A Dream of Red Mansion

by Cao Xueqin

  Then for a whole day they chanted the Primal Void Canon to wipe out evil spirits and bring good fortune. This done, they issued the order to summon the heavenly generals. On it was written in large characters, “The Grand Monad, using the holy signs of the Three Sacred Realms, convokes all the deities of these realms to the altar for service.”

  The masters and the men-servants of both mansions had gone to the Garden that day to watch the priests catch monsters.

  “What an impressive order!” they commented. “This commotion to summon heavenly generals here should frighten any number of monsters away.”

  They crowded round the altar to watch the acolytes raising flags and taking up their positions north, south, east, west and centre to await orders. Next, the three high priests took their places before the altar, the first holding a sword and pitcher of holy water, the second the seven-starred black flag, and the third the peach-wood rod for beating monsters. As soon as the music stopped, the magic tablet was rapped three times and they chanted incantations while the acolytes with their flags circled round them. Then the high priests, leaving the altar, made members of the family lead them to the various pavilions, lodges, rocks and streams so that they could sprinkle them with holy water and brandish the sword at each. Returning, they rapped the tablet again several times and raised high the seven-starred flag. Next, the priests held the flags together and the rod beat the air three times.

  The onlookers, sure that by now the monsters must have been caught, pressed forward to see them; but there was no sign of them. They saw nothing but the high priests sending for a bottle in which to imprison the monsters, and when this had been sealed up they wrote a charm in vermilion on the seal, then put the bottle away with instructions that later it should be taken back and kept securely under their temple pagoda. Finally, the altar having been cleared, they offered up thanks to the heavenly generals.

  Jia She expressed respectful gratitude to the priests, but Jia Rong and some other younger men of the family were secretly most amused.

  “What a great to-do!” they scoffed. “We expected them to show us the monsters they’d caught, to let us see what they were really like after all that hunting round. Heaven knows whether they caught anything or not!”

  “You fools!” swore Jia Zhen. “Monsters take shape or vanish into thin air just as they please. With all the heavenly generals here, how dare they show themselves? Now that the evil has been exorcised, they’ll have to stop making trouble—such is the power of the sacred doctrine.”

  The young men waited sceptically to watch for further developments. The servants, however, did not question the claim that the monsters had been captured. They stopped panicking and let the matter drop. The recovery of Jia Zhen and the other invalids was also attributed to the Taoists’ magic.

  Only one page chortled, “I don’t know what happened earlier on, but I went to the Garden that day with Lord She, and it was a big pheasant that flew past—that was plain as daylight. But Shuaner took fright, thought he’d seen an apparition and described it to the life! We all backed him up by fibbing, so Lord She took his story seriously. That’s why we had this grand show to watch today!”

  But none of his hearers believed him, and still no one had the courage to live in the Garden.

  One day, when Jia She was at leisure, he thought of ordering some servants to move into the Garden as caretakers to prevent bad characters from hiding there at night. Before he could give this order, Jia Lian came in and paid his respects.

  “Today, in Uncle Wang’s place, I heard that Second Uncle has been impeached by the governor,” he announced. “He’s accused of not keeping a check on his subordinates and of levying too much grain. The court has been petitioned to dismiss him.”

  “It must surely be a rumour!” replied Jia She, very shocked. “Only the other day, he wrote to tell us the date of Tanchun’s arrival and the auspicious day chosen for seeing her off to the coast. She’d had a smooth journey, he said, so the family need not worry. He also wrote that the governor was treating him as a relative and had given him a congratulatory feast. How could anyone related to him impeach him? But let’s not waste time talking. Go straight to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to find out the facts, then come and let me know.”

  Jia Lian left at once.

  On his return a few hours later he said, “I’ve just heard in the ministry that he has been impeached. A report has been sent to the court, but thanks to His Majesty’s clemency it hasn’t been referred to the ministry. It has been decreed: ‘Since he failed to keep his subordinates in check and levied too heavy a grain tax, cruelly exploiting the people, he should be dismissed. But in view of the fact that he was new to this provincial post and inexperienced in administration, enabling his subordinates to deceive him, he is to be demoted three ranks and, by the gracious favour of the Emperor, can still serve as assistant minister of the Ministry of Works. He is to return forthwith to the capital.’

  “This news is reliable. We were just discussing it in the ministry when a magistrate from Jiangxi, newly summoned to court, arrived. He has a high opinion of Second Uncle. Says he’s a good official but doesn’t know how to handle subordinates, so those servants of his made trouble outside, bullying and cheating people and spoiling his reputation. The governor, knowing this all along, also thinks well of Second Uncle. It’s puzzling that he should have impeached him now. Maybe things were getting so out of hand he was afraid there might be some big scandal and therefore accused him of negligence to get him off more lightly.”

  Cutting him short, Jia She instructed him, “Go and tell your aunt about this, but don’t let the old lady know.”

  Jia Lian went to report this news to Lady Wang. To know her reactions you must read the next chapter.

  Chapter 103

  Jingui Plots Murder and Destroys Herself

  Jia Yucun, Blind to the Truth, Meets an Old Friend in Vain

  Jia Lian went to tell Lady Wang all that had happened. The next day he returned to the Ministry of Civil Affairs for fuller information, then reported back to her.

  “Is this news reliable?” she asked. “If so, the master will be pleased and our minds will be set at rest too. Those provincial posts are too risky. If he hadn’t been recalled like this, those scoundrels might have been the death of him!”

  “How did you know that, madam?” he inquired. “Since your Second Uncle went to this provincial post, instead of sending home a single cent he’s spent a whole lot of the family’s money. And look at those men who went with him: They hadn’t been gone long before their wives started dolling themselves up with gold and silver trinkets. Obviously they’ve been raking in money outside without the master knowing. And he’s let them get away with such goings-on. If there’d been a scandal, not only would he be dismissed—our ancestors might even be deprived of their titles!”

  “You’re quite right, madam. When I first heard he’d been impeached I had the fright of my life, but after I got the facts clear I felt relieved. I hope he’ll pass some years quietly as an official in the capital, keeping his good reputation as long as he lives. Even if the old lady hears this she needn’t worry, provided you reassure her.”

  “I know what to say. But go and see what more you can find out.” Jia Lian assented and was on the point of leaving when in hurried one of Aunt Xue’s old serving-women in a fluster. Not stopping to pay her respects she blurted out:

  “Our mistress has sent me, madam, to tell you that another dreadful thing has happened in our family!”

  “What is it?”

  “Something too awful for words!”

  “You silly creature!” scolded Lady Wang. “If it’s so serious, tell me properly.”

  “Master Ke is away, we’ve no man in the house; so how are we to cope? She wants you, madam, to send some gentlemen over to help us out.”

  “But what do you want them for?” asked Lady Wang impatiently, having no idea what she was talking about.

  “Madam Pan is d
ead!”

  “Pah! Good riddance to bad rubbish! Why get so worked up?”

  “It wasn’t a natural death—there’s been foul play. Please, madam, send someone over at once to cope!” With that she turned to go back.

  Both angry and amused Lady Wang exclaimed, “What a fool this old woman is! You’d better go and see what’s happened, Lian. Pay no attention to that stupid creature.”

  Not catching the instruction to him to go over, all the old woman heard was “pay no attention.” She hurried off in a huff.

  Aunt Xue was waiting anxiously for her return. When at last the servant came back she asked her, “Well, whom is she sending?”

  “It’s no use!” The old woman sighed. “When you’re in a fix, the kindest of kin will do nothing. Her Ladyship not only refuses to help us, she swore I was a fool!”

  “If she won’t help,” cried Aunt Xue in exasperation, “What did the young mistress say?”

  “If Her Ladyship won’t lift a finger, how can her daughter-in-law do anything? I didn’t go to tell her.”

  “Her Ladyship isn’t one of our family, but how can the daughter whom I brought up ignore me?” demanded Aunt Xue irately.

  “Of course!” exclaimed the old woman, catching on. “Well then, I’ll go again.”

  But just then Jia Lian arrived. Having paid his respects to Aunt Xue and offered his condolences he said, “My aunt has heard that Pan’s wife is dead, but she couldn’t get any sense out of your servant and so she’s very worried. She’s sent me to find out what’s happened and told me to help. What can I do for you, aunt?”

  Aunt Xue had been sobbing with rage, but on hearing this she said quickly, “I’m sorry to put you out, Master Lian. I know how good my sister is to me, but this old creature can’t give a message clearly and nearly held matters up. Please take a seat and I’ll tell you all about it. The thing is—she didn’t die a natural death.”

  “Did she kill herself in a pique because of Pan’s trouble?”

  “I only wish she had! These last few months she made scenes every day, going barefoot with tousled hair like a crazy creature. Although at the news of Pan’s death sentence she did cry, she soon started making up again with rouge and powder; and had I protested she would have made a big row, so I ignored her. Then one day, for some reason, she came and asked to have Xiangling to keep her company. I told her, ‘You have Baochan, so what do you want Xiangling for? It’s not as if you liked her;-why let her provoke you?’ As she insisted, however, I had to tell Xiangling to move in with her. The poor girl dared not disobey me and, bad as her health was, she went there. I was pleasantly surprised when Jingui treated her very well, but when Baochai knew she said, ‘Do you suppose Jingui is plotting something?’ I paid no attention, though.

  “A few days ago Xiangling fell ill, and Jingui made some soup for her herself. But Xiangling was out of luck: as Jingui took it to her she scalded her own hand and the bowl was smashed. I’d have expected her to blame it on Xiangling, but instead of losing her temper she swept up the pieces herself then mopped the floor, and they remained on good terms.

  “Last night, she told Baochan to make two more bowls of soup for her to drink with Xiangling. After a while, I heard a great commotion in her room: first Baochan was screaming like mad, then Xiangling joined in and staggered out, leaning against the wall, to call for help.

  “I hurried in and found my daughter-in-law thrashing about on the floor. Blood was gushing from her nose and eyes, and she was clawing with both hands at her stomach. I was frightened to death! When I asked what had happened she couldn’t speak, and presently she died in agony. It looked to me as if she had taken poison.

  “Then Baochan tearfully seized hold of Xiangling, accusing her of poisoning her mistress. I don’t believe Xiangling would do such a thing. In any case, confined to her bed, how could she? But Baochan insisted she’d done it. So what could I do, Lian? I had to harden my heart to tell the matrons to tie Xiangling up and leave her in Baochan’s charge. Then we locked them into the room, and I sat up all night with your cousin Baoqin waiting for your gate to open so that we could send you word. You have good sense, Lian. Tell me, how should we handle this?”

  “Does the Xia family know about it?” he asked. “No. We must clear up the business before we tell them.”

  “I think we’ll have to go through official channels to get the matter settled. Naturally it’s Baochan whom we suspect, but other people will ask what reason she had to poison her own mistress. To them, Xiangling would seem more likely to do it.”

  As they were talking, maids from the Rong Mansion came in to announce their young mistress. Although Jia Lian was Baochai’s elder cousin-in-law, as they had known each other since childhood he did not withdraw when she entered. Baochai paid her respects to her mother and him, then went into the inner room to sit with Baoqin. Aunt Xue followed her in and told her what had happened.

  Baochai pointed out, “If we have Xiangling bound, it will look as if we too believe she was the poisoner. You say the soup was prepared by Baochan, mother. In that case, you should tie her up and question her, at the same time sending to tell the Xia family and to report this to the authorities.”

  Aunt Xue thought this reasonable and consulted Jia Lian.

  “Baochai is quite right,” he agreed. “When we have reported this, I must also go and ask some men in the Board of Punishments to help see to things at the inquest and interrogation. But I think it may make things awkward if we tie up Baochan and set Xiangling loose.”

  “I didn’t want to tie up Xiangling,” Aunt Xue told him. “But I was afraid that, ill as she is, this false accusation might make her so desperate she’d try to kill herself—then we’d have another death on our hands. That’s why I decided to have her tied up and put in Baochan’s charge.”

  “Still, this is strengthening Baochan’s case,” he objected. “They should either both be set free or both bound up, as the three of them were together. Well, just get somebody to comfort Xiangling.”

  Aunt Xue ordered the door to be opened and went in, while Baochai sent the maids she had brought with her to help tie up Baochan, who had; been gloating over the sight of Xiangling crying her heart out. When Baochan saw them coming with ropes to bind her she screamed, but the maids from the Rong Mansion silenced her and trussed her up. The door was left open with people on watch outside.

  By then they had sent to inform the Xia family which had only recently moved to the capital, as in the last few years they had gone bankrupt and Mrs. Xia, a widow, missed her daughter. She had an adopted son, a scoundrel who had squandered all their money and who often called on the Xue family. Jingui was too amorous to live without a man and had long been hankering after Xue Ke, but hers was a case of “beggars can’t be choosers.” However, this foster-brother of hers was dense. Though he knew pretty well what she wanted he had not yet made love to her; and so Jingui, on her frequent visits home, would help him out with money. Today he was looking forward to a visit from her, when the arrival of a Xue family servant convinced him that here was another gift for him. At the news that she had died of poison, he set up an angry outcry. His mother raised an even bigger uproar.

  “My daughter was doing all right there!” she screamed. “Why should she poison herself?”

  Weeping and wailing, she set off on foot with her son without waiting for a carriage, for the Xias being bankrupt tradesmen did not trouble to keep up appearances. The son walked on ahead while his mother, accompanied by an old slattern, sobbed and snivelled in the street as she hired a carriage. As soon as she entered the Xues’ gate, without greeting anyone she started loudly bewailing her “darling daughter,” and clamouring for revenge.

  Jia Lian had gone to the Board of Punishments to enlist help, leaving only Aunt Xue, Baochai and Baoqin at home. They had never seen such goings-on before and were too frightened to speak. Indeed, even had they reasoned with her, Mrs. Xia would not have listened.

  “What good treatment did my
daughter ever get in your family?” she ranted. “Her husband beat and cursed her all the time; then you wouldn’t let the young couple stay together. You plotted to have my son-in-law imprisoned, so that she’d never set eyes on him again. Mother and daughter, you enjoy yourselves with your fine relatives’ backing, but you still couldn’t bear the sight of Jingui and got someone to poison her, then accused her of killing herself! Why should she take poison?”

  She charged at Aunt Xue, who fell back protesting, “Madam! First go and look at your daughter and question Baochan, before making such allegations.”

  As Mrs. Xia’s adopted son was there, Baochai and Baoqin were unable to come to Aunt Xue’s rescue. They could only wring their hands in the inner room.

  Then, as luck would have it, Lady Wang sent Zhou Rui’s wife to help out. She came in to see an old woman wagging a finger at Aunt Xue and screaming at her. She knew this must be Jingui’s mother.

  “Are you Mrs. Xia, madam?” asked Mrs. Zhou stepping forward. “The young mistress has poisoned herself. It wasn’t Madam Xue’s doing. How can you abuse her like this?”

  “And who may you be?” Mrs. Xia retorted.

  This reinforcement emboldened Aunt Xue to say, “She is one of the household of our Jia relatives.”

  “We all know you have powerful relatives,” sneered Mrs. Xia. “That’s why you can keep my son-in-law in jail. But does that mean that my child’s death can go unavenged?” Seizing hold of Aunt Xue she demanded, “Just how did you murder my daughter anyway? Show me!”