博庭欢宝玉赞孤儿
正家法贾珍鞭悍仆
Faithful is calling; as Grandmother Jia’s 81st
birthday is approaching, she wants numerous copies of the Diamond and Heart
Sutras made, the Heart Sutras to be copied by family members. Xichun is happy
to do so, and invites Faithful for a quick tea. She returns to Grandmother
Jia’s, where a backgammon game is disturbed by Baoyu. He has brought crickets
for Lady Jia; Huan gave them to him for helping him out in class. She also asks
after Lan, and is moved to hear from Baoyu that he is doing well at school. Li
Wan is also moved, and tells Baoyu to look after him; she weeps as Huan and Lan
enter. Lady Jia praises Lan, and they all eat together.
The next day, Cousin Zhen goes over to Rongguo where
the farm bailiff has arrived. Not having time to check the inventory entries,
he trusts Zhou Rui; Bao Er appears and begs to be released. Sensing trouble, he
dismisses them both, before hearing that Bao Er has fought with an adopted son
of Zhou Rui, He San 何三. They are both apprehended, along with
Zhou Rui, and brought before Zhen and Jia Lian, who order lashings. This
incident becomes gossip fodder for the servants, reflecting badly on Zhen. With
the family supposedly flourishing thanks to Jia Zheng’s appointment, Xifeng is
anxious to avoid such incidents for fear of future mutiny, and tells Lian so.
Meanwhile, Jia Yun arrives and, after trying to steal a moment to flirt with
Crimson, he is shown in, whispering to Crimson as they walk together. Yun
presents himself formally to Xifeng, offering a gift, but she sees through his
act, knowing the state of his finances. He comes to the point, and asks for
jobs for a couple of friends with Zheng. Xifeng has no influence there, and
dismisses him and his presents. Qiaojie is brought in, and Yun makes her cry by
talking to her. Unable to amend it, he leaves, rebuffed and embarrassed, and
greatly resenting Xifeng. Leaving, he surreptitiously gives some of the
presents to Crimson, which she takes after initially rejecting. They part
looking forward to their next meeting, despite family politics. Xifeng,
meanwhile, is ordering some food when firstly Patience reports curious going
ons amongst the prioress’s women at Watermoon Priory (for which they need
pickles), then Crimson informs her that Lian won’t be home, and Patience tells
her about a maid who has seen a ghost. She dismisses such superstition, but
that night calls in Patience and Autumn having felt her flesh creep. Despite
trying to dismiss Autumn, they sleep alongside her till dawn. Spooked, Xifeng
struggles to get up the next day. A maid arrives from Lady Wang calling for Jia
Lian to attend to a visitor from the yamen; Xifeng catches her breath in alarm.
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