Pei-Hang folded his arms, and sat still, and thought, and thought, and took no notice of their gibes and sneers.
He had not studied three years with the wisest man in Chang-ngan for nothing, and, besides, he was determined to marry Yun-Ying, and when young men are very much in love, they sometimes accomplish things which their friends—and enemies—think are impossible.
At last a light came into his eyes; and he jumped up and asked the friendly Geni if he would make a little heap of stones at one side of the mortar.
"I want to be able to look inside it, and I am not tall enough," said he.
"And why don't you do it yourself?" asked the Geni.
"Because I must go down to the Lake of Gems and collect precious stones," replied Pei-Hang.
And he ran down to the shore of the lake and gathered diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, as many as he could carry.
This he did again and again, emptying them into the mortar each time, until it was quite full, and held gems enough to make Pei-Hang the richest man in China.
This was exactly what he wanted; for he knew that the yellow-faced mandarin was only the richest man in Chang-ngan, and that the richest man in China would have a far greater chance of marrying Yun-Ying.
"Well, what next?" cried the eight Genii, when he had finished. "Will you take it on your shoulder or on your head?"