decided to get rid of him by recommending him to the Emperor’s son-in-law, the Prince Consort Wang Jinqing as a steward.
The following day Su sent Gao Qiu with a servant to Prince Consort Wang Jinqing. This Prince Wang was the husband of the younger sister of the Emperor Zhezong, and son-in-law of the Emperor Shenzong. He took pleasure in meeting flaboyant, stylish men, and when he received the introduction he was glad, and he made Gao Qiu his personal attendant.
An ancient saying is: “Remoteness begets neglect; nearness brings about intimacy.” It happened that on his birthday Prince Wang suddenly gave orders to prepare a feast, and specially invited his maternal uncle Prince Duan who was the eleventh son of the late Emperor Shenzong, and the younger brother of the Emperor Zhezong. He controlled the affairs of the Emperor’s eastern palaces where he was known as the Ninth Prince. He was intelligent and handsome—but his taste was not so—he preferring profligacy. However, he was a good performer on the lute, he could play chess, paint pictures, and was an excellent footballer. On the day mentioned Prince Duan took the seat of honor at the feast prepared. When the wine was brought in they drank several cups, and after the second course Prince Duan took leave for the toilet. He then retired to the library for a rest and there he happened to see on the reading table a pair of lions made of white jade used as paperweights. They were of elegant workmanship, and he admired them very much. Prince Wang saw that Prince Duan was fond of them so he said, “There is also a jade brush rack with a dragon design made by the same hand, but it is not here now. I will get it tomorrow and send both of them to you.” Prince Duan was much pleased and said, “I am much obliged for your generosity. I think the brush rack must be very fine.” The two men then returned to the banquet and feasted until the evening—when they were very intoxicated they separated, and Prince Duan returned to the palace.
The following day Prince Wang packed the two jade-lion paperweights and the jade brush rack in a golden box, wrote a letter, and sent Gao Qiu off with them. Upon reaching Prince Duan’s palace the doorkeeper reported his arrival to the courtyard attendant who inquired his business and then said, “My master is playing football with the eunuchs in the courtyard. You may go in by yourself.” The courtyard attendant accompanied him to the gate, and there Gao Qiu saw Prince Duan wearing as a cap, a soft gauze towel of the Tang Dynasty style, and arrayed in a purple gown embroidered with a dragon and a waistbelt with two tassels. The gown was folded up and tucked in the belt. His boots were inlaid with golden thread in the design of a phoenix. There were three or five eunuchs playing football with him.
Gao Qiu dared not to intrude—so he took up his position behind the servants. Now good luck had come to Gao Qiu. The ball rebounded from the ground and Prince Duan failed to kick it—it bounced into the crowd of spectators and landed at the side of Gao Qiu. He saw the ball and instantly had courage. He used the mandarin-duck twist (one leg behind the other) and kicked the ball back to Prince Duan. Prince Duan saw this and being pleased with the exhibition, asked who he was.
Gao Qiu knelt down and said, “I am a confidential servant of Prince Consort Wang and by his orders, I have brought two jade curios to present to Your Highness,” so saying, he offered the letter with both hands.
Prince Duan hearing this, laughed and said that Prince Wang was very obliging. He opened the box and after examining the curios handed them to an attendant. He then asked Gao Qiu, “Can you play football? Who are you?” Gao Qiu clasping his hands and kneeling down said, “I am called Gao Qiu. I was punishable for kicking that football.” Prince Duan said, “Good! come into the playground and again try.” Gao Qiu saluted with folded arms, and said, “What kind of man I am to dare play with Your Highness?” Prince Duan replied, “This is the Society of Gathering of Clouds,” also known as the “World’s Horizon” (meaning, there is plenty of room for you). It does not matter if you play.” Gao Qiu again saluted; saying, “I cannot do it.” He begged leave to depart time and again, but as Prince Duan insisted upon his playing, Gao Qiu had no escape—so he kowtowed, and confessed his inability, he then untied the garters round his knees and moved towards the center of the ground. Gao Qiu kicked a few times, and Prince Duan applauded. Gao Qiu had to use all his skill to please the Prince. He played the ball as though it stuck to his body like glue or paste. He never missed it. Prince Duan was highly amused and was unwilling to let Gao Qiu return, so he kept him there for the night. Next day Prince Duan ordered a banquet and sent a special invitation to Prince Consort Wang. The latter had become anxious at the absence of Gao Qiu but upon receipt of this invitation he mounted a horse and went to Prince Duan’s palace. Upon entering the banquet hall Duan expressed his gratitude for the curios and then said, “This man Gao Qiu kicks equally well with both feet. I should like to have him for my personal attendant—what do you say?” Prince Wang answered, “If you have any use for him, you may keep him.” Prince Duan was pleased and offering a cup of wine thanked him. The two men chatted until evening.
From that time Prince Duan had Gao Qiu as a special servant and the latter did his work well. Every day he accompanied Prince Duan and was always close at his hand. In less than two months the Emperor Zhezong died without an heir. A large number of civil and military officials petitioned Prince Duan to become Emperor. He ascended the throne with the reign title of Huizong, and known with the Taoist titles of High Priest of Jade Purity and the Emperor of Subtle Truth.
Upon ascending the throne he did nothing remarkable. One day he said to Gao Qiu, “I want to make you an official. But I cannot promote you unless you have shown your merit. Now I will first tell the Grand Council to record your name as an imperial attendant.” Within six months Gao Qiu was raised to Marshal of the Imperial Guard.
Before proceeding to his new post he selected a fortunate hour and a lucky day to begin his duties. All the lower officers of various military ranks—both cavalry and infantry—visited him to pay their respects—present their credentials with details of their records. Gao Qiu, the Marshal of the Imperial Guard, examined these reports one by one and noticed one was missing, that is of Wang Jin, the Drill Instructor of the Imperial Guard. About two weeks before Wang Jin had been sick and had not been able to attend business at his yamen.46 Gao Qiu was very angry at this and shouted, “What nonsense! His credentials are here but he himself has not come. This is disobedience, yet he pretends to be sick at home. Men, have him brought here at once.” He forthwith sent men to arrest Wang Jin.
Now this Wang Jin had no wife and lived with his mother who was over sixty years of age. The sergeant spoke to Wang Jin, “Marshal Gao Qiu of the Imperial Guard has assumed his post but has not yet seen you. The Adjutant reported that you were sick at home but Marshal Gao Qiu did not believe this and has sent me to arrest you—you had better go and see him. If you do not go, I shall be implicated.” Wang Jin hearing this saw no alternative but to go, in spite of his sickness.
Upon entering the door of the headquarters he saw the Marshal at the other end of the hall and kowtowed four times, then bowing he called “nuo” (a sound to attract attention almost equivalent to saying “waiting your order”), then lifting his head he stood at one side.
Marshal Gao Qiu asked, “Are you not the son of Wang Sheng who used to be a Drill Instructor of the whole army?” Wang Jin admitted this.
Marshal Gao Qiu then shouted at him, “So it is you—your father used to sell medicine and exercise the fencing stick to attract a crowd on the street. What military skill have you? But don’t be supercilious because I can court-martial you—you must not dare to presume on your rank and differ from my point of view. On whose influence are you depending? What excuse have you for resting at home?” Wang Jin answered, “I speak the truth. I am certainly sick and have not yet recovered.” Marshal Gao Qiu used abusive language and said, “You banished thief! If you were sick how could you come here?” Then Wang Jin said, “You summoned me here so I had to come.” Marshal Gao Qiu was very angry and shouted an order to the attendants to seize Wang Jin and beat him severely. Among the junior officers there were many who were friendly with Wang Jin, they
