Woman In Black
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Mr. Zhu, a county magistrate in Jiangsu, was commissioned to transport a large amount of cash to Beijing. The journey would take several days. He had to make a number of stops on the way, one of them being in the suburbs of Linqing, in northwestern Shandong, an area reportedly infested with bandits.
As soon as he arrived at an inn in Linqing, some young women appeared, eager to entertain him by singing. They were actually hookers. It was the practice in the north for hookers to sing for potential clients in lieu of solicitation. If the guest would like to spend the night with one of them, he would ask her to bring a comforter to his room. The price was only half that in the south, but the hookers often colluded with local bandits to rob their clients.
Mr. Zhu noted that these hookers took cues from a girl in black, who appeared to be their boss. While other girls wore make-up and were dressed seductively, this girl wore no cosmetics. Nevertheless her features were attractive. Mr. Zhu sensed trouble. The inn’s remote location made it impossible for him to escape or to get help.
He decided to invite the girl to dinner. The girl agreed pleasantly. He told her over the dinner that he came from a poor family and gained his position through hard work. She said her parents were also poor and she had to support herself. That was why she got into this disreputable profession.
Mr. Zhu listened sympathetically. Then he told her stories of some famous courtesans in history who became patriotic heroines and married to distinguished men. He expressed his admiration for those women and his words seemed to have an effect on the girl.
The conversation turned to his mission. Mr. Zhu told her candidly that he was in charge of tens of thousands of ounces of silver to be transported to Beijing. As they were chatting, a heavy snow began to fall. The fire in the stove was running low, and the room turned cold. Seeing the girl shivering in her thin dress, Mr. Zhu took out a fur coat from his luggage and wrapped it around her shoulders. They chatted on like friends, but he never touched the girl.
The first streaks of dawn were gleaming in the east. As a rule, hookers were supposed to clear out by daybreak. The girl rose to her feet, took off the fur coat, and was ready to leave.
“Take the coat with you, miss,” Mr. Zhu said. “You need it.” He put four ounces of silver in her hand.
“You shouldn’t pay me. I didn’t do anything for you and I can’t accept your fur coat.”
“Please take the coat with you. I enjoyed your company. You are no common woman.”
The girl thanked him and left. Fifteen minutes later there was a knock on the door. It was the girl again.
“I must tell you the truth,” she said, looking serious. “I am a member of the local bandits. My father is the ringleader. I act as his bait to ensnare travellers. But I am a virgin. I don’t let anybody touch me. If a man tries to force me, I’ll kill him. I do appreciate your kind interest. When I get home, I’ll have somebody bring the coat back to you and also something which will be useful to you. Get on your journey before the road becomes too slippery when the snow starts to thaw.”
An hour later, a messenger came to Mr. Zhu with the fur coat.
“This is from our mistress,” he said as he handed him a small bag. “This will come in handy on your journey. When you arrive at Yangliuqing, a man from the local security office will approach you. Please give it back to him.”
Mr. Zhu wanted to tip him, but the man declined, saying his mistress told him not to accept a penny from him. Inside the bag was a triangular pennant and instructions of how to exhibit it.
By now it was broad daylight. Mr. Zhu was ready to continue his journey. However, the driver balked, claiming that the road was not safe. But when he saw the flag Mr. Zhu placed on the carriage hood, he was relieved.
“Where did you get that? Now we are safe.”
After travelling twenty li or so, Mr. Zhu’s carriage was surrounded by a gang of twenty armed horsemen. They examined the pennant and went away quietly. There were dozens of similar encounters in the next few days until he reached Yangliuqing, about a hundred and fifty li from Beijing, where a man from the security office came up and invited him to a sumptuous dinner. He asked Mr. Zhu how he got the flag. Mr. Zhu told him about the girl in black.
“This is priceless. She must like you a lot. Now Yangliuqing marks the boundary of their activities. You have no need for the flag any more.”
Mr. Zhu gave the pennant to the man, thanked him for his hospitality and left for Beijing the following day.
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Kidnapping
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Wise Proverbs
- To face danger fearlessly.
- 临危不惧。
- One good turn deserves another.
- 善有善报。
- A good beginning makes a good ending.
- 善始者善终。
Editor Says:
Mr. Zhu diffused a dangerous situation by confronting the source of danger and managed the crisis with tact and presence of mind. He earned the girl’s sympathy and cooperation with his sympathy and respectfulness.