Chapter 60

Chapter 60

## Chapter 60 Lily Powder Substituted for Rose Nitrate Rose Attar Leads to Poria Crystals

Xiren asked Ping'er what all the bustle was about. Ping'er laughed. "It's something nobody would have thought of," she said. "Really quite funny. I'll tell you in a few days' time. As it is, I can't make head or tail of it yet, and I'm far too busy." Before she had finished speaking, one of Li Wan's maids arrived. "Is Miss Ping here?" she asked. "The mistress is waiting for you. Why haven't you gone?" Ping'er turned and hurried out. "Coming, coming," she called as she went. Xiren and the others laughed. "His mistress is ill, and he's become a hot cake — everyone's fighting over him." Let us leave Ping'er.

Baoyu then called to Chunyan: "Go with your mother. When you're in Miss Bao's room, say a few kind words to Yinger. We shouldn't have offended her for nothing." Chunyan agreed and went out with her mother. Baoyu called through the window after them: "Don't say anything in front of Miss Bao, or you'll get Yinger into trouble."

The two of them left and walked along chatting. Chunyan said to her mother: "I've always advised you, but you never believed me. Why did you have to make trouble before you'd learn your lesson?" Her mother laughed. "Little wench, be off with you. As the saying goes, 'You can't learn without experience.' Now I know better. And now you'll be the one lecturing me." Chunyan smiled. "Mother, if you behave yourself and stay in this room for a long time, there'll be plenty of advantages for you. Let me tell you something: Baoyu often says that in the future, everyone in this household — whether they're from the family or from outside — all of us servants, he'll ask the Lady to set us free so we can be with our own parents. What do you think of that?" When her mother heard this, she was overjoyed and asked eagerly, "Is that really true?" Chunyan said. "Who would make up such a thing?" The old woman began murmuring prayers of gratitude.

They arrived at Hengwu Garden, where Baochai, Daiyu, and Aunt Xue were just at their meal. Yinger went to make tea, and Chunyan and her mother went straight to her. With a smile, Chunyan said, "I was rude just now. Please don't be angry, miss. I've come especially to apologize." Yinger smiled and invited them to sit, pouring tea for them. The mother and daughter said they had business and took their leave. Suddenly Guanhua came running out. "Mother, Sister, wait a moment." She came up and handed them a paper packet. "This is rose nitrate," she said. "Take it to Fangguan for her face." Chunyan laughed. "You people are too stingy! As if there isn't any of that elsewhere! Why go to the trouble of bringing another packet?" Guanhua said. "This is hers, and this is mine. Dear sister, please take it back." Chunyan had to accept it.

The mother and daughter returned just as Jia Huan and Jia Cong came to pay their respects to Baoyu — they had only just gone in. Chunyan said to her mother, "I'll go in alone. You don't need to come." Her mother obeyed. From then on she did everything Chunyan said and never crossed her again.

Chunyan went in. Baoyu, knowing she had carried out her errand, nodded. Chunyan understood and said nothing. After standing for a moment, she turned and left, giving Fangguan a meaningful look. Fangguan came out, and Chunyan quietly told her about Guanhua and handed her the rose nitrate. Baoyu had nothing to discuss with Jia Cong and Jia Huan, so he smiled and asked Fangguan what she had in her hand. Fangguan hastily showed it to him, explaining that it was rose nitrate for rubbing on spring sores. Baoyu laughed. "How resourceful of him to think of it." Jia Huan craned his neck to look, and catching a whiff of fragrance, he bent down and pulled a piece of paper from inside his boot, holding it out. "Good brother," he said with a smile, "give me half." Baoyu was about to give it to him, but Fangguan, knowing it was a gift from Guanhua, was unwilling to let anyone else have it. She quickly stopped him with a smile. "Don't touch this. I'll get some more." Baoyu understood and hastily wrapped it up, saying, "Quick, go get it."

Fangguan took this packet and put it away, then went to her toilet case to find her own supply. She opened the case and found it empty. She was puzzled — there had still been some left that morning. Where had it gone? She asked the others, but no one knew. Sheyue said, "There's no time to worry about this now. Someone in this room must have run short. Just give them something — they won't be able to tell the difference. Get rid of them quickly so we can eat." Fangguan thereupon wrapped up some lily powder and brought it over. Jia Huan reached out his hand to take it. Fangguan tossed it onto the kang. Jia Huan had to pick it up from the kang, tucked it into his pocket, and took his leave.

It so happened that Zheng was away from home, and Lady Wang and the others were also away. For several days running, Huan had been feigning illness to play truant from school. Now that he had obtained the saltpeter, he went in high spirits to find Caiyun. It happened that Caiyun was chatting idly with her mother, Concubine Zhao. Huan walked up to Caiyun with a grin. "I've got a good packet for you too—to rub on your face. You always say that rose saltpeter is better for rashes than the silver saltpeter you buy outside. Have a look—is this the right stuff?" Caiyun opened the packet, gave a little snort of laughter, and asked, "Who did you get this from?" Huan told her what had just happened. Caiyun laughed, "They were pulling your leg, you country bumpkin. This isn't saltpeter—this is jasmine powder." Huan took another look. Sure enough, it was slightly pinker than the previous batch, and when he sniffed it, it smelled sweetly fragrant. He smiled. "This is just as good. Saltpeter, powder—it's all the same. I'll keep it to rub on. It's certainly better than anything you could buy outside." Caiyun had no choice but to accept it.

Concubine Zhao then said, "Someone gave you something good! Who asked you to go begging? Why blame them for making a fool of you? In my opinion, you should take it, rub it on your face, and throw it right back at them. Since this time the ones who are out chasing corpses are out chasing corpses, and the ones who are lying abed are lying abed, make a scene—let everyone have a good row and be done with it. Consider it revenge. It's not as if two months from now they'll dig up this grievance and come asking you about it, is it? Even if they do ask, you'll have your words ready. Baoyu is your elder brother—you wouldn't dare cross him. But do you mean to say you wouldn't dare go ask about the cats and dogs in his quarters either?"

When Huan heard this, he hung his head. Caiyun quickly said, "Why go looking for trouble? Be that as it may, just put up with it." Concubine Zhao said, "You mind your own business—this has nothing to do with you. While you've got right on your side, it wouldn't do any harm to give those wanton bitches a piece of your mind." She pointed at Huan. "Bah! You miserable, spineless creature—you're just the sort to be bullied by those little bastards! The moment I say a word to you, or accidentally hand you the wrong thing, you go twisting your neck, bulging your veins, glaring your eyes, and throwing things at your own mother. Now you let yourself be toyed with by those cunny-boys too. Do you think anyone in this family will ever fear you? You've no cunny guts, and I'm ashamed of you."

Huan listened, and couldn't help feeling both ashamed and agitated. Not daring to go, he only wrung his hands and said, "You talk so boldly, but you wouldn't dare go yourself. You send me to make a scene. If they report me to the school and I get a beating, you certainly won't feel the pain. Every time you stir me up to make trouble, and when trouble comes and I get beaten and scolded, you're the one who ends up hanging your head. Now you're stirring me up again to go make a scene with those little maids. You're not afraid of Third Sister—if you dare go, then I'll look up to you."

This one remark pierced his mother's lungs. She shrieked, "I crawled you out of my own guts—how could I still be afraid? There's even more to be said about this household!" As she spoke, she snatched up the packet and flew off toward the garden. Caiyun tried desperately to stop her but couldn't, and had no choice but to hide herself in another room. Huan too slipped out through the inner gate and went off to amuse himself elsewhere.

Concubine Zhao strode straight into the garden, blazing with fury. Right at the head of the path she ran into Old Mother Xia, the foster-mother of Ou Guan. Seeing Concubine Zhao marching toward her in a rage, she asked, "Where are you off to, Madam Zhao?" Concubine Zhao said, "Just look at this—the little opera sing-song girls who've been brought in these past two or three days are already looking down on people and making distinctions, serving different portions as they please. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't be so angry. But to be made a fool of by these little whores—what kind of creature does that make me?" Old Mother Xia had been waiting for just such an opening. She quickly asked what had happened. Concubine Zhao told her everything—how Fang Guan had passed off powder as saltpeter and slighted Huan. Old Mother Xia said, "My lady, you're only finding out today? This is nothing. Only yesterday, right here in this very place, they burned paper money on their own, and Baoyu was the one who stopped them. Before anyone had even brought anything in, he declared it improper and inauspicious. But burning paper money isn't inauspicious? Think about it—in this whole household, apart from Her Ladyship, who is greater than you? You can't hold your own. Anyone who does hold their own—who wouldn't be afraid of you? Now my thinking is, since these little opera girls aren't proper household staff, there's only so much harm in offending them. Seize on these two incidents while you have right on your side and build yourself a raft. I'll stand by as witness. You put on a show of authority, and afterward you'll be better positioned to press your case on other matters. Even the young ladies and girls won't be able to speak against you on account of those little opera wenches."

When Concubine Zhao heard this, she felt all the more justified. "I didn't know about the paper-burning. Tell me the details." Old Mother Xia recounted everything that had happened before, and added, "Just go ahead and confront them. If a row breaks out, we'll be there to back you up." Concubine Zhao, thus emboldened, made her way straight to Happy Red Court.

It so happened that Baoyu heard Daiyu was there and went off in that direction. At that moment Fangguan was having her meal with Xiren and the others. When they saw Zhao Ma come in, they all rose with a smile and offered her a seat. "Auntie, sit down and have something to eat. What's brought you here in such a hurry?" Zhao Ma said no word in reply but walked up and flung powder into Fangguan's face, pointing at her and cursing, "Little strumpet! I bought you with my own money to learn acting. You're no better than a prostitute or singing-girl! Even the lowest slave in my household is better than you. You know how to play up to your superiors too. When Baoyu wanted to give you something you blocked him. Did you want it for yourself? You fool him with this, but do you think he doesn't know what it is? Whether it's good or not, they're brothers, both masters in this house. How dare you look down on him!" Fangguan could not bear such words. She cried and protested, "It was only because we'd run out of the snowy powder that I gave him this. If I said we had none he wouldn't believe me. Isn't this good enough? Even though I've learned acting, I haven't gone outside to perform. I'm just a girl. What do I know about prostitutes or singing-girls? You have no call to scold me, Auntie. I wasn't bought with your money. 'Plum-Fragrance swears brotherhood—they're all bondservants together!'" Xiren quickly pulled her arm. "Stop talking such nonsense!" Zhao Ma, in a rage, stepped forward and slapped her twice across the face. Xiren and the others hurried forward to intervene. "Don't take a child like her to heart, Auntie. We'll talk to her ourselves." Having been slapped twice, Fangguan would not give in. She rolled on the ground and wailed loudly. "Can you afford to beat me? Look in a mirror before you raise your hand again! If you beat me to death, I'll still be alive!" She threw herself into Zhao Ma's arms and dared her to go on hitting. The others tried to reason with her and pull her away. Qingwen whispered to Xiren, "Don't bother with them. Let them make a scene and see how it ends! It's chaos as king now. Everyone's beating everyone else. If this goes on, what will become of us?"

The servants who had followed Zhao Ma in from outside, hearing all this, were inwardly delighted and said to themselves, "Serves her right!" Some old nurses who bore a grudge against Fangguan were also pleased to see her beaten.

At this time Ou Guan and Rui Guan were playing together. Kui Guan, Xiangyun's big painted-faced girl, and Dou Guan, Baoqin's girl, heard the news and hurried to find them. "Fangguan's being bullied, and we're having no fun either. We must all make a great scene together to get even." Being children, the four of them thought only of loyalty and indignation, and without considering anything else, they all ran into Happy Red Court. Dou Guan charged in head first and nearly knocked Zhao Ma over. The other three swarmed around her, shouting and weeping, pulling her hair and butting her with their heads, wrapping themselves around Zhao Ma. Qingwen and the others laughed and pretended to pull them off. Xiren was frantic—she pulled one away only to have another break free. "You'll be killed for this! If you have a grievance, speak out properly. How can you behave so unreasonably!" Zhao Ma, at a loss, could only curse wildly. Rui Guan and Ou Guan each seized one of her arms, while Kui Guan and Dou Guan blocked her front and back. The four of them shouted, "Just kill the four of us and have done with it!" Fangguan lay stiff on the ground, weeping as if she were dying.

Just when things were at their most chaotic, Qingwen had already sent Chunyan to report to Tanchun. Presently Madam You, Li Wan, and Tanchun arrived with Ping'er and a crowd of maids and stewards. They ordered the four to stop. When they asked what had happened, Zhao Ma glared furiously, her veins bulging, and started to give a garbled account. Madam You and Li Wan said nothing but merely ordered the four to be restrained. Tanchun sighed. "This is no great matter. You really are too easily provoked, Auntie. I was just wanting to discuss something with you. No wonder the maids said they didn't know where you were—you were here having a tantrum. Come with me quickly." Madam You and Li Wan both smiled. "Auntie, please come to the main hall. We can talk there."

Having no choice, Zhao Ma went out with the three of them, still muttering and complaining. Tanchun said, "Those little maids are just playthings after all. If you like them you can chat and laugh with them; if not, you can simply ignore them. If they misbehave, it's no more serious than a scratch from a cat or dog. If you can forgive them, forgive; if not, you should simply call the stewardesses and have them dealt with. Why lose your dignity by shouting and brawling? Look at Concubine Zhou—does anyone bully her? And she doesn't go looking for trouble either. I advise you to go back to your room and cool down. Don't listen to those scoundrels who put you up to it. You'll only make yourself a laughingstock and end up doing rough work for others. However angry you are, bear with it a few more days. When the Mistress comes back, she will naturally settle everything." This speech left Zhao Ma speechless, and she had no choice but to go back to her room.

Here Tanchun, thoroughly incensed, said to You-shi and Li Wan: "At such an advanced age, the things she does simply command no respect. What is the meaning of all this? It's not worth making such a fuss over, and she shows no regard for propriety. She's credulous and has no judgment whatsoever. This is nothing but the meddling of some shameless servants who manipulate a foolish person into venting their grievances for them." The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she ordered someone to find out who had instigated the trouble. The serving women had no choice but to comply, though when they came out they looked at each other and laughed, saying, "How are we to find a needle in the ocean?" They could only summon Zhao Yitang's people and question those in the garden, but all claimed to know nothing. The servants, at a loss, had to report back to Tanchun: "It's difficult to investigate at present, but we will look into it gradually. Anyone who has spoken improperly will be reported and punished."

Only after Tanchun's anger had gradually subsided did the matter rest. As it happened, Ai-guan quietly came to Tanchun and said, "It's all because of Summer Ma—she's never been on good terms with us and is always making up stories and stirring up trouble. The other day she tried to blame Ou-guan for burning paper money, but fortunately it was Baoyu who told her to burn it, and Baoyu himself took responsibility, so she had no more to say. Today when I was bringing a handkerchief to you, young lady, I saw her talking with Yiitang for quite a while, whispering and muttering. They only parted when they saw me." Tanchun, upon hearing this, though she understood the situation, reckoned that they were all of the same sort, all unusually mischievous by nature. She merely acknowledged the report but was unwilling to take it as confirmed evidence.

Who would have known that Summer Ma's maternal granddaughter, Chanyier, was in service in Tanchun's quarters. She frequently ran errands for the maids in the household, buying things and summoning people, and all the young girls were on good terms with her. That day after the meal, Tanchun was in the main hall attending to business. Cui-mo was minding the house, so she sent Chanyier out to have a little servant buy some cakes. Chanyier said, "I've just swept the whole garden. My back and legs ache. Why don't you send someone else?" Cui-mo smiled and said, "Who else should I send? You'd better go quickly. Let me tell you something good—when you go out the back gate, take the opportunity to warn your old mother to be on her guard." Then she told her what Ai-guan had told her own mother. Chan'er, upon hearing this, hastily took the money and said, "That little baggage wants to make a fool of people too. Wait till I go tell." With that, she got up and went out. When she reached the back gate, she saw that it was a slack moment in the kitchen, and the women were all sitting on the steps chatting idly. Her mother was among them. Chan'er told one of the old women to go out and buy the cakes. Meanwhile she cursed and ranted as she went along, telling Summer Ma everything she had just heard. Summer Ma, upon hearing it, was both frightened and angry. She wanted to go find Ai-guan and question him, and she also wanted to go to Tanchun to plead her grievance. Chan'er hastily stopped her, saying, "How could you go, old mother? How would we explain how we heard about this? It would only stir up more trouble. I've told you to be on your guard—there's no rush to deal with it right now."

Just as they were speaking, Fang-guan appeared, leaning on the courtyard gate and smiling as she called to Sister Liu in the kitchen: "Sister Liu, the Second Master Bao said he wants a cold and sour dish for his supper, but don't use sesame oil to make it greasy." Sister Liu smiled and said, "Understood. Why did he send you today to deliver such an important message? If you don't mind the dirt, why don't you come in and have a look?" Fang-guan had just come in when an old woman appeared carrying a plate of cakes. Fang-guan teased, "Who bought hot cakes? Let me taste one." Chan'er took the plate in hand and said, "These were bought by someone else. You're not going to be jealous of these, are you?" Sister Liu, seeing this, quickly smiled and said, "Miss Fang, you like these? I just bought some for your elder sister, but she hasn't eaten them yet. They're still put away, perfectly clean, untouched." With that, she brought out a plate and handed it to Fang-guan, adding, "Wait while I go in and brew you a good cup of tea." She went inside, immediately lit the fire, and began steeping the tea. Fang-guan took the hot cakes and held them up to Chan'er's face, saying, "You think I'm so desperate for your cakes—aren't these cakes too? I was only joking. If you kowtow to me, I won't eat them." As she spoke, she broke off pieces of the cake one by one and tossed them about to play at shooting sparrows, laughing as she said, "Sister Liu, don't fret—I'll buy two catties for you when I come back." Little Chan'er stood there dumbfounded, staring coldly and saying, "Even the God of Thunder has eyes—why doesn't he strike down this sinner! And he's angry with me too. What can I compare to you? You have people bringing you tribute, you have people acting as your devoted lackeys, flattering you and helping you out with a word." The serving women all said, "Young ladies, stop it—you bicker every single day." A few of the shrewder ones, seeing them locking horns, feared more trouble would arise and slipped away on their own. At that moment Chan'er didn't dare say too much more to him, and went off muttering to himself.

Here, when Sister Liu saw that the others had dispersed, she hurried out and said to Fang-guan, "Did you mention what we talked about the other day?" Fang-guan said, "I did. Let's bring it up again in a day or two. That undying Zhao picked another fight with me the other day. Did your elder sister finish that rose-flavored syrup I gave her? Is she feeling better?" Sister Liu said, "She finished all of it. She loved it so much, but she was too embarrassed to ask you for more." Fang-guan said, "It's nothing much. I'll get some more for her."

The household of the Liu woman had a daughter, now sixteen years old. Although the child of a cook, her looks were comparable to those of Ping, Xizi, Zhiying, and Ying'er. Because she was the fifth in the family, they called her Wu'er. She had long suffered from a frail constitution and so had never been assigned any duties. Recently, the Liu woman had noticed that the maids' work in Baoyu's quarters was light and that there were many of them, and she had also heard that all of Baoyu's maids would eventually be given their freedom. So she now wanted to send her daughter there to be enrolled on the roster. She had no means of making the connection, but as it happened, the Liu woman was assigned to Pear Fragrance Court, where she was most obliging and attentive, serving Fangguan and the others far better than the other amahs. Fangguan and the rest treated the Lius very well too, and now she spoke to Fangguan, asking her to go and put in a word with Baoyu. Baoyu had agreed in principle, but he had been ill of late and there was much to attend to, so nothing had been settled yet.

Without dwelling on this, let us return to the present. Fangguan went back to Happy Red Court and reported to Baoyu. Baoyu had just overheard Aunt Zhao making a scene, and he was vexed—unable to speak up and unable to remain silent. He had to wait until the quarrel was over and then, upon learning that Tanchun had coaxed Aunt Zhao away, he returned from All-Spice Lodge. After comforting Fangguan for a while, everyone was settled. Now when she came back, Fangguan also said that she wanted to take some rose dew for Liu Wu'er to drink. Baoyu said hastily, "I have some, but I hardly drink it—take it all to her." He ordered Xiren to fetch it, and seeing there was not much left in the bottle, he gave her the bottle and all.

Fangguan took the bottle and went off herself. It happened that the Liu woman had brought her daughter out for a stroll to cheer her up. They had wandered around a corner there and then returned to the kitchen, where they were resting and having tea. Fangguan brought a small glass bottle, about five inches tall, and held it up to the light to look. Inside was a little less than half a bottle of juice the color of rouge, and she thought it was the foreign grape wine that Baoyu drank. The mother and daughter said quickly, "Hurry and heat some water in the kettle, and sit down." Fangguan laughed, "This is all that's left—I'll give you the bottle too." Only then did Wu'er realize it was rose dew. She took it hastily and thanked her again and again. Fangguan then asked, "Are you feeling better?" Wu'er said, "I have a bit more spirit today, so I came in for a stroll. But back here there's nothing much to see—just big rocks, big trees, and the backs of buildings. I haven't seen any of the really fine scenery." Fangguan said, "Why don't you go up front?" The Liu woman said, "I didn't let her go up front. The young ladies don't know her, and if someone with a sharp eye saw her, it would just cause more talk. Tomorrow, if you help her get a proper assignment, there will be plenty of people to take her sightseeing—she'll probably have days when she's tired of it." Fangguan laughed and said, "What's there to be afraid of? I'm here." The Liu woman said quickly, "Oh my, my dear girl, our scalps are thin—we're not like you." With that, she poured more tea. Fangguan did not drink this tea; she merely rinsed her mouth and left. The Liu woman said, "My hands are full here—Wu'er, see her out."

Wu'er escorted her out. Seeing no one about, she pulled Fangguan aside and said, "Did you bring up what I asked about or not?" Fangguan laughed, "Do you think I'd fool you? I heard that inside they are still short two positions and haven't filled them. One is for Hongyu—Lian's wife wants to take her on but hasn't assigned anyone yet. The other is for Zhui'er, also unfilled. Taking you on now wouldn't be out of line. It's just that Ping'er keeps saying to Xiren that whenever there's a matter involving personnel or money, it's better to wait another day if one can. Now Third Young Lady is looking for someone to make an example of—she's already overruled two or three matters in her own quarters. Right now she's trying to find fault in our household and hasn't found anything yet. Why walk into her net? If she says something cutting, then we'll be in a difficult position and hard to turn things around. It would be better to let things cool down a bit. When the Old Lady and the Lady have some leisure, no matter how great the matter, if we bring it up to the elders, there's nothing that won't be settled." Wu'er said, "Even so, I'm too impatient to wait. If I'm selected now, first, it would give my mother some face and not have been for nothing that she raised me; second, it would add to the monthly allowance and make things easier at home; third, it would lift my spirits, and my illness might just get better. Even the doctor's fees and medicine would save the family money." Fangguan said, "I know all of it. Just rest easy." The two parted, and we need not speak further of Fangguan.

Let us speak only of Wu'er, who returned and thanked Fangguan profusely before her mother. Her mother then said, "I never expected to get these things. Although it's a precious substance, drinking too much of it can stir up heat. We should pour some off and send it to someone—it would be a grand gesture." Wu'er asked, "To whom?" Her mother said, "To your uncle's son. He had a fever yesterday and wanted some of these things too. I'll pour off half a cup for him." Wu'er was silent for a long while, then watched her mother pour off half a cup and take it away, leaving the rest with the bottle on the kitchen shelf. Wu'er said with a cold laugh, "If you ask me, we shouldn't give him any at all. If someone comes asking questions, it'll just be another whole affair." Her mother said, "What is there to be afraid of? We work hard and get a few things from inside—that's only right. Do you think they were stolen?" With that, she went straight out to her brother's house. Her nephew was lying down, and when he saw it, her brother, his wife, and the boy were all overjoyed. They immediately fetched cool water from the well and he drank a bowl, which refreshed him and cleared his head. The remaining half cup was covered with paper and set on the table.

It so happened that several young servants in the household who were on good terms with Liu's nephew by marriage came to inquire about his illness. Among them was a young fellow named Qian Huai, who was the nephew on his mother's side of Concubine Zhao. His parents were currently in charge of the accounts in the treasury, and he himself had been assigned to attend upon Huan on his way to school. Because he had some money and influence, and not yet being married, he had long taken a fancy to the handsome Fifth Daughter of the family of Liu and had spoken to his parents, wishing to take her as his wife. He had also repeatedly asked a go-between to intercede. The parents of the Liu family were indeed willing, but the Fifth Daughter was obstinately opposed and, though she had not said so in so many words, her conduct had made it clear; her parents did not dare to give their consent. Lately, when she had thought of entering the Garden, she had put the matter aside entirely and would wait until she was let out in three or five years' time, when she would choose a husband for herself outside. Seeing her thus determined, the Qian family had let the matter drop. But Qian Huai, unable to obtain the Fifth Daughter, felt both aggrieved and ashamed, and was determined to have his way and make her his wife so as to fulfill his wish. Today, he too had come with the others to visit the nephew, not expecting to find his mother-in-law there.

When Madam Liu suddenly saw a crowd of people arrive, and Qian Huai among them, she made the excuse that she was too busy and got up to leave. Her brother and sister-in-law hastily said, "Why don't you stay for a cup of tea, Aunt? It's so kind of you to remember us." Madam Liu smiled and said, "I'm afraid they may be serving dinner inside. I'll come out again when I have a moment to visit my nephew." Her sister-in-law thereupon took a paper packet from the drawer, held it in her hand, and escorted Madam Liu out. When they reached the corner of the wall, she handed it to Madam Liu, smiling, and said, "This is what your brother got yesterday when he was on duty at the gate. Who would have thought that this shift of every five days would turn out so slack, with not a single windfall? Only yesterday an official from Guangdong came to pay a visit and presented two small baskets of poria frost to the masters. Besides that, he gave a basket to the gatekeepers as a gate-gift, and your brother got this portion. There are more thousand-year-old pines and cypresses here than anywhere else, so they specially extracted the essence of poria and mixed it with medicine—no one knows how they made this strangely beautiful white frost. They say that if you mix it with human milk and take a cup every morning, it is most nourishing; if not, with cow's milk; and if that is not available, plain boiled water will do. We thought it would be just right for your niece. I was going to send a little maid to our home with it in the morning, but she said the gate was locked and even your niece had gone in. I was going to visit her and take it to her myself, but then I thought that since the masters were not at home, everywhere was kept strictly, and I had no errand to run—what was the point of running about for something so trivial? Besides, these past two days there have been rumors of trouble and disorder in the household, and if I got involved it would be more trouble than it's worth. It's just as well that you've come—you can take it to her yourself."

Madam Liu thanked her and took her leave. She had just reached the side gate when a young page laughed and said, "Where have you been, old mother? They've been sending for you inside two or three times, and three or four of us have been looking for you, but you hadn't come. Where have you come from? This isn't the way home—I'm beginning to wonder." Madam Liu cursed him with a smile, "You little monkey—"

What happened next will be told in the following chapter.