Chapter 106

王熙凤致祸抱羞惭

贾太君祷天消祸患

When Lady Jia comes round, Zheng comforts her in her great distress, when a message arrives from the Palace – Zheng is restored to his position and only She’s property is confiscated. The illegal promissory notes are to be investigated separately, and Lian is deprived of position and rank. Officials arrive to proclaim and enact the edict. Lian, whose property has been ransacked, father imprisoned and wife ill, is berated for usury by Zheng; he denies all knowledge and suggests summoning the stewards. He is dismissed by Zheng, who ruminates on the family’s misfortunes before a succession of friends and relations offers their sympathies. Although one does suggest that Zheng’s reputation with the Emperor is tarnished. A message arrives from Sun Shaozu that he expects the Jias to discharge She’s debts. Zheng’s friends are contemptuous, and suggest that Zheng will require the prince’s intervention to prevent total ruin. That night he broods on affairs, blaming Xifeng and Lian for the usury but choosing not to punish her due to her illness and losses from the raid. The next morning he visits the Emperor and princes and other friends to enlist support.

Lian returns home despondently and joins Patience at Xifeng’s bedside. He rejects Patience’s appeal for a doctor, upsetting her; but when he leaves, Xifeng tells Patience she wishes she could die – she knows she is blamed for the troubles and feels the lowest of the low. Lady Jia, now recovered, organises for support for Xifeng and the other distressed women, but they cannot find any money to cover the imprisoned men’s expenses – all are penniless and deeply in debt, so Lian secretly sells land from the country estates. Some servants exploit this by borrowing against their rent.

Lady Jia orders for incense to be lit before every Buddha and prays, breaking down in tears. She then wails and weeps with Baoyu, Baochai and Lady Wang, each contemplating their own plight and that of those around them. Word reaches Zheng in his study, and he reproaches them for not trying to cheer Lady Jia up. A messenger arrives with regards from the Shi household, and brings news that Xiangyun is soon to be married to a nice gentle man, who resembles Baoyu; Grandmother Jia remembers Xiangyun fondly and looks forward to her visiting. Baoyu is tearful to think of her marriage. Zheng, meanwhile, goes through a register of 212 servants with Lai Da before interrogating some and going through the ledgers, none of which balance – the weighty evidence of recklessness and mismanagement is a shock to him, and it is too late to start economising. He shouts at servants who try to console him. He asks in particular about Bao Er, who spread the malicious rumours but is not on the register – he had been employed at Ningguo, and there are many others not on the register, such as servants’ servants. He sets about deciding on a solution and waiting to find out She and Zhen’s sentences. A day or so later he is summoned to court.