The Cloud Dream of the Nine | Page 6

and his lady. The lady
Cheung herself supervised his food and clothing. Jewel proposed to her
mother that Cloudlet, who was skilful as well as beautiful, should be
appointed to oversee Master Yang's comfort so as to save her mother.
The mother protested. "Your father desires," said the lady Cheung,
"that a special husband should be chosen for Cloudlet that she may

have a home of her own. When you are married Cloudlet could not go
with you as a servant; her station and attainments are superior to that.
The only way open to you in accord [pxxii] with ancient rites would be
to have her attend as the Master's secondary wife."
Jewel's answer to her mother was: "Master Yang is now eighteen. He is
a scholar of daring spirit who even ventured into the inner quarters of a
Minister's home and made sport with his unmarried daughter. How can
you expect such a man to be satisfied with only one wife? Later when
he becomes a Minister of State and gets ten thousand rice bags as salary,
how many Cloudlets will he not have to bear him company?"
But Jewel's mother was not satisfied, and when the Justice was
appealed to, she said " To appoint a secondary wife before the first
marriage is something I am quite opposed to." The mother was
overborne, however, and the Justice entered with amusement into his
beloved daughter's plan of revenge.
Jewel then put the matter to her beloved Cloudlet thus: "Cloudlet, I
have been with you ever since the hair grew on our brows together. We
have loved each other since the days we fought with flower buds. Now
that I have my wedding gifts sent me, I wonder who you have thought
of for a husband." Cloudlet answered: "I have specially loved you, dear
mistress. If I could but hold your dressing mirror for ever I should be
satisfied." Jewel continued: "You know that Master Yang made a ninny
of me when he played the harp in the inner compound. Only by you,
Cloudlet, can I ever hope to wipe out the disgrace. We have a summer
pavilion in a secluded part of South Mountain. We could prepare a
marriage chamber there. The views are beautiful, like a world of the
fairies. I am only desirous that you, Cloudlet, will not mind taking your
part in it." [pxxiii]
Cloudlet laughed and said: "Though I die I will go through with it and
do just as you say."
Master Yang was lured to South Mountain with the help of a male
cousin and left in a lonely but beautiful place. Here Cloudlet appeared
in the guise of a fairy and enticed him into the pavilion. So skilful was

Cloudlet's wooing that Yang "loved her from the depths of his heart
and his love was reciprocated." A most intricate practical joke was
played on Yang for many weeks. Cloudlet pretended to vanish and
reappear as a disembodied spirit, and the love-making was then
continued in the house given to Yang in the Cheung compound. Then
Cloudlet disappeared again, and Yang's "sleep failed him and his desire
for food fell away."
The whole household was in the secret, and the Justice, who was
watching the affair with amusement, obtained Yang's confidence and
hinted that it was a mistake to let a disembodied spirit make love to him.
"Even though you say she is a disembodied spirit," said the distressed
young man, "this girl is firm and substantial in form and by no means a
piece of nothingness." When the Justice felt that the joke had gone far
enough he revealed the deception to Yang. The male cousin "rolled in
fits of merriment" and "the servants were convulsed with laughter."
The old people quietly enjoyed what the Justice said was "a laughable
enough joke in its way." Cloudlet gained the desirable position of
secondary wife before the consummation of the first marriage and
proved her loyalty and love for Mistress Jewel, while Yang had the joy
of Cloudlet's constant care and attention. [pxxiv]
But before the consummation of Yang's marriage with Jewel many
stirring events were to happen. He was sent to far regions to quell
rebellions against the State and, after many victories, rose to the highest
military command in the land. Meanwhile, the other six love affairs
were unfolded. Two of these had been started on his first journey from
his native village before passing the Government Examination. The
first was the meeting with the maiden, Chin See.
"At a certain place he saw a beautiful grove of willow trees. A blue line
of smoke, like silken rolls unwinding, rose skyward. In a retired part of
the enclosure he saw a picturesque pavilion with a perfectly kept
approach. He slowed up his beast and