by Cao Xueqin
Thus reminded, Lady Wang remarked to Xifeng, “Last time we went for a stroll with the old lady in the Garden, I noticed a girl with a willowy waist, sloping shoulders and eyes and eyebrows rather like Daiyu’s. She was scolding one of the younger maids and I didn’t at all like the wild look of her, but being with the old lady I said nothing. I meant to ask later who she was, but I forgot. She seems to fit this description of Qingwen,”
“Qingwen’s the prettiest among the maids,” Xifeng replied. “She does act and talk rather flippantly too. Your description sounds like her, but I can’t remember exactly what happened that day.”
“That’s easily remedied,” said Wang Shanbao’s wife. “Just fetch her now for Your Ladyship to see.”
Lady Wang observed, “The girls from Baoyu’s place whom I see most often are Xiren and Sheyue. They’re not too smart and that’s all to the good. If she’s there, she naturally wouldn’t dare come. She’s just the sort of girl I’ve always disliked. And now that this has happened, think how dreadful it would be if this bitch were to lead our precious Baoyu astray!” She told her maid to go to the Garden.
“Just give them this message: I want Xiren and Sheyue to stay to look after Baoyu, but that clever girl Qingwen is to come here at once. Don’t tell her why I want her.”
The maid assented and went off to Happy Red Court.
Qingwen happened to be unwell that day and had just got up from a nap, feeling out of sorts. She had no choice now but to obey this summons. As all the maids were well aware that Lady Wang disliked finery and pertness, Qingwen had taken care to keep out of her way. Now as she had been unwell for a couple of days and not paid much attention to her toilet, she had no special misgivings. When she entered Xifeng’s room with her hair dishevelled and her costume rumpled, like a frail beauty just aroused from sleep, Lady Wang immediately recognized her as the girl she had seen. This rekindled her anger. And being genuinely outraged and already prejudiced, she was too outspoken to conceal her feelings. She smiled sarcastically.
“What a beauty!” she sneered. “Really like an ailing Xi Shi. Whom are you trying to vamp, going about like this? Don’t think I’m ignorant of your goings-on. I’ll let you off now, but very soon I’ll have you skinned alive. How is Baoyu today?”
Qingwen knew that someone must have been running her down, but did not venture to express her resentment. And quickly recovering from her surprise she was intelligent enough not to give a truthful answer.
“I seldom go into Baoyu’s rooms or spend much time with him,” she lied. “So I can’t say just how he is. You’ll have to ask Xiren or Sheyue, madam.”
“You deserve a slap on your mouth,” fumed Lady Wang. “Are you dead? What are you paid for?”
“I used to serve the old lady,” answered Qingwen. “Then she said there were too few older maids in the Garden and Baoyu was nervous because it was so empty, so I was to go and keep watch at night in the outer rooms, just to keep an eye on the place. When I said I was too clumsy to wait on the young master, the old lady scolded, ‘I’m not asking you to look after him, you don’t have to be smart.’ So I had to go. It’s only two or three times a month, when Baoyu’s bored, that we all have a game together. His personal needs are attended to by his old nurses and the matrons with Xiren, Sheyue and Qiuwen under them. In my spare time I still do some sewing for the old lady, so I’ve never paid much attention to Baoyu’s affairs. But if you wish, madam, I shall be more attentive in future.”
“Amida Buddha! Don’t trouble!” exclaimed Lady Wang, quite taken in by this. “The less you have to do with Baoyu, the better. Since you were assigned to him by the old lady, I’ll get her permission tomorrow to have you dismissed.”
She turned and told Wang Shanbao’s wife, “You people move into the Garden and keep a good watch on her for a few days. Don’t let her sleep in Baoyu’s quarters. We’ll deal with her after I’ve spoken to the old lady. Get out!” she rapped at Qingwen. “What are you standing there for? I can’t bear the sight of such a vamp. Who let you dress in those gaudy reds and greens?”
Qingwen had to withdraw, so outraged that once out of the door she covered her face with her handkerchief and wept all the way back to the Garden.
Meanwhile Lady Wang was reproaching herself to Xifeng.
“These last few years I haven’t had the energy to see to things,” she lamented. “I never set eyes on such a fox-fairy! I suppose there are others like her too. Tomorrow I must make a thorough investigation.”
Seeing how enraged she was, and knowing that Wang Shanbao’s wife often told tales to Lady Xing and incited her to make trouble, Xifeng could not defend Qingwen even had she had good reasons for doing so. She just lowered her head and assented.
“You must look after your health, madam,” urged Mrs. Wang. “Just leave trifling matters like this to your slaves. It should be very easy to find the culprit. This evening after the Garden gates are locked and no news can get in or out, we’ll take them by surprise and have a thorough search made of all the maids’ rooms I’m positive that whoever had that pouch will have other things of the same kind. When we find them we’ll know whose it is.”
“That’s a good idea,” approved Lady Wang. “We can’t let innocent people take the blame.” She asked Xifeng her opinion.
“Of course you’re right, madam,” Xifeng had to acquiesce. “That’s the way to do it.”
“This is an excellent plan,” added Lady Wang. “Otherwise we could search for a year and still get nowhere.”
So they agreed on it. After supper when the old lady had gone to bed and Baochai and the rest had returned to the Garden, Wang Shanbao’s wife accompanied Xifeng there. They ordered all the gates to be locked and started their search in the rooms of the servants on night duty, but discovered nothing more incriminating than some left-over candles and a jar or two of oil.
“These count as stolen property too,” declared Wang Shanbao’s wife. “They mustn’t be moved till we’ve made our report to Her Ladyship tomorrow.”
Then they went first to Happy Red Court and had the courtyard gate locked. Baoyu was rather unhappy on Qingwen’s account. When he saw these matrons marching into the maids’ rooms, he asked Xifeng what they were doing.
“Something important is missing,” she told him. “As people are accusing each other and we think one of the maids may have stolen it, we’re making a general search to clear up suspicion.”
She sat down to sip tea while Mrs. Wang and the others set about searching. They asked whose the different cases were and told the owners to open them themselves. Xiren had already guessed from what had happened to Qingwen that something was amiss. Now she was the first to step forward and open her cases and boxes for them to examine. Finding nothing out of the way, the women went on to search the other maids’ cases one by one. When they came to Qingwen’s they asked: “Whose is this? Why doesn’t anyone open it for us?” Xiren was about to open it when Qingwen rushed in, her hair loosely knotted. Crash! She flung the lid back and raised the case bottom upwards in both hands to empty all its contents on the floor. Wang Shanbao’s wife was disconcerted. She had a look and, finding nothing improper, suggested to Xifeng that they should move on.
“You’d better make a careful search,” warned Xifeng. “If you fail to find anything, what are we going to say to Her Ladyship?”
The stewardesses assured her, “We’ve been through everything carefully, and there’s nothing that shouldn’t be here except a few objects used by boys; but these must have belonged to Baoyu when he was small. There’s nothing of consequence.”
Xifeng smiled. “In that case we can go to another house.”
As they went out she said to Mrs. Wang, “I have a suggestion, if you agree to it, and that is to restrict the search to our own family. We mustn’t raid Miss Baochai’s quarters.”
“Of course not. How can we search our relatives?”
“Exactly.”
By now they had reached Bamboo Lodge where Daiyu
was already in bed. When visitors were announced, not knowing their errand she prepared to get up, but Xifeng came in and made her lie down again. “Go back to sleep,” she said. “We won’t stay long.” She chatted with Daiyu while Mrs. Wang took the others to the maids’ quarters and searched their cases and baskets one by one. In Zijuan’s room they discovered two amulets which Baoyu had often worn, two tassels from a boy’s belt, two pouches and a fan in a sheath—all Baoyu’s old belongings. Wang Shanbao’s wife thought she had made a find and hastily called Xifeng over to have a look.
“Where do these things come from?” she asked. Xifeng told her with a smile, “Baoyu’s been thick with them ever since he was a child, so naturally these are some of his old things. This is nothing extraordinary. Better put them back and try somewhere else.”
“Our two apartments’ accounts are so muddled,” put in Zijuan gaily, “I can’t even remember the day, the month or the year when these things were left here.”
In view of what Xifeng had said, Mrs. Wang had to let this pass and they went on to Tanchun’s place. Apparently someone had sent Tanchun word of their coming, and she knew there must be some reason for this indignity. She had ordered her maids to open all the doors and light candles in readiness. When the women arrived she deliberately asked them their business.
“Something’s missing, and we don’t know who took it,” Xifeng told her. “For fear people may put the blame on these girls, we’re making a general search to disarm suspicion. This seems the best way to clear them.”
Tanchun laughed scornfully. “Naturally, all our maids are thieves and I’m their brigand chief. So search my cases first. They’ve given me all their stolen goods for safe-keeping.”
She ordered her maids to open up all her chests as well as her mirror-stand, dressing-case, bedding, wrappers and bundles large and small for Xifeng’s inspection.
“I’m simply carrying out Her Ladyship’s orders,” said Xifeng with a mollifying smile. “You’ve no call to blame me, cousin. Don’t be angry.”
She told the maids to close the cases at once, and Pinger and Fenger made haste to help Daishu and the rest put the things away.
“I’ll let you search my things, but not my maids,’“ Tanchun insisted. “As a matter of fact, being meaner than all the others, I know everything they’ve got and I’m keeping it for them here. They haven’t so much as a needle or thread themselves. So if search you must, search me. If you don’t agree, go and report to Her Ladyship that I won’t obey her orders, and I’ll accept any punishment she thinks fit.
“Just you wait though! The day will come when you’re raided too. Weren’t you talking this morning about the Zhen family and how they were doing fine but insisted on ransacking each others’ houses? Now they’ve been raided themselves and their property’s been confiscated. Our turn’s coming too. Now I realize that big families like ours can’t be destroyed in one fell swoop from outside. In the words of the old saying, ‘A centipede even when dead won’t fall to the ground.’ We must start killing each other first before our family can be completely destroyed.” By now she was shedding tears.
Xifeng looked in silence at the stewardesses. Taking the hint Zhou Rui’s wife proposed, “As all these girl’s things are here, madam, we’d better go elsewhere and leave Miss Tanchun to rest.” Xifeng got up to take her leave.
But Tanchun cried, “Mind you make a thorough search. I won’t have you coming here again tomorrow!”
“Since all your maids’ things are here, there’s no need to search,” replied Xifeng with a smile.
Tanchun laughed scornfully.
“How smart you are! You’ve opened even my bundles of old clothes, yet still pretend you haven’t ransacked the place. Will you accuse me later of shielding my maids and refusing to let you search? Let’s get this clear now. If you want to search again, just go ahead.”
Xifeng knew how difficult Tanchun was and therefore answered soothingly, “We’ve made a thorough search, even including your things.”
“Are you all satisfied?” Tanchun challenged the others.
Zhou Rui’s wife and the rest assured her that they were.
But Wang Shanbao’s wife was tactless. She had heard that Tanchun was difficult to handle, but thought this was because others were afraid to stand up to her. How could-a young girl have her own way like this? Besides, the mere daughter of a concubine would hardly dare cross her, Lady Xing’s personal maid whom even Lady Wang treated with respect, to say nothing of younger members of the household. Tanchun’s behaviour had led her to believe that she was simply annoyed with Xifeng, not with the rest of them. So she decided to assert herself and stepping forward through the crowd she pulled up the girl’s lapel.
“Yes,” she sniggered. “I’ve searched even the young lady’s person. There’s really nothing.”
“Let’s go, nurse,” interposed Xifeng. “Stop this fooling.”
Even as she was speaking—slap!—Tanchun boxed Mrs. Wang’s ears.
“Who do you think you are?” she fumed, pointing one finger at her. “How dare you paw me? It’s only for Her Ladyship’s sake and because you’re old that I call you ‘nurse,’ but like a dog counting on its master’s backing you’re always making trouble. Today you’ve gone too far. If you think I’m as good-natured as your young mistress, whom you bully just as you please, you’re making a big mistake. I didn’t scold you for coming to raid our place, but you’ve no right to take liberties with me.”
She started taking off her clothes and insisted that, instead of letting a slave maul her, Xifeng must search her carefully herself. Xifeng and Pinger hurriedly helped to dress her again. “A few cups of wine and you play the fool,” they scolded Mrs. Wang. “The other day you offended Her Ladyship too. Be off with you now, and not another word.”
They tried to placate Tanchun.
“If I’d any pride,” scoffed Tanchun, “I should have dashed my brains out long ago. How can I let a slave search my person for stolen goods? Tomorrow I’ll report this to Their Ladyships, then go to apologize to Lady Xing and accept whatever punishment she thinks fit.”
Wang Shanbao’s wife, thoroughly abashed, started grumbling outside the window, “This is too much! I’ve never been struck before in all my life. Tomorrow I’ll ask Her Ladyship’s leave to go home. What’s there left for me to live for?”
“Hear that?” Tanchun snapped at her maids. “Are you waiting for me to go out and argue with her?”
At once Daishu darted out.
“If you get leave to go home, that’s our good fortune!” she cried. “We’re only afraid you won’t ask.”
“Well!” laughed Xifeng. “Here’s truly a case of ‘like mistress like maid’.”
“We thieves all have ready tongues,” retorted Tanchun. “But she isn’t clever enough to tell tales to her mistress.”
Pinger tried to smooth things over and fetched Daishu back while Zhou Rui’s wife and the others soothed Tanchun. And Xifeng waited till she had gone to bed before leading her search party to Warm Spring Village opposite, for as this lay just between Xichun’s and Tanchun’s quarters it was the next place to visit before Xichun’s. Li Wan, ill in bed, had just taken medicine and gone to sleep, so without disturbing her they searched her maids’ rooms. Not finding anything there they went on to Xichun’s place.
Xichun being little more than a child was frightened, and Xifeng had to soothe her. However, in Ruhua’s case they discovered a big package of thirty to forty gold and silver ingots: so instead of evidence of immoral conduct they had found stolen goods! There was also a set of jade ornaments for a man’s belt and a bundle containing a man’s sandals and socks. Ruhua turned pale. And asked where these things came from she knelt down and sobbed.
“They were given my brother by Lord Zhen,” she faltered. “Now that our parents are down south he lives with our uncle. And because my uncle and aunt are fond of drinking and gambling, for fear they’d squander anything he gets my brother always gives it t
o an old nurse to bring to me for safe-keeping.”
Xichun was naturally timid and this disclosure appalled her. “I’d no idea!” she cried. “How disgraceful! If you want to have her beaten, sister-in-law, do take her away so that I don’t have to hear it.”
“If what you say is true, it’s forgivable,” said Xifeng to Ruhua. “But you shouldn’t smuggle things in here in secret. If you had these smuggled in, you can smuggle in other things too; so whoever brought them in here is to blame. If you’re lying and these are stolen goods, don’t expect to get off alive!”
Kneeling before her Ruhua sobbed, “I dare not lie to you, madam. You can check with Her Ladyship and His Lordship tomorrow. If they say these weren’t gifts, I won’t complain if you have me and my brother beaten to death.”
“Naturally I shall check. But even if these were gifts you still did wrong. Who gave you permission to bring things here in secret? Tell me who your intermediary was and I’ll let you off. But mind you never do such a thing again.”
“Don’t let her off, sister-in-law,” cried Xichun. “We have so many people here, if we don’t make an example of one of them the bigger offenders will get quite out of hand. Even if you’re willing to forgive her, I’m not.”
“She’s usually quite well behaved, isn’t she? We all make mistakes, and this is her first offence. If she does it again we’ll punish her for both. But I wonder who smuggled the things in for her?”
“As for that, it must be Mrs. Zhang at the back gate. She’s always whispering with the maids and they all do her little favours.”
Xifeng told the stewardesses to make a note of this name, and the things were entrusted to Zhou Rui’s wife for temporary custody till a check had been made the next day. Then they took their leave of Xichun and went on to Yingchun’s place.