Chapter 13

Chapter 13

第十三回　秦可卿死封龍禁尉　王熙鳳協理宁國府

Since Jia Lian had gone off with Daiyu to Yangzhou, Xifeng had been feeling rather bored. In the evenings, she would chat a bit with Ping'er, then go to sleep without much ceremony.

One night, she and Ping'er were sitting under the lamp, embroidering by the brazier. The heavy silk quilt had already been warmed and perfumed, and soon they retired. Xifeng counted on her fingers how far Lian's journey ought to have taken him by now, and before they knew it, the third watch had sounded. Ping'er was already fast asleep. Xifeng's eyes were beginning to glaze over with drowsiness when she dimmedly saw Qin Keqing approaching from outside, smiling. "What a sound sleeper, Auntie! I'm leaving today and you didn't even see me off. We've always been so close, and I just couldn't bear to leave without saying goodbye. There's one more thing on my mind—something I must tell you, for no one else would be any use."

Xifeng, still half in a dream, asked, "What is it? Just entrust it to me." Qin Keqing said, "Auntie, you are a heroine among us women—even men in official caps and sashes can't match you. How is it that you don't know those two old sayings? 'When the moon is full, it begins to wane; when the cup is full, it overflows.' And 'the higher you climb, the harder you fall.' Our family has flourished for nearly a hundred years, but if one day joy gives way to sorrow, and that old saying 'when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter' comes true, wouldn't it make a mockery of our reputation as an old family of scholars and poets?"

These words struck a chord in Xifeng's heart. She was deeply impressed and filled with awe. "That's a very wise concern," she said eagerly. "But what can be done to ensure lasting security?"

Qin Keqing gave a faint smile. "Auntie, how naive you are! When misfortune reaches its extreme, good fortune returns. Glory and disgrace have alternated since ancient times—how can human effort keep things forever as they are? But if, while we are still in prosperity, we make arrangements for the decline that will come later, then we can speak of lasting security. Everything is well at present except two matters. If these are set right in the way I suggest, our future will be secure."

Xifeng asked what the two matters were. Qin Keqing said, "First, although our ancestral graves are tended and sacrifices offered at the four seasons, there is no fixed fund set aside for this. Second, although a family school has been established, there has been no fixed provision for its upkeep. It's true that in times of prosperity these expenses present no difficulty, but when our fortunes decline, where will the money come from? I think the best plan would be, while we are still wealthy, to buy up a good deal of farmland, houses, and land near the ancestral graves, so that the expenses of sacrifices and upkeep will all be met from this source. The family school could also be established there. Then we should draw up regulations together with the elders and juniors of the whole clan, and each branch in turn could take charge for the year of the land, grain, sacrifices, and provisions. By rotating in this way, there would be no disputes and no risk of pawning or selling off the property. Even if some crime were committed and all other property confiscated, sacrificial land is exempt from official seizure. Then, even if the family falls into ruin, the younger generation will have a home to return to where they can study and farm, and the sacrifices can continue forever. If we simply assume that our prosperity will never end and give no thought to the future, in the long run that is no strategy at all. Besides, there is going to be an extraordinary happy event very soon—a blaze of glory, a blaze of splendor, like fire frying oil and flowers brocaded on silk. But you must remember, it will be no more than a moment's glory and a passing pleasure. Don't forget that old saying, 'Even the grandest feast must come to an end.' If you don't prepare for what lies ahead now, you'll only regret it later when it's too late."

Xifeng quickly asked, "What happy event?"

"You cannot reveal heaven's secrets," Qin Keqing said. "But since we've been so close, let me give you two lines to remember as my parting gift." And she recited:

When the Three Springs have passed, the bloom of each flower must fall;

Each must seek her own fate, each must heed her own call.

Xifeng was about to ask more when four sharp knocks on the cloud-board at the inner gate startled her awake. A servant came in to report: "Rong-guo-fu's young mistress Qin has passed away."

Xifeng broke into a cold sweat. After collecting herself, she hurriedly dressed and went to Lady Wang.

By then the whole household had heard the news. Everyone was astonished and somewhat suspicious. The older generation remembered how dutiful she had always been; the younger generation of her own age recalled her warmth and kindness; the children remembered her tenderness. And the servants and attendants, high and low, thought of how she had always pitied the poor, cared for the aged, and loved the young—all of them wept and wailed in grief.

Leaving idle talk aside, Baoyu, since Daiyu had gone back recently, found himself alone and desolate. He no longer played or joked with anyone, and every evening he would simply go to sleep, listless and without interest. Now, waking from a dream in which he heard that Qin-shi had died, he hastily turned over and scrambled to his feet. He felt as though a knife had pierced his heart — he could not bear it — and with a wretch, he spat out a mouthful of blood. Xiren and the others rushed up in a flurry to support him and asked what was the matter, wanting to go back to Grandmother Jia to summon a doctor. Baoyu smiled and said, "Don't rush — it's nothing. This is just a sudden surge of fire in the heart, and the blood has left its proper channels." With that, he got up, asked for a change of clothes, and went to see Grandmother Jia, insisting on going over at once. Xiren, seeing him like this, though she could not set her mind at ease, dared not stop him either and simply let him have his way.

When Grandmother Jia saw that he wanted to go, she said, "The person has just breathed her last — that place is not clean. Besides, the wind is strong at night. It won't be too late to go tomorrow morning." But Baoyu absolutely would not agree. Grandmother Jia ordered a carriage to be prepared and a large retinue of attendants to accompany and escort him.

He arrived straight at the front of the Ning-guo Mansion. He saw the gates wide open, lanterns on both sides shining as bright as day, people bustling about in confusion, and from inside, a sound of wailing that shook the mountains and valleys. Baoyu got down from the carriage and hurried to the chamber where the coffin lay, where he wept bitterly. Then he went to see You-shi. Who would have thought that You-shi was suffering from an old stomach ailment and was lying in bed. After that, he came out to see Jia Zhen.

By this time, Jia Dairu, Jia Daixiu, Jia Chi, Jia Xiao, Jia Dun, Jia She, Jia Zheng, Jia Cong, Jia Bin, Jia Huan, Jia Guang, Jia Chen, Jia Qiong, Jia Lin, Jia Qiang, Jia Chang, Jia Ling, Jia Yun, Jia Qin, Jia Zhen, Jia Ping, Jia Zao, Jia Heng, Jia Fen, Jia Fang, Jia Lan, Jia Jun, and Jia Zhi had all arrived.

Jia Zhen wept like a tear-stained figure and was saying to Jia Dairu and the others, "All members of the family, near and far, all relatives and friends — who doesn't know that this daughter-in-law of mine was ten times the man my son was? Now that she has stretched out her legs and departed, it is clear that this senior branch is wiped out and left without anyone!" With that, he wept again. The others quickly consoled him, saying, "The person has already passed away — weeping is of no use. The important thing is to discuss how to manage the funeral arrangements." Jia Zhen clapped his hands and said, "How to manage it? Simply use everything I have!"

Even as he spoke, it was seen that Qin Ye, Qin Zhong, and several relatives of You-shi — the You sisters — had also arrived. Jia Zhen then ordered Jia Qiong, Jia Chen, Jia Lin, and Jia Qiang to entertain the guests, and at the same time gave instructions to invite the Yin-Yang Office of the Directorate of Astronomy to select an auspicious date. They selected that the coffin should lie in state for a full forty-nine days, with the funeral announcements and letters of condolence to be sent out after three days. During these forty-nine days, one hundred and eight Buddhist monks were to be invited to recite the Great Compassion Sutra in the main hall, to transcend the souls of all who had died before and after, so as to absolve the sins of the deceased. A separate altar was set up on the Tower of Heavenly Fragrance, where ninety-nine complete Quanzhen Daoists were to perform a ritual of deliverance from enmity and purification of karma for forty-nine days. The coffin was then placed in the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance, where in front of it an additional fifty eminent monks and fifty eminent Daoists were to perform good works on altars, conducting services every seven days.

As for Jia Jing, when he heard that his grandson's wife had died, he considered that he would soon ascend to immortality and was unwilling to return home to be tainted by the red dust and thus forfeit all his previous efforts. Therefore, he paid no heed at all and left everything to Jia Zhen to manage.

When Jia Zhen saw that his father would not take charge, he became even more wantonly extravagant. When examining the boards for the coffin, several sets of fir-wood planks were found unsuitable. It happened that Xue Pan came to pay his condolences, and when he saw that Jia Zhen was looking for a fine board, he said, "There is a board in our timber shop made of a wood called jiangmu, which comes from the Iron-net Mountains of Huanghai. Made into a coffin, it will not decay for ten thousand years. This was brought here by my late father, originally intended for the Elder Prince Yi Zhong, but since that prince fell from grace, it was never collected. It is still stored in our shop, and no one has been willing to put forward a price to buy it. If you want it, just have it carried over and use it."

When Jia Zhen heard this, he was overjoyed and immediately had it brought over. When everyone examined it, they saw that both the lid and the base were eight inches thick, the grain resembled that of the areca palm, and its fragrance was like sandalwood and musk. When tapped with the hand, it rang out like gold and jade. Everyone marveled and praised it. Jia Zhen smiled and asked, "What is its worth?" Xue Pan laughed and said, "Even if you offered a thousand taels of silver, there would probably be nowhere to buy it. Forget about price — just reward the workmen with a few taels for their labor." When Jia Zhen heard this, he thanked him profusely and immediately ordered the board to be sawn and lacquered.

Jia Zheng tried to dissuade him, saying, "This object is probably not something that ordinary people can be buried with. Lining the coffin with the finest fir-wood should suffice." But at this point, Jia Zhen wished he could have died in Qin-shi's place — how could he possibly listen to such words?

Then suddenly it was heard that Qin-shi's maid, named Rui Zhu, seeing that Qin-shi had died, had also killed herself by dashing her head against a pillar. This was a remarkable event, and all the clansmen praised it. Jia Zhen thereupon had her interred with the rites due to a granddaughter, and her coffin was placed together with the others in the Pavilion of Immortal Ascension within the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance. A young maid named Bao Zhu, seeing that Qin-shi had left no issue, willingly offered to become her adopted daughter and vowed to perform the duties of breaking the mourning jar and escorting the coffin. Jia Zhen was overjoyed and immediately issued the order, and from then on everyone called Bao Zhu "Miss." Bao Zhu mourned before the coffin as an unmarried daughter, grieving as if she would perish.

Thereupon, all the members of the clan and the household servants each followed the established customs in their conduct, and no disorder could arise.

Jia Zhen was thinking that Jia Rong was merely a student of the Imperial Academy, which would look unfine on the spirit banner and the sutral scroll, and the retinue would be small as well, so he felt quite ill at ease. As it happened, this was the fourth day of the first seven-day mourning period, and the Palace Eunuch-in-Chief Dai Quan of the Great Ming Palace had already sent someone ahead with sacrificial offerings; afterward he came in person, riding in a large sedan chair, with an umbrella held above him and gongs sounding the way. Jia Zhen hurriedly received him and led him to the Teasing Bees Studio to present tea. Jia Zhen had already made up his mind, so he seized the occasion to bring up the matter of purchasing an official rank for Jia Rong. Dai Quan understood the hint and said with a smile, "I suppose it's to make the funeral more impressive." Jia Zhen quickly smiled and said, "Your Lordship's insight is precisely right." Dai Quan said, "As it happens, there happens to be a fine vacancy. At present there are three hundred Imperial Bodyguards, but two positions are lacking. Yesterday the third younger brother of the Marquis of Xiangyang came to ask me for one. He has already delivered fifteen hundred taels of silver to my house. You know, we are all old friends—it doesn't matter, really—considering his grandfather's standing, I casually agreed. There is still one vacancy left. Who would have expected the Military Governor of Yongxing, the Feng fellow, to come asking for a rank for his son? I simply had no time to deal with him. Since it's our boy who wants the rank, quickly write up his curriculum vitae." Upon hearing this, Jia Zhen hastily ordered, "Quickly tell the people in the study to respectfully write up the Young Master's curriculum vitae." The page did not dare delay; in a quarter of an hour he returned with a piece of red paper and presented it to Jia Zhen. Jia Zhen looked at it and quickly handed it to Dai Quan. When he looked at it, it read:

Jia Rong, of Jiangning County, Jiangning Prefecture, in the Province of Jiangnan, student of the Imperial Academy, aged twenty.

Great-grandfather: Jia Daihua, formerly Military Governor of the Metropolitan Garrison, hereditary First-Class Divine Martial General.

Grandfather: Jia Jing, Metropolitan Graduate of the Year Yi-Mao.

Father: Jia Zhen, hereditary Third-Class Majestic Martial General.

Dai Quan looked at it, then turned and handed it to an attendant page, saying, "Take this back and give it to old Zhao, the chief official of the Board of Revenue, and tell him I pay my respects. Have him issue a warrant for a Fifth-Rank Imperial Bodyguard and also provide a license. Fill in this curriculum vitae on it. Tomorrow I will come to remit the silver." The page assented, and Dai Quan took his leave. Jia Zhen tried very hard to detain him but could not, and had to escort him to the gate of the mansion. Just before mounting his sedan chair, Jia Zhen asked, "Should I go to the Board myself to remit the silver, or should I send it all to Your Lordship's residence?" Dai Quan said, "If you go to the Board, you will only be taken advantage of. You might as well make it an even twelve hundred taels of silver and deliver it to my house, and that will settle it." Jia Zhen thanked him profusely and said only, "After the mourning period is over, I will personally bring my worthless son to your residence to express our gratitude." And so they parted.

Then the sound of attendants clearing the way was heard—it was the wife of Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, arriving. Lady Wang, Lady Xing, and Xifeng had just received her in the main inner apartments when the sacrificial offerings of three families—the Marquis of Jinxiang, the Marquis of Chuanning, and the Earl of Shoushan—were seen placed before the spirit tablet. Shortly after, the three alighted from their sedan chairs, and Jia Zheng and the others hurriedly received them in the main hall. Relatives and friends came and went in such numbers they could not be counted. During these forty-nine days alone, the street before the Ningguo Mansion was filled with a continuous white stream of people coming and going, and a splendid procession of officials going and coming.

Jia Zhen ordered Jia Rong to change into auspicious dress the next day and return with the credentials. The sacrificial offerings and ceremonial implements before the spirit tablet were all arranged according to the regulations for a Fifth-Rank official. On the spirit tablet and the memorial slip was written: "Spirit Tablet of Madam Qin of the Jia Household, Graciously Conferred by the Heavenly Court." The gate facing the street in Prospect Garden was thrown wide open, and music halls were immediately set up on both sides, with two companies of musicians in dark robes playing at appointed hours, and rows of attendants with their implements arranged with gleaming axes and halberds. There were also two large vermilion placards with gold lettering standing upright outside the gate, inscribed with the words: "Guardian of the Inner Court, Imperial Bodyguard of the Purple Forbidden City, Imperial Guard." Opposite, a preaching platform was raised high, with monks and Taoists facing the platform and a proclamation posted, which read in large characters: "Funeral of Madam Qin of the Jia Household, consort of the Eldest Daughter-in-Law of the Hereditary Duke of Ningguo, Guardian of the Inner Court, Imperial Bodyguard of the Purple Forbidden City, Imperial Guard. In the Central Land of the Four Great Continents, in the Peaceful State that Receives Heaven's Mandate and Follows Heaven's Course, the Grand Superintendent of the Teaching of Void and Tranquility, Chief Director of the Buddhist Registry, Wuxu, and the Grand Superintendent of the Teaching of the Origin and the Three-in-One, Chief Director of the Taoist Registry, Ye Sheng, respectfully and reverently perform fasting rites and worship Heaven and the Buddha," as well as words such as: "Respectfully inviting all the temple guardians, the spirit messengers, the merit officers, and other deities—may the sacred grace be universally bestowed, may the divine might reach far and quell all dangers, and may the forty-nine-day Water and Land Dharma Assembly for the elimination of calamities and the cleansing of karma bring peace"—but there is no need to record all this in detail.

It was only that although Jia Zhen's heart was at ease at this point, Madam You inside had suffered a relapse of her old ailment and could not manage affairs. He feared that if the various titled ladies came and went and the proper etiquette was not observed, people would mock them, and so he was ill at ease in his heart. Just as he was worrying about this, Baoyu, who was at his side, asked, "Everything has been properly arranged—what is Elder Brother still worrying about?" Jia Zhen, upon being asked, spoke of the lack of anyone to manage the inner household. Baoyu, upon hearing this, said with a smile, "What difficulty is there in this? I can recommend someone to you to take charge of affairs for this month—I guarantee it will be properly managed." Jia Zhen hastily asked, "Who is it?" Baoyu saw that there were still many relatives and friends present and it was not convenient to say openly; he walked over to Jia Zhen's ear and whispered two sentences. Jia Zhen listened and could not contain his joy; he quickly rose to his feet and said with a smile, "That would indeed be proper. Let us go at once." Saying this, he took Baoyu by the hand, took leave of the others, and went to the inner apartments.

As it happened, this was not a regular ceremonial day, and few relatives and friends had come. Inside were only a few close female kin—Lady Xing, Lady Wang, Xifeng, and the married women of the clan—seated as company. A servant announced, "The young master has come in." The womenfolk were so startled they scrambled to hide themselves all at once, with only Xifeng rising calmly to her feet. Jia Zhen was at this time somewhat unwell himself, and besides, he was overcome with grief; he hobbled in, leaning on a cane. Lady Xing and the others said, "You are not well, and you have had so much to attend to these past days—you should be resting. Why have you come in?" Jia Zhen, supporting himself on his cane, struggled to bend his knees in a bow to pay his respects and express his thanks. Lady Xing and the others quickly called Baoyu to support him and ordered a chair to be brought for him to sit on. Jia Zhen absolutely refused to sit. With a forced smile, he said, "Your nephew has come to ask a favor of both Aunties and my elder cousin." Lady Xing and the others asked eagerly, "What is it?" Jia Zhen said quickly with a smile, "Surely the Aunties know. Now that my grandson's wife has passed away, and my nephew's wife has fallen ill, I find the household in a truly dreadful state. Would you condescend to let my elder cousin take charge here for a month and manage affairs? Then I would have peace of mind." Lady Xing said with a smile, "So that's it. Your elder cousin is now at your Second Aunt's house—just speak to your Second Aunt about it." Lady Wang said quickly, "She is still a young girl and has never experienced such matters. If she manages things poorly, people will only laugh. It would be better to trouble someone else." Jia Zhen said with a smile, "I think I understand the Aunt's concern—you fear my elder cousin will overwork herself. As for managing affairs, I guarantee she will manage them well. Even if something goes slightly amiss, people will still think it well done. From childhood, my elder cousin has had a decisive, commanding spirit even in play. Now that she is married and managing affairs in that household, she has become all the more experienced and capable. I have thought about it these past days—there is no one but her. Aunt, do not look to your nephew or your nephew's wife, but look to the one who has died!" And he burst into tears.

Lady Wang's concern was that Xifeng had never handled funeral affairs before and feared she might manage poorly and bring ridicule upon herself. Now seeing Jia Zhen plead so earnestly, her resolve had already softened somewhat, yet she kept gazing at Xifeng thoughtfully. Xifeng had always been fond of taking charge of affairs and showing off her abilities. Although she managed her own household competently, she had never handled a major wedding or funeral and feared people might not yet be fully convinced of her. She was only too glad to encounter such an opportunity. Now seeing Jia Zhen come with this request, she was already inwardly delighted. At first she saw Lady Wang was unwilling, but then, seeing Jia Zhen's earnest appeal and Lady Wang's wavering, she said to Lady Wang, "Elder Brother speaks so earnestly—Mother should agree." Lady Wang said quietly, "Can you really manage it?" Xifeng said, "What is there I cannot manage? The outside affairs Elder Brother has already settled. It is only a matter of overseeing things on the inside. If there is anything I do not know, I can simply ask Mother." Lady Wang, seeing the sense in this, said nothing more. Seeing that Xifeng had agreed, Jia Zhen said with another ingratiating smile, "I cannot worry about so much—I must ask my elder cousin to take on this hard work. Let me first pay my respects to my cousin here. When the matter is concluded, I will go to that household to express my thanks." He made a bow, and Xifeng hastened to return the courtesy.

Jia Zhen then quickly took the Ning-goufu tally from his sleeve and had Baoyu bring it to Xifeng. He said, "Cousin, do as you please. Whatever you need, simply use this to requisition it—there is no need to ask me. Only do not be bent on saving money for my sake; let fine appearance be your first concern. Second, treat the people the same as in that household—do not set out to make them resentful. Apart from these two things, I have no other concerns." Xifeng did not dare take the tally, but looked only at Lady Wang. Lady Wang said, "Since your brother says so, just take charge of things. But do not act on your own initiative—if anything comes up, send someone to consult your brother and sister-in-law." Baoyu had already taken the tally from Jia Zhen's hand and pressed it upon Xifeng. Jia Zhen then asked, "Will Cousin stay here, or come every day? If you come every day, it will be even more taxing. It might be better if I have a courtyard prepared here for you to stay in these next few days—that would be more comfortable." Xifeng said with a smile, "There is no need. They cannot do without me over there—it is better if I come every day." Hearing this, Jia Zhen had no choice but to let the matter rest. After some further conversation, he took his leave.

Presently, when the womenfolk had dispersed, Lady Wang asked Xifeng, "How are you today?" Xifeng said, "Mother, please go back first. I must work out a plan before I can return." Hearing this, Lady Wang left first with Lady Xing and the others—so much for that.

Xifeng went to a three-roomed side hall and sat down, thinking: First, the household is full of people and things are easily lost. Second, no one has clear responsibility, and when the time comes, they shift the blame onto each other. Third, expenses are excessive, with unauthorized spending and fraudulent claims. Fourth, whether tasks are large or small, the work is unevenly distributed—some have too much, others too little. Fifth, the servants are overbearing: those with standing refuse to submit to discipline, and those without standing have no way to advance. These five problems are deeply rooted in the customs of the Ning-goufu. How Xifeng will deal with them, let us listen to the next chapter. Truly:

Though men in purple and gold may rule the state,

A few women in skirts and pins can order a household.

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