Chapter 110

史太君寿终归地府

王凤姐力诎失人心

Lady Jia addresses the assembled people, and Baoyu, Lan and Xifeng personally, then asks after the absent Xiangyun. She turns to Baochai next, but dies before Zheng can reach her. The ladies arrange her; kneel by the bed, the men kneel in the outer room and the servants enact the arrangements. Friends, relatives and the Emperor are notified (the Emperor authorises money and official reverence for her) and an auspicious day is chosen for the funeral. Each has their own role: Xifeng is orchestrating the ladies’ reception, which she sees as a chance to earn credit. She is dismayed, however, to see the shortage in staff. Faithful asks for her; she tearfully begs that no expense be spared in giving Lady Jia a deserved extravagant farewell, offering suggestions for sourcing more funds. Xifeng finds her manner strange; she reassures her, but resolves to stick to the book. She does tell Lian, who explains that Zheng had proposed the funeral be seen to be appropriately modest, but the rest of the funeral funds are spent on land and buildings where she will be buried in the South. There are, however, no funds immediately available to them yet. A maid interrupts them – the service at the ladies’ reception is extremely poor. Xifeng has to borrow an old service set; Faithful wonders why the capable Xifeng is bungling the reception. In fact, Lady Xing, not Lian, has control over the funds and she has not issued them yet. Despite this, Lady Xing and Lady Wang criticise her efforts. Xifeng is speechless, and chooses to rebuke the staff, explaining that she is being blamed for their failings. The staff, in turn, complain that too much is being asked of them, and Xifeng explains that she is in no position to scold the maids, unlike at the Ningguo funeral; she feels bitterly wronged and implores them to do the best they can. The next day’s funeral ritual is conducted perfunctorily, and Xifeng is mortified that the reception is a shambles – she cannot control the servants. Of the ladies, only Li Wan shows sympathy, and she speaks to her servants, telling them to lend a hand. Lan enters as he is going to bed, impressing the servants with his keenness to study, particularly when compared to the immature Baoyu. They gossip about Huan. Wan asks about carriages for the next day’s procession, she sighs to hear that they will have to hire them.

Her husband’s disease having being diagnosed as consumption, Xiangyun is able to join the funeral, her grief exacerbated by her husband’s condition. Baoyu admires how she and the other girls look in their plain mourning clothes. He thinks of Daiyu and weeps unrestrainedly. At the wake the next day, Xifeng is utterly exhausted, and is about to break when a young maid brings a rebuke from Lady Xing. She struggles to control her indignation, but sees black and collapses, vomiting large quantities of blood. Patience hurries to support her.