Chapter 19: The Scabby-Headed Monk and the Wine-and-Meat Friar

Autumn had deepened, leaving a layer of white frost upon the leaves of the yellow chrysanthemums.

Fan Jin, having just finished his writing, was preparing to summon a maid or two to knead his shoulders and hammer his legs when he noticed Old Man Hu crouching to one side, clutching a padded jacket.

He walked over quickly and asked, "Father-in-law, are you looking for me? Is something the matter?"

In Fan Jin’s impression, although Butcher Hu was crude, boastful, and looked down on those he deemed beneath him, he was also a man who possessed a keen sense of propriety. Otherwise, he would not have been able to mix with all sorts of people in the South Market for decades, maintaining connections with every stripe of society and even securing a foothold within the county magistrate’s office.

The way he looked now, it was obvious to any discerning eye that he was seeking a favor. However, Fan Jin was not one to be overly eager, nor was he the type to force a conversation before the other party was ready; he did not offer to poke through that layer of "window paper" first.

"Oh!"

Butcher Hu, who had been feeling listless and had dozed off while waiting, suddenly realized his son-in-law was speaking to him. He hurriedly wiped his aged face in a flurry of confusion.

Old Man Hu, clearly burdened with heavy thoughts, said, "My dear son-in-law, I am not sure if I should speak of this or not."

He was a man who usually kept the big picture in mind and disliked causing Fan Jin trouble, but keeping this to himself weighed heavily on his conscience. Facing his son-in-law, who had attained the rank of scholar, he could no longer treat him with the casual dismissiveness of the past.

Fan Jin frowned slightly and asked, "What is it? Is it that you are short on silver for your expenses?"

Since Butcher Hu had moved into the Fan residence, Fan Jin felt he had treated him generously, never once stinting on his father-in-law’s personal spending money. As he spoke, Fan Jin lowered his head to feel his sleeves, intending to hand over the loose silver he carried.

He had heard rumors that his cheap father-in-law had been frequenting houses of pleasure lately. In the past, when he made his living by slaughtering pigs and selling meat, he was naturally unwilling to part with silver, saving every penny to either acquire property or privately support his children. He would never have dreamed of squandering his hard-earned money on the bellies of women in the Yihong Brothel.

But times had changed. A widower for many years, he had raised three children on his own, married off his two sons, built houses for them, and occasionally provided for his daughter’s family. Old Man Hu had a clear conscience before heaven and earth! If he hadn't been so determined to avoid burdening his children, who could have faulted him for taking a new wife?

"My dear son-in-law, what are you saying? You are shaming me!"

Butcher Hu hurriedly declined. "Ever since I moved into this mansion, it has been like falling into a honey pot. I have gained much face while walking about outside. Today, I drink and listen to music with my host; tomorrow, I spend the night in the pleasure quarters—how could I be any happier?"

Seeing him speak so candidly about his nights out at the brothels, Fan Jin couldn't help but smile. Recalling how Old Man Hu had busied himself running errands to help him procure a concubine, Fan Jin had once considered finding a suitable match for the butcher to remarry. But he hadn't expected the old man to shake his head like a toy rattle at the mere mention of it. He had even hinted that if the old man took a fancy to any girl from a brothel, he could bring her into the residence and share a small courtyard—but the offer was refused without hesitation. Seeing that the old man had no intention of remarrying, Fan Jin had let the matter rest.

Butcher Hu hesitated for a moment before saying, "It is that an old friend of mine, a Buddhist official at the local nunnery, has run into trouble and came to me for help..."

After listening for a moment, Fan Jin interrupted, "Wait, what did you say your friend's name was?"

A Buddhist official? And people call him "Master Hui"?

He remembered that in the original story, Butcher Hu’s old acquaintance was supposed to be the Monk Teng. Furthermore, in the original text, it was because of the death of Fan Jin’s mother that Fan had given silver to the butcher, entrusting him to ask the monks at the nunnery to lead the funeral rites, which had led to a series of complications. What puzzled Fan Jin was that his mother was still perfectly healthy; why was Butcher Hu already involved with this "Master Hui"?

Then again, it seemed that in the original story, by the time the old lady passed away, the Buddhist official, Monk Hui, had already gotten into trouble and had been hiding out for some time.

"Where is this Master Hui now?" Fan Jin asked, frowning. He intended to see the man himself and ask if there was any hidden story behind this.

Butcher Hu replied quickly, "He is just outside the mansion. I had him wait by the back gate to avoid being seen."

Fan Jin nodded, thinking to himself that Old Man Hu was indeed thorough. The back gate was secluded, unlike the bustling front entrance that attracted unwanted attention. He gave a servant a look, ordering him to bring the man in.

Before long, the servant returned with a mangy-headed monk. The monk approached from afar, moving as swiftly as a gust of wind.

He was a man of unusual bone structure, with an appearance quite out of the ordinary. It could be said: "His nose was like a hanging gallbladder, his eyebrows long; his eyes shone like stars with hidden brilliance. In tattered robes and straw sandals, he left no trace, yet his head was covered in sores."

This appearance instinctively reminded Fan Jin of the "mangy-headed monk" from *Dream of the Red Chamber*. His large, bulbous nose looked like a pig’s gallbladder hanging from his hand. Beneath his long, arched eyebrows, two small eyes glinted like bright pearls. He wore a tattered monk's robe and straw sandals, looking filthy, with sores covering his head and face.

This was a far cry from the image of a Buddhist official that Fan Jin had imagined.

"Greetings, Master Fan," the official said, bowing. "Please forgive my rudeness for disturbing your noble residence."

Seeing him dressed exactly like the "mangy-headed monk," Fan Jin felt a brief moment of panic. He thought to himself that there was no way such a mystical event could happen in real life; it was surely just a coincidence, and he shouldn't be so suspicious. He steadied his heart and said, "What trouble have you encountered? Speak to me one by one."

The monk’s face was bitter, and his voice choked with emotion. "It is because the wealthy Zhang family in the city wants the plot of land behind my hut. He refuses to pay a fair price, so I refused him several times. At first, his tenant farmers came repeatedly to argue with me, and I, being unable to bear it, had to go into hiding. Who would have thought that this act of hiding would only lead to further catastrophe?"

As he spoke, a deafening growl erupted from his stomach, revealing that he had indeed been starving while on the run.

Butcher Hu immediately ordered the servants to bring some food. Before long, a stone table was set with half a golden-brown ham, glistening with hot oil and emitting a tantalizing aroma, along with a roast chicken and a pot of premium Bamboo Leaf Green wine.

The moment the monk saw the food, his eyes lit up. After exchanging a few polite words, he received permission and began to eat and drink heartily.

The monk sat in the courtyard, stripped off his robe, and bared his chest, his large belly protruding and his flesh exposed. Under the sunlight, he looked like a slab of glistening lard. Fan Jin found the sight offensive; so, he was a wine-and-meat monk after all. With such a rugged style, it was no wonder he and Butcher Hu were such close friends.

If he remembered correctly, when he passed the scholar’s exam, Butcher Hu had arrived carrying a pig’s intestine to celebrate, and his demeanor had been much like this monk’s.

Beside them, Butcher Hu watched the monk eat with such relish that he, though not hungry, began to swallow his own saliva.

Fan Jin covered his face. "Father-in-law, if you are craving this, please help yourself as well. We can discuss the serious matters later."