A Dream of Red Mansion

by Cao Xueqin

  His whole household was in tears when Baoyu regained consciousness. At once they called out to him. He opened his eyes to find himself on the kang and, seeing that the eyes of Lady Wang, Baochai and the rest were red and swollen from weeping, he calmed himself and thought, “Why, I must have died and come to life again!” Recalling all that had befallen his spirit, and pleased that he could still remember it, he laughed aloud and exclaimed, “That’s it, that’s it!”

  His mother summoned a doctor, thinking he was deranged again, at the same time sending maids to report to Jia Zheng that their son had recovered from his heart attack and now that he could talk there was no need to prepare for the last rites. At this, Jia Zheng hurried over and saw that Baoyu had indeed regained consciousness.

  “You luckless fool!” he cried. “Trying to frighten us to death!” All unwittingly he shed tears. Then, sighing, he called in the doctor to examine Baoyu’s pulse and administer medicine.

  Sheyue, who had been thinking of suicide, was equally relieved by his recovery. Lady Wang sent for a longan cordial, and when he had taken a few sips he felt calmer. In the general relief no one blamed Sheyue, but Lady Wang had the jade given to Baochai to hang on Baoyu’s neck. “I wonder where that monk found the jade,” she remarked. “It’s odd the way one moment he was asking for silver and the next he vanished. Could he be an immortal?”

  Baochai said, “Judging by the way he came and left, he can’t have found the jade. When it was lost before, it must have been this monk who took it away.”

  “But it was here in our house,” objected Lady Wang. “How could he have taken it?”

  “If he could bring it back, he could have taken it too.”

  Xiren and Sheyue reminded them, “That year when the jade was lost, Lin Zhixiao consulted a fortune-teller; and after Madam Bao married into our house we told her that the character he came up with was the shang meaning reward. Do you remember, madam?”

  “Yes,” said Baochai thinking back. “You all said it meant we should look for the jade in a pawnshop. Only now is it clear that it meant that the jade had been taken by a monk, as the upper part of that character is the shang for ‘monk.’“

  “I just can’t get over that monk!” remarked Lady Wang. “When Baoyu fell ill that time, another monk came and said we had a treasure in our house—meaning this jade—which could cure him. Since he knew that, there must be more to this jade than meets the eye. Besides, your husband was born with it in his mouth. Have you ever heard of such a thing before? But who knows after all what this jade can do or what will become of him? It was this jade that made him fall ill, this jade that cured him, this jade that he was born with....” She broke off here in a fresh fit of weeping.

  Baoyu, who had been following their conversation, was better able now to understand what had happened when his spirit took flight. He said nothing, however, just fixing it in his mind.

  Then Xichun joined in, “When the jade was lost, we asked Miaoyu to try the planchette and it wrote ‘By the ancient pine at the foot of Blue Ridge Peak... entering my gate with a smile you will meet again.’ I think ‘entering the gate’ is most significant. Buddhism is the gate to sainthood; I’m only afraid Second Cousin can’t enter that gate.”

  Baoyu laughed sarcastically at this but Baochai knitted her brows, lost in thought.

  “There you go harping on Buddhism again!” scolded Madam You. “Haven’t you dropped your idea of becoming a nun?”

  Xichun smiled. “The truth is, sister-in-law, I’ve been abstaining from meat for some time now.”

  “Good gracious, child!” exclaimed Lady Wang. “You mustn’t have these notions.”

  Xichun said nothing, but Baoyu could not help sighing as he recollected the verse “By the dimly lit old shrine she sleeps alone.” Then suddenly recalling the inscription for the painting of a mat and flowers, he glanced at Xiren and tears started to his eyes. His abrupt transitions from smiles to tears puzzled the others, who could only assume that he was unhinged again, not knowing that his agitation arose from the verses he had memorized from the registers into which he had pried. Though unwilling to speak of them, he was convinced of the truth of these predictions. But we can return to this later.

  The others saw that after Baoyu’s revival his mind had cleared, and by taking medicine every day he steadily recovered his health. This being the case, Jia Zheng turned his mind to other matters. As there was no knowing when Jia She would be pardoned, and he did not like to leave the old lady’s coffin in the temple for too long, he decided to escort it back to the south for burial and called in Jia Lian to consult him.

  “Your decision is quite correct, sir,” said Jia Lian. “Not being in office now you are free to see to this important business, whereas once you take off your mourning you will probably have other demands on your time. In my father’s absence I couldn’t presume to suggest this; but although your decision is excellent, this is going to cost several thousand taels and it’s useless to expect the police to recover our stolen property.”

  “I have made up my mind,” said Jia Zheng, “but since the Elder Master is away I wanted to consult you on how to handle this. You can’t leave home or there would be no one in charge here. In my opinion all those coffins should be conveyed to the ancestral graveyard, and as I can’t cope single-handed I’m thinking of taking Jia Rong along, the more so as his wife’s is one of the coffins. Then there is your cousin Lin’s. The old lady left instructions that it should go south with hers. I suppose we shall have to borrow a few thousand taels to cover these expenses.”

  “Nowadays we can’t count on others helping us out,” replied Jia Lian. “As you are not in office, sir, and my father is away, we’re in no position to raise a loan at present. All we can do is mortgage some properties.”

  “How can we, when this mansion of ours was built by the government?”

  “I don’t mean this mansion we live in, but there are houses outside which can be mortgaged and redeemed again after you resume office, sir. If in the future my father returns and is given a post, that will make it easier. My one regret is that you should have to exert yourself in this way at your advanced age, sir.”

  “I’m simply doing my duty by the old lady. But you must be more prudent in running the household!”

  “You can rest assured about that, sir. I shall certainly do my best, incompetent as I am. Besides, you will need to take quite a few servants south, and as that will leave fewer here I can cut down on expenses and get by. If you should find yourself short of funds on the way, sir, since you will be passing Lai Shangrong’s place you can enlist his help.”

  “It’s my own mother’s funeral. Why should I ask other families to help?”

  “Yes, sir,” muttered Jia Lian, then withdrew to raise the money.

  Jia Zheng told Lady Wang his plans and asked her to take charge of domestic affairs, then chose an auspicious day to start this long journey. By now Baoyu had completely recovered his health, while Jia Huan and Jia Lan were studying hard. Jia Zheng entrusted all three to the care of Jia Lian.

  “This is a year for the triennial examination,” he told him. “Huan can’t sit for it while in mourning for his mother. Lan is only a grandson, so after the mourning is over he’s still entitled to take the examination and you must send Baoyu there too with his nephew. If he is a successful candidate, it will help to atone for our faults.”

  Jia Lian and the boys assented. After giving further instructions to other members of the family, Jia Zheng bade farewell to the ancestral shrine, had sutras chanted for a few days at the temple outside the city, then boarded a boat with Lin Zhixiao and others. He did not take leave of his friends and relatives, not wanting to put them out; thus only family members saw him off.

  Lady Wang reminded Baoyu from time to time of his father’s instructions, and checked up on his studies. Baochai and Xiren too, it goes without saying, encouraged him to work hard. Though he was in better spirits after his illness, he took more fantastic not
ions into his head: not only was he averse to rank and an official career, he had lost much of his former interest in girls. But this was not too apparent to other people as he did not voice these views.

  One day, after returning from seeing off Daiyu’s coffin, Zijuan stayed disconsolately in her room to weep. “How unfeeling Baoyu is!” She thought. “When he saw Miss Lin’s coffin taken south he showed no sadness, shed not a tear, and instead of consoling me when I sobbed he actually laughed at me. So all this heartless fellow’s honeyed talk before was to fool us! It’s a good thing I didn’t take him seriously the other night, or I’d have been taken in by him again. One thing I can’t make out, though, is his coolness towards Xiren nowadays as well. Madam Bao has never liked too much show of feeling, but don’t Sheyue and the rest resent his behaviour? What fools most of us girls must be to have cared so much for him all that time—what can come of it in the end?”

  Just then Wuer came in to see her. Finding Zijuan in tears she asked, “Are you crying for Miss Lin again? I see now that it’s no good basing your opinion of somebody on hearsay. Because we’d always heard how good Master Bao was to girls, my mother tried time and again to get me into his service; and since coming here I’ve nursed him devotedly each time he was ill, yet now that he’s better he hasn’t a single kind word for me—he doesn’t even so much as look at me!”

  Tickled by this, Zijuan laughed. “Bah, you little slut!” she spat out. “How do you want Baoyu to treat you? A young girl should have some shame! When he shows so little interest in all those who belong to his household by rights, what time has he to waste on you?” Laughing again, she drew one finger over her cheek to shame her. “Tell me, what’s the relationship between you and Baoyu?” she demanded.

  Aware that she had given herself away, Wuer blushed furiously. She was about to explain that she wanted no special consideration from Baoyu but he had recently shown too little to his maids, when someone outside the courtyard gate shouted, “That monk is back again. He wants ten thousand taels of silver! The mistress is worried and wanted Master Lian to talk to him, but Master Lian isn’t at home! That monk is ranting crazily outside. The mistress asks Madam Bao to go and discuss what to do.”

  To know how they got rid of the monk, read the next chapter.

  Chapter 117

  Two Maids Protect Baoyu’s Jade Lest He Renounce the World

  A Worthless Son, Taking Sole Charge of the House, Revels in Bad Company

  When Lady Wang sent to ask for Baochai, and Baoyu knew that the monk was outside, he hurried all alone to the front crying out, “Where is my master?”

  He called repeatedly but could not find him and, reaching the gate, saw Li Gui barring the way, refusing the monk admission.

  “The mistress has sent me,” said Baoyu, “to invite this holy man in.”

  Then Li Gui let go of the monk who swaggered in and, seeing that he looked like the monk in his trance, Baoyu had an inkling of the truth. Bowing he said, “Excuse my tardiness in welcoming you, master.”

  “I don’t want you to entertain me,” the monk replied. “Just hand over the silver and I’ll be off.”

  This did not sound to Baoyu the way a saint would talk; moreover, the monk had a scabby head and was wearing filthy rags. He reflected, “The ancients said, ‘One who has attained the Way makes no show of it; one who makes a show of it has not attained the Way.’ I mustn’t let slip this chance, but agree to give him the reward so as to sound him out.”

  He replied, “Please have patience, master, and sit down to wait while my mother gets it ready. May I ask if you are from the Illusory Land of Great Void?”

  “What ‘illusory land’? Whence I came, thither shall I depart. I’m here to return you your jade. Can you tell me where it comes from?” When Baoyu could not answer the monk chuckled, “You don’t even know your own origin yet question me!”

  Baoyu had the intelligence after all he had experienced to have seen through the vanity of this earth, being simply ignorant of his own antecedents. The monk’s question awoke him to the truth.

  “You don’t need any silver,” he cried. “I’ll return you the jade.”

  “And so you should!” laughed the monk.

  Without a word Baoyu raced in to his own compound, which Baochai and Xiren had left to see Lady Wang. He snatched the jade up from his bed and dashed out, running full tilt into Xiren who started with fright.

  “The mistress said it was very good of you to entertain the monk, and she means to give him some silver,” she informed him. “What brings you back?”

  “Go straight and tell her there’s no need to raise any money. I’ll give him the jade instead.”

  “Not on any account!” She caught him by the arm. “This jade is your life. If he takes it away your illness will come back!”

  “Not any more. Now I’m in my right mind again, what do I need the jade for?” He wrenched himself free and made off.

  Xiren ran frantically after him calling, “Come back! I’ve something to tell you.”

  He cried over his shoulder, “There’s nothing we need talk about.”

  She chased after him regardless, expostulating, “Last time you lost the jade it nearly cost me my life! You’ve just got it back and if he takes it away that will be the death of us both! You can only give it back over my dead body!” With that, overtaking Baoyu, she caught hold of him.

  “Whether you die or not I must give it back,” was his desperate retort.

  He pushed her with all his might, but she seized his belt with both hands and would not let go, weeping and screaming as she sank to the ground. The maids inside hearing this darted out and found them both distraught.

  “Tell the mistress, quick!” Xiren sobbed. “Master Bao wants to give his jade back to the monk.”

  When the maids ran to report this, Baoyu grew even angrier and tore at Xiren’s hands to free himself; but mindless of the pain she would not let go. And when Zijuan inside heard what Baoyu meant to do, even more frantic than the rest she completely forgot her resolve to remain aloof and ran out to help restrain him. Though he was a man and struggling hard, he could not free himself from their desperate clutches.

  “So you’re hanging on to this jade for dear life!” he sighed. “What would you do if I went away myself?” At that they burst into uncontrollable sobbing.

  They were still locked together when Lady Wang and Baochai hurried over.

  “Baoyu!” wailed his mother. “You’ve gone crazy again!”

  At sight of her Baoyu knew he could not escape. With a sheepish rule he said, “Why all this fuss? Why upset the mistress for no reason at all? I thought it unreasonable of the monk to insist on ten thousand taels, not one tael less; so in a pique I came back meaning to return him the jade, saying that it was a fake and we didn’t want it. If he saw that we didn’t value it, he’d be willing to accept whatever we offered.”

  “I thought you really meant to give it back,” scolded Lady Wang. “All right then, but why didn’t you tell them clearly? Why make them raise such a rumpus?”

  Baochai put in, “If that’s the case, well and good. If you really gave the jade back, that monk is so odd that he could cause fresh trouble for our family and that would never do. As for the reward, you can raise it by selling my jewels.”

  “Yes,” agreed Lady Wang. “Let’s do that.”

  Baoyu made no objection as Baochai stepped forward to take the jade from his hand. “There’s no need for you to go out,” she said. “Her Ladyship and I will give him the money.”

  “I don’t mind not giving him the jade,” he replied, “but I must see him once more.”

  Xiren and Zijuan were still keeping hold of him. Baochai, having sized up the situation, told them, “Let go of him. He can go if he wants to.”

  Then Xiren released Baoyu, who said with a smile, “You people think more of the jade than you do of me! Now that you’re not stopping me, suppose I go off with the monk and leave you the jade?”

 
In renewed alarm Xiren wanted to seize him again, but in the presence of the mistresses she could not take liberties, and Baoyu had already slipped away. She at once sent a maid to Beiming at the inner gate with the message, “Tell the servants outside to keep an eye on Master Bao; he’s not in his right mind.” The girl went off on this errand.

  Lady Wang and Baochai went in now and sat down to ask Xiren just what had happened, and she related in detail all Baoyu had said. This so worried them that they sent word to the servants outside to wait on Baoyu and hear what the monk had to say.

  The maid on her return informed Lady Wang, “Master Bao is really rather crazed. The pages outside say he was at a loss because you wouldn’t let him have the jade. Now he’s gone out and begged the monk to take him with him.”

  Lady Wang exclaimed in horror, then asked what the monk had relied.

  “He said he wants the jade, not its owner,” the girl said.

  “Doesn’t he want the money then?” asked Baochai.

  “I didn’t hear anything about that, madam. Later the monk and Master Bao were laughing and chatting together about many things, but the pages couldn’t understand a word.”

  “Stupid creatures!” cried Lady Wang. “Even if they don’t understand, they can memorize it.” On her orders the maid hurriedly fetched one of the pages and, standing outside the window, he paid his respects.

  “Though you didn’t understand the talk between the monk and Master Bao, can’t you repeat it to me?” asked Lady Wang.

  “All we caught were phrases like ‘the Great Waste Mountain,’ ‘Blue Ridge Peak,’ ‘the Land of Great Void’ and ‘severing mortal entanglements,’“ he told her.

  Lady Wang could not make head or tail of this either, but Baochai’s eyes widened in alarm and she could not get a word out. They were about to send to fetch Baoyu back, when in he came grinning and saying to himself, “Fine, fine!”

  Baochai remained speechless while his mother asked, “What is this crazy talk?”