Dogra Magra (36/47)

by Hisashi Yumeno

“It might be because the cold was so severe that I had to light a fire to warm the room.”

“...I see. Heating equipment, I overlooked it. When it's several degrees below zero, paintbrushes freeze... Anyway, Wu Qingxiu, who was so fixated on loyalty that he didn't anticipate such a miscalculation, must have been utterly bewildered and astonished. His desperate endeavor, planned at the cost of his new wife, was miserably failing... It's understandable that he would wail and be unable to stand up. Finally, I thought, I will once transcend morality for the sake of the world. What more is there to consider? It's a desperate, reckless struggle. He went out to surrounding villages, sought out beautiful women, approached them intimately, falsely claiming, 'I'll paint your portrait,' then lured them into the mountains, murdered them, and planned to use them as models, but...”

“Wow... that's a very dangerous kind of loyal patriotism.”

“Yes. Japanese people don't have such persistence. But Wu Qingxiu's appearance is incredible. His cheeks are sunken, his nose is sharp, and his eyes are like those of a dragon or a demon. Moreover, his hair is disheveled, his clothes are dirty, and his bones are protruding. The women whose sleeves he pulled were all startled and ran away. This repeated for several months. His footsteps covered far and wide, his reputation gradually grew, and he was chased away from every village as soon as he was spotted. Fortunately, no one knew about his hideout in the mountains, so his life was barely spared. However, Wu Qingxiu's loyalty never wavered; the more difficult it became, the more resolute he grew. He eventually earned the name 'Yinxian' (淫仙), which seems to be the Chinese equivalent of Bluebeard in the West.”

“Oh... but Yinxian is pitiful.”

“However, this Master Yinxian was not at all surprised. This time, he changed his strategy, seeking new funerals for women, digging up graves under the cover of night, and trying to drag the bodies into the mountains. But as the saying goes, it takes the strength of three people to carry a dead body. A stiff, limp corpse, lacking a center of gravity, is difficult to lift. He tried his best, with the weak strength of arms that had only ever held a paintbrush, to carry it into the mountains without damaging it as much as possible, which was no ordinary hardship. Dropping it here, picking it up there, panting and embracing it, dawn quickly broke, and he was seen by farmers. The farmers, who had already heard rumors of Master Yinxian, were not surprised to see this. It was clearly necrophilia. They raised a ruckus, calling him an evil villain, and chased him, so Master Yinxian had no choice but to abandon the body and hide in the mountains. However, even in early spring, for two or three days, he couldn't forget the coldness of the body he had carried on his back, and no matter how much fire he lit, his teeth wouldn't stop chattering.”

“It's a wonder he didn't get sick.”

"Yes. He might have caught a cold, but the stamina of a determined person shows supernatural resistance. Moreover, Wu Qingshou's loyalty was stronger than ice and snow. After four or five days of quietly recuperating in the studio, Wu Qingshou secretly descended the mountain to attempt a second adventure. He went to a completely different village than before, stole a hoe, and crept towards a grave in the shade of a certain forest. Unexpectedly, he saw a woman offering flowers before an earthen mound, illuminated by the light of the new moon. Thinking it strange at this late hour, he quietly approached. The woman seemed to be a courtesan who had escaped from a distant brothel. With her spring attire disheveled, she prostrated herself on the mound, lamenting, 'Why did you abandon me and die?' Her demeanor was truly that of someone grieving the death of a beloved man. Wu Qingshou, hardened by loyalty, was moved by this poignant emotion, but he steeled his heart, crept behind the woman, and with one blow of the hoe he carried, crushed the girl's skull. He bound her limbs with the rope he had prepared, hoisted her onto his back, discarded the hoe, and tried to flee. Suddenly, human voices were heard from the forest behind him. Rough men, apparently the woman's pursuers, appeared, shouting 'The spy is a lewd immortal!' 'A murderer!' 'A corpse snatcher!' as they surrounded him from all sides, trying to capture him. Seeing this, Wu Qingshou was enraged. He threw down the body and loudly shouted, 'Are you hindering my divine work?!' He unleashed a hundredfold of savage strength, slamming two or three of the men who grappled with him onto the grave field. He picked up the hoe and beat down the remaining men, scattering them. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he again hoisted the courtesan's body onto his shoulder and fled towards the mountain. Surprisingly, when he finally reached the studio by following the mountain path, he purified the body he had carried, placed it on the floor in place of Lady Dai's remains, offered incense and flowers, and while exorcising the corpse spirit, calmly lit a fire and waited for it to decompose. However, after another two or three days, unexpected smoke and fire approached from all directions of the studio, and waves surged forth. Startled, he poked his head out the window to see what was happening. Piles of firewood were stacked around the studio, and outside, peasants and officials surrounded it like clouds and mist, raising a clamor. In other words, someone had secretly followed Wu Qingshou, discovered the studio, and gathered such a large crowd to attack it with fire and drive him out. At that moment, Wu Qingshou took with him one scroll of the unfinished painting, the luminous pearl, a gift from the imperial concubine, which had come from Lady Dai's hair—a diamond, that is—and several other items such as a blue jade and a crystal tube. He barely escaped into the mountain forest with his life. However, after several months of avoiding pursuit and enduring countless hardships, he finally arrived in the capital on some day in November, a year later, and stumbled through the gate of his own home. In a dreamlike state, having already transcended life and death, he sought nothing in ecstasy. He himself did not know why he had returned."

"…Ah. How truly pitiful. That place was…"

Wu Qingshou, feeling like a living soul, stepped into the cold garden where the north wind sadly rustled the withered trees. As he passed through the gate, the pillars were leaning, the tiles had fallen, and a scene of devastation spread out as if a stream had been wounded. He walked through it and reached his room, but he didn't know what to do. Not only was his wife nowhere to be seen, but not even the shadow of a crow. Withered leaves danced within the brocade curtain, and when he called out by the coral pillow, there was no answer. Tears welled up, and a flood of emotions overwhelmed his chest. Carrying long-held sorrow, he took the cord of the screen, hung it on the transom, and was about to embrace his wife's relics. At that moment, something unexpected happened. From the next room, a beautiful woman in a bright red dress rushed out.

"Oh… you!" she cried, embracing him.

Wu Qingshou was startled and momentarily dazed. Lady Dai, whom he was sure he had killed, appeared before him, looking exactly as she had during their honeymoon.

"…Oh, oh… Didn't I kill Lady Dai?"

"Now, just listen quietly. This is the most interesting part…" Wu Qingshou was astonished, and when he opened his eyes again, he was even more surprised. Lady Dai, who had just been wearing the red dress of a newlywed, had now reverted to the appearance of a lovely palace maiden, dragging a white skirt. She looked like an innocent girl of sixteen or seventeen.

"......It's strange. Could such a thing be possible?"

Wu Qingshou thought the same. He composed himself again and looked up at the girl, asking why she was there. It turned out to be Fenzi, Lady Dai's sister and one of the twins.

"Nanda. So it was her after all. But how interesting. It's like a play..."

"It's Chinese style through and through," Wu Qingshou said. He was finally beginning to understand the situation and stood with his mouth agape, still holding Fenzi. Fenzi placed both hands on her knees and began to speak, blushing deeply.

"I am truly sorry. I must have startled you. The truth is, I have been living alone in this house for a long time, wearing the kimono my sister left behind, impersonating her, and pretending to serve my brother-in-law every day. It was rumored that my brother-in-law had been secluded in his room recently, working on a masterpiece, so the neighbors admired what a remarkable person he was to be so calmly painting amidst such great turmoil. That's how I spent the past year, looking after the house for the two of you and waiting for your return. Today, when I returned from shopping, I heard a noise in the room and loud crying, which surprised me. When I peeked in, I saw my brother-in-law trying to kill himself, and I rushed to embrace him. Afterwards, as I was tending to my unconscious brother-in-law, tightly sealed scrolls and my sister's cherished jewels and hair ornaments tumbled out of his bosom. And my brother-in-law, in a daze, was crying and muttering, 'Dai, forgive me, I won't kill you alone.' That's when I realized that my sister had already died at my brother-in-law's hands. So, to clear up my brother-in-law's misunderstanding, I quickly changed into my own clothes. But why did my brother-in-law kill my sister, Daizi? Where have you been and what have you been doing for the past year until today?" she pressed, tears streaming down her face.

"Haa... But why would a sister named Fenzi do such a strange thing? Wearing her sister's kimono and pretending to serve her husband?"

"Hmm, hmm... That's a valid question. I'm sure Wu Qingshou felt the same way. Or perhaps his mouth was still agape, but it was troublesome to get no answer. As he continued to stare blankly down at Miss Fenzi, she eventually wiped away her tears and nodded repeatedly, saying,

"You are absolutely right. Merely saying this much will not clear your suspicions, so let me explain in order. The story goes back a long time, to the end of last year. Since my sister left the palace, my loneliness and helplessness, having no relatives outside, grew day by day. Then, exactly this month last year, and today of all days... what was my surprise and sorrow when I heard that my beloved brother-in-law and sister had suddenly disappeared without a word to me? I stayed awake all night, thinking and crying. The next day, having received a temporary leave from Lady Yang Guifei, I came to this house to try and find out where they had gone."

After sending off the two eunuchs who had escorted me and the cleaner who was guarding the house, I thoroughly investigated the house alone. It seemed my sister had left with the resolve to die, as she had broken the precious decorative comb she used at her wedding in two and wrapped it in plain paper, storing it deep in her dressing table. However, my brother-in-law showed no such signs; he seemed to have taken all his painting tools with him. Thinking there must be some deep reason for this, I decided to stay in this house. Since then, as I just mentioned, I completely disguised myself as my sister, making it seem as though I had returned with my brother-in-law.

Fortunately, I had heard that my brother-in-law had started painting as a child and would shut himself in his room for days on end, never seeing anyone, so it was truly convenient for deceiving the neighbors and visitors. But why was I doing such a bizarre thing? I thought this was the most convenient way to search for the two of them while staying put. That is, if I did this, since both of them are world-renowned, if anyone were to see them elsewhere, I would immediately be suspected. At that time, I would also find out their whereabouts, so I thought I could just follow them then. A woman alone, searching aimlessly in an unknown foreign country, would not easily find them... that's what I thought of.

“...Hmm... that sister is quite the detective.”

“Yes... this sister, unlike her elder sister, seems to have a bit of a mischievous streak, but she continued to speak. ...However, my plan didn't have much effect. That's because less than ten days after I came to this house, the world suddenly fell into chaos, and soldiers filled the streets of the capital, making it impossible to even go outside carelessly. Moreover, money ran out, and the house fell into disrepair. Out of necessity, I slept and lived in the kitchen of this house, selling and eating not only my own belongings but also my brother-in-law and his wife's furniture and clothes. Among them, the last things I kept were one red dress from my sister's newlywed days and one palace maid's dress that I used to wear. Among these, the red dress was always used as my going-out attire to make people believe I was my sister. And the palace maid's dress, which I kept with unforgettable memories, was in the style of Yang Guifei's era, and there was a risk of being mistaken for a rebel's subordinate if I carelessly took it out, so I used it entirely as sleepwear. For this long year, I had waited for your return with such hardship. Yet, why did you kill my sister? And why did you come back to this house? What happened to your appearance? If you killed my sister, then kill me too... I said, and burst into tears.

“She's a sister who cares deeply for her older sister.”

“What are you talking about? I've been approaching Wu Qingxiu for a while now.”

“...Oh... how do you know?”

“...How? Her behavior is suspicious, first of all. For a virgin to pretend to be a married woman and stay in a terrible dilapidated house for nearly a year, that's not something you do out of duty or curiosity. There must be some hidden hope and pleasure during that time... And walking around in her sister's brand new red dress, it looks like nothing but a first-class, extreme perversion, Chinese style. Or perhaps it's an influence from the countless palace maids who cried in their empty chambers during Emperor Xuanzong's era.”

“...But you don't think so, do you?”

“Of course, she's not at an age to possess such self-reflection. Especially because she's a woman, she can freely create any delicate logic and fall into self-indulgent narcissism. The perverted psychology of a pure-hearted, intelligent person is often difficult to discern. On the other hand, if one's eyes are sharp enough, one can find various perverted psychologies even in innocent babies, or in figures like Shakyamuni, Confucius, or Christ.”

"......I'm surprised. ......Is that how it is?......"

"There are still more surprising stories hidden behind what I've told you so far, but I'll explain those later. Now, since the story has gotten a bit long, I'll tell it briefly. At that time, Miss Funko, who was pressed by Wu Qingxiu and questioned thoroughly about the circumstances, was shown a picture scroll depicting her deceased sister, who looked exactly like her. She was truly heartbroken and astonished. However, she was eventually moved by the loyalty of her brother-in-law and his wife, and she cried out, 'Oh Heaven, oh Heaven, why are you so heartless? You may not know this, but last November, when you began sketching my sister's remains, was the month An Lushan rebelled. The Tianbao era ended last year, and now it is the first year of Zhide, An Lushan's era. Both His Majesty the Emperor and Lady Yang Guifei were killed at Mawei this June. All our loyalty has been in vain. Instead, won't you flee with me somewhere?' she pleaded earnestly.

"What a reckless woman. Does she intend to be killed again?......"

"No, this time it's alright. That's because it was only through Funko's explanation that Master Wu Qingxiu realized that the work he had devoted his entire being to was futile from the start. So, like Columbus who lost America, he sat down in a daze and became speechless forever. In old terminology, it's a self-disorder caused by a sudden change in psychology. Seeing him like that, Funko felt even more pity for him and looked up at the sky, hating An Lushan's treachery. At the same time, she confessed that she made a pure resolution to protect this loyal subject, pray for the repose of Emperor Xuanzong and Lady Yang Guifei, and end her life... but in fact, it was a great confession of love."

"......No way......"

"No, it must be. I'll explain later, but at that point, Wu Qingxiu sold the precious jade, a memento of his sister, that he had in his pocket, kept only the portrait, and wandered from place to place, pulling the monstrous Wu Qingxiu by the hand. As a result, at the end of that year, I forget where they intended to go, but they boarded a boat, went down the river, and floated out to sea. Then, after several days of storms, only the two of them survived and drifted in the open sea for more than ten days. Finally, on a clear morning, they saw a beautifully decorated large ship, flying a flag, sailing south on the distant eastern horizon. They beckoned with their last breath and were rescued, receiving careful nursing on that beautiful ship. This ship was carrying a Balhae envoy heading for Naniwa-no-tsu via Karatsu, Japan. The Kingdom of Balhae was an independent state located around present-day Jilin in Manchuria at that time, and it is recorded in official histories that they occasionally brought tributes to Japan in this manner."

"It's like a fairy tale."

"Yes, the somewhat dreamlike quality is indeed Chinese style. Then, the people on the ship, including the Balhae envoy, who heard Miss Funko's tearful story, all expressed their full sympathy. They all pitied Mr. Wu's lifeless state and sympathized with Mrs. Funko's plight, deciding to take her to Japan while providing careful care. However, in the middle of the night, when everyone on the ship was asleep and the moon was shining like ice, Wu Qingxiu disappeared from the ship, whether he fell into the sea or ascended to heaven, ending his life at 28 years old. ...Mrs. Funko was 19 at the time and was distraught, trying to follow him, but at this point, she was already pregnant with Wu Qingxiu's child and was due to give birth. She was barely restrained by the people and eventually gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on the ship."

"It seems things are finally looking up."

"Yes, there was no way they wouldn't be happy to hear about a birth, especially after a death on the ship had put everyone in a bad mood. They celebrated grandly with various congratulatory gifts, and a scholar from the Balhae envoy, whose name I forget, became the godfather and named him Wu Zhongxiong. They held an elaborate naming ceremony to bless his future, then landed in Karatsu and entrusted him to a local powerful family, the Matsuura clan. There, Mrs. Funko recorded the story in this picture scroll to pass down to her descendants... and so, they lived happily ever after."

"So, that famous passage was written by Lady Bun, then."

"No, the handwriting is certainly a woman's, but the prose is so well-structured that I can't believe it was written by a woman. Seeing that there are rhymes here and there, and the way compound words are used is un-Japanese, I think it's more likely that the Bohai envoy, who was her namesake, was moved by Lady Bun's story and drafted the text during his leisure time on the ship, and Lady Bun then transcribed it. Wakabayashi says that because the handwriting resembles the characters carved at the base of the Maitreya statue, a monk named Shōkū might have composed the text by comparing the stories he heard with old documents, but since handwriting and carvings can differ greatly in style, it's not very reliable."

"In any case, Lady Bun's story must have been a big sensation at Karatsu port, wouldn't it have been... Lady Bun's circumstances..."

"Of course, it must have greatly attracted public sympathy. After all, it's a story of loyalty and heroism, which the Japanese love."

"That's right... And now that I suddenly remember, that monk named Shōkū reportedly said that after enshrining that picture scroll in the Maitreya statue, no man should ever approach it. What was the reason for that?"

"...That's where the very interesting core of the story lies, and it even touches upon the fundamental problem of the Me-no-hama incident in Taisho today. To put it simply, that monk named Shōkū knew about psychological heredity nearly a thousand years ago."

"Things are getting out of hand. There's almost too much of it. ...In other words, all the junk in the universe has evolved into plants, animals, and humans, each fighting psychological heredity on its own. Therefore, the more one is trapped by this psychological heredity, the more inferior and less free one becomes. That's why Christ, in a new form, conveyed to the people the declaration to boldly break away from psychological heredity now and become a truly liberated, clear-sky-like human... and Confucius spread his teachings wrapped in an oblate. And the Buddha, well, he put it into delicious sweets, decorated it lavishly, and sold it boisterously with bells and drums."

So, I, who am here, am planning to take only the best parts of their patents, widely market it under the modern name 'Psychological Heredity,' and greedily seize 100 percent of the surplus value. Hahahaha... Well, never mind that, the monk Shōkū's name seems to belong to the Tendai sect, so he probably understood this logic by reading the Lotus Sutra or something similar."