Chinese Literature
say. She wants to tell you about the new law of our People’s Government! Tron Hammer stopped goateed Yang Yung-huai at the courtyard gate. “Grand-uncle, you can curse mé as much as you like later, but now I must beg you to listen to this new law!”
“Tet’s hear it! Listen, everybody!” a number of people cried. These even included Loudmouth and several old timers on the Judges list.
The people flowed back into the courtyard, and Chun-mei came out and stood on the top steps in front of the temple doorway. Her round face was flushed, her heart pounded; she was afraid to raise her eyes before such a large crowd.
“Speak up, Chun-mei,” a youngster standing next to her encouraged. “Youre not going to talk about anything bad!”
Taking courage, Chun-mei opened her eyes wide and swept them across the upturned sea of faces. Instantly, her country-girl shyness vanished.
“All right, Vl tell you people something. The gossip about my mother and me has spread far and wide. You know all about it! What I want to say is this—Yang the Elder and a few others insist that we’ve made the clan lose face. Today they put on a big show. They wanted to finish us—to kill, to flay, to drown! What they didn’t know is that the People’s Government has a Marriage Law!”
She drew from her bosom a.small pamphlet. “Look, everybody. The day before yesterday, the head of the district government gave me this. The trouble is I can’t read much yet. I’m afraid I can’t read it to you very well. Aunt Li,” she called, “you read it, please!”
Dragging someone forward with her, Aunt Li replied, “I only recognize a few dozen words myself. Why not invite an educated person to read it aloud first, then Ill explain it a little further. Listen carefully, everyone, and we'll put a stop to all these killings and suicides!”
The man she pulled to the front was the old Bigot. His shoulders hunched, squinting, he thrust out a trembling hand, and with respectful veneration received the small pamphlet which Chun-mei proffered to him. A ray of sunshine, breaking through the clouds, lit up the courtyard and the temple steps. The bright red letters on the cover of the booklet shimmered before the Bigot’s eyes: The Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Aunt Li prodded him. “Read. Your superstitious fortune-telling business is out of date now. Change your old ideas and we'll find you another side-line!”’
The Bigot looked at her dazedly. Then, in helpless frustration, he opened the pamphlet to the first page.
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