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 107

散馀资贾母明大义

复世职政老沐天恩

Zheng is questioned at court about how much he knew of She’s misdemeanours. The Imperial Edict describes these in full; She is posted in penal servitude to the Mongolian border and Zhen to a maritime frontier, a greatly reduced punishment. Zheng is absolved of blame, and is told not to make any further gesture of thanks. He reports back to the household; Lady Jia is pleased, but Youshi and Lady Xing are inconsolable, Youshi also resenting Lian and Xifeng surviving apparently unscathed. Grandmother Jia asks Zheng about finances, and he is forced to tell her about the scale and hopelessness of their debts, which plunges her into gloom. Zhen and She arrive to say goodbye (a concession secured by Zheng) before lamenting with their wives. Lady Jia finds some money and clothes to give them for their wives and their own expenses. The rest of her money is given to Xifeng and to Zheng to honour their debts, and to Baoyu and Li Wan. She instructs the staff to be reduced and parts of their land, including the Garden, to be sold. Zheng is humbled and contrite as she ruminates on the situation, upsetting the others by speaking of her death. Felicity arrives with a message from Xifeng; Zheng tries to Lady Jia from visiting her, but she dismisses everyone and goes. Her visit immediately restores Xifeng, who had earlier lost all hope, believing the whole family against her. Lady Jia consoles her in her grief, saying that it was the men that started it, and gives her presents; Xifeng kowtows in abject gratitude, and all weep together before leaving. Finally alone, Lady Jia cries to sleep. Zheng accompanies She and Zhen to the city walls and parts from them with formality; returning home, he hears of an edict passing to him the Rongguo hereditary rank and title. He feels both pleasure and shame, weeping with emotion.

Friends and relatives see the latest edict as an indication that the Jia family is still favoured; Zheng visits the Palace in thanks and to offer the residence and Garden as a gift to the Emperor, but is rebuffed. With debts mounting, many of the wealthy servants feign poverty or start looking for other employment; Bao Yong, however, remains loyal, and the other servants try to force him out. In the street one day he overhears that it was information from Jia Yucun that led to the houses being raided. Just at that moment Yucun arrives, and the drunk Bao Yong abuses his sedan. Other servants report him to Zheng for being drunk and disorderly; Zheng just scolds him and transfers him to the Garden. Bao Yong is dismayed but does not complain.

Chapter 93

甄家仆投靠贾家门

水月庵掀翻风月案

Zheng and She discuss an invitation to see a new company of actors before dealing with other business, including rent collectors returned from the Rongguo estate, and parting. The rent collectors then explain to Lian that the rents had been seized by a patrol in transit. Lian sends a note to the responsible yamen, before looking for two unaccountably absent servants. The next day, Zheng is busy so asks She to take Baoyu to the Earl of Lin’an’s 临安伯 theatre party. After paying their respects to the Earl, the troupe manager asks She and Baoyu to choose their favourite plays; while choosing, he notices that it is Jiang Yuhan. When Jiang goes backstage, the guests gossip about him. The show starts and is exquisite; She makes motions to leave but is persuaded to stay by the Earl, to Baoyu’s delight. He is entranced by Jiang’s performance in the next piece but has to leave with She promptly after. Back at Rongguo, Baoyu goes to see Zheng who is discussing the rent collectors with Lian – it seems the patrol had no warrant, so it was certainly a case of corruption. Lian leaves, and orders a general assembly of the staff to reprimand absenteeism and negligence.

A man from the Zhen family in the South arrives with a note for Zheng from his master, Zhen Yingjia 甄应嘉. Zhen has been banished to the frontier and has sent the man, Bao Yong 包勇, to the Jias for employment. Bao pays his respects to Zheng and is questioned about Zhen and his son Baoyu. Bao reports that he had previously just played before a serious illness, after which he has become single mindedly studious. This silences Zheng, who dismisses Bao until a post can be found for him.

The next morning, on his way to work, Jia Zheng encounters servants huddled round a note which has been pinned up alleging sordid activities by Jia Qin in the Iron Threshold nunnery, disgracing Rongguo. Furious, he has the town searched for similar notices and discusses it with Lian. A note arrives for Zheng personally with similar allegations; he orders Lai Da to fetch all the nuns. The novices, having not been called upon by Yuanchun for some time, have indeed slackened, and Jia Qin had taken a fancy to Parfumée. When she proved devout, he found others who were more cooperative. That day, he has arrived at noon with their allowance, encouraging them, along with some of Watermoon Priory, into a lengthy session of drinking games when Lai Da arrives. Despite his rage at the incipient orgy, Lai Da calmly gathers the novices, saying they are wanted at the Palace. While waiting for Lai, Zheng is called to the Board, Lian returns to his apartment, and rumours have spread amongst the servants. Xifeng, ill and doubly anxious due to her own unscrupulous dealings at Watermoon Priory, interrogates Patience about the posters, panicking Xifeng until Patience clarifies that it concerns Iron Threshold. Xifeng washes her hands of responsibility for Jia Qin. Soon after Lian enters, Lai returns with Jia Qin. Qin, told to wait in the inner library, notices the servants muttering. When Lian meets him, he soon sighs with the realisation that his childhood friend Qin doesn’t know the real reason for his summons. Shown one of the posters, he protests his innocence and kowtows to Lian. Lian sees through it, but tells Qin to deny everything. Lai is summoned and tells Lian of the earlier scene he encountered, embarrassing Qin further. Lai agrees to spare Qin for the good of the family name. After leaving together, Lai asks Qin who could have written the poster, but he can think of no one.