Chapter 109

Chapter 109

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Chapter 109

The Five Fragrance Girl Receives Misplaced Love While Awaiting a Fairy Spirit;

The Yingchun Returns to Her True Origin to Repay a Debt of Sin

Having learned the cause of Baoyu's distress from Xiren, Baochai feared that his grief might make her husband ill. She therefore spoke of what Lin Daiyu had said on her deathbed, pretending to chat idly with Xiren. "In this world," she said, "we may have feelings and desires, but when we die each spirit goes its own way. The dead do not remain as they were in life. The living may be devoted, but the dead know nothing of it. Besides, Miss Lin said that she was going to Fairyland. She must regard mortals as sordid, unworthy creatures—how could she bear to linger on earth? It is only because people let themselves be suspicious that they attract evil spirits and demons to torment them."

Although Baochai was addressing Xiren, she intended Baoyu to overhear. Xiren took the hint and agreed, "That's nonsense. If Miss Lin's spirit were still in the Garden, we have been good enough to her, so why haven't we ever dreamed of her?"

Baoyu, listening outside, thought carefully, "This is strange indeed. I know Sister Lin is dead, and I think of her several times a day, yet I have never once dreamed of her. She must have gone to heaven. As a common mortal, I cannot communicate with the gods, so I have not had a single dream. If I sleep in the outer room, or if I come back from the Garden, perhaps knowing my sincere heart, she will appear to me in a dream. I must ask where she really went. I will also offer sacrifices to her regularly. If she really ignores this sordid creature of mine and grants me no dream at all, then I shall stop thinking of her."

Having made up his mind, he said, "I shall sleep in the outer room tonight. Don't wait up for me."

Baochai did not force him, merely saying, "Don't let your thoughts run wild. Just think—the Mistress was so worried when you went to the Garden that she couldn't even speak. If she knew you weren't taking care of yourself, and if the Old Lady found out, she would say we haven't been looking after you properly."

Baoyu replied, "Enough of that. I'll sit here a while and then come in. You're tired. Go to sleep first."

Knowing he would come in eventually, Baochai said insincerely, "I'm going to sleep. I'll ask Miss Xiren to wait on you."

This was exactly what Baoyu wanted. After Baochai had gone to sleep, he told Xiren and Sheyue to make up another set of bedding, and kept sending people in to see whether the Second Mistress was asleep. Baochai pretended to sleep but was restless all night.

When Baoyu was sure Baochai was asleep, he said to Xiren and the others, "You all go to sleep. I'm not feeling sad. If you don't believe me, you can wait on me until I'm asleep before going in, just so long as you don't disturb me."

Xiren waited on him as he lay down, prepared tea, closed the door, then went into the inner room to check once before pretending to sleep herself. If Baoyu stirred, she would come out again.

When Baoyu saw Xiren and the others go in, he sent the two old women on night watch outside. He sat up quietly, murmured a few words of prayer, and lay down to sleep, hoping to commune with a spirit in his dreams.

At first he could not sleep, but after calming his mind he drifted off. He slept peacefully all night until daybreak.

When Baoyu woke, he rubbed his eyes, sat up, and thought for a while. There had been no dream. He sighed and quoted:

"Long, long since we parted, dead and living;

Her soul has never come to me in dreams."

Baochai had not slept all night either. Hearing Baoyu recite these lines outside, she called out, "That line is tactless. If Sister Lin were still alive, it would make her angry."

Feeling embarrassed, Baoyu got up and made some excuse as he came into the inner room. "I was just coming in—I didn't realize I had dozed off."

Baochai said, "Whether you come in or not is no concern of mine."

Xiren and the others had not been asleep either. Seeing the two of them talking, she hurriedly poured tea. Just then a young maid came from the Old Lady's quarters to ask, "Did the Second Master sleep well last night? If he did, he and the Second Mistress should do their hair and go over early."

Xiren replied, "Go back and tell the Old Lady that Baoyu slept very well last night and will be over soon."

The young maid departed.

Baochai got up and dressed; Ying'er and Xiren accompanied her first to pay her respects to the Lady Dowager, then to pay their compliments to Lady Wang, and finally to see Xifeng before returning to the Lady Dowager, where they found her mother already present. Everyone asked, "Was Baoyu well last night?" Baochai replied, "He went to sleep as soon as he got back, and there was nothing amiss." The others were reassured and chatted about this and that. Presently a little maid came in and announced, "The Second Miss is going back. I hear that Master Sun's people came and spoke with the First Lady, and the First Lady sent word to the Fourth Miss telling her not to detain her any longer but to let her go. Now the Second Miss is crying in the First Lady's quarters and will probably come shortly to take leave of the old lady." When the Lady Dowager and the others heard this, they were most upset. "Such a good person as Second Sister," they said, "and yet fate has matched her with such a man—she'll never have a chance in this life. What is to be done?" As they spoke, Yingchun came in, her tear-stained face showing traces of weeping. As this was Baochai's birthday, she had to contain her tears, take her leave of the company, and go. The Lady Dowager knew her plight but could not very well insist on her staying. "Very well, go home," she said. "But don't grieve too much. There is nothing to be done when one is fated to meet such a man. In a few days I shall send for you again." Yingchun replied, "Your Ladyship has always been kind to me, but now you can do nothing more for me. The pity is that I shall never come back again." As she spoke, the tears streamed down her cheeks. The others tried to comfort her. "Why shouldn't you be able to come back? It's not like your Third Sister, who is so far away that it's hard to meet." When the Lady Dowager and the rest thought of Tanchun too, they could not help shedding tears. But because this was Baochai's birthday, they turned their grief to joy and said, "That needn't be difficult. When the situation on the coast is peaceful and her father-in-law is transferred to the capital, you'll be able to see her." "That's right indeed," said the others. Thereupon Yingchun had to leave with a heavy heart. The whole party escorted her out, then returned to the Lady Dowager's quarters. From morning till night, another day of bustle passed.

When they saw that the Lady Dowager was tired, the company dispersed. Only Aunt Xue, after taking leave of her, went to Baochai. "Your elder brother's time is up," she said. "He will have to wait until a general amnesty before his sentence can be reduced and he can be ransomed. These past few years, how can I manage all alone, so forlorn and desolate? I'm thinking of arranging a match for your second brother. What do you think?" Baochai said, "Mother is frightened by what happened after my elder brother's marriage, and that's why you're hesitating about second brother. In my opinion, the sooner it's done the better. You know Miss Xing's situation—she is very unhappy here. Although our family is poor, marriage with us would certainly be better than depending on other people for a roof over her head." Aunt Xue said, "When you have a chance, tell the old lady that there's no one at home to look after things and we'd like to choose a date." Baochai said, "Mother, just discuss it with second brother and pick a good day. Then go to the old lady and the First Lady, and once she's married that will be one less thing to worry about here. The First Lady is only too anxious to have her married off too." Aunt Xue said, "I heard today that Miss Shi is going back too. The old lady wants your sister to stay a few days, so she's put up there. But I think she won't be staying much longer either. You sisters had better make the most of these days to talk together." "That's true," said Baochai. Aunt Xue sat a little longer, then took leave of the others and went home.

That evening when Baoyu returned to his room, he reflected that Daiyu had not come to him in a dream the night before. "Perhaps she has become an immortal and is unwilling to appear to someone as mired in the dust as I. Or maybe my temperament is too impatient." He thought up a pretext and said to Baochai, "Last night I happened to fall asleep in the outer room, and I seemed to sleep more soundly there than in the inner room. I feel calmer too this morning. I'd like to sleep in the outer room for two more nights—I'm only afraid you'll try to stop me." Baochai knew very well that his reciting poetry that morning had been because of Daiyu. She realized that his stubborn temperament could not be argued with; it might be better to let him sleep there for two nights, so that he would give up hope altogether. Besides, she had heard that he had slept quite peacefully the night before. "There's no reason for this," she said. "If you want to sleep there, go ahead. Why should we stop you? Only don't let your thoughts wander and attract evil spirits or bogies." Baoyu laughed. "Who's thinking of anything?" Xiren said, "If you take my advice, Second Master, you'd better sleep in the inner room after all. If you're not looked after properly outside, you might catch a chill." Before Baoyu could reply, Baochai gave Xiren a meaningful look. Xiren took the hint and said, "Very well, let someone go with you. Then at night they can pour tea and water for you." Baoyu laughed and said, "In that case, you come with me." Xiren was put out and immediately flushed crimson, not saying a word. Baochai knew that Xiren was a steady, reliable girl. "She's used to waiting on me," she said. "Let her stay with me. Shehui and Wu'er can look after you. Besides, she's tired after bustling about with me all day today and deserves a rest." Baoyu had no choice but to go out smiling. Baochai told Shehui and Wu'er to make up his bed in the outer room again, and warned them to keep alert and be attentive about bringing tea or water.

Two of them assented and came out. They saw Pao-yu sitting bolt upright on the bed, with his eyes closed and his palms pressed together, looking for all the world like a Buddhist monk. The two maids dared not say a word; they simply stared at him and smiled. Pao-chai then ordered Hsi-jen to come out and attend to him. Hsi-jen, upon seeing this scene, also found it amusing. She called out softly, "It's time to sleep. Why have you started meditating again?" Pao-yu opened his eyes and saw Hsi-jen. "You go ahead and sleep," he said. "I'll just sit a while and then sleep." Hsi-jen replied, "Because of how you were yesterday, the Second Young Lady didn't sleep all night. If you carry on like this again, what will become of us?" Pao-yu reckoned that if he didn't sleep, none of them would be willing to sleep either, so he made his preparations and lay down. Hsi-jen gave a few more instructions to She-yueh and the others before going inside, closing the door, and sleeping. Here, She-yueh and Wu-erh also put their bedding in order, waited until Pao-yu had fallen asleep, and then retired for the night.

But Pao-yu, the more he tried to sleep, the less he could. Seeing the two maids making up their beds, he suddenly recalled the year when Hsi-jen was away from home and Ch'ing-wen and She-yueh had waited on him. One night, She-yen had gone out and Ch'ing-wen had tried to frighten her; because she hadn't been wearing enough clothes, she had caught cold, and it was from this very illness that she had later died. The thought of this turned his heart wholly toward Ch'ing-wen. Then he suddenly remembered that Feng-chieh had said Wu-erh was a kind of shadow image of Ch'ing-wen, and so his thoughts of Ch'ing-wen shifted to Wu-erh. Pretending to be asleep, he stole a glance at Wu-erh; the more she looked at her, the more she resembled Ch'ing-wen, and his old foolish nature returned. He listened carefully—there was no sound from the inner room; they were asleep. He saw that She-yueh had also fallen asleep. He deliberately called out "She-yueh" twice, but there was no answer. Wu-erh, hearing Pao-yu call for someone, asked, "What does the Second Master want?" Pao-yu said, "I want to rinse my mouth." Wu-erh, seeing that She-yueh was already asleep, had no choice but to get up, trim the candle wick anew, pour out a cup of tea, and hold the spittoon in her other hand. But because she had risen in such haste, she was wearing only a pink silk jacket with a loosely knotted chignon. When Pao-yu looked at her, it was as if Ch'ing-wen had come back to life. He then recalled what Ch'ing-wen had said: "If I'd known I'd bear an empty reputation all along, I would have taken a proper course of action." Thereupon he stared at her in a daze, not even taking the cup of tea.

After Fangguan left, Wu'er had no heart to come in anymore. Later, when she heard that Fengjie had called her in to serve Baoyu, she was even more eager than Baoyu himself for her to enter. But once she came in, she saw that Baochai and Xiren were treated with the same dignity and composure, and she genuinely admired and respected them in her heart. Then she saw that Baoyu was behaving in a wild and foolish manner, not as refined as before, and she also heard that Lady Wang had driven out all the girls for joking around with Baoyu: so she put this matter out of her mind and had not the slightest romantic feeling at all. Yet this foolish master tonight took her as Qingwen and simply doted on her. Wu'er was already so embarrassed that both cheeks flushed red, and she dared not speak loudly, so she could only say softly, "Have some water to rinse your mouth, Second Master." Baoyu took the tea with a smile, and whether he rinsed his mouth or not was unclear, then he asked with a grin, "Are you close to Sister Qingwen or not?" Wu'er, puzzled by the question, replied, "We are all sisters; there's nothing unfriendly between us." Baoyu asked again in a whisper, "When Qingwen was gravely ill and I went to see her, didn't you go too?" Wu'er smiled faintly and nodded. Baoyu said, "Did you hear what he said?" Wu'er shook her head and said, "No." Baoyu, already lost in thought, grabbed Wu'er's hand. Wu'er, flushing red with alarm and her heart pounding, whispered urgently, "Whatever you want to say, Second Master, just say it—don't pull at me like this." Only then did Baoyu let go and said, "He told me, 'If I had known I was bearing an empty reputation all along, I would have made a proper move from the start.' How could you not have heard?" Wu'er understood clearly that this was meant to take liberties with her, but she dared not react, so she said, "That was his own shamelessness. Is that something a girl like us should even talk about?" Baoyu said anxiously, "Why must you also be such a moral pedant! I saw that you look exactly like him, and that's why I was willing to say this to you. How can you use such words to slander him!" At this point, Wu'er had no idea what Baoyu meant, so she said, "It's late, Second Master should sleep too. Don't keep sitting there, you'll catch cold. Didn't the Lady and Sister Xiren give you instructions just now?" Baoyu said, "I'm not cold." As he said this, it suddenly occurred to him that Wu'er had not put on a heavy garment, and he feared she might catch cold just like Qingwen had, so he said, "Why did you come over without putting on your clothes!" Wu'er said, "You called so urgently, when would I have had time to dress properly? If I had known we'd be talking this long, I would have put them on." Upon hearing this, Baoyu quickly lifted the moon-white silk quilted jacket he had been covering himself with and handed it to Wu'er, telling her to put it on. Wu'er simply refused to take it, saying, "Keep it over yourself, Second Master, I'm not cold. If I'm cold, I have my own clothes." With that, she went back to her own bedding, pulled out a long jacket, and put it on. She then listened carefully and heard that Shueyue was sleeping soundly, so she slowly came over and said, "Weren't you going to conserve your spirits tonight, Second Master?" Baoyu said with a smile, "Let me tell you the truth—what do I mean by conserving spirits? I mean I want to encounter an immortal." Upon hearing this, Wu'er became even more suspicious and asked, "Encounter what immortal?" Baoyu said, "If you want to know, it's a long story. Come sit next to me and I'll tell you." Wu'er flushed and said with a smile, "You're lying over there, how am I supposed to sit?" Baoyu said, "What does it matter? One cold year, when you and Sister Shueyue and Sister Qingwen were playing, I was afraid he would catch cold, so I pulled him into the bed to warm him up. What's wrong with that! In general, a person shouldn't be so affected and prudish." Wu'er heard that every word carried Baoyu's teasing intent. Little did she know that this foolish master was speaking from the heart and meant every word. Wu'er now found it awkward to leave, awkward to stand, awkward to sit—she simply didn't know what to do, so she said with a faint smile, "Stop talking nonsense. Think of what people would think if they heard this. No wonder people say you devote all your energy to girls. You have Second Mistress and Sister Xiren at home, both like immortals, yet you only love to mess around with others. If you say such things again tomorrow, I'll report it to Second Mistress and see how you show your face to anyone." Just as she was speaking, there came a loud thud from outside, startling them both. From the inner room, Baochai coughed. Baoyu heard it and quickly pursed his lips in a gesture of silence. Wu'er also hurriedly blew out the lamp and quietly lay down. It turned out that Baochai and Xiren, having not slept the night before and being exhausted from the day's labors, had fallen asleep and heard none of their conversation. But the sound in the courtyard had already woken them; they listened carefully but heard nothing further. Baoyu, lying in bed at this moment, wondered in his heart, "Could it be that Sister Lin has come and deliberately startled us on purpose because she heard me talking with Wu'er?" He tossed and turned, his mind wandering, and it was not until after the fifth watch that he drifted into a fitful sleep.

Meanwhile, Wuer had been dallying with Baoyu through half the night, and on top of that Baochai had been coughing. Wuer, nursing her guilty secret, was terrified that Baochai might have heard. Turning the matter over and over in her mind, she passed a sleepless night. The next morning she rose early and saw that Baoyu was still lying in a drowsy sleep. She quietly tidied up the room. By then Sheyue was already awake and said, "How come you're up so early? Don't tell me you didn't sleep at all last night?" Hearing this, Wuer felt as though Sheyue already knew something of what had happened. She only gave an awkward smile and made no reply. Before long, Baochai and Xiren also got up. They opened the door and were puzzled to find Baoyu still asleep. "How is it that he's slept so soundly these two nights out there?" they wondered. When Baoyu woke and saw that everyone was already up, he hastily scrambled out of bed and rubbed his eyes. Thinking it over carefully, he realized he had not dreamed after all the previous night—perhaps the paths of immortals and mortals were simply too far apart. He slowly got down from the bed, then recalled what Wuer had said the night before about Baochai and Xiren being like heavenly immortals. That was not wrong, he thought, and he stared fixedly at Baochai. Baochai saw him in a daze. Though she knew it was on account of Daiyu, she could not be certain whether he had dreamed or not. His staring made her feel embarrassed. "Second Master," she said with a smile, "did you really meet an immortal last night?" Baoyu took this to mean that Baochai had heard what was said the previous evening. He smiled and said with some effort, "Where did that idea come from?" When Wuer heard this, she grew even more guilt-stricken. Unable to say anything, she could only watch Baochai's expression. Baochai, smiling, turned to Wuer and asked, "Did you hear Second Master talking in his sleep to someone?" At this, Baoyu could no longer sit still and drifted away on some pretext. Wuer's face flushed crimson. She could only mumble, "He did say a few things in the first half of the night, but I didn't catch them clearly. Something about 'bearing a false name' and 'not having the right intentions'—I didn't understand. I urged Second Master to sleep, and afterward I fell asleep myself. I don't know whether he said anything more." Baochai lowered her head and thought: "This is clearly about Daiyu. But if he is left brooding out there all the time, he may let his mind wander and attract some flower spirit or moon fairy. Besides, his old illness has always been an excess of feeling for his cousins. The only way is to find some means of shifting his affections, and then trouble can be avoided." Thinking this, she could not help blushing and feeling flustered. She went into her room to wash and dress, somewhat abashed.

Now, the Lady of Jia had been in high spirits for two days and had eaten rather more than usual. That evening she felt unwell, and the next day her chest felt heavy and congested. Yuanyang and the others wanted to report this to Jia Zheng, but the old lady would not allow it. "These past two days I've been a bit greedy and ate a bit too much," she said. "I'll be fine if I skip a meal. Don't you go making a fuss." So Yuanyang and the others told no one.

That evening, Baoyu returned to his own quarters and found that Baochai had just come back from paying her evening respects to the Lady of Jia and Lady Wang. Baoyu, thinking of the morning's events, felt his cheeks burn with shame. Baochai, seeing him like this, understood that he was mortified. She reflected: "He is a man of deep feeling. To cure this ailment of his, there is no choice but to treat it with deep feeling." After thinking for a while, she asked Baoyu, "Will you sleep in the outer room again tonight?" Baoyu, feeling he had lost face, said, "It's all the same whether it's the inner room or the outer room." Baochai wanted to say more but felt too embarrassed. Xiren said, "Oh, come now, what kind of logic is that? I don't believe he slept that soundly!" Wuer, hearing this, quickly chimed in, "There's nothing else about Second Master sleeping in the outer room, except that he talks in his sleep and no one can make head or tail of it, and no one dares contradict him." Xiren then said, "I'll move to the bed tonight and see whether he talks in his sleep or not. You just need to lay out Second Master's bedding in the inner room." Baochai said nothing to this. Baoyu, too ashamed to argue, had no choice but to move into the inner room as suggested. For his part, Baoyu felt guilty and wanted to comfort Baochai's heart; for her part, Baochai feared that Baoyu's brooding might make him ill, and thought it better to show him some warmth and affection so that he would feel closer to her—a scheme to graft one tree onto another. That evening, Xiren indeed moved out. Because Baoyu was filled with remorse and Baochai wished to draw his heart toward her, from the day of their marriage until this moment, they finally found themselves like fish in water, bound in tender love—the subtle union of the essences of two and five, perfectly conjoined. But this is a story for later.

The next day, Baoyu and Baochai rose together. After washing and dressing, Baoyu went first to Grandmother Jia's quarters. The old lady, out of her fondness for Baoyu and her appreciation of Baochai's devotion, suddenly thought of a certain object. She asked Yuanyang to open a chest and take out a Han dynasty jade pendant that had been left by their ancestors. Though it could not compare with Baoyu's precious jade, it was still a rare thing to wear on one's person. Yuanyang found it and handed it to Grandmother Jia, saying, "I don't think I've ever seen this before. That you, madam, should remember it so clearly after all these years—you said it was kept in such-and-such a box in such-and-such a chest, and I found it at once, just as you described. But why did you want to take it out today?"

Grand Mother Jia replied, "You don't know the story. This jade was given by our great-grandfather to my husband's grandfather, and when I was about to be married, my grandfather-in-law called me to him and placed it in my hands himself. He said, 'This jade was worn during the Han dynasty and is very precious. Keep it with you, and it will be as though you are seeing me.' I was still a child then and didn't think much of it, so I tossed it into a chest. After I came here, I saw that our family had so many valuables that this seemed like nothing special, and I never wore it once. It's been lying there for over sixty years. Today, seeing how devoted Baoyu is and knowing that he has lost his jade, I thought of giving it to him—just as my ancestors intended when they gave it to me."

Presently Baoyu came to pay his respects, and Grandmother Jia said cheerfully, "Come here. I have something to show you." Baoyu approached her bed, and the old lady handed him the Han jade pendant. Baoyu took it and examined it: it was about three inches square, shaped like a sweet melon, with a reddish tinge to its color, and exquisitely worked. He praised it repeatedly. Grandmother Jia asked, "Do you like it? This was given to me by my great-grandfather. I'll pass it on to you." Baoyu smiled, bowed to thank her, and then took it to show his mother. Grandmother Jia said, "If your mother sees it, she'll tell your father, and he'll say I care more for my grandson than for my son. They've never seen it before." Baoyu went off smiling. Baochai and the others exchanged a few words and then took their leave as well.

From that day, Grandmother Jia took no food for two days. She still felt a tightness in her chest, with dizziness, blurred vision, and coughing. Lady Xing, Lady Wang, and Xifeng came to inquire after her and found that her spirits were still fair. They merely sent someone to inform Jia Zheng, who came at once to pay his respects. After leaving her quarters, Jia Zheng immediately called for a physician to examine her pulse. Before long, the doctor came and took her pulse, saying that an elderly person of her age had stopped eating, had caught a slight cold, and would need only some medicine to aid digestion and dispel the ailment. He wrote a prescription, which Jia Zheng reviewed and found to be of ordinary ingredients. He ordered it prepared and administered. From then on, Jia Zheng came morning and evening to pay his respects, but after three days there was no improvement. Jia Zheng told Jia Lian, "Find out who the best doctors are and bring one quickly to see the old lady. The physicians we usually call upon are not very good, that's why I'm sending you."

Jia Lian thought for a moment and said, "I remember that when Brother Bao was ill, we called in someone who wasn't actually a practicing physician, and he cured him. Why not look for him?" Jia Zheng replied, "Medicine is an extremely difficult art. Often it's the doctors who aren't in fashion who have real skill. Send someone to find him at once." Jia Lian hurriedly agreed and went off. He returned and reported, "This Dr. Liu has recently gone out of the city to teach and only comes in once every ten days or so. We can't wait that long, so I've engaged another physician, who has already arrived." Jia Zheng had no choice but to wait. But no more of this.

While the Dowager was ill, the ladies of the household came every day without fail to inquire after her. One day, when they were all gathered there, the old gatekeeper of the inner garden came in and reported, "Miao-yu from Green Bower Nunnery in the garden has learned that the old lady is sick and has come specially to pay her respects."

The others said, "She doesn't often come here, and since she's made a point of coming today, go quickly and invite her in."

Hsi-chou went to the bedside to report this to the Dowager. Hsiu-yen, who was an old acquaintance of Miao-yu's, went out first to greet her. She saw Miao-yu wearing a nun's coiffure, dressed in a plain moon-white silk jacket over a long vest of blue shot silk bordered with patchwork embroidery, a brownish-gold silk sash at her waist, and a white satin skirt painted in pale ink. Holding a fly-whisk and rosary, she came gliding along with an attendant behind her.

Hsiu-yen stepped forward to greet her. "While I've been living in the garden," she said, "I could have come to see you often. But lately there are fewer people in the garden, and it's hard for a single person to get out easily. Besides, the inner gate is usually shut, so I haven't been able to see you these days. What a happy chance meeting today!"

Miao-yu said, "Before, you were all in the midst of all that bustle. Although you lived in the outer garden, I didn't find it convenient to visit often. Now I know things aren't going too well here, and I heard the old lady is sick. I was thinking of you, and I also wanted to look in on Miss Pao. Never mind whether your gate is closed or not — when I want to come I come. If I don't come, you can't make me."

Hsiu-yen laughed. "You're just the same temperament as ever."

As she spoke, they had already reached the Dowager's room. Everyone present greeted her. Miao-yu went to the Dowager's bedside to inquire after her health and said a few polite words.

The Dowager then said, "You are a true bodhisattva. Tell me, will my illness get better or not?"

Miao-yu said, "A charitable old lady like you, Your Ladyship, is destined for a long life. A temporary cold should be cured after a few doses of medicine. Old people need only to take things easy."

The Dowager said, "I'm not worried about that. I am someone who loves to enjoy myself. This illness doesn't feel too bad to me now, but there's a stuffiness and fullness in my chest. The doctor just now said it was caused by anger. But you know perfectly well — who would dare make me angry? That shows how ordinary this doctor's understanding of the pulse is. I've already told Lian and told him the first doctor, who diagnosed it as a cold with indigestion, was right. Tomorrow we'll have him come again."

She then asked Yu-yang to instruct the kitchen to prepare a table of pure vegetarian food and invite Miao-yu to stay for a meal.

Miao-yu said, "I've already had my midday meal. I don't eat anything."

Lady Wang said, "Very well, then don't eat. Let's sit a while longer and chat."

Miao-yu said, "It's been a long time since I last saw you all. I came today to look in on you."

After more talk, she was about to leave when she noticed Hsi-ch'un standing there and asked, "Fourth Miss, why are you so thin? Don't wear yourself out with too much painting."

Hsi-ch'un said, "I haven't painted in a long time. The rooms I'm living in now aren't as bright and spacious as those in the garden, so I haven't had the heart for it."

Miao-yu said, "Where are you living now?"

Hsi-ch'un said, "The room just east of the gate you came through. It's very close if you want to come."

Miao-yu said, "I'll come look you up when I feel like it."

Hsi-ch'un and the others saw her out, then came back inside. They heard the maids report that the doctor was at the Dowager's side. The company dispersed for the time being.

The Dowager's illness had been worsening day by day. Physicians were called in, but their treatments had no effect; then diarrhea was added to her ailments. Jia Zheng grew anxious, knowing the illness was beyond cure. He at once had someone go to his yamen to request leave, and he and Lady Wang personally attended to her medicines day and night. One day, when the Dowager managed to take a little nourishment, his mind was somewhat eased. Just then he saw an old servant woman peering in from the doorway. Lady Wang told Caiyun to go and find out who it was. Caiyun went and saw it was the woman who had accompanied Yingchun to the Sun household. She said, "What are you doing here?" The old woman said, "I've been here half a day. I couldn't find any of the young mistresses anywhere, and I didn't dare barge in. I'm frantic with worry." Caiyun said, "What's the panic? Has the young master been ill-treating the young mistress again?" The old woman said, "The young mistress is in a bad way. There was a scene the other day — she cried all night. Yesterday her throat got blocked with phlegm. They still haven't called a doctor. Today she's even worse." Caiyun said, "The Old Mistress is ill — don't go raising a commotion." But Lady Wang had already heard from inside, and fearing the Dowager might overhear and be distressed, she quickly told Caiyun to take the woman outside to talk. Who would have thought that the Dowager, though ill, had a quiet mind and had caught every word? She said, "Is my Ying girl going to die?" Lady Wang said, "No, no. These old women don't know how to weigh their words — they said she's been a bit unwell these past couple of days, and they're afraid she won't recover quickly. They came here to ask for a doctor." The Dowager said, "Send my own doctor — fetch him at once." Lady Wang told Caiyun to have this woman go back and report to the Elder Mistress, and the old woman left. The Dowager then fell into grief. "I had three granddaughters," she said. "One enjoyed every blessing and died. The third girl married far away and I can't see her. The second girl has had a hard time, but perhaps she would have pulled through — I never imagined she, so young, would actually die. What is the point of an old woman like me still being alive!" Lady Wang and Yuanyang tried to console her for a long time. At that time Baochai and Li Wan were not in the room, and Xifeng had been ill lately. Lady Wang, fearing the Dowager's sorrow would aggravate her illness, had them summoned to keep her company. She herself went back to her room and called Caiyun to scold the old woman for her lack of sense: "From now on, when I'm with the Old Mistress, you people are not to come report matters." The maids obeyed and said nothing. But no sooner had the old woman reached the Elder Lady's quarters than word came from outside: "The Second Young Mistress has died." The Elder Lady heard it and wept bitterly. Since her father was not at home, she could only send Jia Lian to go and see. Knowing the Dowager's illness was grave, no one dared to report it to her. Alas — a young woman like a flower in the moon, married barely a year, had been ground down by the Sun household to her death. And with the Dowager critically ill, none of the family could leave her side, and so they allowed the Sun family to dispose of the matter in haste.

The Dowager's condition grew steadily worse. She could think of nothing but her dear daughters. At one point she thought of Xiangyun and sent someone to check on her. The messenger came back and quietly looked for Yuanyang. Since Yuanyang was at the Old Mistress's side and Lady Wang and the others were all there, the messenger couldn't approach. She went to the back and found Hupo and told her: "The Old Mistress was thinking of Miss Shi and had us go inquire. We found Miss Shi in terrible distress — she said her husband has fallen gravely ill, and the doctors who've seen him say he likely won't recover. If it turns into consumption, he might last four or five years. So Miss Shi is beside herself with worry. She also knows the Old Mistress is ill and can't come pay her respects. She asked us not to mention any of this to the Old Mistress. If the Old Mistress asks, you must find some way to put her off." Hupo heard this, gave a little cough, and said nothing for a long while. Then she said, "You may go." Hupo didn't dare report it either. She thought of telling Yuanyang so that he could make up an excuse, and so she went to the Dowager's bedside. She saw that the Dowager's expression had changed greatly. A roomful of people stood there whispering, "It looks bad," and Hupo dared not speak. Meanwhile, Jia Zheng quietly called Jia Lian to his side and whispered a few words in his ear. Jia Lian softly assent and went out. He assembled all the servants currently at home and said: "The Old Mistress's affair is about to come to its end. You must quickly divide up and send people to handle it. First thing — bring out the coffin board so we can see it and line it properly. Go quickly and take everyone's measurements, write them all down clearly, and have the tailors make the mourning clothes. Arrange for the funeral canopy and ceremonial staffs. We need to assign more people to the kitchen as well." Lai Da and the others said, "Second Master, you needn't trouble yourself with these matters — we've already made arrangements. But where is this money to come from?" Jia Lian said, "Don't worry about the money. The Old Mistress left it herself. Just now the Master's only instruction is that everything be done properly — it must look respectable to the outside world as well." Lai Da and the others assented and sent people off to handle their tasks.

Jia Lian returned to his own quarters and asked Ping'er: "How is your mistress today?" Ping'er jerked her mouth toward the room: "Go see for yourself." Jia Lian went in and found Xifeng trying to get dressed but unable to move for the moment; she was leaning against the kang table. Jia Lian said, "You probably can't rest any longer. The Old Mistress's affair will come any day now — you won't be able to escape it. Quickly have the house tidied up so you can pull yourself together and get up there. If something happens, neither of us will be able to come back." Xifeng said, "What is there to tidy up here? It's just these few things — what's there to fear? You go first and see if the Master wants you. I'll change my clothes and come."

Jia Lian returned first to the Lady Dowager's room and whispered to Jia Zheng, "Everything has been arranged and assigned." Jia Zheng nodded. Outside, a messenger announced that the imperial physician had arrived. Jia Lian ushered him in, and the physician examined the patient once more. He then came out and whispered to Jia Lian, "Her Ladyship's pulse is not good. We must be on our guard." Jia Lian understood and informed Lady Wang and the others. Lady Wang quickly signaled with her eyes for Yuanyang to come over and told her to prepare the old lady's burial clothes. Yuanyang went off to attend to it. The Lady Dowager opened her eyes and asked for tea. Lady Xing brought her a cup of ginseng broth. But as soon as the Lady Dowager took it in her mouth, she said, "I don't want this. Pour me a cup of tea to drink." No one dared to disobey. Tea was brought at once. She drank one cup in a single draft and asked for more. After drinking another mouthful, she said, "I want to sit up." Jia Zheng and the others said, "Please tell us whatever you need. It would be better if you didn't sit up." The Lady Dowager said, "After drinking that water, I feel a little better. I'd like to lean back and talk with you for a while." Pearl and the others gently helped her up, and they saw that this time her spirits were somewhat improved.

What of life or death—the next chapter will tell.