man, this time.”
Marshal Gao Qiu spoke in a loud voice, “You banished thief! These junior officers want me to forgive you. I will speak to you again tomorrow.” Wang Jin confessed his guilt. Holding up his head he recognized that he was Gao Qiu. He left the headquarters and heaving a sigh said, “Just now my life is insecure; this Gao Qiu was previously at the capital known as Gao the Second—head of a gang of lazy men. At that time he was learning to use the cudgels, and my father hit him, and for three or four months he could not get up from a sick bed. Now he has fortunately become Marshal of the Imperial Guard, and is eager for revenge. I did not know that he was my superior officer. From ancient times it has been said: “Fear not the authorities, except those that have authority over you.” There is no help for me. He returned home in a very melancholy mood.
He told his mother about the affair, and they held together and cried: “My son, of thirty-six ways of doing a thing going is the only one that is the best. I am afraid there is no safe place for us.” Wang Jin said, “What you say, mother, is true. Your son has also thought of this plan. There is at Yanan Prefecture a General who guards the frontier and controls many military officers, who used to come to the capital to see me fence. Why should we not now fly to him for refuge? At that place I could get employment and settle down to a quiet life.”
Mother and son discussed this matter and after deciding, she said, “My son, I must go with you secretly: but I am afraid of the sentries who are stationed outside the door by the headquarters, and we certainly will not be able to get away if they hear of our plans.” Wang Jin said, “Never mind, don’t worry, mother, I will arrange matters satisfactorily with them.” Before the sun set Wang Jin called the sentry Zhang to come inside. He gave him an order—“After you have had your supper I want you to go to a place to do something for me.” The sentry inquired where he was to go. Wang Jin said, “Because of my sickness I once took a vow to offer sacrifice at the Yue Temple outside the Suanzao Gate—I wish to be there tomorrow morning and be the first person to burn incense—I want you to go this evening and inform the head priest of this matter. Tell him to have the doors open early tomorrow morning and wait until I come to burn the first incense. There I shall present three sacrifical meats to the gods Liu, Li, and Wang. You must stay at the temple till I come.”
Zhang, the sentry replied, “I have already had my supper and will now go to the temple to arrange matters.”
That night the mother and son packed their baggage—making two loads for carrying on a pole. They filled two bags with fodder to be tied on the horse, and waited until nearly dawn. Then Wang Jin awakened Li, the other sentry, and giving him silver told him to go to the temple and buy the three meats for the sacrifices, as he himself would buy some yellow candles and would arrive later. Li, the sentry, took the money and departed. Wang Jin saddled the horse and led it out of the stable, fastening the fodder on with ropes and making all tight, he assisted his mother to mount. The furniture, etc., was abandoned. Locking the door he shouldered his load and followed the horse. It was the fifth watch about 4 A.M. and was still dark—so availing themselves of this, they left by the Xihua Gate—and traveled quickly toward Yanan Prefecture, Shaanxi province.
The two sentries at the temple bought the meats for the sacrifices, cooked them, and then waited until about 11 A.M. without seeing Wang Jin. Sentry Li became anxious and returned to the house to look for Wang Jin. He found that the doors were locked, and he could not enter. After half a day he saw nobody come. Sentry Zhang stayed at the temple until evening and then returned to the house. They both watched the house during the night without seeing Wang Jin or his mother. The following day they inquired of Wang’s relatives but no one could be found. They did not wish to be implicated, and therefore reported the matter to the headquarters.
Marshal Gao Qiu upon hearing the report was very angry and wrote a dispatch instructing the officials in every prefecture and district to arrest Wang Jin. The two sentries were free from all blame.
Wang Jin and his mother traveled a good distance from the capital taking their meals on the way as chance permitted. They had been on the way over a month, when one evening Wang Jin remarked to his mother who was riding the horse in front, “May Heaven have pity on us and we are now beyond the reach of legal punishment, as although Marshal Gao Qiu has ordered my arrest, Yanan Prefecture is not far away.” They both felt contented but they were not aware that they had passed the only available inn. As it grew dusk, however, they saw the glimmer of a light in a forest a good distance away. Wang Jin decided to investigate as to whether they could stay there for the night. He went into the forest, and saw a farmyard which was surrounded by a mud wall, with about three hundred willow trees outside. He knocked at the gate, and when a servant came he saluted with folded hands. He explained the situation, and asked for a night’s lodging for his mother and himself for which they would pay.
The servant went inside to report the matter, and upon his return said the farmer wished to see them. Wang Jin requested his mother to dismount and tied the horse to a tree. He put his load on the threshing floor, and then they followed the servant into the house.
The farmer was over sixty years of age, and his hair was all white. He was wearing a warm cap to protect his head from the dust; a loose fitting gown with a black sash round the waist, and dressed leather boots. Wang Jin saluted, but the farmer said, “Friend, don’t stand on ceremony. You are travelers in distress. Please be seated.”
Wang Jin and his mother, observing the rules of propriety, sat down, and in answer to the farmer’s questions Wang Jin explained, “My name is Zhang, and I lived in the capital. Business was bad so I sold all my things, and am now on my way to Yanan Prefecture where I hope to stay with my relatives. Today we have traveled a good distance, but have unfortunately missed the inn. We now wish to stay for the night at your honorable house.”
The farmer said, “Never mind! No men of this world carry houses about with them. Have you dined?” He then ordered a servant to bring food. The servants soon arranged a table, and carried in trays with four dishes of vegetables, and dishes of beef. They placed these on the table, and then poured out wine. After exchanging complimentary phrases they sat down, and after several cups of wine, rice was brought in. When they had finished the meal, the farmer conducted them to the guest chamber. Wang Jin said, “My mother has ridden the horse a long way, and I suppose that it will be well fed.”
“That does not matter,” said the farmer. “Here we have many animals, horses and mules, and I have already instructed the servants to look after your horse and feed it well.”
Wang Jin thanked him, and then brought his bundles into the chamber. The servants lit a lamp and brought in a tub of hot water for the guests to wash their feet. When the farmer and servants had withdrawn Wang Jin and his mother retired to rest. They slept till well after daybreak the next day. The farmer came to the door of their room to make inquiries, and heard Wang Jin’s mother groaning so he asked what was the matter. Wang Jin told him, “I certainly will not deceive you. My mother was very tired last night, and she became sick.”
“This being the case, you must not worry,” said the farmer. “Tell your mother that she can rest here for a few days. I have a prescription for her sickness, and will send a servant into the town for the medicine. Tell her that she will soon be well again.” Wang Jin expressed his thanks. His mother took the medicine and in about five days she was quite well again.
On that day Wang Jin wished to leave and went to the stables to look at the horse. In the yard he saw a young man with naked body, tattooed all over with nine dragons and with sleeves turned up. His face was as white as a silver plate. He was about eighteen years old and was exercising with a cudgel. Wang Jin watched him for some time and then soliloquized, “You use your cudgels very well but I think it could be improved, as there are better men than you.”
The young man was angry upon hearing this and said in a loud voice, “Who are you? How dare
