Peach Blossom Pavilion

‘Xiang Xiang, you told me your baba taught you kung fu?’

I nodded.

‘So think about your eyes as weapons for sexual kung fu. Attack like a tiger and retreat like a virgin.’

While I was trying to digest this recipe for sexual kung fu, Pearl was speaking again, ‘Always look exciting. The worst is spiritless eyes they are like fish left out of water for days.’

I giggled.

She gave me a chiding look. ‘Xiang Xiang, you have to gaze at your customers until they feel their bones are pickled in vinegar, until they are so numbed that they have no power left to resist you. Of course, if a customer likes modest women, then you’d pretend to be shy, breaking away your gaze from time to time. That’s why in Peking opera … Xiang Xiang, are you paying attention?’

‘Baba!’ I burst into tears and ran from Pearl’s room.

The next afternoon when I went to visit Pearl, she said nothing about my abrupt departure the day before. We sipped the tea she poured and sat absorbed in our own thoughts. Was she also thinking about my baba? I’d always been curious to know what was inside Pearl’s head. However, although she was very nice to me, she still remained as mysterious as the halo behind Guan Yin’s head.

Pearl seemed in no mood to be the teacher today. She nursed her cup for long moments before she stood up from the sofa. ‘Today I better teach you how to walk. Remember, never rush, but move leisurely, like this.’ She began to pace, her steps delicate and small. ‘This is called “shredded steps of the golden lotus.” Try to picture lotuses blossoming under your feet, or bending with the wind in the golden twilight.’

I closed my eyes and tried. But what flashed across my mind was my baba, my mother, and I rowing a boat on the West Lake covered with lotuses. Mother, looking very pretty and happy, bent her slender torso and, with her delicate fingers, reached to spread the leaves. Baba picked one of the flowers and pinned it on her hair dyed gold by the twilight …

Now Pearl went to rest by a wall. ‘When you stand, your body should be slightly slanted – but not stooped – as if drawn to something. Moreover, it should also be in constant motion – your backside swaying, your fingers twisting a handkerchief, your fingertips stroking your teeth, your eyes darting around.’

I blurted out, ‘Sister Pearl, I’m confused. My mother used to teach me just the opposite. She warned me never to sway my body, for it’s very unladylike. She liked to quote the saying “A swaying tree has fallen leaves; a swaying woman has an ill fate.”’

Pearl sighed heavily. ‘Yes, your mother was right. But now we’re no ladies, but whores.’

A long, sorrowful silence.

She stared at my feet. ‘Xiang Xiang, your feet are the only flaw of your whole body; they’re a little big.’

I immediately slid them under the table.

‘Good, always hide your flaw. But never forget to show off your good features. So if someone has a really nice figure,’ Pearl thrust out her chest, ‘like me, then I always lean forward. This is called “offering the body to preach the Dharma.”’ Pearl pinched my cheek. ‘Xiang Xiang, sex is our only power over men. Even when you have sex with the ugliest, one-of-his-feet-already-inside-the-coffin customer, try your best to act as if he were the only man left under heaven. Remember what I teach you and you’ll enjoy your ming ji status until the day you die.’

I nodded emphatically.

She came back to sit down by my side. ‘Xiang Xiang, have you noticed in our country, nothing expresses itself directly, but always in a meandering way?’

I tried to respond, but Pearl waved me into silence. ‘In China, corridors are not built in a straight line but always winding.’ She glanced outside the window. ‘So when we walk along, we’re always in suspense about what we’ll run into: a moon-shaped gate inside which are nestled clumps of bamboo, or a tiny gourd-shaped opening through which your eyes can discern a distant mountain shrouded in the mist.’

When I was reflecting on this, Pearl went to take out the qin and put it on the table. I went to sit opposite her, my heart instantly filled with joy.

‘See, Xiang Xiang,’ she said, beginning to play, ‘qin music meanders, too.’

Now Pearl glided her fingers on the instrument. ‘This fingering is called “the cicada calling for autumn.” When the cicada flutters its wings, it makes a lingering tone.’ She stroked the strings again. ‘And this lingering tone is “the monkey climbing up a tree,” because a monkey climbing a tree alternates between halting and ascending.’

Finally she stopped the strings with her hand. ‘Because of its meandering melodies, when the playing is over, qin music continues to reverberate in your heart … If only we could make the same impression on men’s hearts.’ An insinuating smile played on her lips. ‘Then all the stinking males will pour the money from their fat pockets into ours. Otherwise why not just stay home and fuck their wives, which is free?’

I giggled, although I had no idea how a man would feel when fucking his wife.

Pearl cast me a chiding look. ‘You know, Xiang Xiang, although we sisters are looked down upon by those decent women, don’t you know they also envy us?’

‘I can see that, Sister Pearl, because you’re so much more beautiful than them and have all these pretty clothes and jewellery.’

‘Xiang Xiang, what you said is true, but there’s more to it. These decent women secretly admire us. For we can display our feminine beauty to our heart’s content without rebuke from stodgy Confucian husbands. Besides, you know the proverb, “To be virtuous, a woman should have no talent in anything.” But we’re not virtuous so we can cultivate and display our accomplishments. Men need wives to give them children but they also need us to do what their yellow-faced old ladies can’t – stir their hearts, tease their senses, and nourish their souls with our music, dance, and painting. Maybe we’re despised, but we don’t need to play stupid like those wives they leave at home.’

Now her expression turned mischievous. ‘I can act horny and stir up the clouds and rain with any man I want while those women are stuck with one, even after he’s dead!’ When she finished, she burst into cheerful laughter as if she was truly happy to be a prostitute.

I joined her in laughing. We kept giggling until tears spilled from our eyes and we had to stop to catch our breath.

When we finally calmed down, Pearl waved her jade-bangled hand. ‘Now you can take a break.’

Feeling restless, I thought I might go out into the courtyard. But it was raining, so I peered through the lattice at the raindrops hitting the leaves. After a few minutes when the rain stopped, I went out and strolled along the courtyard to appreciate its winding path. Then I sat down on a stone bench inside the small pavilion and looked through a vase-shaped opening, hoping to see a distant mountain shrouded in the mist.

Then I felt hungry and headed to the kitchen. When I stepped over the threshold, a rich aroma wafted into my nostrils. Ah Ping was not in sight. Now, my stomach suddenly ambushed by pangs of hunger, I went up to the boiling cauldron, ladled its content onto a plate, and helped myself to the delicacies.

When I was devouring noisily, Ah Ping came in.

I looked up at her. ‘Aunty Ah Ping, this is delicious. Is it a new dish?’

To my surprise, her face turned white.

‘Something wrong?’

She didn’t reply, but kept shaking her head.

I teased her. ‘It must be something really good reserved for a special guest, right? But don’t worry, I only took a bite. It’s really tasty, so what is it?’

Still ignoring my question, she went up to the basin and began to clean.

I continued to eat for a while before a thought entered my mind. ‘Do you see Guigui? I want to share with him some of these goodies.’

Ah Ping avoided my eyes, pointing to the plate in front of me, then my stomach.

‘But where’s Guigui?’

She pointed again, this time more emphatically.

It took a few seconds before the bomb exploded. ‘You mean …’

She kept nodding and wiping the pots. Then she poured from a huge pot into the basin. The kitchen was instantly filled with the sound of splashing water.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. ‘You cooked Guigui?!’

She was still nodding and wiping the pots.

‘Oh, how could you do that? You’re disgusting!’

Now she was noisily banging the pots around.

‘Oh my heaven, you cooked Guigui and I ate him!’

I dashed out of the kitchen and vomited until there was nothing left in my stomach except bile. Then I cried my heart out. ‘Oh, Guigui, I’m so sorry. How could I have known she’d cooked you? I didn’t know it was you!’

When I finally stopped, I took off my Guan Yin pendant and muttered a long prayer. First I asked for the puppy’s forgiveness, then I pleaded with the goddess to send him to the Western Paradise, where he could soon be reborn as a human and reunite with me.

Finally calmed by my prayers, I dragged my feet back to Pearl’s room. Once I sat down next to her on the sofa, I burst out crying. ‘Sister Pearl …’

‘Something wrong, Xiang Xiang?’

My grief poured out.

Pearl pulled out her handkerchief and wiped my face. ‘Please tell me what’s wrong.’

‘Aunty Ah Ping cooked Guigui and I ate him!’

To my surprise, Pearl didn’t look a bit shocked. She tousled my hair. ‘I’m sorry. But why did you eat him?’

‘Because I didn’t know it was him!’ I was mumbling between sobs.

‘It’s really no big deal.’

I looked up at her through my teary eyes. ‘No big deal?’

‘They often cook puppies here. Customers think dog makes excellent tonic soup to strengthen their jade stalk.’

‘Oh heaven, it’s disgusting. They’re like babies!’

Pearl pulled me into her arms. ‘Xiang Xiang, far worse things happen here.’

10

The Longevity Wrinkles

Four days later, when I was still feeling utterly miserable that poor little Guigui had ended up in my stomach, Little Red came and led me to Pearl’s room. I knew the moment I’d been dreading was about to come. My heart sank; the soles of my slippers dragged and wailed on the floor.

Little Red half-pushed me along. ‘Xiang Xiang, please hurry, today is your big day, and Mama is already getting impatient.’

‘Mama.’ I addressed the lump of flesh waiting for me across the threshold.

Fang Rong was all dressed up in a pink jacket with intricately knotted gold buttons the size of grapes. Upon seeing me, a huge grin broke out on her face. She motioned me to sit by Pearl’s large, gilded dressing table. ‘Xiang Xiang, today I’ll dress you up as beautifully as a fairy,’ she said, then gloated over me as if I’d suddenly transformed into a pillar of gold.

The table was covered with feminine objects: powder, rouge, lipstick, Flower Dew perfume, Snow Flower cream, tortoiseshell combs, a coral hairpin, three fresh flowers, and to my surprise, a gold bracelet and a pair of gold-mounted jade earrings.

In the mirror, Mama carefully studied me for long moments. ‘You’re lucky that your brows curve like crescent moons. Otherwise, I’d have to shave them, then pencil them in with ink.’

Ink? I wanted to ask but decided to keep my mouth shut.

Mama started to perform the kai lian, ‘open the face,’ for me. First she tied a red thread to her thumbs and middle fingers, then put it between her teeth. Then she started to ‘saw’ my face with the string, scraping off dirt and downy hair.

Fang Rong’s face was so close to mine that I could count the hairs inside her wide nostrils, study the gold teeth inside her mouth, and inspect the coarse surface of her big mole. I tried to hold my breath so as not to be poisoned by hers.

‘Xiang Xiang, opening your face will open you to endless good luck. You know that?’

I nodded.

‘Keep your head still!’

So I froze until she finished scraping my face with the moist red thread. Next she applied powder on my face and neck – layers and layers until I couldn’t help but ask, ‘Mama, that’s enough; why do you have to put on so much powder?’

‘Because one shade of white can cover up one hundred uglinesses, and all men like it this way, that’s why.’ In the mirror, she cast me a chiding glance. ‘You think I’d waste money on powder if men didn’t like it?’ Then she chuckled, shooting spittle onto my cheek. ‘Fortunately, it was not me who paid for your make-up.’

‘Then who did?’

‘Big Master Fung, of course, who else? You little stupid!’ She pointed to the dressing table. ‘See this bracelet and earrings? They’re all gifts from Big Master Fung. He wants you to be the prettiest little whore in Peach Blossom.’ Now she cast me a threatening look. ‘Big Master Fung has already spent several hundred large silver coins hosting expensive banquets and gambling parties here, so you better not let him down.’

When Mama and Little Red had finished making up my face and fixing my hair, they helped me to dress in a red silk jacket with green trousers, both embroidered with floral ribbons. Then Mama picked up the fresh orchids and pinned them in my hair.

I preened in front of the mirror. Was that girl looking curiously at the outside world from inside the glass really me? Or … was she just a delicate dish to be devoured?

Mama looked at my reflection and grinned till her mouth almost stretched outside her face. Even her mole looked happy. ‘See what a beautiful princess you’ve become, Xiang Xiang. I bet no one will believe that you’re but a whore, ha, ha, ha!’ Then she raised her hands and stretched her pudgy fingers. ‘Look, my old, arthritic hands can still work magic!’ After that, she pulled me up and gave my shoulder a hard push. ‘Now to the welcoming-guests hall!’

This was the first time I was properly invited into this place and for a moment I was stunned. I’d never seen a room so grand and richly decorated. The deeply polished furniture glowed like bronze mirrors. On top of a low brown chest stood a tall cloisonné vase filled with rose orchids. Their pink petals seemed to nod at me, while their branches twisted elegantly, like the cursive calligraphy demonstrated by Mr. Wu. Against one wall was a huge canopy bed, its pillars gleaming like gold bars. The red pillows were embroidered with Mandarin ducks cavorting in water. On the crimson bed sheet, the tails of a dragon and phoenix entwined intimately. Behind the bed was a long folding screen carved with scenes from the famous novel Story of the West Chamber – including one with the scholar playing a qin! Next to the bed was a gilded mirror and on the walls hung paintings, some of young beauties, others of faraway mountains. Fragrant plumes of incense wafted from a bronze burner.

In the middle of the room was an eight immortals table; on its round top precious objects had been arranged: a celadon bowl shaped like an opening lotus; a teapot and cups painted with golden peonies; black-lacquered trays spilling with candies and dried fruit. Beside the table on the floor were two many-layered boxes decorated with flowers and red ribbons.

Oh, how I wished that Baba were still alive and Mother in Shanghai so we could have all lived together happily in this beautiful room! But alas! My eyes landed on a heap of wrinkles – marring the beauty and shattering my dream. On a high table next to Old Wrinkles were a pair of red dragon and phoenix candles. Melted wax dripped like tears of blood while high, bright flames seemed to throw the heaps of wrinkles over the room like reptiles.

I instinctively drew back but Mama shoved me forward. ‘Big Master Fung, here’s your pretty Xiang Xiang.’

Fung’s crease-buried eyes widened, searching over me like a pair of torches looking for gold. Suddenly he slapped his thigh and shouted, ‘Good, very good!’

Mama chuckled flirtatiously. ‘Good? Are you kidding, Big Master Fung? Xiang Xiang is the best!’

Fung caressed his stubble. ‘The best? That I still have to find out, so now—’

‘Yes, yes, of course, Big Master Fung, I’ll leave you two alone. Enjoy your dragon and phoenix night; I guarantee you’ll have your money’s worth.’

‘It’d better be true.’ He paused to look around. ‘So where’s the cloth?’

I piped up. ‘What cloth?’

Both the lump of flesh and the heap of wrinkles burst into laughter.

To my surprise, Mama yanked a white handkerchief from underneath the sleeve of my jacket. I had no idea when she’d hidden it there. She smiled mischievously, swinging the cloth. ‘Big Master Fung, this is Xiang Xiang’s zhuang yuan seal.’

Now I remembered that Pearl had told me about the cloth. Zhuang yuan was the Number One Scholar in the Imperial Examination, and the seal proving this title was red. So zhuang yuan seal referred to the imperial approval of the distinguished, Number One Scholar. Or in my case, my distinguished virginity.

I blinked back tears. Yes, I’d soon receive a prestigious seal! But not because I came out number one in the imperial examination, but because I would be the number one virgin fucked by an old man.

Now Old Wrinkles cast me a licentious glance. ‘Xiang Xiang, your blood stains on the white cloth will prove that I’m the first man to chop open your melon. Otherwise you think I’d pay a fortune for a thirteen-year-old? Ha!’ He pointed to the table and the two lacquer boxes. ‘All the clothes, money, jewellery, food, wine are for you.’

The corners of Mama’s lips lifted to her ears while her eyes threw me a sharp glance. ‘Xiang Xiang, bow to Big Master Fung and thank him, quick!’

I made a deep bow and uttered a ‘thank you.’ Just then all of Pearl’s teaching flashed across my mind. So I willed the corners of my lips to lift, while trying to aim a dazed glance to catch Fung’s. But my eyes made a wrong move and landed instead on the wrinkles of his forehead.

Fung massaged his stubble. ‘Come, my little beauty,’ he said, reaching out his other hand to touch my face.

Mama winked to Fung, then me. ‘Look at my baby Xiang Xiang, she’s so beautiful that anyone would agree she’s worth more than twelve hundred virgins put together, right, Big Master Fung?’

Fung burst into laughter. It surprised me that, though old and dried-up, he had a deep, resonant voice. Was it really the effect of all the virgins?

Mama chuckled, then threw a meaningful glance toward the candles on the altar. It was then that I understood the presence of the dragon and phoenix candles – a symbol of conjugal union! I felt queasiness simmering in my stomach. As well as Fung’s hand practising the lingering tones on my thigh. It was then I also realised Mama had already gone, leaving me in the room with this heap of moving wrinkles.

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