Chapter 42

Chapter 42

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Chapter 42: Lady Hengwu's Sage Words Dispel Doubts; the Mistress of Xiaoxiang's Witty Banter Adds a Finishing Touch

When the young ladies had finished their meal and returned to the Garden, nothing further of note occurred.

Granny Liu had taken Ban'er along to see Xifeng. "Tomorrow morning I must go home," she said. "Though I've been here two or three days, that's not long. Yet I've experienced things I've never seen, eaten things I've never tasted, and heard things I'd never heard before, from ancient times to the present. It's so good of Her Ladyship and you, ma'am, and all the young ladies, and all the girls in every household, to be so kind to a poor old woman and look after me so well. When I get back, I'll have no way to repay you except by burning incense and praying for you every day, to Buddha to bless you with long life. That will be my heartfelt wish."

Xifeng laughed. "Don't be so pleased. It's all on your account. Old Her Ladyship caught a chill from the wind and is lying down, feeling unwell. Our little girl also caught a cold and has a fever."

Granny Liu sighed. "Her Ladyship is an old woman; she's not used to too much exertion."

Xifeng said, "Actually, she was never as happy as yesterday. She usually goes into the Garden for a stroll, but she'd only sit in one or two places before coming back. Yesterday, because you were here, she wanted to show you around, so we went through more than half the Garden. As for my little girl, she went looking for me, and Her Ladyship handed her a piece of cake. Who'd have thought that eating it in the wind would bring on a fever?"

Granny Liu said, "Young ladies probably don't often go into the Garden. It's a strange place, and little children shouldn't really go there. They're not like our children, who can run everywhere, even into graveyards. In the first place, she may have been struck by the wind. In the second, she's so clean and her eyes are so pure—she may have encountered some spirit. In my opinion, you should look her up in a book about evil spirits and see if she's been possessed."

This reminded Xifeng, and she told Ping'er to fetch the *Yu Xia Ji* and have Caiming read it. Caiming leafed through it and read aloud: "On the twenty-fifth day of the eighth month, the patient encountered the Flower God in the southeast. Forty sheets of five-colored paper money, carried forty paces to the southeast, will bring great good fortune."

Xifeng laughed. "That's exactly right! Isn't the Flower God in the Garden? Perhaps Her Ladyship encountered it too." She at once ordered two sets of paper money to be prepared, and two people were sent—one to drive out the evil spirit for the Old Lady, and one for the little girl. Sure enough, the little girl slept peacefully.

Xifeng laughed, "After all, it's you old people who have the most experience. My little girl is often sick, and I don't know why."

Granny Liu said, "That does happen. Children raised in wealthy families are too delicate and naturally can't endure the least hardship. Besides, being too pampered, they can't take it. In future, ma'am, just love her a little less."

Xifeng said, "That makes sense. Now that I think of it, she still doesn't have a name. You give her one. For one thing, it will borrow some of your longevity. For another, you're a country woman—I hope you won't be offended—but you've had a hard life. A name given by someone who's known poverty will hold her down, so to speak."

Granny Liu thought for a moment and laughed, "When was she born?"

Xifeng said, "The trouble is, her birthday falls on an unlucky day—it happens to be the seventh day of the seventh month."

Granny Liu said quickly, "That's perfect! Let's call her Qiao'er—Lucky Child. This is what they call the method of 'fighting poison with poison, fighting fire with fire.' If you really follow my suggestion in giving her this name, she's bound to live to a hundred. When she grows up and starts her own family, if anything doesn't go her way, she'll surely turn calamity into blessing and misfortune into good luck—all because of this word 'qiao.'"

Xifeng was naturally delighted. She thanked her and laughed, "I only hope she'll live up to your words." She called Ping'er and told her, "Tomorrow we'll be busy and probably won't have time. Take this free moment to pack the things for Granny, so she can leave early tomorrow morning without any fuss."

Granny Liu said hastily, "Please don't go to too much expense. I've already imposed on you for several days. If I take things away too, I'll feel even worse about it."

Xifeng said, "It's nothing much, just ordinary things. Good or bad, take them with you. When your neighbors see them, they'll be impressed—after all, you've been to the city."

Then Ping'er came over and said, "Granny, come look over here."

Liu Lao Lao hurried over to Ping'er in the other room, where she found a pile of things covering half the kang. Ping'er showed them to her one by one, saying, "This is the bolt of green gauze you wanted yesterday. The mistress is also giving you a bolt of solid moon-white gauze to use as lining. These two pieces of silk are good for making jackets or skirts. In this bundle are two bolts of silk—use them to make clothes for New Year's. This box contains various pastries made in the imperial kitchen; some you've tasted before, and some you haven't. Take them out and arrange them on plates for guests—they're better than anything you could buy. These two bags are the ones you used yesterday for the melons and fruits. This one now holds two pecks of tribute-grown glutinous rice—rare stuff for making porridge. The other one is filled with fruits and various dried fruits from the garden. This packet contains eight taels of silver. All of these are from our mistress. These two packets, fifty taels each, making a hundred taels in all, are from the old lady. She wants you to take them and either start a small business or buy a few acres of land, so you won't have to rely on relatives and friends anymore." She added with a quiet smile, "These two jackets and two skirts, along with four pieces of head-cloth and a bundle of wool yarn, are my own gift to you, Grandma. Though the clothes are old, I haven't worn them much. If you disdain them, I won't mention it again."

Whatever Ping'er showed her, Liu Lao Lao murmured a prayer to Buddha. She had already chanted several thousand times. Now seeing that Ping'er was giving her these things too, and with such humility, she quickly pressed her hands together and said, "What are you saying, miss? Such fine things and I'd disdain them! Even if I had silver, I couldn't buy such things anywhere. I'm just embarrassed—it doesn't feel right to accept, but refusing would be ungrateful for your kindness."

Ping'er laughed, "Don't talk like an outsider. We're all family, that's why I'm doing this. Rest assured and take them. I'll be asking you for things too—at New Year's, just bring us some of the dried vegetables you make: dried amaranth, cowpeas, hyacinth beans, eggplants, dried gourd strips, and the like. Everyone here, high and low, loves them. That will be enough—don't bring anything else, and don't go to any extra trouble."

Liu Lao Lao thanked her profusely and promised. Ping'er said, "You just go to sleep. I'll pack everything properly and leave it here. Tomorrow morning I'll have the servants hire a cart and load it up—you won't have to lift a finger."

Liu Lao Lao was even more deeply grateful. She went over to take her leave of Feng Jiejie with many thanks, then came to this side of the old lady's quarters and spent the night. The next morning, after washing and dressing, she was about to take her leave when the old lady fell slightly unwell. Everyone came to pay their respects, and a doctor was sent for. Soon a servant reported that the doctor had arrived. The old nurse asked the old lady to sit behind the curtain. The old lady said, "I'm old now—what sort of creature could I be nursing that I need to hide? I'm not afraid of being seen. Don't put up the curtain; I'll see him just like this." The servants brought over a small table and placed a small pillow on it, then summoned the doctor.

Presently Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, and Jia Rong arrived with Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang did not dare walk on the main path but followed Jia Zhen along the side steps up to the terrace. Two old nurses held the curtains open on either side, and two others led the way in. Bao Yu came out to meet them. The old lady was sitting on her couch in a blue-crepe lambskin jacket lined with pearl-like buttons. On either side stood four young maids, still with their hair unshaken up, holding fly-whisks, spittoons, and the like. Six or seven old nurses stood in a heron-wing formation on both sides. Behind the green gauze cabinet, one could dimly make out many figures in red and green, wearing jeweled hairpins and pearls. Dr. Wang did not dare raise his head. He stepped forward quickly and paid his respects. Seeing that he wore the robes of a sixth-rank official, the old lady knew he was an imperial physician. She smiled and asked, "How are you, Your Honor?" Then she asked Jia Zhen, "What is this gentleman's honorable surname?" Jia Zhen quickly replied, "His surname is Wang." The old lady said, "Wang Junxiao, formerly director of the Imperial Academy of Medicine—he had excellent diagnostic skills." Dr. Wang bowed low and smiled, "That was my junior grand-uncle." The old lady laughed, "So that's the connection—we're old family friends." As she spoke, she slowly placed her hand on the small pillow. An old nurse brought a small stool and placed it in front of the table, slightly to one side. Dr. Wang knelt on one knee and sat down, tilting his head as he felt her pulse for a long time. Then he felt the other hand, and quickly rose and bowed to withdraw. The old lady smiled, "You've been very kind. Zhen'er, take him out and see that he has some good tea."

Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, and the others answered "Yes" several times and led Dr. Wang out to the outer study. Dr. Wang said, "The old lady has no serious ailment—she's just caught a slight chill. She really doesn't need any medicine. Just eat lightly, keep warm a bit, and she'll be fine. I'll write a prescription here. If she likes, she can have it made up and take it. If she can't be bothered, that's fine too." After drinking some tea, he wrote the prescription. Just as he was about to take his leave, a nurse came out carrying the little girl, smiling, "Doctor Wang, have a look at our little miss too." Dr. Wang quickly stood up. The nurse held the child out to him. He took her left hand in his left hand, felt her pulse with his right, then felt her head and asked her to stick out his tongue. He laughed, "I said the little miss was scolding me. She just needs to eat cleanly and go hungry for a couple of meals, and she'll be fine. No need for a decoction—I'll send some pills. Grind them up in ginger broth at bedtime and give them to her." With that, he took his leave.

When Jia Zhen and the others came back with the prescription, they explained the matter to the Dowager and left the prescription on the table before withdrawing. Of no further consequence. Here Lady Wang, Li Wan, Xifeng, and the Baochai sisters, seeing the doctor had left, emerged from behind the cupboard. Lady Wang sat for a moment, then returned to her own rooms.

Seeing that there was nothing more to do, Granny Liu came forward to take her leave of the Dowager. The Dowager said, "Come again when you have a spare moment." She then summoned Yuanyang, saying, "See Granny Liu off properly. I'm not well enough to see you out myself." Granny Liu thanked her and made her farewells, then left with Yuanyang. Arriving at the servants' quarters, Yuanyang pointed to a bundle on the kang and said, "These are a few garments of the Old Lady's—gifts from the family on her birthdays and at festival times over the years. The Old Lady never wears clothes other people have made; it's a pity to just store them away, and she's never worn these even once. Yesterday she told me to pick out two sets to take with you—either to give away or to wear at home, don't laugh at them. This box contains the pastries you wanted. This packet holds the medicines you mentioned the other day: there's Meihua Sheshedan, Zijinding, Huoluo Dan, and Cuisheng Baomin Dan—each one wrapped in its own prescription, all bundled together inside. And here are two pouches, take them for amusement." As she spoke she loosened the drawstrings and produced two ingots shaped like brushes and ruyi scepters for Granny Liu to see, then laughed and said, "Take the pouches, but leave these for me." Granny Liu, already overjoyed beyond expectation, had already murmured several thousand Buddhist prayers. Hearing Yuanyang say this, she replied, "Miss, just keep them." Yuanyang, seeing she took it at face value, put them back in for her and laughed, "I was only teasing—I have plenty of these. I'll save them to give to the children at New Year." Just then a young maidservant came in with a Chengyao cup, which she handed to Granny Liu. "This is from Master Bao," Yuanyang said. Granny Liu exclaimed, "How can this be? What merit must I have accumulated in a past life to be treated so well today!" and she took it. Yuanyang said, "The other day when I had you bathe and change clothes, the garments you wore were mine. If you don't mind, I have a few more I'll give you." Granny Liu hastened to thank her. Yuanyang indeed produced two more, which she wrapped for her. Granny Liu then wanted to go to the garden to take her leave of Baoyu, the young ladies, and Lady Wang. Yuanyang said, "No need. They're not seeing anyone at the moment—I'll pass along your thanks for you. Come again when you have time." She then called an old serving woman and instructed her, "Tell the gate at the inner court to send two pages to help Granny Liu carry her things out." The old woman assented, and together with Granny Liu she went to Xifeng's quarters to collect the other items. At the side gate she had the young servants carry everything out, escorting Granny Liu all the way to her carriage. Of no further consequence.

After Baochai and the others had finished breakfast, they went again to pay their respects to the Dowager and then returned to the Garden. When they reached the point where their paths diverged, Baochai called out to Daiyu: "Pin'er, come with me. I have a question to ask you." Daiyu accompanied Baochai back to All-Spice Court. Once inside the room, Baochai sat down and said with a smile, "Kne down. I'm going to interrogate you."

Daiyu did not understand why and laughed. "Look at Cousin Baochai, gone quite mad! What is it you want to interrogate me about?"

Baochai said coldly, "A fine young lady! A proper maiden who never steps beyond the women's quarters! What was it coming out of your mouth? Just tell me the truth."

Daiyu, still bewildered, could only laugh, though doubt crept into her heart. "What did I ever say? You just want to find fault with me. Go on then, tell me what it is."

Baochai smiled. "You're still playing the simpleton. What were you saying last night during the drinking game? I truly don't know where you got such things."

The memory returned to her—how she had been careless the previous evening and quoted two lines from *The Peony Pavilion* and *The Romance of the Western Chamber*. Her cheeks flushed crimson. She threw her arms around Baochai and said, "Dear sister, I truly didn't know any better and just spoke off the cuff. Teach me, and I won't say such things again."

Baochai smiled. "I don't know either. What you said sounded so strange that I wanted to ask you about it."

Daiyu said, "Dear sister, don't tell anyone else. I'll never say such things again."

Seeing Daiyu's face burning red and her earnest entreaties, Baochai did not press the matter further. She drew her down to sit and have tea, and then gently and deliberately spoke:

"You think I'm some paragon, but I was a mischievous child too. From the time I was seven or eight, I was quite a handful. Our family could also be considered a scholarly one, and my grandfather loved collecting books. In the early days, with so many people in the household, all the brothers and sisters were together, and none of us wanted to study the proper classics. Some of the boys liked poetry, some liked lyrics, and so we had everything—'Western Chamber,' 'Lute Song,' and all the Yuan dynasty plays, you name it. They read them behind our backs, and we read them behind theirs. When the elders found out, there was beating, scolding, and burning, and only then did we stop. So it's actually better for girls not to know how to read. Men who read books but fail to understand principle are no better off than if they hadn't read at all—how much more is that true of you and me? Even composing poetry and calligraphy are not really our proper concerns, nor are they really men's either. If a man reads to understand principle and serves the state and the people, well and good. But nowadays I don't hear of such people. Those who read only become worse for it. The books have misled them, and they have ruined the books in turn. So they'd be better off farming or trading—at least that does no great harm. We women ought to confine ourselves to needlework and weaving. But since we've learned to read, we should at least pick up proper books. The worst thing is to stumble upon those miscellaneous books—if they corrupt your nature, there's no saving you."

At this, Daiyu sat with her head bowed, sipping her tea. In her heart she was secretly convinced, and all she could say was "yes."

At that moment Suyun came in and said, "Our mistress asks the two young ladies to come discuss an important matter. Second Young Lady, Third Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady, Miss Shi, and Master Bao are all waiting there."

Baochai asked, "What is it this time?"

Daiyu said, "We'll know when we get there." She and Baochai went to Paddy-Sweet Cottage, where they found everyone already assembled.

Li Wen, seeing the two of them, smiled and said, "The poetry club hasn't even started yet, and already there are those trying to skimp. Fourth Sister wants to take a whole year's leave."

Daiyu smiled. "It's all because of a word Grandmother said yesterday, telling her to paint a picture of the Garden. It's made her so happy she's asking for leave."

Tanchun chimed in, "Don't blame Grandmother. It was all because of something Granny Liu said."

Lin Daiyu quickly added, "That's right — it's all because of her remark. What sort of 'Granny' is she, anyway? Just call her a 'Mother Locust' and be done with it." At this, everyone burst out laughing.

Baochai said, "The things in this world — by the time they reach Feng Sister's mouth, they've reached their limit. Fortunately Feng Sister can't read, so she doesn't understand much; it's all just vulgar joking. But there's Pin'er with her wicked tongue. She uses the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' method — takes the crudest common expressions, distills the essence, trims the excess, and polishes them with a simile. Every word tells. These three characters, 'Mother Locust,' brought back the whole scene from yesterday. And she thought of it so fast!"

When the others heard this, they all laughed and said, "With your annotation, you're no less clever than the two of them."

Li Wen said, "I've asked you all to discuss it — how many days' leave should we give her? I gave her one month and she said it wasn't enough. What do you say?"

Daiyu said, "Strictly speaking, even a year wouldn't be too much. This Garden took a full year to build. Now that she's going to paint it, naturally it'll take two years' work. She'll have to grind the ink, dip the brush, spread the paper, prepare the colors, and—"

Just as she was saying this, the others knew she was making fun of Xichun, and they all laughed and asked, "And what else?"

Daiyu herself couldn't hold back her laughter. "And then she'll have to paint it slowly, just like this — wouldn't that take two full years!"

When the others heard this, they clapped their hands and laughed without stopping. Baochai said, "'And then she'll have to paint it slowly, just like this' — that last line is the most wonderful part. That's why yesterday's jokes, though amusing when you first heard them, were tasteless when you thought back on them. But if you think carefully about Pin'er's few words — though they seem plain — they have flavor when you reflect on them. I'm laughing so hard I can hardly bear it."

Xichun said, "It's all because Sister Bao praised her. She's become even more brazen, and now she's making fun of me too."

Daiyu quickly pulled her over and said with a smile, "Let me ask you — are you just painting the Garden, or are you painting all of us in it too?"

Xichun said, "Originally I was only going to paint the Garden. But yesterday Grandmother said that painting just the Garden would make it look like a floor plan. She told me to paint people in it too, like a 'merrymaking' scene. But I don't know how to do fine pavilions and terraces, and I don't know how to paint figures either, and I can't very well refuse — that's why I'm in such a quandary."

Daiyu said, "Figures would be easy. It's the insects you can't manage."

Li Wen said, "There you go talking nonsense again. What would you need insects for in a painting like this? Perhaps a touch of birds and feathers would serve as decoration."

Daiyu smiled. "If you don't paint other insects, that's fine, but if you don't paint yesterday's 'Mother Locust' in, won't that be lacking in allusion!"

When the others heard this, they all laughed again. Daiyu, clutching her chest with both hands as she laughed, said, "Hurry up and paint! I've even got the colophon ready. Let's give it a title — we'll call it 'A Picture of the Locusts Feasting Together.'"

When the others heard this, they howled with laughter, doubling over. Just then there was a thud — something had fallen over. They hurried to look and found Xiangyun collapsed over the back of her chair. The chair hadn't been set firmly, and with her whole body leaning against the back as she laughed, not paying attention, the two forces went against each other and it tipped eastward — chair and all, she toppled over. Fortunately a partition wall stopped her from hitting the ground. When the others saw this, they laughed harder than ever.

Baoyu rushed forward and helped her up, and only then did the laughter gradually subside. Baoyu and Daiyu exchanged a glance. Daiyu understood, went into the inner room, lifted the mirror cover, and looked at herself — her hair at the temples was slightly loose. She quickly opened Li Wen's toilet case, took out a small comb, tidied her hair before the mirror, put everything back in order, and came out again, pointing at Li Wen. "This was supposed to be you leading us in needlework and moral instruction, and instead you've lured us into having a grand time laughing and carrying on."

Li Wen laughed. "Listen to her wicked talk. She's the one who started it all and led everyone to laugh, and now she pins the blame on me. I truly hope that tomorrow you get a fierce mother-in-law, and several thousand vicious older and younger sisters-in-law, to see whether you'll still be so sharp-tongued then!"

Lin Daiyu had long since flushed with embarrassment, and she pulled Baochai, saying, "Let's give him a year's leave, shall we?"

Baochai replied, "I have a fair word for you—listen. Although Sister Ou can paint, she knows only a few strokes of the impressionistic style. Now, painting this garden is no easy task—unless one has a few landscapes stored up inside one's belly, one simply cannot produce a picture. This garden is just like a painting itself: the rocks and mountains, trees and plants, towers and pavilions, houses and rooms—near and far, sparse and dense—there is neither too much nor too little; it is exactly so. If you were to take it and copy it straight onto paper, you certainly would not produce anything pleasing. You must consider the spacing of the paper—what should be near, what should be far, where there should be more, where there should be less; you must distinguish the principal from the secondary elements. What should be added must be added, what should be omitted must be omitted, what should be concealed must be concealed, and what should be revealed must be revealed. Only after a draft has been made, and then carefully examined and refined, can a proper design be completed. Secondly, these towers, terraces, and buildings must be rendered with ruled lines. If you are not the least bit careful, the railings will come out crooked, the pillars will collapse, the doors and windows will be turned upside down, the stone steps will split apart—even the table might be squeezed into the wall, or the flower pot placed on top of the curtain. Wouldn't that make for a fine joke? Thirdly, when inserting figures, there must also be a sense of spacing—some sparse, some dense, some high, some low. The folds of clothing, the sashes of skirts, the fingers and toes, the steps of the feet—these are of the utmost importance. If a single stroke is not precise, the result will be swollen feet or crooked legs; smudged faces and torn hair are minor matters by comparison. In my opinion, this is truly very difficult. Now, a year's leave is too much, and a month's leave is too little—let's give him half a year's leave, and assign Brother Bao to assist him. This is not so that Brother Bao can teach him how to paint, for that would only make matters worse. It is so that when there is something he doesn't understand, or something difficult to arrange, Brother Bao can go out and ask those gentlemen who know about painting, and then it will be easy."

Baoyu was delighted to hear this. "That's exactly right!" he said. "Zhan Ziliang is superb at painting fine, detailed pavilions and towers, and Cheng Rixing is a master at painting beautiful women. Let's go ask them right away." Baochai said, "I knew you'd be like this — busy with nothing. The minute I mention it, you want to rush off. Wait until we've settled on a plan. And besides, what are we going to paint on?" Baoyu said, "We have that langlang paper at home — it's large and holds ink well." Baochai said with a cold laugh, "I knew you were useless! That langlang paper is fine for calligraphy, or for freehand sketches, or for Southern School landscape painting — it holds ink and can stand up to the textured strokes. But if you use it for this, it won't hold the colors, it's hard to apply the washes, the painting won't come out well, and the paper will be wasted. Let me teach you a method. When this garden was first built, there was a detailed plan drawn up. Even though it was traced by workmen, the layout and orientation are accurate. You and Lady Wang can ask to have it brought out. Then, matching the size of the paper to the plan, ask Sister Feng for a piece of heavy silk, have the painters size it with alum, and have them use the plan as a base to edit and finalize a draft — adding the figures and people is all that's needed. As for mixing these blue and green pigments, as well as the gold and silver, that's their job too. You'll also need to set up a brazier for melting the glue, heating it, and washing brushes. You'll need a large oil-powdered table, spread with a felt pad. Your dishes aren't complete, your brushes aren't complete — you'll need to acquire everything fresh."

Xichun said, "As if I had all those painting tools! I just use whatever brushes I have for writing and sketching. As for colors, I only have ochre, indigo, rattan yellow, and rouge — those four. And besides that, two coloring brushes, and that's all."

Baochai said, "You should have mentioned this earlier. I actually have all those things, but you wouldn't have had any use for them — they'd just sit in storage. I'll keep them for you now. When you need them, I'll give you some, but they'd only be good enough for painting fans. If you used them for a large painting like this, it would be a waste. Today I'll make up a list for you. We'll present the list to Grandmother and ask for what's needed. You wouldn't know all the items anyway. I'll tell you, Cousin Bao, and you write."

Baoyu had already laid out his brush and inkstone. He had been afraid he might not remember everything clearly and wanted to write it down. Hearing Baochai say this, he happily picked up the brush and listened attentively.

Baochai said: "First-grade row brushes, four. Second-grade row brushes, four. Third-grade row brushes, four. Large wash brushes, four. Medium wash brushes, four. Small wash brushes, four. Large southern crab-claw brushes, ten. Small crab-claw brushes, ten. Beard-and-brow brushes, ten. Large coloring brushes, twenty. Small coloring brushes, twenty. Face-opening brushes, ten. Willow-twig brushes, twenty. Arrowhead vermilion, four ounces. Southern ochre, four ounces. Mineral yellow, four ounces. Azurite blue, four ounces. Malachite green, four ounces. Tube yellow, four ounces. Indigo, eight ounces. Clam-shell powder, four boxes. Rouge, ten pieces. Large red flying gold, two hundred sheets. Blue-green gold, two hundred sheets. Evenly refined glue, four ounces. Pure alum, four ounces. The glue and alum for sizing the silk are their concern — don't worry about that. Just hand over the silk and tell them to size it. These colors, once we have them washed, purified, and processed, will be both a joy to work with and practical to use — they'll last you a lifetime. Also: four fine silk strainers, four coarse silk strainers, four brush-resting sticks, four mortar and pestles of various sizes, twenty large coarse bowls, ten five-inch coarse dishes, twenty three-inch white coarse dishes, two braziers, four sand pots of various sizes, two new porcelain jars, four new wooden buckets, four one-foot-long white cloth sacks, twenty pounds of light charcoal, one pound of willow charcoal, a three-drawer wooden chest, a full bolt of solid gauze one zhang long, two ounces of ginger, and half a catty of sauce."

Daiyu quickly added: "One iron wok and one spatula."

Baochai said, "What's that for?"

Daiyu said with a smile, "You want ginger and sauce and all these ingredients — I'm getting you an iron wok so you can stir-fry the colors and eat them."

Everyone laughed. Baochai said, "You don't understand. Those coarse dishes can't be guaranteed to withstand fire. If you don't rub them with ginger juice and sauce on the bottom first and fire them beforehand, they'll crack once they're exposed to heat."

When everyone heard this, they all said, "So that's why."

Daiyu looked over the list again, then pulled Tanchun aside with a smile. "Just look at this—all she wants are water vats and crates just to paint a picture! She must be confused—she's written up her own dowry list." Tanchun gave a little cry and laughed without stopping. "Sister Baochai, why don't you pinch her mouth? Ask her what she's been saying about you." Baochai smiled. "No need to ask—do you expect ivory to come out of a dog's mouth?" Even as she spoke, she walked over, pushed Daiyu down onto the kang, and was about to pinch her face. Daiyu laughed and begged hastily: "Dear sister, spare me! Pin'er is young—I only know how to talk, I don't know what's proper or improper. As my sister, you should teach and guide me. If you won't spare me, who else can I turn to?" The others, not knowing there was a deeper meaning behind her words, all said: "How pitiful she sounds! Even we've gone soft—let her off." Baochai had been teasing her in fun, but when she suddenly heard her bring up the matter from before about reading improper books, she didn't feel right carrying on the play-fight any longer and let her go. Daiyu smiled. "You really are a sister—if it were me, I wouldn't let anyone off." Baochai pointed at her and said with a laugh: "No wonder Grandmother dotes on you and everyone loves your quick wit—even I feel quite tender toward you today. Come here, let me smooth your hair for you." Daiyu indeed turned around, and Baochai reached up with her hand to tidy it. Baoyu, watching from the side, thought she looked even better this way and couldn't help regretting that he hadn't let her keep her side hair the way it was—he should have left it, and then asked her to fix it for him now. He was lost in such thoughts when he heard Baochai say: "It's all written. Tomorrow we'll report to the Old Lady. If we have the things at home, fine. If not, we'll take some money and buy them—I'll help you sort it all out." Baoyu quickly put the list away.

They chatted a while longer about this and that. After the evening meal, they went again to pay their respects to the Lady Dowager. The old lady had never been seriously ill—she was simply worn out and had caught a slight chill. After a day of rest and a dose of medicine to disperse the cold, she was quite well by evening. What would happen the next day? Listen to the next chapter.