Chapter 59

Chapter 59

# Chapter 59

*By the Willow Bank, Swallows Scold and Orioles Cry; In the Red Rue Studio, Generals Are Summoned and Orders Dispatched*

Baoyu, on hearing that the Lady Dowager and the others were returning, put on an extra garment and went to the front of the house leaning on his staff. He paid his respects to all of them. The Lady Dowager and the others, exhausted by the daily toil, retired early. Nothing happened that night. At the fifth watch the next morning, they set out again for the palace. As the day of the funeral procession was drawing near, Yuanyang, Hupo, Feicui, and Boli were all busy packing the Lady Dowager's belongings, while Yuchuan, Caiyun, and Caixia were sorting out Lady Wang's things, checking them in person and handing them over to the married women in charge of the party. Altogether there were six maids and ten serving women and wives attending them, not counting the men. For several days they had been packing the litters and equipment. Yuanyang and Yuchuan were not going but staying behind to look after the house. Several days in advance, curtains, bedding, and furnishings had been sent ahead, with five or six women and a few men dispatched in several carts by a different route to their destination, where they spread out the bedding and waited.

On the day itself, the Lady Dowager rode in one mule litter with Jia Rong's wife, and Lady Wang followed in another. Jia Zhen rode at the head with the other male members of the family and the guards. There were also several large carts carrying the serving women and maids, along as well as bundles of changes of clothing. That day, Aunt Xue, Madam You, and the others escorted them as far as the main gate before turning back. Fearing trouble on the road, Jia Lian sent his parents ahead to catch up with the Lady Dowager's and Lady Wang's litters, while he himself followed behind with the family guards.

Inside the Rong Mansion, Lai Da sent extra men to keep watch at night. Both courtyards were locked, and all people coming and going had to use the small west side gate. At sunset the ceremonial gate was closed and no one was allowed in or out. The front and back east and west corner gardens were also locked, with only the gate behind Lady Wang's quarters—which her sisters used daily—and the east gate leading to Aunt Xue's quarters left open, as both were inside the compound and did not need to be locked. Inside, Yuanyang and Yuchuan also closed the main apartments and went with the maids and serving women to their own quarters to rest. Every day Lin Zhixiang's wife came in with a dozen or so women to keep watch at night. In the passageway, many young pages were added to keep the night watch and strike the watchman's clapper. Everything was arranged most properly.

One clear morning, Baochai woke from her spring drowsiness, drew aside the bed curtains, and got out of bed. Feeling a slight chill, she opened the door and saw that the garden soil was moist and the moss green—a light rain had fallen at the fifth watch. She called up Xiangyun and the others, and while they washed and dressed, Xiangyun complained that her cheeks were itchy and she feared her apricot-blossom rash was acting up again. She asked Baochai for some rose-powder. Baochai said, "I gave all I had left to you the other day." She added, "Pin'er made a lot of it. I was just about to ask her for some, but since my cheeks haven't itched this year, I forgot about it." She told Ying'er to go and fetch some. As Ying'er was about to leave, Rui Guan said, "I'll go with you, and while I'm at it I'll look in on Ou Guan." So the two of them left the Garden of Spreading Fragrance together.

They chatted and laughed as they walked along, and before they knew it they had reached the Willow Bank. Following the willow embankment, they saw that the willow leaves had just begun to show their pale green, the trailing branches hanging like threads of gold. Ying'er laughed and said, "Do you know how to weave things from willow branches?" Rui Guan laughed and said, "Weave what?" Ying'er said, "What can't you weave? Things for play or for use—anything. Let me pick some branches, and with these leaves I'll weave a flower basket. We can gather all kinds of flowers and put them inside—that would be fun." So instead of going to fetch the powder, she reached out and gathered many tender branches, green and golden, and told Rui Guan to hold them. As she walked along, she wove a flower basket, picking a flower or two here and there along the way. She fashioned a basket with an elegant handle, its branches already covered with their natural green leaves. When she placed the flowers in it, it was quite charming and original. Delighted, Rui Guan laughed and said, "Sister, give it to me." Ying'er said, "This one we'll give to Miss Lin. When we come back, we'll pick more and weave several for everyone to enjoy." With that they arrived at Bamboo Lodge.

Daiyu was just doing her morning toilet. When she saw the basket, she smiled and said, "Who wove this fresh flower basket?" Ying'er smiled and said, "I wove it for you to enjoy, miss." Daiyu took it and smiled, "No wonder everyone praises your clever hands—this trifle is really quite original." She looked it over and told Zijuan to hang it up there. Ying'er also paid her respects to Aunt Xue, then asked Daiyu for the powder. Daiu quickly told Zijuan to wrap up a packet and hand it to Ying'er. Daiyu added, "I'm better now, and I want to go out for a stroll today. Go back and tell your mistress not to come and pay her respects to Mother, and she needn't trouble herself to visit me either. After I've done my hair, Mother and I will both come to your place, and we'll have our meals there too, so we can all be together and have some fun."

Ying'er promised and came out. She went to Zijuan's room looking for Rui Guan, and found Ou Guan and Rui Guan chatting happily together, reluctant to part. Ying'er said, "Our miss is going too. Wouldn't it be nice for Ou Guan to go with us first and wait there?" Zijuan, hearing this, said, "That's true enough. She can be quite a nuisance here." As she spoke, she wrapped Daiyu's chopsticks and spoon in a piece of foreign cloth and handed them to Ou Guan, saying, "Take these along first—that counts as running an errand."

Ou Guan took it and came out with a smile, the three of them walking along the willow bank. Ying'er then gathered more willow twigs and sat down on a rock to weave them, telling Rui Guan to deliver the sal ammoniac first and come back after. The two of them only wanted to sit and watch her weave—how could they bear to leave? Ying'er kept urging: "If you don't go now, I won't weave anymore." Ou Guan said, "I'll go with you and come back right away." Only then did the two of them leave.

Here Ying'er was just weaving when Chun Yan, the younger daughter of Granny He, came over and asked with a smile, "Sister, what are you weaving?" Even as she spoke, Rui Guan and Ou Guan arrived. Chun Yan said to Ou Guan, "What paper were you burning the other day? My aunt saw it and wanted to report you but couldn't, and then Master Bao put all the blame on her instead. She was furious and told my mother every bit of it. What grudges have you all built up out there these two or three years? Why haven't you let them go yet?" Ou Guan said coldly, "What grudges? They're the ones who are dissatisfied and resent us instead. Those two years out there—never mind anything else—just reckon how much rice and vegetables we saved them, how much that brought into the family. They couldn't eat it all themselves, and there was still the money they made every day buying this and that on the side. The moment we ask them to do something for us, they grudge heaven and earth. Tell me, do they have any conscience?" Chun Yan laughed: "She's my aunt—I can't very well side with an outsider and speak against her. No wonder Master Bao said: 'A girl before marriage is a priceless pearl. After marriage, somehow she develops all sorts of disagreeable faults. She's still a pearl, but without brilliance or lustre—a dead pearl. When she gets older, she's not even a pearl anymore, she's a fish eye. The same person—how can she turn into three different things?' Though this is rambling talk, there's some truth in it. Others don't know, but say my mother and my aunt, those two old sisters—the older they get, the more they fixate on money. In the beginning, the two old sisters used to complain at home that they had no assignment, no income. Then luckily there was this garden, and they selected me to come in, and as chance would have it, assigned me to Happy Red Court. Besides saving the expense of feeding me at home, they still had four or five hundred cash left over each month, and even that wasn't enough for them. Later both old sisters were sent to Pear Fragrance Court to look after them. Ou Guan acknowledged my aunt, Fang Guan acknowledged my mother—these past few years they've been quite comfortable. Now they've been transferred in too and have really let go, yet they're still insatiable. Isn't that ridiculous? My aunt just had a quarrel with Ou Guan, and then my mother quarrelled with Fang Guan over washing her hair. Fang Guan wouldn't even let her wash her head. Yesterday she got her monthly allowance and couldn't put it off any longer, so she bought the things and told me first to wash her hair. I thought it over: I have my own money. Even if I didn't need a wash, if I went to Xiren, Qingwen, or Sheyue and said the word, any of them would make it easy—why should I take advantage of this favour? It's so pointless. So I refused to wash it. She then told my little sister Little Jiu'er to wash it, and only then called Fang Guan, and sure enough they quarrelled again. Then she wanted to blow on Master Bao's soup—you'd die laughing! The moment she came in, I told her all the rules. She simply wouldn't believe me and insisted on pretending she knew, which only earned herself a thorough embarrassment. Fortunately there are so many people in the garden—no one keeps track clearly of whose relatives are whose. If someone did remember, and it turned out only our family was quarrelling, what would that look like? And here you come again fooling with this. Everything on the ground along this stretch is under my mother's charge. Once she got this place, she took it more seriously than if she'd acquired a permanent estate. She rises early and retires late, working hard herself and not counting that—every day she presses us to come and watch over things, afraid someone will damage them and also afraid I'll neglect my duties. Now that they're in, the two old women-in-law watch over everything with the utmost care—not a single blade of grass is allowed to be touched. And you go picking these flowers and breaking off their tender shoots. They'll be here any moment—watch out, they'll complain." Ying'er said: "Other people can't recklessly pick and break things, but I can. Ever since the plots were divided, every household gets its daily rations—food aside, we're only in charge of flowers, plants, and playthings. Whoever is in charge must every day send cut branches of whatever the young ladies and maids in each household are wearing, as well as flowers for the vases. Only we said: 'Don't send us anything at all—when we need something, we'll ask you for it.' In the end we never asked for anything even once. So if I pick some now, they can hardly complain."

Before she had finished speaking, the old woman's daughter indeed came leaning on her stick. Ying'er, Chunyan, and the others quickly offered her a seat. The old woman had already seen them picking many tender willows, and now she saw that Ou Guan and the others had also gathered a great many fresh flowers. She was inwardly displeased, but watching Ying'er weave, she could hardly say anything. So she turned to Chunyan and said, "I told you to come and keep an eye on things, and instead you've been playing around here and won't leave. If anyone comes looking for you, you'll say I sent you, using me as your shield while you have your fun."

Chunyan said, "You old woman—you make me work, you're afraid of this and that, and now you're scolding me instead. Do you want to split me into eight pieces?"

Ying'er laughed and said, "Auntie, don't believe Little Yan's words. These are all things he picked and asked me to weave for him. I've been trying to chase him off, but he won't go."

Chunyan said, "You'd better stop fooling around. You just keep on playing, and the old woman takes you seriously."

The old woman was a foolish, stubborn sort, and with her years advancing into dim-sightedness, she cared only for profit and ignored all bonds of feeling. Her heart was breaking, her liver splitting—she was at her wits' end. Hearing Ying'er speak this way, she used her seniority to take advantage and raised her walking stick, striking Chunyan several times. "Little wench! I'm talking to you and you still talk back! Your mother is gnashing her teeth with rage—she wants to tear the flesh off your bones! And you still stand there arguing with me like a wooden clapper."

Chunyan, beaten, was both ashamed and frantic. She wept and said, "Sister Ying'er was only joking, and you took her seriously and hit me. Why does my mother hate me? I haven't even burned the wash water—what have I done wrong!"

Ying'er had only been joking, but when she saw the old woman truly lose her temper, she quickly stepped forward, took her arm, and said with a laugh, "I was only joking. If you old dear beats him, won't I feel ashamed?"

The old woman said, "Miss, don't meddle in our affairs. Just because you're here, does that mean I can't discipline my own child?"

Hearing such foolish words, Ying'er grew sulky, flushed red, let go of her, and said with a cold laugh, "If you old dear wants to discipline her, there's plenty of time to do it. Just because I made a joke, suddenly you can discipline her. Go ahead then—discipline her all you like!" So saying, she sat down again and went on weaving the willow basket.

Just then, Chunyan's mother came out looking for her. "Why haven't you come to fetch the water? What are you doing there?"

The old woman seized the opportunity and called out, "Come and see for yourself—your daughter won't even obey me anymore! She's here giving me a hard time."

The old woman walked over and said, "Niece, what's happened now? Does your girl think she can ignore her own mother? Does she think she can ignore her aunt too?"

When Ying'er saw Chunyan's mother arrive, she had to explain what had happened. But the old woman's daughter wouldn't let anyone get a word in. She picked up the flowers and willows from the rock and showed them to her mother. "Look at this—your daughter, a child this big, playing around. She was the first to lead people to trample all over my things. What am I supposed to say?"

Her mother, still smarting from the indignity she'd suffered at the hands of Fangguan, and further enraged that Chunyan hadn't done as she wished, came forward and slapped Chunyan across the face. "Little strumpet! You've been climbing up the ladder for a few years and now you're learning from those frivolous, shameless little wives? Why can't I discipline you anymore? If I can't manage you, I'll know what to do—you dropped from between my legs, and you think I dare not manage you? If you wenches can go wherever you like and I can't, you should have stayed there serving and not come running out to chase men."

At the same time she grabbed a willow switch and lashed it straight at Chunyan's face. "What do you call this? You're weaving your mother's cunt!"

Ying'er quickly said, "That's our weaving. Don't point at the mulberry and curse the locust."

The old woman was deeply jealous of Xiren, Qingwen, and the like. She already knew that all the senior maids in the chambers enjoyed more dignity and authority than she did. Whenever she saw these women, she felt both intimidated and yielding, which left her resentful and bitter all at once. She transferred her anger onto everyone around her. Then she caught sight of Ou Guan, who was the sworn enemy of her own elder sister. From all these sources, a single torrent of fury converged.

Chunyan went crying off to Happy Red Court. Her mother, afraid that someone would ask why she was crying and that she might reveal her own beating, which would then bring down the wrath of Qingwen and the others, grew anxious and called out, "Come back! I'll tell you—come back!"

How could Chunyan possibly go back? In her mother's frantic haste, she ran after her and pulled her. Chunyan looked back, saw her, and ran even faster ahead. Her mother, intent on catching her, didn't watch her footing and slipped on the moss, which made Ying'er and the other three burst out laughing.

Ying'er, in a fit of pique, threw all the flowers and willows into the river and went back to her room. The old woman, heartbroken, could only mutter prayers to Buddha. "Miserate little wench! Trampling on the flowers—thunder ought to strike you!" She then picked flowers and sent them to the various chambers, but that is another matter.

Meanwhile Chunyan ran all the way into the courtyard and ran headlong into Xiren, who was on her way to pay her respects to Daiyu. Chunyan threw her arms around her. "Save me, miss!" she cried. "My mother's beating me again!" When Xiren saw the old woman coming, she lost her temper. "You've been beating the adopted daughter and then the natural one," she said. "Is it because you want to show off how many daughters you have, or because you really don't know the law?" The old woman had been there a few days and had seen that Xiren was a good-tempered girl who never said a word out of place. "You don't understand, miss," she said. "Mind your own business! It's you people who've spoiled them. What right have you to interfere now?" And she lunged at her daughter again. Xiren turned and went inside in a rage. She found Sheyue hanging towels under the crab-apple tree and, hearing all the shouting, she said, "Don't bother, sister. Let's see what happens." At the same time she winked at Chunyan, who understood and dashed straight to Baoyu. The others laughed. "So things that never happened are coming out after all!" Sheyue said to the old woman, "If you'd just cool down a little, do you think these girls couldn't get you a favor if they asked for it?" But when the old woman saw her daughter run to Baoyu's side and Baoyu take Chunyan's hand and say, "Don't be afraid. I'm here," while Chunyan sobbed out the whole story of what Ying'er and the others had done, Baoyu grew more and more agitated. "It's all right for you to make trouble here," he said, "but how could you go and offend our relatives too?" Sheyue said to the old woman and the others, "No wonder this woman says we have no business meddling. We were wrong to interfere, I grant you, but now let's call in someone who does have authority over you. Then you'll be convinced in your heart and know the rules." She told a young maid, "Go and fetch Ping'er for me. If Ping'er is busy, call Mrs. Lin." The little maid started off at once. The women came up with a smile. "Sister, you'd better beg the young ladies to call her back. If Miss Ping comes, you'll be in trouble." "Let your Miss Ping come," the old woman retorted. "She must have some reason for it. A mother has the right to discipline her daughter—no one else has the right to discipline the mother." The others laughed. "You don't know which Miss Ping we mean. It's Miss Ping from the Second Mistress's room. If she's in a good mood she'll just scold you, but if she loses her temper you'll be in a fine pickle!"

While they were talking the little maid came back. "Miss Ping was busy and asked what I wanted. When I told her she said, 'In that case, turn her out and tell Mrs. Lin to give her forty strokes of the bamboo outside the side gate.'" The old woman was naturally reluctant to leave. She burst into tears and begged Xiren and the others, "It wasn't easy for I to get in here. Besides, I'm a widow with no one at home. I can serve the young ladies wholeheartedly with nothing to distract me. It's convenient for you and saves my family some expense. If I go I'll have to fend for myself again and may not be able to make a living." Xiren's heart softened at this. "If you want to stay here," she said, "you must stop breaking the rules, listen to what you're told, and stop beating people. We've enough trouble without having a fool like you here, quarrelling every day and making us a laughing-stock." Qinfeng said, "Don't bother with her. The best thing is to send her away. Why bandy words with her?" The old woman appealed to the others. "I was wrong, I admit, but if the young ladies will tell me what to do I'll mend my ways. Isn't that doing a good deed and earning merit?" She begged Chunyan too, "It was all because I wanted to beat you, but I didn't beat you after all and now I'm the one being punished. Put in a word for me too." Baoyu, moved by her pitiful state, had to let her stay and told her not to make any more trouble. The old woman came forward to thank them and withdrew.

Just then Ping'er came in to ask what had happened. Xiren and the others said hastily, "It's all over. Don't mention it." Ping'er smiled. "If you can spare someone, spare him. If you can settle a matter simply, settle it simply. She's only been here a few days, but I hear there are rebellions breaking out everywhere, large and small, one after another. I don't know which one to deal with first." Xiren smiled. "I thought we were the only ones in revolt here. So there are other places too." Ping'er laughed. "This is nothing. I was just reckoning with Lady Zhen. In the last three or four days there have been eight or nine incidents, big and small. This is a very small affair, not worth counting. There are bigger things that are enough to drive one wild with rage." What Xiren asked her about will be told in the next chapter.