'The stories now reproduced, have} been collected by the writer from various books; many of the episodes are unquestionably supported by torical facts, and' all are interesting. It must be remembered that the Manchu Court in the old) days, residing as it did within - the secluded precincts of the Forbidden City at Peking, was totally without all means of communication with the Joutside world. That, naturally gave rise to all kinds of wild and fantastic stories relating to life within the walls, Byents of the historical significance] sometimes took place without the country knowing anything of them. All members of the royal household high or low, were by law prohibited from leaving the city of Peking ex-copt on official business, and with the leave of the emperor in the form of an express. decree. This rule was always strictly enforced, and, Ju the event of disobedience, the offender was made to pay the full penalty, he lost his head. This, to Some extent, explains the ignorance of the Mancha rulers as to. what was going on outside the walls of the Forbidden City, thereby giving unscrupulous persers opportunities to exploit that ignorance to their own advantage. It was largely due to this fact that the Manchus be-ame a laughing stock to the world at large.
The Manchu dynasty produced two} prince regents, each of whom in turn rued China during the minority of the first and the last emperor of the line. Prince Vu was the first regent, Through the death of his father, the conqueror who sub-Jugated China, Emperor Shun Shi ascended: the throne while he was yet an infant, nder the guacdianship of his.' undo (his father's younger brother), Prince Vu acting as regent, The Empress Dowager, Shun Chi's mother, a very beautiful woman then in the prime of life, for political reasons, condescended to marry Prince Yo, her brother-in-law. This union was, of course, held to be erth, Scandalous by the Chinese, and was} time. It was never known in what manner the Manchu's themselves regarded it. 'The Chinese conception of a woman's virtue emphasized widow's remaining faithful to the memory of her deceased husband, and her marriage was regarded as a reflection on her chastity. A widow's marriage, though not prohibited by law, is' nevertheless—repulsive to the Chinese, particularly when the contracting parties happen to be members of the same family. Notwithstanding the public sentiment against it, persistent reports prevailed at the time that—this distasteful marriage did _actually take place, and the Manchu Court not see fit to deny it. Prince Vu seemed to have contracted a particular liking for the widow.
The prince had another romance. The principal figure in the second episode was one Liu San-chi, another widow. The Liu family resided in Sung County in Vu Yan District, Chekiang province, and the heroine of the story was the only daughter in the family. She.was very clever, being able to read and write a rare accomplishment in her day. In addition, she enjoyed the reputation of] being' the most beautiful woman in. the part of the country. where her family resided. Before she was 10 years-old her parents died, and cumstances compelled her to live with. her brother. Amongst her numerous suitors was one Huang Liang-kung 'a. widower, the richest man of the Huang's proposal was promptly rejected by Kung Vu, the girl's Undaunted by this rebuff, Huang! Jat last succeeded in buying with money the favour and consent of the girl's unworthy brother, Tsao Chow, who exerted himself on Huang's behalf endeavouring to persuade her to accept Huang. This she persistently refused. Huang's chance eventually came. 'During the temporary' absence from home of the uncle, and taking advantage of rumours then' Prevailing that the Manchu Court was sending delegates to Kiangsu and Chekiang provinces for the purpose of selecting the fairest maids of the land for service in the Ime perial Court waitre'ves, Tsao Chow ife: Germ of Fantastic Stories: of a Prince Regent falsely represented to his beautiful ter that her mame had been in-' cluded in the list of eligibles. To be 'a court lady meant life long imprisonment within the palace and a perpetual separation from one's own people.
Being thus alarmed she was forced to make the best of a bad bargain by consenting to marry Huang, despite the disparity in age for he was then 40 years of age while she was yet in her teens. This forced union, was anything but happy. A daughter} was born to the couple and was named Pearl.
Huang was still without a son when he was 50 so took into his family his wife's relative, Tsao) Chow' son, Chieh Chang, with the lew of making the latter his heir. Chieh Chang was just as unworthy as his father and associated himself with friends of questionable character, until at last his benevolent relative had to disown him and tarn jim out of the house. Chieh Chang aspired to marry Pearl, so that his own position as Huang's heir might be assured, but Huang and his young] wife, Liu San-chi would not have him, Pearl eventually married Chien of Chi Fang County, On the death of Huang Liang. kung, Chieh Chang claimed half of his "relatives' estate, which Mrs. Huang or Liu San-chi refused to consider and ultimately had him ex-polled by force. Before leaving the house Chieh Chang threatened that hho would one day have his revenge on Lin's family. A few days later Chieh Chang returned with a number of his robber friends. In this venture he again failed, because in view of his threat Lia San-chi had!
the meantime conveyed all her valuables to her daughter Pearl's home in Chi Fang, so Chih Chang] was once more defeated by her wit.
At this stage the Manchu troops were pouring down from the north to subjugate Chekiang. Both Kiangand Chekiang were well-known for their beautiful women, and the Manchu Generals were oat hunting for them. Treacherous Chieh Chang had himself enlisted and reported to! the Manchu general that Liu San-chi's house contained valuable loot, jand offered himself as a guide. Contrary to all expectation, the Mancha soldiers on arrival found the house empty with the exception of Lia San-chi, or Mrs. Huang, and her maid servant, Chang. 'The' Manchu troops became so infuriated Chieh Chang for his false report that they slaughtered him on the spot, After setting Lin's house on fire they threw Chieh's body into the flames.
The expedition was, however, not without a reward for they captured Liu as their prize of war and her faithful old servant Chang persisted in remaining with her young and beautiful mistress wherever she was taken by her captors. taken to Sungkiang, together with other women numbering about 300 in all, Thence she was taken to Nanking to be placed at the disposal of the Manchu Lieut.-General commanding the garrison there. Lia and other women were for several days opt ina stable suffering groat hardships. All the time the faithful servant Chang stuck to her mistress refusing to abandon her to her fate. One day a Manchu amah, an old woman of 70 belonging to the hous hold of the Prince Regent, and one who could speak the Chinese lange uage, came to visit the place where Lin ard others were confined. Out of the whole batch of 300, she selected 80 of the most beautiful and of these 30 she again picked out four of the choicest, amongst whom was Liu who was then in the prime of life, These four were brought to) the prince's palace also at Nanking, with the old servant of Lin's still following. Liu informed the latter that she was prepared to die at any time rather than suffer indignities at the hands of the alton troops, expressing at the same time her eavnjest desire to see her only daughter Pearl from whom she had no' heard since she was taken prisoner.
'The Manchu amah put these four through a special course of training inasmuch as they' were intended for [service in the palace to wait on the prince. The day they were taken to the palace, the prince was holding On seeing the prince, who was suredly the most powerful of the day being the Regent, Liu and her friends were instructed to pros strate themselves on the ground and to remain in that position until ordered to rise, and they must also ut on their best appearance with smiling faces while serving the party, failure to do so made they liable' to be whipped. Being thug tutored they wore conducted to the hall, the other three women exactly what they had been told, bug Liu stood mute near a post and did Regent. not prostrate herself in front of the
'The prince was fascinated by her remarkable beauty and greatly' sure prised by her conduct. He asked her her name, native place, age, and whether of not she had 'a husband, To all these questions she stendfaste ly refused to make an answer, Tex maining mate all the time. Ail off a sudden she burst into tears oxying "Tam but a poor commoners widow, having now been captured by alien troops (the word alien was used in the sense of barbarian, therefore an insult), I do not expect to live, let me die quickly, T will not serve person either as a concubine slave." Saying this, she rushed against a post end attempted to dash out, her brains, The Manchu amah who had been standing near her immediately rushe ed up and caught her in her army before Liu was able to hurt herself, During the struggle that ensued, Lin's hair became loosened revealing most lovely head of hair. When she was standing hey hair reached the ground, The prince watched the scene with great interest, being aggply impressed by her beauty, Matter of fact, he fell in love with Wier then and there and it was a true ease of love at first sight. Instead ordering her to be flogged for h impertinence and breach of etiquette—a no small offence—the prince ordered the Manchu amah carefully, to look after her, treating her wit pecial favours. But Liu refused be comforted and spent her days in tears.
The Manchu amah gradually learne ed from the old servant Chang hee mistress's secret, Liu was all the time grieving because she had nob yet been able to learn what had happened to her beloved daughter, Peat], and she was particularly one ious, for it had come to her ears that fous, for it had come to her ears that Sungkiang, where Pearl and her husband had their home, had been devastated and looted by the soldiers. This report increased her depression making hor still more anxious to know their fate. The matter wag reported to the prince, who promptl; ordered the dispatch of a special courier to enquire after Pearl's wale fare and Liv was to write a letter to her.
After the departure of the courier her spirits began to revives In due course the courier returned bringing with him the first reliable and direct information from Lin' relatives, who pleaded with her ads vising her to accept the prince's pros posal as her own home had been destroyed.
By that time Princess Vu, the Ree gent's wite, had died in Peking and his household was put into mourning, Lia had. to participate in the cores many arid she too was required to put on mourning colours. On seeing her in the hall, the Prince asked the Mancha amah' if this were not the long haired beauty. Further honour were accorded her and valuable pres sents sent to her to which she paid little or no attention. The Mancha amah informed her that she had been highly honoured by the prince and that she must go down on her kneed to thank the giver for them. refused. The same night she was ordered to wait on the prince in hig chamber, This she again declined, saying "I prefer death rather than to become even the prince's cone cumine." "The amah understood her fand made her report.
A few days later the pri tice sent to Liu a complete suit of official costumes corresponding to those worn by Indies of the highest rank, This time she yielded, accepting them after performing the custome ary ceremonies duo for the occasion, 'The same night there was a wedding inthe palace: "He was then 40 years: of age and she was 35. A young: prince was born the next year. Pearl's husband through the me' fluence of her step-father rose ft rank.and became an official.
(To be Continued.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.