第五十三回

第五十三回 宁国府除夕祭宗祠 荣国府元宵开夜宴

话说宝玉见晴雯将雀裘补完，已使的力尽神危，忙命小丫头子来替他捶着，彼此捶打了一会歇下。没一顿饭的工夫，天已大亮，且不出门，只叫快传大夫。一时王太医来了，诊了脉，疑惑说道：“昨日已好了些，今日如何反虚微浮缩[1]起来，敢是吃多了饮食？不然就是劳了神思。外感却倒清了，这汗后失于调养，非同小可。”一面说，一面出去开了药方进来。

宝玉看时，已将疏散驱邪诸药减去了，倒添了茯苓、地黄、当归等益神养血之剂。宝玉一面忙命人煎去，一面叹说：“这怎么处！倘或有个好歹，都是我的罪孽。”晴雯睡在枕上嗐道：“好太爷！你干你的去罢，那里就得痨病了。”宝玉无奈，只得去了。至下半天，说身上不好就回来了。

晴雯此症虽重，幸亏他素习是个使力不使心的；再素习饮食清淡，饥饱无伤。这贾宅中的风俗秘法，无论上下，只一略有些伤风咳嗽，总以净饿为主，次则服药调养。故于前日一病时，净饿了两三日，又谨慎服药调治，如今劳碌了些，又加倍培养了几日，便渐渐的好了。近日园中姊妹皆各在房中吃饭，炊爨饮食亦便，宝玉自能变法要汤要羹调停，不必细说。

袭人送母殡后，业已回来，麝月便将平儿所说宋妈坠儿一事，并晴雯撵逐出去也曾回过宝玉等话，一一告诉袭人。袭人也没说别的，只说太性急了些。只因李纨亦因时气感冒；邢夫人又正害火眼，迎春岫烟皆过去朝夕侍药；李婶之弟又接了李婶和李纹李绮家去住几日；宝玉又见袭人常常思母含悲，晴雯犹未大愈：因此诗社之日，皆未有人作兴，便空了几社。

当下已是腊月，离年日近，王夫人与凤姐治办年事。王子腾升了九省都检点，贾雨村补授了大司马[2]，协理军机参赞朝政，不题。

且说贾珍那边，开了宗祠，着人打扫，收拾供器，请神主，又打扫上房，以备悬供遗真影像。此时荣宁二府内外上下，皆是忙忙碌碌。这日宁府中尤氏正起来同贾蓉之妻打点送贾母这边的针线礼物，正值丫头捧了一茶盘押岁锞子进来，回说：“兴儿回奶奶，前儿那一包碎金子共是一百五十三两六钱七分，里头成色不等，共总倾[3]了二百二十个锞子。”说着递上去。尤氏看了看，只见也有梅花式的，也有海棠式的，也有笔锭如意的，也有八宝联春的。尤氏命：“收起这个来，叫他把银锞子快快交了进来。”丫鬟答应去了。

一时贾珍进来吃饭，贾蓉之妻回避了。贾珍因问尤氏：“咱们春祭的恩赏[4]可领了不曾？”尤氏道：“今儿我打发蓉儿关去了。”贾珍道：“咱们家虽不等这几两银子使，多少是皇上天恩。早关了来，给那边老太太见过，置了祖宗的供，上领皇上的恩，下则是托祖宗的福。咱们那怕用一万银子供祖宗，到底不如这个又体面，又是沾恩锡福的。除咱们这样一二家之外，那些世袭穷官儿家，若不仗着这银子，拿什么上供过年？真正皇恩浩大，想的周到。”尤氏道：“正是这话。”

二人正说着，只见人回：“哥儿来了。”贾珍便命叫他进来。只见贾蓉捧了一个小黄布口袋进来。贾珍道：“怎么去了这一日。”贾蓉陪笑回说：“今儿不在礼部关领，又分在光禄寺库上，因又到了光禄寺[5]才领了下来。光禄寺的官儿们都说问父亲好，多日不见，都着实想念。”贾珍笑道：“他们那里是想我。这又到了年下了，不是想我的东西，就是想我的戏酒了。”一面说，一面瞧那黄布口袋上有印，就是“皇恩永锡”四个大字，那一边又有礼部祠祭司的印记，又写着一行小字，道是“宁国公贾演荣国公贾源〔一〕恩赐永远春祭赏共二分，净折银若干两，某年月日龙禁尉候补侍卫贾蓉当堂领讫，值年寺丞某人”，下面一个朱笔花押。

贾珍看了，吃过饭，盥漱毕，换了靴帽，命贾蓉捧着银子跟了来，回过贾母王夫人，又至这边回过贾赦邢夫人，方回家去，取出银子，命将口袋向宗祠大炉内焚了。又命贾蓉道：“你去问问你琏二婶子，正月里请吃年酒的日子拟了没有。若拟定了，叫书房里明白开了单子来，咱们再请时，就不能重犯了。旧年不留心重了几家，不说咱们不留神，倒像两宅商议定了送虚情怕费事一样。”贾蓉忙答应了过去。一时，拿了请人吃年酒的日期单子来了。贾珍看了，命交与赖升去看了，请人别重这上头日子。因在厅上看着小厮们抬围屏，擦抹几案金银供器。只见小厮手里拿着个禀帖并一篇帐目，回说：“黑山村的乌庄头[7]来了。”

贾珍道：“这个老砍头的今儿才来。”说着，贾蓉接过禀帖和帐目，忙展开捧着，贾珍倒背着两手，向贾蓉手内只看红禀帖上写着：“门下庄头乌进孝叩请爷、奶奶万福金安，并公子小姐金安。新春大喜大福，荣贵平安，加官进禄，万事如意。”贾珍笑道：“庄家人有些意思。”贾蓉也忙笑说：“别看文法，只取个吉利罢了。”一面忙展开单子看时，只见上面写着：

大鹿三十只，獐子五十只，狍子五十只，暹猪二十个，汤猪二十个，龙猪二十个，野猪二十个，家腊猪二十个，野羊二十个，青羊二十个，家汤羊二十个，家风羊二十个，鲟鳇鱼二个，各色杂鱼二百斤，活鸡、鸭、鹅各二百只，风鸡、鸭、鹅二百只，野鸡、兔子各二百对，熊掌二十对，鹿筋二十斤，海参五十斤，鹿舌五十条，牛舌五十条，蛏干二十斤，榛、松、桃、杏穰各二口袋，大对虾五十对，干虾二百斤，银霜炭[8]上等选用一千斤、中等二千斤，柴炭三万斤，御田胭脂米[9]二石，碧糯五十斛，白糯五十斛，粉粳五十斛，杂色粱谷各五十斛，下用常米一千石，各色干菜一车，外卖粱谷、牲口各项之银共折银二千五百两。外门下孝敬哥儿姐儿顽意：活鹿两对，活白兔四对，黑兔四对，活锦鸡两对，西洋鸭两对。

贾珍看完，便命带进他来。一时，只见乌进孝进来，只在院内磕头请安。贾珍命人拉他起来，笑说：“你还硬朗。”乌进孝笑回：“托爷的福，还能走得动。”贾珍道：“你儿子也大了，该叫他走走也罢了。”乌进孝笑道：“不瞒爷说，小的们走惯了，不来也闷的慌。他们可不是都愿意来见见天子脚下世面？他们到底年轻，怕路上有闪失，再过几年就可放心了。”

贾珍道：“你走了几日？”乌进孝道：“回爷的话，今年雪大，外头都是四五尺深的雪，前日忽然一暖一化，路上竟难走的很，耽搁了几日。虽走了一个月零两日，因日子有限了，怕爷心焦，可不赶着来了。”贾珍道：“我说呢，怎么今儿才来。我才看那单子上，今年你这老货又来打擂台[10]来了。”乌进孝忙进前了两步，回道：“回爷说，今年年成实在不好。从三月下雨起，接接连连直到八月，竟没有一连晴过五日。九月里一场碗大的雹子，方近一千三百里地，连人带房并牲口粮食，打伤了上千上万的，所以才这样。小的并不敢说谎。”贾珍皱眉道：“我算定了你至少也有五千两银子来，这够作什么的！如今你们一共只剩了八九个庄子，今年倒有两处报了旱涝，你们又打擂台，真真是又教别过年了。”

乌进孝道：“爷的这地方还算好呢！我兄弟离我那里只一百多里，谁知竟大差了。他现管着那府里八处庄地，比爷这边多着几倍，今年也只这些东西，不过多二三千两银子，也是有饥荒打呢。”贾珍道：“正是呢，我这边都可，已没有什么外项大事，不过是一年的费用。我受用些，就费些〔二〕；我受些委屈就省些。再者年例送人请人，我把脸皮厚些，可省些也就完了。比不得那府里，这几年添了许多花钱的事，一定不可免是要花的，却又不添些银子产业。这一二年倒赔了许多，不和你们要，找谁去！”乌进孝笑道：“那府里如今虽添了事，有去有来，娘娘和万岁爷岂不赏的！”贾珍听了，笑向贾蓉等道：“你们听，他这话可笑不可笑？”贾蓉等忙笑道：“你们山坳海沿子上的人，那里知道这道理。娘娘难道把皇上的库给了我们不成！他心里纵有这心，他也不能作主。岂有不赏之理，按时到节不过是些彩缎古董顽意儿。纵赏银子〔三〕，不过一百两金子，才值了一千两银子，够一年的什么？这二年那一年不多赔出几千银子来！头一年省亲连盖花园子，你算算那一注共花了多少，就知道了。再两年再一回省亲，只怕就精穷了。”贾珍笑道：“所以他们庄家老实人，外明不知里暗〔四〕的事。黄柏木作磬槌子——外头体面里头苦。”贾蓉又笑向贾珍道：“果真那府里穷了。前儿我听见凤姑娘和鸳鸯悄悄商议，要偷出老太太的东西去当银子呢。”贾珍笑道：“那又是你凤姑娘的鬼，那里就穷到如此。他必定是见去路太多了，实在赔的狠了，不知又要省那一项的钱，先设此法使人知道，说穷到如此了。我心里却有一个算盘，还不至如此田地。”说着，命人带了乌进孝出去，好生待他，不在话下。

这里贾珍吩咐将方才各物，留出供祖的来，将各样取了些，命贾蓉送过荣府里。然后自己留了家中所用的，馀者派出等例来，一分一分的堆在月台下，命人将族中的子侄唤来与他们。接着荣国府也送了许多供祖之物及与贾珍之物。

贾珍看着收拾完备供器，靸着鞋，披着猞猁狲[14]大裘，命人在厅柱下石矶上太阳中铺了一个大狼皮褥子，负暄[15]闲看各子弟们来领取年物。因见贾芹亦来领物，贾珍叫他过来，说道：“你作什么也来了？谁叫你来的？”贾芹垂手回说：“听见大爷这里叫我们领东西，我没等人去叫就来了。”贾珍道：“我这东西，原是给你那些闲着无事的无进益的小叔叔兄弟们的。那二年你闲着，我也给过你的。你如今在那府里管事，家庙里管和尚道士们，一月又有你的分例外，这些和尚的分例银子都从你手里过，你还来取这个，太也贪了！你自己瞧瞧，你穿的可像个手里使钱办事的？先前说你没进益，如今又怎么了？比先倒不像了。”贾芹道：“我家里原人口多，费用大。”贾珍冷笑道：“你还支吾我。你在家庙里干的事，打谅我不知道呢。你到了那里自然是爷了，没人敢违拗你。你手里又有了钱，离着我们又远，你就为王称霸起来，夜夜招聚匪类赌钱，养老婆小子。这会子花的这个形象，你还敢领东西来？领不成东西，领一顿驮水棍[16]去才罢。等过了年，我必和你琏二叔说，换回你来。”贾芹红了脸，不敢答应。

人回：“北府水王爷送了字联、荷包来了。”贾珍听说，忙命贾蓉出去款待，“只说我不在家。”贾蓉去了，这里贾珍看着领完东西，回房与尤氏吃毕晚饭，一宿无话。至次日，更比往日忙〔五〕，都不必细说。

已到了腊月二十九日了，各色齐备，两府中都换了门神、联对、挂牌，新油了桃符[18]，焕然一新。宁国府从大门、仪门、大厅、暖阁、内厅、内三门、内仪门并内塞门[19]，直到正堂，一路正门大开，两边阶下一色朱红大高烛，点的两条金龙一般。

次日，由贾母有诰封者，皆按品级着朝服，先坐八人大轿，带领着众人进宫朝贺，行礼领宴毕回来，便到宁国府暖阁下轿。诸子弟有未随入朝者，皆在宁府门前排班伺候，然后引入宗祠。

且说宝琴是初次，一面细细留神打谅这宗祠，原来宁府西边另一个院子，黑油栅栏内五间大门，上悬一块匾，写着是“贾氏宗祠”四个字，旁书“衍圣公[20]孔继宗书”。两旁有一副长联，写道是：

肝脑涂地，兆姓赖保育之恩；

功名贯天，百代仰蒸尝[21]之盛。

亦衍圣公所书。进入院中，白石甬路，两边皆是苍松翠柏。月台上设着青绿古铜鼎彝等器。抱厦前上面悬一九龙金匾，写道是：“星辉辅弼”[22]。乃先皇御笔。两边一副对联，写道是：

勋业有光昭日月，功名无间及儿孙。

亦是御笔。五间正殿前悬一闹龙填青匾[23]，写道是：“慎终追远”[24]。旁边一副对联，写道是：

已后儿孙承福德，至今黎庶念荣宁。

俱是御笔。里边香烛辉煌，锦幛绣幕，虽列着神主，却看不真切。只见贾府人分昭穆[25]排班立定：贾敬主祭，贾赦陪祭，贾珍献爵，贾琏贾琮献帛[26]，宝玉捧香，贾菖〔六〕贾菱展拜毯，守焚池。青衣乐奏，三献爵，拜兴[28]毕，焚帛奠酒，礼毕，乐止，退出。

众人围随着贾母至正堂上，影前锦幔高挂，彩屏张护，香烛辉煌。上面正居中悬着宁荣二祖遗像，皆是披蟒〔七〕腰玉；两边还有几轴列祖遗影。贾荇贾芷等从内仪门挨次列站，直到正堂廊下。槛外方是贾敬贾赦，槛内是各女眷。众家人小厮皆在仪门之外。

每一道菜至，传至仪门，贾荇贾芷等便接了，按次传至阶上贾敬手中。贾蓉系长房长孙，独他随女眷在槛内。每贾敬捧菜至，传于贾蓉，贾蓉便传于他妻子，又传于凤姐尤氏诸人，直传至供桌前，方传于王夫人。王夫人传于贾母，贾母方捧放在桌上。邢夫人在供桌之西，东向立，同贾母供放。直至将菜饭汤点酒茶传完，贾蓉方退出下阶，归入贾芹阶位之首。

凡从文旁之名者，贾敬为首；下则从玉者，贾珍为首；再下从草头者，贾蓉为首；左昭右穆，男东女西。俟贾母拈香下拜，众人方一齐跪下，将五间大厅，三间抱厦，内外廊檐，阶上阶下两丹墀内，花团锦簇，塞的无一隙空地。鸦雀无闻，只听铿锵叮当，金铃玉珮微微摇曳之声，并起跪靴履飒沓之响。一时礼毕，贾敬贾赦等便忙退出，至荣府专候与贾母行礼。

尤氏上房早已袭地铺满红毡，当地放着象鼻三足鳅沿鎏金珐琅大火盆，正面炕上铺新猩红毡，设着大红彩绣云龙捧寿的靠背引枕，外另有黑狐皮的袱子搭在上面，大白狐皮坐褥，请贾母上去坐了。两边又铺皮褥，让贾母一辈的两三个妯娌坐了。这边横头排插之后小炕上，也铺了皮褥，让邢夫人等坐了。地下两面相对十二张雕漆椅上，都是一色灰鼠椅搭小褥，每一张椅下一个大铜脚炉，让宝琴等姊妹坐了。尤氏用茶盘亲捧茶与贾母，蓉妻捧与众老祖母，然后尤氏又捧与邢夫人等，蓉妻又捧与众姊妹。凤姐李纨等只在地下伺候。茶毕，邢夫人等便先起身来侍贾母。贾母吃茶，与老妯娌闲话了两三句，便命看轿。

凤姐儿忙上去挽起来。尤氏笑回说：“已经预备下老太太的晚饭。每年都不肯赏些体面用过晚饭过去，果然我们就不及凤丫头不成？”凤姐儿搀着贾母笑道：“老祖宗快走，咱们家去吃饭，别理他。”贾母笑道：“你这里供着祖宗，忙的什么似的，那里搁得住我闹。况且每年我不吃，你们也要送去的。不如还送了去，我吃不了留着明儿再吃，岂不多吃些。”说的众人都笑了。又吩咐他：“好生派妥当人夜里看香火，不是大意得的。”尤氏答应了。一面走出来至暖阁前上了轿。尤氏等闪过屏风，小厮们才领轿夫，请了轿出大门。尤氏亦随邢夫人等同至荣府。

这里轿出大门，这一条街上，东一边合面〔八〕设列着宁国府的仪仗执事乐器，西一边合面设列着荣国府的仪仗执事乐器，来往行人皆屏退不从此过。一时来至荣府，也是大门正厅直开到底。如今便不在暖阁下轿了，过了大厅，便转弯向西，至贾母这边正厅上下轿。

众人围随同至贾母正室之中，亦是锦裀绣屏，焕然一新。当地火盆内焚着松柏香、百合草。贾母归了坐，老嬷嬷来回：“老太太们来行礼。”贾母忙又起身要迎，只见两三个老妯娌已进来了。大家挽手，笑了一回，让了一回。吃茶去后，贾母只送至内仪门便回来，归正坐。

贾敬贾赦等领诸子弟进来。贾母笑道：“一年价难为你们，不行礼罢。”一面说着，一面男一起，女一起，一起一起俱行过了礼。左右两旁设下交椅，然后又按长幼挨次归坐受礼。两府男妇小厮丫鬟亦按差役上中下行礼毕，散押岁钱、荷包、金银锞，摆上合欢宴来。男东女西归坐，献屠苏酒、合欢汤、吉祥果、如意糕毕，贾母起身进内间更衣，众人方各散出。

那晚各处佛堂灶王前焚香上供，王夫人正房院内设着天地纸马香供，大观园正门上也挑着大明角灯，两溜高照，各处皆有路灯。上下人等，皆打扮的花团锦簇，一夜人声嘈杂，语笑喧阗，爆竹起火，络绎不绝。

至次日五鼓，贾母等又按品大妆，摆全副执事进宫朝贺，兼祝元春千秋。领宴回来，又至宁府祭过列祖，方回来受礼毕，便换衣歇息。所有贺节来的亲友一概不会，只和薛姨妈李婶二人说话取便，或者同宝玉、宝琴、钗、玉等姊妹赶围棋抹牌作戏。王夫人与凤姐是天天忙着请人吃年酒，那边厅上院内皆是戏酒，亲友络绎不绝，一连忙了七八日才完了。早又元宵将近，宁荣二府皆张灯结彩。十一日是贾赦请贾母等，次日贾珍又请，贾母皆去随便领了半日。王夫人和凤姐儿连日被人请去吃年酒，不能胜记。

至十五日之夕，贾母便在大花厅上命摆几席酒，定一班小戏，满挂各色佳灯，带领荣宁二府各子侄孙男孙媳等家宴。贾敬素不茹酒，也不去请他，于后十七日祖祀已完，他便仍出城去修养。便这几日在家内，亦是净室默处，一概无听无闻，不在话下。贾赦略领了贾母之赐，也便告辞而去。贾母知他在此彼此不便，也就随他去了。贾赦自到家中与众门客赏灯吃酒，自然是笙歌聒耳，锦绣盈眸，其取便快乐另与这边不同的。

这边贾母花厅之上共摆了十来席。每一席旁边设一几，几上设炉瓶三事[31]，焚着御赐百合宫香。又有八寸来长四五寸宽二三寸高的点着山石布满青苔的小盆景，俱是新鲜花卉。又有小洋漆茶盘，内放着旧窑[32]茶杯并十锦小茶吊，里面泡着上等名茶。一色皆是紫檀透雕，嵌着大红纱透绣花卉并草字诗词的璎珞[33]。

原来绣这璎珞的也是个姑苏女子，名唤慧娘。因他亦是书香宦门之家，他原精于书画，不过偶然绣一两件针线作耍，并非市卖之物。凡这屏上所绣之花卉，皆仿的是唐、宋、元、明各名家的折枝花卉，故其格式配色皆从雅，本来非一味浓艳匠工可比。每一枝花侧皆用古人题此花之旧句，或诗词歌赋不一，皆用黑绒绣出草字来，且字迹勾踢、转折、轻重、连断皆与笔草无异，亦不比市绣字迹板强可恨。他不仗此技获利，所以天下虽知，得者甚少，凡世宦富贵之家，无此物者甚多，当今便称为“慧绣”。竟有世俗射利者，近日仿其针迹，愚人获利。偏这慧娘命夭，十八岁便死了，如今竟不能再得一件的了。凡所有之家，纵有一两件，皆珍藏不用。有那一干翰林文魔先生们，因深惜“慧绣”之佳，便说这“绣”字不能尽其妙，这样笔迹说一“绣”字，反似乎唐突了，便大家商议了，将“绣”字便隐去，换了一个“纹”字，所以如今都称为“慧纹”。

若有一件真“慧纹”之物，价则无限。贾府之荣，也只有两三件，上年将那两件已进了上，目下只剩这一副璎珞，一共十六扇，贾母爱如珍宝，不入在请客名色陈设之内，只留在自己这边，高兴摆酒时赏玩。又有各色旧窑小瓶中都点缀着“岁寒三友”“玉堂富贵”等新鲜花草。

上面两席是李婶薛姨妈二位。贾母于东边设一透雕夔龙护屏矮足短榻，靠背引枕皮褥俱全。榻之上一头又设一个极轻巧洋漆描金小几，几上放着茶吊、茶碗、漱盂、洋巾之类，又有一个眼镜匣子。贾母歪在榻上，与众人说笑一回，又自取眼镜向戏台上照一回，又向薛姨妈李婶笑说：“恕我老了，骨头疼，容我放肆些，歪着相陪罢。”因又命琥珀坐在榻上，拿着美人拳[34]捶腿。

榻下并不摆席面，只有一张高几，却设着璎珞花瓶香炉等物。外另设一精致小高桌，设着酒杯匙箸〔九〕，将自己这一席设于榻旁，命宝琴、湘云、黛玉、宝玉四人坐着。每一馔一果来，先捧与贾母看了，喜则留在小桌上尝一尝，仍撤了放在他四人席上，只算他四人是跟着贾母坐。故下面方是邢夫人王夫人之位，再下便是尤氏、李纨、凤姐、贾蓉之妻。西边一路便是宝钗、李纹、李绮、岫烟、迎春姊妹等。两边大梁上，挂着一对联三聚五玻璃芙蓉彩穗灯。每一席前竖一柄漆干倒垂荷叶，叶上有烛信插着彩烛。这荷叶乃是錾珐琅的，活信可以扭转，如今皆将荷叶扭转向外，将灯影逼住全向外照，看戏分外真切。窗格门户一齐摘下，全挂彩穗各种宫灯。廊檐内外及两边游廊罩棚，将各色羊角、玻璃、戳纱、料丝[36]或绣、或画、或堆、或抠、或绢、或纸诸灯挂满。

廊上几席，便是贾珍、贾琏、贾环、贾琮、贾蓉、贾芹、贾芸、贾菱、贾菖等。贾母也曾差人去请众族中男女，奈他们或有年迈懒于热闹的；或有家内没有人不便来的；或有疾病淹缠，欲来竟不能来的；或有一等妒富愧贫不来的；甚至于有一等憎畏凤姐之为人而赌气不来的；或有羞口羞脚，不惯见人，不敢来的：因此族众虽多，女客来者只不过贾菌之母娄氏带了贾菌来了，男子只有贾芹、贾芸、贾菖、贾菱四个现是在凤姐麾下办事的来了。当下人虽不全，在家庭间小宴中，数来也算是热闹的了。

当下又有林之孝之妻带了六个媳妇，抬了三张炕桌，每一张上搭着一条红毡，毡上放着选净一般大新出局的铜钱，用大红彩绳串着，每二人搭一张，共三张。林之孝家的指示将那两张摆至薛姨妈李婶的席下，将一张送至贾母榻下来。贾母便说：“放在当地罢。”这媳妇们都素知规矩的，放下桌子，一并将钱都打开，将彩绳抽去，散堆在桌上。

此时正唱《西楼·楼会》[37]这出将终，于叔夜因赌气去了，那文豹便发科诨道：“你赌气去了，恰好今日正月十五，荣国府中老祖宗家宴，待我骑了这马，赶进去讨些果子吃是要紧的。”说毕，引的贾母等都笑了。薛姨妈等都说：“好个鬼头孩子，可怜见的。”凤姐便说：“这孩子才九岁了。”贾母笑说：“难为他说的巧。”便说了一个“赏”字。早有三个媳妇已经手下预备下小簸箩，听见一个“赏”字，走上去向桌上的散钱堆内，每人便撮了一簸箩，走出来向戏台说：“老祖宗、姨太太、亲家太太赏文豹买果子吃的！”说着，向台上便一撒，只听豁啷啷满台的钱响。

贾珍贾琏已命小厮们抬了大簸箩的钱来，暗暗的预备在那里。听见贾母一赏，要知端的——

[1] 虚微浮缩——中医诊断脉象的术语。虚、微，指脉搏细软无力的脉象，常见于正气不足、气血虚极的各种疾病。浮、缩，指轻按便得、应指即回的脉象。病初起，邪在表时，出现浮脉是正常的；病久后，正气损伤，致使气血运行不通畅，正常的情况应出现沉脉；如果相反地出现了浮脉，说明阳气已不能潜藏，病情已到十分危重的地步。故王太医认为晴雯病已“非同小可”。

[2] 都检点、大司马——都检点亦作都点检，官名，五代置，为禁军最高统帅，宋初废。这里借指朝廷委派的高级武官。大司马，官名，汉置，掌管内廷全部政务，后世用作兵部尚书的别称。

[3] 倾——这里指将金银熔化倒入模子里铸造的一种工艺。古代使用金银作为货币，需将大锭化小，或集零为整，或铸成各种特定的形状（如锞子），都叫作“倾”。

[4] 春祭的恩赏——旧历年节，皇帝按照常例赏给受封荫的官僚供祭祖用的银两。

[5] 光禄寺——官署名，自北齐起光禄寺掌管皇室膳食，历朝相沿，至清代，皇帝膳饮由内务府掌管，光禄寺为外廷职司，只管祭祀所用膳食等事。

〔一〕 “荣国公贾源”，底本及馀各本均作“荣（底本误作“等”）国公贾法”。本书第三回作“贾源”，从改。

[7] 庄头——清代为满汉旗籍贵族地主经营旗地田庄的代理人，专管监督佃户生产，催收地租，摊派劳役等事，有的庄头本身就是地主。

[8] 银霜炭——一种优质无烟炭，表面灰白，如披银霜。

[9] 御田胭脂米——一种优质稻米，煮熟后色红如胭脂，有香气，味腴粒长。据清代刘廷玑《在园杂志》及《顺天府志》记载，胭脂米是康熙帝在丰泽园御田布种的玉田稻中的良种，因而也叫“玉田米”，为内膳所用。七十五回贾母所吃的“红稻米粥”亦当指此。

[10] 打擂台——原指比武较艺，此指故意作对。

〔二〕 “我受用些就费些”，原作“废用废些”，点改为“费用费些”。“费用”原上句，“费些”属下句。底本中缺“我受用些，就”五字据蒙府本补。

〔三〕 “银子”，底本点改为“金子”，甲辰本作“银子”。从底本原文。

〔四〕 “外明不知里暗”，原作“外头不知里暗”，“里暗”又点改为“内里”。从梦稿、甲辰本改。

[14] 猞猁狲——兽名，猞猁的别称，亦名土豹。毛呈红色或灰色，常带黑斑。其皮毛可作衣裘，很贵重。

[15] 负暄（xuān宣）——即“负日之暄”，晒太阳取暖的意思。语出《列子·杨朱》。暄，暖和。

[16] 驮水棍——背水负重时用作支撑的随身棍棒。这里借指打人棍棒。“领一顿驮水棍”即“招一顿打”的意思。

〔五〕 “至次日更比往日忙”，原“往日”下有“更”字，从蒙府、戚序本删。

[18] 桃符——《风俗通》载：东海度朔山有大桃，蟠屈千里，其北有鬼门，二神守之，曰神荼、郁垒，主领众鬼。黄帝因立桃板于门，画二神以御凶鬼。后因称画有门神像或题有门神名的桃木板为桃符。又春联也称桃符。

[19] 内塞门——塞门即屏门。《论语·八佾》：“邦君树塞门，管氏亦树塞门。”朱熹注：“塞，犹蔽也。设屏于门，以蔽内外也。”这里的内塞门，即内仪门与正堂间的又一重屏门。

[20] 衍圣公——孔子后裔的封号，自宋仁宗时始，历朝沿袭。

[21] 蒸尝——古代祭祀名。《尔雅·释天》：“秋祭曰尝，冬祭曰蒸。”

[22] 星辉辅弼（bì币）——代指辅佐帝王的重臣。以日月比帝王，以星辰比大臣。弼，辅佐。

[23] 闹龙填青匾——匾的四边雕镂以舞动的龙形图案，谓之“闹龙”；匾的底面作石青色，谓之“填青”。

[24] 慎终追远——语出《论语·学而》。慎终：父母亡故做到居丧尽礼；追远：按时诚敬地祭祀祖先。这里引申为谨慎从事，考虑身后，追念先人，保持祖德。

[25] 昭穆——古代宗法制度对于宗庙祭祀排列次序的规定，始祖居中，始祖的下一代为昭，居左，昭辈的下一代为穆，居右；穆辈的下一代又为昭，居左；以后各代，依此类推；用以区别父子、远近、长幼、亲疏等关系。见《礼记·祭统》。

[26] 献帛——祭祀礼仪之一，“帛”指缯帛、币帛，作为供品的一种绣织精美的丝织品。

〔六〕 “贾菖”，原作“贾葛”，从梦稿、甲辰本改。

[28] 拜兴——谓跪拜和起立。唐常衮《贺册皇太后表》：“候金册以拜兴，承瑞宝以俯受。”《儒林外史》第三十七回：“虞博士走上香案前，迟均赞道：‘跪，升香，灌地。拜，兴；拜兴，拜兴，复位。’”《儒林外史》与《红楼梦》同时，可参。

〔七〕 “披蟒”，原作“披龙”，从各本改。

〔八〕 “合面”，底本点改为“整一面”，蒙府、戚序、甲辰本均作“合面”。从底本原文。下“合面”同。

[31] 炉瓶三事——焚香用具，即指一个香炉、一个香盒和一个放香铲等用的瓶子。与四十回“炉瓶”条同义。

[32] 旧窑——仿古窑。

[33] 璎珞——同缨络，原指珠玉穿成的颈饰，这里是一件带穗子的刺绣陈设品。

[34] 美人拳——一种木制小锤，外裹皮革，装有弹性的长竹柄。因老年人用以捶打腰腿，代替拳头，故名“美人拳”。

〔九〕 “酒杯匙箸”，原无“匙”字，从戚序本补。

[36] 戳纱、料丝——都是用作灯罩的材料。戳纱是一种有明显竖向纹理的纱，料丝是以玛瑙、紫石英等熔化后抽丝而成的一种透光材料。

[37] 《西楼·楼会》——明末清初袁于令所作《西楼记》传奇中的一出。该剧描写于叔夜和妓女穆素徽悲欢离合的故事。第八出《病晤》的演出本叫《楼会》，俗称《西楼会》。下回的〔楚江情〕即《楼会》中的一支曲子。

CHAPTER 53 In the Ning Guo, mansion sacrifices are offered to their ancestors on the last night of the year. In the Rong Guo mansion, a banquet is given on the evening of the 15th of the first moon.

But to resume our story, when Baoyu saw that Qingwen had in her attempt to finish mending the peacock-down cloak exhausted her strength and fatigued herself, he hastily bade a young maid help him massage her; and setting to work they tapped her for a while, after which, they retired to rest. But not much time elapsed before broad daylight set in. He did not however go out of doors, but simply called out that they should go at once and ask the doctor round.

Presently, Dr. Wang arrived. After feeling her pulse, his suspicions were aroused. “Yesterday,” he said, “she was much better, so how is it that today she is instead weaker, and has fallen off so much? She must surely have had too much in the way of drinking or eating! Or she must have fatigued herself. A complaint arising from outside sources is, indeed, a light thing. But it’s no small matter if one doesn’t take proper care of one’s self, as she has done after perspiring.”

As he passed these remarks, he walked out of the apartment, and, writing a prescription, he entered again.

When Baoyu came to examine it, he perceived that he had eliminated the laxatives, and all the drugs, whose properties were to expel noxious influences, but added pachyma cocos, rhubarb, Arolia edulis , and other such medicines, which could stimulate the system and strengthen her physique.

Baoyu, on one hand, hastened to direct a servant to go and decoct them, and, on the other, he heaved a sigh. “What’s to be done?” he exclaimed. “Should anything happen to her, it will all be through the evil consequences of my shortcomings!”

“Hai!” cried Qingwen, from where she was reclining on her pillow. “Dear Mr. Secundus, go and mind your own business! Have I got such a dreadful disease?”

Baoyu had no alternative but to get out of the way. But in the afternoon, he gave out that he was not feeling up to the mark, and hurried back to her side again.

The symptoms of Qingwen’s illness were, it is true, grave; yet fortunately for her she had ever had to strain her physical strength, and not to tax the energies of her mind. Furthermore, she had always been frugal in her diet, so that she had never sustained any harm from under or over-eating. The custom in the Jia mansion was that as soon as any one, irrespective of masters or servants, contracted the slightest chill or cough, quiet and starving should invariably be the main things observed, the treatment by medicines occupying only a secondary place. Hence it was that when the other day she unawares felt unwell, she at once abstained from food during two or three days, while she carefully also nursed herself by taking proper medicines. And although she recently taxed her strength a little too much, she gradually succeeded, by attending with extra care to her health for another few days, in bringing about her complete recovery.

Of late, his female cousins, who lived in the garden, had been having their meals in their rooms, so with the extreme convenience of having a fire to prepare drinks and eatables, Baoyu himself was able, needless for us to go into details, to ask for soups and order broths for (Qingwen), with which to recoup her health.

Xiren returned soon after she had followed the funeral of her mother. Sheyue then minutely told Xiren all about Zhui’er’s affair, about Qingwen having sent her off, and about Baoyu having been already informed of the fact, and so forth, yet to all this Xiren made no further comment than: “what a very hasty disposition (that girl Qingwen has).”

But consequent upon Li Wan being likewise laid up with a cold, she got through the inclemency of the weather; Madame Xing suffering so much from sore eyes that Yingchun and Xiuyan had to go morning and evening and wait on her, while she used such medicines as she had; Li Wan’s brother, having also taken her sister-in-law Li, together with Li Wen and Li Qi, to spend a few days at his home, and Baoyu seeing, on one hand, Xiren brood without intermission over the memory of her mother, and give way to secret grief, and Qingwen, on the other, continue not quite convalescent, there was no one to turn any attention to such things as poetical meetings, with the result that several occasions, on which they were to have assembled, were passed over without anything being done. By this time, the twelfth moon arrived. The end of the year was nigh at hand, so Madame Wang and lady Feng were engaged in making the necessary annual preparations. But, without alluding to Wang Ziteng, who was promoted to be Lord High Commissioner of the Nine Provinces; Jia Yuncun, who filled up the post of Chief Inspector of Cavalry, Assistant Grand Councillor, and Commissioner of Affairs of State, we will resume our narrative with Jia Zhen, in the other part of the establishment. After having the Ancestral Hall thrown open, he gave orders to the domestics to sweep the place, to get ready the various articles, and bring over the ancestral tablets. Then he had the upper rooms cleaned, so as to be ready to receive the various images that were to be hung about. In the two mansions of Ning and Rong, inside as well as outside, above as well as below, everything was, therefore, bustle and confusion. As soon as Mrs. You, of the Ning mansion, put her foot out of bed on this day, she set to work, with the assistance of Jia Rong’s wife, to prepare such needlework and presents as had to be sent over to dowager lady Jia’s portion of the establishment, when it so happened that a servant-girl broke in upon them with a tea-tray in hand, containing ingots of silver of the kind given the evening before new year.

“Xing’er,” she said, “informs your ladyship that the pieces of gold in that bundle of the other day amount in all to one hundred and fifty-three taels, one mace, and seven candareens; and that the ingots of pure metal and those not, contained in here, number all together two hundred and twenty.”

With these words, she presented the tray. Mrs. You passed the ingots under survey. She found some resembling plum-blossom; others peonies. Among them were some with brushes and “as you like, (your wishes are bound to be fulfilled);” and others representing the eight precious things linked together, for use in spring-time.

Mrs. You directed that the silver ingots should be made up into a parcel, and then she bade Xing’er take them and deliver them immediately inside.

The servant-girl signified her obedience, and went away. But shortly Jia Zhen arrived for his meal, and Jia Rong’s wife withdrew.

“Have we received,” thereupon inquired Jia Zhen, “the bounty conferred (by His Majesty) for our spring sacrifices or not?”

“I’ve sent Rong’er today to go and receive it,” Mrs. You rejoined.

“Albeit,” continued Jia Zhen, “our family can well do without those paltry taels, yet they are, whatever their amount may be, an Imperial gift to us so take them over as soon as you can, and send them to our old lady, on the other side, to get ready the sacrifices to our ancestors. Above, we shall then receive the Emperor’s bounty; below, we shall enjoy the goodwill of our progenitors. For no matter if we went so far as to spend ten thousand ounces of silver to present offerings to our forefathers with, they could not, in the long run, come up this gift in high repute. Added to this, we shall be the participators of grace and the recipients of blessings. Putting one or two households such as our own aside, what resources would those poverty-stricken families of hereditary officials have at their command wherewith to offer their sacrifices and celebrate the new year, if they could not rely upon this money? In very truth, therefore, the Imperial favor is vast, and all-providing!”

“Your arguments are quite correct!” Mrs. You ventured.

But while these two were indulging in this colloquy, they caught sight of a messenger, who came and announced: “Our young master has arrived.”

Jia Zhen accordingly enjoined that he should be told to enter; whereupon they saw Jia Rong step into the room and present with both hands a small bag made of yellow cloth.

“How is it you’ve been away the whole day?” Jia Zhen asked.

Jia Rong strained a smile. “I didn’t receive the money today from the Board of Rites,” he replied. “The issue was again made at the treasury of the Guanglu temple; so I had once more to trudge away to the Guanglu temple before I could get it. The various officials in the Guanglu temple bade me present their compliments to you, father. (They asked me to tell you) that they had not seen you for many days, and that they are really longing for your company.”

“What an idea! Do they care to see me?” Jia Zhen laughed. “Why, here’s the end of the year drawing nigh again; so if they don’t hanker after my presents, they must long and crave for my entertainments.”

While he spoke his eye espied a slip of paper affixed to the yellow cloth bag, bearing the four large characters, “the Imperial favor is everlasting.” On the other side figured also a row of small characters with the seal of the Director of Ancestral Worship in the Board of Rites. These testified that the enclosed consisted of two shares, conferred upon the Ning Guo duke, Jia Yan, and the Rong Guo duke, Jia Yuan, as a bounty (from the Emperor), for sacrifices to them every spring in perpetuity, (and gave) the number of taels, computed in pure silver, and the year, moon, and day, on which they were received in open hall by Jia Rong, Controller in the Imperial Prohibited City and Expectant Officer of the Guards. The signature of the official in charge of the temple for that year was appended below in purple ink.

After Jia Zhen had perused the inscription, he finished his meal, rinsed his mouth, and washed his hands. This over, he changed his shoes and hat, and bidding Jia Rong follow him along with the money, he went and informed dowager lady Jia and Madame Wang (of the re ceipt of the Imperial bounty), and repairing back to the near side, he communicated the fact to Jia She and Madame Xing; after which, he, at length, betook himself to his quarters. He then emptied the money and gave orders that the bag should be taken and burnt in the large censer in the Ancestral Hall.

“Go and ask your aunt Tertia, yonder,” he further enjoined Jia Rong, “whether the day on which the new year wine is to be drunk has been fixed or not? If it has been determined upon, timely notice should be given in the library to draw out a proper list in order that when we again issue our invitations, there should be no chance of two entertainments coming off on the same day. Last year, not sufficient care was exercised, and several persons were invited to both mansions on the very same occasion. And people didn’t say that we hadn’t been careful enough, but that, as far as appearances went, the two households had made up their minds among themselves to show an empty attention, prompted by the fear of trouble.”

Jia Rong immediately replied that he would attend to his injunctions, and not much time elapsed before he brought a list mentioning the days on which the inmates were to be invited to partake of the new year wine.

Jia Zhen examined it. “Go,” he then said, “and give it to Lai Sheng so that he may see its contents and invite the guests. But mind he doesn’t fix anything else for the dates specified in here.”

But while watching from the pavilion the servant-boys carrying the enclosing screens and rubbing the tables and the gold and silver sac rificial utensils, he perceived a lad appear on the scene holding a petition and a list, and report that “Wu, the head-farmer in the Hei Shan village, has arrived.” “What does this old executioner come for today?” Jia Zhen exclaimed.

Jia Rong took the petition and the list, and, unfolding them with all despatch, he held them up (to his father). Jia Zhen however glanced at the papers, as they were held by Jia Rong, keeping the while both hands behind his back. The petition on red paper ran as follows: “Your servant, the head farmer, Wu Jinxiao, prostrates himself before his master and mistress and wishes them every kind of happiness and good health, as well as good health to their worthy scion and daughter. May great joy, great blessings, brilliant honors, and peace be their share in this spring, which is about to dawn! May official promotion and increase of emoluments be their lot! May they see in everything the accomplishment of their wishes.”

Jia Zhen smiled. “For a farmer,” he remarked, “it has several good points!”

“Pay no heed to the style,” urged Jia Rong, also smiling; “but to the good wishes.”

Saying this, he speedily opened the list. The articles mentioned were, on examination, found to consist of: “Thirty big deer; five thousand musk deer; fifty roebuck deer; twenty Siamese pigs; twenty boiled pigs; twenty ‘dragon’ pigs; twenty wild pigs; twenty home-salted pigs; twenty wild sheep; twenty gray sheep; twenty home-boiled sheep; twenty home-dried sheep; two hundred sturgeon; two hundred catties of mixed fish; live chickens, ducks, and geese, two hundred of each; two hundred dried chickens, ducks, and geese; two hundred pair of pheasants and hares; two hundred pair of bears’ paws; twenty catties of deer tendons; fifty catties of beche-de-mer; fifty deer tongues; fifty ox tongues; twenty catties of dried clams; filberts, fir-cones, peaches, apricots, and squash, two hundred bags of each; fifty pair of salt prawns; two hundred catties of dried shrimps; a thousand catties of superfine, picked charcoal; two thousand catties of medium charcoal; twenty thousand catties of common charcoal; two piculs of red rice, grown in the Imperial grounds; fifty bushels of greenish, glutinous rice; fifty bushels of white glutinous rice; fifty bushels of pounded non-glutinous rice; fifty bushels of various kinds of corn and millet; a thousand piculs of ordinary common rice. Exclusive of a cartload of every sort of vegetables, and irrespective of two thousand five hundred taels, derived from the sale of corn and millet and every kind of domestic animals, your servant respectfully presents, for your honor’s delectation, two pair of live deer, four pair of white rabbits, four pair of black rabbits, two pair of live variegated fowls, and two pair of duck, from western countries.”

When Jia Zhen had exhausted the list, “Bring him in!” he cried. In a little time, he perceived Wu Jinxiao make his appearance inside. But simply halting in the court, he bumped his head on the ground and paid his respects.

Jia Zhen desired a servant to raise him up. “You’re still so hale!” he smiled.

“I don’t deceive you, Sir,” Wu Jinxiao observed, “when I say that yours servants are so accustomed to walking, that had we not come, we wouldn’t have felt exceedingly dull. Isn’t the whole crowd of them keen upon coming to see what the world is like at the feet of the son of heaven? Yet they’re, after all, so young in years, that there’s the fear of their going astray on the way. But, in a few more years, I shall be able to appease my solicitude on their account.”

“How many days have you been on the way?” Jia Zhen inquired.

“To reply to your question, Sir,” Wu Jinxiao ventured, “so much snow has fallen this year that it’s everywhere out of town four and five feet in depth. The other day, the weather suddenly turned mild, and with the thaw that set in, it became so very hard to make any progress that we wasted several days. Yet albeit we’ve been a month and two days in accomplishing the journey; it isn’t anything excessive. But as I feared lest you, Sir, would be giving way to anxiety, didn’t I hurry along to arrive in good time?”

“How is it, I said, that he’s come only today!” Jia Zhen observed.

“But upon looking over the list just now it seemed to me that you, old fossil, had come again to make as much as fun of me, as if you were putting up a stage for a boxing-match.”

Wu Jinxiao hastily drew near a couple of steps. “I must tell you, Sir,” he remarked, “that the harvest this year hasn’t really been good. Rain set in ever since the third moon, and there it went on incessantly straight up to the eighth moon. Indeed, the weather hasn’t kept fine for five or six consecutive days. In the ninth moon, there came a storm of hail, each stone of which was about the size of a saucer. And over an area of the neighboring two or three hundred li, the men and houses, animals and crops, which sustained injury, numbered over thousands and ten thousands. Hence it is that the things we’ve brought now are what they are. Your servant would not have the audacity to tell a lie.”

Jia Zhen knitted his eyebrows. “I had computed,” he said, “that the very least you would have brought would have been five thousand taels. What’s this enough for? There are only now eight or nine of you farmers, and from two localities reports have contrariwise reached us during the course of this very year of the occurrence of droughts; and do you people come again to try your larks with us? Why, verily these aren’t sufficient to see the new year in with.”

“And yet,” Wu Jinxiao argued, “your place can be looked upon as having fared well; for my brother, who’s only over a hundred li away from where I am, has actually fallen in with a vastly different lot! He has at present eight farms of that mansion under his control, and these considerably larger than those of yours, Sir; and yet this year they too have only produced but a few things. So nothing beyond two or three thousand taels has been realized. What’s more, they’ve had to borrow money.”

“Quite so!” Jia Zhen exclaimed. “The state of things in my place here is passable. I’ve got no outside outlay. The main thing I have to mind is to make provision for a year’s necessary expenses. If I launch out into luxuries, I have to suffer hardships, so I must try a little self-denial and manage to save something. It’s the custom, besides, at the end of the year to send presents to people and invite others; but I’ll thicken the skin of my face a bit, (and dispense with both,) and have done. I’m not like the inmates in that mansion, who have, during the last few years, added so many items of expenditure, that it’s, of course, a matter of impossibility for them to avoid loosening their purse strings. But they haven’t, on the other hand, made any addition to their funds and landed property. During the course of the past year or two, they’ve had to make up many deficits. And if they don’t appeal to you, to whom can they go?”

Wu Jinxiao laughed. “It’s true,” he said, “that in that mansion many items have been added, but money goes out and money comes in. And won’t the Empress and His Majesty the Emperor bestow their favor?”

At these words, Jia Zhen smilingly faced Jia Rong and the other inmates. “Just you listen to his arguments!” he exclaimed. “Aren’t they ridiculous, eh?”

Jia Rong and the rest promptly smiled. “Among your hills and seaboard can anything,” they observed, “be known with regard to this principle? Is it likely, pray, that the Empress will ever make over to us the Emperor’s treasury? Why, even supposing she may at heart entertain any such wish, she herself cannot possibly adopt independent action. Of course, she does confer her benefits on them, but this is at stated times and fixed periods, and they merely consist of a few colored satins, antiquities, and bric-a-brac. In fact, when she does bestow hard cash on them, it doesn’t exceed a hundred ounces of silver. But did she even give them so much as a thousand and more taels, what would these suffice for? During which of the two last years have they not had to fork out several thousands of taels? In the first year, the Imperial consort paid a visit to her parents; and just calculate how much they must have run through in laying out that park, and you’ll then know how they stand! Why, if in another couple of years, the Empress comes and pays them a second visit, they’ll be, I’m inclined to fancy, regular paupers.”

“That’s why,” urged Jia Zhen smiling, “country people are such unsophisticated creatures, that though they behold what lies on the surface, they have no idea of what is inside hidden from view. They’re just like a piece of yellow cedar made into a mallet for beating the sonorous stones with. The exterior looks well enough; but it’s all bitter inside.”

“In very truth,” Jia Rong added, laughing also the while, as he addressed himself to Jia Zhen, “that mansion is impoverished. The other day, I heard a consultation held on the sly between aunt Secunda and Yuanyang. What they wanted was to filch our worthy senior’s things and go and pawn them in order to raise money.”

“This is just another devilish trick of that minx Feng!” Jia Zhen smiled. “How ever could they have reached such straits? She’s certain to have seen that expenses were great, and that heavy deficits had to be squared, so wishing again to curtail some item or other, who knows which, she devised this plan as a preparatory step, in order that when it came to be generally known, people should say that they had been reduced to such poverty. But from the result of the calculations I have arrived at in my mind, things haven’t as yet attained this climax.”

Continuing, he issued orders to a servant to take Wu Jinxiao outside, and to treat him with every consideration. But no further mention need be made of him.

During this while, Jia Zhen gave directions to keep from the various perquisites just received such as would prove serviceable for the sacrifices to their ancestors, and, selecting a few things of each kind, he told Jia Rong to have them taken to the Rong mansion. After this, he himself kept what was required for his own use at home; and then allotting the rest, with due compliance to gradation, he had share after share piled up at the foot of the moon-shaped platform, and sending servants to summon the young men of the clan, he distributed them among them.

In quick succession, numerous contributions for the ancestral sacrifices were likewise sent from the Rong mansion; also presents for Jia Zhen. Jia Zhen inspected the things, and having them removed, he completed preparing the sacrificial utensils. Then putting on a pair of slip-shod shoes and throwing over his shoulders a long pelisse with “Sheli-sun” fur, he bade the servants spread a large wolf-skin rug in a sunny place on the stone steps below the pillars of the pavilion; and with his back to the warm sun, he leisurely watched the young people come and receive the new year gifts. Perceiving that Jia Qin had also come to fetch his share, Jia Zhen called him over. “How is it that you’ve come too?” he asked. “Who told you to come?”

Jia Qin respectfully dropped his arms against his sides. “I heard,” he replied, “that you, senior Sir, had sent for us to appear before you here and receive our presents; so I didn’t wait for the servants to go and tell me, but came straightway.”

“These things,” Jia Zhen added, “are intended for distribution among all those uncles and cousins who have nothing to do and who enjoy no source of income. Those two years you had no work, I gave you plenty of things too. But you’re entrusted at present with some charge in the other mansion, and you exercise in the family temples control over the bonzes and taoist priests, so that you as well derive every month your share of an allowance. Irrespective of that, the allowances and money of the Buddhist priests pass through your hands. And do you still come to fetch things of this kind? You’re far too greedy. Just you look at the fineries you wear. Why, they look like the habiliments of one who has money to spend, of a regular man of business. You said some time back that you had nothing which could bring you in any money, but how is it that you’ve got none again now? You really don’t look as if you were in the same plight that you were in once upon a time.”

“I have in my home a goodly number of inmates,” Jia Qin explained, “so my expenses are great.”

Jia Zhen gave a saturnine laugh. “Are you trying again to excuse yourself with me?” he cried. “Do you flatter yourself that I have no idea of your doings in the family temples? When you get there, you, of course, play the grand personnage and no one has the courage to run counter to your wishes. Then you’ve also got the handling of money. Besides you’re far away from us, so you’re arrogant and audacious. Night after night, you get bad characters together; you gamble for money; and you keep women and young boys. And though you now fling away money with such a high hand, do you still presume to come and receive gifts? But as you can’t manage to filch anything to take along with you, it will do you good to get beans, with the pole used for carrying water. Wait until the new year is over, and then I’ll certainly report you to your uncle Secundus.”

Jia Qin got crimson in the face, and did not venture to utter a single word by way of extenuation. A servant, however, then announced that the Prince from the Bei mansion had sent a pair of scrolls and a purse.

At this announcement, Jia Zhen immediately told Jia Rong to go out and entertain the messengers. “And just say,” he added, “that I’m not at home.”

Jia Rong went on his way. Jia Zhen, meanwhile, dismissed Jia Qin; and, seeing the things taken away, he returned to his quarters and finished his evening meal with Mrs. You. But nothing of any note occurred during that night.

The next day, he had, needless to say, still more things to give his mind to. Soon arrived the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth moon, and everything was in perfect readiness. In the two mansions alike, the gate guardian gods and scrolls were renovated. The hanging tablets were newly varnished. The peach charms glistened like new. In the Ning Guo mansion, every principal door, starting from the main entrance, the ceremonial gates, the doors of the large pavilions, of the winter apartments, and inner pavilions, the inner three gates, the inner ceremonial gates, and the inner boundary gates, straight up to the doors of the main halls, was flung wide open. At the bottom of the steps, were placed on either side large and lofty vermilion candles, of uniform color; which when lit presented the appearance of a pair of golden dragons.

On the morrow, dowager lady Jia and those with any official status, donned the court dress consistent with their grade, and taking first and foremost a retinue of inmates with them, they entered the palace in eight bearer state chairs, and presented their congratulations. After acquitting themselves of the ceremonial rites, and partaking of a banquet, they betook themselves back, and alighted from their chairs on their arrival at the winter hall of the Ning mansion. The young men, who had not followed the party to court, waited, arranged in their proper order, in front of the entrance the Ning mansion, and subsequently led the way into the ancestral temple.

But to return to Baoqin. This was the first occasion on which she put her foot inside to look at the inner precincts of the Jia ancestral temple, and as she did so, she scrutinized with minute attention all the details that met her gaze in the halls dedicated to their forefathers. These consisted, in fact, of a distinct courtyard on the west side of the Ning mansion. Within the balustrade, painted black, stood five apartments. Over the main entrance to these was suspended a flat tablet with the inscription in four characters: “Ancestral hall of the Jia family.” On the side of these was recorded the fact that it had been the handiwork of Wang Xifeng, specially promoted to the rank of Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, and formerly Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. On either side, was one of a pair of scrolls, bearing the motto:

Besmear the earth with your liver and brains, all ye people, out of gratitude for the bounty of (the Emperor’s) protection!

The reputation (of the Jia family) reaches the very skies. Hundred generations rejoice in the splendor of the sacrifices accorded them.

This too had been executed by Wang, the Grand Tutor.

As soon as the court was entered, a raised road was reached, paved with white marble, on both sides of which were planted deep green fir trees and kingfisher-green cypress trees. On the moon-shaped platform were laid out antiquities, tripods, libation-vases, and other similar articles. In front of the antechamber was hung a gold-colored flat tablet, with nine dragons, and the device:

Like a dazzling star is the statesman, who assists the Emperor.

This was the autograph of a former Emperor.

On both sides figured a pair of antithetical scrolls, with the motto:

Their honors equal the sun and moon in luster.

Their fame is without bounds. It descends to their sons and grandsons.

These lines were likewise from the Imperial brush. Over the five-roomed main hall was suspended a tablet, inlaid with green, representing wriggling dragons. The sentiments consisted of:

Mindful of the remotest and heedful of the most distant ancestors.

A pair of antithetical scrolls was hung on the sides; on which was written:

After their death, their sons and grandsons enjoy their beneficent virtues.

Up to the very present the masses think of the Rong and Ning families.

Both these mottoes owed their origin to the Imperial brush.

Inside, lanterns and candles burnt with resplendent brightness. Embroidered curtains and decorated screens were hung in such profusion that though a large number of ancestral tablets were placed about they could not be clearly discerned. The main thing that struck the eye was the inmates of the Jia mansion standing about, on the left and right, disposed in their proper order. Jia Jing was overseer of the sacrifices. Jia She played the part of assistant. Jia Zhen presented the cups for libations. Jia Lian and Jia Cong offered up the strips of paper. Baoyu held the incense. Jia Chang and Jia Ling distributed the hassocks and looked after the receptacles for the ashes of joss-sticks. The black clad musicians discoursed music. The libation-cups were offered thrice in sacrifice. These devotions over, paper money was burnt; and libations of wine were poured. After the observance of the prescribed rites, the band stopped, and withdrew. The whole company then pressed round dowager lady Jia, and repaired to the main hall, where the images were placed. The embroidered curtains were hung high up. The variegated screens shut in the place from view. The fragrant candles burnt with splendor. In the place of honor, of the main apartment, were suspended the portraits of two progenitors of the Ning and Rong, both of whom were attired in costumes, ornamented with dragons, and clasped with belts of jade. On the right and left of them, were also arrayed the likenesses of a number of eminent ancestors.

Jia Xing, Jia Zhi, and the others of the same status stood according to their proper grades in a row extending from the inner ceremonial gate straight up to the verandah of the main hall. Outside the balus trade came at last Jia Jing and Jia She. Inside the balustrade figured the various female members of the family. The domestics and pages were arrayed beyond the ceremonial gate. As each set of eatables arrived, they transmitted them as far as the ceremonial gate, where Jia Xing, Jia Zhi, and his companions were ready to receive them. From one to another, they afterwards reached the bottom of the steps and found their way into Jia Jing’s hands.

Jia Rong, being the eldest grandson of the senior branch, was the only person who penetrated within the precincts of the balustrade reserved for the female inmates. So whenever Jia Jing had any offerings to pass on, he delivered them to Jia Rong, and Jia Rong gave them to his wife; who again handed them to lady Feng, Mrs. You, and the several ladies. And when these offerings reached the sacrificial altar, they were at length surrendered to Madame Wang. Madame Wang thereupon placed them in dowager lady Jia’s hands, and old lady Jia deposited them on the altar.

Madame Xing stood on the west-east side of the sacrificial altar, and along with old lady Jia, she offered the oblations and laid them in their proper places. After the vegetables, rice, soup, sweets, wine, and tea had been handed up, Jia Rong eventually retired outside and resumed his position above Jia Qin.

Of the male inmates, whose names were composed with the radical “wen,” “literature,” Jia Jing was at the time the head. Below followed those with the radical “Yu,” “gem,” led by Jia Zhen. Next to these, came the inmates with the radical “cao,” “grass,” headed by Jia Rong. These were arranged in proper order, with due regard to left and right. The men figured on the east; the women on the west.

When dowager lady Jia picked up a joss-stick and prostrated herself to perform her devotions, one and all fell simultaneously on their knees, packing up the five-roomed principal pavilion, the inside as well as outside of the three antechambers, the verandahs, the top and bottom of the stairs, the interior of the two vermilion avenues so closely with all their fineries and embroideries that not the slightest space remained vacant among them. Not so much as the caw of a crow struck the ear. All that was audible was the report of jingling and tinkling, and the sound of the gold bells and jade ornaments slightly rocked to and fro. Besides these, the creaking noise made by the shoes of the inmates, while getting up and kneeling down.

In a little time, the ceremonies were brought to a close. Jia Jing, Jia She, and the rest hastily retired and adjourned to the Rong mansion, where they waited with the special purpose of paying their obeisance to dowager lady Jia.

Mrs. You’s drawing rooms were entirely covered with red carpets. In the center stood a large gold cloisonne brasier, with three legs, in imitation of rhinoceros tusks, washed with gold. On the stove-couch in the upper part was laid a new small red hair rug. On it were placed deep red back-cushions with embroidered representations of dragons, which were embedded among clouds and clasped the character longevity, as well as reclining-pillows and sitting-rugs. Covers made of black fox skin were moreover thrown over the couch, along with skins of pure white fox for sitting-cushions.

Dowager lady Jia was invited to place herself on the couch; and on the skin-rugs spread, on either side, two or three of the sisters-in-law, of the same standing as old lady Jia, were urged to sit down.

After the necessary arrangements had been concluded, skin rugs were also put on the small couch, erected in a horizontal position on the near portion of the apartments, and Madame Xing and the other ladies of her age were motioned to seat themselves. On the two sides stood, face to face on the floor, twelve chairs carved and lacquered, over which were thrown antimacassars and small gray squirrel rugs, of uniform color. At the foot of each chair was a large copper foot-stove.

On these chairs, Baoqin and the other young ladies were asked to sit down.

Mrs. You took a tray and with her own hands she presented tea to old lady Jia. Jia Rong’s wife served the rest of their seniors. Subsequent ly, Mrs. You helped Madame Xing too and her contemporaries; and Jia Rong’s wife then gave tea to the various young ladies; while lady Feng, Li Wan, and a few others simply remained below, ready to minister to their wants. After their tea, Madame Xing and her compeers were the first to rise and come and wait on dowager lady Jia, while she had hers. Dowager lady Jia chatted for a time with her old sisters-in-law and then desired the servants to look to her chair.

Lady Feng thereupon speedily walked up and supported her to rise to her feet.

‘‘The evening meal has long ago been got ready for you, venerable ancestor,” Mrs. You smiled. “You’ve year by year shown no desire to honor us with your presence, but tarry a bit on this occasion and partake of some refreshment before you cross over. Is it likely, in fact, that we can’t come up to that girl Feng?”

“Go on, worthy senior!” laughed lady Feng, as she propped old lady Jia. “Let’s go home and eat our own. Don’t heed what she says!”

“In what bustle and confusion aren’t you in over here,” smiled dowager lady Jia, “with all the sacrifices to our ancestors, and how could you stand all the trouble I’m putting you to? I’ve never, furthermore, had every year anything to eat with you; but you’ve always been in the way of sending me things. So isn’t it as well that you should again let me have a few? And as I’ll keep for the next day what I shan’t be able to get through, won’t I thus have a good deal more?”

This remark evoked general laughter.

“Whatever you do,” she went on to enjoin her, “mind you depute some reliable persons to sit up at night and look after the incense fires; but they mustn’t let their wits go wool-gathering.”

Mrs. You gave her to understand that she would see to it, and they sallied out, at the same time, into the fore part of the winter-apartments.

And when Mrs. You and her friends went past the screen, the pages introduced the bearers, who shouldered the sedan and walked out by the main entrance. Then following too in the track of Madame Xing and the other ladies, Mrs. You repaired in their company into the Rong mansion.

(Dowager lady Jia’s) chair had, meanwhile, got beyond the principal gateway. Here again were deployed, on the east side of the street, the bearers of insignia, the retinue and musicians of the duke of Ning Guo. They crammed the whole extent of the street. Comers and goers were alike kept back. No thoroughfare was allowed. Shortly, the Rong mansion was reached. The large gates and main entrances were also thrown open straight up to the very interior of the compound. On the present occasion, however, the bearers did not put the chair down by the win ter quarters, but passing the main hall, and turning to the west, they rested it on their arrival at the near side of dowager lady Jia’s principal pavilion. The various attendants pressed round old lady Jia and followed her into her main apartment, where decorated mats and embroidered screens had also been placed about, and everything looked as if brand-new.

In the brasier, deposited in the center of the room, burnt fir and cedar incense, and a hundred mixed herbs. The moment dowager lady Jia ensconced herself into a seat, an old nurse entered and announced that: “the senior ladies have come to pay their respects.”

Old lady Jia rose with alacrity to her feet to go and greet them, when she perceived that two or three of her old sisters-in-law had already stepped inside, so clasping each other’s hands, they now laughed, and now they pressed each other to sit down. After tea, they took their departure; but dowager lady Jia only escorted them as far as the inner ceremonial gate, and retracing her footsteps, she came and resumed the place of honor. Jia Jing, Jia She, and the other seniors then ushered the various junior male members of the household into her apartments.

“I put you,” smiled old lady Jia, “to ever so much trouble and inconvenience from one year’s end to another; so don’t pay any obeisance.”

But while she spoke, the men formed themselves into one company, and the women into another, and performed their homage, group by group. This over, armchairs were arranged on the left and on the right; and on these chairs they too subsequently seated themselves, according to their seniority and gradation, to receive salutations. The men and women servants, and the pages and maids employed in the two mansions then paid, in like manner, the obeisance consonant with their positions, whether high, middle, or low; and this ceremony observed, the new year money was distributed, together with purses, gold and silver ingots, and other presents of the same description. A “rejoicing together” banquet was spread. The men sat on the east; the women on the west. “T’u Su,” new year’s day, wine was served; also “rejoicing together” soup, “propitious” fruits, and “as you like” cakes. At the close of the banquet, dowager lady Jia rose and penetrated into the inner chamber with the purpose of effecting a change in her costume, so the several inmates present could at last disperse and go their own way.

That night, incense was burnt and offerings presented at the various altars to Buddha and the kitchen god. In the courtyard of Madame Wang’s main quarters paper horses and incense for sacrifices to heaven and earth were all ready. At the principal entrance of the garden of Broad Vista were suspended horn lanterns, which from their lofty places cast their bright rays on either side. Every place was hung with street lanterns. Every inmate, whether high or low, was got up in gala dress. Throughout the whole night, human voices resounded confusedly. The din of talking and laughing filled the air. Strings of crackers and rockets were let off incessantly.

The morrow came. At the fifth watch, dowager lady Jia and the other senior members of the family donned the grand costumes, which accorded with their status, and with a complete retinue they entered the palace to present their court congratulations; for that day was, in addition, the anniversary of Yuanchun’s birth. After they had regaled themselves at a collation, they wended their way back, and betaking themselves also into the Ning mansion, they offered their oblations to their ancestors, and then returned home and received the conventional salutations, after which they put off their fineries and retired to rest.

None of the relatives and friends, who came to wish their compliments of the season, were admitted into (old lady Jia’s) presence, but simply had a friendly chat with Mrs. Xue and “sister-in-law” Li, and studied their own convenience. Or along with Baoyu, Baochai, and the other young ladies, they amused themselves by playing the game of war or dominoes.

Madame Wang and lady Feng had one day after another their hands full with the invitations they had to issue for the new year wine. In the halls and courts of the other side theatricals and banquets succeeded each other and relations and friends dropped in in an incessant string. Bustle reigned for seven or eight consecutive days, before things settled down again.

But presently the festival of the full moon of the first month drew near, and both mansions, the Ning as well as the Rong, were everywhere ornamented with lanterns and decorations. On the eleventh, Jia She invited dowager lady Jia and the other inmates. On the next day, Jia Zhen also entertained his old senior and Madame Wang and lady Feng. But for us to record on how many consecutive days invitations were extended to them to go and drink the new year wine would be an impossible task.

The fifteenth came. On this evening dowager lady Jia gave orders to have several banqueting tables laid in the main reception hall, to engage a company of young actors, to have every place illuminated with flowered lanterns of various colors, and to assemble at a family entertainment all the sons, nephews, nieces, grandchildren and grandchildren’s wives and other members of the two mansions of Ning and Rong. As however Jia Jing did not habitually have any wine or take any ordinary food, no one went to press him to come.

On the seventeenth, he hastened, at the close of the ancestral sacrifices, out of town to chasten himself. In fact, even during the few days he spent at home, he merely frequented retired rooms and lonely places, and did not take the least interest in any single concern. But he need not detain us any further.

As for Jia She, after he had received dowager lady Jia’s presents, he said good-bye and went away. But old lady Jia herself was perfectly aware that she could not conveniently tarry any longer on this side so she too followed his example and took her departure.

When Jia She got home, he along with all the guests feasted his eyes on the illuminations and drank wine with them. Music and singing deafened the ear. Embroidered fineries were everywhere visible. For his way of seeking amusement was unlike that customary in this portion of the establishment.

In dowager lady Jia’s reception hall, ten tables were meanwhile arranged. By each table was placed a teapoy. On these teapoys stood censers and bottles; three things in all. (In the censers) was burnt “Baihe” palace incense, a gift from his Majesty the Emperor. But small pots, about eight inches long, four to five inches broad and two or three inches high, adorned with scenery in the shape of rockeries, were also placed about. All of which contained fresh flowers. Small foreign lacquer trays were likewise to be seen, laden with diminutive painted teacups of antique ware. Transparent gauze screens with frames of carved blackwood, ornamented with a fringe representing flowers and giving the text of verses, figured too here and there. In different kinds of small old vases were combined together the three friends of winter (pine, bamboo, and plum,) as well as “jade-hall,” “happiness and honor,” and other fresh flowers.

At the upper two tables sat “sister-in-law” Li and Mrs. Xue. On the east was only laid a single table. But there as well were placed carved screens, covered with dragons, and a short low-footed couch, with a full assortment of back-cushions, reclining-cushions, and skin-rugs. On the couch stood a small teapoy, light and handy, of foreign lacquer, inlaid with gold. On the teapoy were arrayed cups, bowls, foreign cloth napkins, and such things.

Dowager lady Jia was reposing on the couch. At one time, she chatted and laughed with the whole company; at another, she took up her spectacles and looked at what was going on on the stage.

“Make allowances,” she said, “for my old age. My bones are quite sore; so if I be a little out of order in my conduct bear with me, and let us entertain each other while I remain in a recumbent position.” Con tinuing, she desired Hupo to make herself comfortable on the couch, and take a small club and tap her legs. No table stood below the couch, but only a high teapoy. On it were a high stand with tassels, flower-vases, incense-burners and other similar articles. But, a small, high table, laden with cups and chopsticks, had besides been got ready. At the table next to this, the four cousins, Baoqin, Xiangyun, Daiyu, and Baoyu were told to seat themselves. The various viands and fruits that were brought in were first presented to dowager lady Jia for inspection. If they took her fancy, she kept them at the small table. But once tasted by her, they were again removed and placed on their table. We could therefore safely say that none but the four cousins sat along with their old grandmother.

The seats occupied by Madame Xing and Madame Wang were below. Lower down came Mrs. You, Li Wan, lady Feng, and Jia Rong’s wife. On the west sat Baochai, Li Wen, Li Qi, Xiuyan, Yingchun, and the other cousins. On the large pillars, on either side, were suspended, in groups of three and five, glass lanterns ornamented with fringes. In front of each table stood a candlestick in the shape of drooping lotus leaves. The candlesticks contained colored candles. These lotus leaves were provided with enamelled springs, of foreign make, so they could be twisted outward, thus screening the rays of the lights and throwing them (on the stage), enabling one to watch the plays with exceptional distinctness. The window-frames and doors had all been removed. In every place figured colored fringes, and various kinds of court lanterns. Inside and outside the verandahs, and under the roofs of the covered passages, which stretched on either side, were hung lanterns of sheep-horn, glass, embroidered gauze, or silk, decorated or painted, of satin or of paper.

Round different tables sat Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, Jia Huan, Jia Cong, Jia Rong, Jia Yun, Jia Qin, Jia Chang, Jia Ling, and other male inmates of the family.

Dowager lady Jia had at an early hour likewise sent servants to in vite the male and female members of the whole clan. But those advanced in years were not disposed to take part in any excitement. Some had no one at the time to look after things; others too were detained by ill-health; and much though these had every wish to be present, they were not, after all, in a fit state to come. Some were so envious of riches, and so ashamed of their poverty, that they entertained no desire to avail themselves of the invitation. Others, what is more, fostered such a dislike for, and stood in such awe of, lady Feng that they felt bitter towards her and would not accept. Others again were timid and shy, and so little accustomed to seeing people, that they could not muster sufficient courage to come. Hence it was that despite the large number of female relatives in the clan, none came but Jia Lan’s mother, nee Lou, who brought Jia Lan with her. In the way of men, there were only Jia Qin, Jia Yun, Jia Chang, and Jia Ling; the four of them and no others. The managers, at present under lady Feng’s control, were however among those who accepted. But albeit there was not a complete gathering of the inmates on this occasion, yet, for a small family entertainment, sufficient animation characterized the proceedings.

About this time, Lin Zixiao’s wife also made her appearance, with half a dozen married women who carried three divan tables between them. Each table was covered with a red woollen cloth, on which lay a lot of cash, picked out clean and of equal size, and recently issued from the mint. These were strung together with a deep-red cord. Each couple carried a table, so there were in all three tables.

Lin Zixiao’s wife directed that two tables should be placed below the festive board, round which were seated Mrs. Xue and “sister-in-law” Li, and that one should be put at the foot of dowager lady Jia’s couch.

“Place it in the middle!” old lady Jia exclaimed. “These women have never known what good manners mean. Put the table down.” Saying this, she picked up the cash, and loosening the knots, she unstrung them and piled them on the table.

“The reunion in the western chamber” was just being sung. The play was drawing to a close. They had reached a part where Yu Shu runs off at night in high dudgeon, and Wen Bao jokingly cried out: “You go off with your monkey up; but, as luck would have it, this is the very day of the fifteenth of the first moon, and a family banquet is being given by the old lady in the Rong Guo mansion, so wait and I’ll jump on this horse and hurry in and ask for something to eat. I must look sharp!” The joke made old lady Jia, and the rest of the company laugh.

“What a dreadful, impish child!” Mrs. Xue and the others exclaimed. “Yet poor thing!”

“This child is only just nine years of age,” lady Feng interposed.

“He has really made a clever hit!” dowager lady Jia laughed. “Tip him!” she shouted.

This shout over, three married women, who has previously got ready several small wicker baskets, came up, as soon as they heard the word “tip”, and, taking the heaps of loose cash piled on the table, they each filled a basket full, and, issuing outside, they approached the stage. “Dowager lady Jia, Mrs. Xue, and the family relative, Mrs. Li, present Wen Bao this money to purchase something to eat with,” they said.

At the end of these words, they flung the contents of the baskets upon the stage. So all then that fell on the ear was the rattle of the cash flying in every direction over the boards.

Jia Zhen and Jia Lian had, by this time, enjoined the pages to fetch big baskets full of cash and have them in readiness. But as, reader, you do not know as yet in what way these presents were given, listen to the circumstances detailed in the subsequent chapter.