A Dream of Red Mansion

by Cao Xueqin

  “Another thing, your sister says you’ve been home nearly a month now, so presumably those goods are all disposed of. You ought to entertain the assistants who went on the trip with you to a feast, to thank them for their hard work. Of course, they’re our employees and we pay them; still, they’re our proteges too. And, after all, they accompanied you on a journey of one or two thousand li, working hard for four or five months and sharing your hardships and dangers on the road.”

  “You’re quite right, mother,” agreed Xue Pan. “Sister thinks of everything. It did occur to me too, but these days I’ve been so busy dispatching goods, my head’s been in a whirl; and the last few days I’ve been rushing about arranging Brother Liu’s wedding—not that anything’s come of it—and that’s held up our own business. Suppose we fix on tomorrow or the day after and send out invitations?”

  “Just decide on any day you please,” said his mother. As she was speaking a servant came in to report, “Manager Zhang’s assistants have brought two cases. They say these are things the master bought for himself, not included in the bill of goods. They meant to bring them over earlier but couldn’t get at them as they were beneath other cases. Yesterday they finished dispatching the goods; that’s why they’ve only sent them over today.”

  Meanwhile two servant-boys had brought in two big palm-fibre cases, crated with spars.

  “Aiya!” exclaimed Xue Pan. “How could I be so muddle-headed! These are things I bought specially for you, mother and sister, but as I forgot to bring them home they’ve had to send them.”

  Baochai teased, “You say these were bought specially, yet you left them lying there for over a fortnight. If they had been something not specially bought, I suppose you wouldn’t have given them to us until the end of the year. You’re altogether too casual.”

  “I guess those brigands on the road scared the wits out of me, and they haven’t come back to my noddle yet,” he said, raising a laugh. Then turning to the servants, he ordered, “Go and tell the messengers I’ve received these cases and they can go back now.”

  Aunt Xue and Baochai now asked, “What good things are these, so carefully packed and crated?”

  Xue Pan called servants to unfasten the ropes and remove the spars, then he unlocked the cases. They saw that one was filled with silks, satins, brocades, foreign imports and articles of daily use. The other, meant for Baochai, in addition to writing-brushes, ink-tablets, inkstones, stationery, perfume-sachets, scented beads, fans, fan-sheaths, powder, rouge and pomade, had in it all sorts of toys from Huqiu in Soochow. Among them were figurines with movable limbs, lots for drinking-games, toy tumblers weighted with quicksilver, earthenware lanterns, whole sets of clay opera figures in blue gauze boxes, and even a clay sculpture of Xue Pan done to the life by one of the Huqiu craftsmen.

  Baochai was not interested in the other things, but she picked up the figurine of Xue Pan to examine it carefully; and comparing it with her brother, she burst out laughing.

  She told her maids, “Take this case to the Garden, so that it’ll be easier to distribute these presents to the different apartments there.”

  With that she stood up to ask leave from her mother, then went back to the Garden.

  Aunt Xue, for her part, when she had unpacked her case, divided the things into different lots which she told her young maid Tongxi to take to the Lady Dowager, Lady Wang and others.

  Baochai, who had followed her case back to her own rooms, looked through the things in it one by one. Some she kept for herself; the rest she divided into appropriate lots. To some people she would just give toys; to others, stationery; or sachets, fans and pendants; rouge and pomade. She gave careful thought to what was a fair share for each, only making an exception in Daiyu’s case—she was to have twice as much as anyone else. After she had allotted all the shares, she sent Yinger with an old maid-servant to deliver them to the different apartments.

  Li Wan, Baoyu and the rest, on receiving these presents, tipped the messengers and told them that they would thank Baochai when next they saw her. Only Daiyu was grief-stricken at the sight of these toys from her home in the south which reminded her of her parents. Gazing at them through tears she sighed:

  “I come from south of the Yangzi, but my parents are dead and I’m all on my own, with no brothers; so I have to put up in my grandmother’s house. My health is poor too, and though I’m well looked after by my grandmother, aunt and cousins, none of the Lin family ever calls to see me or brings me local products which I could gain face by distributing as presents. This shows how lonely it is, how utterly wretched, to have no family of one’s own.” These reflections made her feel her heart would break.

  Zijuan, having waited on Daiyu for so long, knew just how her mind worked and that it was the sight of these gifts from her old home in the south that had upset her, making her feel homesick. But not daring to say so outright, she just tried to comfort her.

  “You’re so delicate, miss,” she said, “that you’re always taking medicine. These last few days you’ve just begun to recover your appetite and have a little more energy; but you’re not completely well yet. Miss Baochai’s gift of these things today shows how fond she is of you. They ought to make you happy instead of upsetting you. Doesn’t it look as if her presents, which she hoped would please you, have vexed you instead? Wouldn’t she feel bad if she knew this?

  “And just think, miss, Their Ladyships are doing all they can to find good doctors to diagnose your illness and prescribe medicine, so that you’ll be cured as soon as possible. You’ve just taken a turn for the better, but by weeping again like this aren’t you yourself injuring your health? Don’t you want to please the old lady? You fell ill, didn’t you, because you undermined your strength by worrying too much? Your health’s as precious as gold, miss. Don’t treat it so lightly!”

  As Zijuan was pleading like this with Daiyu, a young maid in the courtyard announced, “Master Bao has come.”

  “Show him in at once,” called Zijuan.

  Even as she was speaking Baoyu walked in, and Daiyu invited him to take a seat.

  Seeing the tear-stains on her face he asked, “Who’s been offending you again, cousin? Your eyes are red from weeping.”

  Daiyu said nothing. Zijuan, standing to one side, jerked her chin towards the bed, and Baoyu taking the hint walked over to have a look. When he saw all the things piled up there he knew that these were presents from Baochai. “What nice things!” he exclaimed. “Are you starting a shop? Or why display them like this?” Still Daiyu ignored him.

  “Don’t mention them, Second Master,” said Zijuan. “They were sent by Miss Baochai, but at sight of them our young lady got upset and started weeping. I’ve been trying hard to console her, but it’s no use. And she’s missed a meal again. If she wears herself out with crying so that her illness comes back, the old lady’s going to give us a fearful scolding. It’s lucky you’ve come. Do talk her round for us.”

  Baoyu was intelligent, and having always paid more attention to Daiyu than anyone else he knew just how narrow-minded and hyper-sensitive she was, how eager to outshine others in every way. When she saw that Baochai’s brother had brought all these things from the south, from her old home, to give away as presents, she must have been painfully reminded of her own loss and other causes for grief. But though he knew the real reason for her distress he refrained from speaking of it, for fear of making her feel worse.

  “I know why your young lady cried,” he said with a smile. “She’s angry and upset because Miss Baochai didn’t send her more things. Don’t worry, cousin, next year when I go south I’ll bring you back two boatloads of things to stop you crying all the time.”

  Daiyu couldn’t help chuckling at this.

  But at once she protested, “However little I’ve seen of the world, I’m not such a fool as to get provoked because a present’s too little. What do you take me for, a two-year-old? You really have too low an opinion of other people. I have my own reasons which you know
nothing about.” With that she started shedding tears again.

  Baoyu at once went to sit down on the bed beside her. He picked up the gifts one by one to examine them.

  “What’s this?” he asked. “What’s it called? What’s that cute thing made of? And this one, what’s it used for? Look, cousin, you could put this one as an ornament on your bookcase or on your cabinet as a curio.” In the hope of distracting her he kept up this idle chatter for a while.

  Seeing Baoyu clowning like this to amuse her and asking all sorts of inconsequential questions, Daiyu was mollified and cheered up a little.

  Noticing this, he suggested, “Don’t you think we should call on Baochai to thank her? Will you come with me?”

  Daiyu had not intended to make a special trip to thank Baochai that could wait until next they met. But as Baoyu’s proposal was right she could hardly refuse, so she went off with him.

  To return to Xue Pan. On his mother’s advice he lost no time in sending out invitations and making preparations for feast, which kept him busy all day.

  The next day the three or four assistants invited arrived. After some talk about the dispatching of goods and the accounts, they were ushered to their seats. Xue Pan poured drinks for each in turn to thank them for their work, and Aunt Xue sent a maid out from the inner room to express her thanks as well.

  One of the men asked, “Why isn’t Brother Liu here today? Did you forget to invite him, sir?”

  Xue Pan knitted his brows.

  “Don’t bring up his name,” he sighed. “None of you know, I suppose, what’s happened to him. It’s really tragic. Two days ago, out of the blue, some crazy Taoist priest persuaded him to renounce the world, and he went away with the priest. Don’t you call that extraordinary?”

  One of them answered, “In the shop we did hear a great hubbub outside about some Taoist priest, who with just a few words persuaded a young man to go away with him. Some said they disappeared in a gust of wind, others that they rode off on rainbow-coloured clouds—there were different accounts. But we were too busy dispatching goods to pay much attention, so we didn’t make further inquiries. Besides, we were rather sceptical about it. Now you tell us that the convert was our Brother Liu. If we’d known that, we ought to have dissuaded him and never allowed him to leave. It’s really too bad to have lost such an entertaining friend. No wonder you feel upset, sir.

  “But would such an intelligent man really go off with the priest? Brother Liu can use arms, he’s strong. He may have seen through the priest’s black magic and just pretended to be taken in, so that he could do for the fellow somewhere else.”

  “One never knows,” said Xue Pan. “If that’s what happened, fine: there’ll be one less sorcerer casting spells on people.”

  “But when you heard about it, didn’t you go to make a search?” they asked.

  “We searched high and low, inside and outside the city, but couldn’t find him. And when I saw no sign of him—you may think me a fool for this—I broke down and blubbered.”

  As he kept sighing and looked very downcast, not urging them to drink in his usual cheerful way, though it was a sumptuous feast with chicken, duck, fish, meat and other delicacies of land and sea, in view of their host’s low spirits the guests did not like to stay too long. After finishing a few cups of wine and a little food they left.

  Meantime Baoyu had taken Daiyu to Baochai’s place to thank her. After the usual exchange of civilities, Daiyu said to Baochai:

  “Your brother must have been to a lot of trouble bringing back all those things. Now you’ve given so many to us, you can’t have anything left for yourself.”

  “Exactly. Why didn’t you keep them?” asked Baoyu.

  “They weren’t anything good,” said Baochai, “just some local products from far away, some novelties to amuse us. Whether I keep any or not doesn’t matter. If there’s anything I fancy, next year when my brother makes another trip I can ask him to bring more; it’s no trouble at all.”

  At once Baoyu chuckled, “If he does, we’ll expect you to give us some. You mustn’t forget us.”

  “Speak for yourself,” said Daiyu. “Don’t drag me in.” Turning to Baochai she added, “You see he’s not come to thank you, but to order things for next year.” Baoyu laughed.

  “If I get some, of course you’ll get a share too. So you ought to back me up instead of making such sarcastic remarks.” Daiyu just smiled.

  “How did you two happen to arrive here at the same time?” Baochai asked. “Did one of you fetch the other?”

  “Well, when you sent me these things, I knew Cousin Lin must have her share too,” explained Baoyu. “So if I wanted to thank you, so would she. I called to pick her up and come here together, but found her upset and in tears. I can’t understand why she’s so fond of crying.”

  Daiyu shot him a repressive look.

  Taking the hint he changed his tune and said, “Cousin Lin hasn’t felt too well these last few days. She was crying for fear her illness might come back. I tried to comfort her for a while and then we came, partly to thank you, partly because she’d feel low sitting all alone in her room.”

  “It’s only right to worry about one’s health,” replied Baochai. “But all one need do is to take extra care about food and sufficient rest, and wearing suitable clothes for different weather. Why should one feel upset? Don’t you know, cousin, that grieving saps your spirits and energy? If you do yourself such serious harm you’ll fall ill. Do remember that.”

  “You’re quite right, cousin,” agreed Daiyu. “Of course I know that. But you’ve seen how it’s been with me these last few years. Not one year’s gone by without my falling ill once or twice; that’s what unnerves me. The very sight of medicine, whether it does me any good or not, gives me a headache, and the smell nauseates me. How can I help being afraid of a relapse?”

  “Even so, you shouldn’t get too upset,” urged Baochai. “Instead, whenever you don’t feel too well you should make an effort to come out and stroll about to cheer yourself up. That would be better than sitting moping at home. Depression just makes your health worse, that’s the trouble with it. A couple of days ago I felt so lazy and limp I longed to lie down, but knowing this is a treacherous time of the year I was afraid I might fall ill, so I forced myself to find something to do, and that way I got over it. You mustn’t mind me saying this, cousin, but ‘the more afraid you are the more likely the devil is to come.’“

  “What devil, cousin? From where?” demanded Baoyu. “Why have I never seen one?” Everyone laughed.

  “Silly lordling!” mocked Baochai. “That’s just a figure of speech. There are no such things as devils. If there were, you’d be crying for fright.”

  “Well said, cousin,” approved Daiyu with a smile. “You’re right to tick him off for blurting out whatever comes into his head.”

  “So you’re pleased whenever people snub me,” said Baoyu. “Well, now that you’ve stopped feeling sad we’d better be going.”

  After a little further chat they said goodbye to Baochai and left, Baoyu seeing Daiyu to Bamboo Lodge before going home himself.

  Now when Concubine Zhao saw the presents sent to Huan, she seized on them gleefully, loud in her praise of Baochai.

  “Everyone speaks of Miss Baochai’s good manners and generosity,” she gushed, “and sure enough here’s an example today. How much stuff could her brother bring back? Yet she sends some to every household, not missing one out or making any distinctions, even thinking of us who don’t count for anything here. This really does her credit! Miss Lin, now, she’s quite different. Of course nobody brings her anything; but even if they did, she’d only send presents to those who have power and big face. Would she ever think of me or of my son? This shows that good breeding is really exceptional.”

  As Concubine Zhao gloated over these presents for Huan, picking them up to play with and examine, it occurred to her that as Baochai was Lady Wang’s niece this was a good opportunity to go and make up t
o her mistress. So she hurried over with the presents to Lady Wang’s room.

  Standing to one side there she said, “These are things Miss Baochai just gave Huan, things brought her by her brother. She’s so young yet she thinks of everybody! I gave the maid who brought them two hundred cash. I heard that Aunt Xue sent you some gifts too, madam. I wonder what they are? So their family’s sending us two lots of presents! How many things could they have got? Not wonder the old lady and you both praise Miss Baochai and make such a favourite of her. She’s really most lovable.”

  While saying this she held out the things she had brought. But Lady Wang neither looked up nor reached out her hand.

  “Good, let Huan play with them,” was all she said, without so much as glancing at the toys.

  Annoyed by this snub, the concubine trailed back dejectedly to her room where she threw the toys aside and started grumbling, scolding and complaining. As no one asked her what the matter was, she sat there muttering to herself, showing how petty-minded and stupid she was. Even when good things came her way, she would make so many tactless and irritating remarks that Tanchun can hardly be blamed for being exasperated with her mother and despising her.

  When the maid delivering the presents for Baochai returned, she reported how some of the recipients had thanked her and some had given her tips; only she had brought back the share for little Qiaojie.

  “Didn’t you take it or wouldn’t she accept it?” asked Baochai in surprise.

  “When I took the things to Master Huan,” Yinger explained, “I saw Madam Lian going to the old lady’s place. As she wouldn’t be at home, I didn’t know to whom to give Qiaojie’s share, so I didn’t go there.”

  “How silly of you,” scolded Baochai. “Even if she were out, Pinger and Fenger would hardly be out as well. You could have given it to them, and they’d have told Madam Lian when she came back. Do you have to deliver it to her in person?”

  So Yinger took the things out of the Garden again. On the way to Xifeng’s quarters she told the old maid-servant carrying them for her: