THE General then mounted the dragon-car with the Dragon King’s daughter beside him; a wonderful wind blew the wheels and they whirled away up into mid air beyond the clouds. He did not know how close lay the outskirts of heaven, or how many miles from earth they were. A veil of mist like a white umbrella covered all the sphere. Little by little they descended till they came to Tong-jong. The King had come out a long distance to meet his guest with every possible form of ceremony and every evidence of love for him as a son-in-law. He bowed, and after having made Yang mount the highest seat of honour, prepared for him a great feast. The King himself raised his glass and congratulated Yang, saying: “I am a man of few and feeble gifts, with but little means at my disposal, not able even to make my own daughter prosperous and happy. By means of your Excellency’s surpassing skill we have taken prisoner this proud upstart, and have saved my daughter’s honour. I greatly desire to repay this kindness high as heaven and deep as the nether sea.”
The General said: “It was all due to the incomparable strength and prowess of His Imperial Majesty. What cause have you to thank me?”
They drank till their hearts were merry and then the King called for music; and splendid music it was, arranged in mystic harmony, unlike the music of the earth. A thousand giants, each bearing sword and spear, beat monster drums. Six rows of dancing-girls dressed in phoenix garb and wearing bright moon ornaments, gracefully shook their long flowing sleeves and danced in pairs, a thrilling and entrancing sight.
The General asked: “What tune is this to which they dance?”
The Dragon King said: “In ancient days this tune did not exist in the Water Palace. My eldest daughter, as you know, was married to the Prince Imperial of Kyong-ha, and according to the writings of Dr. Yoo in ‘The Shepherd and the Sheep,’ was found destined to hardship. She fell a victim to oppression and ill-treatment, and my younger brother fought and defeated the King of Kyong-ha and saved her. The musicians of the palace invented this tune, calling it ‘The Defeat of the Enemy.’ Now, however, that your Excellency has overcome the Prince of Nam-hai and have caused the father to meet his daughter once more, the name of the tune has been changed to ‘The Song of the General’s Victory.’”
Yang asked again: “Where is Dr. Yoo now, and may I not see him?”
“Dr. Yoo,” said the Dragon King, “is an official among the genii and so is at his post and cannot come.”
After the various glasses, nine in all, had been passed, the General said good-bye. “I have many things to see to in the camp,” he said, “and cannot stay longer, for which I am very sorry. My one desire is that the lady may not forget her marriage vows.”
The Dragon King said that he would see that they were kept. He came outside the palace to see the General off.
On looking up Yang saw before him a great and high mountain, with five peaks that reached up to the clouds. At once a desire took possession of him to go and see them, so he asked of the Dragon King: “What mountain is this? I, So-yoo, have seen many famous mountains of the world, but never this one before.”
The Dragon King inquired: “Do you not know the name of this mountain? It is Nam-ak, full of spiritual lights, strange and mysterious.”
“Where are the approaches?” asked the General. The Dragon King replied: “The day is not yet late, let us take a hasty look at it before we go.”
The General then mounted the chariot and was soon at the base. He took his bamboo staff and entered on the stony way, crossed a hill, passed over a yawning chasm, where the surroundings seemed more and more wonderful, with a thousand views opening out before his vision, impossible to take in at a single glance. The old saying of “A thousand peaks vied with each other and a thousand streams rushed by” was true of this fairy region.
The General rested on his staff and surveyed the wide landscape with an increasing sense of surprise and questioning. He then sighed and said: “I have long been a follower of the camp and engrossed in the fortunes of war, so am tired of the dust of earth. How can the earth-to-earth particles of this body be so important? How can one win lasting merit, and after death attain to eternal life?”
As he said this to himself he heard the sound of bells from among the trees. He pushed forward. “Evidently,” said he, “there is a temple of the Buddha somewhere near.” He crossed a dangerous pass and ascended a lofty peak, and there stood a temple with the main hall hidden away in a shady recess. Many priests were gathered about. The chief priest sat on an elevated dais, and at the time of Yang’s approach was reading the sacred books and discoursing on the same. His eyebrows were long and white and his features thin and transparent. His age must have been very great indeed.
Seeing the General approach, he called all the priests together to meet him. “We dwellers in the hills,” said he, “are dull of hearing and so did not know beforehand of the coming of your Excellency, nor have we gone out to meet you beyond the gates as we should have done. Please forgive us. The day of your final coming has not yet arrived. Will you not enter the hall, worship and return?”
The General entered before the Buddha, burnt incense and made his obeisance. Then he returned, and as he stepped down his foot slipped and he awoke with a start, and behold he was leaning on his writing table in the midst of the camp.
The east began to lighten. In wonder he asked his aides: “Did you gentlemen sleep and dream too?”
They made as one reply: “We accompanied your Excellency and fought an awesome spirit army, defeated it, took captive their commander, and returned. This is assuredly a proof of certain victory.”
The General told all that he had seen in his dream, and afterwards they went together to inspect the White Dragon Lake. The ground was covered with scattered scales of fish and blood that flowed like running water. First of all the General raised his cup and took a drink of the fateful potion and then refreshed the sick soldiers. They recovered, and the army came in companies with their horses to the shore and drank freely. Their glad shoutings shook the earth; the rebels heard it and trembled, desiring forthwith to make terms.
Yang then wrote a communication announcing victory. The Emperor was greatly delighted, and in his memorial to the Empress Dowager he praised Yang So-yoo, saying: “So-yoo is indeed the greatest general since the days of Kwak Pom-yang; let us wait for his return to make him First Minister of State and so reward him for his unparalleled success. If he has fully decided as to the marriage proposal with the Crown Princess and can conform to our commands, all is well, but if he still persists in having his own way, we cannot punish one so meritorious as he nor compel him by force. It is a question difficult to solve and one full of deep perplexity.’'
The Empress Dowager said in reply: “The daughter of Justice Cheung is truly a very beautiful girl. He and she have met and seen each other. How can he readily cast her aside? My idea is to take advantage of So-yoo’s absence, issue an order commanding Justice Cheung to marry off his daughter elsewhere, and so do away for ever with this desire of So-yoo. How can they fail to do as we command?”
His Majesty did not reply, but waited for a moment. He then got up quietly and went out. At this the Crown Princess, who was seated by the side of her mother, said: “Mother, your honourable decision is indeed quite wrong. The question of Cheung See’s marriage belongs not to us but to her family. How can the Government undertake to direct a matter of this kind?”
The Empress replied: “This is a matter of exceeding great importance to yourself as well as to the State. I must talk with you about it. General Yang So-yoo is not only superior to others in looks and learning, but already by the tune he played on the jade flute he has proven himself your chosen affinity. You cannot possibly turn him away and choose another. So-yoo has already established a special attachment with the house of Justice Cheung, and cannot cast that off either. This is a most perplexing matter. I think that after So-yoo’s return, if he is married to you, he will not object to take Cheung’s daughter as a secondary wife. I wanted first to inquire what you thought of this.”
The Princess said: “I am not a person given to jealousy. Why should I dislike Cheung See? But the fact that Yang had already sent her his wedding presents forbids his making her his secondary wife. An act like this would be contrary to all good form. Justice Cheung’s is one of the oldest ministerial families, distinguished from time immemorial for ability and learning. Would it not be high-handed oppression to force her into the place of secondary wife? It would never never do.”
The Empress said: “Then what do you propose that we should do?”
The Princess replied: “Ministers of State may have three wives of the first order. When General Yang returns with his high honours, if he attain to the highest he will be made a subject king, if to the lowest he will still be a duke, and it will be no presumption on his part to take two wives. How would it do to have him take Justice Cheung’s daughter as his real wife as well as myself?”
“It would never do,” said the Empress. “When two women are of the same rank and station there need indeed be no harm or wrong done, but you are the beloved daughter of his late Majesty and the sister of the present monarch. You are therefore of specially high rank and removed from all others. How could you possibly be the wife of the same man with a common woman of the city?”
The Princess said: “I am truly high in rank and station; this I know, but the enlightened kings of the past and those who were sages honoured good men and great scholars regardless of their social position. They loved their virtue, so that even the emperor of a thousand chariots made friends and intimates of such and took them in marriage; why should we talk of high rank or station? I have heard that Cheung’s daughter, in beauty and attainments, is not behind any of the famous women of the past. If this be true I should find it no disgrace at all but an honour to make an equal of her. Still, what I have heard of her may not be true, and by rumour alone one cannot be sure of the real or the imaginary. I should like to see her for myself, and if her beauty and talents are superior to mine I shall condescend to serve her, but if they are not as we hear them reported, then we might make her a secondary wife, or even a serving-maid, just as your Majesty may think best.”
The Empress sighed, and said: “To be jealous of another’s beauty is a natural feeling with women, but this daughter of mine loves the superiority of another as much as if it were her own, and reverences another’s virtue as a thirsty soul seeks water; how can the mother of such a one as she fail to be happy? I, too, would like to see Cheung’s daughter. I shall send a dispatch to that effect to-morrow.”
The Princess replied: “Even though your Majesty should send such a command I am sure Cheung’s daughter would feign sickness and not come. If she should decline there would be no way of summoning her by force as she belongs to a minister’s household. Let us do it by means of the Taoist priestess and the Buddhist nun. If we knew of Justice Cheung’s day of sacrifice in advance, I imagine we should have no difficulty in meeting her.”
The Dowager thought well of this and sent a special servant to make inquiry of the various Taoist priestesses who lived in the neighbourhood. The old woman superior of the Chong-se Temple said: “Usually Justice Cheung’s family do their sacrificing to the Buddha at our temple, but the daughter does not come herself; she sends her servant, General Yang’s secondary wife, Ka Choon-oon. She comes with orders for her mistress and with prayers written out that are placed before the Buddha. You may take this written prayer of hers if you care to show it to Her Majesty the Dowager.”
The eunuch accepted it, returned, and told what he had heard and showed Cheung See’s written prayer.
The Dowager said: “I am afraid in these circumstances that it will be difficult to see her.” With that the Crown Princess and she unfolded the written prayer and they read it together:
“Thy disciple, Cheung Kyong-pai, by means of her servant Cloudlet, who has bathed and made the required offerings, bows low, worships and makes her petition. I, thy disciple, Kyong-pai, have many sins to answer for, sins of a former existence as yet unexpiated. These account for my birth into this life as a desolate girl who never knew the joy of sisterhood. Already had I become the recipient of marriage gifts from General Yang and had expected to live my life in his home, but the choice of Yang as son-in-law to her Majesty the Empress Dowager has reduced all my poor hopes to nothingness. I am cut off from him, and can only regret that the ways of the gods and the ways of men do not harmonise. Such an unlucky person as I have therefore no place of expectation. Though I had not yet given my body, my mind and soul were already given, and for me to change and put my affections elsewhere would not be according to the law of righteousness. I will stay then with my parents during their remaining years. In this moment of sadness and disappointed experience I come to offer my soul to the Buddha, and to speak my heart’s desire. Please condescend, ye Holy Ones, to accept this prayer of mine, extend to me pity, and let my parents live long like the endless measure of the sky. Grant that I be free from sickness and trouble so that I may be able to dress neatly, and to please them, and thus play out my little part in life on their behalf. When their appointed span is over I will break with all the bonds of earth, submit my actions to the requirements of the law and give my heart to the reading of the sacred sutras, keep myself pure, worship the Holy One, and make payment for all the unmerited blessings that have come to me. My servant, Ka Choon-oon, who is my chosen companion, brings this to thee. Though in name we are maid and mistress, we are in reality friend and friend. She, in obedience to my orders, became the secondary wife of General Yang, but now that matters have fallen otherwise, and there is no longer hope for the happy affinity that was mine, she too has bade a long farewell to him and come back to me so that we may be one in sorrow as well as in blessing, in death as well as in life. I earnestly pray that the divine Buddha will condescend to read our two hearts, and grant that for all generations and transmigrations to come, we may escape the lot of being born women[37]; that thou wilt put away all our sins of a former existence, give blessing for the future, so that we may transmigrate to some happy place to share endless bliss for ever. Amen.”
When the Princess had read this she knit her brows, and said: “By one person’s marriage decision two happy people’s hopes are broken. I fear that a great wrong may be done to worth and virtue unknown to us.”
The Dowager heard this and sat silent.
At this time Cheung’s daughter waited upon her parents with placid countenance and resigned expression. Not a trace was there of dejection or sorrow. When her mother saw her she felt overcome with a sense of pity and dismay. Cloudlet attended lovingly and compelled Cheung See to engage in writing or games so as to pass the time, her own mind likewise being most desolate and her heart broken. Little by little she became thin and frail, as one overcome by an incurable sickness. Cheung See served her parents on the one hand, and on the other engaged herself on behalf of poor Cloudlet. Thus was her heart hopelessly confused, finding no place of peace, though others would not have guessed it. The daughter, wishing to comfort her mother by means of the servants, sought every variety of music or interesting recreation, and so moment by moment tried to gladden her ears and eyes.
On a certain day a woman came bringing two embroidered pictures to Cheung’s house desiring to sell them. When Cloudlet had unrolled and looked at them, one was a picture of a peacock among the flowers, and the other of a partridge in the forest. All the embroidery work was exquisitely done. Greatly admiring them, Cloudlet made the maid wait till she had shown them to the mother and daughter. She said: “My mistress is always praising my embroidery, but look at these pictures, please. What do you think of them for skill?”
The young lady opened them out before her mother,
gave a great exclamation of surprise, and said: “No present day embroidery can possibly equal these, and yet the colour and decorations mark them as new and not old. They are wonderful. Who can possess skill such as this?” She bade Cloudlet ask the maid whence they came, and the maid replied: “This embroidery is done by the hand of the young mistress of our home. Just now she is living alone, and finding special need of money wants to sell them regardless of price.”
Cloudlet asked: “To what family does your mistress belong, pray, and for what reason is she staying alone?”
The maid replied: “Our mistress is the sister of Yi Tong-pan, who, with his mother, has gone to Chol-dong where he holds office. Because she was unwell and unable to follow, the young lady re-mained at the home of her maternal uncle, Chang the Charioteer. Her quarters are occupied by Madam Sa, just over the way, where she is awaiting the return from Chol-dong.”
Cloudlet, on hearing this, went in and told it to her mistress. The young lady gave a liberal price in hairpins and other ornaments for the pictures, and had them hung up in the main hall where she sat all day in admiration of them, praising their excellence and expressing her delight. After this the maid who sold the pictures came frequently to Justice Cheung’s home and became very friendly with Cheung’s servants.
The young lady said to Cloudlet: “The fact that Yi See has such wonderful skill of hand is proof that she is no common citizen. I shall make one of the servants follow her maid and find out what kind of personage she is.” She chose a bright waiting-woman and sent her. The servant followed and found the lady’s residence to be one of the town houses, very small and very neat, with no outside quarters for men.
When Yi See knew that she was a servant from Justice Cheung’s, she treated her to the best of fare and sent her on her way rejoicing. The servant returned and reported, saying: “For beauty and loveliness of face and form, she is a second copy of our own dear lady. They are just alike.”
Cloudlet did not believe this. “Her embroidery,” said she, “is indeed wonderful, but as for her beauty, why do you tell me such stories? I am sure there is no one in the world so pretty as our own lovely mistress.”
The servant replied: “If Madam Ka doubts my word, let her send someone else to see and then she will know the truth of what I say.”
Cloudlet then sent another person privately, who also came back saying: “Beautiful, beautiful, the lady is a fairy angel from heaven. What we heard yesterday is true. If my lady Ka still doubts, how would it be if she should go and see for herself?”
“All this talk,” said Cloudlet, “is nonsense. How is it that you have no eyes?” And so they laughed together and then separated.
A few days later Madam Sa called at Justice Cheung’s to say: “The daughter of Yi Tong-pan has come to live in my house for a little, and her beauty and wonderful ability excel anything I have ever seen. She has heard of your daughter and greatly admires what she hears of her beautiful spirit and behaviour. She would like to meet her once and hear her sweet accents, but they are not acquainted and so she could not readily herself make request. Knowing that I was a friend of yours, she has begged me to come instead and make it for her.”
At once Madam Cheung called her daughter and told her what had been said. The daughter replied: “I differ from other people in my freedom and I really do not wish to see anyone, but, learning that the young lady’s attainments and beauty are on a par with this wonderful embroidery work, I should like to meet her once to brighten my darkened outlook.”
Madam Sa was greatly pleased at this and returned home.
On the day following, the young lady sent her servant in advance to say that she was coming, and a little later she came in a neat curtained chair with two or three attendants who accompanied her to Cheung’s mansion. Cheung See met her in her bedroom, and there they sat, hostess and guest, to east and west, just as when the Weaving Damsel[38] was welcomed to the Palace of the Moon, or to the feast of gems in the Paradise of Kwon-loon. The halo of light that attended them illuminated the room, so that they startled each other.
Cheung See said: “From messengers that have come and gone, I learned that you were living in the neighbourhood, but one so unlucky and so unfortunate as I had broken off intercourse with friends and had given up paying visits till now your ladyship has condescended to call on me. Thank you so much. I am unable to express my delight and appreciation.”
The visitor replied: “This little sister of yours is a very stupid girl. Early in life I lost my father, and my mother spoiled me so that I really did not learn anything and have nothing to show for the years that have gone by. This I regret as I say to myself: ‘A boy is free to go to all points of land and sea, can pick and choose good friends, can learn from another and can correct his faults, while a girl meets no one but the servants of her own household. How can she expect to grow in goodness or to find in any such place answers to the questions of the soul?’ I was mourning over the fact that I was a girl shut up in prison, when happily I heard that your knowledge was equal to that of Pan-so’s[39], and your virtue and loveliness on a par with the ancients. Though you do not pass outside your own gateway, yet your name is known abroad even to the Imperial Palace. Because of this, and forgetting my own mean qualifications, I wished to see your excellent face. You have not refused me admittance, and now I have attained my heart’s dearest desire.”
Cheung See made answer: “Your kind words will ever live in my humble heart. Locked up as I am in these inner quarters, my footsteps are hindered from freedom and my sight and hearing are limited to this small enclosure. I have never seen the waters of the wide sea nor the long stretch of the hills. So limited in experience and knowledge am I that your praise of me is too great altogether.” She brought out refreshments and they talked as those long acquainted.
Yi See said smilingly: “It has reached my ears that there is a little Madam Ka in your home. If that be so I should like very much to meet her.”
Cheung See replied: “I, too, had just that wish in mind,” so she called Cloudlet to come.
When Cloudlet came Yi See arose to greet her. With that Cloudlet gave a sudden start of surprise, and then with a sigh said to herself: “What we were told is true. Divine heaven hath surely created my own dear lady and also this most charming Yi See. Beyond one’s expectation I find that Pi-yon[40] and Ok-han are alive at one and the same time upon earth.”
The young lady said to herself: “I have often heard of Madam Ka, but she is really prettier than I ever dreamed. How could General Yang fail to love her? Why, also, when mistress and maid are thus gifted and graced, should he give them up willingly?” So interested was she in Cloudlet that she spoke to her frankly and familiarly as with the dearest friend. Then she said farewell, and added: “The day is drawing late and I must not stay longer, but I am sorry to go. Your little sister’s home is just over the way; when you have a moment of leisure, come, I pray you, and let me hear your dear voice again.”
Cheung See said: “All unexpectedly you have come into my life and I have heard your sweet words. In return I should like so much to call on your distinguished home and present my felicitations, but my circumstances are different from those of others, and I dare not set foot out of the main gateway. Please forgive this defect of mine and accept my love.”
The two bade each other good-bye with the keenest regret. Not only so, but Cheung See said to Cloudlet: “Although the sword is within the sheath, the glittering light from its blade shoots up to the seven stars of the Dipper; and though the ancient crayfish lies hidden in the depths of the sea, the sphere of it ascends to the pavilion heights. That we have lived in this same city all our lives, she and I, and yet that I have never heard of her before puzzles all my powers of comprehension.”
Cloudlet replied: “Your humble servant has one doubt in mind regarding this matter. General Yang has frequently said that he met the daughter of Commissioner Chin first of all by seeing her in the upper storey of her pavilion, and again he received her writing in the city guest-house and made a contract of marriage with her, but Commissioner Chin died a violent death and lost everything. He praised her matchless beauty and sighed over her. I, too, have seen the love-song that she wrote and assuredly she is a gifted girl. It may be that she has changed her name, and by making friends with your ladyship hopes to unite the broken threads of her affinity.”
Cheung See replied: “I, too, have heard elsewhere of Chin See’s beauty and I think she must be very much like this lady, but after the disaster that overtook her I understood that she became a palace maid-in-waiting. In such circumstances how could she ever come here?” Then she went in to see her mother, and ceased not in her praise of the mysterious visitor.
The lady replied: “I, too, must invite her once and see her.” A few days later she sent a servant asking that Yi See would condescend to come. To this she gladly assented.
The lady Cheung went out before the main hall to welcome her. Like a near relative, Yi See made a deep obeisance before her. The lady Cheung was highly delighted, and loved her dearly and treated her with the greatest respect. “My young ladyship came the other day so graciously to see my daughter and was so loving and dear to her. Old woman as I am, I thank you most heartily. That day I was unwell and did not see you, a matter of the deepest regret to me now.”
Yi See bowed before her and said: “Your humble niece had long desired to see the fairy dweller of your household, but had feared that she might miss her. Meeting her thus and being treated by her as a dear sister, and your ladyship’s receiving me as though I were a member of your family, embarrass me so that I do not know how to express my thanks. I desire, as long as I live, to go in and out of your home and serve your ladyship as though you were my mother.”
The lady two or three times declared that she could never let that be so.
Cheung See in company with Yi See waited on her mother for the day and then she invited her into her own room, where they sat like the three feet of the incense burner, she, and Yi See, and Cloudlet.
They laughed sweetly and talked in soft and tender accents. Perfect agreement possessed them in thought, and mind, and soul, and they loved each other with infinite delight, talking of all the great masters of the past and of the renowned ladies of ages gone by till the shadows of the night began to cast their lines athwart the silken window.