Chapter 69

弄小巧用借剑杀人

觉大限吞生金自逝

Erjie and Youshi accompany Xifeng to the inner mansion, where Erjie is introduced to Grandmother Jia and the cousins; Grandmother Jia approves, providing that they don’t sleep together till next year. Lady Wang is also delighted with the proposition. Zhang Hua is apprehensive about claiming Erjie and after initially being sentenced to flogging, he does so and the court finds in his favour. When they go to Rongguo to claim her, Xifeng feigns alarm to Grandmother Jia. All are concerned, but thinking that Lian has not slept with her, the damage should be limited. Cousin Zhen negotiates with the Zhangs to leave for more money, which they do; Xifeng is not put out by this, and summons Brightie to arrange Zhang Hua’s death. He has misgivings and, after going into hiding, reports his death to an unbelieving Xifeng, who lets the matter drop. She remains extremely affable to Erjie.

Lian returns from his mission, and doesn’t find Erjie in her room – the story is explained to him before he meets a surprisingly pleasant Xifeng. He marvels at the change in her and feels he has one up on her – he has also been given Autumn 秋桐 as a concubine, who treats Patience, Xifeng and Erjie with scant respect. Xifeng feigns sympathetic illness after telling Erjie that some in the household dislike her, while Patience is rebuked for eating with her and Baoyu and the cousins try to console her. Lian is completely taken in, but spends all his time with Autumn and his feelings for Erjie cool. Xifeng provokes them against each other, and Autumn persuades Grandmother Jia that the tearful Erjie is jealous and poorly bred. Only Patience supports her now; she falls progressively more ill, and sees Sanjie in a dream, telling her to kill the duplicitous Xifeng. She tells Lian that she his pregnant; the summoned doctor disagrees. The medicine he prescribes then causes a miscarriage – the foetus is male. The doctor flees, and a second doctor is pessimistic about her condition – she will only survive without emotional upset. Lian is furious, and Xifeng exhibits great distress and concern for Erjie. Seeing Lian occupied with helping Erjie, Autumn is seething jealousy, exacerbated when she is asked to leave due to an astral reading. Autumn complains to Lady Xing, who rebukes Xifeng and Lian. Autumn stands outside Erjie’s window and shouts abuse. That night, Patience goes to comfort her, and they weep together. After Patience leaves, she poisons herself by swallowing gold. The next morning the maids don’t look in on her until Patience rebukes their lack of sympathy – they scream and are moved to tears, along with Lian and (apparently) Xifeng. Lian sets about his duties – she is carried to Pear Tree Court and he arranges her funeral with a geomancer. Xifeng, who makes an excuse for not going into mourning, eavesdrops on the arrangements. She reports to Lady Jia, and they agree that the arrangements are excessive. She refuses to give Lian money, and he is forced to rifle through Erjie’s possessions for cash. He feels there’s something suspicious and weeps from anguish; Patience tells him not to make an exhibition of himself. He acquires timber for the coffin, order servants to keep vigil by Erjie and spends each night in Pear Tree Court before being summoned by Grandmother Jia.