A Record of Officialdom
But then the acting governor of Shandong, Hu Lütü, was worried that foreigners would turn against him. He saw a police officer bring in a telegram from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and thought it must be about that matter. His heart racing with anxiety, he opened it to find out it was something insignificant. Putting his mind at ease, he said to the officials, "In the future, my brother's life will definitely be lost in the hands of foreigners! Gentlemen, don't doubt it, just wait and see!" The others didn't know how to respond.
It was still Tao Ziyang's brother-in-law, the old chief of the Foreign Affairs Bureau, who spoke up after some thought. "Foreigners are unreasonable, whether you follow them or not. I've been dealing with foreign affairs since I was 19 and have handled many big and small matters without ever rejecting one. This Tao official is my relative, young and inexperienced, never having held any position before. Now he's suddenly asked to deal with foreigners, how can he do it? My suggestion is for you, sir, to send a telegram to Wang Dao and ask him to take care of this matter locally. If the machines can be returned, even if we have to pay some compensation, it would still be limited. But if they really can't be returned, there's no way, and we'll just have to swallow our losses and buy them back. As for the additional demand for 40,000 yuan in compensation, foreigners are just trying to take advantage of us, and we absolutely cannot agree to it."
Hu Lütü said, "Old brother is indeed an old hand at foreign affairs. Fortunately, Tao is your relative, so I'll have to entrust you with this matter." With that, he finished his tea and saw off the guests.
Tao Ziyao's brother-in-law came down and immediately went to the telegraph office to send a telegram to his uncle, asking him to hurry up and settle the matter. He also sent another telegram to Wang Daotai, who was in charge of the foreign affairs, to ask for his help in this matter. In fact, he had already taken care of his uncle's interests in this case. The expenses for Wang Daotai's trip abroad were paid by the government, and when he returned, he would be reimbursed from the provincial treasury. This was done to ease Wang Daotai's mind, so that he wouldn't have any trouble with his uncle. Actually, all Wang Daotai cared about was that his expenses for going abroad were taken care of, and as long as he could save face in front of his colleagues, he would be content with being a good person. If Tao Ziyao really had something big to hide, he would have already helped him cover it up.
The story splits into two threads. Meanwhile, Wang Daotai was in the Shanghai warehouse, still fuming about not being able to collect the money. After lunch that day, he wanted to send Old Zhou again to urge them. Old Zhou said: "We've worn out the threshold of the high-rise warehouse, but we can't see his face. I've looked for him at that brothel several times, either they say he hasn't come or that he's already left. The room has a curtain, saying there are other guests, and we can't just barge in. Now if we go to the warehouse again, it will definitely be the same." Wang Daotai said: "You don't look for him, where can you see his face? Go tell him that if he continues like this, I'll have to take real action!" Old Zhou was forced by Wang Daotai and had no choice but to change his clothes and go find him. Just as he stepped out of the house, he saw a telegram from the telegraph office being delivered to Wang Daotai. He followed it in and looked at what the telegram said. When Wang Daotai opened it, it turned out to be from Tao Ziyu's sister's husband. The content was:
"Shanghai Changfa Hotel Wangdaotai: The machine made by Tao Zong, hoping to replace the foreign merchants, if it can be returned then return it, if not then buy it. The deficit and expenses for going abroad will be wired separately. As for the foreign firm asking for 40,000 more, I hope you can negotiate and not lose money. After the matter is settled, Barth (Ernst Emile Paul Barth, 1858-1922), a German philosopher, urged Tao Zong to quickly send the machine back to the province. Please reply by telegram."
Below that was also annotated with the name of Tao Ziyao's sister's husband. Wang Daotai saw the telegram about sending foreign funds and said, "We don't need to ask Tao Ziyao for our money either. His affairs have his brother-in-law helping him out, not to mention 40,000, even if it were 180,000, there would be no failure." He hastily turned around and told Old Master Zhou that he didn't need to go anymore. He also said, "Since it's a telegram from his sister's husband, we should notify him about it." Old Master Zhou said, "There's no need to notify him either. Once they receive the news, they will naturally come running over." Wang Daotai said, "What you say is right, waiting for them to come is also good." At this point, they fell silent and dropped the matter.
Tao Ziyao had been hiding in Shanghai for several days, afraid to face Wang Daotai after failing to obtain the contract and receipt from him. He was staying at a friend's house, avoiding anyone who might be looking for him.
Meanwhile, Wei Fengan came to visit Tao Ziyao with news that the foreign consul had approved their telegram and would assist them in seeking compensation from the Shandong government. Tao Ziyao was both surprised and delighted by this development, thinking that it would increase his chances of success but also worried about the potential consequences.
Tao Ziyao then thought to himself that he had already consulted with a lawyer and accused Qiu Wuke of wrongdoing, so even if he didn't return to Shandong, he wouldn't be suspected of being involved in the matter. He also thought that as long as he could get his hands on some money, it would be worth it, even if he didn't return to Shandong.
However, Tao Ziyao was currently short of funds and had borrowed several hundred taels from Wei Fengan earlier, which he was struggling to repay. He felt embarrassed about asking for more money and decided to pretend that everything was fine, saying that he would make sure to compensate Wei Fengan and Qiu Wuke once they received the compensation.
Wei Fengan replied that Qiu Wuke had said that it was unlikely that they would receive any compensation, but rather just a lot of talk. The two men then chatted about other things before parting ways.
Later, Tao Ziyao's friend, Xin Niangniang, noticed that he seemed unhappy and asked him to help find a new house for her. Tao Ziyao promised to do so once his health improved. Xin Niangniang scolded him, saying that he had promised to do so three weeks ago and was now procrastinating.
Tao Ziyao apologized and explained that he would take care of the matter as soon as possible. Xin Niangniang then said that she didn't want to eat "broken rice" (i.e., be left with nothing) and hoped that Tao Ziyao would settle the matter quickly.
Two days later, Xin Niangniang again asked Tao Ziyao to help find a new house for her. Tao Ziyao decided to seek Wei Fengan's advice on how to handle the situation. Wei Fengan teased him about his good fortune and then asked about the details of the marriage proposal.
Tao Ziyao explained that Xin Niangniang wanted a full wedding ceremony, including a red dress and a sedan chair, but also demanded 2,000 taels of silver from him without explaining what it was for. Wei Fengan offered to help Tao Ziyao think of a solution.
Name of the troupe: Qingyue Ban, hired by families for joyful celebrations.
"Wei Huanren said, 'This must be asked of the new sister-in-law before it can be decided.' The two people then went together to Tongqingli. After meeting, the new sister-in-law immediately asked, 'Is the house okay?' Tao Ziyao did not say a word. Wei Huanren said, 'Congratulations, congratulations! You two families' matters, how good is it that there is no matchmaker? Some things are not good to say in person, let me be a temporary matchmaker, also good for you to pass on the message.' The new sister-in-law said, 'What's the use of having a matchmaker? We don't need one now, and we won't need one in the future.' Wei Huanren heard that it was not right, so he asked Tao Ziyao, 'How is this?' Tao Ziyao suddenly saw the new sister-in-law change her words and was stunned. After a while, he said to the new sister-in-law, 'Didn't you say you wanted to marry me? And what about the red dress, the phoenix coronet, and the sedan chair?' The new sister-in-law said, 'What else?' Tao Ziyao said, 'There's more.' The new sister-in-law turned to Wei Huanren and said, 'Wei Lao, don't listen to him, he's just talking nonsense. Marriage is a lifelong matter, I'm not some Lin Daiyu or Zhang Shuyu who marries and then comes out again. Now we've rented a small house, and we'll live there for a while, it's not good to marry without a plan, it's not good for everyone to say anything. Wei Lao, is that right?' Wei Huanren smiled but did not answer. Tao Ziyao jumped up and said, 'We are officials' families, if we want to marry, we'll marry, if we want to divorce, we'll divorce, what's the use of being so particular?' Wei Huanren said, 'Tao Daren, don't be uncomfortable in your heart, it's better to be particular: if you want to divorce, then divorce, if you want to break up, then break up, you can do as you please, it's not like getting married and then going back on it, that would make things awkward. The new sister-in-law is good with you, she'll take care of you, she won't give you trouble.' Tao Ziyao had nothing to say. The new sister-in-law looked at Wei Huanren with her eyes and said, 'You're talking too much!' Wei Huanren said, 'Yes, I won't speak.' The new sister-in-law said, 'I don't want to be a mute either. I'll eventually marry someone. Think about it, if the house isn't good, and there's no money, can you rely on that person?' Tao Ziyao thought in his heart, 'Since I came here, I've spent a lot of money, and yet she says I don't give her money to use, I wonder where all that money went.' He thought this in his heart, and his face soon showed a displeased expression. He sat there, not saying a word. The new sister-in-law said, 'Why aren't you speaking?' Tao Ziyao said, 'I have no money, what can I say?'"
Two people, one sentence each, suddenly started arguing. Wei Huanzhen had to get up and mediate. Who knew that at this time, the two of them were so angry that they couldn't be stopped. Just as things were getting out of hand, Tao Ziyao's butler brought in a telegram. Everyone thought it was from Shandong, but when they opened it, they saw it was from Shaoxing. Wei Huanzhen was puzzled. Tao Ziyao was taken aback and immediately opened the telegram, which he hadn't read before. He quickly called someone to buy a copy of "New Telegrams" from the bookstore. Wei Huanzhen was smoking in the smokehouse, chatting with New Auntie. Tao Ziyao sat alone at the square table, translating the telegram, writing one down after another. Wei Huanzhen asked him, "What's the telegram about?" He shook his head and didn't say a word. After finishing the translation, he put it in his pocket and walked over without saying a word. Wei Huanzhen had to ask him where the telegram was from, but he still wouldn't say. They sat listlessly for a while. When Wei Huanzhen wanted to leave, Tao Ziyao also got up to follow him. New Auntie didn't try to keep them from leaving.
Here is the translation:
As soon as he came out, Wei Huan asked him: "Where did that telegram come from just now?" Tao Ziyao sighed and said: "Don't mention it, it's from Shaoxing." Wei Huan asked again: "What's going on? You can tell us. We're our own people, maybe we can help you think of a solution to share your worries." Tao Ziyao said: "Brother Huan is not an outsider, but saying it out loud would be really embarrassing!" Wei Huan said: "Don't say that!" Tao Ziyao said: "I'm working at the Shandong Foreign Affairs Bureau, and my monthly salary is handled by my sister's husband. He always deducts 10 taels of silver from my salary every month to send back home for my wife's daily expenses. When I was away on official business, this salary was taken over by someone else. My sister's husband thought that since I got a good job, we wouldn't have to worry about household expenses anymore. But I was foolish and only sent one letter home when I first arrived in Shanghai, and didn't send any money for two or three months. This past month, I wasn't feeling well and didn't bother writing again. My wife wrote five letters asking for money and worrying that I might be ill. I just didn't respond to her, so she got anxious and sent a telegram saying she would come to Shanghai soon. That's why I think it's better if the new aunt's matter doesn't work out. When my wife comes, we can see how things go. Originally, I wanted to bring my family with me on this trip, but now that she's coming, it saves me a trip." Wei Huan said: "If your wife is coming, then this matter won't work out. If she's a broad-minded and tolerant person, then there's nothing to say. But women are hard to predict, and they might say something careless. In my opinion, it's better not to do it." They chatted for a while longer before parting ways.
Here is the translation:
Tao Ziyao indeed stayed in the inn for three consecutive days. He didn't go to Tongqingli, and his new sister-in-law didn't invite him either. During the day, he had nothing to do, so he would eat a bowl of tea on the first floor or play cards with friends. However, every day he would leave early in the morning and only return at night to sleep. His intention was to avoid being found by Wang Daotai's people who came to ask for money, so he had to pretend to go out and not meet them.
One day, while playing cards at Nan Chengxin's place, his servant rushed in, panting, and said: "There is someone in the inn with a letter who insists on seeing Master Tao in person. I told him that Master Tao was out, but he said it was urgent and forced me to come find you. He has been waiting for you in the inn." Tao Ziyao was puzzled and hesitant: if he went back, he might be bothered by Wang Daotai's people; if he didn't go, he wouldn't feel at ease.
After slowly finishing a pipe of tobacco and drinking a bowl of tea, he put on his coat, paid for the tobacco, and followed the servant to leave. As they walked, Tao Ziyao asked the servant: "Did you ask that person where he came from?" The servant replied: "He just urged me to come quickly, so I didn't have time to ask." Tao Ziyao cursed: "Stupid fool!" While scolding, he continued walking and unknowingly returned to the inn.
As they entered the guest hall, who do you think it was? It turned out to be a friend from Wuchang's firm, holding a letter written by Wuchang himself. This person was an honest man and had been instructed to hand-deliver the letter, so he insisted on seeing Tao Ziyao in person before handing over the letter.
When Tao Ziyao opened the letter, he found that it was poorly written, with many blank spaces and unclear words. He couldn't help but laugh and asked the messenger: "How did you get this information?" The messenger replied: "I heard it from a friend at the ticket office. Apparently, Wang Guan's side received a telegram from Shandong yesterday, and the machine was processed accordingly. The insufficient silver was also sent from Shandong, including Wang Guan's travel expenses."
Tao Ziyao said: "That explains why Zhou didn't come today. Since things have turned out this way, I'm sure there must be a telegram here for me too." Just then, someone from the telegraph office arrived with a message. Tao Ziyao quickly opened it and found that it was indeed a telegram from his brother-in-law, saying: "If the machine can be returned, return it; if not, proceed accordingly. When the machine arrives, hurry back to Dongying to sell."
Tao Ziyao was overjoyed. He immediately made a copy of the telegram and handed it to the messenger to take back to Wuchang, and then wrote another letter asking his servant to find Wei Fanchen and invite him to dinner at Yipinxiang that evening.
But then, in the case of Ou Wukuo, he sent a message to Tao Ziyao on one hand, and also asked someone to find Wei Huanran. When Wei Huanran arrived at the scene, Ou Wukuo discussed with him: "Now that things have been turned around by us, it's not worth making it easy for the Tao family. We've put in so much effort, just to let them enjoy it? Where is there such a good thing in the world? Besides, he took the money and gave it to the brothel, can't we keep it for ourselves?" Wei Huanran said: "Don't wrong people, Tongqingli has already been cut off. But we've made an effort to make others benefit, which is not worth it. Now, a total of 10,000 taels of silver goods have been reported as 40,000. The Tao family has already lost nearly 10,000, in my opinion, there's no need to divide it among them again." Ou Wukuo said: "The silver from Shandong will still have to go through his hands, I'm afraid we can't control it." Wei Huanran said: "What are you afraid of? He has two contracts with us: one is the first contract for 22,000 taels of silver; the other is the second contract, which clearly states 40,000, originally prepared to sue the Shandong governor. Although it's fake, when the time comes, he won't dare not admit it. If he's smart and doesn't argue with us, that's his good fortune; if he says half a word, I'll make him pay back 22,000." Ou Wukuo said: "With two contracts, you need two machines to get two shares of money." Wei Huanran said: "It would be best to have two machines. If he does one more share, we can earn one more share of commission, it's just not as easy as getting 40,000." Ou Wukuo was delighted at the prospect of making a fortune and couldn't close his mouth, so he urged Wei Huanran to ask Tao Ziyao when the silver from Shandong would arrive, and told him to pay according to the agreement.
Here is the translation:
Moreover, Tao Ziyao had been in high spirits since receiving the telegram and sending his steward to find Wei Huanran. He sat alone in the warehouse, feeling very pleased with himself. On one hand, he thought: "Although there's also a telegram from Wang Daotai's place, I must go see him tomorrow; first, to flatter him, second, although we had some disagreements before, this can be an opportunity for us to clear things up, third, now that he has his own money, even if he doesn't come to share my benefits, at least he won't pour cold water on me in the future. Fourth, since I don't know when this silver will arrive, it's likely to be sent together with Wang Daotai's travel expenses, so I'll go ask him about it while I'm there, which is also important." He also thought: "Qiu Wuke was able to get his foreign boss to send a telegram like that, and the officials in Shandong province didn't dare not comply. This shows just how powerful foreigners are. Tomorrow, I should try to build some connections with them; if I can get on good terms with these foreigners, when I return to the province as an official, having them write a letter of recommendation will be even more effective than the eight-line letters from the princes and high officials in Beijing - whether it's for promotion or appointment." Thinking this way made him feel very pleased. Then he thought: "The money I spent before was not wasted after all." And then again: "It wasn't entirely wasted either; with this, I'll have something to report when I return to the province later. This matter was agreed upon by the Governor of Shandong, so it's clear that it's not because I didn't put in any effort."
Zhong Tang: refers to high-ranking officials such as chancellors, because the Politics Hall of the Secretariat during the Tang Dynasty was where the chancellor handled affairs and worked.
Here is the translation:
Just then, he thought of his new sister-in-law: "He's not an unfeeling person, it's just that I didn't have any money, so I couldn't rent a house. Now that I've made some money, I can finally settle this matter." He thought to himself, "I'll use the two thousand taels of silver from Shandong to pay off my debts and then I'll be free to do as I please."
Tao Ziyu sent a servant to deliver a message to Wei Fengan, who had just returned from visiting Ah Dou. The servant reported back that Wei Fangan would arrive soon.
Tao Ziyu asked the servant if Wei Fangan had said anything else. The servant replied that Wei Fangan had asked if Tao Ziyu was going to visit Tongqing again, and he had told him no.
Tao Ziyu listened silently as the servant withdrew. He couldn't help but think of his new sister-in-law again, and his thoughts turned melancholic.
He thought to himself, "In the past, I didn't have any money, so we quarreled. But now that I've made some money, things will be easier to discuss. However, since we've already had a falling out, how can I just walk back into his house?"
He changed his mind and thought, "I only exchanged a few words with him, and it wasn't like we had a big fight or anything. It's not like I'm really angry with him. Maybe today, after lunch, I'll go visit him again and invite some friends over. If he wants to keep me company, that would be great. If not, I won't leave. Tomorrow, when the money from Shandong arrives, I'll rent a new house and then ask Wei Fangan to help me negotiate with him."
As he thought this, he suddenly felt restless and couldn't sit still. He paced back and forth in his room, feeling anxious.
Just as he was getting excited about his plan, he saw the servant bring in a rough-looking man who bowed upon entering. Tao Ziyu recognized him as his cousin, Zhou Dawei.
Zhou Dawei explained that he had come from Shaoxing with his wife and a monk. Tao Ziyu's face turned white with rage, and he couldn't say a word.
The reason for this was that Tao Ziyu's wife was notorious for being quarrelsome and rude to their neighbors. After her husband became an official in Shandong, she became even more arrogant and insisted on being called "Madam" instead of the usual titles used in Shaoxing.
One day, while burning incense in the Buddhist hall, his mother-in-law accidentally addressed her as "Big Wife" instead of "Madam", which enraged her. She cursed and scolded, waving her Buddhist beads and slapping the table. Luckily, her mother-in-law was a kind person who didn't take offense.
Tao Ziyu's wife had also been known to bully their servants and neighbors, earning her a bad reputation in Shaoxing.
This time, however, Tao Ziyao was not good and shouldn't have gone a whole two or three months without sending any letters home. It wasn't that his wife didn't have money to use, but rather because she had often heard people say that Shanghai was not a good place, with many prostitutes who were as cunning as foxes. Anyone who was slightly careless would be captivated by them upon arrival in Shanghai. Now that Tao Ziyao hadn't sent any letters or money, his wife was certain that he must have been captivated by the prostitutes.
At the beginning of the month, she wanted to personally go to Shanghai to look for him, but her mother-in-law persuaded her not to go. After waiting another month, there was still no news from him. She had to leave, and her mother-in-law couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she let her depart.
Because there was no one to accompany her, her mother-in-law asked her own nephew, Zhou Daguan, to come and accompany her. The wife thought he was unsophisticated and not presentable. Coincidentally, her older brother from her natal family, a monk named Qinghai who served at the Tianning Temple in Yangzhou, had taken leave from the temple to return home for a visit. He happened to be planning to go to Shanghai and would take the Ningbo ferry to visit Putuo.
His sister knew this and asked him to travel together with her. This monk had been away from home for so long that he didn't have any rustic air about him at all. When he was in the temple, he was usually in charge of receiving guests, and when he met donors or masters, he was extremely polite.
Tao Ziyao, however, wasn't pleased with him because he was a monk and would often say that his wife sat together with the monk, which made him uncomfortable. His wife heard this and didn't think it was right, so she pointed at his face and scolded: "I sit together with my own brother; what's wrong with that? I won't steal from the monks just to save your face!"
Tao Ziyao heard this and became even more angry. Monk Qinghai saw that his sister's husband wasn't being friendly towards him, so he also wasn't friendly towards his sister's husband. This time, when Tao Ziyao heard that it was his wife who had come with her brother, he became furious.
At that time, he said to his younger brother-in-law Zhou Dawei: "Since your sister-in-law has arrived, I will immediately send someone to pick her up and live together in this place. You can also come with me, so you don't have to stay in another inn and spend more money. As for the monk, let him stay in that inn and don't let him see me." Zhou Dawei nodded repeatedly after hearing this. Then Taiziyao ordered the tea house to serve a bowl of fish noodles to Zhou Dawei first. Zhou Dawei ate three mouthfuls of noodles, then picked up the bowl and drank the soup without leaving any behind. After finishing eating, Taiziyao called the butler to take the sedan chair to pick up his wife.
Here is the translation:
Just as he was about to leave, Tao Ziyao was in his room thinking to himself: "He didn't come early, he didn't come late, but today of all days he has something on and he comes. How unlucky!" Before he could finish speaking, he saw the tea house servant leading a middle-aged woman and a monk rushing in. The tea house servant hadn't even had time to open his mouth when the woman started scolding loudly. Tao Ziyao took a closer look and realized it was none other than his wife and her brother. His wife saw him and without saying a word, she grabbed his chest and started wailing loudly. Tao Ziyao hastily said: "There's no need to make a scene! What will people think? Can we still maintain the dignity of an official's family?" He quickly called for the tea house servant to bring his wife some tea and water to wash her face, and asked if she had eaten yet. His wife grasped his chest tightly and wouldn't let go, saying: "Don't bother pretending! As a wife, I've suffered enough while you enjoyed your official position. Don't even get me started on the past two years when I was stuck at home alone. Now it's even worse - no letters, no money sent back home. And to think I'm still competing with those other women for your attention! Poor me, following you all these years and suffering in silence." Tao Ziyao argued: "Where did this good opportunity come from? Don't listen to rumors!" But in his heart, he was wondering: "Who told her?" His wife continued: "You think you can deny it? I have proof and witnesses!" Tao Ziyao said: "There's no such thing! Where did these witnesses come from?" His wife replied: "Don't ask me, go ask Xiao'er." Just then, the servant who had gone to fetch his wife returned and stood by, watching the commotion between the master and mistress. When he heard his wife mention Xiao'er, Tao Ziyao suddenly remembered and said: "Ah, isn't that the person who often comes here, wearing tattered clothes? Sometimes he asks for a few coins, sometimes three copper pieces. He says we're from the same hometown and I used to borrow money from his family." The servant spoke up: "Master, isn't that the person who's always causing trouble and spreading rumors?" Tao Ziyao said: "Nonsense! I would never use someone else's money! This kind of scoundrel is just trying to stir up trouble. If he comes again, have him arrested by the police." His wife retorted: "Ah, you think using someone else's money is nothing? That year when you bought that official position, you even took a pair of silver bangles from my sister's hands and used them as part of the payment! You still want to save face?" By this time, the crowd in the courtyard had grown noisy. The monk who had come with his wife stepped forward and tried to mediate, but it wasn't until he had persuaded them for a long time that they finally calmed down. His wife stormed into the room, followed by her brother, Zhou Dawei, who was carrying their luggage. The servant girl rushed around, helping his wife find her hairpins and washing water.
Tao Ziyao was outside, although his wife had quarreled with him and he had lowered his head to look at the new Ningchu robe he had just put on, only to find that it had been wrinkled by his wife's head. He had originally planned to wear this new outfit to Yipinxiang's banquet, but now seeing this, he was angry and stamped his foot, saying: "I don't know where the bad luck came from! I don't want to spend a day like today!" He was full of unwillingness and didn't know how to vent his emotions. On the one hand, he complained about himself, and on the other hand, he suddenly remembered that Yipinxiang had already invited Wei Huixian, but had forgotten to book a room. Now it was almost time for dinner, and he didn't know if there were any rooms available. Fortunately, the inn was not far from Yipinxiang, so he immediately walked out of the inn alone and strolled to Yipinxiang. As soon as he went up the stairs, he happened to meet Wei Huixian. The two men were overjoyed to see each other. After asking around, they found that only room 18 was empty, so the two of them sat down in room 18. The waiter brought tea and handed them a menu to order food. The two men first briefly discussed their situation. Wei Huixian didn't mention his plan because he hadn't received the silver yet. During dinner, Tao Ziyao mentioned that his "cheap wife" had arrived and told Wei Huixian about the big fuss she had made in the inn earlier. As they spoke, they couldn't help but sigh. Seeing that Tao Ziyao was listless, Wei Huixian suggested calling a courtesan to lift his spirits. Tao Ziyao agreed, wanting to use this opportunity to dispel his boredom and also to reunite with his new sister-in-law. He quickly wrote a note to call the courtesan. Before they had finished eating three dishes, the new sister-in-law arrived with Xiao Lufen. The new sister-in-law looked stern and didn't say a word, and Tao Ziyao didn't dare to speak to her either. It was Wei Huixian who made an effort to mediate, telling her in detail: "Tao's silver will arrive tomorrow, and this time it won't be a loss for you."
Tao Ziyao was in high spirits when suddenly, a waiter came over and said: "There's a woman in room six who has come with a monk to have a big meal. She says her surname is Tao and that our master is also here hosting a banquet today." Tao Ziyao didn't take it seriously at first, but as soon as he heard this, his expression changed drastically. He said: "This wicked woman must be an enemy from a past life! Wherever I go, she follows!" After finishing speaking, he stood up and said: "Fangge, let's meet again another time!" Then he quickly walked out of the room and down the stairs, disappearing into who-knows-where. The new sister-in-law and Lanfen also had to leave. Wei Fang'an finished his coffee, signed some documents, and then got up and walked to the door of room six, taking a peek inside. Indeed, there was a woman eating with a monk, but he couldn't see her face clearly at first glance. Wei Fang'an also left in a hurry, going off to attend to his own business.
Mrs. Tao was with her brother in the inn, and she knew that Tao Ziyao was hosting a banquet at Yipinxiang, so she definitely wanted to make it lively, and under the pretext of eating big dishes, she intended to catch him off guard and make a scene. However, she didn't expect that Tao Ziyao had already received the news and escaped without a trace. Mrs. Tao could only give up. After finishing dinner, they returned to the inn. At around two o'clock, when Mr. Tao still hadn't returned, Mrs. Tao became anxious and irritated, like an ant on a hot pot. She was both angry and worried. Later, as she listened more and more, there was no news, so she thought that he must be spending the night in the brothel and wouldn't return. Mrs. Tao sat on the bed all night, scolding him without sleeping. She cursed him, "You rotten womanizer!", "Black-hearted scoundrel, killer of a thousand knives, you don't even eat good food!" Her brother also stayed up with her all night. By the next day at dawn, Tao Ziyao still hadn't returned. Mrs. Tao was disheveled and crying wildly, determined to go to the new yamen to file a complaint, wanting the new yamen master to drive away these prostitutes, so they wouldn't harm people here. Her brother tried to persuade her, but it wasn't easy to calm her down.
It was already noon, and the Wang Daozhai in Changchun Stack had sent Old Man Zhou to say that the silver from Shandong had arrived, which was remitted to Wang Daozhai's hands. He asked Old Man Zhou to bring a message, asking Tao Ziyao to pay. Madame heard this and didn't care if there were people or not, she rushed out saying: "I have silver to hand over. It can't be given to that killer, he wants to go post the good news." Old Man Zhou looked at her with a smile. After asking the butler, he finally knew it was Tao Ziyao's wife. At this time, Madame Tao was afraid that Wang Daozhai would secretly pay the silver to Tao Ziyao, so she insisted on following Old Man Zhou to Changchun Stack to see Master Wang. Later, she made Old Man Zhou anxious, but fortunately, a monk came out to mediate, saying: "Master Wang is our sister's husband's superior, it's not convenient for Madame to go, let me, an out-of-office person, take your place." Old Man Zhou asked about the origin and had no choice but to say "good". The monk then called the butler to bring a letter of introduction, called a carriage, wore a brand new sea-green robe, and went to Changchun Stack to pay respects to Master Wang. As for where Tao Ziyao escaped to at this time, and how the Qinghai monk went to see Master Wang, we'll have to wait until next time to find out.
Haiqing: A type of Chinese clothing with wide sleeves and long robe.
