by Cao Xueqin
The Lady Dowager always made Yuanyang shuffle the cards for her, but now as she chatted with Aunt Xue she noticed that the girl had made no move.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Won’t you even shuffle for me?” Yuanyang picked up the cards then, asking, “Isn’t Madam Lian going to pay?”
“Not going to pay? Paying up will bring her better luck!” cried the old lady.
She ordered a young maid to bring Xifeng’s whole string of cash and put it by her pile. The girl did as she was told.
“Give that back,” pleaded Xifeng. “All right, I’ll pay the amount I owe.”
“Xifeng really is stingy,” laughed Aunt Xue. “This is only a game, after all.”
At this Xifeng left her seat and, taking Aunt Xue by the arm, turned and pointed at the wooden chest in which the Lady Dowager kept her money.
“Look there, aunt,” she said. “Goodness knows how much of my money has been swallowed up by that. It’s less than an hour since we began, and already the money in that chest has beckoned to this string of cash. As soon as this string’s gone in too we shan’t have to play any more, and our Old Ancestress will have got over her temper. Then she’ll send me off to attend to my duties again.”
The whole company was laughing uproariously when Pinger arrived with another string of cash, for fear her mistress might not have enough.
“There’s no need to put that in front of me, “cried Xifeng. “Just put it on the old lady’s pile. That will save the money in her chest the trouble of beckoning twice.”
The Lady Dowager laughed so much at this that she scattered the cards in her hand all over the table as she nudged Yuanyang and out told her to pinch Xifeng’s mouth.
Pinger put the money down as she was told and, having joined in the laughter, left. By the courtyard gate she met Jia Lian.
“Where’s my mother?” he asked. “Father sent me to fetch her.”
“She’s been standing stock-still all this time before the old lady. You’d better clear off, quick. It’s taken our mistress a long time to coax the old lady into a better temper.”
“I’ve come over just to ask whether she’s going to Lai Da’s feast on the fourteenth or not, so that I can have her sedan-chair ready,” he replied. “What’s wrong with fetching my mother and pleasing the old lady at the same time?”
“Take my advice and steer clear,” Pinger smiled. “The whole family, Lady Wang and Baoyu too, have had a dressing-down. But here you come asking for a share in it.”
“It’s blown over now. Why should I have to make up for something past and done with? Besides, this business had nothing to do with me, and my father himself ordered me to fetch my mother. If he discovered that I’d sent someone else, in the temper he’s in now he’d vent his anger on me.”
With that he walked in. And since there was reason in what he said, Pinger followed. Once in the hall, Jia Lian tiptoed to the door of the inner room and peeped inside. He had just seen Lady Xing standing there when Xifeng with her sharp eyes spotted him. She signaled to him to keep out and threw a meaning glance at Lady Xing; but the latter, afraid to go without taking her leave, poured a cup of tea for the Lady Dowager. As the old lady turned to take it, she caught sight of Jia Lian who had not stepped back in time.
“Who’s that in the hall?” she demanded. “It looked like some young fellow peering in.”
“Yes, I thought I saw someone too,” said Xifeng. “I’ll go and have a look.”
She got up and started out. At once Jia Lian came in with a conciliatory smile. “I’ve come to ask whether the old lady means to go out on the fourteenth,” he announced, “so that I can have her chair ready.”
“Why didn’t you come in, then instead of skulking outside?” asked the Lady Dowager.
“I didn’t like to disturb you at your game, madam. I was hoping to get my wife to come out so that I could ask her.”
“Why couldn’t you wait for her to go home where you can ask her all the questions you want? Since when have you been so attentive? Or are you spying for someone, acting in this hole-and-corner way? You gave me quite a fright, you sneaky devil. Your wife is playing cards with me and won’t be free for some time. Better go home and plot against her again with that wife of Zhao Er’s.”
Amid general laughter Yuanyang put in, “Bao Er’s wife, not Zhao Er’s wife, Old Ancestress.”
“That’s right.” The old lady smiled. “How do you expect me to remember their names, whether they mean ‘carried in the arms or on the back’? Talking of that business I can’t help but be angry. I came to this house as the bride of a great-grandson, and now I have great-grand-daughters-in-law myself. In my fifty-four years first and last here, I’ve had plenty of shocks and frights and seen all manner of amazing happenings—but never such scandalous carryings-on as yours. Off with you now. Out of my sight!”
Without venturing to say a word, Jia Lian beat a hasty retreat. “Well,” whispered Pinger, standing outside the window, “you wouldn’t take my advice and now you’ve caught it.” Just then Lady Xing came out and Jia Lian complained, “It’s all the master’s fault, but we are the ones to suffer for it, madam.”
“May lightning strike you, you unfilial wretch,” scolded Lady Xing. “Other sons would die for their fathers; but you, you start complaining just because of a little talking-to. You’d better watch your step. He’s in a bad mood these days—mind he doesn’t beat you.”
“Please go home quickly, madam,” he urged. “It’s some time now since I was sent to find you.”
He then accompanied his mother out and across to the other courtyard.
When Lady Xing gave her husband an abbreviated version of what the Lady Dowager had said, Jia She felt at a loss and bitterly mortified too. After this, on the pretext of illness he stopped calling on his mother, being actually afraid to face her, sending his wife and son instead to pay their respects every day. None the less he made his men scout around and finally, for the sum of eight hundred taels, bought a seventeen-year-old girl called Yanhong to be his concubine. No more of this.
The card game in the Lady Dowager’s rooms went on until dinner time, and the next couple of days passed uneventfully.
Soon it was the fourteenth, and almost before it was light Lai Da’s wife came to invite them over. The Lady Dowager, being in a good humour, took Lady Wang, Aunt Xue, Baoyu and the girls to spend half a day in Lai Da’s garden. Although it could not compare with Grand View Garden, the grounds were extensive and neatly laid out with pleasant streams, rocks and trees, as well as some splendid lodges and fantastic pavilions.
Xue Pan, Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, Jia Rong and some other close relatives of the Rong and Ning households were entertained in the outer hall. Their distant relatives did not come, however, and neither did Jia She.
A few officials and sons of good families had also been invited to keep them company. Among these was a certain Liu Xianglian, whom Xue Pan had been longing to meet again ever since he first made his acquaintance; for the report that Liu was fond of acting in romantic operas about young scholars and beauties had made him mistake him for a homosexual. Eager as he was to make closer acquaintance, he was overjoyed by this chance meeting today.
The others also knew Liu Xianglian’s reputation, and Jia Zhen, emboldened by wine, persuaded him to perform in two operas, after which he came and sat down next to Liu, chatting with him for a while on various subjects.
Now this Liu Xianglian was the son of a good family who had lost both parents early. No great scholar but frank, chivalrous and unconventional in his ways, he was a good spearman and swordsman addicted to gambling and drinking, fond of the company of singsong girls and quite a musician himself. His youth and good looks led many who did not know him to mistake him for an actor; but he had been invited today because he was a friend of Lai Da’s son Shangrong. The other guests behaved decently enough after drinking; but Xue Pan got up to his old tricks again, which so disgusted Liu that he would have sl
ipped away had not Lai Shangrong most earnestly detained him.
“Just now Master Bao told me he’d noticed you as soon as he came in, but there’s too much of a crowd here to talk in comfort,” said Lai Shangrong. “He hopes you’ll stay on after the party breaks up, as he has something to ask you. If you insist on going, let me fetch him first. Then I shan’t be responsible for your leaving without having seen him.”
He ordered some pages, “Go in and get one of the old women to have a quiet word with Master Bao and ask him to come out.”
This was done, and in less time than it would take to drink a cup of tea they were joined by Baoyu.
“I leave Xianglian to you, my dear uncle,” said Lai Shangrong with a smile. “I must see to our other guests.” With that he left them.
Baoyu led Liu Xianglian into a small study at one side of the hall and, when the two of them were seated, asked, “Have you visited Qin Zhong’s grave at all recently?”
“Yes, I have,” Xianglian told him. “Some time ago a few of us were flying falcons near his grave. For fear it might not have stood up to the heavy rain this summer, I rode over on my own to have a look and, sure enough, found it slightly damaged. So after coming home I got together a few hundred cash and went out three days later with two men I’d hired to repair it.”
“That explains it,” said Baoyu. “Last month when the lotus seed-pods in our pool in Grand View Garden ripened, I picked ten and sent Mingyan out to offer them at his grave. When he came back, I also asked if the grave had been damaged by the rain; but he said that on the contrary it looked in better condition than before. I guessed, then, that some friends must recently have restored it. My trouble is that I’m cooped up at home all the time and am not my own master. Every move I make is known, and there’s always someone trying to stop me or dissuade me, so whatever I say, I can’t do a thing. Though I’ve money, I can’t spend it as I want.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Xianglian assured him. “I’ll see to anything that you can’t do outside. So long as you remember him, that’s what counts. It will soon be the first of the tenth month, and I’ve put by some money to sacrifice at his grave. You know how hard up I am, with no property of my own, and any money I get slips straight through my fingers. It seemed better to set this sum aside so as not to be caught empty-handed when the time comes.”
“That’s why I was meaning to send Mingyan to look for you; but you’re so seldom at home, floating about free as duckweed every day, one never knows where to find you.”
“There was no need to look for me. Each of us must simply do what he can. But soon I shall be setting out on a long journey. I don’t expect to be back for three or four years.”
“Why should you stay away so long?”
“You don’t know what’s been on my mind.” Xianglian gave a bitter smile. “You’ll find out all in good time. Now I must take my leave.”
“It’s so rarely we have a chance to meet, can’t you stay until the party breaks up this evening?”
“That honourable maternal cousin of yours is up to his old tricks again. If I stay, there may be trouble. I’d better keep out of his way.”
“I see,” said Baoyu after a thoughtful pause. “Well, you may be right to keep out of his way, but you mustn’t really go off on a long journey without letting me know beforehand. Whatever happens, don’t just slip away.” He was shedding tears as he spoke.
“Of course I’ll say goodbye to you,” promised Xianglian. “Only don’t tell anyone else.” As he stood up to leave he added, “Go on in, there’s no need to see me out.”
He left the study and had just reached the main gate when he saw Xue Pan there bawling, “Who let that lad Liu get away?”
Liu Xianglian’s eyes flashed with anger. He longed to strike Xue Pan dead with one blow of his fist. Only the thought that a drunken brawl would embarrass Lai Shangrong made him control himself.
Xue Pan catching sight of him was as overjoyed as if he had found some treasure.
“Where are you going, brother?” he chortled, staggering forward to catch him by the arm.
“I’ll be back soon,” said Xianglian.
“If you go, dear fellow, it won’t be any fun. Do stay a bit longer to show you care for me. Any pressing business you have, just leave it to me—your elder brother—only don’t hurry off. Do you want an official post? Want to make money? Your elder brother can easily fix it for you.”
Angered and humiliated by this outrageous talk, Xianglian hit on a plan. He pulled Xue Pan aside.
“Do you mean that, about wanting to be my friend?”
Xue Pan could hardly contain himself for excitement.
“How can you ask such a question, dear brother?” he leered. “If I’m not in earnest may I drop dead!”
“Very well, but we can’t talk here. After staying a little longer I’ll leave first, and you can follow me presently to my place. We may as well make a night of it. I’ve two marvellous boys there, absolutely virgin; so there’s no need for you to bring a single servant. I’ve people to wait on you.”
Xue Pan was so overjoyed that he half sobered up. “Do you really mean it?”
“Now, come, come!” Xianglian chuckled. “Why turn sceptical when someone’s sincere with you?”
“I’m no fool.” Xue Pan grinned. “I trust you. But I don’t know where you live. If you go on ahead, how am I to find you?”
“I live outside the North Gate. Do you mind spending a night outside, away from your family?”
“If I’ve got you, I shan’t miss my family.”
“In that case, I’ll wait for you on the bridge outside the North Gate. Now let’s go back to the feast. Once you see I’m gone, you can slip out and no one will notice.”
Xue Pan promptly agreed. They went back to their table then and drank another round. Xue Pan could hardly sit still. As he feasted his avid eyes on Xianglian he grew more and more jubilant, until soon he was tossing off whole pots of wine without waiting to be urged. When he was nine-tenths drunk, Xianglian rose to leave and slipped away unnoticed. Outside the gate, he ordered his page Xinnu to go home while he paid a call out of town.
Then he mounted his horse and rode straight out of the North Gate to wait on the bridge for Xue Pan. In less time than it takes for a meal, he saw a solitary horseman approaching. It was Xue Pan, his mouth open, his eyes gaping, his head turning right and left like a pedlar’s rattle as he gazed wildly around. So intent was he on staring into the distance that he missed what was close at hand and rode right past Xianglian’s horse. Amused and disgusted, Xianglian cantered after him. Riding on, Xue Pan observed that the houses now were few and far between. He turned back then to make another search and was overjoyed by the sight of Liu Xianglian.
“I knew you’d keep your word,” he chortled. “Ride on, quick,” said Xianglian. “We don’t want people to see us and follow us.”
He spurred on his horse and Xue Pan followed close behind. At a lonely spot near a marsh overgrown with reeds, Xianglian dismounted and tethered his horse to a tree.
“Down you get;” he said. “First we must take an oath. Cursed be he who has a change of heart or betrays our secret.”
“Right you are!” Xue Pan slithered eagerly down from his saddle. Having made fast his horse he fell on his knees to swear: “If ever I have a change of heart or betray our secret, may Heaven and Earth destroy me....”
Before he had finished, wham! He was struck from behind by what seemed like an iron hammer. Everything went black before him, then he saw a riot of golden stars as he flopped to the ground.
Xianglian stepped forward to have a look at him and, knowing the oaf to be unused to beatings, gave him only a few light punches in the face which instantly turned all the colours of a fruit stall. When Xue Pan tried to struggle to his feet, Xianglian tripped him with one foot a couple of times and sent him sprawling again.
“We did this by mutual consent,” complained Xue Pan. “If you didn’t want
to, you could simply have said so. Why fool me into coming out here and then beat me up?” He let loose a flood of abuse.
“You must be blind not to know your master,” cried Xinglian. “Now instead of asking my pardon you insult me. There’s no point in killing you, I’ll just teach you a lesson.”
He fetched his horsewhip and gave him a few dozen strokes all over his back till Xue Pan, pretty well sober now, yelped with pain.
“You coward,” sneered Xianglian. “I thought you could take a beating.” As he spoke he dragged him by the left leg through the mud into the reeds, bedaubing him with slime. “Now do you know who I am?”
Xue Pan said nothing, just lay face downwards, groaning. Xianglian tossed away the whip to pummel him with his fists. Xue Pan rolled over and over frantically howling:
“You’ve broken my ribs. I know you’re straight. I shouldn’t have believed other people’s talk.”
“Don’t drag anyone else into this. Just stick to the point.”
“What more do you want me to say, except that you’re straight and I was wrong?”
“You’ll have to do better than that to be let off.”
Xue Pan whined, “Dear younger brother...”
Once more Xianglian punched him.
“Ouch!” he yelled. “Dear elder brother...”
Xianglian struck him twice again.
“Mercy, kind master, spare me! I was blind. From now on I’ll respect and fear you.”
“Drink two mouthfuls of that water,” ordered Xianglian.
Xue Pan wrinkled his brows. “It’s too foul. How can I drink it?”
Xianglian raised a threatening fist.
“I’ll drink it, I’ll drink it.”
Bending his head he lapped up a mournful of the water at the base of the reeds; but before he could swallow it, he retched and spewed up everything he had eaten.
“Filthy swine!” swore Xianglian. “Lick up that vomit and I’ll let you off.”
Kowtowing frantically Xue Pan begged, “Have a heart! Do a good deed and let me off. I can’t stomach that, not if you kill me.”