Chapter 55

辱亲女愚妾争闲气

欺幼主刁奴蓄险心

Xifeng is bedridden, but continues planning things. Lady Wang is distraught, leaving all but the most important managerial matters to Li Wan (who is far too easy on the servants) and ropes in Tanchun to help. Xifeng is less robust than assumed though, and is soon relieved of all duties. Lady Wang talks to Baochai about the large number of idle ladies in the Garden. Xiangyun and Daiyu are ill; Li Wan and Tanchun are very busy dealing with the servants; Baochai, by virtue of a succession of events involving the extended family, is spending much time with Lady Wang. The three of them now have a thorough system of supervision in the Garden, annoying the servants. One day, it is reported to Tanchun that the brother of Mrs Zhao – her natural mother – has died. The messenger is being unhelpful, knowing that the maids will judge her on her reaction to this news. She sensibly decides to work on precedent, asking for recent similar cases; she mocks the messenger who can’t recall any. She then returns with accounts, and Tanchun subsequently awards Mrs Zhao twenty taels.

Not long after, Mrs Zhao storms in and, crying messily, accuses Tanchun of trampling on her. Tanchun explains, showing her the accounts, and they argue about face– Tanchun can’t be seen to be helping a servant, even if she is her mother. The volume of argument increases; Li Wan is unable to mediate, and Tanchun barely even knew the deceased. Patience arrives with a message from Xifeng – Mrs Zhao is to have twenty taels, but Tanchun is free to add more. Tanchun is crying, and washes, when someone else arrives with business and is chased away. Patience agrees that the servants wouldn’t be so difficult with Xifeng, and helps diffuse the situation. She agrees to stay – Xifeng had suspected that they might need help. Lunch arrives, and is wrong; Patience reproves the maids, telling them not to take advantage of Tanchun. They have been told to by Mrs Zhao. Ripple arrives to ask after Baoyu’s allowance; Patience tells her to go back before she can enter. Tanchun is looking to make an example of someone, and if it were Baoyu it would make things awkward. The servants are soon chattering amongst themselves not to cross Tanchun.

After lunch, Patience heads back to report to Xifeng, who is proud of Tanchun – it is hard to be a concubine’s daughter in a large household. She worries that, if they don’t economise, the household will soon be bankrupt, especially if large unexpected costs occur (the girls’ marriage costs are budgeted for); she is aware that everyone secretly hates her for her cuts. Xifeng muses on each of the cousins, and warns Patience not to stand up to Tanchun on her behalf – she thinks Tanchun is more formidable and less naïve that is thought. Patience laughs – she is doing that already, and teases Xifeng, who admonishes her for not calling her ‘madam’. They eat, and Patience returns to Tanchun.