Bao-yu’s grief for Dai-yu and his general state of gloom were further compounded when he considered this dispersal of the remaining occupants of the Naia’s House. Then suddenly her death struck him in a new light: Dai-yu had been (or so Tan-chun had told him) perfectly lucid at her moment of death; this lucidity, when combined with the strange music, constituted conclusive proof that she had left this world to return to a higher one; and that surely was cause for joy! His new-found joy was short-lived, however, for presently he overheard Bao-chai and Aroma in the next room discussing the impending marriage of Tan-hun. With a cry of dismay, he fell back weeping on the kang. Bao-chai and Aroma came hurrying in to support him, with cries of ‘What’s the matter?’, but he was too distraught to reply. After a while he composed himself sufficiently to speak:
‘This is the final blow! One by one all my sisters and cousins have been taken away from me! Cousin Lin has joined the ranks of the fairies; my eldest sister has died – though it’s true that even in her lifetime we had little enough chance to be together; Ying is coupled with that brute; now Tan is being sent to the ends of the earth to be married, and I shall never set eyes on her again! As for Xiang-yun, who knows where she will end up? Bao-qin is engaged to be married and won’t be with us much longer. Will no one be spared? Am I to be left here all on my own?’
Aroma was ready with words of comfort, but Bao-chai silenced her with a wave of her hand:
‘Don’t humour him. Let me ask him a question instead.’
She turned to Bao-yu.
‘What is it that you want exactly? Do you expect all your cousins to stay here and grow up into old maids, just in order to keep you company in your dotage? Don’t they have your gracious permission to marry and lead their own lives? Tan is the first of your sisters to be sent such a long way from home, and since it’s Father’s decision there’s no going against it. As for the others, has it never occurred to you that they might have plans of their own? You’re not the only person in the world with feelings of brotherly love, you know. But if everyone with those feelings adopted your attitude, for a start, I wouldn’t be living with you now, I’d still be at home.
‘Honestly! Reading books is supposed to improve the mind and foster a more sensible approach to life. But your wits seem more addled than ever! If that’s what you really think, Aroma and I may as well go and live somewhere else. Then you can go ahead and invite all the others to move in and look after you.’
Bao-yu took both of them by the hand:
‘I know you’re right. But why must it happen so soon? Couldn’t they wait till I am dust and ashes!’
Aroma put her hand over his mouth:
‘There you go! More nonsense! You’ve only just begun to recover, and Mrs Bao’s getting her appetite back again at last. If you make another scene I shall wash my hands of you altogether!’
Bao-yu knew that they were talking sense. But in his heart he couldn’t find a way to their sensible point of view. ‘What you are saying is obviously right,’ he moaned. ‘But what can I do? I feel so utterly wretched.’
Bao-chai said nothing more but secretly despatched Aroma to fetch him a sedative. They did their best to calm him down, and Aroma suggested to Bao-chai that they should ask Tan-chun to refrain from calling on Bao-yu before her departure.
‘There’s no need to worry,’ said Bao-chai. ‘In a day or two, when he’s in a more reasonable frame of mind, it would actually be a good thing for them to have a long talk. Tan is an extremely intelligent person, and not the type to pander to the sensibilities of others. I’m sure she’ll give him some sound advice, and help to cure him from thinking in this way.’
Meanwhile Faithful arrived with a message from Grandmother Jia who had just learned of Bao-yu’s relapse. Aroma was to comfort him and on no account to allow him to fret. Aroma assured Faithful that she would follow Grandmother Jia’s instructions, and after sitting with them for a short while Faithful returned.
Grandmother Jia was also concerned about the preparations for Tan-chun’s departure. Although Tan-chun would not be travelling with a complete trousseau, they should nevertheless provide her with all the personal effects she might need. Grandmother Jia sent for Xi-feng, told her of Jia Zheng’s decision and placed these arrangements in her hands. Xi-feng undertook this responsibility, but to learn how she managed you must turn to the next chapter.
Chapter 101
In Prospect Garden a moonlit apparition repeats an ancient warning
And at Scattered Flowers Convent the fortune-sticks provide a strange omen
Xi-feng returned to her apartment and, seeing that Jia Lian had not yet come home, began supervising the preparation of Tan-chun’s baggage and trousseau.
Later that evening, as dusk was giving way to night, she suddenly conceived the idea of going to visit Tan-chun. She told Felicity and a couple of other maids to accompany her, and sent one of them on ahead with a lantern. As they walked out, a brilliant moon had already risen, and Xi-feng told the maid carrying the lantern that she would not be needed and could go home. Then, as they passed the window of the tea-room frequented by the domestics, she heard the sound of chattering coming from within. An animated discussion of some sort seemed to be in progress, punctuated by an occasional sob or burst of laughter. It must be some of the older serving-women gathered for a gossip, thought Xi-feng; curious, and not a little apprehensive, she told Crimson to go in and mingle with them.
‘Listen carefully,’ she said. ‘Lead them on, and find out what it is they’re talking about.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Crimson, and went on her errand.
Xi-feng continued towards the Garden, accompanied now only by Felicity. The gate had been left ajar and mistress and maid were able to push it lightly open and walk in. Within the Garden the moonlight seemed even brighter, and the trees cast deep pools of shadow. The intense silence created an atmosphere of extreme solitude and desolation. They were about to take the path to Autumn Studio when a gust of wind blew through the trees, releasing a shower of falling leaves and soughing through the branches with a doleful sound that startled the crows and other nesting birds into flight. Xi-feng had drunk a little wine earlier in the evening, and the wind, when it blew upon her, set her trembling.
‘How cold it is!’ said Felicity from behind, huddling up to try to keep warm. The cold was even too much for Xi-feng.
‘You’d better go home straight away and fetch me my ermine-lined sleeveless jacket. I shall wait for you at Miss Tan‘s.’
Felicity was glad of a chance to put on some warmer clothes herself, and needed no second bidding.
‘Yes, ma’am,’ she replied, turning about at once and heading for home at a run.
Xi-feng had not walked much further when she thought she heard something behind her, a strange sound, like that of an animal snuffling. Her hair stood on end, and looking back she caught sight of something black and shiny, a nose, pointed, sniffing in her direction, and two eyes that glowed like lanterns. She was beside herself with terror and gave a cry of alarm, only to see the creature – for it was now recognizable as some sort of large dog – pad away from her, trailing a bushy tail. It went bounding up to the top of a mound of earth, stood stock-still, and then turned back towards her, raising its front paws in the air in a grotesque salutation.
Xi-feng – now in a state of abject panic and shaking hysterically – hurried on as fast as she could towards Autumn Studio. She had almost reached her destination and was turning past a large rock when she caught a fleeting glimpse of a figure in the shadows ahead of her. After a moment’s hesitation she guessed it to be a maid from one of the apartments in the Garden, and called out:
‘Who’s there?’
Xi-feng repeated the question, but no one came forward. She was already beginning to feel quite faint, and in her confusion she thought she heard a voice behind her murmuring:
‘Auntie, don’t you even recognize me?’
She spun round and saw the figure of a lad
y standing there before her. There was something strangely familiar about her, the beauty of her features, the elegance of her attire; and yet somehow Xi-feng could not think for the moment whose young wife it could be.
‘Auntie,’ the lady continued, ‘I see that the enjoyment of splendour and wealth is still your only concern, and that my warning to you years ago, to “plan for the hard times to come”, has gone completely unheeded.’
Xi-feng lowered her head to try to think for a moment, but still could recall neither the person’s identity, nor the occasion to which she was referring. The lady gave a rueful laugh.
‘How you loved me once! Has all memory of me been utterly erased from your mind?’
Suddenly Xi-feng knew. It was Jia Rong’s first wife, Qin Ke-qing.
‘Aiyo!’ she cried. ‘But you died long ago! What are you doing here?’
She spat at the ghost and fled. But as she did so she tripped on a stone, and the shock of the fall gave her senses a jolt, as if waking them from a dream. Although her whole body had broken out in a sweat and she was still shivering with fright, she now felt alert and clear-headed and could distinguish the forms of Crimson and Felicity walking in her direction. Anxious lest her disarray provoke un-favourable comment, she hurriedly raised herself from the ground.
‘What have you two been doing?’ she scolded them. ‘You’ve been an age. Hurry up and bring me my jacket.’
Felicity came forward and helped her into the jacket, while Crimson supported her, ready to walk on to Autumn Studio.
‘I’ve already been there,’ said Xi-feng untruthfully. ‘They are all asleep. Let’s go home now.’
She set off in great haste with the two maids. She arrived to find Jia Lian already at home, and could tell from the expression on his face that he was in a worse humour than usual. Although she wanted to ask what the matter was, she reflected that she would only be scolded for her pains, and so went straight to bed.
Next morning Jia Lian rose at dawn, intending to pay an early call on Qiu Shi-an, Eunuch Superintendent of the Inner Palace, to seek his help in connection with some personal matter. He had a little time to spare before setting off, and began glancing through the copies of the Gazette that had been delivered the day before and were lying on his table. The first item he happened to read was a routine report from the Board of Civil Office, in which the Board requested an expedited appointment to the vacant position of Senior Secretary, and received imperial authorization to proceed according to precedent. The next report was from the Board of Punishments, and communicated a memorial from the Governor of Yunnan Province, Wang Zhong, concerning the arrest of a gang engaged in smuggling firearms and gunpowder. There were eighteen members of the gang in all, the ringleader being one Bao Yin, a domestic in the employment of Grand Preceptor Jia Hua, Duke of Zhen-guo. Jia Lian paused and appeared to be turning this last item of news over in his mind for a moment. Then he read on to the next item, an impeachment brought by Li Xiao, the magistrate of Soochow. The charge in this case was that a certain mandarin had indulged his household servants and allowed them to abuse their position in the maltreatment of soldiers and civilians. It referred in particular to the attempted rape and subsequent murder of an innocent married woman, and two other members of her family, committed by one Shi Fu, who claimed to be a servant in the household of Jia Fan, hereditary noble of the third degree.
Jia Lian seemed especially troubled by this last report. He would have liked to read the sequel, but was anxious not to miss his appointment with the eunuch. Changing into formal attire and dispensing with breakfast (though he did find time to take a couple of sips of the tea that Patience had just brought him), he left the house, mounted his horse and set off.
Patience put away his clothes and went in to wait on Xi-feng, who was still in bed.
‘I heard you tossing and turning last night, ma’am. You can hardly have slept a wink. Why don’t I give you a rub, and then maybe you’ll be able to have a little nap?’
Xi-feng made no reply, and Patience, interpreting this as consent, climbed up onto the kang, sat down next to her and started to administer a gentle massage. Xi-feng was on the point of falling asleep when she heard Qiao-jie crying in the next room and opened her eyes again. Patience called out:
‘Nannie Li, what are you doing? Qiao-jie’s crying. Go and pat her on the back, you lazy old so-and-so!’
Nannie Li was rudely awakened from her slumbers, and vented her ill humour on Qiao-jie by giving her a few hefty spanks, muttering to herself:
‘Confound you, you wretched little brat! You’ve not long to live anyway – so just shut up and go to sleep, instead of carrying on as if your mother was dead, bawling at this ungodly hour!’
She gnashed her teeth and gave the child a pinch for good measure. Qiao-jie began bawling again at once.
‘For heaven’s sake! Just listen to that!’ exclaimed Xi-feng. ‘She’s torturing my little girl! You go and give her the thrashing of her life, the evil old strumpet! And bring Qiao-jie in here to me.’
‘Don’t be too cross, ma’am,’ said Patience with a placatory smile. ‘Nannie Li would never dream of doing Qiao-jie any harm. It must have been an accident. If we beat her, there will be no end to the gossip. I can just hear it: “Beating the servants before the day’s even dawned!” ’
After a long silence, Xi-feng heaved a deep sigh:
‘See what they get up to while I’m still alive and kicking! When I die – which won’t be long now – I dread to think what will become of my poor Qiao-jie!’
‘How can you speak like that, ma’am?’ said Patience, trying to smile again. ‘Don’t start the day off on such a gloomy note!’
Xi-feng smiled bitterly:
‘What makes you so optimistic? I won’t last much longer. I’ve known it for some time. When I look back over my twenty-five years, I really can’t complain. I’ve seen things and tasted things most people have never so much as set eyes on. I’ve had more than my share of comfort and luxury. I’ve been able to indulge my every whim, no one’s ever managed to get the better of me in anything. If I am fated to die young, why, that’s something I shall simply have to accept.’
Tears were welling in Patience’s eyes. Xi-feng laughed:
‘Don’t pretend to feel sorry for me! You’ll be only too pleased to have me dead and out of the way. Then you’ll all be able to lead happy and peaceful lives, rid of this “thorn in your flesh”. There is only one thing I beg of you: whatever else happens, don’t forget my little girl!’
Patience was by now in floods of tears. Xi-feng laughed again:
‘Pull yourself together, for heaven’s sake! I’m not going to die for a little while yet. It’s too soon to start crying. Unless you want to send me to my grave before time?’
Patience dried her tears:
‘I just found what you were saying so upsetting, ma’am.’
She carried on rubbing her back, and eventually Xi-feng dozed off.
Patience had no sooner climbed down from the kang than she heard footsteps outside. It was Jia Lian. He had ended up late for his appointment, and by the time he arrived Eunuch Qiu had already left for court. So he had been obliged to return home without having achieved anything, and was clearly in the blackest of moods. His first words when he saw Patience were:
‘Aren’t the others up yet?’
‘No, sir.’
He flung aside the portière and walked into the inner room, exclaiming sarcastically:
‘Marvellous! Still in bed at this hour! Feet up and twiddling their thumbs at a time of family crisis!’
He called impatiently for tea and Patience hastened to pour him a cup. Earlier that morning, after Jia Lian’s departure, the maids and serving-women had all gone back to sleep, and as none of them had expected him back so early the household was still in a state of complete disorder. There was no fresh tea, and the best Patience could produce was a cup of cold tea warmed up. When Jia Lian discovered this, he was furious and hurled his
cup to the ground. The sound of smashing china woke Xi-feng again, and she sat up in a cold sweat, crying out in alarm and staring wide-eyed around her. She saw her husband sitting beside the kang in a fuming rage, and Patience stooping to retrieve the fragments of broken cup.
‘Why are you back so soon?’ she asked. After a long interval in which no answer was forthcoming, she repeated the question, and finally he shouted at her:
‘Would you rather I hadn’t come back at all? Do you wish I’d dropped down dead somewhere?’
‘That’s a little unnecessary, isn’t it?’ said Xi-feng, smiling uneasily. ‘I just wondered why you were back so early today, that’s all. It’s nothing to lose your temper about.’
‘I failed to see the man again, so there was nothing to be gained by not coming home.’ His voice was still raised.
‘In that case,’ said Xi-feng, still attempting a wan smile, ‘you’ll just have to be patient and wait till tomorrow. Go a bit earlier next time, and you’ll be sure to see him.’
‘Here I am,’ shouted Jia Lian, ‘up to my eyes in work of my own, with no one to lend me a hand, and I have to waste my time like this chasing another man’s game! I’ve been tearing around days on end, and heaven alone knows why, when the person really involved is sitting at home and having a good time! He doesn’t seem the least bit bothered. On the contrary, he’s even had the nerve to throw a birthday party, with plays and all sorts of fun and games – while I’m still running around in circles trying to sort out his mess!’