Chapter 1664 - Reciting Poetry

Wait—Suo Pu treated this talk as a foreign language. Even a military officer like Lin Ming, with his limited reading, was completely baffled. Xie Peng only understood a little. Naturally, they could not participate in the discussion.

Seeing the three left aside, Mei Lun felt quite awkward and quickly said: "Discussing essays and poetry can be done another day. We mustn't let down the beautiful scenery and fine time. Come, come, come, let's play some drinking games to add to the fun. Regardless of riddles or poetry, as long as someone matches it, they receive an ivory tally. I have here a Duan inkstone bestowed by Governor Xiong. Though not from the Old Pit, it is still precious. Whoever gets the most tallies will receive this as a gift." Saying so, he clapped his hands, and a servant brought out a Duan inkstone and placed it on the high table in the middle of the room. It instantly attracted everyone's gaze.

Zhaoqing was the origin of Duan inkstones. Historically, they were listed as tribute items very early on. Every time a pit was opened to mine stones, it was organized by the imperial court and government, with dedicated guards for each pit, strictly forbidding private mining. In the Ming dynasty, several pit openings were managed by eunuchs sent from the palace, showing their high value. After Xiong Wencai took office as Governor-General, he ordered the reopening of the Lanke Mountain Water Rock Pit for "operational" purposes. Although this batch of Duan inkstones were "new goods," they remained extremely precious to these poor scholars.

"Since there is a prize, we must set rules." A local xiucai named Xie Shiming sat among them. He always prided himself on his high talent. After Xiong Wencai came to Zhaoqing, he was hired into the secretariat—not because he possessed great talent, but because this scholar had grown up in Sichuan. Not only could he speak fairly standard Mandarin, but he could also speak some Sichuan dialect, comforting Xiong Wencai's homesickness.

He stared at the Duan inkstone and said seriously: "Let Master Chang supervise. Those who mess up the order or make mistakes will have tallies counted against them. Who speaks best will be judged by everyone—how does that sound?"

Master Xianhe laughed: "Brother Xie wants to seize the champion's title in one go."

Xie Shiming laughed proudly: "I dare not! I think we should ask Master Mei to be the game master and give the first topic."

Mei Lun knew that since Suo Pu and the others were from the Jinyiwei, they probably did not possess much literary talent. If they played something like linked verse or couplets and could not answer, it would prove embarrassing. So he laughed: "We are drinking here for fun. Making it too profound would be meaningless. I think guessing riddles will do."

Xie Shiming said: "Master Mei's intention matches mine. I also don't like writing poetry. Yesterday, a regulated verse took half the night to struggle through; I've had enough. Fortunately, there are many people here. Those who write poetry can write poetry, those who guess riddles can guess riddles. Since Master Mei is happy to proceed, why not give us one to guess?"

Mei Lun saw no objection and was about to come up with one when Master Xianhe said: "Let me pose an auspicious one for gentlemen to teach me: 'World Peace,' guess a prefecture name."

Someone beside him said: "I guessed it—is it 'Pu'an'?"

Master Xianhe nodded: "Exactly." Then he posed another riddle: "'Heavenly azure peach planted with dew, sun-side red apricot grown leaning on clouds,' guess a flower name."

Mei Lun clapped in praise: "What a clean and dignified topic! The answer must be good!"

Xie Shiming said: "I guessed it—it's 'Trumpet Creeper.'"

A scholar beside him said: "Truly a fine riddle! Often when people make flower names, they only describe the first few words and ignore the word 'flower'. Like peony flower—only describing peony, not addressing the 'flower' word. Who knew this riddle focuses entirely on the word 'flower'."

Xie Shiming said indifferently: "This is nothing. Listen to mine: 'Straightaway treating officialdom as a theater,' guess a line from the Analerta."

Chang Qingyun laughed: "You are using Four Books topics, the most vulgar. I already know the answer—not rare."

Xie Shiming said: "Though the topic is vulgar, there are many wonders within it."

Someone joined in the fun: "This topic surface is refined and romantic, no need to say—the answer must be good."

Chang Qingyun said: "If it's good, hold your praise. You praise it all first, and later when someone guesses it, there's nothing left to say."

Suo Pu could not take it anymore and whispered to Xie Peng: "What on earth is this?"

Xie Peng answered: "This is making riddles using content from the Four Books and Five Classics. Speaking of it, there's nothing rare—it's just 'Shi Er You' (acting excellently). I don't know why that fellow named Xie is so smug."

Suddenly someone slapped the table: "Really good!" Everyone was startled and looked quickly—it was Master Xianhe.

Mei Lun asked: "What good did Master Xianhe see, to slap the table and beat the bench like this?"

Master Xianhe said: "'Straightaway treating officialdom as a theater'—I guessed it. Is it 'Shi Er You'?"

Xie Shiming said: "Yes."

Mei Lun said: "What is wonderful about this riddle? Why is the Old Master making such earth-shaking noise?"

Master Xianhe clapped and praised: "This riddle originally is nothing—gentlemen can make and solve it. However, there is another universe inside. This is a notch higher than 'Trumpet Creeper'."

Chang Qingyun laughed: "In my view: all the same—what is the difference? If you say there is high and low, I don't accept it. If Master Xianhe can't give a valid reason, you will be penalized three cups of wine!"

Master Xianhe said: "Listen to me explain. He borrows and leaves aside—only this 'Er' word jumps with empty spirit, truly describing it thoroughly. This riddle takes a person borrowing to make an empty word with extreme literary cleverness. For riddles, borrowing is best, direct meaning is second. But borrowing also has two grades. Like 'Scholar Unrivaled,' guessing 'What is trust'; 'Qin King repeals expulsion order,' guessing 'Believe this word.' Although these are also borrowing, they value the theme. The theme and the riddle surface are worlds apart, so this is second. Recently there is a type of counting classics—looking up many in encyclopedias all day. Who knows the posted paste is not dry, already swept away by wind and clouds, empty in an instant. This is third-rate goods."

This lofty theory made the gentlemen present nod frequently, all saying it was cleverly made, that Mr. Xie possessed talent of eight dou, and so forth. Xie Shiming wore a look of satisfaction. At this moment, Suo Pu wanted nothing more than to be like Li Kui—jump on the table and first shout: "To hell with this—eat my machine gun!" He could not help whispering: "Truly a load of nonsense!"

Although the voice was small, Xie Shiming caught it indistinctly. He was already dissatisfied with this "distinguished guest" receiving such generous treatment. Intent on embarrassing him, he raised his wine cup, toasted around, and said: "Gentlemen praise wrongly. Such beautiful scenery—I, untalented, shall write a poem to celebrate!"

Immediately he chanted loudly:

"Flying tower spans dangerous battlements, clouds and mist scatter at dawn. Strategic shape for overlooking, apt for coming to banquet after labor. River crosses broad parapets, mountains enter strange window lattice. Wind and moon originally priceless, Lordship moreover has poetry."

Everyone cheered. Chang Qingyun said: "This greatly captures the mood of Song poets." Master Xianhe sneered slightly but also joined in the cheering. That Xie Shiming glanced smugly at Suo Pu and the others, noting Xie Peng looking slightly indignant, Lin Ming still presenting a smiling face blending with the dust, but Suo Pu appearing indifferent, obviously not grasping the flavor of this poem.

He could not help cursing secretly: Truly playing the lute to a cow!

Master Xianhe said: "This poem is superbly made; we should drink a cup together to celebrate." Seeing everyone drink a cup, Master Xianhe put down his cup and sighed: "This Scholar Unrivaled is truly unrivaled! Pity the price is high and hard to obtain."

Chang Qingyun laughed: "What is difficult about this? If Old Mister likes it, I have a few more bottles here; I'll send them to you tomorrow. I only ask Old Mister to write a few more poems and essays to accompany the wine."

Master Xianhe smiled: "I return the original words—what is difficult about this?" Tapping the bowl with his chopsticks, he chanted slowly:

"Wine doesn't intoxicate—man intoxicates himself; drinking a thousand cups, Liu Ling is ashamed. Inviting Chang'e to drink facing the moon, a river of sorrow meets in wine. Cooking sheep and slaughtering oxen for joy, must drink a thousand hundred cups at a sitting. Don't laugh at the lord lying drunk at the table head; how many can understand the deep flavor of wine?"

The poetic meaning was very shallow, counting only as doggerel. Even Suo Pu could completely understand: this Master Xianhe seemed to be a man full of grievances. But seeing the songstress Yun Dang holding the pipa, cherry lips mumbling the chant, eyes glancing constantly at Master Xianhe with obvious admiration, he secretly wondered: what was there to admire about this semi-old man with a cut-sleeve fetish? His heart felt slightly sour.

After chanting, Master Xianhe drained the wine cup again and laughed: "Although the Kun people are hateful, their hundred crafts and tools are not without ingenuity—truly unique."

"If the Kun thieves were willing to turn their hearts to the court, it would be a blessing for our Great Ming."

"Their ships are sturdy and cannons sharp, soldiers skilled in combat. If recruited and the whole army transferred to Liaodong to pacify the Eastern Barbarians, win or lose, it would be a wonderful matter—killing two birds with one stone."

"The Kun people claim to be descendants of the Great Song, but actually they are foreign barbarian breeds using a pretext," Xie Shiming said. "Those glass mirrors, thermos bottles, matches—all are strange skills and obscene cleverness. Hunger cannot satisfy, cold cannot clothe—just things adding flowers to brocade. Even those cannons and warships, seeming to surpass heavenly work—but if people all over the world rebel, what do a few cannon barrels matter? No matter how well warships are built, can they drive onto the shore? Regulating family, ruling country, pacifying the world still relies on moral cultivation!"

Several old Confucian scholars nodded repeatedly, praising Xie Shiming: "Poem well made, insight even more penetrating." Someone else spoke of the Kun thieves not following etiquette, mentioning many absurd and shameless things, which aroused everyone's interest in talking. For a time, various anecdotes flew around. Suo Pu shook his head repeatedly: these joke-makers truly had existed since ancient times.

Master Xianhe said: "I heard Master Chang was once trapped in Lingao for several years, seeing real Kun with his own eyes. Why not share what you observed of Kun thieves?"

Chang Qingyun smiled bitterly: "Formerly following Commander He on campaign, I was defeated and trapped in Lingao. Truly my hateful experience. However, I also thereby came to know much insider information about the Kun thieves..."

This was the truth. Chang Qingyun had been able to join the Governor-General's staff largely because he was a rare talent locally who was proficient in "Kun Affairs."

"...This is a place for pleasure; talking about violent military matters inevitably spoils the scenery. While trapped in prison back then, finding joy in sorrow, I wrote fifty poems of 'Lingao Bamboo Branch Songs.' Today let me chant a few for gentlemen to accompany the wine."

Suo Pu's heart skipped a beat. Unexpectedly, there was a former captive who had been to Lingao here! This Chang Qingyun was probably one of the staff members of He Rubin captured during the Counter-Encirclement Campaign. To think he had managed to work his way into Xiong Wencai's staff!

Since he had been to Lingao, had he seen through his disguise? Perhaps he had even met him! Suo Pu remembered inspecting the POW camp. Of course, at that time he would not have noticed if a character like Chang Qingyun was among that group of unlucky wretches with shaved heads wearing "new life clothes" and trembling.

Suo Pu forced himself to remain calm, watching this Juren master, seeing him composed as he chanted:

"End of world Hainan road, there is a county named Lingao. Earth hot suitable for ice, buildings high enough to pluck stars. Will sincere respecting worship, heart good valuing holding scripture. Only hate General Feihuang—weapons of war not pausing."

"Mountains and marshes gather spiritual beauty, layered peaks unfold painted eyebrows. Endowing people respecting women noble, on earth answering to Kun nourishment. Young girl with red flower face, beauty with white jade skin. Originating from deep love, husband and wife happy to rely on each other."

"High pavilions layer upon layer up, luxurious mansions grand. Iron fences near doors dense, river water winding through walls. White walls painted with literary colors, glass adorned with brocade red. Most suitable to view from street—buildings as if in painting."

"Main roads mostly flat, strip upon strip of crossroads. Two sides go scholars and women, middle gallop carts. Night market people noisy in shops, autumn night rain intertwining. Evening lamps hang by road edge, fire candles bright like stars."

He chanted each one, pausing to offer explanations. Everyone's interest was greatly aroused, and they discussed animatedly.

Xie Shiming became somewhat unhappy. Seeing that he finally had a moment in the spotlight, only to have it snatched away by Master Xianhe and Chang Qingyun, he drank a few more cups and became somewhat reckless. His gaze swept to Suo Pu, and remembering the comment "load of nonsense," he bore a grudge in his heart. Intending to embarrass him, he raised his wine cup: "Mr. Suo sits bored—why not also compose a poem to add to the fun?"

Lin Ming saw that the situation was bad: the Chiefs, although knowing astronomy above and geography below, versed in a hundred crafts, were "ignorant" regarding poetry. Not to mention writing poetry, even a rhyming sentence came hard to them. He had seen the so-called new poetry of Australians in the Art Section of Lingao Times—things like "The Senate surpasses my dad," "The noodles I make are the best in the world"—if chanted out, these scholars would laugh their teeth off. It seemed this sour scholar intended to make Suo Pu unable to step down.

Suo Pu smiled faintly: "I am untalented and do not understand these trifles."

Mei Lun silently cursed this sour Xie for looking for trouble when sated—many in Jinyiwei came from noble relatives, many unlearned in ink. Sweeping someone's face like this in public, even if he did not flare up now, harboring hatred back home might mean leading to a Big Case! Just about to speak to smooth things over, Chang Qingyun had already stepped in to rescue the situation.

"Master Suo is a martial man, presumably not caring about poetry and songs. Come, come, come—I think we should call the young boys to sing tunes for amusement..."

Mei Lun quickly called the two singers back in to serve. The two young boys had already eaten the food clean. Suo Pu noticed that they had not only knelt on the ground to eat, but had licked the plates clean afterward—he could not help frowning secretly. What kind of way was this? Were they starving so badly? Hearing the call, the boys quickly came up and kowtowed thanks for the reward first.

"Pick bawdy ones to sing, for the gentlemen's wine!" Mei Lun laughed.

The young boys understood and sang another set of tunes. These were no longer "elegant"—filled with obscene words and erotic songs. Everyone had wine, laughing and noisy, making a racket.

Suo Pu saw no meaning in staying here and signaled Lin Ming. He stood up to leave. Chang Qingyun spoke a few polite words. Just as he was about to send them off, Xie Shiming, already somewhat drunk, used the wine to cover his boldness and played drunk: "Don't go... don't go... such a peaceful prosperous age, fine time beautiful scenery—leaving without enjoying fully simply... simply... spoils the scenery... absolutely cannot!" Saying so, he tried to force wine on Suo Pu.

Suo Pu, seeing them behave so unbearably, felt anger rising in his heart. Now seeing this sour scholar acting drunk, he sneered and said: "Peaceful prosperous age? Fine time beautiful scenery? Roving bandits plague the Central Plains, Eastern Barbarians repeatedly break through border passes, living souls suffering in misery... Gentlemen truly possess fine spirits. As they say: 'Singing sweetly in a leaking boat, drinking deeply under a burning house, not knowing drowning is imminent—sorrowful indeed!'"

These words were not loud, but like a bucket of ice water poured onto the noisy pleasure-seekers. The huge floor instantly went silent.

Suo Pu added: "Last year I toured the Three Towns and ascended Yellow Crane Tower. I saw an old scholar who, feeling worried about the country's declining situation, wrote a poem on the wall. I cannot write poetry myself, but I shall present this to you." Saying so, he raised his voice and chanted slowly:

"Smoke trees gathered in gaze, wandering spirit in old country, river and mountain hegemonic aura remains floating foam. Yellow Crane returning should shed tears, tears full on tinkering islet. Mourning Great River autumn—just this much idle sorrow. Numerous banished guests and clear streams. Which hero ascends the supreme peak, crying bitterly for the Divine Land?"

Finished chanting, he flicked his sleeve and departed.

The group returned to the boat. Suo Pu remained silent. Lin Ming thought he had lost face over the poetry matter and tried to comfort him: "Master Suo need not be vexed. The way of poetry is merely a pastime gadget. Who relies on it to establish merit..."

Suo Pu said: "I am not vexed about this. What use are those few lines of poetry? I am just... just..." He did not know what to say for a moment. After a while he said: "These scholars—one out of a hundred, one out of tens of thousands—looking like this, what use to the country and people?"

Lin Ming found this strange. "Country" and "people" were not Australia's "country" and "people"—why did an Australian Senator worry about this? Turning his thoughts, he understood, and comforted: "Chief worries too much. Don't look at them knowing only zhi hu zhe ye now, writing a few crooked poems and being complacent. If one day Great Song opens civil service examinations, they will learn Australian studies just the same..."

Just as they were talking, someone suddenly reported: "Master Chang has come to visit."

"Eh? What does he want?" Suo Pu looked doubtfully at Lin Ming. "Why didn't he say whatever he had to say upstairs just now?"

"Ask him in to talk, no harm," Lin Ming said. "At the wine banquet, perhaps some words could not be spoken."

"Good—then ask him in."

Both sides exchanged greetings. Suo Pu was thinking how to begin when Chang Qingyun already opened the door directly: "This Master Suo is probably a Chief, is he not?"

Suo Pu was stunned. Lin Ming's eyes already showed killing intent. Xie Peng also quietly revealed a dagger. Suo Pu shook his head slightly, signaling them not to act rashly: "Why do you say this?"

"Master Suo, I stayed in Lingao for a full year and a half." Chang Qingyun was calm and composed. "Digging sand, smashing stones, carrying earth, paving roads... I did all the work I had never done in this life, ate all the bitterness I had never tasted in this life." He sighed. "Chiefs like Master Suo—I saw a dozen or so. Naturally, they may not remember there was a character like me."

He continued: "...But anyone who has met Australian Chiefs a few times will absolutely not forget their demeanor. Master Suo, don't look at your speech and behavior having no flaw—but that air on your face, one look and one knows."

Suo Pu laughed: "Mr. Chang, you truly overpraise. Since so, what does your honor intend to do?"

(End of Chapter)