Chapter 358 - The Foshan Journey (Part 11)
Speaking of Centurion Lin, he was a man of distinguished appearance who suffered from a particular affliction of the flesh. Ever since inheriting the family's hereditary Probationary Centurion position, he had displayed a pronounced tendency toward expanding his household's collection of concubines, devoting himself constantly to the pursuit of beautiful women. Were it not for concerns about his official reputation and limited finances, he would probably have assembled a dozen or so by now. Even as matters stood, by the time he finally took a wife, his household already contained four concubines and maidservants who shared his bed—his so-called "Four Guardian Kings." With the addition of Madam Lin, Lin Ming had declared with evident satisfaction: "This is what they call 'Five Blessings Surrounding Longevity.'"
At the moment, Centurion Lin sat grandly in the master's seat beside his wife, with his four concubines arranged in a crescent formation behind them—a picture of "the moon attended by stars." Lin Ming gazed left and right, thoroughly pleased with himself.
Just as they were watching the opera, a servant approached to report: "The young Miss Li has arrived."
Lin Ming frowned. "Which young Miss Li?"
"The daughter of Master Li of the Jiangning Centurion Office..." The servant presented a note written by Li Yongxun.
"Ah, it's her." Lin Ming was puzzled. Li Yongxun was his wife's cousin. Since Madam Lin had married and relocated to Foshan, the two families had maintained little contact owing to the vast distance. Why had she suddenly arrived without any advance letter?
"Who escorted her here?"
"According to the young miss, two medicine merchants—"
"Outrageous!" Lin Ming muttered under his breath.
"Husband, what has upset you?" Madam Lin turned her head inquiringly.
"Your Li family cousin has arrived." Lin Ming handed over Li Yongxun's note. "She's fifteen years old now, yet engages in such reckless behavior!"
"She's here now; there's no use in anger." Madam Lin remained composed. "I shall go receive her." She smiled prettily, the expression drawing out two deep dimples in her cheeks. Centurion Lin immediately felt half his body go weak.
"Very well."
"And the merchants who escorted Qianqian here—we should host a dinner to thank them. After all, they brought her safely from such a great distance."
Lin Ming considered. "That's reasonable. The kitchen has plenty of everything prepared anyway."
Madam Lin took two maidservants and went to meet her cousin. She asked the messenger: "Where is the young cousin now?"
"She's in the flower hall."
"Take her to my room."
When the sisters finally met, there was naturally an outpouring of long-separated affection. Before long, Li Yongxun said: "Sister, I'm nearly dying of heat. Let me wash up and change clothes first!"
"Of course, of course." Madam Lin turned to her maidservants: "Fetch several buckets of hot water, and have Aunt Zhang go to the back street to purchase a new bathtub."
In short order, both hot and cold water arrived along with the bathtub. Madam Lin first secured the door, drew the window shutters tight, and lowered all the bamboo blinds. The room instantly grew dim. Madam Lin stepped forward to remove her cousin's hairpins, loosen her sash, and help her out of her outer garments. Then she unwound the cloth strips wrapped around her chest, layer by layer, until only her close-fitting bodice remained. Madam Lin's slender fingers moved deftly, unfastening the silver chain that held the bodice in place, and the soft satin garment slipped away.
Li Yongxun turned aside bashfully. But Madam Lin caught her by the waist with both hands and whispered in her ear: "Qianqian, your waist has grown much slimmer."
"Sister, you're terrible—" Li Yongxun squirmed. "Was I a barrel before?"
"No, you had a willow waist before too. Only—" Madam Lin's hands cupped the two small buds on Qianqian's chest— "these have grown considerably..."
"Sister, you're dreadful, touching me like this!" The contact sent a strange tingling sensation through Li Yongxun's chest. She quickly pushed her sister's hands away. "I'm going to bathe now. Just send a maidservant to attend me."
"Maidservants are clumsy with their big rough hands." Through the dim light filtering through the bamboo blinds, Madam Lin could discern only a slender, willowy silhouette—fine pale skin, black hair falling to her shoulders, legs pressed tightly together, her bodice clutched to her front for what modesty it could offer. She smiled: "Have you forgotten? When you visited sister's home as a little girl, didn't sister bathe you?" She walked over and took her hand, speaking softly:
"Come. Sister will help you bathe."
A waft of Madam Lin's body fragrance reached Li Yongxun's nose—neither musk nor orchid—and went straight to her heart. Before she knew what she was doing, she had allowed herself to be led along.
After a refreshing bath, Madam Lin had a maidservant bring a complete new toiletry set. She helped restyle her cousin's hair and apply fresh makeup, then provided some of her own clean clothes to change into. Only then did they open the door and venture out to meet Lin Ming.
Lin Ming was largely indifferent about his young sister-in-law's arrival. Since his wife was willing to take her in, he would let his wife manage the matter. Besides, having such a pleasing and lively young sister-in-law around would add some variety to life. When asked about the journey, Li Yongxun naturally gave nine parts lies to one part truth. The only truthful portions were probably the events from boarding the boat outside Guangzhou to arriving in Foshan. Naturally, she mentioned nothing of stealing the official badge, disguising herself as a singing girl, or drugging people with "Supreme Bliss Powder."
Lin Ming nodded approvingly: "It appears these merchants are upright gentlemen. We should thank them properly."
"Indeed. At minimum, we ought to send a calling card to demonstrate our courtesy."
"As my wife says." Lin Ming was quite compliant with her wishes. He immediately had someone prepare a card and dispatch it to their inn.
How to thank them? He was most reluctant to give material gifts. Though his position as Probationary Centurion brought in a decent income, there were superiors to cultivate with gifts, colleagues to entertain when they passed through, and a wife plus four concubines to keep in finery—not to mention the crowds of servants, maids, and old nurses requiring support. Expenses were considerable. The court's stipend had limits, especially for a department like the Embroidered Guard that was riddled with sinecure positions—over eighty thousand people receiving government pay in all. Salaries were never disbursed on time. Fortunately, being a local Centurion had its perquisites, or he truly wouldn't know how to make ends meet.
If he hosted just one banquet, the courtesy might seem too slight, and relatives and friends who heard about it would gossip. Just as he was deliberating, Madam Lin suggested: "Since you'll be hosting them tomorrow anyway, and they're merchants who came to conduct business in Foshan, why not invite a few local major merchants to accompany them? Do them this small favor."
"An excellent idea. But which merchants should I invite?"
"Qianqian mentioned that Doctor Liu is a physician, and Shopkeeper Yang owns an apothecary. Why not invite Grand Shopkeeper Yang of Yangrunkai Hall to join them? He's the leading figure in that trade here."
"An excellent point. My wife thinks of everything."
"And also invite a certain Mister Li Luoyou. He just arrived in Foshan a few days ago and sent birthday gifts today. His family dealt in goods from beyond the passes—a substantial business. Your humble wife has heard that many precious medicinal ingredients come from beyond the passes. This Mister Li, though he's been residing within the passes for years now, may still maintain some stock..."
Lin Ming naturally knew Li Luoyou. Not only did he know him—that very day he had accepted a "generous gift" beyond the birthday presents, having concluded a certain arrangement. He smiled: "Wife, you're overthinking this. Business matters are for them to work out among themselves. Your husband is merely bringing people together for a gathering. Whether they can conclude any deals is their own affair."
"Yes, husband's instruction is correct." Madam Lin smiled demurely. "Tonight, with Qianqian here, we sisters have some private words to exchange. Would husband please stay with Qingyun tonight?"
"You're always having private conversations with your sisters." Lin Ming grumbled. "Who knows whether you spend more nights with Qingyun and Bibo or with your husband, month by month..."
"Now, husband shouldn't quibble." Madam Lin's eyes moved beguilingly, quite enchanting. "Have I ever left husband alone in an empty bed? Besides, this is my cousin—practically family. She must be looked after properly."
Lin Ming appeared to have further objections. Madam Lin leaned close and whispered: "Tomorrow night, your humble wife and Bibo shall attend to husband together..."
Li Luoyou had arrived in Foshan several days earlier. Traveling with him were two foreigners: one was an Englishman named John Quark who had traded in Macao for many years—Li Luoyou and his Chinese acquaintances jokingly called him "Quark Qiong" (Quark the Poor); the other was a German Jesuit missionary named Ma Yangchun.
Since receiving orders from his father in the late Tianqi reign to come to Guangzhou and assume control of the family's foreign trade business, Li Luoyou had made the trip to Foshan almost every two or three months to order porcelain, silk, and medicinal ingredients, exporting them through Quark Qiong's channels.
The Li family had been wealthy merchants for generations. Being also natives of Beizhili—right under the imperial capital—they carried a certain official air. The traveling party had set out from Guangzhou with three large boats, proceeding grandly along the river. Upon reaching the dock, they went straight to the branch office of "Liaohai Trading Company" on Foshan's Datong Street. To receive the master, the branch's Manager Cheng had prepared everything ten days in advance. When the sedan chairs arrived, Li Luoyou and his guests—along with his wife's nephew Gu Baocheng, who had been rescued from the chaos during the great retreat from Guangning and was now the sole surviving blood relative of his wife's clan—plus a secretary who handled correspondence, were escorted into the reception hall. Four specially prepared clever young servants rushed about bringing face-washing water and tea. Li Luoyou enjoyed the servants' ministrations while inquiring about various local news.
After the initial bustle subsided and everyone was seated, Li Luoyou ordered the two foreign guests sent to their rooms to rest, with strict instructions to attend to them well.
One of his personal servants brought from the journey, named Saoye, carried over a water pipe and began packing it for him. At the same time, he whispered: "Concubine Jiang has settled in and asks when Master will come to her?"
"Did I come to Foshan to keep her company?" His tone conveyed undisguised annoyance at Concubine Jiang's lack of understanding. "Tell her to kneel and reflect. I'll deal with her when I come in."
Harsh punishment at the first word, with no tenderness for fragrant beauty. The assembled servants held their breath, not daring to respond.
"Yes." Saoye dared not say more and departed for the inner quarters to deliver the order, secretly sympathizing with this unlucky Concubine Jiang. This sort of cold, ruthless household discipline had grown ever more severe since Li Luoyou's narrow escape from beyond the passes.
"Master," the branch's Manager Cheng approached to ask for instructions: "How shall dinner be arranged? Should we have Master's cook prepare Western food?" The Li household, doing business with Western merchants year-round, maintained a Western-style cook on staff along with various seasonings, utensils, and ingredients. They had brought everything along for this trip—partly to entertain the two foreign guests, and partly to impress certain business partners with an exotic feast.
(End of Chapter)