Chapter 96

瞒消息凤姐设奇谋

泄机关颦儿迷本性

The man grovels to the furious Lian before Lai Da dismisses him. Zheng is told nothing of the incident. Soon after, Xifeng reports to Lady Wang that Wang Ziteng has died en route to the capital. Lian confirms that he died after taking quack medicine for a cold. Lady Wang is extremely upset, and asks Lian to help with the funeral. Zheng, already despondent at Baoyu’s state, responds with gloom to the news, and he does not want to celebrate a promotion which will take him away from the household. He is called to Lady Jia, who is upset that he is leaving and she will have only the deranged Baoyu to look after her. She has had his fortune told, and wants to expedite the marriage as a result. He is also concerned for his own lineage, and despite the mourning period for Yuanchun and Pan’s prison sentence, Lady Jia decides to hold a low key wedding before Zheng’s departure to help his health; she also hopes it will draw the jade back. Zheng has grave doubts, but cannot go against her and she sets about the arrangements.

Baoyu and his maids were present at that meeting, and while he did not hear anything, Aroma is at first glad both to know the truth and that he is to marry Baochai, but his secret feelings for Daiyu and potential reaction sets her brooding. She takes Lady Wang aside and reveals her concerns. Lady Wang has deduced the same and brings it up with Lady Jia later. Lady Jia sighs – it is in insoluble problem. Xifeng, however, is also present, and proposes a plan: the first part is that they tell him that he is to marry Daiyu and gauge his reaction; the second part she whispers in the others’ ears. Lian returns, and Xifeng intercepts him before he can reveal Ziteng’s death to Lady Jia. He tells Lady Wang of the funeral arrangements and his posthumous promotion.

A few days later, Daiyu is walking to Grandmother Jia’s when she overhears sobbing at the place where she once buried the flowers. It is a maid, Simple, who tells Daiyu that her sister struck her for talking about Baoyu and Baochai’s wedding. Daiyu calms herself before the maid talks more about the arrangements. After she mentions their plans to find Daiyu a husband she is speechless with horror, but Simple carries on narrating the injustice done to her. She wanders aimlessly in her distress, and is found by Nightingale, to whom it is obvious that she is utterly confused. She guides her to Grandmother Jia’s nonetheless, where Daiyu goes into Baoyu’s room. They just stare at each other like halfwits until she asks him why he is sick. He says that it is because of Miss Lin; the maids are pale with fright and Nightingale and Ripple lift her to her feet and take her out. Nightingale guides her home, and they are nearly back when Daiyu stumbles, blood gushing from her mouth.