Chapter 36

Grandmother Jia declares that Baoyu is not to go if summoned by Jia Zheng, as he both needs rest and for astrological reasons. Baoyu is gratified, as he detests meeting scholars and visiting relations, and his recuperation period is largely spent playing in the garden with the maids and the girls, and all who try to remonstrate with him (which is all but Daiyu) give up.

绣鸳鸯梦兆绛芸轩

识分定情悟梨香院

Xifeng is receiving a large number of gifts from senior members of the domestic staff – they are all angling for their daughters to take Golden’s post. She lets the presents accumulate before talking to Lady Wang, who doesn’t need or want a new maid. But as the allowance is to be paid, she asks for it to go to Silver. They talk at length about the various maids’ pay, and cuts made by Accounts; in conclusion, Aroma is to stop being paid as one of Lady Jia’s maids, and is to be paid from Lady Wang’s allowance. They (including Aunt Xue) all admire Aroma, with Xifeng suggesting making her openly his chamber wife, rejected by Lady Wang. Xifeng leaves, and talks to some stewards’ wives. Her jocular tone leaves, and she rails aggressively (and swearily) against Lady Wang.

The rest of the group break up, and Baochai passes Green Delights on her way to see Xichun, and drops in. Baoyu is sleeping, Aroma watching over him, sewing a beautiful pinafore for him to wear, holding a fly whisk. Baochai admires it, and takes over. Daiyu has bumped into Xiangyun, and they drop in to see Aroma to congratulate her; Daiyu goggles at the domestic scene of Baoyu and Baochai, then giggles and shows Xiangyun before they leave to look for Aroma. Meanwhile, Baochai hears Baoyu cry angrily out in his sleep that he believes in the marriage of stone and flower. Aroma arrives back and is summoned by Xifeng; Baochai leaves too. When Aroma returns from her interview, Baoyu is awake, and she tells him of her unofficial promotion. She upsets him talking of leaving him, and despite her best efforts, the conversation turns to death; she is silent, and Baoyu laughs at her. He talks of scholarly and soldiers’ deaths, and of what he would consider a glorious death surrounded by the girls, before falling asleep.

The charms of the garden begin to weary Baoyu, and he goes to look for Charmante. She rejects him, saying that she is resting her voice. It transpires that Jia Qiang is out buying a bird for Charmante, and he returns to give it to her; Baoyu watches at the door with the girls. Charmante is unimpressed, unlike the others, and miserable at being locked up. Qiang frees the bird and stamps on the cage; Charmante cries to speak of her lot and illness. Baoyu is absorbed to understand the meaning of her ‘qiang’s, and slips away quietly. When he arrives back, he again speaks of death with a sigh. Daiyu changes the conversation to Aunt Xue’s birthday the next day; Baoyu says he won’t go, and Daiyu mocks him about the earlier domestic scene – he is disgusted to hear of it, and will go to the party. Xiangyun arrives to say goodbye, and Baochai soon to see her off with Daiyu and Baoyu. They assure her that they will remind Lady Jia of her so that she can return.