The Golden Days

by Cao Xueqin

  ‘If you don’t mind my saying so,’ said Li Gui, ‘it’s because you’ve been to blame yourself on past occasions that these lads won’t do what you tell them to now. So if this business today does get to the ears of your grandfather, you’ll be in trouble yourself, along of all the rest. If I were you, sir, I should think of some way of sorting this out as quickly as possible.’

  ‘Sort it out nothing !’ said Bao-yu. ‘I’m definitely going to report this.’

  ‘If Jokey Jin stays here,’ wailed Qin Zhong tearfully, ‘I’m not studying in this school any longer.’

  ‘There is no earthly reason to talk about leaving this school,’ said Bao-yu. ‘We have as much right to come here as anyone else. When I’ve explained to everyone exactly what happened, Jokey Jin will be expelled.

  ‘Who is this Jokey Jin, any way?’ he asked Li Gui.

  Li Gui thought for a moment.

  ‘Better not ask. If I told you, it would only make for more unpleasantness.’

  Tealeaf’s voice piped up from outside the window:

  ‘He’s the nephew of Mrs Huang on the Ning-guo side. Trash like that trying to scare us! I know your Auntie Huang, Jokey Jin ! She’s an old scrounger. I’ve seen her down on her knees in front of our Mrs Lian, begging for stuff so that she could go out and pawn it. What an aunt! I’d be ashamed to own an aunt like that!’

  Li Gui shouted at him furiously.

  ‘Detestable little varmint ! Trust you to know the answer and spread your poison!’

  Bao-yu sniffed contemptuously.

  ‘So that’s who he is! The nephew of Cousin Huang’s wife. I’ll go and speak to her about this.’

  He wanted to go straight away, and called to Tealeaf to come inside and pack up his books.

  ‘No need for you to go, Master Bao,’ said Tealeaf as he swaggered in triumphantly to do his bidding. ‘Let me go for you and save you the trouble. I’ll just say that Lady Jia wants a word with her, hire a carriage, and bring her along myself. Then you can question her in front of Lady Jia.’

  Li Gui was furious.

  ‘Do you want to die? If you’re not careful, my lad, when we get home I’ll first thrash the living daylights out of you and then tell Sir Zheng and Lady Wang that Master Bao was put up to all this by your provocation. I’ve had trouble enough as it is trying to get these lads calmed down a bit without needing any fresh trouble from you. It was all of your making, this rumpus, in the first place. But instead of thinking about ways of damping it down, you have to go throwing more fat on the fire.’

  After this outburst Tealeaf was at last silent.

  Jia Rui was by now terrified lest the matter should go any further and his own far from clean record be brought to light. Fear made him abject. Addressing Qin Zhong and Bao-yu in turn, he humbly begged them not to report it. At first they were adamant. Then Bao-yu made a condition:

  ‘All right, we won’t tell. But you must make Jokey Jin apologize.’

  At first Jokey Jin refused, but Jia Rui was insistent, and Li Gui added his own persuasion:

  ‘After all, it started with you, so if you don’t do what they say, how are we ever going to end it?’

  Under their combined pressure Jokey Jin’s resistance at last gave way and he locked hands and made Qin Zhong a bow. But Bao-yu said this was not enough. He insisted on a kotow. Jia Rui, whose only concern now was to get the matter over with as quickly as possible, quietly urged him to comply:

  ‘You know what the proverb says:

  He who can check a moment’s rage

  Shall calm and carefree end his days.’

  Did Jokey Jin comply? The following chapter will reveal.

  Chapter 10

  Widow Jin’s self-interest gets the better of her

  righteous indignation

  And Doctor Zhang’s diagnosis reveals the origin

  of a puzzling disease

  Outnumbered, and hard pressed by Jia Rui to apologize, Jokey Jin made a kotow to Qin Zhong, whereupon Bao-yu agreed to let the matter drop. Back in his own home, when school was over, he brooded with mounting anger on his humiliation.

  ‘Qin Zhong is Jia Rong’s brother-in-law: it’s not as if he were one of the Jia clan. He’s only an external scholar, the same as me; and it’s only because he is friends with Bao-yu that he can afford to be so high and mighty. Well, in that case he ought to behave himself, then no one would have any cause to complain. But he’s always carrying on in such a sneaky, underhand way with Bao-yu, as though he thought the rest of us were all blind and couldn’t see what he was up to. And now today he’s started making up to someone else and I happen to have found him out. So what if there were a row about this ? I’ve got nothing to be afraid of.’

  His mother, Widow Jin, overheard his muttering.

  ‘What have you been getting up to this time?’ she asked. ‘Look at the job we had getting you into that school. All the talks I had with your aunt and the trouble she went to to see Mrs Lian about it. Suppose we hadn’t had their help in getting you in there, we could never have afforded a tutor. What’s more, you get free tea and free dinners there, don’t you? That has meant a big saving for us during the two years you have been going there. And you’re glad enough to have something decent to wear out of the money saved, aren’t you ? And another thing. If you hadn’t been going to that school, how would you ever have met that Mr Xue of yours? Between seventy and eighty taels of silver we’ve had out of him during this past year. I can tell you this, my boy. If you get yourself thrown out of there, you needn’t think you can get in anywhere else, because you could easier fly to the moon than find another place like that. Now you just play quietly for a bit and then go to bed like a good boy!’

  Thus admonished, Jokey Jin swallowed his anger and fell silent. Before long he went to bed and to sleep, and next day was back at the school again as usual. Of him no more.

  Jokey Jin’s aunt was married to one Jia Huang, a member of the Jia clan in the same generation as Cousin Zhen and Jia Lian. It goes without saying, of course, that not all members of the clan lived in the sort of style maintained by the Ning and Rong households. Jia Huang and his wife had only the income from a very small property to live on, and it was only by dint of frequent visits to the Ning and Rong mansions, where their flattering attentions on Wang Xi-feng and You-shi earned them an occasional subsidy, that they were able to make ends meet.

  Today the weather was fine and sunny and Mrs Huang had nothing particular to do at home, so taking an old serving-woman with her, she got into a cab and went off to pay a call on her sister-in-law and nephew.

  In the course of conversation Widow Jin soon got on to the subject of yesterday’s affair in the schoolroom and launched into a full account, from which no detail was omitted, of all those happenings. It would have been as well for her if she had not done so, for the effect was to kindle a dangerous anger in the bosom of her sister-in-law.

  ‘That little beast Qin Zhong!’ said Mrs Huang. ‘He may be related to the Jias, by marriage, but then so is your boy. What business has he to go throwing his weight about like that, I should like to know? Especially after the disgusting things he had been doing himself. Considering what he’d been up to, even Bao-yu ought not to have sided with him to that extent. Let me go and see Mrs Zhen about this. I shall ask her to let me have it out with Qin Zhong’s sister and see if we can’t get some satisfaction.’

  ‘Oh dear, I shouldn’t talk so much! I never meant to tell you this. Please, my dear, I beg of you not to speak to them about it! Never mind the rights and wrongs of the case, if this all gets out, they will make it too hot for my boy to stay on at the school; and if he had to stop going to the school, we should never be able to afford a tutor for him, quite apart from all the extra expense I should have of feeding him during the day.’

  ‘Never mind about all that!’ said Mrs Huang. ‘We’ll worry about that after I’ve spoken to them and seen what happens.’

  Dismissing her sister-in-law’s entreaties, she se
nt the old servant-woman out for a cab, and getting inside, drove straight off to the Ning-guo mansion. But by the time she had reached it, driven in at the east end gate, dismounted from the carriage and gone in to see You-shi, the edge had already worn off her anger, and it was only after deferential inquiries about the health and comfort of her hostess and various other inconsequential matters that she got around to asking what had become of Qin-shi, who was usually in evidence during her visits.

  ‘I don’t know what’s the matter with her lately,’ said You-shi. ‘It’s been more than two months now since she had a period, yet the doctors say she isn’t pregnant. And during the last few days she’s been getting so tired and listless in the afternoons: doesn’t feel like doing anything; doesn’t even feel like talking; all the spirit seems to have gone out of her. I’ve said to her, “Never mind about wifely duties. Just forget about the morning and evening visits and concentrate on getting better. Even when relations call,” I said, “I can see to them myself. And never mind what the older members of the family might say: I’ll do all the explaining for you.” I’ve spoken to Rong, as well. “You’re not to tire her out,” I told him, “and you’re not to let her get upset I She must just rest quietly for a few days and look after herself. And if there’s anything she fancies to eat, just come to my apartment to get it. Because if anything should happen to her,” I said, “you wouldn’t find another wife like that, with her looks and her good nature, if you took a lantern to look for her.” She’s such a sweet person, there isn’t anyone among our relations or among the older members of the family who doesn’t love her. I’ve been so worried on her account these last few days. And just to make matters worse, first thing this morning her young brother comes along – Silly little boy! he ought to have realized that his sister wasn’t well and not in a condition to listen to such things, even if he’d suffered ten thousand times the injustice! -It seems that yesterday there was a fight at the school. One of the external students – I don’t know which one it was – had been bullying him; and there were a lot of other very nasty things as well. So he had to go and tell all this to his sister. Well, you know how sensitive she is, my dear, in spite of the fact that she always seems so lively and full of fun to talk to. The slightest little thing can upset her and set her brooding on it for whole days and nights together. In fact, this illness has been brought on by too much worrying, I’m sure of it. Well, this morning when she heard that someone had been bullying her brother, it both upset her and at the same time made her angry. She was upset to think that those horrible boys at the school should be able to twist things round and say such terrible things about him, but she was also angry with him, because she said he must have been getting into bad ways and not giving bis mind properly to his studies to have got into trouble of this sort in the first place. So of course, because of this upset she wouldn’t have any breakfast. I’ve just been round there trying to calm her. I gave her brother a talking-to and sent him round to see Bao-yu, and I stood over her while she ate half a bowlful of bird’s-nest soup. I’ve only just this minute got back. Oh, I’m so worried about her, my dear! We haven’t got a good doctor at the moment, either. It pierces me to the heart when I think about that child’s illness! I suppose you don’t happen to know of a good doctor, do you ?’

  Mrs Huang’s determination to have things out with Qin-shi, of which she had boasted so valiantly at her sister-in-law’s, had, in the course of this outpouring, fled to the far kingdom of Java. She hastened to own that she knew of no good doctor.

  ‘But hearing what you have said about this illness,’ she added, ‘I can’t help wondering if it may not after all be pregnancy. You want to be careful they don’t give her the wrong treatment. If they give her the wrong treatment for that, there will be real trouble!’

  ‘I know,’ said You-shi. ‘That’s what I say.’

  While they were still talking, Cousin Zhen came in from outside. ‘Isn’t this Cousin Huang’s wife?’ he asked You-shi, catching sight of the visitor. Mrs Huang dropped him a curtsey and a ‘how-do-you-do’. ‘You must ask our cousin to dinner,’ he said, going on into the room beyond.

  The original object of Mrs Huang’s visit had of course been to complain to Qin-shi about Qin Zhong’s treatment of her nephew. Hearing of Qin-shi’s illness she had abandoned all thought of even mentioning the subject; and now that Cousin Zhen and You-shi were being so nice to her, her anger gradually gave way to pleasure, and after gossiping a while longer she went off home.

  When she had gone, Cousin Zhen came in again and sat down.

  ‘What did she come about today?’ he asked You-shi.

  ‘Oh,’ said You-shi, ‘nothing in particular. When she first came in she appeared to be upset about something or other, then after we’d been talking for some time and I mentioned that Rong’s wife was ill, she gradually calmed down. When you invited her to dinner she knew she couldn’t very well stay on with sickness in the house and left after chatting a few minutes longer. She didn’t ask for anything before she went.

  ‘But let’s talk about that child’s illness. The thing is, you really must find a good doctor to look at her, before it gets too late. This lot we have around the house at present are completely useless! Each one of them just listens to what you say and then gives it back to you with a few learned words thrown in. And they’re so terribly conscientious about it! We have three or four of them coming by turns every day, and sometimes they’ll take her pulse four or five times in the same day. Then they have long discussions while they decide on a prescription. None of the medicine does her any good, and the only consequence of all this is that she is having to change her clothes four or five times in a day and be constantly getting up and sitting down to see these doctors, which is no good at all for a person in her condition.’

  ‘Oh, she’s a silly child!’ said Cousin Zhen. ‘There’s no need for all this dressing and undressing. Suppose she caught a chill on top of this other illness, that would be really frightful, Never mind about the clothes, for goodness’ sake, however good they are! It’s the child’s health that matters. Who cares if she has to have a completely new outfit every day ? We can afford it.

  ‘What I was going to tell you is that I’ve just had a visit from Feng Zi-ying. He noticed that something was bothering me, and when he asked me what it was I explained that our daughter-in-law isn’t well and told him how worried we are because we haven’t got a decent doctor who can tell us for sure whether it’s pregnancy or disease, so that we don’t even know how serious it is. Then Feng Zi-ying told me about a scholar friend of his called Zhang You-shi. He and Feng were at school together. He is a man of very wide learning including, apparently, an excellent knowledge of medicine and the ability to tell with certainty whether a disease is curable or not. He’s up at the capital this year to purchase a place for his son and is at present staying in Feng Zi-ying’s house. It looks as if in his hands she might stand a good chance of getting better. Anyway, I’ve already sent someone round with my card and and asked him to call. It’s getting a bit late for him to come today, but he should definitely be round tomorrow. Feng Zi-ying promised to see him when he got back and put in a word for me to make quite sure that he agrees to come. So we’ll just have to wait and see what this Dr Zhang says.’

  You-shi was delighted with this news.

  ‘And what are we going to do about Father’s birthday?’ she asked. ‘It’s the day after tomorrow.’

  ‘I’ve just been out to see him,’ said Cousin Zhen, ‘and I took the opportunity while I was there of asking him if he would come over on his birthday to receive everyone’s kotows, but he refused. He said, “I’ve got used to the peace and quiet of the monastery and I’m not willing to go back into your quarrelsome world again. If you insist on celebrating my birthday it would be a hundred times better to have my tract on Divine Rewards written out by a good calligrapher and cut on blocks for printing than to drag me back to your house for a lot of senseless head-knocking.” He sai
d, “If the family turn up tomorrow and the day after for my birthday, you can give them a party yourself. But don’t go sending me any presents,” he said, “and don’t come yourself! If it will set your mind at rest you can give me a kotow now and get it over with. But if you come round here the day after tomorrow with a lot of other people to pester me, I shall refuse to see you.” Well, after that I obviously can’t go again on his birthday. We’d better have Lai Sheng in and make arrangements for two days’ entertainment.’

  You-shi called in Jia Rong.

  ‘Tell Lai Sheng to prepare the usual two-day party for Grandfather,’ she said. ‘Say we want a really good spread. We shall be asking Lady Jia and Sir Zheng and Lady Wang and your Auntie Lian from the other house: you can go round yourself to invite them.

  ‘And by the way: today your father heard of a good doctor and has already sent someone to ask him round. He should be coming tomorrow. When he does, you had better tell him exactly what your wife’s symptoms have been during the past few days.’

  Jia Rong promised to carry out his mother’s instructions and left the room, encountering, as he did so, the youth who had been sent to Feng Zi-ying’s house to request a call from the doctor. He had just got back from delivering his message and reported to Jia Rong as follows:

  ‘I took the Master’s card to the doctor at Mr Feng’s house and asked him to call. He said Mr Feng had already spoken to him about it, but he had been out visiting all day and only just got back and he simply didn’t have the energy to go out any more today. He said, “Even if I were to go round to your house now I shouldn’t be able to take the young lady’s pulse. It would take me all night to get my breathing regulated. However,” he said, “I shall definitely call round tomorrow.” And he said, “My knowledge of medicine is really too slight for a consultation of this importance, but as your master and Mr Feng are so pressing, I obviously cannot refuse. But I hope you will explain this to your master.” And he said, “As for your master’s card, that is an honour I really cannot accept”; and he made me bring it back. Will you please pass on this message for me, Master Rong?’