Chapter 118

记微嫌舅兄斯弱女

惊谜语妻妾谏痴人

Lady Wang adds her reluctant consent to Youshi’s, as long as Xichun doesn’t shave her head – her apartment will be her hermitage. To Aroma’s surprise, Baoyu is not distressed, merely sighing. It is apparent that none of Xichun’s maids share her aspiration for a religious life, but Nightingale volunteers; Baoyu calmly gives his consent, praising her resolve. With the matter settled, Baoyu announces that Xichun’s becoming a nun is predestined, reciting lines from the Register. Lady Wang, Baochai and Aroma are reduced to tears; Nightingale’s wish is granted, and Aroma wails that she wishes to join her, which Baoyu declares is not her fate. They retire for the night.

Zheng, delayed in his journey by a military convoy, learns that Tanchun’s father-in-law has been recalled to the capital. Having run out of money, he asks the local yamen, Steward Lai’s son, for a loan; the yamen doesn’t give enough, making the situation awkward, and writes advising his father to leave Rongguo. Qiang turns the request down, disappointing Yun, who is suffering huge gambling debts. He asks in vain for a loan from Huan, but they do discuss selling Qiaojie to the Mongol prince. Wang Ren joins, and he and Xing Dequan lend the scheme support, and while Lady Wang is sceptical, Qiaojie’s grandmother Lady Xing is taken in. The prince is notified and sends some of his palace ladies to inspect her. Qiaojie is embarrassed by being so ogled, and Patience guesses the truth and is horrified to find out the full details. Lady Wang feels something is amiss, and is upset at Lady Xing’s immovability and feels Lian will blame her; she tells Baochai and Baoyu, who just talks about her destiny; Lady Wang retires. A letter has come from Zheng, giving the news about Tanchun and reminding Lan and Baoyu to study hard. Li Wan’s mother arrives to discuss Li Qi’s arranged wedding to Zhen Baoyu, and they discuss the letter with Lan. Baoyu, meanwhile, is absorbed in Zhuangzi, which disappoints Baochai; they discuss the ideals of the sages, Baochai encouraging him to work hard for the exams and achieve worldly success. Aroma weighs in, asking Baoyu to be more considerate towards people. Jia Lan arrives with Zheng’s letter; he proposes that he and Baoyu work on their compositions together, which delights Aroma. After Lan leaves, he rereads the letter and asks his maids to store his favourite esoteric books away, saying they are worthless. Baochai is delighted, until she overhears him quietly reciting a religious text. He sets down to work; Baochai and Aroma discuss him and decide to try and isolate him from others. Oriole is put in charge and Baoyu never leaves his room, apart from to visit Lady Jia’s shrine on her birthday. Oriole repeats to him Lady Wang’s praise for his studiousness, and hopes that, with luck, he can pass the examinations. Baoyu tells her that she might prove to be the lucky one in the end.

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.

Chapter 114

王熙凤历幻返金陵

甄应嘉蒙恩还玉阙

Baoyu and Baochai are woken with the news of Xifeng’s illness. She has demanded a boat, babbling about going to Jinling. Baoyu regrets to Aroma that he has forgotten what was written in the Register, whereas Baochai notes her previous correct interpretation of the oracle, but chides Baoyu for valuing such fortune telling. She goes on to fill him in on Xiuyan and Ke’s low key wedding, and that they are planning on moving away with Aunt Xue for financial reasons. News arrives of Xifeng’s death and they join the grieving throng. Her brother, Wang Ren, soon complains to Lian and Qiaojie about the apparent makeshift funeral arrangement; Qiaojie explains how little money they have left, and cries when he accuses her of hoarding it. Patience, meanwhile, is concerned that Lian will make himself ill with the funeral arrangements, and offers him some of possessions saved from the raid. He accepts gratefully; Autumn resents his favour for her, and he in turn vents his frustration on Autumn.

Zheng is talking to his last remaining literary friend about the family’s decline. He recommends a thorough investigation of the staff, but Zheng doesn’t feel he can trust anyone, and refuses to borrow money from his servants. His friend has particular concern for the true ownership of some of the Jia’s property. Zhen Yingjia is announced; he has been restored to his hereditary title and has been summoned by the Emperor. He explains to Zheng that he has been sent to the south coast following a spate of piracy; Zheng notes that Tanchun’s father in law is the local commander, so he asks him to deliver a letter to her for him. In return, Zheng agrees to offer counsel to Yingjia’s son Baoyu. Lian and Baoyu escort him out; he is taken aback by Baoyu’s similarity to his own son, and plies him affably with questions before leaving. Baoyu tells Baochai about his meeting with Yingjia and his supposed resemblance, and wishes to look at Zhen Baoyu should he visit. Baochai rebukes him for this.

Chapter 101

大观园月夜警幽魂

散花寺神签惊异兆

Xifeng goes to visit Tanchun at night; the moon is extremely bright. Having dismissed her maids on various errands, she finds herself confronted by a large doglike creature, and hurries away in panic. She sees the elegant figure of a lady, who calls her Auntie, and chides her for not heeding her advice. Realising it is the ghost of Qin Keqing, Xifeng spits and flees in fright; when her maids find her, she lies about seeing Tanchun and they head back straight to bed. The next morning, Lian is troubled by several reports in the newspaper before leaving for a meeting. Patience gives Xifeng a massage, while she hears a nanny mistreating Qiaojie; she worries about their future, which upsets Patience. Unexpectedly, Lian arrives back early, having been unable to complete his meeting; he is furious to see the household still so disorderly, and shouts at Xifeng, who contains herself. He reveals that he has been trying to pull strings on behalf of Xifeng’s brother, Wang Ren 王仁, who, as Ziteng’s successor, owes money to the Censorate, but Ren, meanwhile, is holding a party for Zisheng and behaving abominably. Xifeng is upset; Lian criticises her for being too slack and putting up with lax behaviour from her brother and the servants. Patience gives Lian a piece of her mind; he takes his leave. Thoroughly upset, Xifeng decides not to go to Zisheng’s party, but does visit Baochai to explain. She tries to dismiss the doltish Baoyu, but he makes a fuss over his peacock cape; Aroma explains that he had previously said he never wanted to wear it again. Xifeng is reminded of Fivey; now that Baoyu is married, there can be no objection to her working for him, so she will arrange it, delighting Baoyu. Xifeng observes how close Baoyu and Baochai are, and while having an audience with Grandmother Jia, teases Baochai after Baoyu sends back a silly message with urgency.

A nun from Scattered Flowers, Perfecta 大了, calls on Xifeng and Lady Jia to invite her to a particular service regarding spirits. Xifeng’s encounter with Keqing’s ghost has cast her scepticism aside and is intrigued. Perfecta tells Xifeng about the Bodhisattva of the Scattered Flowers, and Xifeng decides to visit the next day to test her story. She does so; after praying like a devout believer, she tests the fortune sticks. She is astounded to read her own name (a reference to a historical Wang Xifeng) on the stick; Perfecta expounds on the fortune telling, interpreting it as a good omen: that Zheng will send for his family. Xifeng is only half convinced; she eats and leaves. At home, any doubts she harbours as to the omen are dispelled by the others’ unanimous acceptance of it.

Baochai, meanwhile, tells Baoyu about the divination; she is sceptical about the interpretation of the verse. Before she can elaborate, she is summoned to Lady Wang’s.