Chapter 89

人亡物在公子填词

蛇影杯弓颦卿绝粒

Lian has been called on a Ministry affair – Xifeng is reassured, and tells the maid he has not yet returned from business. Zhen receives the Ministry visitor; there is a serious flood in Henan. This requires Zheng’s great attention throughout the winter, which in turn allows Baoyu a less intensive period of study. One day at school, when it is particularly cold, Tealeaf brings him the Peacock Gold snowcape, which Skybright had mended; he is persuaded to wear it, with great reluctance. After school he pleads illness and is exempted the next day’s attendance; Dairu has grown more lenient with age. Back at home, he refuses to eat, and Aroma has to persuade him to remove the cape, which he carefully folds. Dejected, he has an early night, but doesn’t sleep till near dawn, waking half an hour later. The next day it is too cold to go out; he settles in with some soup and a brazier, and has his writing things laid out in Skybright’s old room. He invites Musk and Aroma to eat with him before moving to Skybright’s. He writes her a prayer and an ode, which he then burns. Feeling better, he goes out into the Garden. He goes in to see Daiyu, pausing to admire a pair of calligraphic scrolls by her doorway. She is copying out the sutra; while she works he also admires a newly hung painting of Chang E. Daiyu reminds him of the allusion in the title. When she finishes a section of the sutra, they talk, firstly about the Qin. Baoyu mentions hearing her chant her poem; she responds fairly brusquely, and after some silence he leaves to see Tanchun.

With him gone, Daiyu sits brooding on his recent curious behaviour. Snowgoose, meanwhile, has heard from Scribe that Baoyu is engaged, and tells Nightingale. Hearing Daiyu cough, they whisper about it; Nightingale is surprised that it has not been mentioned. Snowgoose says she is sworn to secrecy, but that it is Lady Jia’s idea so as not to distract Baoyu from his studies. After a misunderstanding, each believes that Daiyu has overheard them; she was eavesdropping, and had understood their meaning. Overwhelmed by grief, she resolves to die before feigning sleep – what is life worth without Baoyu? The two maids continue to discuss the news and whether Daiyu has heard. The next morning Daiyu wakes early and weeps through her toilet. She asks Nightingale to light her some incense; Nightingale protests that work will exhaust her, but she insists. Nightingale weeps too. Daiyu resolves to destroy her health deliberately; she loses her appetite and begins to waste away. Baoyu continues to visit, but they become estranged in the extremity of love. Doctors are called for her, but the cause is put down merely to her constitution. Soon she can barely eat, refuses to take her medicine and sees signs of the marriage everywhere; Baochai’s absence confirms her suspicions. Her life soon hangs by a thread.