Chapter 51

薛小妹新编怀古诗

胡庸医乱用虎狼药

All but Baochai are extremely impressed by Baoqin’s riddles – she questions the historicism of the final two, and the others chide her for being petty. Li Wan points out the falseness of many historical locations and muses on the nature of history and legend, which silences Baochai. None can correctly answer the riddles.

The days are now short, and they quickly retire to eat. Aroma’s brother Hua Zifang has arrived – her mother is ill and wants to see her. Xifeng sends Zhou Rui’s wife to accompany her, and inspects her dress and appearance – she doesn’t feel Aroma’s jacket is appropriate, and orders Patience to fetch another before they leave.

Skybright and Musk are now in charge at Baoyu’s. Word comes that Aroma’s mother has already died, and the maids gather Aroma’s things to send on to her. They bicker gently over using the clothes warmer, and then in the night when Baoyu calls out for Aroma in his sleep, waking Skybright. Musk heads out in the cold night, and Skybright follows to give her a scare; Baoyu shouts out, warning Musk, for fear that they might catch cold or wake others, and Skybright returns to bed. Musk returns (having been startled by a pheasant) and Skybright sneezes, but denies that she has caught a cold. Next morning, however, she is very ill; Baoyu doesn’t want her sent home, so just tells Li Wan and calls a doctor. Li Wan however thinks she should go home, angering Skybright. The doctor arrives, and won’t continue the inspection until Skybright (already behind a curtain) covers up her painted fingernails. He diagnoses mild grippe. Before he leaves the house, an old woman takes a copy of the prescription from him to show Baoyu; the doctor assumes the room to have been a young lady’s, so is surprised. Baoyu is appalled at the prescription – it is more appropriate for a man – and he wants to order another doctor, but they would need money. He tells Musk to take some of Aroma’s, and Tealeaf is sent to fetch Dr Wang. His diagnosis is similar, but prescription more appropriate. Baoyu and Musk discuss his constitution in comparison with the girls’, comparing them with trees. He wants the medicine made up in his room, as he loves the smell of boiling herbs. He goes to see Grandmother Jia, where Xifeng proposes that the cousins have their meals in the garden now that the days are shorter. It would require a new kitchen, but Xifeng feels it can be accommodated, and that it is important to stop the girls catching colds.