After General Shi Kefa left Nanjing , the cour t was under the complete control of Ma Shiying. Fatuous and incompetent, Ma was constantly in need of Ruan Dacheng’s advice. Without Ruan, he could do nothing. In spite of public opposition, he overturned Emperor Chongzhen’s verdict and reinstated Ruan Dacheng to his previous post. In addition, he promoted Yang Wencong, his brother-in-law, to act as the Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Rites. Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng monopolized power in the small court of the Southern Ming Dynasty. They placed their trusted followers in key positions, selling official ranks and titles, excluding opponents and punishing upright officials and scholars who had once opposed them. As a result, many members of the Donglin Party and the Restoration Society were arrested or dismissed from offices, while evil and unscrupulous men held the important posts.
Ma Shiying had a relative named Tian Yang, who was fond of wine and women and had recently been promoted to the governorship of Huaiyang. Before this epicurean took up office, he had been informed that Qinhuai was renowned for beautiful women and so he planned to buy a courtesan to be his concubine. Since Yang Wencong and Tianyang were from the same town and because he knew that Yang frequented the bars, tea houses and brothels, Tian Yang gave Yang three hundred taels of silver and instructed him to select a beautiful courtesan for him. Yang Wencong was willing to help Tian Yang because of his influence and wealth. Miss Li Xiangjun was the first name that came to his mind.
Since Hou Fangyu had left Nanjing, Miss Li Xiangjun stayed alone at the Meixiang House, doing nothing all day long and even refusing to play music and entertain guests. This made Li’s adopted mother Li Zhenli unhappy because Xiangjun was the most famous courtesan of her house and a big earner whom she had relied on. Xiangjun’s refusal to do her job irritated Zhenli to the extent that she attempted to force Xiangjun to entertain her guests. However, Xiangjun was stubborn, saying that she would rather die to do this. Zhenli had no choice but think about marrying Xiangjun to a rich man in return for several hundred taels of silver, so she asked Yang Wencong for help. As it happened, Tian Yang had asked the very same man to pick a beautiful courtesan to be his concubine. Yang immediately thought of Xiangjun as the best choice.
Yang Wencong went to the Meixiang House and informed Miss Li Xiangjun that Lord Tian Yang was willing to marry her at a price of three hundred taels of silver. Yang was confident about the deal, but to his surprise, Li Xiangjun stoutly refused: “Tian Yang? Do I know him? I have married Scholar Hou and pledged my eternal love to him. I shall wait for him no matter how long it may take and I would go with him to wherever he goes. I will not leave even if ten thousand taels of silver are paid.”
Li Zhenli attempted to reason with her adopted daughter but Li Xiangjun was unflinching. “Do not waste your breath, Mother. I am determined to marry nobody but Scholar Hou and I would rather die in front of you than be forced to marry someone else.”
The foster mother knew Xiangjun’s temperament only too well, and believed that she would go through with this threat. She told Yang Wencong, “Xiangjun does not deserve such good fortune. I am afraid you will have to look to other courtesans.”
Rebuffed, Yang Wencong left the house bitterly.
Days later, Ma Shiy ing enter tained his townsmen and intimate friends at his garden. Both Ruan Dacheng and Yang Wencong were invited. After three cups of wine, Ruan proposed that they ask some courtesans to sing songs. Ma Shiying asked Yang, “You are the expert in this respect. Who is the best?”
“I do know some there. In my opinion, none can surpass Miss Li Xiangjun. Just last year she learned the songs from the musical ‘The Peony Pavilion’ and her voice is beautiful.”
At these words, Ma Shiying sent an attendant to summon Miss Li Xiang jun to come and enter tain his guests. At this moment, Ruan Dacheng seemed to recall something and asked Yang Wencong , “Is this the same Li Xiangjun that Tian Yang intended to buy as concubine at a price of three hundred taels of silver a few days ago?”
“That’s her!”
“Why then didn’t Tian Yang marry her?”
“Alas,” Yang sighed with a wry smile. “This foolish girl resolutely refused to marry anyone other than Hou Fangyu, saying she is determined to wait for Hou, and would rather die than marry anyone else.”
Hear ing Hou Fang yu’s name, Ruan Dacheng sneered loudly. Ever since Hou had returned the dowry, Ruan had held his grudge. Now the chance for revenge had come. He said to Ma Shiying, “It is Hou Fangyu who instructed Li Xiangjun to do this and it was Li Xiangjun who humiliated me last time.”
Ma Shiying was furious. “This is going too far. It is truly appalling that a dignified governor is unable to buy a courtesan at a price of three hundred taels of silver. It is unspeakable.”
Vigorously teasing Ma, Ruan Dacheng said to him, “Governor Tian Yang is your relative from the same town and it is no trivial matter to be humiliated by a courtesan!”
Ma Shiying said angrily, “I will show you how I punish her when she comes!”
After a while, the servant came back and reported that Li Xiangjun was refusing to come downstairs, claiming that she was ill. Ma Shiying jumped with anger. “Dispatch my attendants to the house with clothes and betrothal gifts, all in my name. Put her in a sedan chair and send her directly to Tian’s residence regardless of her willingness to marry or not.”
Ruan Dacheng sneered complacently and Yang Wencong lamented in his heart. When he was leaving Ma’s mansion, Ruan Dacheng followed him out and said, “Now that Ma is determined to uphold justice for his townsman, you should also lend him a hand.”
“How can I help?” Yang Wencong asked.
Ruan Dacheng sneered. “You know the place well, so help those servants drag the girl downstairs and put her into the sedan chair will you?”
Yang Wencong shook his head and said, “Xiangjun is such a staunch and stubborn girl. I beg you not to make things too difficult for her!”
