it would therefore be the safest course.

All these schemes remained in Wang Xiao’er’s mind; he did not speak them aloud. Instead, he picked up the acknowledgment, examined it, and laid it back on the counter. Then he called to his wife:

“This document is an important thing. If Master Qin keeps it in his room, he often locks the door and goes out to amuse himself. It’s late autumn now, with days of overcast skies and rain. If the roof leaks and the document gets wet, we innkeepers will be held responsible. Put it away safely in a chest. When Master Qin leaves, I’ll hand it back to him properly.”

Qin Shubao understood at once that Wang Xiao’er intended to hold the document as security and was merely pretending to be careful. He had no choice but to agree.

“That would be very good.”

Before he had even finished speaking, Xiao’er had already passed the document to his wife, who carried it into their room.

Thus it is said:

Without affection, one takes even an immortal’s jade pendant;
With cunning schemes, one detains a minister’s sable cap.

Xiao’er then called to his servants:

“Don’t bring out the farewell wine. Master Qin isn’t leaving. If we served him farewell wine, it would look as though we were urging him to go. Just bring him an ordinary meal.”

The servants understood their master’s tone. The words “ordinary meal” meant that they need no longer take such care. Two of the little dishes of side food disappeared, and the servants clattered about collecting bowls and setting down cups in a most disagreeable fashion. Even the morning noodle soup was cold.

Shubao endured these unpleasant meals, but had nowhere else to go. Every day he walked outside the city to the main road, hoping to see Fan Jianwei arrive.

Thus it is said:

His sorrow was an empty purse, washed clean as water;
In vain he dreamed of an old friend coming from afar.

Since ancient times it has been said, “When you dislike someone, he easily seems ugly; when you await someone, the time seems long.”

Shubao watched until sunset. The autumn wind had driven away the summer heat, and yellow leaves fluttered from the trees. Along the official road by the river bridge, countless carts and horses came and went, but there was no sign of Fan Jianwei.

After waiting the whole day, he stamped his feet anxiously beneath the trees and cried:

“Fan Jianwei! Fan Jianwei! If you don’t come today, I won’t even have the face to return to the inn and endure that petty fellow’s insults!”

At nightfall, he had no choice but to go back.

In truth, Fan Jianwei had never arranged to meet him in Luzhou. It was Shubao alone who clung to the hope that, since Fan had several taels of his silver, he would come. With this thought lodged in his heart, how could he wait patiently? He was like a man secretly shaking a stake, only driving it deeper into the ground.

The next morning he went out again, saying to himself:

“If he doesn’t come today, then tonight I’ll put an end to everything here in these woods.”

But by dusk there was still no sign of Fan Jianwei. The crows returned to their roosts, cawing noisily. As Shubao stood there in distress, he suddenly remembered his aged mother at home. He had no choice but to return once more.

His steps were heavy and difficult, and he sighed with every pace. It was only after the lamps had been lit that he finally reached the inn.

A lamp was already burning in Shubao’s room. Seeing its light, he thought with surprise, ‘Why have they suddenly become so attentive tonight, lighting the lamp so early?’

He stopped and looked inside. Several men were shouting gambling calls, throwing dice and drinking wine. Wang Xiao’er was among them. He hurried out and called:

“Your Honor, I had no intention of offending you. A party of guests arrived today. They’re merchants dealing in gold, pearls, jewels, or some such things, and they’re peculiar fellows. They insisted on having this one room of yours. Had I known this would happen, Your Honor might have locked your door before going out, and there would have been no trouble. I was about to argue with them, but they said, ‘An innkeeper is concerned only with the room charge. Whether one guest stays or another makes no difference. We’ll pay you more for the room.’ People like us are afraid that, once silver is mentioned, we’ll lose a valuable customer by refusing.”

He paused briefly before continuing:

“Those fellows simply went in and sat down, refusing to come out. I was afraid your luggage might get mixed up with theirs, so I moved it to a quieter place at the back. Master Qin has stayed under our roof so long that you’re practically one of the family. I wanted to earn a little more silver from these people, so I had to make a temporary arrangement. Please don’t take offense. I trust Your Honor is broad-minded enough to forgive it.”

Shubao had not seen Wang Xiao’er speak so pleasantly for several days. It was only because Xiao’er had given away his room that he now offered all these fine words.

Qin Shubao was a man of heroic spirit. How could he bear the insults of such a petty fellow? But because he owed money for his meals, he considered his position and had no choice but to accommodate the circumstances.

“Second Brother Xiao’er, the rooms are yours to assign. As long as there’s somewhere I can shelter myself, I don’t care whether it’s good or bad.”

Wang Xiao’er lit a lamp and led the way, with Shubao following. They turned corner after corner until they reached the back of the inn. Xiao’er appeared uneasy throughout the walk. At last he pointed to a place and said that this was it.

Shubao looked closely. It was no guest room, but a dilapidated shed beside the kitchen. Half its roof was open to the sky, and a heap of straw lay piled inside. All of Shubao’s luggage had been placed on top of it. On the other side, firewood and straw had been spread on the ground to serve as bedding.

Wind blew in from every direction. There was not even anywhere to hang the lamp, so Xiao’er set it on the ground. He took a broken piece of earthenware jar and placed it against a crack in the wall to keep out the wind.

Then he said:

“Master Qin will have to stay here for a few days. Once those people have gone, you can move back into the room inside.”

Shubao gave no answer. Xiao’er pulled the door shut and went away.