On his side, Ling
undertook not to break through the wording of the things to be done
and not to be done, and to notify to Wang any movements upon which he
meditated. In this reputable manner the obstacle was ingeniously
removed, and the intelligent nature of the device was clearly proved
by the fact that not only Ling but Wang also had in the future a much
greater liberty of action than would have been possible if it had been
necessary to observe the short-sighted and evidently hastily-thought-
of condition which Chang-ch'un had endeavoured to impose.
XIII
In spite of his natural desire to return to Mian as quickly as
possible, Ling judged it expedient to give several days to the
occupation of purchasing apparel of the richest kinds, weapons and
armour in large quantities, jewels and ornaments of worked metals and
other objects to indicate his changed position. Nor did he neglect
actions of a pious and charitable nature, for almost his first care
was to arrange with the chief ones at the Temple of Benevolent
Intentions that each year, on the day corresponding to that on which
he drank the gold fluid, a sumptuous and well-constructed coffin
should be presented to the most deserving poor and aged person within
that quarter of the city in which he had resided.
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