Now, Chan Master Ji Gong came into the inner rooms and looked Lu Bingwen over. The lady, the young master and the young miss all said, “Holy monk, have mercy on us!” “This illness of His Lordship’s,” said the monk, “if I tell you what it is, I’m sure none of you will believe me.” “Tell us, holy monk,” said the lady. “How could we not believe you?” “What His Lordship has in his belly,” said the monk, “is a child in the womb.” The lady was dumbstruck. She thought, “No wonder that doctor just now said it was a child — and now this monk says so too.” Quickly she asked, “Holy monk, if you say it’s a child, what’s to be done?” “This one isn’t like other children in the womb,” said the monk. “What His Lordship has is a whole bellyful of ghost fetus1, yin and yang, and he won’t get well until it’s brought down. This monk will write a prescription; take it to Li Huaichun’s pharmacy for the medicine.” “Good,” said Li Huaichun. “Write it, Master.” At once a servant brought a brush. The monk wrote it with his back to everyone, sealed it and handed it to the servant, and His Lordship had no idea what medicine the monk had written. The servant took it off to Li Huaichun’s pharmacy, laid the note on the counter and said, “Your doctor is sitting in our lord’s yamen. This is a prescription from Ji Gong of Lingyin Temple, and I’ve been sent to fetch the medicine.”

The pharmacy assistant opened it and read: “One conscience, true to Heaven’s law2 — must be whole. Fair dealing — a full portion.” The pharmacy people looked it over and said, “Steward, take this prescription back. Our pharmacy has no conscience.” “Your pharmacy has no conscience?” said the steward. “It isn’t just us,” said the assistant. “No pharmacy has any conscience.” There was nothing the steward could do. He went back inside and said, “I report to my lady: I couldn’t get the medicine made up.” “What?” said Li Huaichun. “My pharmacy has every medicine there is. How could you not get it made up?” “Your pharmacy has no conscience,” said the servant. “Why should our pharmacy have no conscience?” said Li Huaichun. “He said no pharmacy has any conscience,” said the steward. “They don’t stock that drug.” “Bring me the prescription,” said Lu Bingwen. “Let me look at it.” The servant handed it to him, and he read: “One conscience, true to Heaven’s law — must be whole. Fair dealing — a full portion.” Lu Bingwen thought it over and said, “This medicine costs nothing. I have a conscience of my own.” “So long as you have a conscience,” said the monk, “you’ll be well.” “Call the staff,” said Lu Bingwen. “I’ll hold court.” “In this state, my lord,” said a servant, “can you hold court?” “Hold court! Hold court!” said Lu Bingwen. “I’ve done things against my conscience, and I know I won’t get well unless I hold court.” The moment he said “hold court,” his belly began to draw back in. “Since Your Lordship is holding court on official business,” said Li Huaichun, “this physician will take his leave. I have other patients to see.” With that he simply left.

Meanwhile Lu Bingwen had his servants hold him up by the arms at once, and he took his seat in the great hall. A seat was brought for the monk, and he sat down at one side. Lu Bingwen ordered the jail tally taken out to bring up Wang Long, Wang Hu and Dou Yongheng. Ma Xiong, the runner who had handled the case, answered, and at once brought the three of them up from the jail to the hall. The three knelt below the bench. “Wang Long, Wang Hu,” said Lu Bingwen, “when you robbed the army pay at Baisha Ridge and killed the officers escorting the grain, was Dou Yongheng with you or not? You two had better speak fairly, by your conscience.” Wang Long and Wang Hu thought, “We marked our confessions before. Now His Lordship asks again. An old deposition never strays from its first words3; we two can’t change our story.” So they said, “My lord, Dou Yongheng was with us.” Lu Bingwen flew into a rage. He slapped down the sounding block. “You two scoundrels! Take them down and give each of them forty heavy strokes!” The men in charge of punishments answered and dragged Wang Long and Wang Hu down at once. When the beating was over, Lu Bingwen asked again, “Wang Long, Wang Hu, tell the truth, the two of you. Was Dou Yongheng with you or not?” Wang Long and Wang Hu thought, “Dou Yongheng’s friends must have got to him. His Lordship means to beat us into it. We’d better not change our story; we’ll stick to it. If they convict Dou Yongheng, maybe we two can save our necks.” So they said, “Dou Yongheng really was with us.” “You two creatures are simply asking for a beating,” said Lu Bingwen. “Another forty heavy strokes each!” At once they were beaten again, and when it was done he asked again.