Chapter 12

王熙凤毒设相思局

贾天祥正照风月鉴

Rui is delighted to be received by Xifeng, and by her informal dress. He puts his claim as a lover, and she leads him on. She tells him to come back at night, and she’ll give the watchman the night off. He does so, creeping in but finds himself locked in an alley; he lasts the night in the midwinter cold and slips out first thing. As the Grandfather of orphaned Rui, Dairu is angry at his absence for a whole night and his excuse, and lashes him.

Rui returns to see Xifeng, who scolds him for failing her, and tells him to come back that night. While waiting, he observes a figure and launches on it, assuming it to be Xifeng. A light flashes, and Jia Qiang is holding a candle: Rui is trying to bugger Jia Rong. Qiang has been briefed by Xifeng, and holds him captive. Rui tries to negotiate, and Qiang accepts fifty taels as an IOU; after pressing, Rong does too. He leaves, but a slop bucket is emptied on him before he can.

Rui is unable to sleep, and doesn’t dare to visit Rongguo again, but his passion isn’t quelled. The stress of work, worry, and debt leads to illness confining him to bedridden delirium. The illness worsens into spring, and Dairu begs Rongguo for medicine which he can’t afford. Xifeng deliberately sends little. A Daoist gives him a two-sided mirror, fashioned by Disenchantment, which he says will cure him of the ill effect of impure mental activity, if he looks into it everyday, but only into the back of it. He looks at the back and sees a skull. He looks at the front and sees Xifeng; his soul follows her and they make love. This happens three or four times, each time ending with the skull reappearing. The last time, two figures approach him, chain him and lead him away. Rui dies, and all present curse the Daoist, who reappears and angrily snatches the mirror back. He is given a stylish funeral.

Lin Ruhai falls seriously ill and writes, asking to see Daiyu again. Grandmother Jia and Baoyu are upset at this, and Jia Lian is asked to accompany her.