A Dream of Red Mansion

by Cao Xueqin

  “If that’s how you feel,” countered Fangguan, “you should go and practise archery and horsemanship and learn other martial arts, then set off to the border to capture some rebels! Wouldn’t that show your loyalty better than using us to do it? You’re simply wagging your tongue for your own amusement, on the pretext of praising the state’s achievements and virtue.”

  “That’s exactly what you don’t understand,” replied Baoyu laughingly. “Now the Four Seas have submitted to our rule and peace reigns everywhere; so for ages to come there will be no need for arms. And even when having fun we should praise the court, so as not to be unworthy to enjoy the fruits of peace.”

  Fangguan agreed to this, and as both of them felt it quite appropriate he started addressing her as Yelu Xiongnu. Actually the two Jia mansions had been presented by the court with slaves who had been captured by their ancestors; but these were only used as grooms, not being fit for other work.

  Now Xiangyun was a madcap who loved to dress up as a warrior in a belted, tight-sleeved jacket. When she saw Baoyu fit Fangguan out as a boy, she followed suit by dressing Kuiguan up as a page too. Kuiguan, who had played warriors, kept her hair shaved over her temples and forehead as that had made it easier to paint a warrior’s face, and she was nimble too. So it was easy to dress her up as a page. Then Li Wan and Tanchun, also thinking it a good idea, made Baoqin’s Douguan dress up as a boy too in a short jacket and red shoes with her hair in two tufts. Had her face been painted, she would have been the spit of the Taoist priest’s acolyte who carries his master’s lyre on the stage.

  Xiangyun changed Kuiguan’s name to Daying, and as her family name was Wei she was called Wei Daying; for in choosing this name Xiangyun had in mind the phrase “Only a true hero can keep his true colour.” Why, to appear a man, should one resort to rouge or powder?

  Douguan had been given that name because she was both small and young and a clever little imp. So in the Garden she was also called Adou or Fried Pea. Thinking that to give her a name like “Lyre-boy” or “book-boy” would sound vulgar, and that “Dou” was more original, Baoqin called her Doutong.

  That afternoon when Pinger gave a return feast she had several tables of new wine and good dishes set out in Elm Shade Hall, saying that it was too warm in Red Fragrance Farm. To everybody’s delight, Madam You brought over her husband’s two concubines Peifeng and Xieyuan, two attractive young women who seldom had a chance to enjoy themselves in the Garden. Coming here now and meeting Xiangyun, Xiangling, Fangguan, Ruiguan and the other girls, it was a genuine case of “like attracts like” or “birds of a feather flock together.” Chatting and laughing with each other they paid no attention to Madam You, leaving it to the maids to wait on her while they amused themselves with the other girls.

  When presently they went to Happy Red Court and heard Baoyu call Yelu Xiongnu, the two concubines and Xiangling burst out laughing and asked what language this was. They tried to say this name themselves but kept getting it wrong, sometimes forgetting one character or even calling her Yelu, which made all who heard them double up with mirth. Fearing that Fangguan might feel hurt, Baoyu hastily interposed:

  “I’ve heard that west of the ocean, in France, they’ve a type of precious golden-starred glass which in their language they call venturina. Suppose we compare you with that and change your name to Venturina?”

  Fangguan was pleased and readily agreed. Accordingly they changed her name again. However, the others still found this a tongue-twister, so they translated it into Chinese and took to calling her Boli. But enough of this.

  They returned now to Elm Shade Hall to amuse themselves there on the pretext of drinking. Some women story-tellers were told to beat the drum and Pinger plucked a spray of peony; then everyone—twenty or so in all—passed this round and the one who had it when the drumming stopped had to drink. They had been making merry for some time when it was announced that two serving-women had come with presents from the Zhen family. Tanchun, Li Wan and Madam You went to the hall to receive them, and the rest left Elm Shade Hall to stroll outside. Peifeng and Xieyuan went to take turns on the swing.

  “Both get on together and I’ll push you,” offered Baoyu.

  “Oh no,” said Peifeng in dismay. “Don’t get us into trouble. Better ask your Wild Ass to come and push us instead.”

  “Stop teasing, sister,” he begged. “Otherwise other people will follow your example and make fun of her too.”

  “If you’re limp from laughing, how can you swing?” warned Xieyuan. “You’ll fall off and get smashed like an egg!”

  Peifeng ran to catch her, and they were scuffling in fun when some servants from the Eastern Mansion came rushing up frantically. “The old master’s ascended to Heaven!” they announced.

  Everybody was consternated.

  “He wasn’t even ill, how could he pass away so suddenly?” they exclaimed.

  The servants explained, “His Lordship took elixirs every day; now he must have achieved his aim and become an immortal.”

  Madam You was most worried by this news; for as her husband Jia Zhen, their son Rong, and Jia Lian too were all away, there was no man at home to take charge. She hurriedly took off her finery and sent a steward to Mysterious Truth Temple to have all the Taoist priests there locked up until her husband came back to question them. Then she hastily went by carriage out of the city with the wives of Lai Sheng and some other stewards, having also sent for doctors to see what illness her father-in-law had succumbed to.

  As Jia Jing was dead it was no use for the doctors to feel his pulse. They knew, however, that for years he had been practising absurd Taoist breathing exercises. As for his yoga, worship of the stars, keeping vigil on certain nights, taking sulphide of mercury and wearing himself out with his senseless striving for immortality—these were what had carried him off. His belly after death was hard as iron, the skin of his face and lips parched, cracked and purple. They reported to the serving-women that he had died of excessive heat as a result of taking Taoist drugs.

  The Taoist priests in their panic confessed, “His Lordship had just concocted a new elixir with some secret formula, and that was his undoing. We’d warned him not to take such things before achieving a certain potency; but last night, during his vigil, unknown to us he took some and became an immortal. Doubtless he has attained immortality owing to his piety, leaving this sea of woe and sloughing his earthly integument to fare forth at will.”

  Madam You, shutting her ears to this, ordered them to be immured until Jia Zhen’s return. And she sent messengers posthaste to take the news. Seeing that the temple was too cramped for the coffin to be left there, and as it could not be taken into the city, she had the corpse shrouded and conveyed by sedan-chair to Iron Threshold Temple. She reckoned that her husband could not be back for another fortnight at least, and as the weather was too hot for the funeral to be delayed she decided to get an astrologer to choose a day for it. As the coffin had been prepared many years ago, and kept ever since in the temple, the funeral was easily managed. Three days later a mourning service was held and further masses were performed while waiting for Jia Zhen. Since Xifeng of the Rong Mansion could not leave home and Li Wan had to look after the girls, while Baoyu knew nothing of practical affairs, the work outside was entrusted to a few second-rank stewards. Jia Bin, Jia Guang, Jia Heng, Jia Ying, Jia Chang and Jia Ling also had their different assignments. Madam You, being unable to go home, invited her step-mother old Mrs. You to come and keep an eye on things in the Ning Mansion. And Mrs. You, to be easy in her mind, had to bring her two unmarried daughters with her.

  When Jia Zhen heard of his father’s death he immediately asked for leave, as did Jia Rong who also had official duties. The Board of Ceremony, well aware that the Emperor set great store by filial piety, dared make no decision themselves but reported the request to the throne. The Emperor, with his transcendent benevolence and filial piety, always treated the descendants of meritorious ministers with special consideratio
n. As soon as he saw the memorial he asked what official post Jia Jing had held, and the Board of Ceremony reported that he had been a Palace Graduate, whose ancestor’s noble title had passed on to his son Jia Zhen. Being old and infirm Jia Jing had retired to live quietly in Mysterious Truth Temple outside the city, where he had now died of illness. His son Zhen and his grandson Rong were both at court on account of the state obsequies. They had therefore asked leave to return to attend to the funeral.

  When the Emperor heard this, in his exceeding kindness he decreed: “Though Jia Jing was an ordinary citizen who performed no special service for the state, in view of his grand-father’s merit he is to be promoted posthumously to the fifth rank. His son and grandson are to escort his coffin through the lower north gate into the capital for a funeral ceremony at his own home, so that his descendants can mourn for him as is fitting before escorting his remains to their ancestral district. Let the office of Imperial Banquets bestow on the deceased a sacrificial feast of the first grade, and let all at court from princes and dukes downwards be granted leave to offer their condolences. By Imperial Decree!”

  As soon as this decree was issued, not only did the Jia family express thanks for the Emperor’s goodness, all the high ministers at court were loud in their praise.

  Jia Zhen and his son were speeding home posthaste when they saw Jia Bin and Jia Guang galloping towards them, attended by some servants. At sight of Jia Zhen they hastily dismounted to pay their respects.

  Asked their errand Jia Bin reported, “Sister-in-law was afraid that after you and our nephew came back there would be nobody to travel with the old lady, so she sent us to escort Her Ladyship.”

  Jia Zhen expressed full approval, then asked how matters had been arranged at home, and Jia Bin described how the Taoist priests had been detained and the corpse taken to the family temple; and how, as there was no one in charge at home, old Mrs. You and her two daughters had been invited to stay and accommodation found for them in the main building.

  Jia Rong had also dismounted. When he heard of the arrival of his two young aunts, he grinned at his father who was reiterating: “Well done, well done!”

  They galloped on then, not stopping at any inns but changing horses at different post-houses as they sped back through the night. And upon reaching the capital they went straight to Iron Threshold Temple. It was then the fourth watch and the watch-men, hearing them, aroused everyone in the place. Jia Zhen alighted and with Jia Rong wailed aloud, both advancing on their knees from outside the gate to where the coffin was resting, kowtowing and lamenting all the way. They went on wailing till dawn, by which time their voices were hoarse.

  Madam You and the others all came to meet them. Then Jia Zhen and his son, having changed into mourning according to the rites, prostrated themselves before the coffin. However, since they had business to attend to which they could not ignore, they had to curtail their mourning in order to issue instructions. Jia Zhen read out the Imperial Decree to their relatives and friends, then sent Jia Rong home first to arrange for the removal of the coffin there.

  Jia Rong had been eagerly awaiting this order. He rode swiftly home and hastily gave instructions for the tables and chairs to be cleared away from the front hall, the partitions removed, white mourning curtains hung up, and a shed for musicians as well as an arch erected in front of the gate. This done, he hurried in to greet his step-grandmother and two aunts.

  Now Mrs. You, being old and fond of sleeping, often lay down on the couch to have a nap while her two daughters were sewing with the maids. When they saw Jia Rong they expressed their condolences. Beaming all over his face he said to his second aunt:

  “So you’re here again, Second Auntie. My father’s been longing for you!”

  Second Sister You blushed.

  “You rascal!” she swore at him. “You can’t get by if I don’t curse you every other day! You’re going from bad to worse, with absolutely no sense of what’s proper. Imagine the son of a good family, who studies and is taught manners all the time, not even being up to low-class riffraff.”

  She picked up an iron and grabbed his head as if to hit him, whereupon, shielding his head, he nestled close to her and begged for mercy. Third Sister You reached out to pinch his lips.

  “Wait till our elder sister hears of this,” she scolded. Chuckling, Jia Rong knelt on the kang to ask their pardon, at which both the sisters laughed. Then he tried to snatch some cardamom from his second aunt, who spat what she was chewing all over his face; but he just licked it off and ate it, shocking the maids who were there.

  “You’re wearing mourning and your grandmother is napping here,” one of them remonstrated. “And after all they’re your aunts, for all they’re young. You really haven’t much respect for your mother. Presently we shall tell the master, and then you’ll be in big trouble.”

  Jia Rong let go of his aunt then and grabbing hold of the maid kissed her on the mouth.

  “You’re quite right, sweetheart,” he cried. “Now let’s make both their mouths water!”

  The maids pushed him away. “You short-lived devil!” they cursed. “You’ve a wife and maids of your own just like anyone else—why come to plague us? Some people may know this is just fooling about; but there are other dirty-minded busybodies who like to gossip. They may spread so much talk that everyone in the other house hears about it. They’ll be saying we’re all fast and loose here.”

  “We’re two different households,” scoffed Jia Rong. “We should both mind our own business. Haven’t we all enough troubles of our own? Since ancient times, even the Han and Tang dynasties have been described as ‘filthy Tang and stinking Han,’ to say nothing of families like ours. Which household hasn’t its share of philanderers? Shall I give you a few examples? Even though the Elder Master over there is so strict, Uncle Lian carried on with his young concubines; and though Aunt Xifeng is so stern, Uncle Rui tried to make her. Neither affair was any secret to me....”

  As Jia Rong was rattling away so wildly he noticed that the old lady had woken up, and made haste to pay his respects.

  “Sorry to have put you to so much trouble, Old Ancestress,” he said. “And my two aunts as well. My father and I are most grateful. When this business is over, we shall take the whole family, young and old, to your place to kowtow our thanks.”

  Old Mrs. You nodded.

  “It’s good of you to say that, my child,” she replied. “We’re only acting as relatives should.” Then she asked, “Is your father well? When did you get the message and hurry back?”

  “We’ve only just arrived,” he told her. “He sent me on ahead to see how you are, madam, and to beg you to stay till the whole business is finished.” As he said this he winked at his second aunt.

  Gritting her teeth and smiling, Second Sister You scolded softly, “You glib-tongued monkey! Are you keeping us here to be your father’s mothers?”

  “Don’t worry, madam,” said Jia Rong to old Mrs. You. “Not a day goes by but my father is thinking of my two aunts and looking for two well-born, handsome young gentlemen from rich and noble families to arrange two matches for them. For some years he couldn’t find anyone suitable. Luckily, on his way home this time, he met just the right man.”

  Old Mrs. You was only too ready to believe him.

  “What family is he from?” she promptly asked.

  The two sisters put down their sewing at this to chase him playfully and pummel him.

  “Don’t you believe the rascal, mother,” one of them cried.

  Even the maids protested, “Old Man Heaven has eyes. Look out, or you’ll be struck by a thunderbolt!”

  Just then someone came in to announce, “We’ve made everything ready. Please go and have a look, Master Rong, and report it to His Lordship.”

  Then Jia Rong went out chuckling to himself. To know what happened later, read the next chapter.

  Chapter 64

  A Chaste Girl in Sad Seclusion Writes Poems on Five Beauties

 
An Amorous Libertine Drops His Nine-Dragon Pendant

  Jia Rong hurried back to the temple to report to his father that all was ready at home; and that same night they assigned the various tasks and prepared all the pennons, poles and other essential paraphernalia. Five o’clock in the morning of the fourth day was fixed upon as the hour to have the coffin taken into the city, and all relatives and friends were informed of this.

  When the time arrived, with its splendid funeral rites, a host of guests assembled, and tens of thousands of spectators lined the road all the way from Iron Threshold Temple to the Ning Mansion, some sighing in admiration, others in envy, while crabbed pedants argued that frugality in the funeral rites would have been better than such extravagance. Endless different comments were made as the cortege passed; and not till nearly three in the afternoon did it finally reach the Ning Mansion, where the coffin was deposited in the main hall. After the sacrifice and mourning ended, the relatives and friends gradually dispersed, leaving only members of the Jia clan to see to the entertaining of guests. The sole close relative to remain was Lady Xing’s elder brother.

  Jia Zhen and Jia Rong, by duty bound to keep vigil by the coffin and mourn, nevertheless seized the chance once the guests had gone to fool around with old Mrs. You’s two daughters. Baoyu, wearing mourning, also went every day to the Ning Mansion, not returning to the Garden till the evening after the guests had left. Xifeng was still not well enough to stay there all the time; but when Buddhist masses were held and sutras read, or when visitors came to offer sacrifices, she made the effort to come over to help Madam You cope.

  One day after the morning sacrifice, at a time when the days were still long, Jia Zhen worn out after his recent exertions was dozing by the coffin and Baoyu, seeing that no guests had come, decided to go back to call on Daiyu.

  He went first to Happy Red Court. As he stepped through the gate he found the court quiet and empty except for a few old women and young maids resting in the shade of the verandah, some asleep and others nodding drowsily. He did not go to disturb them, and only Sier noticed his arrival. As she hurried over to lift the portiere for him, Fangguan came dashing out, laughing, and nearly knocked full tilt into Baoyu.