Chapter 34
Wang soon finds himself feeling no passion for Pear Blossom anymore, and he
grows to love her now only as a father loves a daughter. He is glad to see that
she tends to his poor fool daughter, although only for his sake, and he reveals
his plans to poison her when his own death is imminent, since he knows that no
other will care for her after he is gone. Pear Blossom says that she cannot
bring herself to participate in the poor fool’s death, and instead offers to
care for her after his death. Wang’s heart lifts to hear this, but he still
insists that she take the poison packet just in case.
Wang grows
more withdrawn with each passing day. Pear Blossom reveals that she has hated
all men but Wang gives up on convincing her otherwise, since he only wishes for
peace. Every now and then, Wang visits Lotus who greets him well, though she is
also quite old. Wang also visits the courts of his sons to see his
grandchildren. He asks them what they are studying, even though he does not
understand their current studies of the Revolution. Wang also learns from Cuckoo
that his eldest son frequents the tea house, and that his younger son is likely
a military official in the Revolution.
As Wang ages,
his strong love for the land remains. Sometimes he returns to the old home to
sleep where the first half of his life originated. One spring day, Wang walks to
the cemetery and recalls his entire family vividly. He concludes that he must
get a coffin for himself to prepare for his own death. He tells his eldest son
of his wishes, with some assistance from Pear Blossom, and he is comforted when
he sees the strong coffin his son purchases for him.
The months
pass by quickly and the old Wang can think of nothing more than his food and the
land. His sons come to visit him almost daily at the old house, and Pear Blossom
updates him on their lives. The eldest son is an officer in the town and has
taken a new wife; the second son is starting his own grain market. On one of his
sons’ visits, he walks with them around the land, even though he does not
comprehend all they are saying. However, he does hear the second son say to the
elder that they will sell the land.
Wang is
horrified and so choked up by the very thought that he cannot speak and only can
weep. Wang just repeats again and again that it will be the end of their family
if the land is sold. His sons soothe him by telling him they will not sell the
land, but secretly they smile at each other knowingly. Once Wang is dead, the
land will be sold.
