Jia Pingwa - Ruined City

“You’re right, it’s our fault. But because of the flood, the mayor asked Zhidie to write a report, and he couldn’t make it back home in time. The mayor summoned him again tonight. Of course he’d have come. He’ll definitely come see you and Mr. Sima in a few days. Mr. Sima was courteous to us, but what he said frightened me.”

“He’s in charge of the suit, so he said what he had to say. He couldn’t express any clear bias toward either side. He’d be in serious trouble if he did so and the other party filed a complaint. I’m going to say something I shouldn’t: the law is based on the legal code, but it’s enforced by people.”

“We’re friends, old Bai, so we’re counting on you. The suit has been recorded, but you’re the only one who can talk to Mr. Sima when it comes to the final judgment.”

“Please tell Mr. Zhuang not to worry. No matter what the outcome is, I’ll do my best.”

“How can you say ‘No matter what the outcome is’?” Niu Yueqing said. “That has plunged my heart back into a bottomless pit.”

Bai fell silent. “Let’s do it this way, then,” he said. “I’ll prepare some food and invite Sima Gong over for a drink. Of course he knows about our relationship. If he refuses to come, it must mean that he thinks it’s a tough case after reading the complaint, and that the prospects are dim. If he’s willing to join me, then there will be hope. When he’s here, I will offer him Gong’s calligraphy. If he declines to take it, then it’s hopeless, since he wouldn’t want to be embarrassed by taking your gift and then ruling against you. If he accepts it, the odds of a positive outcome will be sixty percent. If he takes the calligraphy and we have a bit to drink, I will certainly ask him about the case. We may have a problem if he clams up because he’s unsure or is leaning the other way and doesn’t want to be frank with me. If he’s willing to talk about it, he’ll be seeking my view, and the odds of getting a good outcome will rise to eighty to ninety percent.”

Niu Yueqing could not stop praising Bai’s strategy.

“Ah! You’re an expert in the classical novel Water Margin , old Bai,” Meng said. “You sounded just like Granny Wang showing Ximeng Qing how to seduce Pan Jinlian.”

“My favorite is actually Romance of the Three Kingdoms .”

Niu Yueqing told Zhao to go buy some food and liquor at the night market. Bai said he already had plenty, but Niu Yueqing insisted on handing the money to Zhao, who soon returned with three bottles of Wuliangye, some tripe, pig’s tongues, pickled pig’s feet, preserved eggs, and a chicken roasted in five spices. Bai told them to wait downstairs and that he would signal by opening and closing a window. When Sima arrived, he would open the window, and then he would shut it when the judge accepted the calligraphy. When the window was opened a second time, it would mean that he and Sima were talking about the case. They could go home with assurance when the window was shut one last time.

So the three of them went down to wait by a wall across the street, fixing their gaze on Bai’s window. As expected, it opened, and they smiled. Then came the anxious wait for it to be shut. But it remained open; meanwhile the number of pedestrians dwindled. They heard people arguing in the nearby night market as it escalated into a fight. Meng turned to watch until he lost interest. “You’re young, Jingwu,” he said, “and your neck doesn’t get sore so easily. So you watch the window while I shut my eyes and get some rest.” He took off a shoe to sit on, resting his bare foot on the other shoe; he lowered his head and was soon snoring. About twenty minutes later, a figure flashed past the window and shut it. Zhao shook Meng. “Meng Laoshi, Sima Gong has accepted the calligraphy.” No response from him.

“He’s tired,” Niu Yueqing said, “let him sleep. You can doze off too if you want.”

“I’m not sleepy. Meng Laoshi has only one good eye, and it must be tired after doing the work of two all day. He deserves some rest.”

“What kind of rubbish is that, Jingwu?”

“So you weren’t sleeping?”

“I was keeping that eye open. Did you hear anything?”

“They’re not fighting anymore.”

“Listen closely. It sounds like Zhou Min playing his xun at the city wall.”

Niu Yueqing and Zhao listened carefully; they heard soft xun music.

“Zhou Min has been feeling terrible lately, so he goes up there to play every night. But why must he play the xun, with its sad, bleak sound. The more he plays, the more ill-fated it makes me feel,” Niu Yueqing said.

“He’s the restless type,” Meng said, “with high ambitions but lousy luck. I’ve studied his facial features. He has a mole on the bridge of his nose. Anyone with that is destined to spend his life alone; he could accomplish something spectacular, or he could also end up in a terrible mess.”

“I share your feelings,” Niu Yueqing said. “When he seduced Tang Wan’er into running away with him, he ruined a family. Then he stirred up trouble soon after arriving in Xijing. I don’t want to say he harbors ill intentions, but he’s brought us a lot of grief. Let’s not talk about him. They’ve been up there drinking for quite some time. Could Bai have gotten so drunk he forgot to mention the case?”

“He wouldn’t do that. Forgetting his promise is one thing, but messing things up for us is much more serious,” Zhao said. “Zhuang Laoshi isn’t your average defendant, not to mention the fact that they’re drinking our liquor. You can tell people’s fortunes by looking into their faces, so why don’t you read mine, Meng Laoshi?”

“I won’t do that, but I’ll tell you one thing: you’ve been suffering from constipation.”

“How did you know?”

“So you really do know fortune-telling?” Niu Yueqing asked.

“Of course. I used qimen divination. Look where you’re sitting. We all picked a spot at random, but you chose to sit under the utility pole. Doesn’t the round bulb look like that thing of yours? But the shade has been smashed, probably by a kid’s rock, which is a sign that you’re having trouble down there. I can also tell you that the resident in the house to the left is a bachelor. Why? Because that locust tree in front is bare, with no branches or leaves. I could sense that the moment we got here. Go ask him if you don’t believe me.”

Zhao got up and said, “The light’s on in the house. I’ll go check it out by pretending to borrow a match.” He was about to walk off when he cried out, “The window is open.”

Niu Yueqing was elated. “Old Bai is amazing. We’ll have to do more to thank him later.” She added, “Don’t go there, Jingwu. If you verify that he’s a bachelor, that would only make your Meng Laoshi even more smug. But if he’s wrong, he’ll pout. Why don’t you two go have some roasted octopus in the night market?” She handed Zhao forty yuan and urged them to go. Forty minutes later, she came to the night market and said to the man selling fermented rice, “Give us three bowls, with three eggs in each bowl.”

Meng and Zhao knew immediately what had happened. They joined her, and each had a bowlful.

It was two in the morning by the time Niu Yueqing returned home. Liu Yue was sitting in the living room with a book, but her head was drooping. Niu Yueqing took the book away, then tapped the girl on the head with it. “Dreaming about someone?” she said.

Liu Yue laughed as she stood up to get some water. Niu Yueqing told her to bring her a razor to trim a corn on her foot. When the girl returned, she cut very carefully. “It’s so thick!” she said. “It’s the fault of high heels. Men only know that women look pretty in heels; they don’t have a clue as to the kind of suffering we go through. It sends shooting pains to your heart.” Finally she managed to slice off a huge piece without drawing blood. Niu Yueqing put on her slipper and tried her foot on the floor. “Is he home?” she whispered.