Chapter 80

美香菱屈受贪夫棒

王道士胡诌妒妇方

Jingui reacts to Caltrop’s defence of Baochai with scorn. They discuss the merits of various floral names, and in the discussion Caltrop refers to cassias, incurring Jingui’s wrath. She apologises, but Jingui appears magnanimous. She proposes changing Caltrop’s name to ‘Lily’, which she agrees to, and which Baochai doesn’t mind. Pan, meanwhile, has taken a fancy to Jingui’s maid Moonbeam 宝蟾. Jingui allows this, as he will cool about Caltrop and she can get rid of her. After catching him flirting, she allows him Moonbeam – he is very grateful indeed. However, she sets up Caltrop – who, puzzled by Jingui, is easily malleable - to burst in on Pan and Moonbeam in flagrante. Caltrop is embarrassed, Pan unconcerned, but Moonbeam is upset and calls out that Pan is trying to rape her. Pan is furious with Caltrop, who runs away. That night, when he is drunk, he kicks Caltrop as his bath is too hot. Jingui continues to play with the others; she constantly calls on Caltrop to wait on her, and while Pan is busy with Moonbeam, gradually lays a trap for her. She feigns illness, and plants a voodoo-style doll under her pillow. An enraged Pan rushes to find Caltrop and beats her. While Aunt Xue tries to calm him, Jingui manipulates and inflames him. Aunt Xue is disgusted by this. She lambasts Pan and suggests that they sell Caltrop; he is silent, but Jingui shouts back at her, provoking further argument with Pan, who is besides himself. Baochai is trying to persuade Aunt Xue not to sell Caltrop, which would bring ridicule on the family, but Aunt Xue worries that it will provoke Jingui further. She relents, but Caltrop is not allowed into the front part of the house, spending all her time with Baochai. As well as apparently being barren, the emotional and physical trauma soon makes her very ill; she does not respond to medicine. Pan, Moonbeam and Jingui continue to argue violently, often wielding weapons and threatening suicide. Pan is helpless, but Baochai and Aunt Xue do not dare intervene.

When Baoyu is better, he visits Jingui, who seems harmless. He hears that Yingchun is constantly in tears thanks to Sun Shaozu. He travels to a Temple to make offerings, having fully recovered. He goes sightseeing round the Temple precincts, which soon tires him out, and receives the hospitality of Father Wang 王道士, known in the household as One Plaster Wang for his panaceas. He amuses Baoyu and his retinue, telling jokes and talking about his plasters. He offends Tealeaf by guessing that Baoyu is looking for medicinal help in the bedroom. He does admit, though, that they cannot cure a woman of jealousy, but suggests an infusion which might do so in the long term, by which he means that she will eventually die and no longer be jealous, which amuses Baoyu and Tealeaf. He goes on to admit that even his plasters are just tomfoolery. Baoyu goes to make the sacrifice, and leaves. Yingchun is back visiting the house, giving a tearful account of her matrimonial troubles. Shaozu is a womanising, gambling, drinking libertine. Lady Wang is distressed but tries to comfort her. She asks to stay in her old Garden apartment, and Baoyu is sworn to secrecy about the affair – Lady Jia must not know. After a few days in the Garden and a few days with Lady Xing (who does not enquire once about the state of her marriage), she returns unwillingly to her new home.