Chapter 112

Chapter 112

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Chapter 112: A Virtuous Nun Falls Victim to Her Karmic Foe; A Vengeful Concubine's Spirit Goes to the Underworld

Xifeng ordered the women who had been on night watch bound and sent to the camp for interrogation. The women knelt and begged for mercy. Lin Zhixiao and Jia Yun told them, "Your pleading is useless. The master has put us in charge of the house—if nothing had happened, that would be fortune enough. Now that something has happened, both high and low bear the blame. Who can save you? As for Zhou Rui's adopted son, from Lady Xing on down, everyone inside and outside is tainted." Xifeng, panting heavily, said, "This is all fate's doing. What's the point of talking to them? Take them away. As for the lost items, tell the camp that they truly belonged to the Old Lady—only the masters will know. Once we've reported and the masters have returned, they will naturally send over the list of missing items. We'll report the same way to the civil officials' yamen." Jia Yun and Lin Zhixiao assented and left.

Xichun said nothing, only weeping, "I've never heard of such things—why must they happen to the two of us of all people! How will I face the master and mistress when they return tomorrow? They entrusted the household to us, and now it's come to this—how can we go on living!" Xifeng said, "Did we want this? There are the night watch people here." Xichun said, "You can still talk, and besides you're ill. I have no words. This is all my sister-in-law's doing—she urged the mistress to put me in charge of the house. Where can I hide my face now!" And she broke into fresh weeping. Xichun said, "Miss, don't think like that. If it's a question of losing face, we're all the same. If you think like that, I'll be even less able to bear it."

As the two were speaking, they heard someone in the outer courtyard shouting loudly, "I've always said those nuns and go-betweens are the last people to have around. In the Zhen household, they were never allowed inside the gate, but I didn't expect this household to be so lax. Just yesterday the Old Lady's funeral procession went out, and some nun from some nunnery insisted on coming here. I shouted at them not to enter, but the old woman at the side gate cursed me and begged and pleaded to let the nun in. That side gate was opening and closing—who knows what was going on. I didn't trust it and didn't dare sleep. At the fourth watch, there was shouting from here. I came to knock on the door but couldn't get in. When the sounds grew urgent, I opened the door and saw someone standing in the western courtyard. I drove him off and beat him to death. Only today did I learn this is the Fourth Young Lady's quarters. The nun was inside—she slipped out before dawn today. Wasn't it that nun who let the thieves in?" Ping'er and the others, hearing this, all said, "Who is this with no manners? The young lady and mistress are right here, and he dares to shout like that outside?" Xifeng said, "Did you hear him say 'our Zhen household'? Could it be that detestable creature recommended by the Zhens?" Xichun heard clearly and grew even more distressed. Xifeng went on to ask Xichun, "That person was babbling about a nun—why do you have a nun staying here?" Xichun then told her that Miaoyu had come to visit her and she had asked her to stay for chess and to keep watch through the night. Xifeng said, "If it's her—she would never do such a thing, it's unthinkable. But for that odious creature to shout it out—even if the master learns of it, it won't be good." Xichun grew more frightened by the minute and stood up to leave. Xifeng, though she herself could hardly sit still, feared that Xichun's fright might lead to trouble and urged her not to go for now. "Let's wait until someone gathers what the thieves left behind and posts a guard—then it will be safe to leave." Ping'er said, "We dare not collect anything—we should wait for the yamen officials to inspect the scene before we do. We can only watch. But I wonder if anyone has been sent to the master?" Xifeng said, "Send an old servant woman to ask." She came back in a moment and reported, "Lin Zhixiao can't leave—the household servants need to be on hand for the inspection, and others are too confused to explain things. Second Master Yun has already gone." Xifeng nodded, and she and Xichun sat together in despair.

Now, that band of thieves had been invited by He San. They had stolen and carried off a good deal of gold, silver, and valuables. When they saw people in pursuit, they knew their pursuers were no match for them and turned toward the western building to steal more. Through the window, they saw by lamplight two beauties inside—a young lady and a nun. The thieves, reckless with desire, forgot all about their lives and were about to break in. Only when they saw Bao Yong coming after them did they flee with their stolen goods. He San alone was missing. The rest hid out in a nest of accomplices. The next day they inquired about the situation and learned that He San had been beaten to them and killed, and that the civil and military yamen had been notified. They could not hide here. They agreed to join the pirates on the high seas as soon as possible—if they delayed, once the arrest warrants were issued, they would never get past the passes and fords.

One of the men, bolder than the rest, said, "We can leave all right, but I really can't bear to leave that young nun behind — she's really beautiful. I wonder which nunnery that little novice comes from."

Another said, "Ah, I remember now — she must be that nun from the Green Bower Convent in the Jia family's garden. Wasn't it said a couple of years ago that she had some connection with that Master Bao of theirs, and later on she developed lovesickness and had to see a doctor and take medicine?"

When the first man heard this, he said, "Let's hide today for a day. Let our eldest brother borrow some money and buy the gear for a trading venture. Tomorrow at the morning bell, we'll leave the pass one by one. You all wait for me at Twenty-Li Slope outside the pass."

The robbers settled on this plan and divided their spoils. We will say no more of this.

Now Jia Zheng and the others, having escorted the funeral procession, arrived at the temple and completed the laying to rest of the coffin. The relatives and friends departed. Jia Zheng kept vigil in the outer side room, while the two ladies Xing and the Lady Wang remained inside, spending the night in nothing but weeping. The next day, fresh offerings were made. Just as the meal was being laid out, Jia Yun came in. He kowtowed before the old lady's spirit tablet, then hurried over and knelt before Jia Zheng to pay his respects. Panting for breath, he reported that the house had been robbed the night before — all the things in the old lady's quarters had been stolen. Bao Yong had chased the thieves and killed one of them, and the matter had already been reported to both the civil and military authorities. Jia Zheng listened in a daze. The two ladies Xing and Lady Wang inside had also heard and were frightened out of their wits. They could say nothing, only weep. After a while Jia Zheng asked how the list of losses had been drawn up. Jia Yun replied, "The people in the house don't know what was there, so the list hasn't been made yet."

Jia Zheng said, "Well, that's something. We're a family that has been searched before. If we list the best items, we'd only be inviting trouble. Quick, fetch Lian."

Jia Lian had taken Baoyu and the others elsewhere to make offerings and had not yet returned. Jia Zheng sent someone to fetch him back. When Jia Lian heard the news, he jumped up in alarm. The moment he saw Jia Yun, regardless of Jia Zheng's presence, he berated him fiercely: "You unworthy wretch! I entrusted you with such an important task — guarding the house and patrolling at night — and are you a dead man? You even have the face to come and tell me!" With that he spat several times in Jia Yun's face. Jia Yun stood with his hands at his sides and dared not say a word in reply.

Jia Zheng said, "Scolding him won't help."

Jia Lian then knelt down and said, "What shall we do?"

Jia Zheng said, "There's nothing to be done except report it to the authorities and have them track down the thieves. But there's one thing: we haven't touched anything the old lady left behind. When you said you needed silver, I thought — the old lady has only been dead a few days; who could bear to touch that silver of hers? The original plan was to settle accounts with the creditors after everything was finished, and whatever remained was to be used to buy grave plots here and in the south. But as for the things themselves, we haven't even taken a proper count. Now the civil and military authorities want a list of losses. If we list several of the best items, that might cause trouble. But if we just say so much silver and so many articles of clothing, we don't have the actual figures, and we can't lie about it either. It's laughable — you seem to have become a completely different person. Why can't you manage this properly? What are you kneeling there for?"

Jia Lian dared not answer and simply stood up to leave. Jia Zheng called out, "Where are you going?"

Jia Lian knelt down again and said, "I'll go back and sort things out, then come back and report."

Jia Zheng snorted. Jia Lian lowered his head.

Jia Zheng said, "Go inside and report to your mother. Get one or two of the old lady's maids and have them think carefully and draw up the list."

Jia Lian knew perfectly well that all the old lady's things had been managed by Yuanyang, and now that she was dead, who could he ask? Even if he asked Zhenzhu, they wouldn't remember clearly. But he dared not object and could only agree repeatedly. He got up and went inside. The two ladies Xing and Lady Wang scolded him again and told him to hurry back and ask those who had been guarding the house, "How are they going to face us tomorrow?" Jia Lian could only agree and come out. He ordered a carriage to be prepared for Hupo and the others to enter the city, while he himself mounted a mule and, attended by several young pages, rode back at top speed. Jia Yun did not dare report further to Jia Zheng. He edged sideways and slipped out slowly, mounted his horse, and galloped after Jia Lian. The journey passed without incident.

After returning home, Lin Zhixiao paid his respects and followed him all the way inside. Jia Lian went to the old lady's upper room, where he found Xifeng and Xichun. Hatred rose in his heart, but he could not bring himself to speak it. He asked Lin Zhixiao, "Have you been to the yamen?" Knowing he was guilty, Lin Zhixiao knelt and replied, "Both the civil and military yamen have been visited. The traces of entry and exit have been examined, and the corpse has been inspected." Jia Lian said in surprise, "What corpse is there to inspect?" Lin Zhixiao then reported to Jia Lian what Bao Yong had said about killing a bandit who seemed to be Zhou Rui's adopted son. Jia Lian said, "Send for Jia Yun." Jia Yun came in and knelt to listen. Jia Lian said, "When you saw the master, why did you not report that Zhou Rui's adopted son had become a bandit and was killed by Bao Yong?" Jia Yun said, "The night watchmen said he looked like him, but they feared it might not be certain, so I did not report it." Jia Lian said, "What a muddle-headed fool! If you had told me, I could have brought Zhou Rui to identify him and we would have known at once." Lin Zhixiao replied, "Now the yamen has placed the corpse at the market crossroads for identification." Jia Lian said, "This is another muddle-headed fool. When someone's household man becomes a bandit and is killed by another, must someone pay with his life!" Lin Zhixiao replied, "There is no need for the family to identify him—this servant recognizes him as that man." Jia Lian thought to himself and said, "That's right. I recall that the year Lord Zhen wanted to beat someone, wasn't it Zhou Rui's wife's man?" Lin Zhixiao replied, "He fought with Bao Er—I even saw it myself." Jia Lian grew even more furious and wanted to beat the night watchmen. Lin Zhixiao pleaded, "Please calm your anger, Second Master. Those night watchmen—having been assigned their duty, how would they dare be lazy? It is only that by the rules of your household, no man may enter through the inner three gates. Even we servants dare not go inside unless we are called. I stood outside with Young Master Yun and checked every moment. The three inner gates were shut fast, and not a single outer door had been opened. The thieves came through the back lane." Jia Lian said, "What about the women who keep watch inside at night?" Lin Zhixiao reported that they had been bound by the young lady's orders on their watch and were awaiting the master's interrogation. Jia Lian asked again, "Where is Bao Yong?" Lin Zhixiao said, "He has gone back to the garden." Jia Lian said, "Go and fetch him." The pages brought Bao Yong. Jia Lian said, "It is well that you were here. If you had not been, everything in all the houses would have been carried off." Bao Yong said nothing. Xichun feared he would say certain words and was inwardly anxious. Xifeng also dared not speak. Just then someone outside announced, "Sister Hupo has returned." When they saw her, they could not help weeping once more.

Jia Lian ordered the remaining stolen goods to be inventoried. Only some bolts of cloth, cases of money, and such had been left untouched; everything else was gone. Jia Lian grew even more anxious, thinking, "The money for the outside scaffolding and the kitchen expenses have not been paid—with what shall I settle accounts tomorrow?" He sat lost in thought for a while. Then Hupo and the others came inside. After weeping for a time, they saw that the chests and cabinets were open. They could not remember all that had been inside, so they made a rough guess and drew up a list of the lost items, which they ordered to be sent at once to the civil and military yamen. Jia Lian again posted night watchmen. Xifeng and Xichun each returned to their rooms. Jia Lian did not dare rest at home, and without even finding time to blame Xifeng, he mounted his horse and rode out of the city. Xifeng, for her part, feared that Xichun might do something desperate, so she sent Feng'er over to comfort her.

The second watch of the night had already passed. Here, after the thieves had gone and the gates were barred, the people were even more on their guard—no one dared sleep. As for the bandits, their hearts were set on Miaoyu. They knew it was a lonely nunnery of women and would not be hard to take advantage of. When the third watch of the night fell and all was still, they took short weapons, brought some knockout incense, and scaled the high wall. From a distance they saw that the lights in Green Bower Nunnery were still burning. They crept down and hid in a secluded spot beside the house.

They waited until the fourth watch. Inside, they saw only a single sea-lamp, and Miaoyu sitting alone on a rush cushion in meditation. After a while, she sighed and said to herself, "When I came from Yuan's tomb to the capital, I had hoped to make a name for myself. Since I was invited here, I could not dwell elsewhere. Yesterday I went with good intentions to visit the Fourth Miss, but received nothing but insults from that fool, and at night I suffered a great fright. Today when I returned, I could not sit still on the cushion—my flesh crawled and my heart trembled." She was accustomed to meditating alone and that night again refused to let anyone keep her company. But when the fifth watch came, she began to shiver with cold. Just as she was about to call for someone, she heard a sound outside the window. Remembering the events of the previous night, she grew even more frightened and could not help calling out. But the old women answered not a word. She sat by herself, and then a strange fragrance penetrated her fontanel. Her hands and feet went numb and she could not move; she could not speak. In her heart she was frantic. Then she saw a man come in carrying a bright gleaming knife. At that moment Miaoyu's mind was perfectly clear, but she could not move. Thinking he meant to kill her, she steeled herself and was no longer afraid. But the man sheathed his knife behind his back, freed his hands, and gently lifted Miaoyu. He took some liberties with her, then hoisted her onto his back. By now Miaoyu's mind was in a drunken haze. Pitiful—a woman of the utmost purity and chastity, overcome by the bandit's knockout incense, was carried off to be used as he pleased.

The robber, having carried Miao Yu on his back, made his way to the rear wall of the garden. There he set up a soft ladder, scaled the wall, and leapt down on the other side. Outside, his accomplices had already readied a cart and waited by the garden gate. The man laid Miao Yu face-down on the vehicle, turned up the official lantern with its inscribed placard, called out to have the barrier opened, and hurried on toward the city gate, arriving just as it was being opened. The gate officer, supposing it was an official party leaving the city, did not trouble himself to search or question them. Once they had raced out of the city, the robbers whipped their horses on and, after some twenty li, joined the rest of the gang at the hillside. There they parted ways and each made his way separately to the Southern Sea. Whether Miao Yu was carried off willingly or submitted to violation, or whether she died resisting—no one could tell what had become of her. It was impossible even to guess.

Meanwhile, the young nun who attended Miao Yu in the Green Lattice Hermitage—she had been sleeping in the back chamber of the meditation hall—was awakened near the fifth watch by sounds from the front of the building. She thought at first that Miao Yu must be restless at her night devotions. Then she heard a man's footsteps and the rattling of doors and windows. She wanted to get up and look, but her body felt limp and she was too listless to call out. Nor did she hear any words from Miao Yu. She simply lay there with her eyes open, listening. By daybreak, when her mind felt clearer, she threw on her clothes, told the old lay nun to prepare Miao Yu's tea, and went to the front of the hall to check on her. To her astonishment, there was no trace of Miao Yu. The doors and windows stood wide open. Puzzled, she recalled the sounds of the night before and grew suspicious. "Where could she have gone so early?" she wondered. Stepping outside the courtyard gate, she found a soft ladder leaning against the wall, and on the ground a scabbard and a length of sash. "Terrible!" she cried. "Last night a robber must have burned somnific incense!" She roused the others in haste to search, but the hermitage gate was still bolted shut. The old lay nuns and the serving women said, "The coal fumes suffocated us last night. We could barely get up this morning. What's the rush so early?" The young nun said, "We don't know where our mistress has gone." The others said, "She must be meditating in the Guanyin Hall." The young nun said, "You're still dreaming—come and see for yourselves." The others, alarmed, opened the hermitage gate and searched the whole garden. "Perhaps she went to the Fourth Young Lady's quarters."

They came and knocked on the inner gate, but Bao Yong berated them. They said, "We don't know where our Teacher Miao went last night, so we've come looking. Please, old master, open the gate and ask whether she came here or not." Bao Yong said, "Your mistress led thieves here to rob us. They've already got what they came for, and she's gone off with them to enjoy herself." The others said, "Amida Buddha! Watch your tongue, or you'll go to the tongue-cutting hell!" Bao Yong grew angry. "Nonsense! If you make any more noise, I'll give you a beating." They smiled and pleaded, "Please, sir, open the gate and let us have a look. If she's not there, we won't trouble your lordship again." Bao Yong said, "If you don't believe me, go ahead and search. If she's not there, you can come back and answer for it." So saying, he had the gate opened, and they all went to find Xi Chun.

Xi Chun was in the depths of melancholy, worrying that "Miao Yu left early this morning—I wonder if she heard what our Bao Yong said. If so, she'll be offended and won't come again. I'll have no one left who understands me. And really, I can hardly face anyone now. My parents died young, and my sister-in-law dislikes me. In the old days the Grandmother was fond of me, but now she too is dead, leaving me utterly alone and desolate—how will it all end?" She thought: "Ying Chun was tormented to death; Shi Xiangyun tends a sick husband; the Third Sister has gone far away—all this is fate, beyond anyone's control. Only Miao Yu is free as a drifting cloud or a wild crane, bound by nothing. If I could be like her, that would be fortune enough. But I am the daughter of a great family—how can I have my way? Already I've failed miserably in guarding the house. How can I show my face here? And if the ladies don't understand my true feelings, what will become of me in the end?" With these thoughts, she resolved to cut off her hair and enter a religious life. Cai Ping and the others, hearing this, rushed to dissuade her—but she had already sheared off half her hair. Cai Ping was frantic. "Before one trouble is settled, another arises—what are we to do!"

While they were in an uproar, Miao Yu's lay attendants came looking for her. Cai Ping asked why, and was at first terrified to learn that Miao Yu had left the day before and never returned. Xi Chun, hearing this from inside, called out anxiously, "Where has she gone?" The attendants told her everything—the sounds they had heard the night before, how the coal fumes had overcome them, and how they had found no trace of Miao Yu that morning, with the soft ladder and scabbard in the hermitage. Xi Chun was filled with alarm and uncertainty. She recalled Bao Yong's words of the day before—it must have been those bandits who spotted her and carried her off last night. But Miao Yu had always been so proud and pure—surely she would not cling to life? "Didn't any of you hear anything?" The others said, "Of course we heard! But we all lay there with our eyes open unable to utter a single word. The robbers must have burned somnific incense. Sister Miao was alone—she too must have been drugged and unable to speak. And there must have been several of them, threatening her with knives and clubs—how could she have cried out?" Even as they spoke, Bao Yong was shouting again from the inner gate: "Hurry up and throw those damned old women out of there! Close the gate at once!" Cai Ping, afraid of being blamed, had to send the women out and have the gate shut. Xi Chun's distress deepened, but Cai Ping and the others earnestly entreated her with all propriety, and she wound up the remaining half of her hair. They agreed that nothing should be made public—even if Miao Yu had been carried off, they would pretend to know nothing and wait for the Master and the ladies to return before deciding what to do. In Xi Chun's heart, the resolve to become a nun was now firmly set aside for the moment, and we shall say no more of it for now.

Jia Lian returned to Iron Threshold Temple and reported to Jia Zheng that he had gone home to check on the night watchmen and had filed the list of lost items. Jia Zheng asked, "How did you compile it?" Jia Lian presented the list of items that Amber had recorded and said, "The things bestowed by the late Imperial Consort have already been noted. There are also items that are not commonly found in other households, so I did not include them. After I have completed my mourning period, I will go out and entrust someone to investigate them carefully. We will certainly recover them." Jia Zheng was satisfied with this and nodded in silence.

Jia Lian went inside to see the two Ladies Xing and Wang and discussed with them, "We should persuade the master to return home as soon as possible. Otherwise, everything will be in a tangled mess." Lady Xing said, "Indeed, we are also on tenterhooks here." Jia Lian said, "This is not something we dare to say. It is for the mistress to propose, and the Second Master will agree." Lady Xing then discussed the matter with Lady Wang, and they reached an agreement.

After spending the night, Jia Zheng, still uneasy, sent for Baoyu and said, "Ask the ladies to return home today. They can come back in two or three days. The servants have already been assigned; inside, the ladies should send their own people." Lady Yingge and others were assigned to accompany the spirit, while Zhou Rui's wife and others were put in charge of general management. The rest of the household, high and low, were to return home. There was a flurry of activity as carriages and horses were prepared. Jia Zheng and others took leave of the spirit of Grandmother Jia in front of her coffin, and everyone wept once more.

Just as they were all getting up to leave, they saw Aunt Zhao still lying on the ground, not getting up. Aunt Zhou thought she was still crying and went to pull her up. To their surprise, Aunt Zhao was foaming at the mouth, her eyes staring straight ahead, her tongue sticking out, which gave the servants a great fright. Jia Huan came over shouting in confusion. Aunt Zhao woke up and said, "I am not going back. I will follow the Old Lady back to the south." Everyone said, "The Old Lady has no need of you!" Aunt Zhao said, "I have followed the Old Lady all my life, but the Elder Master still did not agree and used ghosts and spirits to plot against me. I relied on Ma the Sorceress to vent my anger, but I spent a lot of silver for nothing and did not manage to kill anyone. Now that I am going back, I do not know who will plot against me." Everyone who heard this already knew that it was Yuanyang's spirit possessing her. The two Ladies Xing and Wang said nothing but watched. Only Caiyun and others pleaded on her behalf, saying, "Sister Yuanyang, you died of your own free will. What does this have to do with Aunt Zhao? Release her." Seeing that Lady Xing was present, they dared not say anything else. Aunt Zhao said, "I am not Yuanyang. She has long since ascended to the immortal realm. I am being taken by messengers sent by the King of Hell to question me about the case of the evil magic used with Old Mother Ma." She then called out, "Good Second Master Lian's wife, please speak a little less before the master here. For a thousand days of bad, there is still one day of good. Good Second Master's wife, dear Second Master's wife, it was not that I wanted to harm you. I was momentarily confused and listened to that old harlot's words."

While this was going on, Jia Zheng sent someone in to call Jia Huan. The old women went back and reported, "Aunt Zhao has been possessed by an evil spirit. The Third Master is watching over her." Jia Zheng said, "Nonsense. We are leaving first." And so the men departed first. Here, Aunt Zhao continued to rant incoherently and could not be revived for a time. Lady Xing feared she might say something more, so she said, "Assign a few more people to watch over her. We will leave first and send a doctor from the city to examine her." Lady Wang had always disliked her and also washed her hands of the matter. Baochai, by nature kind-hearted, though she remembered how she had tried to harm Baoyu, could not bring herself to abandon her and secretly entrusted Aunt Zhou to look after her there. Aunt Zhou was also a good person and agreed. Li Wan said, "I will stay here too." Lady Wang said, "That is unnecessary." And so everyone prepared to leave. Jia Huan hurriedly asked, "Should I stay here too?" Lady Wang spat, "Foolish creature! You do not even know whether your aunt is dead or alive, and you still want to leave!" Jia Huan dared not say another word. Baoyu said, "Good brother, you cannot leave. I will send someone from the city to check on you." With that, they all got into their carriages and returned home. In the temple remained only Aunt Zhao, Jia Huan, Yingwu, and others.

Jia Zheng, Lady Xing, and the others arrived home one after another. They went to the main hall and wept. Lin Zhixia led the household servants in paying their respects, kneeling. Jia Zheng shouted, "Leave! I will question you tomorrow!" Xifeng had fainted several times that day and could not come out to greet them. Only Xichun came forward, her face full of shame. Lady Xing ignored her. Lady Wang was as usual. Li Wan and Baochai held hands and exchanged a few words. Only Madam You said, "Young lady, you have been so considerate and have looked after things for several days!" Xichun did not utter a word, her face turning purple. Baochai pulled Madam You aside and gave her a meaningful glance. Madam You and the others then returned to their respective rooms. Jia Zheng glanced around briefly, sighed, and said nothing. He sat on the floor in his study and summoned Jia Lian, Jia Rong, and Jia Yun, giving them several instructions. Baoyu wanted to stay in the study to keep Jia Zheng company, but Jia Zheng said, "There is no need." Lan still followed his mother. Nothing more happened that night.

The next morning, Lin Zhixiao came early to the study and knelt down. Jia Zheng questioned him about the robbery from beginning to end, and when Zhou Rui's name came up, he added, "The yamen has arrested Bao'er and found on his person items listed on the inventory of stolen goods. They are now subjecting him to the squeezing-rack to make him reveal the whole gang of thieves." Jia Zheng was furious. "Household slaves who repay kindness with betrayal and lead thieves to rob their own masters—this is outright rebellion!" He immediately ordered men to go outside the city and bind Zhou Rui, then deliver him to the yamen for interrogation. Lin Zhixiao remained kneeling, too frightened to rise. "Why are you still kneeling?" Jia Zheng demanded. "This slave deserves death. I beg Your Lordship's mercy," Lin Zhixiao replied. Just then Lai Da and the other household managers came in to pay their respects and presented the funeral accounts. "Take these to Master Lian to be calculated and reported back," Jia Zheng ordered, and he barked at Lin Zhixiao to get up and get out.

Jia Lian knelt on one knee and whispered something to Jia Zheng. Jia Zheng glared at him. "Nonsense! The old lady's funeral funds were stolen by thieves—are the servants to be punished and made to produce the money themselves?" Jia Lian flushed crimson and dared not say another word; he stood but did not dare move. "How is your wife?" Jia Zheng asked. Jia Lian knelt again. "It seems she won't pull through." Jia Zheng sighed. "I never imagined our family fortunes would decline to such a pass! And Huan's mother is still sick in the temple—I don't even know what her symptoms are. Do you know?" Jia Lian dared not answer. "Send word to have a doctor go and examine her," Jia Zheng said. Jia Lian hastily assented and went out, dispatching a man with a doctor to Iron Threshold Temple to see Aunt Zhao. Whether she lives or dies will be told in the next chapter.

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