Chapter 117

阻超凡佳人双护玉

欣聚党恶子独承家

Baoyu rushes out to find the monk and invites him in, noticing the resemblance with the guide in his dream, despite his ragged appearance and desire for money. Baoyu asks if he has been to the Land of Illusion, which is met with derision – Baoyu doesn’t even know the provenance of his own jade. He decides to give the monk the jade back; he runs back to get it, but is stopped by Aroma, who sends word to Lady Wang. Nightingale joins her in restraining him. Accepting defeat, he tries a new line when his mother arrives; despite his new suggestion, Baochai takes the jade from him and tells the maids to let him free. Wryly, he suggests to Aroma that he go off with the monk instead, which upsets Aroma. She tells Baochai and Lady Wang what happened in full, and servants are despatched to watch him. They soon hear that he has offered himself to the monk in place of the jade, which is rejected, and that they have been talking about Greensickness Peak and ‘severing earthly ties’, which makes no sense to anyone. Baoyu enters, announcing that he has come to an understanding with the monk, who has left. Tealeaf verifies this. Baoyu explains enigmatically that he is to visit the monk whenever he can; he distresses Baochai and Lady Wang, who fear that he will become a monk, although he insists he is joking. Lian arrives – he has received a letter from Zheng, who has fallen seriously ill with pneumonia, and he must leave for the South at once. He is very upset to leave Qiaojie, and begs Lady Wang histrionically to look after her; he gives her permission to deal with any marriage offers that may come in for her. He is also concerned about the upkeep of the Garden and the remaining inhabitants of the Hermitage. Lady Wang is anxious that Xichun does not get any ideas, but Lian, considering her position, feels that perhaps she ought to become a nun. Lian leaves, and Qiaojie is upset to see him go.

Yun and Qiang are left in charge, but neglect their duties; with the best servants away, they soon become the centre of a degenerate gambling ring. They discuss inviting Baoyu, but decide against it. Baoyu, meanwhile, is putting up a pretence of normality, but has set himself on severing his ties with the unbearably mundane world. Baoyu gets close to Xichun, while Huan gets involved with Yun; both succeed in alienating those around them. At one of their orgies, Qiang suggests a couple of drinking games, which turns into a liberal bout of abusing Lady Xing and Xifeng, and thence to Qiaojie. Wang Ren is taken when a girl mentions a Mongol prince looking for a concubine. Two of the stewards’ sons report seeing Jia Yucun bound in chains at the Palace, accused of avarice and extortion. They also relay reports of actions against criminals; a man who is probably Adamantina’s abductor has been executed after killing her. Meanwhile, Xichun has had another row with Youshi; she has cut off all her hair and begged Ladies Xing and Wang to consent to her wish, and Yun and Qiang are called for, but they try to avoid any responsibility. Eventually, Youshi compromises, on condition that Xichun stays in the household. Qiang writes to Lian explaining what has happened.