Scene 3
Dowry Rejected

(Enter Yang Wencong[Longyou])

Yang (Singing to the tune of Night Sailing Boat ):

Sleeping in the willow bower,

The lover wakes to hear“Buy my flower!”

Closed is the door,

Hooks ring no more.

Spring can’t be seen

Within curtain and screen.

I am Yang Wencong,coming early in the morning for congratulations of Master Hou’s happy wedding.But I find the door closed and the house quiet.Perhaps they are still lingering in their dreamland.

(Calling the maid):Maid,Will you go to tell the newly-weds inside the window screen that I am coming for congratula-tions?

Maid: Our master and mistress went to bed late last night,so they have not yet got up.Will you please go back and come tomorrow?

Yang (Smiling):Do not talk nonsense!Go and inform your master and mistress!

Mother Lee (Asking from within):Who is coming?

Maid: It is Master Yang coming for congratulations.

(Enter Mother Lee in haste.)

Mother (Singing):The nuptial night is short in spring;

A knock at the door would announce some happy thing.

(Saluting Yang)Many thanks for your dowry.Without you there could not have been such a happy wedding.

Yang: Well said.Are the newly-weds not yet up?

Mother: They went to bed late last night,so they cannot rise early.Will you please take a seat?I shall announce your arrival.

Yang: Please do not wake them from their sweet dream.

(Exit Mother Lee.)

(Singing to the tune of Charming Step by Step ):

Their love is sweet as honey in the flower,

Sweeter from hour to hour.

They linger still in their dreamland.

But can it be without my helping hand?

Could they have pearls and jades so bright?

Could their silk dress sway left and right?

Pearls and jades adorn their dress new,

And make their love happy in view.

(Re-enter Mother Lee.)

Mother: It is funny to see them button up each other’s dress and gaze at each other in the mirror.They have not yet finished their make-up.Would you please go to their nuptial chamber and drink their wedding cup together with them?

Yang: How dare I disturb their sweet hour without bearing the blame?(Exeunt.)

(Enter Hou and Fragrant Lee in splendid dress.)

Hou & Fragrant (Singing to the tune of Intoxicated in the Eastern Breeze ) :

The cloud has brought fresh shower

For the itching flower.

Who should awake the love-birds’dream

When love flows like a rosy stream?

We have drunk happy wine to the fill,

When fragrance lingers on the pillow still.

When fragrance on the handkerchief is felt,

Our heart and soul are melt

In a dream we can’t belt.

(Re-enter Yang and Mother Lee.)

Yang: You are up now.Congratulations,congratulations!

(Saluting with clasped hands and then sitting down)

What do you think of my congratulatory poem of yesterday?

Hou (With clasped hands):Many thanks.

(Smiling)Your poem is very nice,but…

Yang: But what?

Hou: Fragrant is so tender.How could she be put into the sleeve slender?Would it not be better a golden bower to lend her?

(Both laugh.)

Yang: Out of love of last night,there must be some verse bright.

Hou: It is only an unfinished draft.How can I show it to you?

Yang: Where is it written?

Fragrant: It is written on a fan.

(Taking the fan from her sleeve.)

Yang: It is a fan of pure silk.

(Smelling at it)Fragrant and tasteful.

(Reading the poem)Very nice.Only Fragrant is worthy of the verse.You must keep it along.

(Giving it back)

(Fragrant puts the fan into her sleeve.)

Yang: (Singing to the tune of A Nice Garden ):

See blooming peach and plum flowers

Leave shadows on the fan of palace bowers.

When the furious wind roars and grieves,

It should be hidden in the sleeves.

It should be hidden in the sleeves.

(Gazing at Fragrant)Fragrant looks all the more charming after she has dressed her hair.

(To Hou)What a felicity falls on you to have enjoyed the first night of such a beauty!

Hou: Fragrant was born a beauty.Now adorned with pearls and emerald and in a silk dress,her loveliness has increased.How can she not be adored!

Mother: We are grateful for Master Yang’s generous gift.

(Singing to the tune of A Running Stream ):

The jewel box and the headdress,

Pearls and emeralds on the tress.

The candles bright

Illumine window screens all night.

The golden cups of wine

With sumptuous feast combine.

You come for congratulations at dawn,

As if she were the daughter of your own.

And the dowry you bring

Announces a happy spring.

Fragrant: So far as I know,Master Yang is only a relative of Minister Ma Dacheng.You are not a very rich official.How can you spend so much to prepare a dowry for unworthy me?I feel regretful not to have inquired into the matter.So I venture to ask you today in order to repay you the debt we owe you.

Hou: It is right to make this inquiry.For on my part,I am afraid not to be on such intimate terms with you as to justify such a generous donation.

Yang: Since you want further information,I cannot but tell you the truth:the dowry and the feast cost two hundred gold coins in all,and they are all the donation of Huaining.

Hou: Who is Huaining?

Yang: It is none other than Secretary Ruan.

Hou: You mean Ruan Dacheng?

Yang: Yes,it is he.

Hou: Why should he give me such a generous donation?

Yang : He just wishes to build up a close relationship with you.

(Singing to the tune of Cultivations ):

He admires your literary renown

Wide spread east and west,up and down.

You are admired here and there,

In a carriage or in a chair.

Now in Qinhuai you abide,

You need a beauty by your side,

And a love-bird quilt to caress

Your beauty in lotus dress.

Who would spend so much gold for you,

But Secretary Ruan who thinks it his due.

Hou: Ruan Dacheng is a senior scholar whose behavior is not praiseworthy,so we are not on friendly terms.I do not know why he should be so generous to me.

Yang: There is some misunderstanding between Secretary Ruan and the Recovery Society,which he wishes to explain to you.

Hou: Please explain it.

Yang: Secretary Ruan was a disciple of Zhao Mengbai,who is on friendly terms with the Recovery Society.When Wei Zhong-xian the eunuch persecuted the Society,Secretary Ruan tried to dissuade the eunuch but failed.Now the eunuch is deprived of power,but the Society mistakes the secretary for their persecuter,so all rise to attack him.The secretary cannot defend himself and plead his innocence,so he wishes to rely on you to rehabilitate his reputation.

Hou: If such is the case,I think Secretary Ruan is pitiable and might win over our sympathy.Even if he belongs to the eunuch’s party,he should not be rejected if he really regrets and repents.So you need not worry too much.Since Dingsheng and Ciwei of the Society are my good friends,I shall try to explain for him when I see them.

Yang: If you could succeed to rescue Secretary Ruan,I do not know how to express the gratitude of our party.

Fragrant (Angry):How could you do anything to the rescue of the eunuch’s party,my dear?Do you not know that Ruan Dacheng is a shameless traitor blamed even by common people and housewives?How can you make any effort to rescue one who bears the blame of so many?

(Singing to the tune of Boat on the Stream ):

How can you say anything nice

Without pondering twice!

How could you rid him of shame!

How could you rid him of blame!

Do you not know it will undo your fame?

If I am not mistaken,you mean to rescue Ruan Dacheng so as to repay him the dowry he has provided for us.But do you not know that I care for our fame much more than for the dowry?

(Removing the headdress and the new dress.)

I take off my dress new.

To be poor is our due.

Though in plain simple dress,

We are famed nonetheless.

Yang: Why should Fragrant be so angry?

Mother: Why should you scatter the new dress and the head-dress on the ground?Is it not a pity!

(Trying to pick them up.)

Hou: Bravo!My dear Fragrant,you have a deeper insight than we men.I think you are incomparable for me.

(To Yang)Excuse us for not accepting the gift.For I would not be held to ridicule by my dear Fragrant.

(Singing to the previous tune )

People without a name

Care for honor and fame.

How can we officials and scholars bright,

How can we officials and scholars bright

Not tell good from vice,black from white!

If the Recovery Society values me highly,it is for my lofty morality.If I adhere to those of doubtful morality,I can hardly defend myself against the reproach of my friends.

How can I defend and rescue others?

Honor and fame

Should be free from blame.

Know right from wrong,

And short from long.

Yang: You should not belie Secretary Ruan’s good intention.

Hou: I am not so foolish as to plunge into a well to rescue the drowned.

Yang: If such is the case,I have nothing more to say but goodbye.

Hou: These boxes are the dowry given by Secretary Ruan.Since Fragrant has no need of them,would you please take them back?

Yang: The lover comes in spirits high.

Rejected,what can he say but goodbye?

(Exit.)

(Fragrant looks vexed.)

Hou (Gazing at her) : You are a born beauty.Without the rich attire,you look all the more beautiful and lovely.

Mother: It is regrettable to forsake such a rich dowry.

(Singing the Epilogue ):

Why should you give up pearls and gold?

Spoiled,you don’t care for your mother old.

Hou: You need not regret for the trifling thing.

On my order it will come on the wing.

Mother: All is well that ends well.

Do not lose what you gain!

Fragrant: In plain dress,fair I still remain.

Hou: Unadorned,you’re fair still.

Fragrant: Be yourself if you will! bbmq716gycD49fqm6441o9nGRMBLY7hvBgWT3CwKllkrl/UyiDLPOejdrc33RL3t