Chapter 116

Chapter 116

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The 116th Chapter

Through the Magic Stone, Enlightenment of Immortal Ties; Honoring the Coffin, Filial Devotion at Home

Baoyu, upon hearing Sheyue's words, fell backward and died once more. Lady Wang and the others wept and called out in distress. Sheyue knew her careless words had brought disaster; at that moment Lady Wang and the others had no time to scold her. As she wept, she resolved in her heart: "If Baoyu dies, I shall end my own life and follow him!" We will not dwell on Sheyue's thoughts. Meanwhile, Lady Wang and the others, finding they could not call him back, hastily sent people out to seek a monk to cure him. But when Jia Zheng had gone in and then come out again, the monk had already vanished. Jia Zheng was just marveling at this when he heard a commotion inside and hurried back in. He found Baoyu in the same state as before—mouth tightly shut, no pulse at all. He pressed his hand to Baoyu's chest and found it still warm. Jia Zheng could only summon doctors at once to administer medicine and try to save him.

But Baoyu's soul had already left his body. Do you think he had died? Not exactly—he was in a daze, as if in a trance, when he found himself in the front hall, where the monk who had returned the jade was sitting. Baoyu bowed to him. The monk stood up, took Baoyu by the hand, and led him away. Following the monk, Baoyu felt as light as a leaf, floating and swaying. They passed through no gate, yet somehow they were out. After traveling a distance, they came to a desolate wilderness, where in the distance he could see a memorial archway that seemed familiar. Just as he was about to ask the monk about it, a woman appeared, drifting toward him like a phantom. Baoyu thought: "In such a wild place, how could there be such a beautiful woman? She must be an immortal descended from heaven." Thinking this, he approached for a closer look and found her somewhat familiar, though he could not recall who she was. The woman passed by the monk and vanished. Baoyu realized she looked like You Sanjie. Puzzled, he wondered, "Why is she here too?" He was about to ask the monk when the monk led him past the archway. Above it were inscribed four large characters: "True Suchness Blessed Land." On either side was a couplet:

When false departs and true arrives, the true surpasses the false;

From nothingness springs the real, and being is not non-being.

Beyond the archway stood a palace gate. Across the top were inscribed four large characters: "Fortune for the Good, Calamity for the Wicked." Another couplet read:

Past and future—do not think the wise and virtuous can break through;

Cause and effect—know that even those close to you may not meet.

Baoyu read this and thought: "So it is. I must ask about the workings of cause and effect, of coming and going." As he thought this, he saw Yuanyang beckoning to him. He thought: "I have been walking for half a day but never left the garden—how could it have changed its appearance?" He hurried to speak to her, but in the blink of an eye she was gone, and doubt arose in his heart. Where Yuanyang had stood was a row of side halls, each with a placard. Baoyu paid no attention to them, heading straight for the spot where Yuanyang had been. The door of one side hall was half open. Baoyu did not dare enter rashly. Just as he was about to ask the monk, he turned around—and the monk had vanished. In his daze, Baoyu saw the hall towering majestically, nothing like the Prospect Garden. He stopped and looked up at the placard: "Awakening the Infatuated." The couplet on either side read:

Joy and sorrow are both illusion;

Greed and longing arise only from infatuation.

Baoyu read it and nodded with a sigh. He wished to go in and ask Yuanyang where he was. Reflecting carefully, the place seemed very familiar. Gathering his courage, he pushed the door open. He glanced inside—no Yuanyang. The interior was pitch black, and fear crept over him. Just as he was about to retreat, he noticed a large number of cabinets, their doors half open.

Baoyu suddenly recalled: "When I was young, I once dreamed of coming to this place. Now I am able to arrive here in the flesh—great fortune indeed." In his daze, he forgot his notion of looking for Yuanyang. Emboldening himself, he opened the door of the large cabinet above. Inside he found several books, and his heart rejoiced all the more. He thought to say: "Most people, when they dream, say it is false—but how can they know that where there is such a dream, there is such a reality? I always said I would have this dream again but could never do so. I did not expect to find it today. But I wonder—are these the books I saw before, or are they different ones?" He reached up and took down the first volume. On its cover was written "The Register of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, First Register." Baoyu held it and thought: "I have a vague memory of this, but I regret that I cannot remember clearly." He opened to the first page and saw a painting there, but the brushwork was blurred and he could make nothing out of it. Behind it were several lines of writing, also indistinct, but still possible to decipher. He looked at them carefully and saw something about a "jade sash," with what seemed to be the character "Lin" above it. He thought to himself: "Could it be referring to Sister Lin?" He looked more carefully. Below were four characters: "Golden hairpin buried in the snow." He said in surprise: "Why, this also seems like her name." Then he read the four lines together from beginning to end and thought: "There is nothing extraordinary about it—it merely conceals the two of their names. That is not remarkable. It is only the characters 'lian' and 'tan' that are not good. What does that mean?" Having thought this far, he scolded himself: "I am stealing a look. If I go on staring and thinking like this, and someone comes, I shall not be able to look anymore." So he looked further on. He had no leisure to examine the drawings in detail but looked through them from the beginning. When he reached the end, there were several lines of verse, including the line "Meeting again, the great dream returns." He suddenly understood and said: "So that is it. Truly, the mechanism does not err—this must be Elder Sister Yuanchun. If they are all this plain, I shall copy them and examine them carefully when I return, and there will be nothing I do not know about the sisters' lifespans, fates, and fortunes. When I go back, I certainly will not reveal a word of it. I shall simply be a man who foresees the future, and that will save me a great deal of idle speculation." He looked around but found no brush or ink, and fearing someone might come, he could only hurry on with his reading. On the drawing he vaguely saw the figure of someone flying a kite, but he had no heart to look at it. He hastily read all twelve poems. Some he understood at a glance; some he grasped after a moment's thought; some were not entirely clear to him. He kept them firmly in his mind. Sighing all the while, he then took up the "Second Register of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling" and looked through it. He came to the lines "One may envy the actor's good fortune, but who knows the young master has no such bond"—which he had not understood before. When he saw above it the shadow of a flower-covered mat, he was greatly startled and burst into loud weeping.

He was about to turn further back when he heard someone say: "You're daydreaming again! Sister Lin is asking for you." The voice sounded like Yuanyang's, but when he looked around, there was no one to be seen. He was just beginning to feel startled and perplexed when Yuanyang appeared at the door, beckoning to him. At the sight of her, Baoyu was overjoyed and hurried out. He could see Yuanyang walking ahead, her figure indistinct and shadowy, but he could not catch up with her. Baoyu called out: "Good sister, wait for me." But Yuanyang paid him no mind and simply kept walking ahead. Baoyu, having no choice, did his utmost to catch up, when suddenly he found himself in another realm entirely—towering pavilions, exquisitely carved eaves, and many palace ladies glimpsed dimly among them. Baoyu was so absorbed in gazing at the scenery that he quite forgot about Yuanyang. He wandered at leisure through a palace gate, where inside grew strange flowers and rare plants that he could not identify. Only there was a white stone balustrade surrounding a single blade of green grass, with a faint tinge of red on its leaf tips. He did not know the name of this plant, yet it seemed so precious and revered. He noticed that where the breeze stirred, the green grass swayed unceasingly. Though it was but a single small blade, without blossoms, its captivating grace was such that his heart was moved, his spirit uplifted, and his very soul seemed to dissolve. Baoyu stood staring in a daze, when he heard someone beside him say: "What manner of foolish creature are you, spying on the immortal herb here?" Startled, Baoyu turned and saw a fairy maiden. He bowed and said: "I was looking for Sister Yuanyang and wandered by mistake into this immortal realm. Pardon my presumption. May I ask, divine sister, what place is this? How is it that my Sister Yuanyang came here and yet said it was Sister Lin calling me? I beg you to enlighten me." The fairy said: "Who knows anything about your sisters? I am the guardian of the immortal herb and cannot allow mortals to linger here." Baoyu wanted to leave but could not bear to go, so he pleaded: "If the divine sister is the one who tends this immortal herb, you must be the Flower Goddess. But may I ask, what is so special about this grass?" The fairy maiden said: "If you wish to know about this grass, it is a long story. This grass originally grew on the banks of the Spirit River and was called the Crimson Pearl Grass. At that time it was withering and dying, but fortunately a Divine Attendant of the Lapis Lazuli watered it daily with sweet dew, and so it was able to thrive. Later it descended to the mortal world to undergo trials and repaid the kindness of that watering. Now it has returned to its true realm. Therefore the Fairy of Disenchantment has ordered me to guard it and not allow bees or butterflies to dally with it." Baoyu did not understand, but his heart was certain that he had encountered the Flower Goddess. He must not let this opportunity pass him by today, so he asked: "You, divine sister, are the guardian of this grass. There must be countless other famous flowers, each with its own guardian—I would not presume to ask about them all—but who is the immortal who guards the lotus flower?" The fairy maiden said: "I do not know. Only my mistress would know." Baoyu then asked: "Who is your mistress, sister?" The fairy maiden said: "My mistress is the Goddess of the Bamboo Grove." Baoyu said: "Ah yes, surely this goddess is my cousin Lin Daiyu." The fairy maiden said: "Nonsense. This place is the dwelling of divine maidens of the Upper Realm. Though she is called the Goddess of the Bamboo Grove, she is not of the breed of Ehuang and Nüying—how could she have mortal kin? Come no more with such muddled talk, or I shall have the guardian warriors drive you out."

Baoyu listened in a daze, feeling that his own form was foul and base. He was just about to withdraw when he heard someone hurrying up and saying, "Inside they are calling for the Divine Attendant of the Crimson Pearl Jade." That person said, "I was ordered to wait for quite some time, but the Divine Attendant of the Crimson Pearl Jade never came. Where am I supposed to summon him?" The other laughed and said, "Wasn't that the one who just left?" The maid came out in a hurry and said, "Please ask the Divine Attendant of the Crimson Pearl Jade to come back." Baoyu thought they were asking for someone else, but he was also afraid of being chased, so he had to stumble away in flight.

As he was walking, he saw a man blocking his way from the front, holding a sword. "Where do you think you're going!" Baoyu was so frightened that he was at a loss. Gathering his courage, he raised his head and saw that it was no other than You Sanjie. When Baoyu saw her, his spirit settled somewhat, and he pleaded, "Sister, why have you also come to press me?" The person said, "None of you brothers are good men. You ruin people's reputations and destroy people's marriages. Today you have come here, and I will not spare you!" Baoyu heard that the tone of her words was not good and was just getting anxious when he heard someone from behind calling out, "Sister, quickly block him—don't let him get away." You Sanjie said, "I have been waiting here on orders of the Princess for a long time. Today that I have seen you, I must sever your earthly ties with one stroke of the sword." Baoyu grew even more flustered and still did not understand what these words meant. He could only turn to run. Who would have thought that the one speaking behind him was no other than Qingwen. Baoyu, upon seeing her, was overcome with mixed grief and joy and said, "I lost my way by myself and met an enemy. I tried to flee back, but I did not see any of you following me. Now it is good—Sister Qingwen, quickly take me home." Qingwen said, "Attendant, do not be suspicious. I am not Qingwen. I was specially sent by the Princess to invite you to a meeting, and I mean you no harm." Baoyu was full of doubt, but could only ask, "Sister says the Princess has summoned me. Who exactly is this Princess?" Qingwen said, "There is no need to ask now. When you arrive, you will naturally know." Baoyu had no choice but to follow.

He looked carefully at the person from behind—her movements were indeed Qingwen's, and her face and voice were unmistakable. "Then why does she say she is not? My mind is confused at the moment. Never mind—when I get there and see the Princess, if there is any mistake, I will beg her then. After all, a woman's heart is compassionate; she will surely forgive my rashness." As he was thinking this, before long they arrived at a place. He saw exquisite halls with brilliant colors, a clump of green bamboo in the courtyard, and several ancient pines outside. Several maids stood beneath the corridor eaves, all dressed in palace attire. When they saw Baoyu coming in, they whispered, "Is this the Divine Attendant of the Crimson Pearl Jade?" The one who had been guiding Baoyu said, "Yes, it is. Quick, go in and announce him." One of the maids beckoned with a smile, and Baoyu followed her inside.

After passing through several layers of rooms, they came to a main chamber with a beaded curtain hanging high. The maid said, "Stand here and wait for the decree." Upon hearing this, Baoyu did not dare make a sound and could only wait outside. The maid went in and after a short while came out and said, "Please invite the Attendant to have an audience." Another person then rolled up the beaded curtain. He saw a woman wearing a floral crown and embroidered robes, seated upright within. Baoyu raised his head slightly and saw that it was Daiyu's likeness. He could not help exclaiming, "Sister is here! I have missed you so much." The maid outside the curtain scolded in a low voice, "This Attendant is insolent. Get out quickly." Before she had finished speaking, another maid lowered the beaded curtain. At this moment, Baoyu wanted to go in but did not dare; he wanted to leave but could not bear to. He was about to ask for an explanation, but he did not recognize any of the maids, and having been driven away, he had no choice but to come out.

He wanted to ask Qingwen, but when he turned around and looked in all directions, Qingwen was nowhere to be seen. Filled with doubt, he could only come out dejectedly. With no one to guide him, he was about to try to find the way back, but he could no longer locate the old path. Just as he was in a quandary, he saw Fengjie standing beneath the eaves of a house, beckoning to him. Baoyu saw her joyfully and said, "Wonderful—so I have returned to my own home. How could I have been so confused for a moment?" He rushed forward and said, "Sister, are you here? These people have toyed with me to such an extent. Sister Lin would not see me either, and I do not know why." As he spoke, he walked to where Fengjie was standing, but upon looking carefully, it was not Fengjie at all—it was Qinshi, Jia Rong's former wife. Baoyu had no choice but to stand still and was about to ask "Where is Sister Feng?" but Qinshi did not answer and went into the house by herself. Baoyu, in a daze, did not dare to follow her in. He could only stand there blankly and sighed, "What fault have I committed today that no one will pay me any heed?" Then he burst into tears.

He saw several yellow-turbaned strongmen coming with whips, saying, "What man dares to intrude into our fairy paradise? Get out quickly!" Upon hearing this, Baoyu did not dare to speak. He was just trying to find a way out when in the distance he saw a group of women approaching, laughing and talking. When Baoyu looked, it seemed as though Yingchun and others were coming. His heart filled with joy, and he called out, "I am trapped here—come quickly and save me!" As he was shouting, the strongmen from behind caught up. Baoyu, in his desperation, rushed forward wildly, when suddenly he saw that the group of women had all transformed into the shapes of ghosts and demons, and they too came chasing after him.

Baoyu was at his wits' end when he saw the monk who had brought the jade holding up a mirror and shining it upon him. "I come by command of Consort Yuan," the monk declared, "to rescue you at once." In an instant the demons vanished, and once more there was nothing but the desolate wilderness. Baoyu seized hold of the monk. "I remember you led me here, and then you suddenly disappeared. I saw many relatives, but none of them paid me any attention, and then they all turned into demons. Was it a dream or was it real? I beg you, Master, to make it clear to me."

The monk asked, "Did you steal a look at anything when you here?"

Baoyu thought to himself, "Since he can take me to the blessed realm of immortals, he must be an immortal himself, and there is no way to deceive him. Besides, I want to get to the bottom of this." So he replied, "I did see some registers."

The monk said, "There you go again. You saw the registers and still don't understand! All the bonds of love in the world are nothing but obstacles. Just remember carefully everything you have been through, and in the future I will explain it to you." With that, he gave Baoyu a violent push and said, "Go back!"

Baoyu could not keep his footing. He fell with a thud and cried out, "Ai-ya!"

Lady Wang and the others had been weeping, but when they heard Baoyu revive, they quickly called out to him. Baoyu opened his eyes and found himself still lying on the kang. He saw Lady Wang, Baochai, and the others with red and swollen eyes from crying. He collected his thoughts and said to himself, "That's right—I died and have come back." Then he went over carefully everything his soul had passed through. Happily, he still remembered most of it, and he laughed out loud. "That's right! That's right!"

Lady Wang, thinking his old illness had flared up again, arranged for a doctor to be called immediately. She ordered the maids and servants to go at once to inform Jia Zheng: "Baoyu has come back. His mind was confused before, but now he is speaking again. There is no need to prepare for the funeral."

Jia Zheng, upon hearing this, hurried in to see for himself. When he found that Baoyu had indeed revived, he said, "You wretched, foolish child, who are you trying to frighten to death?" Even as he spoke, tears rolled down his cheeks involuntarily. After a few sighs, he went out again to have a doctor summoned for a diagnosis and medicine. Meanwhile, Sheyu had been contemplating taking her own life; when she saw Baoyu come back, she was reassured. Lady Wang ordered someone to bring longan broth, and after Baoyu drank a few sips, he gradually calmed down. Lady Wang and the others were relieved. They said nothing to Sheyu but had someone give the jade back to Baochai to put on him. "Thinking of that monk," Lady Wang said, "no one knows where this jade was found—it is most strange. How could it demand silver one moment and then disappear the next? Could he be an immortal?"

Baochai said, "Judging by the way that monk came and went, the jade was not found. When it was lost before, he must have been the one who took it."

Lady Wang said, "How could it have been taken from our house?"

Baochai replied, "If he could bring it back, he could also take it away."

Sheyu and Xiyue said, "That year when the jade was lost, Master Lin made a character divination. Later, when the Second Mistress entered the family, I told her that the character divined was the character for 'shang.' Does the Second Mistress still remember?"

Baochai thought for a moment and said, "That's right. You said it would be found in a pawnshop, but now it becomes clear. The character for 'monk'—'shang'—is on top, is it not? So it was the monk who took it."

Lady Wang said, "That monk was always strange. That year when Baoyu was ill, the monk came and said our family had a precious object that could resolve the crisis—he was referring to this very piece of jade. Since he knew about it, this jade must have some special origin. Besides, your husband was born with it in his mouth. From ancient times to the present, have you ever heard of a second such case? But we still don't know what will ultimately become of this jade, nor do we know what will become of even our own child. His illness was because of this jade, his recovery was because of this jade, his birth was because of this jade—" Here she suddenly stopped, and tears flowed down her cheeks once more.

Baoyu, upon hearing all this, understood in his heart that there was even more reason for the things he had experienced in death, but he said nothing. He carefully committed everything to memory. At this point Xichun said, "That year when the jade was lost, we even asked Miaoyu to summon the immortals, and she said something about 'leaning against an ancient pine at the foot of Blue Ridge Peak,' and also something about 'entering my gate, you will meet with a smile.' When I think about it, the words 'enter my gate' have great significance. The Buddhist dharma gate is the greatest—I'm afraid Second Brother may not be able to enter it."

When Baoyu heard this, he gave a few cold laughs. When Baochai heard it, she unconsciously furrowed her brow and fell into a daze. Youshi said, "Whenever you speak, it's always about the Buddhist path. Hasn't your wish to become a nun subsided yet?" Xichun smiled and said, "To be frank with you, Sister-in-law, I have already given up meat."

Lady Wang said, "Good child, Amitabha Buddha, you must not entertain such thoughts."

Xichun, upon hearing this, said nothing more. Baoyu thought of the line about "before the ancient Buddha and the cold lamp" and could not help sighing several times. Then he suddenly thought of the line about "one bed of matting and one branch of flowers," and looking at Sheyu with his eyes, he could not help shedding tears again. Everyone saw him laughing and weeping by turns and could not understand what it meant, thinking it was his old illness. Little did they know that Baoyu, touched at every point, had firmly memorized all the lines he had glimpsed in the registers. He simply did not speak of them, for he already had a settled conviction in his heart. But let us leave this for now.

Now, the others saw that Baoyu had come back to life, his spirits clear and refreshed, and since he had been taking medicine for several days in a row, each day he looked better than the last, and he gradually began to recover. Even Jia Zheng, seeing that Baoyu had improved and that he himself had nothing to do while observing the mourning period, thought about when Jia She might receive a pardon and how his mother's coffin had been resting at the temple for too long—this troubled him greatly. He wished to escort the coffin south for burial, so he summoned Jia Lian to discuss the matter.

Jia Lian said, "Your Lordship's thinking is quite right. It would be better to accomplish this great task while you are still in mourning. Once you resume your official duties, I fear you may not be able to fulfill your wish. But my father is not at home, and I, his nephew, would not presume to overstep my authority. Your Lordship's plan is excellent, but this matter will require several thousand taels of silver. The yamen has been investigating embezzled funds, but no more can be recovered from that source."

Jia Zheng said, "My mind is made up. It is only because the Master is not at home that I have called you to discuss how we might manage this. You cannot leave. There is no one else here. As I wish to bring back several coffins, how would I manage the escort by myself? It occurred to me to take Jia Rong with me. Moreover, his wife's coffin is among them. And then there is your Cousin Lin's—the Old Lady's dying wish was that she be sent back together with her. I think we will have to borrow a few thousand taels from that fund, which should be enough."

Jia Lian said, "People's sense of obligation is far too thin nowadays. You, sir, are in mourning, and our Master is away—at present, borrowing is simply out of the question. We will have to take the deeds for the houses and land and pledge them."

Jia Zheng said, "The house we live in was built by the government. How could we touch that?"

Jia Lian said, "The residence cannot be touched. But there are several properties outside that could be sold off. They can be redeemed after you resume your post. If my father returns and is also reinstated, he could redeem them as well. It is only that Your Lordship is so advanced in years, and we nephews feel truly uneasy at the hardship you must endure."

Jia Zheng said, "The Old Lady's affairs must be properly attended to. I only ask that you be prudent at home and maintain firm control."

Jia Lian said, "Your Lordship need not worry on that account. Though I am muddle-headed, I would dare not handle this without the utmost seriousness. Besides, when Your Lordship goes south, you will inevitably take many people with you, so those left behind will be few, and these expenses can be managed. If Your Lordship should find himself short of funds along the way, you will pass through the district where Shang Rong, Lai the butler's son, holds office—you could ask him to contribute something."

Jia Zheng said, "It is our own family elder's affair. Why involve others?"

Jia Lian assented with "Yes, sir," and withdrew to make arrangements for the money.

Jia Zheng then informed Lady Wang and asked her to manage the household. He himself selected a date for the funeral procession and prepared to set out. By this time Baoyu had fully recovered. Jia Huan and Jia Lan were studying diligently, and Jia Zheng entrusted them to Jia Lian, asking him to supervise them. "This is the year of the metropolitan examinations. Jia Huan is in mourning and cannot sit for the exam, but Jia Lan is a grandson whose mourning period has expired—he may sit. You must have Baoyu take the examination with his cousin. If one of them can pass and become a juren, it would go some way toward redeeming our family's offenses." Jia Lian and the others obediently accepted these instructions. Jia Zheng also gave many instructions to those remaining at home, then took leave of the ancestral temple. He had scriptures recited for several days outside the city, after which the funeral procession set out by boat. He took Lin Zhixiao and others with him and departed. He did not alert his relatives and friends; only the family's own men and women saw him off for a distance before returning home.

Because Jia Zheng had ordered him to sit for the examinations, Lady Wang constantly pressed Baoyu and checked on his studies. That Baochai and Xiren frequently urged and encouraged him goes without saying. What they did not know was that, although Baoyu's spirits had gradually improved since his illness, his thoughts had become even more eccentric and had undergone a transformation. He had not only come to loathe worldly success and officialdom, but he had also grown considerably more detached from the ties of romantic attachment. Only the others paid little attention to this, and Baoyu himself never spoke of it. One day, Zijuan happened to return from escorting Daiyu's coffin back to its resting place. She sat alone in her room, weeping and thinking to herself: "Baoyu is heartless. When he saw Sister Lin's coffin being taken back, he showed no grief or tears. Seeing me weeping like this, he did not come to comfort me—instead he stared at me and smiled. Such an ingrate! In the past, it was all pretty words used to cozen us! I am glad I kept my wits about me the other night—otherwise I would have nearly been fooled by him again. But one thing I cannot fathom: I notice now that he treats Xiren and the others coldly as well. Second Mistress was never one for warmth to begin with, but don't Shuer and the others complain about him? I suppose most girls are foolish at heart—all that wasted effort, and who knows how it will all end!" As she was pondering this, she saw Wuer come to see her. Seeing Zijuan's tear-streaked face, Wuer said, "Sister, are you thinking of Miss Lin again? Seeing a person with your own eyes is better than hearing their name. Before, I heard that Master Bao was the best when it came to girls, and my mother went to great lengths to get me brought in here. But who would have thought that after I came in and served him with all my heart through several bouts of illness, now that he's recovered, not a single kind word is left—he won't even spare me a glance anymore!" Zijuan was amused by what she said and let out a laugh, then spat out, "Tut! You little wretch, what exactly does Master Bao have to do for you to be satisfied? A girl your age and no sense of shame—even the proper ladies-in-waiting in his chambers, who have every claim on him, are treated as if they were nothing, and you think he has time for you!" Then, still laughing, she raised a finger and rubbed it across Wuer's face, asking, "Just what exactly are you to Baoyu?" Wuer, hearing this, knew she had misspoken and flushed crimson. She was about to explain that she didn't mean to suggest Baoyu ought to regard her in any particular way—only that he had lately stopped showing kindness to those below him—when she heard a commotion outside the courtyard gate. "The monk from outside is back!" they shouted. "He wants that ten thousand taels of silver! The Mistress is anxious and has sent for Second Master Lian to negotiate with him, but Second Master Lian happens not to be at home. The monk is raving madly outside. The Mistress has asked for Second Mistress to come and discuss the matter." How the monk was dealt with will be told in the next chapter.