# The Timely Intervention of the Mandarin Shan Tien's Lucky Day explained — Kai Lung’s Golden Hours

> Chapter companion for Kai Lung’s Golden Hours by Ernest Bramah.

## What happens

Kai Lung meets Hwa-mei at the shutter, who warns him of a second trial orchestrated by Ming-shu with a cloud of witnesses. She reveals that the next day is Shan Tien's lucky day, and Kai Lung should use the story of Lao Ting to sway the Mandarin. At the trial, Ming-shu's witnesses fail to appear due to Hwa-mei's sabotage, and Kai Lung appeals to Shan Tien, who permits him to tell the story of Lao Ting and the luminous insect, a tale of perseverance and love.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wisdom and Cunning

Kai Lung and Hwa-mei use clever stratagems, such as sabotaging the witnesses with wine, to outmaneuver Ming-shu.

### Love and Devotion

Hwa-mei's devotion to Kai Lung is evident in her efforts to help him, and the story of Lao Ting is driven by his love for Chun Hoa-mi.

### Survival and Resilience

Lao Ting's perseverance in studying despite poverty and lack of light exemplifies resilience in the face of adversity.

## Character check-ins

### Kai Lung

The storyteller protagonist, who meets Hwa-mei at the shutter and later faces a second trial before Shan Tien.

### Hwa-mei

The maiden who warns Kai Lung of Ming-shu's plot and sabotages the witnesses by arranging a skin of wine to delay them.

### Ming-shu

The antagonist who plots a second trial against Kai Lung with a cloud of witnesses, but is thwarted by their absence.

### Shan Tien

The Mandarin who presides over the trial and, on his lucky day, allows Kai Lung to tell the story of Lao Ting.

### Li-Loe

The covetous official who delays Kai Lung with demands for a story, causing him to be late to meet Hwa-mei.

### Lao Ting

The subject of Kai Lung's story, a studious man who overcomes poverty and wins the love of Chun Hoa-mi through perseverance.

### Chun Hoa-mi

The maiden in Kai Lung's story who captures Lao Ting's heart and inspires him to succeed.

## Key lines

> There is a time to scatter flowers and a time to prepare the soil.

There is an appropriate moment for celebration and a moment for careful planning.

_Hwa-mei uses this proverb to shift focus from Kai Lung's apology to the urgent need to prepare for the upcoming trial._

> Even a silver trumpet may not prevail above a score of brazen horns.

A single eloquent voice cannot compete against many loud accusers.

_Kai Lung expresses doubt about his ability to overcome the many witnesses Ming-shu has arranged._

> He who can grasp Opportunity as she slips by does not need a lucky dream.

A person who seizes chances as they arise does not rely on fortune or omens.

_This saying introduces the story of Lao Ting, emphasizing the theme of seizing opportunities._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters/v-the-timely-intervention-of-the-mandarin-shan-tien-s-lucky-day
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/kai_lung_s_golden_hours_se/chapters