Chapter 66

情小妹耻情归地府

冷二郎一冷入空门

Sanjie asks Joker about Baoyu; Joker describes him as lazy, stupid, soft and spoiled. Erjie is disappointed, but Sanjie defends him on the basis of their experience of him. Erjie and Joker joke about betrothing her to him anyway; Joker mentions his attachment to Daiyu before being taken away by Rich. That night, Sanjie tells Erjie who it is she wants to marry. Lian arrives the next day before going away for a long assignment and she tells him not to worry about Sanjie – the man she is prepared to marry is actor Liu Xianglian, who is now missing. Lian tells her of Xianglian’s friendship with Baoyu and beating of Xue Pan, before Sanjie enters and swears her determination. Lian makes enquiries after Xianglian, but finds nothing. Several days into his journey, however, he encounters Xue Pan and Xianglian, riding together as blood brothers after a bonding incident on their travels. He tells them of Sanjie, and Xianglian agrees to marry her, giving him an heirloom swords as a pledge.

Lian returned early to Erjie and gives the swords to a happy Sanjie. He tells Cousin Zhen about Sanjie, who is happy for him to deal with the engagement. Xianglian arrives back in the capital and visits the Xues and Baoyu, who congratulates him on the match with Sanjie – Lian’s insistence and the lack of suitors has made him suspicious. When he goes to see Lian he greets Mrs You formally and tells Lian that, unbeknownst to him, his Aunt had already betrothed him, and he asks for the swords back. Sanjie overhears, and assumes that the rejection is because he has heard ill of her, and realises that Lian won’t be able to stop him breaking off the engagement. She takes one of the swords and cuts her throat in front of Xianglian. Erjie dissuades Lian from taking Xianglian to the yamen for her murder; he weeps as if for his bride. He returns to his new house, distraught, and Sanjie visits him holding a ledger and the sword on her way to work for the Fairy Disenchantment before vanishing. With a jolt, Xianglian finds himself in a temple. He talks with a mysterious Daoist before slashing his hair off with the now companionless heirloom sword, and joins the Daoist in his wanderings.

Chapter 65

贾二舍偷娶尤二姨

尤三姐思嫁柳二郎

Lian and Erjie’s marriage is carried out and she moves in to her new lodgings with Sanjie and Mrs You; he is besotted with her, and asks that she is called ‘Mrs Lian’. When he occasionally returns to Xifeng, she suspects nothing, assuming he has important business with Zhen at Ningguo. He hands his savings to Erjie and promises to marry her openly after Xifeng dies. He is very grateful to the facilitator Zhen.

One day when Lian was not present, Zhen calls on the Yous, and gets intimate with Sanjie; the maids and servants quarrel. Lian arrives unexpectedly and goes to his bedroom after the Mattress whispers to him that Zhen is present. Lian’s page Rich 隆儿 also deduces that Zhen is present by the extra horse. He quarrels with Zhen’s pages, who are very drunk and staying the night too, and Erjie is just able to distract Lian’s attention from the commotion. Lian suggests that Zhen and Sanjie formalise their relationship – Erjie isn’t sure - and he goes to see his embarrassed cousin. His suggestion causes the attractively dishevelled Sanjie to erupt, making Zhen and Lian tonguetied, spellbound, smitten and repulsed, and finally she storms off and dismissed them.

Sanjie continues to abuse Lian, Zhen and Rong to all who will listen, although she does still summon Zhen at times. She resolves to milk the rich men for all she can, and makes extravagant demands for food, clothes and jewellery – she is far from the complaisant mistress Zhen had hoped for, and despite Erjie’s devotion even Lian is caused to regret the situation. Erjie urges Lian to find a husband for Sanjie, but Zhen won’t give her up. Erjie prepares a party for the four of them but Sanjie, predicting the reason for it, bursts into tears and declares that she repents and wishes to be a good wife; she has one particular man in mind. Lian guesses Baoyu, but to Erjie and Mrs You’s surprise she rejects this. Lian’s page Joker 光儿 arrives to call him away, and he is left to answer the girls’ questions about Rongguo; he is very rude about Xifeng. He entreats Erjie not to go and see her, as she intends. He tells her that Xifeng is a jealous type and is frightened of the Patience, before jokily describing the other young ladies of Rongguo to them.

Chapter 64

幽淑女悲题五美吟

浪荡子情遗九龙佩

The funeral procession is magnificent. Baoyu is also required to spend all day by the coffin in Ningguo; one day, with no visitors, he goes back and finds Parfumée and Skybright fighting at Green Delights. Aroma has gone religious and is meditating. On the way to Daiyu’s, he bumps into Snowgoose, who has a large amount of fruit for Nightingale. Baoyu works out it must be the anniversary of Aunt Lin’s death, and decides not to bother Daiyu. Instead, he goes to see Xifeng, who is feeling better, before heading back to Daiyu’s. She is upset, and they have an emotional, sympathetic moment together. Nightingale enters, and thinks they have been quarrelling. Baoyu, feeling awkward, picks up some of Daiyu’s papers as Baochai enters. Daiyu has written a series of poems about famous women, but she and Baochai are uncomfortable with his discovering the poems – poetry is not the priority for ladies. Baoyu and Baochai praise the poems enthusiastically.

It is announced that Jia Lian has returned, and Baoyu goes to greet him. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang return the next day, and go to see the coffin; Grandmother Jia is very moved and, back at Rongguo, it is apparent that mourning and travel have made her ill. She is not well enough for Jia Jing’s funeral a few days later. Jia Lian has admired Mrs You’s daughters Erjie 二姐 and Sanjie 三姐 for some time, and takes the opportunity to act. He uses every excuse to see Erjie; helping Cousin Zhen, who is very short of money after the funeral expenses. On the way, Jia Rong suggests helping Lian have her in a secret marriage – her family has a complex history and they would have no problem with it, but Xifeng might. Rong explains his idiotic plan for that, but Lian trusts in it, despite everything, not least its illegality and Rong’s own interest in Erjie. Lian goes to see Erjie, and is flirting with her with a handkerchief and set of jade dragons when her mother and Sanjie enter. He takes care of official business, charming Mrs You. Rong calls Lian out, and he watches Rong talking with Mrs You, gesturing to Lian and Erjie. Sanjie shouts at him. He then goes to tell Cousin Zhen of the plan; he approves, but isn’t sure whether Erjie would agree, and talks to Youshi, who disapproves. The next day, Rong goes to persuade Mrs You, who then goes to persuade Erjie, who consents with a nod. Cousin Zhen tells Lian, who is delighted and sets about arrangements. He chooses Bao Er and his new wife the Mattress, united in their hatred of Xifeng, for this household, and pays off Erjie longstanding betrothed. He chooses a date for the secret marriage.