The well-lit rooms were filled with boisterous laughter. Young men in their silk apparels and fresh faces fluttered around like angry bees. The children, in their own worlds. Neither the youngsters nor the women inside the separate inner compounds took notice or heard the voices ringing aloud in the main hall, announcing the arrival of auspicious time. They seemed to be completely unaware of ceremony preparations or when it began - solemn, rigorous – and quite separated from all the festivity.
In the hall itself, all the elderly members of the Wei clan took their places with their distinguished guests by their side, entertaining them with tea and carefully crafted delicacies, looking stately in their well-organized apparels and aged, wise looks. The visitors equally humored the hosts with auspicious words and congratulations on the coming of age of the eldest son, the new heir of Wei Clan.
It was a well-lit hall filled with plenty of warm light wafting off in wisps from exquisitely crafted paper lamps embossed in their wooden frames. Some delicately carved palace lamps hung from over the roof. Four wooden pillars supported the beam, reaching a considerable height enlarging the space so much that its opulence was all the more pronounced, even exaggerated. Few plinths supported a raised platform at the northern side, supporting a jade statue of the clan deity of the Wei clan, an assortment of delicacies was placed around it. While the rest of hall was arranged with seats for guests facing a space opening up in the middle which was left as stage, it was naturally separated from the inner circle of the deity placed in the north. Only the head of the house could have a seat in close proximity with the clan god, a well-recognized fact in Jinghai, as many reputed clans practiced this custom.
If you were to go off into more inner parts of Dajin, your proximity with the central capital growing and the most commonplace practices and tradition becoming all the more commonplace, it wasn’t hard to spot a few heretic traditions. Although not many had a clan god of their own, the Wei’s were amongst the oldest families which had kept this primitive practice alive.
In the hall, sliding wooden doors opened on all sides but the north, creating an almost open chamber, aired by chilling breeze and softer showers spraying at moments whenever the wind blew or the gate opened, which wasn’t as infrequent as one would have liked in that kind of gloomy weather. But since some young servants were specially reserved to oversee that no door remained open longer than needed, not much inconvenience was caused to the guest.
Majestic silver candelabras were placed at close intervals, luminously dampening the darkness, while a rich, woodenly scent diffused in the air, filling it with various emotions tied to languor– from comfort of taste to comfort of eyes, the details suited to every sensibility was provided for.
Such was the great care taken by host in making this manor’s luxuries affable to general eyes, that on close notice even the sultry nature of soft shower couldn’t hamper the celebration. It was to be fully enjoyed with wines and people, every subject to be prodded and every new development’s in Jinghai to be shared about.
The hall was full. Maids sauntered around, carrying delicacies on silver platters balanced on their delicate arms; goblets of wine and their refill were to be provided at right times, pastries served at right places. At the center stage, elderly looking courtesans held a pipa, or a flute or zithers. There was no Suona in their hands. They masterfully twisted strings to create magnificent waves in their patient listener’s mind; while younger courtesans danced gracefully twisting their swanlike necks.
It was Lord Wei’s grandson’s crowning ceremony, a grand event in Jinghai. Qianyuan dynasty, like its predecessors of Xian dynasty, still supported the coming-of-age ceremony to be held at the twentieth year of a youth’s life —only after this night, will he be counted amongst gentlemen. On such a cheerful occasion, everyone of repute and status, accorded by their noble position or wealth were gathered therein sipping wine and toasting blessings. Master Wei just happened to be present in the hall, hosting the event with appropriate smiles and gestures, receiving glad tidings and regards from all sides. He would show the appropriate amount of happiness, never holding his guest a while longer than needed.
But, they were those on the peripheries of real interest – the Master Wei representing his father, the representatives from Magistrate and some principal members of Jinghai Yamen, and highly reputed merchants were all sitting close by, as did the chief members of four major families. It was quite a small company, studded with alacrity to pleasing and being in turn pleased.
“And so, we are once again in grace of Lord Wei.” An old man, in his textured silks and finely combed hair toasted master Wei who was sitting with his friend. He had just come to greet the host and found him engrossed in a private conversation. He himself quite weary of taking more time than an appropriate nods and small talks would take, didn’t take the spare seat besides Master Wei and his friend. “The manor was quite a delight to see after such a lapse of time – his reputation of gracing his guests with his one true heart still rings as true as it had a few decades back. It quite reminds me of those times when he was still the Left prime minister in our majesty’s court! Ah! What days. Your father, Master Wei, was once famed as the most delightful host to ever grace the high society of the Capital. A personal loss which is still felt with great resolve on their part. But what a great occasion today seems to be for you? Good news from all side! Just delight, great fortune has found your doors one after other, and aptly as it should! I don’t see your son here though, that young lad seems to have slipped away? The time for the ceremony is coming close, if I am not wrong?”
“Yes, he did go away for that purpose, Old Master Yu.” Master Wei replied while chugging the toast in acceptance. “My father will be shortly hear, if you find it difficult to wait for him, I can ask the maid to lead you to a guestroom. You can take a break for some time.” An answer was given without being questioned.
“Good, no thank you for the offer. Although as old as I am, I should gladly take you up on your words, but Jinghai doesn’t occasion such festive atmosphere frequently, does it? While he isn’t here, there is no harm in enjoying such pleasurable company as we can find.”
“Right, you are Master Yu. It’s great pleasure, such gatherings once a while. Alas! They seldom occur in Jinghai, particularly in these times of the year – it is always the rain! The devil!” The speaker was a slightly slovenly looking man, his countenance all agreeable, purporting foxlike glinting eyes. He rose his cup of wine toasting the man sitting beside him as well as the old gentlemen who soon made himself scarce, having spotted an acquaintance and said his parting greetings. Master Wei received another toast.
Master Su RuHui remained silent for a while and then once again broached a similar topic, engaging his preoccupied host.
“The weathers turned up for the worst this year. Many counties complained of flood, but Jinghai was saved much trouble. The rain seems a little softer today…hopefully the next few days will be graced with some more sun. Not that it MIGHT be the case. But by gods! One should see some of the sun in these times each day, the cold is chilling the bones. I feel ALMOST starved of its presence!”
“Ah…but I bet you will make yourself scarce the very next day crying how hot the day is. I know you; you cannot persuade me otherwise. If we went by your standards, we will still be having the seasons fluctuate like moods! Thank god, we don’t. Too much of this, too much of that – all day long all you do is cry. And when I ask you to go out and accompany me to a nearby county – you are too bed-ridden to ride a horse! With a temper like yours, I don’t know how you have managed to save the small amount of money that you have left in your pouches. And no, I am not listening to your excuses. I heard Shijiazhuang reported a loss of over a thousand lives –? We agreed to go and look at the situation in nearby towns. But the day changed into night, and you were still languishing in your beauty’s arm. By god! Woes be with me if I ever ask you to travel another day!”
Master Su RuHui started laughing at this endless chattering of Master Wei. He took a round grape and started peeling its skin off. “It seems this time I have finally worn out your endless patience.”
“A feat unmatched.”
“By gods! Yes! For the likes of me who will never step in a battlefield - unmistakably a feat unmatched.”
“But be serious. Did you hear of Shijiazhuang?”
“Yes, nothing nice. Rice ruined, no harvest in this season. Not counting the casualty of cattle and other crops, what do you think are the chances of that county suffering through famine? With an example of Anshui, it can only be worse if nothing is done now. If not this year, next year will truly push them to that. Can they be saved? – hard to say that. But since second prince is already overseeing Jinghai, such misappropriation of aid from the court can be averted right? What a loss though. We won’t be seeing any good harvest up until the next year.”
“I heard something similar. The Magistrate just told me he was thinking of asking his majesty to lower the taxes for this winter, for both Jinghai and Shijiazhuang but then,” Master Wei lowered his voice “there happens to be a situation at present. Any tax reduction seems to be improbable in near future.”
“Is there…? Doesn’t sound good situation to me.” A slightly softer voice replied.
“Does it not? You got the inkling, my friend. In fact, the court might as well be pushing for increase in coming taxes, this February. It bodes no good news for general populace by the looks of it. I don’t know how your merchant friends are preparing for this loss? And don’t tell me, something that can fall into my ears are unknown to them!” Master Wei slightly leaned to his right to speak with his companion, with his eyes still lingering over the entrance.
“They might be unaware of the gravity of the …situation, if they do know about this coming calamity. In fact, I cannot be sure. What is commonplace in such times are merchants hoarding their goods. Who knows whether they fear a drought in Shijiazhuang or have heard a very similar kind of news from the court? However,” Master Su Ruhui looked up, whispering in a similar manner reaching towards Master Wei’s ears, “that one, over there seems to have done something last week.”
They both abruptly looked towards a direction.
“If you hadn’t told me all this, I would still be struggling to guess why Master Li Mu has sold so many of his shares in the Local bank and hoarded all the barley in Jinghai! For a while, I felt he was preparing to open a brewery! Is that improbable for such a sort of man? But hilariously, only this probability could match the urgency I saw flickering in his eyes. But I now know, he is still far better than I give him credit for! Pity! - A brewery would have really suited his ways! Sleazy as he is, his wines would have been amorous.”
He then looked pointedly at the small clique nearer to the entrance door, animatedly discussing today’s fiasco of the horses, horsemen and the carriage owner. Boisterous laughter rang all around. “Look at him, not a care in the world! Who could ever guess that just recently his wife died at childbirth? The least one can ask of him is to maintain a straight face for a while, not much to ask in my opinion. But you do know, the Li’s generally treat their women lower than their mares. Pity, she was a beauty – even I once dwelled over taking her hands myself. But she wedded this brute the next day. What does he have other than his money?”
“Some more of that? A good number of lands and mines?”
“Touché. But look at that face! Just that horse-like features will stop a woman from looking at him a second time! But he has money. So, he has women. Forget it.”
“Ah ha…you look burnt out. You still haven’t sorted out your debts to him, have you? The treasurer of the Town bank was asking me about your health a few days ago, and no Li Mu was not there. But the manager DID look pretty strung up – he will be killed, I assure you, if you delay any longer. That would be an uncalled disaster on your head.” Master Wei looked amusedly at his friend, then took up the empty goblet and filled it up with some more wine from the jade gourd.
“You know…this thing really exasperates me. That man, never does a thing right apart from causing trouble at the most ingenious moments. What else could you expect from this wretch? I will see what I can do. But you look like you will not help me, will you? I see it in your eyes.”
“If I can help, no! – I will most likely not overexert my nerves. Your proportion of what constitutes a help is always awry. What I will spend on you might as well have entered the belly of a Whale. Wei Jia doesn’t do such loss-making businesses.” As soon as Master Wei had started dwelling over the nature of the Wei house, its sardonic sense of profit, its humongous importance given to everything fair and of equal value – he was stopped in the midst of his deliberation by a very pointed voice.
“But where is the main character of our play? Your son Master Wei, I don’t see him around here?”
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