Chapter 115

惑偏私惜春矢素志

证同类宝玉失相知

Zheng summons Baoyu, advising him to resume his studies. He and Baochai are then visited by two nuns paying respects. They soon proceed to Xichun’s, who hasn’t eaten for days. They talk about Adamantina, who the nuns had thought a bit strange, and about karma, to which Xichun is very receptive. She tells them of her desire to become a nun; they goad her, attracting her anger, and leave. Landscape, unable to dissuade her, reports to Youshi and Ladies Xing and Wang about Xichun’s desire; Youshi thinks she’s using it as leverage, and the Ladies are also unable to talk her out of it.

Zhen Baoyu is announced, and Lady Wang entertains Lady Zhen while Zheng meets him. Zheng, impressed by Zhen Baoyu’s abilities, calls for his sons. Zheng leaves them together; the Baoyus are both fascinated by each other but Huan and Lan’s presence forces formality on them, and they lavish each other with formal praise while reflecting on their first impressions of their counterpart’s character. The conversation is awkward; Lan is priggish towards Zhen Baoyu, while he in turn is very earnest, irritating Baoyu. They are called to join the women; each mother is very warm to the other Baoyu, and the maids come to take a look at them. Lady Wang consents to act as a matchmaker for Zhen Baoyu, suggesting Li Wan’s cousins; the boys promptly remove themselves, but before long Zhen Baoyu is called to leave and they part. Baoyu is sorely disappointed, realising that, after having looked forward to their meet, they are polar opposites. He complains to Baochai about him; she responds with a diatribe and he suffers a quiet relapse.

Lady Wang tells Zheng about Xichun; he orders Youshi to dissuade her, which elicits more suicide threats. Youshi sees the force of her argument. She finds Lady Wang upbraiding Aroma, having discovered about Baoyu’s relapse. Overhearing the scolding brings Baoyu round, and Lady Wang sends for a doctor on his advice. He soon suffers a major deterioration, missing the service ending mourning for Lady Jia. When the family return and see his condition they begin to make funeral arrangements. A monk arrives at the door claiming to have Baoyu’s jade and asking for money. They want to send him away, but Zheng decides to invite him in in the hope that it might cure Baoyu. In the confusion, the ladies are unable to withdraw in time as the monk hurries in to Baoyu. They are too shocked to judge the authenticity of the jade and to give him the money he asks for, but Baoyu shows immediate recovery when presented with the jade. All are greatly relieved; the monk is presented to Zheng; he ignores Zheng’s questions and demands payment. Zheng leaves to see Baoyu; Lady Wang suggests pawning everything, but Baoyu and Zheng find it strange that he wants money at all. Baoyu starts eating with some gusto; Musk makes an excited reference to her delight that Baoyu had not smashed the jade, which throws him back into a slump.

Chapter 112

The women are sent away. Xichun is distraught that it should have happened under her watch, but Xifeng insists that they are all to blame. They hear Bao Yong shouting, accusing Adamantina of having let the burglars in. Xichun is distressed to think of the consequences for her, leading Xifeng to worry about Xichun. The gang hear that He San was killed and the police notified and plan to make for the coast. One of them, however, still has his eye on Adamantina and decides to join up with them later.

活冤孽妙姑遭大劫

死雠仇赵妾赴冥曹

At the temple, the morning after the cortege arrives, Yun bursts in and tells Zheng about the burglary. He is shocked and calls for Lian, who curses at Yun in agitation. Zheng explains that they can only hope the police catch the thieves, and that making an inventory will be tricky after the confiscation. He sends Lian back to Rongguo, where he learns about He San, inflaming his fury. He sends for Bao Yong and praises him, while servants search Grandmother Jia’s apartment and Lian broods – they haven’t the money to pay for the funeral. Lady Jia’s maids are distressed by the destruction, but are able to concoct an inventory. Lian heads back to the temple.

That night, the burglar scales the garden wall and heads for the Hermitage where Adamantina is meditating, releasing some narcotic incense. She is panicked at first before surrendering herself groggily; he picks her up and smuggles her out to a cart and they head for the coast. In the morning, the nuns are distressed to find her gone. They find the rope ladder, but still think she might be at Xichun’s; Bao Yong reluctantly lets them in. Xichun is still brooding about Adamantina, envying her freedom and regretting the girls’ fates, and she starts cutting her hair off. The maids find her too late, just as the Hermitage women enter. They explain what has happened; Xichun is distressed and puzzled by Adamantina’s actions. The women leave, agreeing to keep quiet.

After Lian reports back, Zheng and Lady Wang both decide to leave the temple early. They are about to leave when they notice Aunt Zhao still kneeling, foaming at the mouth and babbling in distress, saying she wants to stay with Lady Jia. The maids believe she is possessed by Faithful, before she starts claiming to have been sent for by King Yama of the underworld and pleading for forgiveness from Xifeng. They leave anyway while she continues to rave deliriously; Baochai asks Aunt Zhou to stay behind with Huan to look after her. Arriving at Rongguo, only Xichun is able to welcome them, as Xifeng is too ill; Youshi makes a barbed comment to her. The next morning Steward Lin gives Zheng a full account. Lin mentions that Bao Er has been arrested – he had some of the stolen items in his possession. Zheng also orders for Zhou Rui to be sent to the authorities. After being presented with a funeral bill, Lian suggests fining the servants to help pay; Zheng forbids it. He sighs to think of the family’s misfortunes and Xifeng’s health, and orders a doctor for Aunt Zhao.

Chapter 111

鸳鸯女殉主登太虚

狗彘奴欺天招伙盗

Patience escorts Xifeng to her room, where she sleeps. Lady Xing suspects her of malingering, and her absence leads to almost complete chaos. Later in the evening, Faithful wails to think of Lady Jia, and is then absent at the wake ritual. With the cortege about to leave, Zheng and Lian discuss who should remain behind to mind the house. Faithful, wandering alone, broods on her bleak future and wishes to die. Entering Lady Jia’s apartment, she sees the spectre of a hanging woman, and deduces that it Rong’s first wife Keqing showing her how to kill herself. He resolve fixed, she loops a sash round a beam and quickly hangs herself. Her wandering soul addresses the spectre, who introduces herself as Disenchantment’s sister Keqing, and explains her role in the Tribunal of Love, and about the natural state of love. Faithful’s soul nods understanding and follows her. Amber and Pearl, looking for Faithful on Lady Wang and Lady Xing’s orders, are horrified to find her body, as are the household ladies when they hear the news. Baoyu is dumbfounded before wailing, thinking only of the nobility of her death, which soon comforts him. Zheng also commends Faithful, before ordering a coffin to travel with her mistress. The maids all weep; Nightingale in particular wishes she had done the same after Daiyu’s death. Faithful’s sister-in-law is summoned and given an allowance; she is rather pleased. For her Confucian loyalty, Zheng affords her coffin particular honour. Baoyu is delighted and kowtows to her, Lady Xing tries to stop the others from doing the same, but Baochai does, dividing opinion amongst the assembled crowd. The cortege leaves for the temple at seven the next morning; Xifeng and Xichun stay behind, Zheng heads the procession.

Following Grandmother Jia’s death, He San thinks he might be able to find a job at Rongguo again, but it is futile. He tells his friends that, contrary to what they’ve heard, the Jias have lots of money, but are just not spending it. A friend suggests robbing them while they are at the funeral. He thinks it’s a crazy idea at first; they talk a while before parting. Bao Yong has not been assigned any tasks during the funeral, and is living independently. Adamantina is furious when he offends her, not letting her into the household; she eventually enters and visits Xichun, playing Go until the early hours. They are just retiring when the night watch cry that intruders have entered. They have robbed Lady Jia’s apartment, and are escaping on the roof; the night watch are frozen to the spot as Bao Yong, club in hand, vaults onto the roof in pursuit. The thieves had been in Xichun’s courtyard, distracted by the meditating Adamantina before fleeing. They confront Bao Yong on the roof with swords; he knocks one off before a melee ensures. The thieves flee, leaving some chests behind – on inspection, they are empty. Jia Yun and Steward Lin go round the apartments, berating the night watch. At Xichun’s they are told of Bao Yong’s heroics. He takes them to the body he knocked from the roof – it is He San’s, all are taken aback. The police arrive, finding no evidence that the burglers were armed. All gather at Lady Jia’s, but they are unable to provide the police an inventory of the stolen goods without Faithful – everything has been taken. Xifeng is livid, assuming the night watch were complicit, and orders them to be tied up and handed over to the police; the women all beg for mercy.

Chapter 109

Baochai reacts to Aroma’s account by talking directly about Daiyu becoming a fairy within Baoyu’s earshot. Baoyu is led to reflect that she hasn’t yet appeared to him in a dream, and he decides to sleep in the outer room. He does not dream of her, and is embarrassed when Baochai – who hasn’t slept all night - hears him sighing about her in the morning. They are called to Lady Jia’s; Baochai goes first and lies when asked about Baoyu’s night. Yingchun bids them farewell, trying to contain her grief. Aunt Xue asks Baochai for approval to go ahead with Ke’s wedding; she agrees.

候芳魂五儿承错爱

还孽债迎女返真元

Baoyu ponders Daiyu’s failure to appear, and concludes that he is too impatient. He decides to sleep outside again; Baochai chooses not to object. Aroma does, however, and Musk and Fivey are to wait on him. Baoyu sits up meditating, having sent the others to bed; the situation makes him think of the night Skybright caught the cold that eventually killed her. He calls for Musk; Fivey responds and brings him tea. Romantic feelings overcome them both, although he is transferring his feelings for Skybright onto her. He asks her about Skybright and holds her hand; she cannot discern his intentions. They talk together a while - he is sincere, she prudish and feeling in a dilemma – when they hear a sudden noise outside, which also wakes Baochai, who starts coughing, and they part. Baoyu is certain that the noise was Daiyu; Fivey, meanwhile, is left with a guilty conscience, and suspects that Musk overheard them. Baoyu has a good night’s sleep despite not dreaming of Daiyu, he and Fivey are awkward discussing this, while Baochai is left pensive – she realises that she has to win him over herself.

Grandmother Jia decides to fast, having eaten too much during the party. The next evening, Baoyu is embarrassed to think of the previous night, and although Fivey defends his deep sleep, he meekly goes along with Aroma’s orders to move his bed back into the inner room. He and Baochai are brought together emotionally by the situation; that night, the marriage is consummated and she conceives a child. The next morning, Lady Jia gives Baoyu a jade ring, a family heirloom. She is still ill from eating and a doctor is called; there is no sign of improvement, however. Zheng and Lian search for other doctors, while the ladies all wait attendance on her. Adamantina arrives and consoles her, before catching up with the others. Lady Jia continues to deteriorate, despite the treatment; Zheng is concerned and takes leave from work to be with her. One day an old woman arrives with news that Yingchun is seriously ill; Lady Jia overhears and is very distressed. News soon arrives that Yingchun has died, Aunt Xing is distraught, but no one dares tell Lady Jia. None is able to leave Lady Jia, and Yingchun is given a makeshift funeral. Despite her condition, Lady Jia continues to ask after the young family members; Xiangyun is distraught after her husband has fallen ill, but Lady Jia is not told. With Lady Jia deteriorating, Zheng orders Lian to make sure everything is prepared for a funeral – she has made provision for the expense. Lian also finds Xifeng too weak to dress herself when he comes to take her to Lady Jia’s. All gather round Lady Jia prepared for the worst; the Imperial Physician arrives. She asks for a proper cup of tea and announces that she wishes to sit up and chat.

Chapter 95

因讹成实元妃薨逝

以假混真宝玉疯癫

Tealeaf has run round the pawnshops and found two jades that match the description; Baoyu wants to get him enough money to buy them both, but Aroma jeers that every pawnshop is likely to have one. Xiuyan returns; after some persuasion, Adamantina has relented and performed a séance for her, which revealed that the jade disappeared without trace, returning to Greensickness Peak. They interpret that it will be found when they are not looking for it, but do not understand ‘Greensickness Peak’; Aroma takes it literally and searches the Garden again. It is late and the gathering disperses.

Daiyu considers that the lost jade is a sign that she has broken the bond of gold and jade, bringing her peace of mind which fluctuates as she tries to interpret the crab trees as well. Investigations continue for several days, although neither Lady Jia nor Zheng find out. Baoyu becomes listless and morose. Lian brings news to Lady Wang that Wang Ziteng has been promoted to a post in the capital, which delights and distracts her until Zheng, a few days later, announces that Yuanchun has been taken seriously ill. Lady Wang tells Grandmother Jia, and they set out for the Palace. Yuanchun has developed a chronic bronchial condition, exacerbated by a cold, and is unable to swallow medicine or speak; Lady Wang and Lady Jia are distraught by her appearance, but maintain court formalities. It is soon announced that she has died, in line with her fortune reading. The family return to Rongguo, where all are soon kept extremely busy with the funeral and Wang Ziteng’s arrival. Baoyu, without rank, does not attend the funeral and is left to his own idleness again, but he just sits around and mopes. A concerned Aroma gets Nightingale to persuade Daiyu to talk to him but, believing herself his future bride, she refuses to go to him; Tanchun is also too gloomy to help. Baochai, meanwhile, has been told of her betrothal, accepting in a filial fashion, so Baoyu’s name is a taboo so she is unable to help when she hears about the missing jade, although Aunt Xue does enquire after it. Aroma and Musk are anguished by Baoyu’s increasingly imbecilic, deranged state. A doctor prescribes medicine, which proves ineffective. After the funeral and Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia can see him again, it is soon clear that, despite appearances, he has lost his wits. Grandmother Jia is extremely agitated to hear of the lost jade. With Zheng out, Lian is ordered to put reward posters up and Baoyu is moved to Lady Jia’s apartment – without his jade, how can he repel the evil influences recently seen in the Garden?

Zheng, returning that evening, overhears street talk about the jade. Back at Rongguo it is explained to him. He is exasperated, but while he cannot oppose the posters as they were Lady Jia’s idea he does order them to be taken down. Nevertheless, a man soon appears claiming the reward. The gatehouse servants run to Lian, who spreads the news, and the man is invited in. The jade looks familiar to Lian, but Lady Wang, Lady Jia and Xifeng cannot identify it with certainty – it is not as lustrous as they remember. Aroma, whose hopefulness outweighs her doubts about the jade’s authenticity, fetches Baoyu, but he rejects the jade without looking at it. Grandmother Jia decides that they should be lenient to the impostor; a more irate Lian goes to address him in the study.

Chapter 87

感秋声抚琴悲往事

坐禅寂走火入邪魔

Baochai’s servant delivers a letter to Daiyu in which Baochai anguishes about her current state. A poem is attached. Daiyu is greatly moved, and is lost in thought when Xiangyun, Tanchun and the Lis arrive. They discuss Baochai’s absence from the Garden and her current predicaments, when a scent wafts in; Daiyu thinks it smells like cassia, which provokes a discussion about Northerners and Southerners and people’s karmic ties to places. When her guests, Daiyu drifts into a daydream about what her life would have been like in the South if her parents had lived. Nightingale, understanding the cause of her absence, reassures her that she is neither unpopular nor imposing on people in her illnesses. Snowgoose brings her soup, cooked by Fivey, and makes her some Southern slaw. The maids eat while Daiyu’s attention is caught by the melancholy wind; she asks Snowgoose for her fur clothes, as it is getting colder. In the bundle of clothes she finds the silk, tear-stained handkerchiefs with poetry written on them which Baoyu had sent her, and the remains of the cord she made for his jade and torn fancase. Nightingale enters and sees her new tearful reverie and, realising sympathy will not work, offers a cheerful rebuke, which only releases more tears. She finally puts on some furs and, in the next room, picks up Baochai’s letter again, and in the spirit of empathy decides to write some stanzas and set them to the qin. Snowgoose brings her her brush, music and qin, and she sets to it.

On the way to school, Baoyu is told by a pageboy that he has the day off. Having confirmed it with Huan and Lan, he returns to Green Delights before setting out to see the girls. Daiyu is sleeping, but he finds Xichun playing Go with Adamantina. He listens in to their game at length, not wishing to disturb them, but finds himself bursting out in laughter at a victorious joke by Adamantina, startling them. He enters and tries to charm the embarrassed nun. He is relieved when she speaks to him at last, asking from where he had come, but is tonguetied with worry that the question is more Zen subtlety than straightforward. Xichun banters him, but Adamantina also takes this badly and decides to leave; Baoyu offers to accompany her back to the Hermitage. Passing Daiyu’s, they hear her playing the qin, and listen to her four stanzas. They are moved, until Adamantina recoils at her sharp intonation. A string snaps, and the nun stands up to walk away.  She tells Baoyu not to speak of this event, her cryptic words leaving him confused.

Back at the Hermitage, she completes her religious duties and eats. She starts to meditate, but Baoyu’s earlier words keep her from doing so successfully. Her body seems to leave the Hermitage and is hustled and kidnapped; she screams, and the sisters find her in an apparent coma shouting at her fantasy ruffians. The nuns consult tallies (a Yin spirit has been offended) and reassure and massage her until she sleeps. Several doctors inspect her, coming up with several diagnoses, but one attributes it to an evil spirit entering during meditation; he writes her a prescription. She recovers, but loses her powers of concentration, and becomes a subject of gossip around town, exacerbated given her youth and looks. When Xichun hears from a maid, she is overwhelmed by an illuminative desire to become a nun. She meditates and studies Go, when she hears a voice outside calling.

Chapter 76

凸碧堂品笛感凄清

凹晶馆联诗悲寂寞

Noting Baochai and Baoqin’s absence as the party regroups, Grandmother Jia again comments on how depleted the family seems. She is still game and drinking, and the other women, who are exhausted, are obliged to carry on at her pace. Looking at the large, clear moon, she calls for the flautist to play for them from far away. Hearing that Jia She has twisted his ankle, she tells Lady Xing to look after him; she also tells Youshi to leave, but she doesn’t want to. The rest of the party are admiring cassia when the beautiful flute music starts, startling them to silence and leading to great praise when it finishes. Grandmother Jia keeps drinking – against Faithful’s wishes, she wants to stay up till dawn – when the flute starts up again. This time it is so ghostly and melancholy that people try to escape it with forced talk; Youshi begins to tell Lady Jia a joke when she drops off. After denying her tiredness, she sees that the cousins (except Tanchun) have given in and gone to bed, so she calls an end to the party and returns to her room. One of the ladies notices a cup is missing; talking with Kingfisher, they establish that Xiangyun must have taken it to bed.

Xiangyun is actually comforting Daiyu, who, as an orphan, had found the family occasion painful. After lamenting that the poetry club wasn’t able to meet for the festival, she suggests composing linked verses together. They go to Concave Pavilion by the lake for a more inspirational environment. They discuss the poeticism of the words ‘convex’ and ‘concave’. The two night watchwomen at the Pavilion are not awake; Xiangyun and Daiyu sit and watch the lake and talk about poetry. When they hear the flute playing, they decide on a form and a rhyme and start their linked verses, joking, admiring and offering criticism on them as they go. Daiyu sees a dark shadow in the lake. Throwing a pebble into it, a stork flies out of the lake and into one of Xiangyun’s couplets. In awe of Xiangyun’s efforts, Daiyu ends the poem to Xiangyun’s reciprocated admiration. A stranger steps out and applauds their efforts – it is Adamantina, who has been tempted out to observe the moon by the flute playing. She invites them back to her Hermitage where they drink tea when their maids Nightingale and Kingfisher arrive, looking for them. Before leaving, Daiyu is impressed by Adamantina’s enthusiasm for poetry and asks for some criticism. She declares that she would like to bring their poem back to a Buddhist ‘proper aspect’ and adds thirteen more couplets to Daiyu and Xiangyun’s admiration. It is nearly dawn, and they leave the Hermitage for Daiyu’s where they go to bed. However, they are now beyond tiredness and neither can sleep.

Chapter 63

寿怡红群芳开夜宴

死金丹独艳理亲丧

Baoyu and Aroma are planning a drinking party in Green Delights, hosted by the maids; Baoyu is pleased but concerned that the young maids have given so much money for it. He is distressed when Swallow tells him Fivey has had a relapse. It is lighting-up time and Lin Zhixiao’s wife is doing the rounds; she warns the inhabitants of Green Delights not to drink or gamble, and is shocked that Baoyu is not in bed. She has some tea, and disapproves of Baoyu using the maids’ first names. After she leaves, the maids strip down to their underwear and join Baoyu on the kang; he is already playing guess-fingers with Parfumée. After a brief birthday ceremony (he drinks from each of their cups), they decide to play a drinking game. As it requires more players, some of the maids sneak off to gather some of the girls. They arrive after persuasion from the more senior maids. Daiyu questions Li Wan’s presence, as she generally disapproves of the servants drinking and gambling, but she is willing to make an exception for a birthday. The drinking game involves throwing dice, counting round to that player who draws a card with a particular flower and poem on, and does what the card says. Parfumée sings for them. All assembled take their turns in good spirits – Xiangyun is particularly mocked for her recent drunkenness, and Tanchun for selecting a card intimating a noble marriage. Someone comes to collect Daiyu, as it is late, and the rest of the guests also break off. Back at Green Delights, the party continues with guess-fingers and songs, and all are extremely drunk, including the old women. The wine has run out, and they clear up, but Swallow and Number Four are asleep on the kang. Skybright cannot wake them, and Baoyu says it will be alright if they all sleep on the kang. The next morning, they wake late, and Parfumée is embarrassed to have slept by Baoyu’s side. He thanks them for the party. Patience comes round, faking indignation not to have been invited to the party.

Baoyu is agitated to find a birthday card from Adamantina; he starts to write a response and heads off. He bumps into Xing Xiuyan who is also going to see her. They discuss her – she is very important to Xiuyan – and her love of Zhuangzi, and knowing more, Baoyu is able to return and complete his letter, which he delivers. He orders Parfumée to have her hair cut like a boy; they can pretend she’s foreign, and he gives her a new foreign sounding name as a result, Yelu Hunni 耶律雄奴. Patience is having a return party, with Youshi and other Ningguo guests too; some of the guests suggest more names for Parfumée. The party is unrestrained and drunken fun, until a messenger announces Sir Jing’s death. Youshi is distressed and hurries back. Physicians conclude that the metallic elixirs he drank in search of immortality caused his death – the Daoists deny this, but are put under arrest. The body is taken to the Iron Threshold Temple out of expediency, and Youshi arranges for the earliest possible burial, as it is very hot. All enter mourning three days later. With senior ladies away, and those present unable, junior clansmen are required to handle guests and household matters. Cousin Zhen and Jia Rong apply for leave to return, which is referred to the Emperor. The Emperor confers posthumous high rank on him and allows them to go, with some expenses. They hurry back, and grieve, arranging for Jing’s lying-in-state. Jia Rong goes to see his grandmother and shocks his aunts, and molests some maids, before paying solicitous respects to her and leaving.

Chapter 50

芦雪亭争联即景诗

暖香坞雅制春灯谜

Baochai writes down everyone’s name, and the order is drawn at random. Xifeng volunteers to start off, and leaves. Li Wan transcribes everyone’s lines, which Baochai takes over. The order is soon lost, turning into a contest between Xiangyun, Daiyu and Baoqin, before turning silly and they collapse into giggles. Li Wan completes the poem, and they go through and discuss it in detail. Baoyu is again considered to have finished last in quality. He makes excuses, but is fined: he must fetch a branch of Adamantina’s red plum. It is cold, so they make him down a cup of wine before leaving. While he is gone, they choose red plum flowers for the topic of their next poems, and decide to let Xing Xiuyan, Li Wen 李纹 and Baoqin write a verse each, and allocate Baoyu a topic for him alone. They read the first three poems with pleasure and ask after Baoyu’s; they are critical.

Grandmother Jia arrives, makes herself comfortable and tells them to carry on enjoying themselves. She suggests that they make up lantern riddles, and then that they go to see Xichun. They arrive and Grandmother Jia tackles Xichun about the painting – she wants it by the end of the year. Xifeng arrives – she has tracked Lady Jia down (Lady Jia appears to be avoiding a couple of nuns), and whisks her off. They leave, and spot Baoqin and Baoyu in the snow; Baoqin looks particularly pretty, and he has got a branch of plum blossom for each of them from Adamantina, and has been delivering them. They head back to Grandmother Jia’s where Aunt Xue arrives. She had wanted to arrange a snow party for Grandmother Jia, an idea Xifeng and Jia discuss, making the cousins laugh. Grandmother Jia asks Aunt Xue after Baoqin’s biographical details – Xue assumes she is considering her for a match for Baoyu – she explains that she had previously been promised to another before her father died.

The next day the snow has cleared; Grandmother Jia reminds Xichun that she wants the painting done and Baoqin to feature. This makes Xichun gloomy. Later, the others arrive: Li Wan and her cousins had stayed up all night composing riddles, so they try them out and come up with some more. They all make suggestions, but Baoqin has written ten ingenious historical riddles in quatrain form.

Chapter 41

贾宝玉品茶栊翠庵

刘老老醉卧怡红院

Grannie Liu is afraid of breaking her porcelain cup, and asks for a wooden one. Faithful fetches ten boxwood cups, the size and detail of which astonish Grannie Liu. Xifeng jokes that she has to drink from all of them, she is given one of the largest in the end, and some food to accompany it. She is astonished further by the exquisite and complex recipe. When asked, she concludes the cups to be pine, causing further laughter. The music starts, and the drinking continues apace all round – Grannie Liu is particularly enjoying the music, and is consequently mocked by Daiyu. After the music, Grandmother Jia walks with Liu, who admires the flora and birds, but cannot name them. They eat some snacks, including some delicately fashioned pastries which further enchant Grannie Liu. She and Baner eat a lot of them, and the rest are sent to the actresses. A nurse arrives with Xifeng’s daughter, who swaps a grapefruit with Baner for a Buddha’s hand.

Adamantina welcomes Grandmothers Jia and Liu et al to the hermitage. Jia declines to enter the meditation hall, staying in the garden to take tea. Baoyu studies Adamantina attentively, and whilst the others take tea, he spots her take Baochai and Daiyu to her own room and gatecrashes. Adamantina tells a lay-sister to leave the cup Grannie Liu used outside – she considers it contaminated. They drink tea and discuss the value of cups. Adamantina is very eccentric about the water she uses for her tea. Baoyu suggests giving Grannie Liu’s cup to her, and getting his boys to clean her floor.

Grandmother Jia leaves the party to rest, along with Xifeng and Li Wan, and others also take the opportunity to excuse themselves. Faithful is instructed to show Grannie Liu more of the garden, and the cousins join. She kowtows at a stone arch, causing laughter, before her bowels rumble and she is quickly escorted to a privy by a servant who then leaves her to find her own way back. Her business takes some time. She is disorientated on exiting – not to mention still very drunk - walking into a Western-style painting with perspective and then being confused first by a mirror, and secondly by the automatic latch on the door on which the mirror is. She passes through the door and out on a bed. The cousins meanwhile are concerned, and send someone to the privy to check on her. Aroma thinks it through and hurries to Green Delights, where she finds Grannie Liu on a bed surrounded by a heady funk of wine and fart. She wakes and apologises, Aroma gestures to her not to speak, covers up the smell with fragrance and leads her out to the junior maids’ quarters. She asks whose room it was, and on discovering it is Baoyu’s, is horrified by the enormity of her trespass. Aroma escorts her back to the cousins, saying that she had fallen asleep on the grass; Grandmother Jia wakes and heads back to her own apartment, and everyone else goes back to the garden.

Chapter 17

大观园试才题对额 荣国府归省庆元宵

 

Work on the new garden is completed, and Zhen and Zheng need to decide on the inscriptions. They and the literary gentlemen decide to compose temporary inscriptions on lantern and let Yuanchun decide permanent names. Zhen runs ahead to warn that they will be taking a tour of the garden for this end; Baoyu tries to leave but bumps into the party. On the basis of his reported skill for composing couplets, Zheng asks Baoyu to join them. The party follow the garden path and inspect aspects of the garden at length, making naming suggestions at various locations; Baoyu impresses all with both his criticisms of others’ and his own offerings, but while Zheng is quietly pleased, he doesn’t accept them for fear of overindulgence, eventually erupting in anger at him.

The garden and buildings are exquisite, but Baoyu loses the support of the literary gentlemen when he begins to question nature and artifice. Zheng is furious, and criticises his effort at a couplet; this happens several more times, including at the intended residence for Yuanchun, at which point Baoyu has become more reticent to express opinions.

At last Baoyu is dismissed by his father, and is told by a group of pages that it was their lack of intervention that allowed him to show off, and so they take his possessions as rewards. Daiyu assumes this includes a purse she gave him, and she is angry, and cuts up a perfume sachet she was making for him, which she comes to regret – he has treasured the purse inside his clothing, and throws it back at her, calling her stingy. They make up, emotionally.

Qiang has returned from Suzhou with twelve actresses, causing excitement. They move to a drama school in the Xues’ old quarters. Twenty four nuns have also just been selected, and an ‘unshaved nun’ called Adamantina 妙玉 is invited to join them.