by Cao Xueqin
“You have a husband-and-wife orchid and I’ve a neck-to-neck caltrop flower here,” he answered, showing her the caltrop and taking the orchid from her.
“Never mind about husband-and-wife or neck-to-neck,” she grumbled. “Look at my skirt.”
Baoyu bent to look, then exclaimed, “Aiya! How did you get it in the mud? It’s too bad, this pomegranate-red silk shows the dirt so.”
“This silk was brought the other day by Miss Baoqin. Miss Baochai made one skirt and I made another, which I put on today for the first time.”
Baoyu stamped his foot.
“Your family can well afford to spoil a hundred skirts like that each day. Only this was given you by Miss Baoqin, and you and Cousin Baochai both have one; if hers is still all right while yours gets dirtied first, that looks ungrateful. Besides, dear old Auntie’s a fuss-pot. Even when you’re careful, I’ve often heard her complaining that you’re a poor manager and don’t know how to save but just waste things all the time. If she sees this, you’ll never hear the end of it.”
Xiangling was pleased and struck by his understanding.
“That’s just it,” she replied. “I have several new skirts, but none like this. If I had, I’d change it quickly and things would be all right for the time being.”
“Better not move,” Baoyu warned her. “Just stay put, otherwise you’ll muddy your underclothes and shoes as well. I have an idea. Last month Xiren made a skirt exactly like this. As she’s still in mourning she isn’t wearing it. How about letting her give you hers instead?”
Xiangling smiled and shook her head.
“No, if others heard about it, that would be worse.”
“What would it matter? After her mourning ends, if she fancies something you can surely give it her, can’t you? The way you’re behaving isn’t like your usual self. Besides, this isn’t anything that need be kept secret; you can tell Cousin Baochai about it. We just don’t want to vex dear old Auntie.”
Xiangling thought this made good sense.
Nodding she said, “All right then. To show how grateful I am to you I’ll wait here. But be sure you get her to bring it here herself.”
Baoyu was delighted and agreed to this, musing as he hurried back with lowered head, “Poor girl, with no parents, not even knowing her family name after being kidnapped and sold to this Tyrant King.” Then he thought, “What I did for Pinger last time was unexpected; now this is even more of a pleasant surprise.” His thoughts wandering in this foolish way, he went back to his room and got hold of Xiren to explain the situation. As Xiangling was a general favourite and open-handed Xiren was a good friend of hers, as soon as she knew what had happened she opened her case, took the skirt out and folded it, then went off with Baoyu to find Xiangling still standing in the same spot.
“I always said you were naughty,” teased Xiren. “Now see what a mess you’ve landed yourself in.”
Xiangling blushed and said, “Thank you, sister. I never thought those mischievous imps would play such a dirty trick on me.” When she took the skirt and unfolded it, she found it was just like her own. She made Baoyu look the other way and, turning her back on him, took off her skirt and slipped into the clean one.
“Give me the dirty one to take back,” said Xiren. “I’ll have it cleaned, then return it. If you take it back, they may see it and ask questions.”
“You take it and give it to one of the girls. Now that I’ve got this one, I don’t need it any more.”
“That’s very generous of you,” said Xiren.
“Then Xiangling curtseyed her thanks, and Xiren went off with the soiled skirt.
Now Xiangling saw that Baoyu was squatting on the ground using a twig to scrape a little pit in which to bury her orchid and his caltrop flower together. First he lined the bottom of the pit with fallen blossoms then laid the flowers in it, strewed them with more blossoms, then filled in the pit with earth.
Xiangling pulled him by the hand saying, “What’s the idea? No wonder people say you’re always up to underhand tricks. Look, your hands are all muddy and filthy. Go and wash them, quick.”
Baoyu got up smiling and set off to wash his hands while Xiangling walked away too. They had neither of them gone far when she turned back and called him to stop. Not knowing the reason, Baoyu turned back grinning, holding his muddy hands away from himself.
“What is it?” he asked.
But Xiangling simply giggled. Just then her young maid Zhener appeared.
“Miss Baoqin wants you,” she said.
Xiangling urged Baoyu then, “Just don’t say anything about the skirt to your Cousin Pan. That’s all.” With that she turned and went off.
Baoyu called laughingly after her, “Think I’m crazy? Why should I put my head in a tiger’s mouth?” Then he went home to wash.
To know what happened later, read the next chapter.
Chapter 63
Girls Feast at Night to Celebrate Baoyu’s Birthday
Jia Jing Dies of an Elixir and Madam You Manages the Funeral Single-Handed
Baoyu going back to his room to wash up told Xiren, “We mustn’t stand on ceremony tonight but drink and enjoy ourselves. Let them know in good time what dishes we want so that they’ll have them ready.”
“Don’t worry,” she replied. “Qingwen, Sheyue, Qiuwen and I have contributed half a tael of silver each, which makes two taels; and Fangguan, Bihen, Xiaoyan and Sier have each given thirty cents. So, apart from those who are away, we’ve raised three taels and twenty cents which we’ve already given to Mrs. Liu, who’s preparing forty dishes. I’ve also arranged with Pinger to have a vat of good Shaoxing wine smuggled in. The eight of us are going to throw a birthday party for you.”
Baoyu was delighted but demurred, “How can they afford it? You shouldn’t have made them chip in.”
Qingwen demanded, “Do we have money and not they? All of us are just showing our feeling. Never mind whether they can afford it. Even if they steal the money, just you accept it.”
“That’s right,” said Baoyu.
“It seems that you can’t be satisfied unless she gives you a few digs every day, “chuckled Xiren.
“Now you’re learning bad ways too,” shot back Qingwen. “Always
goading others on to stir up trouble!”
At that all three laughed, after which Baoyu proposed locking the courtyard gate. But Xiren objected:
“No wonder people say you’re for ever making a great ado about nothing. If we lock the gate now that will arouse suspicion. Better wait a bit.”
Baoyu nodded.
“I’ll take a stroll outside then,” he said, “while Sier fetches water. Xiaoyan can come with me.”
He went out, and as there was nobody, else about asked when Wuer would be coming.
“I told Mrs. Liu just now, and of course she’s very pleased,” Xiaoyan informed him. “Only Wuer got so worked up that night she was hauled over the coals that as soon as she got home she fell ill again. She can’t come until she’s better.”
Baoyu sighed in disappointment.
“Does Xiren know this?” he asked.
“I didn’t tell her,” was the reply. “But Fangguan may have done for all I know.”
“Well, I never told her. All right, I’ll let her know now.”
He went back inside on the pretext of washing his hands.
Now, as the time came to light the lamps, they heard people approaching the courtyard gate and when they peeped through the window saw Mrs. Lin with a few other stewards’ wives, the one in front carrying a big lantern.
“They’re making their nightly check-up of those on duty,” whispered Qingwen. “Once they’ve gone we can close the gate.”
All the servants on night duty in Happy Red Court had gone out to meet these women. After checking that they were all present Mrs. Lin warned them:
“No gambling or drinking now, and no sleeping till morning! If I hear of such goings-on I’ll have something to say.”
“Which of us would dare?” they answered laughingly.
Then Mrs. Lin asked, “Is Master Bao in bed yet?”
As they replied that they did not know, Xiren nudged Baoyu, who put on slippers to go out to greet them.
“No, I’m not in bed yet,” he called. “Come in and sit down.” Looking towards the house, he ordered: “Serve tea, Xiren.”
Mrs. Lin entered then, smiling.
“Still up!” she exclaimed. “Now the days are long, the nights short, you should go to bed early so as to get up early tomorrow. Otherwise you may oversleep, and people will jeer that you don’t behave like a scholarly young gentleman but like a common coolie.” Having said this she laughed.
Baoyu promptly agreed, “You’re right, nanny. I do generally go to bed early, so that I don’t know when you come every evening because I’m already asleep. But today after eating noodles I was afraid of getting indigestion; that’s why I’ve stayed up a bit.”
Mrs. Lin advised Xiren and Qingwen to brew him some puer tea.
“We’ve made him some nuer tea and he’s drunk two bowls. Won’t you try some, madam?” they answered. “It’s already brewed.”
As Qingwen poured a bowl Mrs. Lin observed, “Recently I’ve noticed that the Second Master always calls you girls by your names. Though you’re working here you belong to Their Ladyships, so he should show more respect. If once in a while he happens to use your names, that doesn’t matter; but if this becomes a habit then his cousins and nephews may follow suit, and then people will laugh at us and say we’ve no respect for elders in our household.”
“You’re right, nanny,” agreed Baoyu again. “Actually I only do that once in a while.”
The two girls put in, “You must be fair to him. Even now he still refers to us as ‘elder sisters,’ only using our names occasionally in fun. In front of others he always addresses us as he did before.”
“That’s good,” approved Mrs. Lin. “That’s how someone with education and good manners ought to behave. The more modest you are, the more respected you’ll be. Not to say members of the staff of long standing or those transferred from Their Ladyships’ apartments, but even the dogs and cats from there mustn’t be badly treated. That’s the way a well brought up young gentleman should behave.” She then drank up her tea and said, “We must be off now. I’ll wish you a good night.”
Baoyu pressed them to stay, but Mrs. Lin had already led her party off to finish making their rounds. At once Qingwen and others ordered the gate to be locked, and coming back Qingwen said:
“That grandame must have been drinking, gabbing away and nagging at us like that.”
“She means well anyway,” remarked Sheyue as she started to lay the table. “She has to remind us from time to time to be on our guard and not overstep the limits.”
“We don’t need that high table,” put in Xiren. “Let’s put that round low pear-wood one on the kang. There’s room for all of us at it, and it’s more convenient.”
So they carried the table over, after which Sheyue and Sier fetched the dishes, making four or five trips with two big trays while two old women squatting outside by the brazier warmed the wine.
“It’s so hot, let’s take off our outer clothes,” Baoyu suggested.
“You can if you want to,” said the girls, “but we have to take it in turns to offer toasts.”
“If you do that it’ll take all night,” he objected. “You know how much I dislike those vulgar conventions. We may have to observe them in front of outsiders, but if you provoke me like that it won’t be nice.”
“We’ll do as you say,” they agreed.
So before taking seats they first divested themselves of their outer things and had soon laid aside their formal gowns and trinkets, leaving their hair to hang free and wearing only long skirts and bodices. Baoyu himself stripped down to a scarlet linen jacket and green dotted satin trousers, letting the ends of the trouser legs hang loose. Leaning on a jade-colored gauze cushion filed with all sorts of fresh rose and peony petals, he started playing the finger-guessing game with Fangguan.
Fangguan, who had also been complaining of the heat, had on only a short lined satin jacket—a patchwork of red, blue and jade-coloured squares, a green sash, and pink trousers with a floral design left untied at her ankles. Her hair, woven in small plaits, was gathered on the crown of her head into a thick braid hanging down at the back. In her right ear she wore a jade stop no bigger than a grain of rice, in her left a ruby-ear-ring set in gold the size of a gingko nut, making her face seem whiter than the full moon, her eyes clearer than water in autumn.
“The two of them look like twin brothers’.” chuckled the others.
Xiren and the rest poured wine for each.
“Wait a bit before you start the finger-guessing game,” they said. “Though we’re dispensing with the usual toasts, you must each take a sip from our cups.”
Xiren held the first cup to her lips and took a sip, to be followed by the others, after which all sat down in a circle. As there was insufficient room on the kang, Xiaoyan and Sier set two chairs beside it. The forty white Ding ware dishes no bigger than saucers held all manner of sweetmeats and delicacies of land and sea, fresh or preserved, from every part of the country and from abroad. And now Baoyu proposed playing some drinking games.
“Something quiet, not too rowdy,” advised Xiren. “We don’t want people to hear us. And nothing too literary either, as we’re no scholars.”
“How about the dice game ‘Grabbing the Red’?” said Sheyue.
“That’s no fun,” objected Baoyu. “Better play the ‘Flower Game.’“
“Yes, do let’s!” cried Qingwen. “I’ve always wanted to play that.”
“It’s a good game,” agreed Xiren, “but no fun for just a few people.”
“I’ve an idea,” put in Xiaoyan. “Let’s quietly invite Miss Baochai and Miss Daiyu over to play for a short time. It won’t matter if we go on till the second watch.”
“If we go around knocking different people up, we may run into some night-watchers,” Xiren pointed out.
“Don’t be afraid,” said Baoyu. “My Third Sister likes drinking too; we should count her in. And Miss Baoqin as well.”
“Not Miss Baoqin,” the others demurred. “She’s with Madam Zhu, so that would make too much of a stir.”
“Never mind,” insisted Baoyu. “Hurry up and invite them.”
Xiaoyan and Sier, who had been awaiting this order, immediately called for the gate to be unlocked and went off to the different apartments.
“They may not be able to get Miss Baochai and Miss Daiyu,” predicted the senior maids. “We’ll have to go and drag them here by main force.” So, telling an old woman to bring a lantern, Xiren and Qingwen went off as well.
Sure enough, Baochai objected that it was too late while Daiyu pleaded poor health, but the two maids begged them:
“Do give us a little face. Just go and sit there for a while.”
As for Tanchun, she was eager to come but felt that if Li Wan were left out and came to hear of it later that wouldn’t be good; so she told Zuimo and Xiaoyan to insist that Li Wan and Baoqin should both be invited. Presently they all arrived, one by one, at Happy Red Court, where Xiren had dragged Xiangling over as well. Another table had to be put on the kang before they could all sit down.
“Cousin Daiyu feels the cold,” said Baoyu. “Come and sit by the partition.”
She was given a cushion for her back while Xiren and the other maids fetched chairs and seated themselves beside the kang.
Leaning against her back-rest some way from the table, Daiyu teased Baochai, Li Wan and Tanchun, “You’re always accusing people of drinking and gambling at night, and now that’s just what we’re doing. How can we blame others in future?”
“It doesn’t matter,” replied Li Wan, “if we only do this on birthdays or festivals, not every night. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
As she was speaking, Qingwen brought in
a carved bamboo container filled with ivory slips bearing the names of flowers. Having shaken this she put it down in the middle. Next she brought the dice-box and shook it, and upon opening the box saw that the number on the dice was five. She counted, starting from herself, and Baochai being the fifth was the one who should start.
“I’ll draw,” said Baochai. “I wonder what I shall get.”
She shook the container and took out a slip on which they saw the picture of a peony with the words “Beauty surpassing all flowers.” Inscribed in smaller characters beneath was the line of Tang poetry, “Though heartless she has charm.” The instructions read, “All the feasters must drink a cup by way of congratulations, for this is the queen of the flowers. She can order anyone to compose a poem or tell a joke to enliven the drinking.”
“What a coincidence!” all exclaimed laughingly. “A peony is just the flower for you.” With that they drank a cup each.
After Baochai had drunk she decreed, “Let Fangguan sing us a song.”
“In that case,” said Fangguan, “you must all finish your cups.”
When all had drained them, Fangguan started singing The Birthday Feast Is Spread in a Fine Season.
“Not that song,” protested the others. “We don’t want you, right now, to congratulate him on his birthday. Sing us your best song instead.”
Then Fangguan had to give them a careful rendering of a verse set to the melody The Season for Enjoying Flowers.
With a broom of green phoenix feathers,
I leisurely sweep fallen blossoms for immortals;
Lo, a wind rising all of a sudden
Swirls jade dust under the clouds,
So far removed though just outside the gate.
Do not miss by an inch again your slash at the yellow dragon,
Nor return to the poor wine-vendor in the east.
But let us turn our eyes to the roseate clouds.
Ah, Lu Dongbin,
Hasten back when you have found one to replace me!
If you delay,
I shall nurse my grief for ever by the peach-blossom.
Baoyu, holding the slip of ivory, had been softly repeating to himself. “Though heartless she has charm,” gazing at Fangguan as she sang, lost in thought. Now Xiangyun snatched the slip from him and gave it to Baochai who threw sixteen, which made it Tanchun’s turn.