The Powerful Eunuch

As the scarlet sun set in the west, Xie Yilu was trimming his midget crabapple1 planted under the east window of the house. The flowers were freshly bloomed, tender and at the prime of beauty. Behind him, Da Tian2 was squatting by the vegetable field, harvesting the leeks one handful at a time.

“Master,” he chuckled, “was it good?”

Xie Yilu absentmindedly replied, “What’s ‘good’?”

“Why, the girl, of course,” Da Tian turned to look at him, grabbing a handful of lushly green leeks, “You went out in the middle of the night. Didn’t you go to look for a girl?”

“Nonsense,” Xie Yilu turned to look at him as well, “I’m not a patron of the harlots.”

“Oh, really,” Da Tian pursed his lips, “Forget about your ‘patron’ or whatever. Just look at you, coming back in the morning with that look on your face. You clearly got some tastes of kisses, but you just won’t admit it!”

Xie Yilu wanted to retort, he opened his mouth twice, but still decided to give up. Finally, feeling rather embarrassed, he said, “It’s not what you think it is…” He turned back, afraid that Da Tian would see the smile lines around his mouth. “It’s… someone special,” he reminisced about last night, the warmth, the touch, as if those feelings were still lingering on his lips, “Nothing much happened, we just…”

“Held hands? Hugged?” Da Tian asked eagerly and joyfully, “You kissed?”

Xie Yilu remained silent.

“Ah, you definitely kissed!” Da Tian exclaimed and smacked his lips enviously. “You officials, keeping one at home and hiding another one outside. You really know how to enjoy!”

Hearing him mention “one at home”, Xie Yilu was in distress again. “The letter I asked you to send this morning, did you send it?”

“Surely I sent it, Master,” Da Tian grinned naively. “Now that you’re with Eunuch Zheng3, you must be rich. When will you give me a raise?”

Even a servant like Da Tian knew about his betrayal. Xie Yilu’s face turned cold. “I didn’t take a single coin4 from him.”

“Oh my master, why are you so naive,” Da Tian waved the kitchen knife in his hand. The surface of the knife was facing the crimson sunset, reflecting a blood-like shine that hurt his eyes. “He has more than enough money!”

Coming from different perspectives, they couldn’t reach an understanding, so he might as well just drop the subject. Xie Yilu put down the scissors, dusted his robe, stood up and got ready to leave. “I have a gathering tonight, you can sleep first.”

There was indeed a gathering, which was Zheng Xian’s family banquet. Just because Xie Yilu didn’t want to go, he was killing time by trimming the flowers at home. As he exited the gate and turned left, he noticed a sedan chair parked by the road. It looked rather unfamiliar, so he walked over. Suddenly, the curtain of the sedan chair was lifted slightly to reveal a narrow gap, and a voice called from inside, “Chunchu5.”

The moment he heard that voice, Xie Yilu stopped. He should have turned around, yet he didn’t want to. From behind, that voice called again, “Chunchu, just a few words.”

Xie Yilu’s heart softened after all. He turned back and entered the sedan chair. Qu Feng was sitting inside. The withering light of the golden-red sun shone through the cracks between the wooden boards and the curtain, casting a bloody hue on that face, making it dreadfully unfamiliar.

Just like what they used to do, they squeezed together shoulder to shoulder. “I’ve come here to thank you,” said Qu Feng, “for sacrificing yourself to save me. I will never forget it so long as I’m breathing.”

Xie Yilu retorted, “Is that why I did it, so that you would never forget?”

Qu Feng remained silent. Xie Yilu glared at him intently. “I did it so that you could come out of there alive and well, so that we could drink and chat just like before!”

Qu Feng lowered his head. “You don’t even drink at all…”

Xie Yilu was at a loss for words. “Then there’s nothing more to discuss.” He waved his hands repeatedly, “I have nothing more to say to you. We’re like two carriages racing on separate paths!”

Qu Feng was provoked by his words, “What else can I do? You’re already with Zheng Xian. Must I also throw myself down into the pit, just to repay your favour?”

“You can’t repay me!” Xie Yilu suddenly snarled. “There’s no way you can repay my heart!”

Clearly startled by his abrupt exclamation, Qu Feng apprehensively lowered his voice and warned, “Keep your voice down!”

“So you are afraid that people will find out about us?” Xie Yilu sneered. “Just don’t visit me if you’re such a coward!” He lifted the curtain to leave, but Qu Feng held onto his sleeve firmly. “Xie Yilu!” Qu Feng hid in the shadows, unwilling to reveal even just a corner of his face. “Remember, when the time comes, I will repay your kindness for a lifetime!”

Xie Yilu forcefully pulled his sleeve out of Qu Feng’s grasp. “Go ahead and repay my kindness like the thief you are now, Lord Qu!” As he left, he dropped a final auspicious phrase for parting, “May you climb high and succeed soon!”

Each of them was holding grudges against the other. As the conversation had already reached this point, no one wanted to hold it back. Xie Yilu flicked his sleeves as he strode away in the sunset. He walked in rage and in determination, and with each step he took, he felt an unrestrained thrill.

By the time he arrived at Zheng Xian’s residence, the evening banquet had already begun. Although it was called a banquet, it was more like a casual gathering. In the small hall near the water, five or six large couches were laid down for the guests to sit on, with each and every one of them surrounded by beauties from all directions.

Xie Yilu was dumbfounded when he entered. Those women, wearing revealing silk and muslin robes, all wore their hair in the popular peony style6, and adorned themselves with Tian-tsui7 hairpins and Huadian8. Golden bracelets could be found on all four limbs of these women, which jingled with every movement.

Guo Xiaozhuo occupied the sandalwood couch next to Zheng Xian. He was leaning on his side and propping his chin up with one hand. On his forehead, between his eyebrows was a tiny red drawing of an arrowhead9. Without shoes or socks, his fair, delicate feet dangled lazily by the edge of the couch. He was holding a sweet melon in his hand, carelessly taking bites.

“Hurry up and take it off,” Zheng Xian pointed to his hair bun, where a tiny silver hairpin was worn. Judging by its colour, the hairpin should be made of pure silver. “Don’t let me see that shabby thing!”

Guo Xiaozhuo acted like he heard nothing, and swung his little feet even harder.

Zheng Xian stretched his leg and kicked the edge of Guo Xiaozhuo’s couch, “Still showing it off,” and jokingly invited everyone to be his judge, “I don’t know what’s going on with this kid. He’s gotten himself involved with a little eunuch. Shouldn’t I scold him?”

The guests present tonight were all trusted by Zheng Xian, and no one treated him with unnecessary courtesy. Tu Yao spoke as he cracked the melon seeds, “It’s just the puppy love of those kids. Dugong10, you’re being too nosy.”

Zheng Xian immediately sat up straight, preparing to have a lengthy argument with him. Then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Xie Yilu, so he immediately waved, “Chunchu, what took you so long? Come on, today’s ‘Great Rescue11‘ is good.”

A servant promptly brought forth a plate of steamed cakes12, which was mixed with walnuts and dipped in milk. The dish was indeed exquisite, yet to call it “Great Rescue” was probably quite an exaggeration. Xie Yilu took the plate and found a couch to settle in. Across the water, the opera troupe was performing the Moon Prayer Pavilion13. The musicians and singers were all female, presumably Zheng Xian’s private troupe14. Today, Zheng Xian dressed up like a Taoist. He was barefoot with most of his hair hanging loose about his shoulders, the hair on the top of his head were tied into a bun and kept under a small purplish gold hair cap15. With his pretty looks and his black cloak, every gesture of him made him appear like a lofty ethereal being.

“He’s no little eunuch,” Guo Xiaozhuo glanced at Zheng Xian with irritation. “He’s quite respected among Liao Jixiang’s men. Besides, I’m just toying around. Do I have to find a prince or a nobleman?”

Zheng Xian was both annoyed and amused by his attitude, “Pick a decent one even if you’re only toying around. This one has no silver when you ask for money, has no ‘object’ when you demand for pleasure. What’s even there to play with?”

Naturally, the “object” referred to a man’s private parts. Xie Yilu couldn’t help but chuckle. Zheng Xian was truly different from Liao Jixiang. He wouldn’t hesitate or grieve on sentimental matters. All he preferred was to lavishly boast about his wealth and power.

After finishing the cake and wiping his hands, something suddenly brushed past Xie Yilu’s feet. Thinking that it was a cat, Xie Yilu was startled as he lifted his foot. Yet when he looked down, he realised that it was just a ball — a red brocade ball embroidered with patterns of carps16. A toddler came chasing after the ball. His hair was tied into two small buns on the side of his head17, and he should be about two or three years old. Those big black eyes of his were as dark and shiny as grapes, which made him irresistibly lovable. Behind him followed another older child, about seven or eight years of age. He was dressed in a radiating golden robe, and appeared like a proper master.

“Dad!” The toddler spotted Zheng Xian among the beauties and shouted in excitement. Xie Yilu was astonished as he immediately turned to look at Tu Yao, who whispered to him, “He bought that one. A fake son.”

No wonder Zheng Xian paid no heed to the child. He didn’t even get up to hug him. Instead, he pushed forth those women with exposed bosoms, instructing the toddler to call them “mom”. The little one obeyed innocently, and so, one after another, the “moms” pressed their alluring red lips onto his little cheeks. Xie Yilu couldn’t stand by anymore, so he went forward and took the child away in his arms, using his sleeve to gently clean his face.

Presently, the older child climbed onto an empty couch. He randomly brought a woman into his embrace and began kissing her. Seeing that, Xie Yilu tugged Tu Yao’s sleeve in horror, “He bought that one as well?”

Tu Yao burst into laughter. “That’s no child,” he leaned closer and whispered in Xie Yilu’s ear, “That’s a dwarf, named Ling Ge18. Dugong had invited him over for ‘medical treatments’.”

Xie Yilu was stunned. “What kind of treatment?”

“The ‘treatment’ down there,” Tu Yao signalled to Xie Yilu with a subtle glance. “This dwarf had learned from the lamas19. In Nanjing, no prostitute is unafraid of him. They all call him the ‘King of Lust Among the Flowers20‘”

Xie Yilu’s jaw dropped in astonishment. Tu Yao stealthily glanced towards Zheng Xian’s lower abdomen, “Do you see a slight bulge on Dugong, down there? He’s hanging some medications there. It’s called the Banner in the Wind, also known as the Dragon and Tiger’s Robe.”

Thinking of Liao Jixiang, Xie Yilu suddenly had an idea. “Do-does it work?”

“It’s actually just an otter’s penis,” Tu Yao supposed that Xie Yilu didn’t know much about the logic behind. “The male otters have an insanely insatiable desire for mating. When the female otters won’t let them have their way, the male otters would rub themselves against trees. By the time they die, their thing could have penetrated the wood for an inch or more. So people have been cutting the tree and removing it from the wood for medicinal purposes.”

“Then…” Xie Yilu was so embarrassed that he blushed. “How much is it?”

Tu Yao looked at him rather surprised. “Buying for yourself?”

“N-no, not really…” Xie Yilu pondered back and forth for a proper excuse, “I… want to try it.”

Tu Yao blatantly looked towards his lower parts. “But you don’t look like you’ll need…”

At that moment, another guest arrived. A young eunuch led the way, and the guest following him was a higher-ranked eunuch. Xie Yilu cast a quick glance towards him, and to his surprise, it was Ruan Dian.

Ruan Dian was also taken aback when he spotted Xie Yilu, as he displayed guilty expression on his face. His steps paused for a moment, which was noticed by Zheng Xian. “Brother,” he leaned in, appearing concerned that Ruan Dian might create difficulties for Xie Yilu, “Liao Jixiang’s enemy isn’t your enemy. Don’t disrupt the delicate harmony.”

Ruan Dian and Xie Yilu exchanged a quick glance, and smiled. “That’s right, I have no grudges against Lord Xie.”

He walked over and took a seat on an empty couch. Xie Yilu pretended to be calm and composed, but in reality, he was rather upset for Liao Jixiang – Ruan Dian was visiting Zheng Xian without informing Liao Jixiang, he was clearly taking advantage of both sides.

“Brother,” Zheng Xian casually pointed to one of the young ladies surrounding him, politely gesturing to her to serve Ruan Dian, “Heard you’ve been tight on silver lately?”

Ruan Dian didn’t evade the question, and admitted in a straightforward manner, “The one at home is good at emptying my pocket.”

He was referring to the Yangzhou21 harlot from Zhushi22. Zheng Xian toyed with his wine cup, and suddenly brought up the subject, “What’s so good about following Liao Jixiang? Why don’t you come and help me?”

Xie Yilu stared intently at Ruan Dian, watching how he remained slick and untroubled. “It’s a bit early for us to discuss this, isn’t that so, Zheng Jiuye23?”

Zheng Xian laughed heartily, appearing to have not been offended at all. “There’s no hurry,” his eyes abruptly shifted, as if he had recalled something. “Rumour has it… that you’ve been whipped by Liao Jixiang?”

Which was quite an obvious move to poking at Ruan Dian’s wound in public. Guo Xiaozhuo, Tu Yao, and Ling Ge all turned to look at Ruan Dian. Ruan Dian, however, shamelessly smirked, “Been whipped many times. I’m used to it.”

At that moment, Xie Yilu was truly convinced that Ruan Dian would turn against Liao Jixiang. Among the trusted members of the Weaving and Sewing Bureau, only he caused frequent conflicts with Liao Jixiang, not to mention that Ruan Dian had never read any books24. He was apparently a selfish soul who sought after profit.

By this time, there was only one empty couch left in the hall. Zheng Xian discreetly shifted his gaze over and said with considerable disappointment, “Come on.” He set down his cup, flung his long hair from his back to his chest, gently cupping it with his hand, and winked at the guests. “Let’s play at the back for a while.”

Speaking, he emerged from behind the “flesh folding screen25” formed by his concubines and ladies. With the assistance of a junior eunuch, he went around the pillar of the corridor and went behind the small hall. Xie Yilu foolishly tailed him, but after taking a couple of steps, he noticed that Tu Yao didn’t move, so he asked, “Why aren’t you coming?”

Tu Yao smiled and cracked his melon seed, making a crisp sound. “You go ahead. I’m not interested.”

Without thinking much, Xie Yilu went past the pillar around the small hall. Hiding behind it was a dark room. He advanced boldly, yet almost instantly, he instinctively covered his face as if he had been stung in the eye by a wasp.

Inside that chamber was a sea of pale flesh. Men and women, swarming around Zheng Xian like bees and butterflies around a flower, serving him from head to toes. The scene was truly horrendous. Xie Yilu wanted to retreat, but he was frozen in place and couldn’t even mobilise a finger. From behind Xie Yilu, Ling Ge brushed past and went forth, leaving a trail of garments on the floor as he proceeded. Despite his childlike appearance, he impatiently squeezed his way towards Zheng Xian, to skillfully, even obscenely fondling his chest.

Xie Yilu’s eyes darted all over the room in panic, unable to find a place to settle. On the floor, several copies of woodblock printed26 The Plum in the Golden Vase27 were scattered carelessly on the floor, their open pages filled with explicit erotic drawings28.

He stumbled back out, his face flushed and glistening with redness as he passed by Ruan Dian. Like he had just witnessed something extraordinary, he pointed behind him as he exclaimed, “In there… Oh, what absurdity!”

Ruan Dian’s lips curved with some hidden meaning. As if he knew the secrets of the dark chamber, he teased Xie Yilu in a casual manner between acquaintances, “It’s just that business. Look how scared you are!”

Judging by their tone, they were far from being complete strangers. Naturally, Tu Yao squinted his eyes to study them. Xie Yilu noticed his gaze, so he quickly walked towards him while pointing at the empty large couch, asking, “Who’s supposed to be here?”

Tu Yao’s gaze at him was inquisitive. “Gong Nian,” his face bearing an expression as shrewd and cold as a knife. “He can’t tell the good from the bad, and refused Dugong’s kindness.”

Footnotes

The Chinese term here is Xifu Haitang, 西府海棠. Check its pictures here.  

Da Tian, 大天, the name of Xie Yilu’s servant. 

This is referring to Zheng Xian. 

The original text here is Yi Diao Qian, 一吊钱, which is 1,000 copper coins tied on a string. As there’s a hole at the centre of ancient Chinese coins, these 1,000 coins can be strung on a red string, looking like this.  

Xie Yilu’s courtesy name, Chunchu, 春锄, means “a hoe in spring” or “farming in spring”. 

This is known as Mudan Tou, 牡丹头. You can find pictures of this style here.  

Tian-tsui, or Diancui, 点翠, is a style of Chinese art featuring kingfisher feathers. For 2,000 years, the Chinese have been using the iridescent blue feathers of kingfisher birds as an inlay for fine art objects and adornment, from hairpins, headdresses, and fans to panels and screens. 

Huadian, 花钿, is a form of traditional Chinese women ornamental forehead makeup, which is located between the eyebrows and sometimes on the cheeks, the temples, and the dimples. 

This is known as Jiancu Sha, 箭簇砂.  

Dugong, 督公, a reverent title for powerful eunuchs such as Liao Jixiang or Zheng Xian. 

The Chinese term here is Da Jiujia, 大救驾, which literally means “a great rescue of the emperor”. 

This is known as Fagao, 发糕, in Chinese.  

The Chinese name for this opera is Bai Yue Ting, 拜月亭, which is one of the four romance drama in the Yuan Dynasty. 

It is common for the wealthy families in ancient China to keep a private troupe in their household, so that they can host banquets with Chinese opera whenever they need and perform the songs they prefer.  

This hair cap is known as Faguan, 发冠, in Chinese. It looks like this. 

Carps, or Li Yu, 鲤鱼, shares the same pronunciation with Yu, 余. Embroideries of carps and lotus are common to indicate good luck and fortune.  

This hairstyle is known as Zongjiao, 总角. It’s a common hairstyle for children in ancient China. The term Zongjiao can be also used to imply children at the age of 8-14 years old. This hairstyle looks like this.  

Ling Ge, 灵哥, literally means “brother names Ling”. 

Lama, 喇嘛, Lama is a title for a teacher of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism. According to some Tibetan authorities, the physical practice of sexual yoga is necessary at the highest level for the attainment of Buddhahood. 

In Chinese, flowers can be used to imply prostitutes.  

Since the Ming Dynasty, a large number of young women who were specially trained and ready to marry wealthy and powerful men as concubines appeared in Yangzhou. Back then, having a slender figure was considered pretty, so all the girls were slim and emaciated. That gave them the title of “Yangzhou Shouma”, 扬州瘦马. Shou means “slender”, so Shouma literally means “a slender horse”. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, “breeding thin horses” became a profitable investment, and many specialised in this profession.  

Zhushi, 珠市, the name of a harlot house. First visited by Ruan Dian in chapter 3. 

Jiuye, 九爷, is referring to Zheng Xian’s rank as the ninth eldest brother among all the eunuchs the Elder Master adopted. 

The books here refer to the Confucius classics, implying that Ruan Dian has no knowledge about how to be an honourable gentleman. 

A folding screen, or Pingfeng, 屏风, is a standing furniture made of a few connected panels. It can be used to shield the interior of the room from outside.  

This is known as Keban, 刻版, or Diaoban, 雕版, in Chinese. It is a technique for printing text, images or patterns by carving a wooden block to leave only some areas and lines at the original level. By brushing ink onto the block and pressing a piece of paper against it, the print can be left on paper. 

The Plum in the Golden Vase, or Jin Ping Mei, 金瓶梅, is a Chinese novel of manners composed in vernacular Chinese during the latter half of the 16th century during the late Ming dynasty. 

The erotic art in ancient China is known as Chungong, 春宫. Check the explicit art of Jin Ping Mei here. 

Photo credit: http://wallpaper.desktx.com/plant/110043.html A photo of crabapple flower.