Chapter 69

弄小巧用借剑杀人

觉大限吞生金自逝

Erjie and Youshi accompany Xifeng to the inner mansion, where Erjie is introduced to Grandmother Jia and the cousins; Grandmother Jia approves, providing that they don’t sleep together till next year. Lady Wang is also delighted with the proposition. Zhang Hua is apprehensive about claiming Erjie and after initially being sentenced to flogging, he does so and the court finds in his favour. When they go to Rongguo to claim her, Xifeng feigns alarm to Grandmother Jia. All are concerned, but thinking that Lian has not slept with her, the damage should be limited. Cousin Zhen negotiates with the Zhangs to leave for more money, which they do; Xifeng is not put out by this, and summons Brightie to arrange Zhang Hua’s death. He has misgivings and, after going into hiding, reports his death to an unbelieving Xifeng, who lets the matter drop. She remains extremely affable to Erjie.

Lian returns from his mission, and doesn’t find Erjie in her room – the story is explained to him before he meets a surprisingly pleasant Xifeng. He marvels at the change in her and feels he has one up on her – he has also been given Autumn 秋桐 as a concubine, who treats Patience, Xifeng and Erjie with scant respect. Xifeng feigns sympathetic illness after telling Erjie that some in the household dislike her, while Patience is rebuked for eating with her and Baoyu and the cousins try to console her. Lian is completely taken in, but spends all his time with Autumn and his feelings for Erjie cool. Xifeng provokes them against each other, and Autumn persuades Grandmother Jia that the tearful Erjie is jealous and poorly bred. Only Patience supports her now; she falls progressively more ill, and sees Sanjie in a dream, telling her to kill the duplicitous Xifeng. She tells Lian that she his pregnant; the summoned doctor disagrees. The medicine he prescribes then causes a miscarriage – the foetus is male. The doctor flees, and a second doctor is pessimistic about her condition – she will only survive without emotional upset. Lian is furious, and Xifeng exhibits great distress and concern for Erjie. Seeing Lian occupied with helping Erjie, Autumn is seething jealousy, exacerbated when she is asked to leave due to an astral reading. Autumn complains to Lady Xing, who rebukes Xifeng and Lian. Autumn stands outside Erjie’s window and shouts abuse. That night, Patience goes to comfort her, and they weep together. After Patience leaves, she poisons herself by swallowing gold. The next morning the maids don’t look in on her until Patience rebukes their lack of sympathy – they scream and are moved to tears, along with Lian and (apparently) Xifeng. Lian sets about his duties – she is carried to Pear Tree Court and he arranges her funeral with a geomancer. Xifeng, who makes an excuse for not going into mourning, eavesdrops on the arrangements. She reports to Lady Jia, and they agree that the arrangements are excessive. She refuses to give Lian money, and he is forced to rifle through Erjie’s possessions for cash. He feels there’s something suspicious and weeps from anguish; Patience tells him not to make an exhibition of himself. He acquires timber for the coffin, order servants to keep vigil by Erjie and spends each night in Pear Tree Court before being summoned by Grandmother Jia.

Chapter 68

苦尤娘赚入大观园

酸凤姐大闹宁国府 

Lian is away on extended business again; when he leaves, Xifeng executes her plan. She has a building converted to be like their apartment, and announces her departure with four companions to a temple. They go to Erjie’s instead, dressed in mourning as Mrs You had also died. Erjie and the Mattress are startled. They curtsey to each other graciously, before Xifeng explains her situation and invites Erjie to live with her in Rongguo to stop malicious tittle-tattle and get one over on Lian. They weep together and Xifeng gives her presents as first and second wife – she has gained Erjie’s sympathy, and she pours her heart out in return. Xifeng and her companions help Erjie to prepare to move, although she suggests that Erjie move into the Garden at first, as the senior household members are very strait-laced and don’t know about the marriage, particularly as it was carried out during a period of mourning. She takes her to Li Wan’s, where the Garden residents gather and are sworn to secrecy. Erjie is reassured, although her maid Mercy 善姐 – given to her by Xifeng – is short with her about bothering Xifeng and careless about serving her meals. Nevertheless, Erjie is impressed by Xifeng’s apparent concern and forbearance, and covers up for Mercy in order to show appropriate forbearance herself.

Brightie is busy making inquiries into Erjie’s background and previous engagement to Zhang Hua. Xifeng offers him twenty taels to bring a written indictment against Lian. He refuses at first, and then Xifeng decides to have Brightie named in the indictment as agent of the accused. This is less risky, so Zhang agrees; before long, blackcoats come to Rongguo to arrest a willing Brightie. In the tribunal, Brightie forces Zhang to name Jia Rong, whom the Censor is then unwillingly forced to summon. Xifeng hears from this from a page, and sends someone to persuade the Censor to give Rong a scare without any damning judgement and talk to the President of the Court of Censors; the Censor takes the bribe. When Rong is summoned, Cousin Zhen also sends a bribe to the Censor and domestics to answer the summons. Xifeng goes to see him and Rong; Zhen hides and she spits at Youshi, blaming her for the illegal marriage and subsequent suing, before rounding on Rong. He entreats her not to be angry and slaps himself repeatedly while Xifeng makes a fine display of histrionic grief on Youshi’s breast. She tells them a false version of events, including how well Erjie is being treated in Rongguo, and that she was prepared to let bygones be bygones, until she found out about the previous engagement which has been such a mess. It is all very emotional, with all weeping and abusing themselves and each other. She concludes by calmly asking Youshi to ask Zhen to settle out of court, and they discuss paying Zhang off or giving him Erjie back. They then discuss how to handle it internally; Youshi refuses to explain to Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia herself, so Xifeng decides to spin a yarn to them about taking a fancy to Erjie and taking her on as her number two. Settled, they eat before Xifeng leaves. She goes to the Garden to explain developments to Erjie.