Explore Chapter 72 of 'Spring Ming Outer History' with the original Chinese text, English translation, detailed Chinese vocabulary explanations, and audio of the Chinese original. Listen and improve your reading skills.
Now, Yang Xingyuan had been reading "Tales of Spring Morning" at the Guild Hall. He read into the evening, for the events in the book closely resembled what he had witnessed, making it all the more fascinating. He read until midnight, having almost finished all five volumes. Remembering he had matters to attend to the next day, he reluctantly went to sleep. The following morning, concerned about Li Yun's illness, he went to the hospital to see her. Entering the ward, he saw Li Yun lying in bed, her hair disheveled, draped in a water-red silk-gauze jacket over the covers. She held a small mirror in one hand and a comb in the other, frowning as she gazed at her reflection. Yang Xingyuan said, "You've only just improved a little. Why are you combing your hair? Don't catch a chill." Seeing Yang Xingyuan arrive, Li Yun threw the mirror and comb onto the covers and tried to sit up. Yang Xingyuan pressed her hand and said, "Don't get up." Li Yun replied, "I feel much better today." Yang Xingyuan reached out to touch her forehead, finding it indeed not as feverish as the day before. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he asked Li Yun, "Has your mother come today?" Li Yun said, "She came. She said..." Here, she suddenly stopped. Yang Xingyuan asked, "What did she say?" Li Yun answered, "She said it's nothing serious, just a bit of a chill. I'll be fine in a day or two." Yang Xingyuan knew full well these were merely comforting words, but he could only offer a few consolations.
After sitting for a while, he said to Li Yun, "If you feel bored, I'll bring some novels for you to read tomorrow." Li Yun replied, "No, whenever I read novels, I start to have wild fancies." Yang Xingyuan said, "Then I'll bring some scenic postcards for you to look at." Li Yun said, "Good. Don't forget." Afraid of tiring her, Yang Xingyuan dared not speak more. He sat a while longer, then left on his own.
The next morning, Yang Xingyuan indeed went to Liulichang and bought several sets of scenic postcards, along with a few writing brushes and some picture cards, delivering them to the hospital. Li Yun sat up, leaning against the bed rail, flipping through the postcards with great interest. Suddenly, she said to Yang Xingyuan, "I'm such a simpleton. Look at these foreign places, so beautiful. In the future, we..." Here, she sighed. Yang Xingyuan said, "Focus on recovering properly. What can't you do in the future? Why indulge in idle thoughts now?" Li Yun said, "I'm not thinking of anything grand. I just imagine that if I get better, I'll enshrine a Buddha statue in my room, burning incense day and night to thank the Buddha for protecting me." Yang Xingyuan originally wanted to call her superstitious, but fearing it inappropriate, he said, "That's fine too, as long as your heart is sincere."
Just as they were speaking, Li Yun's maid, Amao, entered with a smile and said to Yang Xingyuan, "Master Yang, our Seventh Young Miss's illness is improving." Yang Xingyuan asked, "How do you know?" Amao replied, "The doctor said so." Yang Xingyuan asked, "What exactly did the doctor say?" Amao said, "The doctor said that as long as the fever subsides, it's not serious. Now, Seventh Young Miss's fever has already gone down." Hearing this, Yang Xingyuan felt much relieved and said to Li Yun, "Did you hear that? Even the doctor says it's not serious." Li Yun said, "Even if the doctor says so, who knows if his words are reliable?" Yang Xingyuan said, "The doctor's words are naturally reliable."
Just then, a figure in white flashed past the ward door. Yang Xingyuan asked who it was, and Amao said, "It's the nurse." Soon, the nurse entered, nodding slightly to Yang Xingyuan, then went straight to Li Yun's bedside, reaching out to feel her forehead. After a moment, she said to Li Yun, "You're much better today." She stood by the bed for a while longer, then slowly left. Yang Xingyuan followed her out and asked, "In your opinion, how is this patient's condition, really?" The nurse replied, "There's probably no danger now. But her constitution is too weak, and I'm afraid she'll need a long period of recuperation." Hearing this, Yang Xingyuan felt another wave of worry.
He stayed at the hospital for a while longer, until it was four in the afternoon. Fearing he might overstay and disturb Li Yun's rest, Yang Xingyuan left for home. Upon arriving, a messenger happened to deliver a letter. Opening it, he found an invitation to dinner from Wu Bibo. Wu Bibo was Yang Xingyuan's classmate from middle school, and the two had been the closest of friends. Later, Yang Xingyuan joined a newspaper office, while Wu Bibo went south, but they still kept in touch through letters. This time, Wu Bibo had come from the south and visited Yang Xingyuan once at the Guild Hall, but they hadn't talked much due to busy schedules. Thus, this dinner invitation was also meant for a proper chat. Immediately, Yang Xingyuan took a rickshaw to Wu Bibo's residence.
Wu Bibo lived in the northern part of the city, renting a small quadrangle courtyard. He occupied three rooms himself, while the rest were shared by two other classmates. As Yang Xingyuan entered, he saw Wu Bibo wearing a serge gown, smiling as he came out to greet him. Wu Bibo said, "I expected you at six o'clock. How come you're here a little after four?" Yang Xingyuan replied, "These past few days, I've been overwhelmed by a friend's troubles. Today, I came early specifically so we could have a good talk." Wu Bibo said, "That's excellent. Please, come inside and sit."
With that, he led Yang Xingyuan to the main room. Yang Xingyuan saw a kang bed positioned centrally, with an opium smoking set in the middle, flanked by several official's armchairs. On the wall hung a couplet written on gilded paper: "Old books, read carefully, still hold much flavor; A fine guest who can come needs no invitation." The signature read, "For Elder Brother Bibo, from Jianchen." Yang Xingyuan said, "Is this couplet written by He Jianchen? When did you become so close?" Wu Bibo replied, "It was earlier this year in the south. He came to Shanghai on business, and we spent a few days together. After he returned to Beijing, we kept corresponding. This time when I came, he even recommended two teaching positions for me." Yang Xingyuan asked, "I heard you brought your family along. Why don't I see them?" Wu Bibo said, "I just moved here yesterday. My family is still at the inn."
Then, he called for the old maid to brew tea. Soon, the tea was brought in. Yang Xingyuan looked and saw it wasn't an old woman, but a girl of about twenty, wearing black trousers and a blue cotton gown, her hair in a braid, looking quite delicate and refined. Just as Yang Xingyuan was about to remark, the girl blushed, lowered her head, and left. Wu Bibo laughed and said, "Not a bad maid, right? I brought her from the south. She's quite honest." Yang Xingyuan said, "If you need a maid, why go all the way to the south to find one?" Wu Bibo replied, "What choice did I have? At home, we have an old maid used by my father, nearly sixty, who can't be spared for a moment. I wanted to bring my family here, but couldn't bring the old woman along, so I found another one in the south."
Yang Xingyuan said, "That's not such a big deal. Why go to the trouble of bringing her all the way from the south?" Wu Bibo said, "To be honest, there's another reason. This girl is an orphan, taken in by a distant aunt of mine. After my aunt passed away, she followed me. Since she has no home to return to, I brought her along." Yang Xingyuan said, "I see. That's forgivable, then."
The two chatted idly for a while, then turned to Li Yun's illness. Wu Bibo said, "Yesterday, I went to the hospital to visit a friend and saw the Li Yun you mentioned. She's indeed gravely ill." Yang Xingyuan frowned and said, "Exactly! I'm at my wit's end over this." Wu Bibo said, "Why trouble yourself so? Heaven helps the virtuous." Yang Xingyuan replied, "I'm not superstitious, but judging by her condition, I fear she won't recover easily." Wu Bibo said, "Set your mind at ease. Perhaps she'll improve in a couple of days."
Yang Xingyuan said, "I hope so too. But I believe her illness isn't accidental. The seeds were sown long ago." Wu Bibo asked, "Didn't you know about it before?" Yang Xingyuan said, "I had some inkling, but I didn't expect it to be this severe." Wu Bibo said, "Such places are pits. Once you slip, it's hard to climb out. My friend, I advise you to tread such paths less in the future." Yang Xingyuan said, "I've already realized that. But Li Yun is truly pitiful. Since I know her and yet watch her fall into a pit, it seems unconscionable on my part."
Wu Bibo smiled and said, "I believe you mean that. But you must understand, in places like Shanghai and Beijing, there are thousands upon thousands of people like Li Yun. How can you save them all? That's how the world is. If you see through it, you're happy. If you don't, you suffer. I urge you to see things more clearly."
Yang Xingyuan said, "I know I should see through it, but in the moment, I can't help but plunge back into the thicket of distress." Wu Bibo said, "That's what they call 'seeing through it, but unable to endure it.'"
Just as they were chatting happily, someone in the courtyard said, "Is Mr. Wu at home?" Wu Bibo responded, "I'm here. Please, come in." As he spoke, the person entered. Yang Xingyuan saw a man in his thirties, wearing a blue cotton gown over a black mandarin jacket, with a skullcap on his head, resembling a small tradesman. Upon seeing Yang Xingyuan, he took a step back and said, "Oh, you have a guest. I'm intruding." Wu Bibo said, "No trouble at all. We're all acquaintances. This is Mr. Yang Xingyuan." The man then cupped his hands toward Yang Xingyuan and said, "I've long admired you."
Wu Bibo turned to Yang Xingyuan and said, "This is Shopkeeper Qin, the manager of the grain shop next door." Yang Xingyuan also cupped his hands in greeting. Shopkeeper Qin said, "Mr. Wu, I have a small matter to ask for your help." Wu Bibo asked, "What is it?" Shopkeeper Qin replied, "I have a relative who holds a minor post in Shandong and wants to seek employment in Beijing. Could you write a letter of introduction?" Wu Bibo asked, "What is your relative's background?" Shopkeeper Qin said, "He's a primary school graduate." Wu Bibo smiled and said, "In Beijing nowadays, it's probably not easy for a primary school graduate to find work." Shopkeeper Qin said, "Please just write a letter to try. If it doesn't work out, then so be it." Wu Bibo said, "That I can do, but I'm busy now. I'll write it tomorrow and send it to your shop." Shopkeeper Qin repeatedly thanked him, sat a while longer, then left.
Yang Xingyuan said, "This Shopkeeper Qin seems an honest man." Wu Bibo replied, "Honest he is, but too unaware of the times. Beijing is packed to the rafters now. Where are there vacancies for him to fill?" Yang Xingyuan said, "Since you promised to write the letter, he'll pin all his hopes on you. If it fails, won't he be very disappointed?" Wu Bibo said, "I have no choice but to humor him like this. In truth, my letter will be useless, but he thinks there's a chance."