The ladyrose early and wash'd her face.
The maidhelped to put on her the necklace.
Then shetook the washing basin away,
To thestern when outside was a bright day.
Shespilled the lukewarm dirty water down,
Which wasall over Tang, wetting his gown.
Agape,Tang looked up at the girl above.
The girlsmiled; so he took as sign of love.
The shipand the boat went on the same way.
Botharrived in the town at close of day.
On thebank the girl saw the man again.
Shedoubted what was in his silly brain.
Like anidiot, Tang looked at her strangely.
She smiledas if watching a comedy.
He had hiseyes follow her to the door,
Until hecould see her image no more.
If hecould live with her in the same house,
He mightbe easy to get her as spouse.
Thenimmediately he formed a bold plan,
And so hechanged his clothes with the boatman.
Now helooked like a piteous vagabond,
As if hewas just saved from a near pond.
Then heknocked at the door of the big house.
Thedoorman stared at him—like a wet mouse.
He was nowstarving in need of a job,
While sosaying, he gave out sigh and sob.
Thedoorman reported to the master,
Who hadmercy on him as soon winter.
Tang wasthus employed as a manservant,
His workwas in charge of the garden plant.
As it'swinter, he had nothing to do.
He'shandsome; some maids took him as hero.
He couldseldom see the maid of his mind.
If theymet, she ignored him like he's wind.
Othermaids ran after him ardently,
But heignored them indifferently.
The familyhad two sons of low wit.
And soonseveral tutors had to quit.
Sons ofrich family should have teaching,
Even ifthey were low-witted sibling.
Once atdinner, the father want'd to test
What theyhad learnt so far met his request.
They wouldplay the easy word-matching game*,
The resultof the sons was a real shame.
*Chinesepeople of old times liked to write couplet with each line having thesame number of words. For that purpose, children were trained firstin the word-matching game. For example, when the teacher said“mountain,” the pupil should say “river.” Then the teacherwould add another word like “mountain stands” and the pupilshould say “river flows,” with noun matching noun and verbmatching verb. When a pupil was good at that, the teacher wouldprolong the line to five words, seven words, or even longer, to makeit a real couplet.
The fatherbegan with the word “mountain,”
But theelder son said the word “curtain.”
And thesecond son said the word “forest,”
Whichenraged the father like a tempest.
At thetime, Tang stood behind the father.
He blurtedout the magic word “river.”
The masterlooked at him, “You, too, can write?”
“Yes.”Tang replied, “And many books to cite.”
“Then,you can teach my sons.” The master said.
Thus hecould save money, no tutor paid.
Tang'sstatus rose from servant to tutor.
He'd dohis best to make the sons better.
All tutorstaught the sons books hard to learn.
Theydidn't know for what the dull sons did yearn.
Now Tangdid not teach the sons things too rife,
But justlet them learn what needed in life.
Two yearspassed. Tang couldn't see much of the maid.
He's at aloss how he'd have a plan laid.
He'd to bepatient and a chance to wait.
Or he mustthink a way to lay a bait.
For twoyears Mr. Zhou missed his best friend Tang.
Who seemedt' vanish in air and gave friends pang.
Zhousearched for him, but his efforts in vain.
If Tangwas found, Zhou would put him in chain.
For twoyears Tang taught the sons of low-wit.
Both thesons could now write couplets a bit.
The fatherwas so glad and “Thanks.” he said.
Tang had amind to ask hand of the maid.
But aftera second thought, it's too rash.
So he justsmiled with his hands to dry-wash.
By chancehis old friend Zhou met the boatman,
Andthereby learned where Tang was and his plan.
Zhou hiredthe same boat to where he dropped Tang.
Theboatman rowed his boat and loudly sang.
When theboat was anchored before the door,
Zhoustepped ashore to knock at the big door.
Zhou askedto see the master of the house.
Zhou'sfame did have his interest to rouse.
Theytalked pleasantly in the sitting room,
Then aboutZhou's missing friend and his gloom.
While Tangwas standing behind the master,
He playedthe role of a good listener.
At lastthe host let Tang see the guest off.
Zhoustrutted away like he was a toff.
Before thehost Zhou feigned not to know Tang.
Outside heblamed him to give so much pang.
At last hegave Tang a plot what to do,
So that hecould have the maid with him go.
Once back,he told the master he'd resign,
As Zhouhad him a future to design.
Zhou'dgive high pay and a wife from his maids.
Themaster'd let him choose, too, from hismaids.
The masterwas thus taken in by Tang.
When herealized, he's like he'd got a bang.
Next dayall maids gathered in the large hall.
When Tangentered, in hands he held a ball.
He shouldgive the ball to the maid he chose.
Onceselected, none of maids could oppose.
He went tothe maid who gave him three smiles.
Hepromised that she'd have money in piles.
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