by Cao Xueqin
such a frenzy, he nearly turned the whole household upside down! This
time another casual remark nearly cost our young lady her life. What is this if not a case of predestined fate?”
They had a good laugh in secret, after which Xueyan said again, “Well, thank goodness she’s better. We must be careful not to gossip in future. Even if Baoyu marries some other girl and I see the wedding myself, I won’t breathe a word about it.”
“That’s right,” agreed Zijuan, smiling.
These two were not the only ones to be talking this business over. All the domestics knew of Daiyu’s strange illness and strange recovery, and in twos and threes they canvassed the matter together, till very soon this came to Xifeng’s ears. Lady Xing and Lady Wang also found it puzzling. Only the Lady Dowager had a good inkling of the reason.
One day Their Ladyships and Xifeng, chatting with the old lady in her room, brought up the subject of Daiyu’s illness again.
“I was just going to tell you something,” said the old lady. “Baoyu and Daiyu have been inseparable since they were small, and I didn’t think it mattered as they were children. Since then, though, there’s been all this talk about her sudden illness and sudden recovery—just because they are growing up now. So I don’t think it proper to leave them together all the time. What do you say?”
Taken aback, Lady Wang could only answer, “Daiyu is a bright, intelligent girl. As for Baoyu, he’s such a simpleton he may get himself talked about sometimes. On the face of it, though, they’re both of them still children. If we move one of them out of the Garden now, all of a sudden, won’t that give people ideas? As they say: When the time comes do not tarry; boys must wed and girls must marry. Don’t you think it would be better, madam, to lose no time in arranging their marriages?”
Frowning, the old lady said, “Daiyu is over-sensitive, and though that’s not a bad thing in a way it’s also the reason why I don’t want to marry her to Baoyu. Besides, she’s so delicate. I doubt whether she’s long for this world. The most suitable choice is Baochai.”
“We all agree with you there, madam,” said Lady Wang. “But we must arrange a marriage for Daiyu too. A growing girl is bound to get ideas into her head. If she’s really set her heart on Baoyu and hears that he’s engaged to Baochai, we’re going to have a problem on our hands.”
“But we can’t marry her off before Baoyu,” objected the old lady. “Who ever heard of arranging a marriage for someone else’s child before one’s own? Especially as she’s two years younger than he is. Still, there’s truth in what you said, so we’ll just have to see to it that there’s no talk about Baoyu’s engagement.” At once Xifeng turned to the maids.
“Did you hear that? Mind you don’t gossip about Master Bao’s engagement. I’ll flay anyone who blabs!”
“Xifeng,” said the old lady, “since that illness of yours you’ve stopped paying much attention to what goes on in the Garden. I want you to keep your eyes open, and not just with regard to this. The way the servants there were drinking and gambling the other year was disgraceful. You have sharper eyes than the rest of us, so we must trouble you to keep them under stricter control. Besides, I think they’re more obedient to you.”
Xifeng promised to do her best, and after a little further talk they dispersed.
After that, Xifeng often went to check up in the Garden. One day she had just gone in when she heard an old woman at Purple Caltrop Isle raising a rumpus. As soon as the old woman saw her approaching, she stood at attention and greeted her.
“Why are you making such a noise here?” demanded Xifeng.
“The mistresses put me in charge of the flowers and fruit here, madam. I’ve done nothing wrong, yet Miss Xiuyan’s maid says we’re thieves!”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Yesterday our Heier came here with me to play for a bit. Having no sense, she went to Miss Xiuyan’s place to peek around, and then I sent her home. This morning, her maid told me something was missing. When I asked what it was, she started questioning me!”
“That’s nothing to get so worked up about.”
“Well, this Garden belongs to our mistress’ family, not to theirs. It’s our mistress who put us in charge here; so how dare they call us thieves?”
Xifeng spat in her face. “Don’t give me that talk!” she said sternly. “You’re here to keep an eye on things. When a young lady loses something, you should look into it. How can you maunder in this senseless fashion?”
She ordered her maids to fetch Lin Zhixiao’s wife to drive the woman away. At once Xiuyan came out to greet her with a smile.
“Please don’t,” she said. “It’s of no account—over and done with.”
“That’s not the point, cousin,” said Xifeng. “Quite apart from your losing something, she’s gone too far, forgetting her place like that.”
Seeing that the woman was kneeling to beg for pardon, Xiuyan invited Xifeng in to sit down.
“I know these creatures,” Xifeng went on. “I’m the only one of the mistresses they treat with any respect.”
Still Xiuyan begged her to let the woman off, saying her own maid was to blame.
“Well, for Miss Xing’s sake then, I’ll overlook it this time,” conceded Xifeng.
The woman kowtowed her thanks to them both and went off, whereupon they sat down.
“What have you lost?” asked Xifeng with a smile. “Nothing much, just a red jacket, an old one. When I told them to look for it and they couldn’t find it, I said it didn’t matter. But my maid is so silly she asked that woman about it, and of course that put her back up. It’s all this silly girl’s fault, and I’ve given her a scolding, so that’s that. We may as well forget about it.”
Xifeng looked her up and down and saw that though she had on some fur-lined and padded clothes, they were rather worn and could not be too warm. Her quilts too were on the thin side. But the knick-knacks in the room and on the desk, all provided by the Lady Dowager, were neatly set out and spotless. Impressed by this and drawn to her, Xifeng said:
“Of course a jacket isn’t all that important, but now that it’s cold you need something snug to wear. Naturally you should try to trace it. The insolence of that old slave, talking back!”
After a little more chat Xifeng took her leave, and having paid various other calls she went home. There she told Pinger to fetch a red crepe inner jacket, a deep green satin jacket lined with sheepskin, a sapphire blue embroidered padded skirt and a bright green gown lined with white squirrel. When these had been wrapped up she had them sent to Xiuyan.
Xiuyan was still upset after the old scold’s tirade, even though Xifeng had put a stop to it. She thought, “No one dares to offend any of the other girls here except me. With me, though, they keep making snide remarks—and now Xifeng knows about it.” The more she brooded the more wretched she felt, but there was nobody in whom to confide. She was choking back her sobs when Fenger brought in the clothes sent by Xifeng. Xiuyan most resolutely declined the gift.
“My mistress says that if you think these too worn, she’ll send new ones later,” said Fenger.
“It’s very kind of your mistress.” Xiuyan smiled. “She’s sent me these because I lost a jacket, but I really can’t accept them. So take them back and be sure to thank her for me. I do appreciate her thoughtfulness.”
She gave Fenger a pouch, and with that the girl had to leave.
Before long, Fenger came back again with Pinger. Xiuyan welcomed them and asked them to sit down.
Pinger told her with a smile, “Our mistress says you’re treating us like strangers.”
“Oh no!” exclaimed Xiuyan. “But I really can’t accept such a handsome gift.”
“Our mistress says that if you won’t accept, it must be either because you think these clothes too shabby or because you look down on her. Just now our mistress insisted that if I were to bring back the clothes the way Fenger did, she’d be really angry with me.”
Blushing, Xiu
yan said gratefully, “Well then, I dare not refuse.” Then she urged them to have some tea.
On their way back, Pinger and Fenger were accosted by one of the old women who worked for Aunt Xue.
“Where have you been?” Pinger asked her.
“Our mistress and young lady sent me to give their regards to all the ladies here,” the woman replied. “Just now I asked Madam Lian where you were, and she said you’d gone to the Garden. Have you come from Miss Xing’s place?”
“How did you know?”
“I just heard about it. And, truly, no one can help admiring your mistress and you, the way you both behave!”
Pinger laughed and invited her back to rest for a while.
“I have something else to do now,” said the woman. “I’ll call some other day.”
She went off, and Pinger returned to report on her errand to Xifeng. No more of this.
Now Aunt Xue’s household had been turned upside-down by Jingui. When the woman went back and told them about Xiuyan, Baochai and her mother shed tears.
“It’s all because brother’s away that Xiuyan has to go on putting up with these slights,” said Baochai. “I’m glad Cousin Xifeng is so considerate. In future we must see what we can do too as, after all, she’ll be marrying into our family.”
Just then Xue Ke came in.
“The friends Brother Pan has been making these years!” he fumed. “There’s not a single decent sort among the whole foxy lot. They’re a pack of curs! I don’t believe they feel any concern for him. They just come to ferret our news. The last couple of days I’ve sent the whole lot packing. I’ve told the gateman, too, not to admit such scoundrels from now on.”
“Are they Jiang Yuhan’s lot?” asked Aunt Xue.
“No, Jiang Yuhan hasn’t come. These are some others.”
Xue Ke’s outburst had further lowered Aunt Xue’s spirits.
“Though I have a son, it’s as if I had none,” she sighed. “Even if the authorities let him off, he’ll be useless. Though you’re my nephew, and not so close, I can see that you have more sense than Pan and will be my only prop in my old age. It’s up to you to make a success of your life. Especially as the family of your betrothed isn’t as well off as before. It’s hard for a girl to leave home and get married, and all she hopes for is an able husband who will provide for her. If Xiuyan were like that creature....”—she pointed towards the inner rooms— “well, enough said! But Xiuyan is truly modest, sensible too. She can put up with poverty, and wealth wouldn’t spoil her either. Once this trouble blows over we must hurry up and arrange your wedding, and that will be one less thing on my mind.”
“There’s still Sister Baoqin’s marriage which must be on your mind, aunt,” he said. “As for mine, don’t worry about it.”
After some more talk Xue Ke went back to his room for supper. He thought to himself, “Xiuyan’s living in the Jias’ Garden as a dependent, and being a poor relation she must be having a thin time of it. As we travelled here together, I know her character and what she’s like. Heaven is really unjust, giving a spoilt bitch like Xia Jingui money while a girl like Xiuyan is so badly off. How does the King of Hell decide these things, I wonder?”
He wanted to write a poem to vent his frustration, but as he had no training in versification he could only pen the following doggerel:
A dragon stranded, a fish high and dry;
Apart we think of each other, you and I.
In mud and slime our bitter days are passed;
When will we find clear water at long last?
This written, he read it through and was tempted to paste it on the wall but diffidently told himself, “I don’t want people seeing it to laugh at me.” After a second reading he thought, “Never mind! I may as well paste it up for my own amusement.” Reading it once more, however, he decided it really was no good and put it between the pages of a book.
“I’m no longer a boy,” he mused, “but now our family’s run into this bad trouble and there’s no knowing when it will blow over. It’s keeping that sweet, gentle girl so sad and lonely!”
His reflections were cut short by the arrival of Baochan with a hamper which she put on the table, smiling. Xue Ke got up and invited her to be seated.
“Here are four dishes of sweetmeats and one small pot of wine,” she announced archly. “My mistress told me to bring them to you.”
“Please thank my sister-in-law. But why didn’t she send a young maid instead of troubling you?”
“That’s all right. We’re one family, so why stand on ceremony? Be-ides, you’ve put yourself out so much over Master Pan’s business, our mistress has long been wanting to show her appreciation, but she was afraid people might suspect her motives. You know how it is in our family—all sweet talk hiding inward disagreement. It shouldn’t matter sending you a small present, but it might give rise to a whole lot of gossip. So today she simply prepared a couple of dishes and a pot of wine and told me to bring them to you secretly.” She glanced at him with a meaningful smile and added. “You mustn’t talk in that formal way again, sir, or you’ll embarrass me. I’m only a servant. If I can wait on Master Pan, what’s to stop me from waiting on you, sir?”
Xue Ke was a simple, honest young fellow. He had never been treated like this by Jingui and Baochan before; yet as the latter said it was to thank him for helping Xue Pan, this seemed to him quite natural.
“Leave the dishes, sister,” he said. “But please take back the wine. I really can’t drink much, just a cup occasionally when I’m forced to, but ordinarily I never drink. Surely your mistress and you knew that?”
“I can use my own discretion in other matters,” she replied, “but I can’t obey you in this. You know what our mistress is like. If I took it back, she wouldn’t think it’s because you don’t drink but because I’d been remiss.”
So Xue Ke had to let her leave the wine. Then Baochan went to the door and peeped outside. Turning back to smile at him, she pointed towards the inner rooms.
“I dare say she’ll be coming herself to thank you,” she said.
Not knowing what she meant, he felt rather put out.
“Please thank her for me, sister,” he rejoined. “I don’t want her to catch a chill in this cold weather. Besides, as we’re relatives there’s no need to be so polite.”
Baochan made no answer to this but went away smiling.
At first Xue Ke had believed that Jingui had sent him these things out of gratitude for his services to Xue Pan. But Baochan’s secretive ways and meaning glances made him afraid there was more to it than that.
“But what other designs could she have on me?” he wondered. “After all, she’s my sister-in-law. Maybe this hussy Baochan, not liking to make advances herself, is using Jingui’s name. Still, she’s Cousin Pan’s concubine too, so how could she....” Then it occurred to him, “Jingui has never Shown the least sense of propriety. When the fancy takes her she gets herself up like a vamp, preening herself on her beauty; so for all I know she may have designs on me. Or maybe, because she bears Sister Baoqin some grudge, she’s playing this dirty trick to get me into hot water and give me a bad name—that’s possible too.”
The likelihood of this alarmed him, and he was in a quandary when he heard someone giggling outside his window. Xue Ke gave a start. But to know who it was you must read the following chapter.
Chapter 91
Wanton Baochan Lays a Cunning Plot
Baoyu Makes Extravagant Answers When Catechized
Xue Ke was in a quandary when giggling outside the window made him start. “That must be Baochan or Jingui,” he thought. “I’ll pay no attention and just see what they can do.”
He listened for some time. When there was no further sound, not venturing to eat any sweetmeats or drink the wine, he bolted the door and set about undressing. Then the window paper rustled. By now he was so flustered by Baochan’s tricks that he did not know what to do. He peered at the window but could see nothing stirring and suspec
ted that he had been imagining things. Fastening his clothes again he sat down by the lamp to think hard, then picked up a sweetmeat and scrutinized it intently. Turning his head abruptly, he saw that a patch of the window paper was wet. He went over to have a look, and jumped for fright when suddenly someone outside blew into his face. This was followed by more giggling. Xue Ke hastily put out the lamp and, with bated breath, lay down.
“Why don’t you have some wine and a snack before turning in, Master Ke?” called the person outside.
He recognized Baochan’s voice but made no sound, pretending to be asleep.
“How on earth could anyone be such a fool!” someone sneered after another couple of minutes.
He could not tell whether this was said by Baochan or Jingui, but it convinced him that they were up to no good. He tossed and turned and did not fall asleep until after the fifth watch.
At daybreak, somebody knocked at his door.
“Who’s there?” he called.
When there was no response, he had to get up and open the door. He found it was Baochan again, her hair dishevelled, her clothes loose. She had on a tight-fitting bodice with a gold border and rows of long buttons and loops in front, over which she had tied a none too new dark green sash. As she was not wearing a skirt, he could see her pomegranate-red trousers with floral designs and her new embroidered red slippers. She had evidently not yet made her toilet but come early to fetch the hamper to avoid being seen.
Her appearance in such a costume dismayed Xue Ke.
“You are up early,” he faltered, forcing a smile.
She blushed but did not answer, simply putting the sweetmeats back into the hamper, which she then took away. Supposing that she was vexed by his behaviour the previous night, he thought, “Just as well. If they’re annoyed, they’ll give up and leave me in peace.”