“We have a plenty for all; we will put this in the care of a big store here; our master is part owner in it, and you must go to him for it when you need it. You must promise us this for the sake of your son. You must not cause him to weep, and be sad, because of your living in useless poverty.” She promised them she would go when she had need of money and get from the store for her use, and with great reluctance the servants, again prostrating themselves, left her; they returned to the south and she entered her poor little room.
Years came and went; to all the letters Lady Yü returned an answer that she was in need of nothing and would not leave her native city. The boys grew up together. They were very bright, and year by year took high honours in [[159]]the examinations. In all the province there was no other student equal to Ting Lang. He was the talk of the city; and people predicted a great fortune for him.
When he was seventeen, he and his brother went to Peking to take the examinations for the higher degrees; for these they not only wrote the three-page essay, but also a two-page “Chin Tsin,” or a short account of the family, going back several generations and giving the official positions of any of their ancestors.
When Ting Lang entered his name and his brother’s for the examinations they had given the name of Hu and as he had not sought out his mother, no one knew that the much-talked-of young student was of the old house of Tu. His enemy, Yen Sung, had no thought of fear from the family. He was the great examiner, the head of the Hau Lin College. In all the Empire no one could write such characters as he. (At the present time, characters written by him hang in the Hall of Classics in Peking as a model of perfect writing.) Year by year his power had grown until the Emperor was almost a figurehead and hated him, yet no one dared to impeach him.
Ting Lang came with three hundred and fifty-nine other men who had the degree of “Chin Shib,” to be examined for “Chuang [[160]]Yuan,” the highest degree in the Empire, and a degree only given to one man once in three years. This year it came to Ting Lang and the degree of “Pang Yen” to his brother. Ting Lang’s writing was pronounced perfect by the Emperor, the style most elegant.
At the close of the examinations a great feast was given; among those present was a powerful official by name of Hai Jui. He was noted as a man of great ability and as an honest and upright minister. He knew the story of Ting Lang’s life; felt that the time had come to expose the great Yen Sung, so at the great feast following the examinations he wrote the following on slips of paper and sent them quietly among the students:
“A great man has come among us in our new ‘Chuang Yuan.’ Although a boy in years, he is a man, yes a son of a god in ability and talent. He will be of great use to his country. There are officials—yes, great ones—who are traitors to the good of their country; these we must put down and give men of ability a chance.”
Every one knew this referred to Yen Sung though no name was given. After the feast the students all waited outside the Hall for Yen Sung to come for audience with the Emperor. [[161]]As he came near to his chair, Ting Lang walked up to him and said:
“You great traitor to your country; you crafty minister; you control and insult the Emperor, hold under as slaves all officials of the Empire; you oppressor of the people, your sun is set. Your sons are like you in wickedness; your steward is a devil, and you plan with him. Your great literary name is wild and worthless; judgment awaits you, the judgment of Heaven.”
The great Yen Sung looked around; not a friendly face; his own grew a little fearful, and yet in a loud voice he called out: