第十四回
第十四回 林如海捐馆扬州城 贾宝玉路谒北静王
话说宁国府中都总管来升闻得里面委请了凤姐，因传齐同事人等说道：“如今请了西府里琏二奶奶管理内事，倘或他来支取东西，或是说话，我们须要比往日小心些。每日大家早来晚散，宁可辛苦这一个月，过后再歇着，不要把老脸丢了。那是个有名的烈货，脸酸心硬，一时恼了，不认人的。”众人都道：“有理。”又有一个笑道：“论理，我们里面也须得他来整治整治，都忒不像了。”正说着，只见来旺媳妇拿了对牌来领取呈文京榜[3]纸札[4]，票上批着数目。众人连忙让坐倒茶，一面命人按数取纸来抱着，同来旺媳妇一路来至仪门口，方交与来旺媳妇自己抱进去了。
凤姐即命彩明钉造簿册。即时传来升媳妇，兼要家口花名册来查看，又限于明日一早传齐家人媳妇进来听差等语。大概点了一点数目单册，问了来升媳妇几句话，便坐车回家。一宿无话。
至次日，卯正二刻便过来了。那宁国府中婆娘媳妇闻得到齐，只见凤姐正与来升媳妇分派，众人不敢擅入，只在窗外听觑。只听凤姐与来升媳妇道：“既托了我，我就说不得要讨你们嫌了。我可比不得你们奶奶好性儿，由着你们去。再不要说你们‘这府里原是这样’的话，如今可要依着我行，错我半点儿，管不得谁是有脸的，谁是没脸的，一例现清白处治。”说着，便吩咐彩明念花名册，按名一个一个的唤进来看视。
一时看完，便又吩咐道：“这二十个分作两班，一班十个，每日在里头单管人客来往倒茶，别的事不用他们管。这二十个也分作两班，每日单管本家亲戚茶饭，别的事也不用他们管。这四十个人也分作两班，单在灵前上香添油，挂幔守灵，供饭供茶，随起举哀[5]，别的事也不与他们相干。这四个人单在内茶房收管杯碟茶器，若少一件，便叫他四个描赔[6]。这四个人单管酒饭器皿，少一件，也是他四个描赔。这八个单管监收祭礼。这八个单管各处灯油、蜡烛、纸札，我总支了来，交与你八个，然后按我的定数再往各处去分派。这三十个每日轮流各处上夜，照管门户，监察火烛，打扫地方。这下剩的按着房屋分开，某人守某处，某处所有桌椅古董起，至于痰盒掸帚，一草一苗，或丢或坏，就和守这处的人算账描赔。来升家的每日揽总查看，或有偷懒的，赌钱吃酒的，打架拌嘴的，立刻来回我。你有徇情，经我查出，三四辈子的老脸就顾不成了。如今都有定规，以后那一行乱了，只和那一行说话。素日跟我的人，随身自有钟表，不论大小事，我是皆有一定的时辰。横竖你们上房里也有时辰钟。卯正二刻我来点卯，巳正吃早饭，凡有领牌回事的，只在午初刻。戌初烧过黄昏纸[7]，我亲到各处查一遍，回来上夜的交明钥匙。第二日仍是卯正二刻过来。说不得咱们大家辛苦这几日罢，事完了，你们家大爷自然赏你们。”
说罢，又吩咐按数发与茶叶、油烛、鸡毛掸子、笤帚等物。一面又搬取家伙：桌围、椅搭、坐褥、毡席、痰盒、脚踏之类。一面交发，一面提笔登记，某人管某处，某人领某物，开得十分清楚。众人领了去，也都有了投奔，不似先时只拣便宜的做，剩下的苦差没个招揽。各房中也不能趁乱失迷东西。便是人来客往，也都安静了，不比先前一个正摆茶，又去端饭，正陪举哀，又顾接客。如这些无头绪、荒乱、推托、偷闲、窃取等弊，次日一概都蠲[8]了。
凤姐儿见自己威重令行，心中十分得意。因见尤氏犯病，贾珍又过于悲哀，不大进饮食，自己每日从那府中煎了各样细粥，精致小菜，命人送来劝食。贾珍也另外吩咐每日送上等菜到抱厦内，单与凤姐。那凤姐不畏勤劳，天天于卯正二刻就过来点卯理事，独在抱厦内起坐，不与众妯娌合群，便有堂客来往，也不迎会。
这日乃五七正五日上，那应佛僧[9]正开方破狱[10]，传灯照亡[11]，参阎君，拘都鬼，筵请地藏王[12]，开金桥[13]，引幢幡[14]；那道士们正伏章申表[15]，朝三清[16]，叩玉帝[17]；禅僧们行香，放焰口[18]，拜水忏[19]；又有十三众尼僧，搭绣衣，靸红鞋，在灵前默诵接引诸咒[20]，十分热闹。
那凤姐必知今日人客不少，在家中歇宿一夜，至寅正，平儿便请起来梳洗。及收拾完备，更衣盥手，吃了两口奶子糖粳米粥，漱口已毕，已是卯正二刻了。来旺媳妇率领诸人伺候已久。凤姐出至厅前，上了车，前面打了一对明角灯[21]，大书“荣国府”三个大字，款款来至宁府。
大门上门灯朗挂，两边一色戳灯[22]，照如白昼，白汪汪穿孝仆从两边侍立。请车至正门上，小厮等退去，众媳妇上来揭起车帘。凤姐下了车，一手扶着丰儿，两个媳妇执着手把灯罩，簇拥着凤姐进来。宁府诸媳妇迎来请安接待。凤姐缓缓走入会芳园中登仙阁灵前，一见了棺材，那眼泪恰似断线之珠，滚将下来。院中许多小厮垂手伺候烧纸。凤姐吩咐得一声：“供茶烧纸。”只听一棒锣鸣，诸乐齐奏，早有人端过一张大圈椅来，放在灵前，凤姐坐了，放声大哭。于是里外男女上下，见凤姐出声，都忙忙接声嚎哭。一时贾珍尤氏遣人来劝，凤姐方才止住。
来旺媳妇献茶漱口毕，凤姐方起身，别过族中诸人，自入抱厦内来。按名查点，各项人数都已到齐，只有迎送亲客上的一人未到。即命传到，那人已张惶愧惧。凤姐冷笑道：“我说是谁误了，原来是你！你原比他们有体面，所以才不听我的话。”那人道：“小的天天都来的早，只有今儿，醒了觉得早些，因又睡迷了，来迟了一步，求奶奶饶过这次。”正说着，只见荣国府中的王兴媳妇来了，在前探头。
凤姐且不发放这人，却先问：“王兴媳妇作什么？”王兴媳妇巴不得先问他完了事，连忙进去说：“领牌取线，打车轿网络[23]。”说着，将个帖儿递上去。凤姐命彩明念道：“大轿两顶，小轿四顶，车四辆，共用大小络子若干根，用珠儿线若干斤。”凤姐听了，数目相合，便命彩明登记，取荣国府对牌掷下。王兴家的去了。
凤姐方欲说话时，见荣国府的四个执事人进来，都是要支取东西领牌来的。凤姐命彩明要了帖念过〔二〕，听了一共四件，指两件说道：“这两件开销错了，再算清了来取。”说着掷下帖子来。那二人扫兴而去。
凤姐因见张材家的在旁，因问：“你有什么事？”张材家的忙取帖儿回说：“就是方才车轿围作成，领取裁缝工银若干两。”凤姐听了，便收了帖子，命彩明登记。待王兴家的〔三〕交过牌，得了买办的回押相符，然后方与张材家的去领。一面又命念那一个，是为宝玉外书房完竣，支买纸料糊裱。凤姐听了，即命收帖儿登记，待张材家的缴清，又发与这人去了。
凤姐便说道：“明儿他也睡迷了，后儿我也睡迷了，将来都没了人了。本来要饶你，只是我头一次宽了，下次人就难管，不如现开发的好。”登时放下脸来，喝命：“带出去，打二十板子！”一面又掷下宁国府对牌：“出去说与来升，革他一月银米！”众人听说，又见凤姐眉立，知是恼了，不敢怠慢，拖人的出去拖人，执牌传谕的忙去传谕。那人身不由己，已拖出去挨了二十大板，还要进来叩谢。凤姐道：“明日再有误的，打四十，后日的六十，有不怕挨打的，只管误！”说着，吩咐：“散了罢。”
窗外众人听说，方各自执事去了。彼时宁国荣国两处执事领牌交牌的，人来人往不绝，那抱愧被打之人含羞去了，这才知道凤姐利害。众人不敢偷闲，自此兢兢业业，执事保全。不在话下。
如今且说宝玉因见今日人众，恐秦钟受了委曲，因默与他商议，要同他往凤姐处来坐。秦钟道：“他的事多，况且不喜人去，咱们去了，他岂不烦腻。”宝玉道：“他怎好腻我们，不相干，只管跟我来。”说着，便拉了秦钟，直至抱厦。凤姐才吃饭，见他们来了，便笑道：“好长腿子，快上来罢。”宝玉道：“我们偏了[26]。”凤姐道：“在这边外头吃的，还是那边吃的？”宝玉道：“这边同那些浑人吃什么！原是那边，我们两个同老太太吃了来的。”一面归坐。
凤姐吃毕饭，就有宁国府中的一个媳妇来领牌，为支取香灯事。凤姐笑道：“我算着你们今儿该来支取，总不见来，想是忘了。这会子到底来取，要忘了，自然是你们包出来，都便宜了我。”那媳妇笑道：“何尝不是忘了，方才想起来，再迟一步，也领不成了。”说罢，领牌而去。
一时登记交牌。秦钟因笑道：“你们两府里都是这牌，倘或别人私弄一个，支了银子跑了，怎样？”凤姐笑道：“依你说，都没王法了。”宝玉因道：“怎么咱们家没人领牌子做东西？”凤姐道：“人家来领的时候，你还做梦呢。我且问你，你们这夜书多早晚才念呢？”宝玉道：“巴不得这如今就念才好，他们只是不快收拾出书房来，这也无法。”凤姐笑道：“你请我一请，包管就快了。”宝玉道：“你要快也不中用，他们该作到那里的，自然就有了。”凤姐笑道：“便是他们作，也得要东西，搁不住我不给对牌是难的。”宝玉听说，便猴[27]向凤姐身上立刻要牌，说：“好姐姐，给出牌子来，叫他们要东西去。”凤姐道：“我乏的身子上生疼，还搁的住揉搓。你放心罢，今儿才领了纸裱糊去了，他们该要的还等叫去呢，可不傻了？”宝玉不信，凤姐便叫彩明查册子与宝玉看了。
正闹着，人回：“苏州去的人昭儿来了。”凤姐急命唤进来。昭儿打千儿请安。凤姐便问：“回来做什么的？”昭儿道：“二爷打发回来的。林姑老爷是九月初三日巳时没的〔四〕。二爷带了林姑娘同送林姑老爷灵到苏州，大约赶年底就回来。二爷打发小的来报个信请安，讨老太太示下，还瞧瞧奶奶家里好，叫把大毛衣服带几件去。”凤姐道：“你见过别人了没有？”昭儿道：“都见过了。”说毕，连忙退去。凤姐向宝玉笑道：“你林妹妹可在咱们家住长了。”宝玉道：“了不得，想来这几日他不知哭的怎样呢。”说着，蹙眉长叹。
凤姐见昭儿回来，因当着人未及细问贾琏，心中自是记挂，待要回去，争奈事情繁杂，一时去了，恐有延迟失误，惹人笑话。少不得耐到晚上回来，复令昭儿进来，细问一路平安信息。连夜打点大毛衣服，和平儿亲自检点包裹，再细细追想所需何物，一并包藏交付昭儿。又细细吩咐昭儿：“在外好生小心服侍，不要惹你二爷生气；时时劝他少吃酒，别勾引他认得混帐老婆，果然有这些事，〔五〕回来打折你的腿”等语。赶乱完了，天已四更将尽，纵睡下又走了困，不觉天明鸡唱，忙梳洗过宁府中来。
那贾珍因见发引日近，亲自坐车，带了阴阳司吏，往铁槛寺来踏看寄灵所在。又一一嘱咐住持[30]色空，好生预备新鲜陈设，多请名僧〔六〕，以备接灵使用。色空忙看晚斋。贾珍也无心茶饭，因天晚不得进城，就在净室[32]胡乱歇了一夜。次日早，便进城来料理出殡之事，一面又派人先往铁槛寺，连夜另外修饰停灵之处，并厨茶等项接灵人口坐落〔七〕。
里面凤姐见日期有限，也预先逐细分派料理，一面又派荣府中车轿人从跟王夫人送殡，又顾自己送殡去占下处。目今正值缮国公诰命亡故，王邢二夫人又去打祭送殡；西安郡王妃华诞[34]，送寿礼；镇国公诰命生了长男，预备贺礼；又有胞兄王仁连家眷回南，一面写家信禀叩父母并备带往之物；又有迎春染病，每日请医服药，看医生启帖[35]、症源、药案等事，亦难尽述。又兼发引在迩，因此忙的凤姐茶饭也没工夫吃得，坐卧不能清净。刚到了宁府，荣府的人〔八〕又跟到宁府；既回到荣府，宁府的人又找到荣府。凤姐见如此，心中倒十分欢喜，并不偷安推托，恐落人褒贬，因此日夜不暇，筹画得十分的整肃。于是合族上下无不称叹者。
这日伴宿[37]之夕，里面两班小戏并耍百戏[38]的与亲朋堂客伴宿，尤氏犹卧于内室，一应张罗款待，独是凤姐一人周全承应。合族中虽有许多妯娌，但或有羞口的，或有羞脚的，或有不惯见人的，或有惧贵怯官的，种种之类，俱不及凤姐举止舒徐，言语慷慨，珍贵宽大；因此也不把众人放在眼里，挥霍指示，任其所为，目若无人。一夜中灯明火彩，客送官迎，那百般热闹，自不用说的。至天明，吉时已到，一班六十四名青衣请灵，前面铭旌[39]上大书：
奉天洪建兆年不易之朝诰封一等宁国公冢孙妇防护内
廷紫禁道御前侍卫龙禁尉享强寿[40]贾门秦氏恭人之灵柩。
一应执事陈设，皆系现赶着新做出来的，一色光艳夺目。宝珠自行未嫁女之礼外，摔丧驾灵，十分哀苦。
那时官客送殡的，有镇国公牛清之孙现袭一等伯牛继宗，理国公柳彪之孙现袭一等子柳芳，齐国公陈翼之孙世袭三品威镇将军陈瑞文，治国公马魁之孙世袭三品威远将军马尚，修国公侯晓明之孙世袭一等子侯孝康；缮国公诰命亡故，故其孙石光珠守孝不曾来得。这六家与宁荣二家，当日所称“八公”的便是。余者更有南安郡王之孙，西宁郡王之孙，忠靖侯史鼎，平原侯之孙世袭二等男蒋子宁，定城侯之孙世袭二等男兼京营游击[41]谢鲸，襄阳侯之孙世袭二等男戚建辉，景田侯之孙五城兵马司[42]裘良。馀者锦乡伯公子韩奇，神武将军公子冯紫英，陈也俊、卫若兰等诸王孙公子，不可枚数。堂客算来亦有十来顶大轿，三四十小轿，连家下大小轿车辆，不下百馀十乘。连前面各色执事、陈设、百耍，浩浩荡荡，一带摆三四里远。
走不多时，路旁彩棚高搭，设席张筵，和音奏乐，俱是各家路祭[43]：第一座是东平王府祭棚，第二座是南安郡王祭棚，第三座是西宁郡王，第四座是北静郡王的。原来这四王，当日惟北静王功高，及今子孙犹袭王爵。现今北静王水溶年未弱冠[44]，生得形容秀美，情性谦和。近闻宁国公冢孙妇告殂，因想当日彼此祖父相与之情，同难同荣，未以异姓相视，因此不以王位自居，上日也曾探丧上祭，如今又设路奠，命麾下[45]各官在此伺候。自己五更入朝，公事一毕，便换了素服，坐大轿鸣锣张伞而来，至棚前落轿。手下各官两旁拥侍，军民人众不得往还。
一时只见宁府大殡浩浩荡荡、压地银山一般从北而至。早有宁府开路传事人看见，连忙回去报与贾珍。贾珍急命前面驻扎，同贾赦贾政三人连忙迎来，以国礼相见。水溶在轿内欠身含笑答礼，仍以世交称呼接待，并不妄自尊大。贾珍道：“犬妇之丧，累蒙郡驾下临，荫生[46]辈何以克当。”水溶笑道：“世交之谊，何出此言。”遂回头命长府官[47]主祭代奠。贾赦等一旁还礼毕，复身又来谢恩。
水溶十分谦逊，因问贾政道：“那一位是衔宝而诞者？几次要见一见，都为杂冗所阻，想今日是来的，何不请来一会。”贾政听说，忙回去，急命宝玉脱去孝服，领他前来。那宝玉素日就曾听得父兄亲友人等说闲话时，赞水溶是个贤王，且生得才貌双全，风流潇洒，每不以官俗国体所缚。每思相会，只是父亲拘束严密，无由得会，今见反来叫他，自是欢喜。一面走，一面早瞥见那水溶坐在轿内，好个仪表人材。不知近看时又是怎样，且听下回分解。
〔一〕 “林如海”，原作“林儒海”，从甲戌、梦稿、戚序、舒序、甲辰、俄藏本改。
[2] 捐馆——又称“捐舍”、“捐馆舍”，死亡的讳称。《战国策·赵策二》：“今奉阳君捐馆舍。”捐：弃。馆：房舍。
[3] 呈文、京榜——都是纸的名称。呈文纸是一种质地较结实、价钱较便宜的纸，旧时书写呈文及商店簿记多用之；因其含有麻质，又称麻呈文。京榜是一种比较高级的榜纸，因其规格适宜于向京城销售，故称京榜。
[4] 纸札——也作“纸扎”、“纸劄”。这里是“纸张”的意思。札：古代无纸，字写在小木板上，叫“札”。
[5] 随起举哀——这里指分派奴仆随同死者亲眷一起号哭。举哀本是孝眷的事，但旧时有钱人家为了装潢门面，也令奴仆或专门雇人来一同哭丧，以示悲痛。
[6] 描赔——照原样或原价赔偿。描：照底样描摹。
[7] 黄昏纸——旧时有丧人家，每天按一定时间在灵前烧纸钱。日落黄昏时烧的那一次，叫“黄昏纸”。
[8] 蠲（juān捐）——减去，免除。
[9] 应佛僧——也叫“应付僧”、“应赴僧”，专门支应佛事的和尚。
[10] 开方破狱——民间习俗在人死亡后邀僧尼、道士大作超度亡灵的活动之一种。开方（放）：即开度。
[11] 传灯照亡——旧时认为人死后走向冥途，黑暗无边，而佛法能破除黑暗，犹如明灯。因此于人将死时在脚后燃灯以照亡灵，故云“传灯照亡”。
[12] 地藏王——菩萨名，他“安忍不动如大地，静虑深密如秘藏”，故名地藏。据佛教传说，他于释迦既灭之后，弥勒未生之前，在“人天地狱”之中救苦救难。
[13] 开金桥——迷信传说，“善人”死后鬼魂所走的是金桥。为死者开金桥，使他来世能“托生”于福禄之地。
[14] 幢幡（chuánɡ fān床番）——都是旗子一类的东西。幢：竿头安装宝珠，竿身饰以锦帛的旗子。幡：一种垂直悬挂在高竿上的窄长旗子。
[15] 伏章申表——道士斋醮时俯首屈身恭读表章。这里章与表皆系向上帝奏告的文书。
[16] 三清——道教合称该教的最高境界“玉清”、“上清”、“太清”为“三清”；也称居住在其中的“玉清元始天尊”、“上清灵宝天尊”、“太清太上老君”三位尊神为“三清”。
[17] 玉帝——即玉皇大帝，是道教所尊奉的最高天神。据道书说：“玉帝居玉清三元宫第一中位。”
[18] 放焰口——和尚替丧事人家念“焰口经”及施舍饮食于众鬼神，为饿鬼超度，为死者祈福的活动。焰口：据佛教传说，地狱中的饿鬼，腹大如山，喉细似针，一切饮食到了口边即化为火炭，故称“焰口”。
[19] 拜水忏——和尚念“水忏经”来为死者祈求免除冤孽灾祸的活动。水忏：又叫慈悲水忏，佛教经文之一。据说是唐代悟达禅师遇异僧用水替他洗好人面疮后，他为报恩而作。见元代觉岸《释氏稽古略》。
[20] 接引咒——接引死者至“极乐世界”的咒语。
[21] 明角灯——又叫羊角灯，灯罩用羊角胶制成，半透明，能防风雨。
[22] 戳灯——又名高灯。是一种竖在地上的灯笼，有长柄，可插在底座上，也可扛着行走。戳：又作“绰、矗”。
[23] 车轿网络——车轿上用丝线编织成的网状装饰品。
〔二〕 “凤姐命彩明要了帖念过”，原“彩明”二字作“他们”，“帖”下旁添“子”字。从甲戌本改。
〔三〕 “王兴家的”，原无“家的”二字，从梦稿、俄藏本补。
[26] 偏了——谦词，占先、僭越之意。这里是表示自己已经吃过了的客气话。
[27] 猴——这里作动词用，形容像猴子一样屈身攀抱、纠缠。
〔四〕 这个日期有讹误。林如海病重、黛玉回南，时在冬底。这也是秦可卿病的“这年冬底”。秦氏死于次年春。第十三至第十五回写秦氏丧礼，王熙凤协理宁国府，弄权铁槛寺。贾琏携黛玉回京，以及凤姐为贾琏接风，恰值秦氏丧期刚过，时间当然也是这年的春天或暮春。这里说：“林姑老爷是九月初三巳时没的”，时间显然不合。至于“大约赶年底回来”，“把大毛衣服带几件去”，矛盾也是明显的。因无别本可据，现仍从原本。
〔五〕 “勾引他认得混帐老婆，——回来打折你的腿”，原“老婆”下旁添“果然有这些事”，梦稿、俄藏、甲辰季本同旁添文字，从。
[30] 住持——主持寺庙事务的和尚，取常住护持的意思。这一职位，始于唐代禅宗百丈怀海和尚尊其师为住持。见《敕修百丈清规·住持章》。后道教亦袭用之。
〔六〕 “多请名僧”，原作“多请几名僧”，“几名”为旁添。从甲戌、梦稿、蒙府、戚序、舒序、甲辰、俄藏本改。
[32] 净室——一名“净住舍”，意为清静安住之所。见《法苑珠林》。后用以称和尚的住室。
〔七〕 “一面又派人先往铁槛寺，连夜另外修饰停灵之处，并厨茶等项接灵人口坐落”，原“派人”的“人”、“坐落”均为旁添；梦稿、戚序、甲辰、程甲、程乙本均作“一面又派人”；甲戌、己卯、蒙府、舒序、俄藏本均作“一面又派”，无“人”字。“接灵人口”各本均同，唯甲戌本作“接灵人”，无“口”字。今从底本改文。
[34] 华诞——旧时对别人生日的敬称。
[35] 启帖——陈述事情的帖子。
〔八〕 “刚到了宁府，荣府的人”，底本作“刚到了荣府，宁府的人”，从梦稿本改。
[37] 伴宿——丧家在出殡的前一夜全家整宿守灵不睡，叫“伴宿”，又称“坐夜”。
[38] 百戏——古代乐舞杂技表演的总称，这里专指“杂技”。
[39] 铭旌——同“明旌”，也叫“旌铭”，又简称“铭”。旧时丧仪用具，绛帛粉书，上写死者官衔、姓名，用竹竿挑起，竖在灵前右方。
[40] 享强寿——《公孙龙子·通变论》：“其有（若）君臣之于国焉，故强寿矣。”强寿是指国家强盛永久。书中秦氏的铭旌上写“享强寿”，转意为寿命终于强健之年，意同“强死”。《左传》文公十年载：楚国一巫者对楚成王和子玉、子西说：“三君皆将强死。”唐代孔颖达疏：“强，健也，无病而死，谓被杀也。”后晋楚城濮之战，子玉、子西战败，子玉自杀，子西“缢而悬绝”。据此，强死或暗含讥贬，即指被杀或自缢之类。
[41] 游击——官名，游击将军的简称。从汉代起，历代多有设置，但官阶及职权各不相同。
[42] 五城兵马司——明、清时代，在京都设五城兵马司，掌管中、东、西、南、北五城巡缉盗贼，平治街道，稽查囚犯及防火等事。
[43] 路祭——旧时出殡时，亲友在灵柩经过的路上设供致祭，叫“路祭”。
[44] 弱冠——古时男子二十岁行加冠礼，表示已经成人，但还未到壮年，故称“弱冠”。见《礼记·曲礼上》。
[45] 麾（huī挥）下——犹言部下。麾：古代指挥军队用的旗帜。
[46] 荫（yìn印）生——明、清时代依靠先辈的馀荫而取得监生资格的人叫“荫生”。荫：受先人恩惠庇护的意思。
[47] 长府官——这里当指王府的长史。始设于汉代；清代亲王、世子、郡王府中各置长史一人，统帅府属官员，总管全府事务。
CHAPTER 14. Lin Ru-hai is conveyed to his last resting-place in Soochow And Jia Bao-yu is presented to the Prince of Bei-jing at a roadside halt
When Lai Sheng, the Chief Steward of the Ning-guo mansion, learned that Xi-feng had been invited to take on the management of the household, he called his cronies together and addressed them in the following terms:
‘Well lads, it seems that they’ve called in Mrs Lian from the other house to run things here for a bit; so if she should happen to come round asking for anything or have occasion to talk to you about anything, be sure to do what she says, won’t you? During this coming month we shall all have to start work a bit earlier and knock off a bit later than usual. If you’ll put up with a little extra hardship just for this month, we can make up for it by taking things easy when it’s over. Anyway, I’m relying on you not to let me down. She’s well known for a sour-faced, hard-hearted bitch is this one, and once she’s got her back up, she’ll give no quarter, no matter who you are. So be careful!’
There was a chorus of agreement from the rest. One of them did observe, half-jokingly, that ‘by rights they could do with someone like her to straighten things up a bit, considering the state they had got into’. But just at that moment Brightie’s wife arrived on a mission from Xi-feng. She was to take receipt of some ledger-paper, buckram, and book-labels, and had a tally in her hand and a slip of paper specifying the quantities required. The men pressed round her offering her a place to sit and a cup of tea to drink while one of them hurried off with the list to fetch the needed items. Not only that, but, having fetched them, he carried them for her all the way to the inner gate of the mansion, only handing them to her then so that she could take them in to Xi-feng by herself. Xi-feng at once ordered Sunshine to make them up into stout workbooks for use in the office. At the same time she sent for Lai Sheng’s wife and asked her for the register of the household staff. She also told her to get in touch with all the married females on the staff and arrange for them to assemble first thing next morning to be told their new duties. Then, after roughly checking through the numbers in the ‘establishment’ sheet and questioning Lai Sheng’s wife on a few points, she got into her carriage and drove back home.
At half past six next morning she was back at the Ning-guo mansion. By this time all the married women on the staff had been assembled. Not daring to go in, they hung about outside the window listening to Xi-feng discussing work-plans with Lai Sheng’s wife inside the office. ‘Now that I’m in charge here’, they heard her telling the latter, ‘I won’t promise to make myself agreeable. I haven’t got a sweet temper like your mistress, you know. You won’t find me letting you do everything just as it suits you. So don’t let me hear anyone saying “We don’t do it that way here”! From now on, whatever it is, you do it the way I tell you to, and anyone who departs by as much as a hair’s breadth from what I say is for it good and proper, no matter how senior or how important she thinks she is!’
Having delivered herself of this formidable preliminary she ordered Sunshine to call the roll. One by one the women stepped into the office to be looked at. When she had looked at them all, Xi-feng proceeded to make her dispositions.
‘This twenty here. I want you to divide yourselves into two shifts of ten. Your job every day will be to look after lady visitors and serve them tea. That’s all you have to do. Nothing else.
‘This twenty here. I want you divided into two shifts like the others. Your job will be serving tea and meals to the family. Nothing else.
‘These forty. Again, two shifts. Your job is to look after the shrine: lighting fresh joss-sticks, keeping the lamps in oil, changing the drapes. You will also take turns by the spirit tablet, making offerings of rice and tea, kotowing when the visitors kotow, wailing when they wail. That is your job and nothing else besides.
‘You four are to look after the cups and plates and so forth in the ladies’ tea-room. If anything is missing, you share the responsibility between you and a quarter of the cost will be stopped out of each of your wages.
‘You four here are to look after the dinner-ware: bowls, wine-cups and the like. Anything missing will be stopped out of your wages.
‘This eight here. I want you to take charge of all funeral offerings sent in from outside.
‘This eight. I want you to look after oil, candles, and paper-offerings. I’m going to put the whole lot in your charge; then whenever any is needed somewhere, you must go to wherever it is and supply them with whatever amount I tell you to.
‘This twenty here. I want you doing night duty by rota. You are to see that all the gates are locked and keep a look-out for fires. You’ll also be responsible for keeping the outside properly swept.
‘The rest of you are to be divided up between the different apartments. Each of you will be responsible for the things in your own apartment, from furniture and antique ware down to spittoons and dusters. If the tiniest sliver gets lost or broken, you will be held responsible and will be expected to make it good.
‘Lai Sheng’s wife will make a general inspection every day, and if she catches anyone idling or gambling or drinking or fighting or being difficult, she will at once bring them to me for dealing with. And there will be no favouritism. If I find you’ve done something wrong, I shan’t care whether you’ve been in service here for three or four generations, it will make no difference to me.
‘Well, now you all know the rules. From now on whenever any trouble occurs I shall know exactly who to hold responsible.
‘Those who are used to working with me at the other place always have a watch handy, and everything they do, no matter how small a thing it is, is done at a fixed time. You may not have watches, but at least there is a clock in your master’s drawing-room you can look at. So here are the main times to remember. At half past six I shall come over to hear the roll-call. At ten o’clock I take my lunch. I shall see people with reports to make or tallies to collect up to, but not after, eleven o’clock. At seven in the evening, as soon as the paper-offerings have been burnt, I shall make a personal tour of inspection; and when I get back from it, I shall issue those on night duty with their keys. Then next day I shall be back here again at half past six.
‘I dare say we are all going to be a bit overworked during the days ahead, but I am sure your master will want to reward you all for your trouble when this is over.’
Xi-feng now proceeded to supervise the distribution of supplies of tea, oil, candles, feather-dusters, and brooms to some of her work-parties, and to issue others with tablecloths, chair-covers, cushions, mats, spittoons, footstools, and other furnishings, an entry of the amount supplied being made in the book as each consignment was handed over.
A clear record now existed of what individuals were in charge of which parts of the household, what items they were responsible for, and what duties they were expected to perform. Gone now were the days when everyone picked the easiest tasks to do first and the less popular ones never got carried out; gone the convenient disorder in which objects had so easily strayed (no one ever knew how) from the rooms where they belonged. Even with the greatly increased coming and going occasioned by the bereavement, it was quieter now than it had been before, when muddle and confusion still prevailed. And the old idling and pilfering appeared to have been eradicated completely. Secure in her authority, respected and obeyed by all, Xi-feng might be forgiven for contemplating her achievement with a certain amount of satisfaction.
Meanwhile You-shi was still unwell and Cousin Zhen too crushed by his somewhat disproportionate grief to think much about eating and drinking. Xi-feng accordingly had all sorts of invalid slops for You-shi and tempting little delicacies for Cousin Zhen prepared in the kitchens of the Rong-guo mansion and sent over each day to the prostrate couple. Cousin Zhen reciprocated by instructing his own cooks to prepare dishes of the very highest quality exclusively for Xi-feng and having them carried round to her in her little penthouse office.
Xi-feng seemed quite tireless in the discharge of her extra duties. Every morning she would be over at the appointed hour to hear the roll-call and would sit there alone in her office, never once emerging to mix with the young Ning-guo women of her own generation. Even when lady visitors arrived she remained in the office and took no part in their reception.
The Thirty-fifth had now arrived – an important day in the penitential cycle of seven times seven days preceding the funeral – and the monks in the main hall had reached a particularly dramatic part of their ceremonies. Having opened up a way for the imprisoned souls, the chief celebrant had succeeded by means of spells and incantations in breaking open the gates of hell. He had shone his light (a little hand-mirror) for the souls in darkness. He had confronted Yama, the Judge of the Dead. He had seized the demon torturers who resisted his progress. He had invoked Kṣitigarbha, the Saviour King, to aid him. He had raised up a golden bridge, and now, by means of a little flag which he held aloft in one hand, was conducting over it those souls from the very deepest pit of hell who still remained undelivered.
Meanwhile the ninety-nine Taoists in the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion were on their knees offering up a written petition to the Three Pure Ones and calling on the Jade Emperor himself in his heavenly palace. Outside, on their high staging, with swinging of censers and scattering of little cakes for the hungry ghosts to feed on, Zen monks were performing the great Water Penitential. And in the shrine where the coffin stood, six young monks and six young nuns, magnificently attired in scarlet slippers and embroidered copes, sat before the spirit tablet quietly murmuring the dharani that would assist the soul of the dead woman on the most difficult part of its journey into the underworld. Everywhere there was a hum of activity.
Knowing that the day would be a busy one bringing a greater than usual number of visitors, Xi-feng had risen at four o’clock in the morning to begin her toilet. By the time she had completed it, paid her daily tribute to nature, washed her hands, drunk a few mouthfuls of milk, and rinsed out her mouth, it was already half past six and Brightie’s wife, at the head of the other female domestics, had been waiting for some considerable time in the courtyard outside. At last she emerged and stepped into the waiting carriage. Two horn lanterns inscribed in large characters with the words
RONG-GUO HOUSE
were borne before her as she went.
The great gate of the Ning-guo mansion was hung with lanterns and there were rows of identical standard lanterns on each side of the gateway illuminating the entrance with the brightness of noonday and eerily emphasizing the whiteness of the mourning-clothes worn by the menservants lined up to receive the carriage. At their invitation it was drawn in through the centremost of the three gates. Then the menservants retired and Xi-feng’s own women hurried forward and raised the curtain of the carriage for her to descend. She did so, leaning on the shoulder of her maid Felicity, and the two women with the lanterns led her in, lighting the way for her as they went, while her other women closed in behind her and the women of the Ning-guo household advanced to meet her, curtseyed, and chorused their morning greetings.
Xi-feng walked slowly through the All-scents Garden until she came to the shrine in the Ascension Pavilion. As soon as she caught sight of the coffin the tears, like pearls from a broken necklace, rolled in great drops down her cheeks. A number of pages were standing stiffly in the courtyard outside awaiting the command to set fire to the paper offerings. Xi-feng gave orders for them to begin and for tea to be offered up inside the shrine. At once there was a clash of cymbals followed by the mournful strains of a funeral band. An armchair had already been called for and set down facing the spirit tablet. In this Xi-feng now sat, and raising her voice to a shrill pitch, wept with abandon, whereupon the entire household, high and low, male and female, indoors and out, responded by breaking into loud and prolonged lamentation.
Presently a representative of Cousin Zhen and You-shi arrived and begged Xi-feng to desist. Brightie’s wife poured out a cup of tea for her to rinse her mouth with, and when she had sufficiently recovered herself she rose to her feet once more, took leave of various members of the clan who were present, and went off to her office in the penthouse.
An inspection of the roster showed that all the members of her work-parties were present except for one woman belonging to the group responsible for the reception of friends of the family. Someone was sent to fetch her, and presently the woman arrived, flustered and fearful.
‘So it is you!’ said Xi-feng with a chilling smile. ‘I suppose you thought that because you have a somewhat more lady-like job than the rest, you could afford to disobey my orders!’
‘Oh no, madam, indeed not!’ said the woman. ‘I’ve been coming extra early every day. It’s only today, because I over-slept, that I’m a bit late. Please let me off this once, madam! It really is the first time.’
Just at that moment Xi-feng observed Wang Xing’s wife from the Rong-guo mansion, peeping round the door as if looking for a chance to speak to her.
‘Yes, what is it?’ she asked, turning away from the offender but giving her no indication that she might go.
Wang Xing’s wife approached and said that she wanted a tally authorizing the purchase of silk cord to be made up into carriage trimmings for the funeral. She handed Xi-feng a slip of paper on which the order was written. It specified the number of network trimmings that would be required for two large sedans, four small sedans, and four carriages, and the number of pounds of silk cord that would be required for that amount of network. Xi-feng made Sunshine read it out to her, and having satisfied herself that the figures were correct, told him to enter them in his book and to issue Wang Xing’s wife with one of the Rong-guo tallies, whereupon the latter hurried off to complete her mission.
Xi-feng was about to address the latecomer when four more servants from the Rong-guo mansion came in asking for tallies. She told them to hand over the order-slips and made Sunshine read them out to her. Two of them contained errors, and Xi-feng flung them down and told the bearers to ‘go away and come back when they had got their figures right’. The two of them went off crestfallen.
Xi-feng next observed Zhang Cai’s wife hovering about at the edge of the room and asked her what she wanted.
‘It’s those carriage curtains, ma’am. We want the money for the tailor who made them up.’
Xi-feng took the bill and told Sunshine to enter the figures from it in his book. But she would not authorize Zhang Cai’s wife to pay for the tailoring until Wang Xing’s wife had returned the tally for the material used and the buyer’s receipt. There was a second piece of paper which Sunshine now read, requesting permission to purchase paper for the windows of Bao-yu’s outer study, which had just been redecorated. This too Xi-feng kept, and made Sunshine enter the amount in his book. She told Zhang Cai’s wife that the goods must be supplied first before any payment could be authorized.
‘Tomorrow another one will be late and the day after that it will be someone else,’ said Xi-feng turning to the still waiting offender, ‘and before we know where we are we shall have no one turning up at all. I should have liked to let you off, but if I’m lenient with you the first time, it will be that much harder for me to deal with someone else the second time; so I am obliged to make an example of you.’ Her face hardened as she pronounced sentence: ‘Take her out and give her twenty strokes of the bamboo!’
Seeing that Xi-feng was really angry, the servants dared not show themselves slack in executing her command. The wretched woman was half-dragged from the room and the flogging administered in full view of the waiting throng, after which they came in again, the executioners to report that they had discharged their duty and their victim to thank Xi-feng for her punishment. Xi-feng threw down one of the Ning-guo tallies.
‘Take this to Lai Sheng and tell him to stop a month’s pay from her wages. If anyone is late tomorrow they will get forty strokes and the day after that it will be sixty. So if you enjoy being beaten you have only to come late for roll-call. Dismiss.’
The servants, including the shamefaced and silently weeping victim, trooped off to their various duties.
Now began a steady stream of servants from both households collecting and returning tallies, each of whom Xi-feng attended to in a brisk and efficient manner.
From that day onwards the staff of the Ning-guo mansion realized just how formidable Xi-feng could be and went about their duties in fear and trembling, not daring to idle or delay.
But let us now turn to Bao-yu.
On this particular occasion, fearing that with so great an influx of visitors Qin Zhong might find himself somewhat overwhelmed, Bao-yu brought him round to Xi-feng’s office for a quiet chat.
‘Did you smell the food?’ said Xi-feng with a laugh. (She was halfway through her lunch when they entered.) ‘Come up on the kang and have some!’
‘Thank you, but we have already eaten,’ said Bao-yu.
‘Here, or in the other house?’
‘Catch me eating here with those clowns!’ said Bao-yu. ‘No, back at home, with Grandmother.’
He and Qin Zhong sat down, and presently Xi-feng finished her lunch. Just then a woman came in asking for a tally with which to obtain a fresh supply of oil for the altar lamps.
‘I calculated that you would be needing some by now,’ said Xi-feng with a smile. ‘I thought you must have forgotten. If you had forgotten, you’d have had to pay for it yourself. That would have suited me down to the ground!’
‘Oh no, madam! As you say, I just forgot. I only thought of it a moment ago, and I realized that if I didn’t hurry I should be too late to get a tally.’
So saying, she took her tally and went. For a short while longer the handing over of tallies and registering of amounts continued.
‘Both your houses use these tallies for everything,’ said Qin Zhong, who had been watching these transactions with some interest. ‘Suppose some outsider were to forge one and use it to get a lot of money with?’
‘Not everyone is as crooked as you are!’ said Xi-feng good-humouredly.
‘How is it that there is no one from our place coming in for tallies?’ Bao-yu asked.
‘At the time when they come,’ Xi-feng replied, ‘you are still fast asleep in bed. Now let me ask you something. When are you going to begin studying at night?’
‘I should like nothing better than to begin today,’ said Bao-yu. ‘But what can I do if they won’t get on with my study?’
‘If you were to ask me nicely,’ said Xi-feng jovially, ‘I think I could undertake to hurry them up for you.’
‘Oh, you’re no good,’ said Bao-yu, ‘no more than any of the rest. They’ll get round to it in time. It’s just a question of waiting till they do.’
‘Whether they get round to it or not,’ said Xi-feng, ‘they still need materials for the job, and they can’t get the materials if I don’t choose to give them the tallies – I can tell you that for sure!’
As soon as he heard this, Bao-yu twined himself round Xi-feng and began coaxing and wheedling her to give the workmen the tallies that would enable them to begin work on his study.
‘Stop it! Stop it!’ cried Xi-feng. ‘I am so tired that my bones ache. How can I stand up to being mauled about by a great-ape like you? You needn’t worry. They’ve just been round to see about paper for the windows. It would look pretty stupid if you were to send them off for something they have already got.’
Bao-yu refused to believe her until she made Sunshine look up the entry in his book and show it to him.
While Bao-yu was inspecting the book, a servant announced the arrival of Shiner, one of the boys who had accompanied Jia Lian to Yangchow. Xi-feng eagerly ordered him in. Shiner louted to his mistress in the Manchu fashion and hoped that she was well.
‘Why have you come back?’ said Xi-feng.
‘The Master sent me, ma’am. Mr Lin died on the third at ten in the morning and the Master and Miss Lin are taking him to Soochow to be buried. They expect to be home by the end of the spring. The Master told me to bring back the news and to give everyone his regards, and he said I was to ask Her Old Ladyship for instructions. He also told me to see if you were getting on all right, ma’am; and he said would I take some furlined gowns back with me for winter wear.’
‘Have you seen anyone else yet?’ Xi-feng asked him.
‘Yes, everyone,’ said Shiner, and withdrew.
Xi-feng turned to Bao-yu with a smile:
‘It looks now as if your Cousin Lin will be staying with us permanently.’
‘Poor thing!’ said Bao-yu. ‘How she must have cried and cried during this past week or so!’ The thought of her crying made him knit his brows and sigh.
Now that Shiner was back, Xi-feng was all agog to question him about Jia Lian but could not do so in any detail in front of the others. She would have liked to follow him back home, but her duties were by no means over, and she was obliged to hold out until evening. Then, back in her own apartment, she summoned him to her and asked him for full particulars of the journey. She looked out all Jia Lian’s furs, and she and Patience sat up into the night getting them ready and packing them – together with anything else which careful thought suggested might be needed – for Shiner to take back with him to his Master. Xi-feng gave Shiner minute instructions concerning his conduct towards the latter:
‘Mind you look after your master properly away from home, now. Try not to make him angry. And do always be on at him not to drink too much. And don’t encourage him to get mixed up with bad women. If, when you get back, I find out that you have done, I’ll break your legs!’
Shiner laughingly agreed to abide by all her instructions. By the time they got to bed it was well past one in the morning. To Xi-feng it seemed as though she had barely lain down to sleep when it was dawn once more and time to get up again and wash and dress for another round of duties at Ning-guo House.
The day of the funeral was now approaching and Cousin Zhen took an expert in geomancy with him in his carriage and drove out to the Temple of the Iron Threshold to inspect the terrain and personally assist in the selection of a suitable resting-place for Qin-shi’s coffin. He gave detailed instructions to the monk-in-charge, Father Sublimitas, for the provision of a completely new set of hangings and altar furnishings for the funeral, and for the engagement of as many fashionable monks as he could think of to participate in the ceremony of receiving the coffin.
Sublimitas hurriedly prepared a vegetarian supper for his visitors; but Cousin Zhen had little heart for eating, and, as it was by now too late to return to the city, presently retired to a bed that had been made up for him in the monk’s quarters, leaving first thing next morning in order to press on with arrangements for the funeral. On his return he sent some workmen out to the temple to refurbish the place he had chosen for the coffin. They were instructed to work on the job throughout the night in order to make sure that it was finished in time. He also sent out a number of kitchen staff to cater for the funeral party on its arrival.
Xi-feng, too, began to make her own careful preparations as the day of the funeral drew near. On the one hand she had to select coachmen and bearers from the Rong-guo staff for the carriages and sedans that Lady Wang and the other Rong-guo ladies would ride in in the procession. On the other hand, as she fully intended to take part in it herself, she had to find herself somewhere to stop at on the way as well as accommodation for the night after the funeral.
The Dowager-duchess of Shan-guo happened to die just about this time and Xi-feng had to make the arrangements for Lady Xing and Lady Wang when they paid their visits of condolence and later when they attended the funeral. She had to see about birthday presents for the Princess of Xi-an. She had to write to her parents and get things ready to send to them when her elder brother Wang Ren returned with his wife and children to the South. And when on top of all this Jia Lian’s young sister Ying-chun fell ill and needed doctors’ visits and medicines every day, it was Xi-feng who had to puzzle over the diagnostic reports, discuss the patient’s symptoms with the learned physicians, and decide on the relative merits of rival prescriptions.
Indeed, so multifarious had her activities become that it would be impossible to list them all. As a consequence she was far too busy to pay much attention to eating and drinking and could hardly sit or lie down for a moment in peace. When she went to the Ning-guo mansion she was followed around all the time by people from the Rong-guo mansion, and when she went back to Rong-guo House, members of the Ning-guo establishment would trail after her. Yet although she was so busy, a passion to succeed and a dread of being criticized enabled her to summon up reserves of energy, and she managed to plan everything with such exemplary thoroughness that every member of the clan was loud in her praises.
Wake night arrived – the night when no one in the family may go to bed – and Ning-guo House was crowded with friends and relations. Since You-shi was still confined to her room, it was left entirely to Xi-feng to do the honours. There were, to be sure, a number of other young married women in the clan, but all were either tongue-tied or giddy, or they were so petrified by bashfulness or timidity that the presence of strangers or persons of higher rank threw them into a state of panic. Xi-feng’s vivacious charm and social assurance stood out in striking contrast – ‘a touch of scarlet in a field of green’. She was in her element, and if she took any notice at all of her humbler sisters it was only to throw out an occasional order or to bend them in some other way to her imperious will.
Throughout the whole of that night the Ning-guo mansion was ablaze with lights. There was a constant bustle of guests being welcomed or seen off the premises and all the liveliness and excitement that is customary on occasions of this sort.
With the dawning of the day and the arrival of the hour deemed auspicious for its departure, sixty-four green-coated bearers arrived for the coffin, preceded by a great funeral banner bearing the following inscription:
Mortal Remains of the Much Lamented LADY QIN-SHI of the House of Jia, Senior Great-great-granddaughter-in-law of the Duke of Ning-guo, Nobleman of the First Rank by Imperial Patent, and Wife of the Right Honourable Jia Rong, Honorary Captain in the Imperial Bodyguard, Inner Palace, Northern Capital Division.
The costumes, insignia, and funeral trappings were all glitteringly new, having been specially made for the occasion.
Jewel, acting in the capacity of unmarried daughter of the deceased, smashed a bowl on the floor at the foot of the coffin and as they bore it out walked in front with an impressive display of grief.
Among the distinguished guests taking part in the procession were:
Niu Ji-zong (earl, hereditary first rank), grandson of Niu Qing, Duke of Zhen-guo,
Liu Fang (viscount, hereditary first rank), grandson of Liu Biao, Duke of Li-guo,
Chen Rui-wen (Maj.-General), grandson of Chen Yi, Duke of Qi-guo,
Ma Shang-de (Maj.-General), grandson of Ma Kui, Duke of Zhi-guo,
Hou Xiao-kang (viscount, hereditary first rank), grandson of Hou Xiao-ming, Duke of Xiu-guo.
The grandfathers of the above, together with the Duke of Shan-guo, whose grandson Shi Guang-zhu was in mourning for the Dowager-duchess and unable to attend, and the Dukes of Rong-guo and Ning-guo, had formed the well-known group often referred to by their contemporaries as the ‘Eight Dukes’.
The other mourners included:
The grandson of H.H. the Prince of Nan-an,
The grandson of H.H. the Prince of Xi-ning,
Shi Ding, Marquis of Zhong-jing, nephew of old Lady Jia,
Jiang Zi-ning (baron, hereditary second rank), grandson of the Marquis of Ping-yuan,
Xie Kun (baron, hereditary second rank, and lieutenant-colonel, Metropolitan Barracks), grandson of the Marquis of Ding-cheng,
Qi Jian-hui (baron, hereditary second rank), grandson of the Marquis of Xiang-yang,
Qiu Liang (Chief Commissioner of Police, Metropolitan Area), grandson of the Marquis of Jing-tian.
Also present were the Marquis of Jin-xiang’s son Han Qi, General Feng’s son Feng Zi-ying, General Chen’s son Chen Ye-jun, General Wei’s son Wei Ruo-lan, and a large number of other young gentlemen of distinguished parentage.
As for lady guests, there were ten or so large and thirty or forty small palanquins, which together with the palanquins and carriages of the Jia ladies brought the total number of equipages to at least a hundred and ten. These, with the innumerable bearers of insignia and other funeral trappings up at the front, formed a procession altogether more than a mile long.
The procession had not advanced very far when it began to pass the decorated ‘funeral bowers’ and tables of offerings put up along the sides of the street by friends and well-wishers of the family. From some of them the strains of funeral music struck up as it approached.
The first of these bowers was the Princess of Dong-ping’s, the second was the Prince of Nan-an’s, the third was the Prince of Xi-ning’s, and the fourth that of the Prince of Bei-jing.
Of the original holders of these four titles the Prince of Bei-jing had been highest in imperial favour by virtue of his great services to the Crown. As a consequence, the title and the style of ‘prince’ had been retained by his descendants. The present holder of the title, Shui Rong, was a youth still in his teens – a young man of great personal beauty and a modest and unaffected disposition. On receiving the announcement of the premature demise of the wife of one of the Duke of Ning-guo’s descendants, Shui Rong was reminded of the friendship that had formerly existed between the Duke of Ning-guo and his own ancestor – both having fought in the same campaigns and shared hardships and triumphs together – and resolved to lay aside all considerations of rank in demonstrating his sympathy for the bereaved. Two days previously he had paid a visit of condolence and made inquiries about the funeral arrangements, and now, today, intending to make a libation to the coffin as it went by, he had had his booth constructed at the roadside and had instructed a number of his staff to wait there in readiness for his arrival.
At four o’clock that morning the prince had had to be present at the imperial palace for the early levée; but, as soon as his business there was over, he changed out of court dress and into mourning and after getting into his great palanquin, was borne through the streets, preceded by gongs and umbrellas of state, to the place where his funeral bower had been erected. There his palanquin was set down and the gentlemen of his household ranged themselves on either side of it. The street was kept clear of traffic and pedestrians while he waited.
Presently the procession came in sight, advancing from the north end of the street like a great river, the hearse itself looking like some great silver mountain that crushed the earth beneath it as it moved. In a trice the forerunners had reported back to Cousin Zhen, who at once gave orders to the insignia bearers to halt, and hurrying forward with his Uncles Jia She and Jia Zheng, saluted the prince with full court etiquette. The prince received their prostrations with a gracious smile and a slight inclination of his person inside the palanquin, and when he spoke to them it was not as a prince to a subject, but using the form of address he employed when speaking to family friends.
‘Your Highness, I am quite overwhelmed by the honour you do us in graciously condescending to be present at the funeral of my daughter-in-law,’ said Cousin Zhen.
‘My dear friend,’ said the Prince of Bei-jing, ‘your excessive modesty does us both an injustice.’
Thereupon he turned to the chamberlain of his household and ordered him to make offerings on his behalf. Cousin Zhen and his uncles made the correct ritual responses while this official performed them, then returned to the palanquin and bowed their thanks to the prince. The prince received their thanks with a most becoming modesty and by way of conversation asked Jia Zheng a question about Bao-yu:
‘Which is the boy who was born with a stone in his mouth? I have long looked forward to the pleasure of meeting him. I am sure he must be here today. Can you not bring him to see me?’
Jia Zheng at once withdrew to fetch Bao-yu. He made him first change into court dress before leading him forward to meet the prince.
Bao-yu had often heard about the Prince of Bei-jing. He had heard that he was very clever. He had also heard that he was as handsome as he was clever and that he was a quite jolly, unconventional sort of person who refused to let either his royal birth or the conventions of official life constrain him. He had often wanted to meet him, but had been deterred by his father’s strictness from doing so. And now here was the Prince of Bei-jing asking to see him! A feeling of pleasant anticipation filled him as he hurried forward with his father. He peeped up at the prince as they advanced and saw that he was, as report had painted him, an extremely good-looking young man.
But if you want to know about his interview with the handsome prince, you will have to read about it in the next chapter.