Chapter 90

Chapter 90

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Chapter 90 The Cloth Coat Is Lost, A Poor Girl Endures the Clamor; Fruit Is Delivered, A Young Man Is Startled by the Unpredictable

After Daiyu resolved to take her own life, she gradually grew weaker. One day she stopped eating entirely. In the previous ten days or so, Grandmother Jia and the others had taken turns visiting her; sometimes she would still say a few words, but in the last two days she had become almost completely silent. Though her mind sometimes grew dim, at other times it remained clear. Grandmother Jia and the others saw that her illness did not seem to have arisen without cause, so they questioned Zijuan and Xueyan twice, but how would either of them dare to speak? Even when Zijuan wanted to inquire with Shuxue about the news, she feared that making a fuss would only make things more real, and Daiyu would die all the more quickly. So when she saw Shuxue, she did not bring it up at all. As for Xueyan, it had been she whose passing of the message had brought about this situation; at that moment she wished she could grow a hundred mouths to say, "I didn't say it," and naturally she dared not bring it up even more. On this day, the day Daiyu stopped eating, Zijuan reckoned there was no hope left. She kept watch and wept for a while, then came out and said secretly to Xueyan, "Go inside and stay with him properly. I'm going to report to the Old Lady, the Lady, and Second Mistress. Today's situation is vastly different from the usual." Xueyan agreed, and Zijuan went on her way.

Xueyan was in the room keeping Daiyu company. Seeing her in a drowsy stupor—this young girl had never seen anything like this—she supposed that this must be what dying looked like. Her heart ached with grief and fear, and she wished Zijuan would return at once. Just as she was in her fright, she heard footsteps outside the window. Xueyan knew it was Zijuan returning, and only then set her mind at ease. She quickly stood up and lifted the inner curtain to wait for her. But at the sound of the outer curtain, the person who entered was Shuxue. Shuxue had been sent by Tanchun to visit Daiyu. Seeing Xueyan standing there holding up the curtain, she asked, "How is the young miss?" Xueyan nodded for her to come in. Shuxue followed her in. Seeing that Zijuan was not in the room, she looked at Daiyu—only the faintest thread of breath remained. Shuxue was shocked and bewildered, and asked, "Where is Sister Zijuan?" Xueyan replied, "She's gone to report to the upper rooms." Xueyan, at that moment, supposed Daiyu was completely unconscious of anything. Seeing Zijuan was not present, she quietly took Shuxue's hand and asked, "The other day you told me something—that some Master Wang had proposed a marriage here for Master Bao. Was that true?" Shuxue said, "Why wouldn't it be true?" Xueyan asked, "When was it settled?" Shuxue said, "How could it have been settled already? The day I told you, I had heard Xiaohong say it. Later I went over to Second Mistress's place, and Second Mistress was speaking with Sister Ping. She said that all of it was the guests using this matter to curry favor with the Master, with the intention of gaining influence later. Not even the Eldest Lady could say it was a good match; even if the Eldest Lady were willing and said that girl was good, what kind of person could the Eldest Lady recognize! Besides, the Old Lady already had someone in mind—someone right here in our garden. How could the Eldest Lady know the truth? The Old Lady was only asking about it because of the Master's words; she had no choice. I also heard Second Mistress say that regarding Baoyu's matter, the Old Lady would definitely want a marriage of her own choosing. No matter who came to propose, it would be of no use whatsoever." Hearing this, Xueyan forgot herself and said, "What is this talk? It has白白 cost this one of us her life!" Shuxue said, "Where does this come from?" Xueyan said, "You don't know yet? The other day it was Sister Zijuan and I who were talking about it. This one heard it, and it brought her to this state." Shuxue said, "Speak quietly, mind you don't let him hear." Xueyan said, "He's unconscious—look for yourself. At most, it's a day or two." Just then they saw Zijuan lift the curtain and come in. She said, "This is intolerable! If you have something to say, why don't you go outside and say it? Why say it here? You might as well just push him to his death and be done with it." Shuxue said, "I don't believe such a strange thing could happen." Zijuan said, "Good sister, I'm not just saying it—you'll be angry again. What do you understand! If you understood, you wouldn't be spreading such talk."

Here the three of them were talking when suddenly they heard Daiyu cough again. Zijuan hurried to stand by the edge of the kang, while Shuxue and Xueyan fell silent. Zijuan bent over and asked softly from behind Daiyu, "Would you like some water, miss?" Daiyu gave a faint reply. Xueyan quickly poured half a cup of warm boiled water, which Zijuan took and held, while Shuxue also drew near. Zijuan shook her head at him, signaling him not to speak, so Shuxue had to swallow his words. After standing there a while, Daiyu coughed again. Zijuan seized the moment and asked, "Would you like some water, miss?" Daiyu gave another faint reply, and her head seemed as though she wished to lift it, but she could not manage it. Zijuan climbed onto the kang and lay down beside Daiyu, holding the cup to test the temperature of the water before bringing it to her lips. She raised Daiyu's head and brought the cup to her mouth, and Daiyu took a sip. Just as Zijuan was about to take the cup away, Daiyu seemed to want another sip, so Zijuan held the cup steady. Daiyu took another sip, then shook her head to indicate she wanted no more, drew a breath, and lay back down again. After a while, she opened her eyes slightly and said, "Wasn't that Shuxue who was just speaking?" Zijuan replied, "Yes." Shuxue had not yet left, so he quickly came over to inquire after her. Daiyu opened her eyes, looked at him, nodded, rested a moment, and then said, "Go back and give my regards to your mistress." Shuxue, seeing how things were, assumed Daiyu found him tiresome and quietly withdrew.

Now although Daiyu was gravely ill, her mind was still clear. When Shuxue and Xueyan had been speaking earlier, she had vaguely caught half a sentence or two but had pretended not to hear, having truly no strength to respond. But upon hearing what Xueyan and Shuxue had said, she understood that the matter discussed earlier had been deliberated but not settled. And since Shuxue had said it was Xifeng who spoke of the Old Lady's intention to arrange a marriage within the family, and since the person was to live in the garden, who else could it be but herself? With this thought, yin reaching its extreme gave birth to yang, and her spirits suddenly felt much clearer. That was why she had been able to drink two mouthfuls of water and wanted to question Shuxue further. It happened that Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Li Wan, and Xifeng, having heard what Zijuan had reported, all hurried over to see. With the doubt in her heart now resolved, Daiyu naturally no longer harbored the wish to die as before. Though her body was weak and her spirits low, she managed to respond to a few questions. Xifeng called Zijuan over and asked, "The miss was never in such a state—what was all this about, frightening us like that?" Zijuan said, "Truly, she seemed so unwell earlier that I dared to go and report it. When I came back and found the miss much improved, I was puzzled myself." Grandmother Jia said with a smile, "Don't blame her. What does she know? When she sees something wrong and speaks up, that shows her good sense. For a child, as long as she's not lazy in word or deed, that is well enough." After some conversation, Grandmother Jia and the others, judging there was no cause for alarm, left.

Truly:

A heart-sickness requires a heart-medicine to cure;

It was the one who tied the bell who must untie it.

Leaving aside Daiyu's gradual recovery, Xueyan and Zijuan privately offered prayers of thanks. Xueyan said to Zijuan, "It's a mercy she's better, but her illness was strange, and her recovery was strange too." Zijuan said, "The illness wasn't so strange—it's only the recovery that's strange. It seems that Baoyu and our miss are destined to be married. People say 'the path of true love never runs smooth,' and they also say 'a marriage destined by heaven cannot be broken even by force.' Looking at it this way, the hearts of men and the will of heaven—those two are truly a match made in heaven. Besides, remember that year when I said Miss Lin was going south—it nearly killed Baoyu with worry, and he raised such a ruckus that the whole household was turned upside down. Now a single sentence has again driven this one to the brink of death. Isn't this what they say was predestined a hundred years ago at the Stone of Three Lives?" As they spoke, the two of them quietly smiled to each other. Xueyan added, "Thank heaven she's better. Let's never speak of it again tomorrow. Even if Baoyu marries some other girl, and I see the wedding with my own eyes, I won't say a word." Zijuan smiled and said, "That's right." It was not only Zijuan and Xueyan who discussed this in private—everyone knew that Daiyu's illness had been strange and her recovery strange too, and they chattered about it in twos and threes. Before long, even Xifeng came to know of it, and the two Ladies Xing and Wang were somewhat puzzled, though Grandmother Jia had guessed more or less eight or nine parts of the truth.

At that time, Xing-furen, Wang-furen, and Xifeng were in the Dowager's quarters chatting, and the conversation turned to Daiyu's illness. The Dowager said, "I've been meaning to tell you. Baoyu and Lin-er have been together since childhood. I always thought they were just children—what was there to worry about? But ever since I've heard that Lin-er is constantly falling ill and then getting better, it's all because she's grown old enough to have feelings. So I think if we keep them together all the time, it simply isn't proper. What do you say?"

When Wang-furen heard this, she was momentarily taken aback, then replied, "Miss Lin is a girl with a mind of her own. As for Baoyu, he's simple and naive—he doesn't avoid suspicion, that's true, but on the whole he still looks like a child. If we were to suddenly move one of them out of the Garden now, wouldn't that just reveal something? As the ancients said, 'A man must marry when he grows up, and a woman must be wed when she comes of age.' If you think about it, madam, perhaps we should just hurry up and arrange their marriage."

The Dowager frowned and said, "Daiyu's eccentricity, while it is part of her charm, is precisely the reason I don't want to match her with Baoyu. Moreover, Daiyu is so frail—I'm afraid she won't live long. Baochai is the safest choice."

Wang-furen said, "Not only you think so, madam—we feel the same way. But Miss Lin should be told of a match as well. Otherwise, a girl grows up, and who doesn't have her own thoughts? If she really has feelings for Baoyu and learns that he's betrothed to Baochai, that would be a disaster."

The Dowager said, "Naturally we should arrange Baoyu's marriage first, then find a match for Lin-er. We cannot put an outsider before our own. Besides, Lin-er is two years younger than Baoyu. What you're saying makes sense—we shouldn't let Baoyu know about the betrothal at all."

Xifeng then instructed the maids, "You've all heard—no one is to make a fuss about Master Bao's betrothal. Anyone who talks too much will have the skin taken off her back."

The Dowager said to Xifeng, "Feng-er, since you haven't been well lately, you haven't been managing affairs in the Garden much either. I'm telling you—you need to pay more attention. Not just this matter. Remember those people drinking and gambling a few years ago? That wasn't nothing either. You need to be more careful and give it more of your mind. Keep a tighter rein on them. Besides, I think they still only listen to you."

Xifeng agreed. The women talked a while longer, then went their separate ways. From then on, Xifeng often went to the Garden to look after things.

One day, she had just entered the Grand View Garden and reached the banks of Purple Caltrop Isle when she heard an old woman shouting. Xifeng walked up to her, and the woman only then noticed her, immediately standing at attention with her hands at her sides and offering a greeting. Xifeng said, "What are you making a fuss about here?"

The woman said, "I was assigned by the ladies to watch over the flowers and fruit here. I haven't been negligent, but out of the blue Miss Xing's maids called us thieves."

Xifeng said, "Why?"

The woman said, "Yesterday my little Hei'er followed me here to play for a while. He didn't know any better and went over to take a look at Miss Xing's place. I called him back. This morning I heard her maids saying something was lost. I asked them what was lost, and they came and questioned me instead."

Xifeng said, "Even if they asked you, there's no need to lose your temper over it."

The woman said, "This Garden belongs to the ladies' family, not to theirs. We were all assigned by the ladies. How can we accept the name of thief?"

Xifeng spat in her face and said sharply, "Don't babble in front of me! You're here to keep watch. When the young lady loses something, you should be the ones asking questions—how can you talk such nonsense? Send for Old Lin and throw him out."

The maids acknowledged the order. Just then Xing Xuyang hurried out and greeted Xifeng with an apologetic smile. "This won't do—there's nothing to it. The matter is already past."

Xifeng said, "Miss, that's not the point. Never mind the matter itself—in terms of propriety, this is simply outrageous."

Xuyang saw the old woman kneeling on the ground begging for mercy and quickly invited Xifeng inside to sit. Xifeng said, "I know their sort. They don't respect anyone but me—they look down on everyone else."

Xuyang pleaded for the woman again and again, saying it was her own maids' fault. Xifeng said, "For Miss Xing's sake, I'll let you off this time."

The woman then rose, kowtowed, and kowtowed again to Xuyang before leaving.

Here the two women offered each other seats. Xifeng asked with a smile, "Have you lost anything?"

Xiuyan replied, smiling, "Nothing very important—just a little red padded jacket, already quite worn. I'd originally told them to look for it, but when they couldn't find it, I was ready to let the matter drop. This little maid didn't know any better and asked one of the old women about it, and naturally the old woman wouldn't let it go. It was all the foolish little maid's fault—I've already given her a good scolding. It's all over now and not worth mentioning again."

Xifeng gave Xiuyan a thorough look from head to toe. She noticed that though she had some padded cotton garments, they were all half-worn and by no means new—hardly warm enough. Her bedding was mostly thin. As for the things arranged on the table in her room, they had been given by the old lady, but she hadn't touched any of them, keeping everything neatly in place. Xifeng felt a deep respect and affection for her. She said, "A single piece of clothing is nothing in itself, but it's cold now, and this was something worn next to the skin—how could you not ask about it? These insolent servants have become absolutely intolerable!" After chatting for a while, Xifeng went out, paid brief visits to several places, and then returned. Once in her own quarters, she had Pinger fetch a little padded jacket of bright red foreign crepe, a little leather jacket of pine-green silk trimmed with seed pearls, a brocade-embroidered padded skirt of precious blue, a silver-fur surcoat of Buddhist-blue cloth, wrapped them up, and sent them over.

Meanwhile, Xiuyan had been harassed by that old woman. Though Xifeng had come and put a stop to it, her mind was still uneasy. She thought, "So many sisters are here, and not one servant dares offend any of them—only where I'm concerned do they gossip and make remarks, and Xifeng just happened to witness it." She turned it over and over in her mind, feeling wretched but unable to say anything. Just as she was swallowing her sobs, she saw Feng'er from Xifeng's household arrive with the clothes. Xiuyan took one look and absolutely refused to accept them. Feng'er said, "Our mistress told me to say that if you think these are old clothes, she'll send new ones in the future."

Xiuyan smiled and thanked her, saying, "Please convey my gratitude to your mistress, but it's only because I lost a piece of clothing that she's sending these—I absolutely dare not accept them. Please take them back and thank your mistress a thousand times for me. I count myself as having received her kindness."

She then pressed a pouch into Feng'er's hand. Feng'er had no choice but to take it and leave. Before long, Pinger arrived together with Feng'er. Xiuyan hurried forward to greet them warmly and offered them seats. Pinger said with a smile, "Our mistress says you're being altogether too standoffish."

Xiuyan replied, "It's not standoffishness—I really would feel too embarrassed."

Pinger said, "Our mistress says that if you don't accept these clothes, either you think they're too old, or you look down on our mistress. She just said that if I take them back, she won't let me get away with it."

Xiuyan blushed, smiled, and thanked her. "Since she's put it that way, I dare not refuse any longer."

She pressed tea on them again.

Pinger and Feng'er set off back. As they were approaching Xifeng's quarters, they ran into an old woman sent by the Xue household, who greeted them. Pinger asked, "Where have you come from?"

The old woman said, "The mistress and young lady over there sent me to pay their respects to all the ladies, mistresses, and young ladies here. I was just asking the mistress about the young lady—she said the young lady had gone to the garden. Have you come from Miss Xing's place?"

Pinger asked, "How did you know?"

The old woman said, "I heard it just now. Truly, the way the Second Young Mistress and the young ladies conduct themselves is enough to move anyone to gratitude."

Pinger smiled and said, "Sit down for a while when you go back."

The old woman said, "I still have business—I'll come another day to pay my respects to the young lady." With that she left.

Pinger returned and reported to Xifeng. But let us leave that aside.

Now, the Xue family household had been thrown into utter turmoil by Jin'gui. When the old woman returned and related what had happened with Xiuyan, both Baochai and her mother could not help shedding tears. Baochai said, "It's all because Brother isn't at home that Miss Xing has had to suffer these extra days of hardship. At least Sister Feng hasn't let things slide. We must be more careful ourselves—after all, she is one of our own people."

Just then Xue Ke came in and said, "What sort of people has Big Brother been associating with these years abroad? Not a single decent one among them—they're all a pack of good-for-nothings and scoundrels. I don't think they come here out of any real concern—they just come to fish for news. I've thrown them all out these past two days. I've given orders at the gate that such people are not to be admitted in future."

Aunt Xue asked, "Is it that Jiang Yuhán and his sort again?"

Xue Ke said, "Jiang Yuhán hasn't come—it's others."

When Aunt Xue heard what Xue Ke had to say, her grief welled up again. She said, "Though I have a son, it's as if I have none. Even if the authorities grant a pardon, he's still a ruined man. Though you are my nephew, I can see you're more sensible than your brother. I'm counting on you for the rest of my life. You must conduct yourself even better from now on. Moreover, the family of the girl you're engaged to isn't as well off as it used to be. When a girl marries out, it's no simple matter—she has no other hope than that her husband will prove capable, and then she'll have a life worth living. If that Xing girl were anything like this creature—" she gestured toward the inner room—"I wouldn't say any more. But that Xing girl truly has a sense of honor and a mind of her own, and she can endure poverty as well as prosperity. Once our affairs are settled, just settle your own proper business sooner, and that will relieve one great worry of mine."

Xue Ke said, "Sister Qin hasn't married yet—that's the thing that must be troubling you most. As for this, what does it amount to?"

They chatted a while longer on various matters.

Xue Ke returned to his own room and ate his supper. Thinking of Xing Xiuyan living in the Jia family garden, always dependent on others' charity, and moreover so poor—her daily life and circumstances were not hard to imagine. Besides, having traveled together all the way from the beginning, he knew her appearance and character well. Truly, Heaven's will was unjust: someone like Xia Jinui was given wealth and pampered into such a shrewish temperament, while someone like Xing Xiuyan was made to suffer so. Who knew what method the King of Hell had used when passing judgment? In his gloom he thought of composing a poem to vent the frustration in his chest. But he bitterly regretted having no time, so he dashed off these lines:

A dragon stranded on land, like a fish out of water—

Two hearts apart, the loneliness of living alone.

Both mired in the mud, enduring hardship together—

Who knows when we shall rise to purity and peace?

After finishing, he read it over. He wanted to paste it on the wall, but felt embarrassed. He murmured to himself, "Better not—someone might see it and laugh." He read it again and said, "Never mind—I'll paste it up anyway, just to amuse myself when I look at it." He read it over once more, but still felt it wouldn't do, so he slipped it between the pages of a book instead. Then he reflected that he was no longer so young, and with such sudden calamity befalling his family, he could not tell when it would end, leaving a delicate girl in the inner chambers reduced to such desolation and loneliness. While he was lost in these thoughts, Baochan pushed open the door and came in, carrying a box, which she set on the table with a playful smile. Xue Ke rose and offered her a seat. Baochan said, smiling at Xue Ke, "These are four dishes of fruit and a small pot of wine. The First Madam asked me to send them to you, Second Master." Xue Ke said with a polite smile, "The First Madam is too kind. She could have had a maid deliver them—why trouble you, Sister, to come in person?" Baochan replied, "Don't mention it. We're family—there's no need for such formalities, Second Master. Besides, with our First Master's affair, you've really gone to a lot of trouble for him. The First Madam has long wanted to prepare something personally to thank you, but she feared others might take it amiss. As you know, Second Master, in our household everyone talks and thinks differently—sending a few things wouldn't matter in itself, but it would give people cause for gossip. So today she prepared just a couple of modest dishes and a pot of wine and asked me to bring them quietly myself." As she spoke, she glanced at Xue Ke with a smile and added, "Tomorrow, Second Master, please don't say such things again—it would make people overhear and feel awkward. We are only servants—if we can serve the First Master, we can serve the Second Master too. What's the harm in that?" Xue Ke, being by nature loyal and upright, and after all still young, had simply never seen Jinui and Baochan treat him this way before. Thinking of what Baochan had just said about Xue Pan's affair, it seemed reasonable enough, so he said, "You may leave the fruit, but please take the wine back with you, Sister. My capacity for wine is truly very limited—I might have a cup on rare occasions when pressed, but on ordinary days I cannot drink at all. Surely the First Madam and you know this?" Baochan replied, "About anything else I might decide, but on this matter I dare not agree. You know the First Madam's temper, Second Master. If I take it back, she won't say you didn't want to drink—she'll say I didn't do my best." Xue Ke had no choice but to let her leave it. Baochan was about to leave when she went to the door and looked outside, then turned back, smiled at Xue Ke, and pointed inside, saying, "He might even come in person to express his thanks to you." Xue Ke, not understanding her meaning, felt awkward and said, "Please thank the First Madam for me, Sister. The weather is cold—mind you don't catch a chill. Besides, uncle and sister-in-law—there's no need to stand on such ceremony." Baochan made no reply, only smiling as she left.

At first, Xue Ke had thought that Jinui, out of genuine remorse over Xue Pan's affair, might well have prepared this wine and fruit to express her gratitude to him. But after seeing Baochan's furtive, ambiguous manner, he sensed something was amiss. Yet turning the matter over in his mind, he reflected: "After all, she is my sister-in-law in name—how could there be any improper intent? Or perhaps Baochan is lacking in propriety and would not act this way on her own, but is acting in Jinui's name—that is possible. Still, she is a woman in my elder brother's household, so it would not do to think ill of her." Then another thought struck him: "That Jinui has always been utterly lacking in feminine propriety. What's more, when she is in high spirits, she dresses up in an alluring, extravagant way, thinking herself beautiful. How can I know she doesn't harbor wicked intentions? Or else, perhaps she has some grudge against Sister Xue, and so has devised this poisonous scheme to drag me into muddy waters and give me an unsavory reputation—that too is possible." Thinking of this, he became thoroughly frightened. Just as he was at a loss what to do, he heard a muffled chuckle outside the window, which gave Xue Ke quite a start. Who it was will be told in the next chapter.