Chapter 1116

得通灵幻境悟仙缘

送慈柩故乡全孝道

Lady Wang is unable to wake Baoyu, and finds the monk has vanished. Baoyu’s spirit has left his body and joined the monk; passing the figure of You Sanjie, they float towards a monumental archway marked ‘The Paradise of Truth’. After chasing the vanishing figure of Faithful, he realises he’s not in the Garden – it’s the site of his childhood dream. He enters a building out of curiosity, and picks up the register of the twelve beauties of Jinling, and quickly works out the references to Daiyu and Baochai before working through the rest. He wants to copy out the poems, but can’t find a brush or ink. A picture in a supplementary register causes him to cry, before Faithful reappears, calling him to see Daiyu. He follows her into a new vista of tall buildings, where he loses himself looking at a plant and talking to its minder, a Flower Fairy, who tells him the history of the flower, the Crimson Pearl Flower, which had descended into the world of men to repay its debt of tears. The Fairy says that her mistress is the River Queen, but threatens Baoyu for thinking that she is Daiyu. Addressing him as a divine page, someone resembling Skybright chases after him to bring him to Daiyu; he tries to escape but is threatened with a sword by Sanjie. He is taken to the River Queen’s palace, and is ushered in by ladies-in-waiting; the Queen resembles Daiyu, but he is quickly forced out after calling her ‘cousin’. He is delighted to see Xifeng, but on closer inspection it is Keqing; in a daze, he bursts into tears as guards in yellow turbans chase after him. He runs after several other visions of cousins, who turn into ghouls and chase him too. Suddenly the monk reappears, the monsters vanish and they are back in wilderness. The monk mocks Baoyu: he has read the registers but still doesn’t understand. The monk tells him to ponder on his experience – he will explain further when they meet again – before giving him a shove, and Baoyu finds himself back with his family, who are all in tears. He is pleased to find he can remember every detail of his dream.

Zheng sends for a doctor and Baoyu is given some soup. Baochai wonders where the monk could have found the jade, suspecting that he took it in the first place. Lady Wang muses on Baoyu’s strange relationship with the jade. Xichun, remembering words of Adamantina, offers a Buddhist interpretation, which Baoyu and Youshi sniff at; Xichun reaffirms her desire to become a nun. The conversation triggers a flash of recognition in Baoyu, remembering what he read in the registers.

With Baoyu improved, Zheng is anxious to arrange the interment of Lady Jia’s coffin, along with Xifeng and Daiyu, in the South. He discusses the ways and means with Lian, given their financial straits. He selects a day to leave, and before going reminds Lian that the civil service examinations are coming up and Lan and Baoyu can restore some family pride; Lady Wang begins to apply more pressure on Baoyu. While Baoyu is improving outwardly, he is undergoing a deep inner change, rejecting love along with worldly success. Nightingale notices this, and is upset at his indifference when Daiyu’s coffin leaves. She scoffs when Fivey complains to her that Baoyu is unkind to her. Someone shouts that the monk has returned and is demanding his payment, and Lady Wang wants Baochai to help.