Chapter 21

贤袭人娇嗔箴宝玉

俏平儿软语救贾琏

Baochai attempts to make peace, but the four remain at an impasse until they are summoned for dinner. The next morning, Baoyu arrives at Daiyu and Xiangyun’s room while they are still sleeping. Xiangyun plaits his hair, noting a lost pearl clip, and rebukes him for being about to eat some rouge.

Baochai drops in to see Baoyu, and is impressed by Aroma’s intelligent response to his absence. They chat, and Baochai leaves when he returns. Aroma is upset with him for excessive frolicking with his cousins, putting him at a loss at what to do. He pretends to sleep and they argue further until he is summoned for lunch. He then refuses to use his normal maids, renaming Citronella 蕙香 ‘Number Four’ 四儿. Drunk, he writes a pastiche of Zhuangzi about his maids and cousins, and wakes up having forgotten his mood. By ignoring him, Aroma drives the lesson home. When he is out, Daiyu stumbles across his pastiche and composes a short poem.

Xifeng’s baby daughter is ill, and they prepare her room for prayers to the smallpox goddess, amongst other arrangements. This includes abstinence for the parents, frustrating Lian, who turns his attention to a chef’s wife known as the Mattress 多姑娘. Before long the smallpox clears and he returns to Xifeng with redoubled affection. Patience discovers a lock of the Mattress’ hair; Lian tries to grab it as Xifeng enters, so he entreats her not to tell. Xifeng presses Patience about his possessions, joking about his infidelity, but Patience says nothing about the hair. Lian snatches it back, making Patience angry; he responds by trying to grab her, but she refuses to yield. Lian is angry about Xifeng watching him while she talks to other men; Patience thinks Xifeng has every right to. Xifeng returns, Patience storms off, leaving affairs awkward.