“Honored masters,” Grandmother Wang said to them, puzzled. “Everything has been reduced to ashes, the ceremony is over, yet why do you all still sound the bells and beat the drum?”
“Let them, once more only,” they replied. Hearing this, Shi Men understood that his actions with Kim Lian in the room earlier were known. He then gave some money to the Hwesio monks and asked them to return to their temple immediately. The Hwesio monks requested Grandmother Wang to have the hostess to come out and receive their thanks. However, Kim Lian, who also heard their insinuations earlier, did not dare to come out. In the end, the Hwesios were convinced by Grandmother Wang to leave. The next day, Kim Lian visited Grandmother Wang to bid farewell, and she entrusted Bu Ying to Grandmother Wang's care. Shi Men, who intended to take his lover to his home, was also present.
“What if Bu Siong finds out his former sister-in-law has become my wife?” Shi Men worriedly said.
“Ah, leave it to me, Young Master. Let me deal with him if he comes here,” Grandmother Wang replied, calming the two lovers.
Of course, Shi Men did not forget to give a generous gift to the old woman who had contributed much to his relationship with Kim Lian. The next day, the eighth day of the eighth month was chosen as an auspicious day after careful calculation, Shi Men welcomed his bride with a palanquin. Widow Wang, Siauw Thai the servant, and four lantern bearers, as was customary for a bride being taken to the groom's house, escorted the palanquin carried by four men, where Kim Lian sat as the bride with a very joyful heart. Finally, her long-desired wish to become Shi Men's wife and live in her lover's mansion came true.
Surely, the neighbors living on Purple Stone Street could guess what had really happened with Kim Lian and Bu Toa and Shi Men, but because they all felt intimidated by Shi Men, they did not want to interfere in affairs that had nothing to do with them. Many neighbors secretly sneered. They knew that before Bu Toa's death, Kim Lian had been having an affair with Shi Men. And now, although she seemed to be fetched like a bride, none of Kim Lian's family were there to send her off, except for Grandmother Wang, a human broker. This was no different from prostitution! Shi Men had prepared everything to welcome his new wife. For Kim Lian, he had prepared a small, lofted building in a quiet and beautiful corner of his large garden.
The small building was renovated, freshly painted, and filled with new furnishings that were all pleasing. Especially the bedroom. A new, large bed stood in this room, with a beautifully embroidered red silk mosquito net, its pillars carved with gold paint, and in front of the bed, there was a beautifully carved table with velvet adorned chairs. This was the place prepared for Kim Lian. Goat Toanio, Shi Men's first wife, had two maiden servants, who were still young. These two maidens were pretty, and their names were Cun Bwe and Siauw Giok. They were Goat Toanio's personal servants. Shi Men asked Cun Bwe to serve Kim Lian.
Cun Bwe was to cater to all of Kim Lian's needs and address her as Toanio (Grand Lady). Shi Men also bought a female slave to work in the kitchen named Ling Siok, and another female slave for Goat Toanio as a replacement for Cun Bwe named Siauw Si. Now that Kim Lian had become a member of the household, she became the fifth wife. The order was, first wife Goat Toanio, second Li Kiao, third Mong Yu Lok, fourth Sun Siu Oh, and fifth Pang Kim Lian. On the first day Kim Lian entered Shi Men's household, dressed in new clothes and with her hair neatly done, Kim Lian faced Goat Toanio to introduce herself to all the family members gathered in the big room of the mansion.
Goat Toanio, who was sitting in the seat of honor, observed her new sister-wife with scrutiny and secretly admired the passionate beauty of Kim Lian. Kim Lian knelt at Goat Toanio's feet, gave four salutes, and was given a pair of sandals as a welcome token, as was customary. After paying respects to Goat Toanio, she then paid respects to her other sister-wives in order of their positions, namely Li Kiao, Mang Yu Lok, and Sun Siu Oh. After paying respects to her four sister-wives, Kim Lian then stepped aside. Goat Toanio ordered a servant to get a chair for Kim Lian and told the servants to refer to Kim Lian as the Fifth Lady.
Without turning her head, just using her sharp gaze, from her seat Kim Lian scrutinized her four sister-wives. First, she observed Goat Toanio who she estimated to be around twenty-seven years old. Her face was delicate and clean, her eyes round and clear, her movements soft and weak, her demeanor graceful and her speech polite. Second was Li Kiao, a former singer from a pleasure house, her body somewhat plump and her face beautiful, possibly a former high-class courtesan, but compared to Kim Lian, she was far inferior in terms of charm. The third wife, Mong Yu Lok, around thirty years old, had a slender and passionate body, her face was round like a watermelon, and here and there were small moles that added sweetness to her face, her legs just as small as Kim Lian's. Then the fourth, Sun Siu Oh, the former maid.
Her body was even slimmer than the third wife's, somewhat short, but she was a skilled cook and also good at dancing. Secretly Kim Lian observed and noted all signs about their conditions and characters. Since living there, Kim Lian accustomed herself to getting up very early and going to Goat Toanio, taking over all sewing work and other things. Kim Lian was very attentive and always busy with household affairs without Goat Toanio needing to order her. She was efficient, quick, and the results of her work were always impressive. She also always behaved respectfully towards the first wife, so she easily won the affection of her number one sister-wife. This of course did not please the other wives and secretly the three of them often discussed Kim Lian with hearts full of jealousy.
“She came later yet she is always received with kind manners by Goat Toanio. It really makes us jealous!” Since Kim Lian became his fifth wife, suddenly Shi Men now liked staying at home. Of course, every night he slept in Kim Lian's room and this of course intensified the feelings of jealousy and envy in the hearts of the other three young wives.
Bu Siong arrived in the city of Ceng-Ho-Sian. Immediately he reported to the Head of the Region to report his accomplished task and hand over the reply letter from the Commander of the Cu Palace. The Head of the Region was very pleased and gave him a reward. After reporting to the Head of the Region, Bu Siong immediately went to his headquarters, changed clothes, and hurriedly went to visit his brother's house. The house was locked and Bu Siong was secretly pleased. His brother apparently complied with his advice and warning.
“Brother...” He shouted while knocking on the door. There was no answer. “Sister-in-law...” He called out and knocked on the door. No response, even though he had called out several times while knocking harder on the door. At that time, Grandmother Wang happened to see him. Suppressing her fear, the old woman quickly approached.
“Ma’am, where is my brother and where is my sister-in-law?” Bu Siong asked.
“Sit down first, I will explain everything clearly,” the old woman said. “No need to sit, if there is a problem just tell me, Ma’am.”
“Your brother, Bu Toa, fell seriously ill in the fourth month, not long after you left, and he died from his illness.” Of course, Bu Siong was greatly shocked to hear of his brother's death. He demanded an explanation from Grandmother Wang about when his brother died, what his illness was, and what medicine was given. The clever old woman's mind quickly weaved a suitable story.
“On the twentieth of the fourth month, he was struck by a severe stomach disease. He was bedridden for eight or nine days. He took a variety of medications, but all efforts to cure him were in vain. In the end he passed away, poor Bu Toa.”
“How did he get this stomach disease? He never had stomach problems before. I don't understand.”
“Officer, your question is too difficult for me to answer. The fate determined by God is impossible for humans to understand.”
“And where is my sister-in-law?”
“Miss Kim Lian? Ah, she was a weak woman who suddenly lost her support, so after mourning for a hundred days, she complied with her mother's advice. She remarried a respectable man from the Capital City. She took all her belongings, except for the little girl who she left in my care. I was just waiting for your arrival, Officer, to hand over the child to you and thus my task would be done.”
Bu Siong took a deep breath, his heart filled with grief. He left the old woman without a word, and returned to his headquarters. He put on his worst clothes, also bought white cloth to make mourning clothes, then asked his men to buy worship items such as fruits, sweets, incense sticks, pictures, and paper money. Then he brought all the worship items to his brother's house. There, he set up an altar and performed a mourning ceremony. In the evening, he prayed with full devotion, then recited words addressed to his brother's spirit,
“Brother, your spirit must not be far from here. In life, you were weak and always giving in. I still don't understand how you could have died. Did you suffer any resentment?” Bu Siong served drinks, burned pictures and paper money, then knelt and cried. By midnight, Bu Siong was still there, restless and unable to sleep even though his body was fatigued. He then sat up.
“My brother was so weak and yielding when he was alive, I suspect his death was not natural.” The sun began to burn the sky in the east, Bu Siong bathed and cleaned his mouth, then went out. He started to inquire and investigate from his brother's neighbors. He wanted to investigate the cause of his brother's death and with whom his sister-in-law remarried. The neighbors knew the situation, but they were all afraid of Shi Men, so they preferred to keep their mouths shut, thus Bu Siong's efforts to obtain the real information failed.
“Just ask Grandmother Wang, or ask the fruit vendor A Goan, or the death examiner, Hu Kiu. They will be able to tell you everything, Officer Bu.” They all said. Hearing this, Bu Siong's suspicion grew stronger. There must have been a secret because if not, the neighbors would not behave like that. He then went to find the little A Goan fruit vendor and it was not difficult to find this naughty child.
“Good afternoon, little A Goan.” Bu Siong greeted. A Goan was happy to be addressed so respectfully and kindly by the famous tiger killer. “Officer, you're a bit late.” The child quickly guessed why the swordsman was looking for him.
Glossary
- Suhu: An honorific used to address a master or teacher in martial arts.
- Hwesio: A term for Buddhist monks in Indonesia.
- Joli: A type of palanquin used in traditional Indonesian weddings.
- Toanio: A term of respect for an older woman or wife.
- Goat Toanio: Shi Men's first wife; 'Goat' is a term of respect for an older woman or wife.
- Li Kiao, Mong Yu Lok, Sun Siu Oh, Pang Kim Lian: Names of Shi Men's other wives.
- Cun Bwe, Siauw Giok, Ling Siok, Siauw Si: Names of the servants in Shi Men's household.
- Ceng-Ho-Sian: A city in the novel.
- Bu Siong: A character in the novel.
- Bu Toa: Bu Siong's deceased brother.
- Ciangkun: A respectful term for an officer or military official.