第九十五回
第九十五回 因讹成实元妃薨逝 以假混真宝玉疯癫
话说焙茗在门口和小丫头子说宝玉的玉有了，那小丫头急忙回来告诉宝玉。众人听了，都推着宝玉出去问他，众人在廊下听着。宝玉也觉放心，便走到门口问道：“你那里得了？快拿来。”焙茗道：“拿是拿不来的，还得托人做保去呢。”宝玉道：“你快说是怎么得的，我好叫人取去。”焙茗道：“我在外头知道林爷爷去测字，我就跟了去。我听见说在当铺里找，我没等他说完，便跑到几个当铺里去。我比给他们瞧，有一家便说有。我说给我罢，那铺子里要票子。我说当多少钱，他说三百钱的也有，五百钱的也有。前儿有一个人拿这么一块玉当了三百钱去，今儿又有人也拿一块玉当了五百钱去。”宝玉不等说完，便道：“你快拿三百五百钱去取了来，我们挑着看是不是。”里头袭人便啐道：“二爷不用理他。我小时候儿听见我哥哥常说，有些人卖那些小玉儿，没钱用便去当。想来是家家当铺里有的。”众人正在听得诧异，被袭人一说，想了一想，倒大家笑起来，说：“快叫二爷进来罢，不用理那糊涂东西了。他说的那些玉，想来不是正经东西。”
宝玉正笑着，只见岫烟来了。原来岫烟走到栊翠庵见了妙玉，不及闲话，便求妙玉扶乩。妙玉冷笑几声，说道：“我与姑娘来往，为的是姑娘不是势利场中的人。今日怎么听了那里的谣言，过来缠我。况且我并不晓得什么叫扶乩。”说着，将要不理。岫烟懊悔此来，知他脾气是这么着的，“一时我已说出，不好白回去，又不好与他质证他会扶乩的话。”只得陪着笑将袭人等性命关系的话说了一遍，见妙玉略有活动，便起身拜了几拜。妙玉叹道：“何必为人作嫁。但是我进京以来，素无人知，今日你来破例，恐将来缠绕不休。”岫烟道：“我也一时不忍，知你必是慈悲的。便是将来他人求你，愿不愿在你，谁敢相强。”妙玉笑了一笑，叫道婆焚香，在箱子里找出沙盘乩架，书了符，命岫烟行礼，祝告毕，起来同妙玉扶着乩。不多时，只见那仙乩疾书道：
噫！来无迹，去无踪，青埂峰下倚古松。欲追寻，山万重，入我门来一笑逢。
书毕，停了乩。岫烟便问请是何仙，妙玉道：“请的是拐仙[1]。”岫烟录了出来，请教妙玉解识。妙玉道：“这个可不能，连我也不懂。你快拿去，他们的聪明人多着哩。”岫烟只得回来。进入院中，各人都问怎么样了。岫烟不及细说，便将所录乩语递与李纨。众姊妹及宝玉争看，都解的是：“一时要找是找不着的，然而丢是丢不了的，不知几时不找便出来了。但是青埂峰不知在那里？”李纨道：“这是仙机隐语。咱们家里那里跑出青埂峰来，必是谁怕查出，撂在有松树的山子石底下，也未可定。独是‘入我门来’这句，到底是入谁的门呢？”黛玉道：“不知请的是谁！”岫烟道：“拐仙。”探春道：“若是仙家的门，便难入了。”
袭人心里着忙，便捕风捉影的混找，没一块石底下不找到，只是没有。回到院中，宝玉也不问有无，只管傻笑。麝月着急道：“小祖宗！你到底是那里丢的，说明了，我们就是受罪也在明处啊。”宝玉笑道：“我说外头丢的，你们又不依。你如今问我，我知道么！”李纨探春道：“今儿从早起闹起，已到三更来的天了。你瞧林妹妹已经掌不住，各自去了。我们也该歇歇儿了，明儿再闹罢。”说着，大家散去。宝玉即便睡下。可怜袭人等哭一回，想一回，一夜无眠。暂且不提。
且说黛玉先自回去，想起金石的旧话来，反自喜欢，心里说道：“和尚道士的话真个信不得。果真金玉有缘，宝玉如何能把这玉丢了呢。或者因我之事，拆散他们的金玉，也未可知。”想了半天，更觉安心，把这一天的劳乏竟不理会，重新倒看起书来。紫鹃倒觉身倦，连催黛玉睡下。黛玉虽躺下，又想到海棠花上，说“这块玉原是胎里带来的，非比寻常之物，来去自有关系。若是这花主好事呢，不该失了这玉呀？看来此花开的不祥，莫非他有不吉之事？”不觉又伤起心来。又转想到喜事上头，此花又似应开，此玉又似应失，如此一悲一喜〔一〕，直想到五更，方睡着。
次日，王夫人等早派人到当铺里去查问，凤姐暗中设法找寻。一连闹了几天，总无下落。还喜贾母贾政未知。袭人等每日提心吊胆，宝玉也好几天不上学，只是怔怔的，不言不语，没心没绪的。王夫人只知他因失玉而起，也不大着意。那日正在纳闷，忽见贾琏进来请安，嘻嘻的笑道：“今日听得军机贾雨村打发人来告诉二老爷说，舅太爷升了内阁大学士，奉旨来京，已定明年正月二十日宣麻[3]。有三百里的文书[4]去了，想舅太爷昼夜趱行，半个多月就要到了。侄儿特来回太太知道。”王夫人听说，便欢喜非常。正想娘家人少，薛姨妈家又衰败了，兄弟又在外任，照应不着。今日忽听兄弟拜相回京，王家荣耀，将来宝玉都有倚靠，便把失玉的心又略放开些了。天天专望兄弟来京。
忽一天，贾政进来，满脸泪痕，喘吁吁的说道：“你快去禀知老太太，即刻进宫。不用多人的，是你服侍进去。因娘娘忽得暴病，现在太监在外立等，他说太医院已经奏明痰厥[5]，不能医治。”王夫人听说，便大哭起来。贾政道：“这不是哭的时候，快快去请老太太，说得宽缓些，不要吓坏了老人家。”贾政说着，出来吩咐家人伺候。王夫人收了泪，去请贾母，只说元妃有病，进去请安。贾母念佛道：“怎么又病了！前番吓的我了不得，后来又打听错了。这回情愿再错了也罢。”王夫人一面回答，一面催鸳鸯等开箱取衣饰穿戴起来。王夫人赶着回到自己房中，也穿戴好了，过来伺候。一时出厅上轿进宫。不题。
且说元春自选了凤藻宫后，圣眷隆重，身体发福，未免举动费力。每日起居劳乏，时发痰疾。因前日侍宴回宫，偶沾寒气，勾起旧病。不料此回甚属利害，竟至痰气壅塞，四肢厥冷。一面奏明，即召太医调治。岂知汤药不进，连用通关之剂[6]，并不见效。内官忧虑，奏请预办后事。所以传旨命贾氏椒房进见。贾母王夫人遵旨进宫，见元妃痰塞口涎，不能言语，见了贾母，只有悲泣之状，却少眼泪。贾母进前请安，奏些宽慰的话。少时贾政等职名递进，宫嫔传奏，元妃目不能顾，渐渐脸色改变。内宫太监即要奏闻，恐派各妃看视，椒房姻戚未便久羁，请在外宫伺候。贾母王夫人怎忍便离，无奈国家制度，只得下来，又不敢啼哭，惟有心内悲感。朝门内官员有信。不多时，只见太监出来，立传钦天监。贾母便知不好，尚未敢动。稍刻，小太监传谕出来说：“贾娘娘薨逝。”是年甲寅年十二月十八日立春，元妃薨日是十二月十九日，已交卯年寅月，存年四十三岁。贾母含悲起身，只得出宫上轿回家。贾政等亦已得信，一路悲戚。到家中，邢夫人、李纨、凤姐、宝玉等出厅分东西迎着贾母请了安，并贾政王夫人请安，大家哭泣。不题。
次日早起，凡有品级的，按贵妃丧礼，进内请安哭临。贾政又是工部，虽按照仪注办理，未免堂上又要周旋他些，同事又要请教他，所以两头更忙，非比从前太后与周妃的丧事了。但元妃并无所出，惟谥曰“贤淑贵妃”。此是王家制度，不必多赘。只讲贾府中男女天天进宫，忙的了不得。幸喜凤姐儿近日身子好些，还得出来照应家事，又要预备王子腾进京接风贺喜。凤姐胞兄王仁知道叔叔入了内阁，仍带家眷来京。凤姐心里喜欢，便有些心病，有这些娘家的人，也便撂开，所以身子倒觉比前好了些。王夫人看见凤姐照旧办事，又把担子卸了一半，又眼见兄弟来京，诸事放心，倒觉安静些。
独有宝玉原是无职之人，又不念书，代儒学里知他家里有事，也不来管他；贾政正忙，自然没有空儿查他。想来宝玉趁此机会，竟可与姊妹们天天畅乐，不料他自失了玉后，终日懒怠走动，说话也糊涂了。并贾母等出门回来，有人叫他去请安，便去；没人叫他，他也不动。袭人等怀着鬼胎，又不敢去招惹他，恐他生气。每天茶饭，端到面前便吃，不来也不要。袭人看这光景不像是有气，竟像是有病的。袭人偷着空儿到潇湘馆告诉紫鹃，说是“二爷这么着，求姑娘给他开导开导。”紫鹃虽即告诉黛玉，只因黛玉想着亲事上头一定是自己了，如今见了他，反觉不好意思：“若是他来呢，原是小时在一处的，也难不理他；若说我去找他，断断使不得。”所以黛玉不肯过来。袭人又背地里去告诉探春。那知探春心里明明知道海棠开得怪异，“宝玉”失的更奇，接连着元妃姐姐薨逝，谅家道不祥，日日愁闷，那有心肠去劝宝玉。况兄妹们男女有别，只好过来一两次。宝玉又终是懒懒的，所以也不大常来。
宝钗也知失玉。因薛姨妈那日应了宝玉的亲事，回去便告诉了宝钗。薛姨妈还说：“虽是你姨妈说了，我还没有应准，说等你哥哥回来再定。你愿意不愿意？”宝钗反正色的对母亲道：“妈妈这话说错了。女孩儿家的事情是父母做主的。如今我父亲没了，妈妈应该做主的，再不然问哥哥。怎么问起我来？”所以薛姨妈更爱惜他，说他虽是从小娇养惯的，却也生来的贞静，因此在他面前，反不提起宝玉了。宝钗自从听此一说，把“宝玉”两字自然更不提起了。如今虽然听见失了玉，心里也甚惊疑，倒不好问，只得听旁人说去，竟像不与自己相干的。只有薛姨妈打发丫头过来了好几次问信。因他自己的儿子薛蟠的事焦心，只等哥哥进京便好为他出脱罪名；又知元妃已薨，虽然贾府忙乱，却得凤姐好了，出来理家，也把贾家的事撂开了。只苦了袭人，虽然在宝玉跟前低声下气的服侍劝慰，宝玉竟是不懂，袭人只有暗暗的着急而已。
过了几日，元妃停灵寝庙[7]，贾母等送殡去了几天。岂知宝玉一日呆似一日，也不发烧，也不疼痛，只是吃不像吃，睡不像睡，甚至说话都无头绪。那袭人麝月等一发慌了，回过凤姐几次。凤姐不时过来，起先道是找不着玉生气，如今看他失魂落魄的样子，只有日日请医调治。煎药吃了好几剂，只有添病的，没有减病的。及至问他那里不舒服，宝玉也不说出来。
直至元妃事毕，贾母惦记宝玉，亲自到园看视。王夫人也随过来。袭人等忙叫宝玉接去请安。宝玉虽说是病，每日原起来行动，今日叫他接贾母去，他依然仍是请安，惟是袭人在旁扶着指教。贾母见了，便道：“我的儿，我打谅你怎么病着，故此过来瞧你。今你依旧的模样儿，我的心放了好些。”王夫人也自然是宽心的。但宝玉并不回答，只管嘻嘻的笑。贾母等进屋坐下，问他的话，袭人教一句，他说一句，大不似往常，直是一个傻子似的。贾母愈看愈疑，便说：“我才进来看时，不见有什么病，如今细细一瞧，这病果然不轻，竟是神魂失散的样子。到底因什么起的呢？”王夫人知事难瞒，又瞧瞧袭人怪可怜的样子，只得便依着宝玉先前的话，将那往南安王府里去听戏时丢了这块玉的话，悄悄的告诉了一遍。心里也彷徨的很，生恐贾母着急，并说：“现在着人在四下里找寻，求签问卦，都说在当铺里找，少不得找着的。”贾母听了，急得站起来，眼泪直流，说道：“这件玉如何是丢得的！你们忒不懂事了，难道老爷也是撂开手的不成！”王夫人知贾母生气，叫袭人等跪下，自己敛容低首回说：“媳妇恐老太太着急老爷生气，都没敢回。”贾母咳道：“这是宝玉的命根子。因丢了，所以他是这么失魂丧魄的。还了得！况是这玉满城里都知道，谁捡了去便叫你们找出来么！叫人快快请老爷，我与他说。”那时吓得王夫人袭人等俱哀告道：“老太太这一生气，回来老爷更了不得了。现在宝玉病着，交给我们尽命的找来就是了。”贾母道：“你们怕老爷生气，有我呢。”便叫麝月传人去请，不一时传进话来，说：“老爷谢客去了。”贾母道：“不用他也使得。你们便说我说的话，暂且也不用责罚下人，我便叫琏儿来写出赏格，悬在前日经过的地方，便说有人捡得送来者，情愿送银一万两，如有知人捡得送信找得者，送银五千两。如真有了，不可吝惜银子。这么一找，少不得就找出来了。若是靠着咱们家几个人找，就找一辈子，也不能得。”王夫人也不敢直言。贾母传话告诉贾琏，叫他速办去了。贾母便叫人：“将宝玉动用之物都搬到我那里去，只派袭人秋纹跟过来，馀者仍留园内看屋子。”宝玉听了，终不言语，只是傻笑。
贾母便携了宝玉起身，袭人等搀扶出园。回到自己房中，叫王夫人坐下，看人收拾里间屋内安置，便对王夫人道：“你知道我的意思么？我为的园里人少，怡红院里的花树忽萎忽开，有些奇怪。头里仗着一块玉能除邪祟，如今此玉丢了，生恐邪气易侵，故我带他过来一块儿住着。这几天也不用叫他出去，大夫来就在这里瞧。”王夫人听说，便接口道：“老太太想的自然是。如今宝玉同着老太太住了，老太太的福气大，不论什么都压住了。”贾母道：“什么福气，不过我屋里干净些，经卷也多，都可以念念定定心神。你问宝玉好不好？”那宝玉见问，只是笑。袭人叫他说“好”，宝玉也就说“好”。王夫人见了这般光景，未免落泪，在贾母这里，不敢出声。贾母知王夫人着急，便说道：“你回去罢，这里有我调停他。晚上老爷回来，告诉他不必来见我，不许言语就是了。”王夫人去后，贾母叫鸳鸯找些安神定魄的药，按方吃了。不题。
且说贾政当晚回家，在车内听见道儿上人说道：“人要发财也容易的很。”那个问道〔二〕：“怎么见得？”这个人又道：“今日听见荣府里丢了什么哥儿的玉了，贴着招帖儿，上头写着玉的大小式样颜色，说有人捡了送去，就给一万两银子；送信的还给五千呢。”贾政虽未听得如此真切，心里诧异，急忙赶回，便叫门上的人问起那事来。门上的人禀道：“奴才头里也不知道，今儿晌午琏二爷传出老太太的话，叫人去贴帖儿，才知道的。”贾政便叹气道：“家道该衰，偏生养这么一个孽障！才养他的时候满街的谣言，隔了十几年略好了些，这会子又大张晓谕的找玉，成何道理！”说着，忙走进里头去问王夫人。王夫人便一五一十的告诉。贾政知是老太太的主意，又不敢违拗，只抱怨王夫人几句。又走出来，叫瞒着老太太，背地里揭了这个帖儿下来。岂知早有那些游手好闲的人揭了去了。
过了些时，竟有人到荣府门上，口称送玉来。家内人们听见，喜欢的了不得，便说：“拿来，我给你回去。”那人便怀内掏出赏格来，指给门上人瞧，“这不是你府上的帖子么，写明送玉来的给银一万两。二太爷，你们这会子瞧我穷，回来我得了银子，就是个财主了。别这么待理不理的。”门上听他话头来得硬，说道：“你到底略给我瞧一瞧，我好给你回去。”那人初倒不肯，后来听人说得有理，便掏出那玉，托在掌中一扬说：“这是不是？”众家人原是在外服役，只知有玉，也不常见，今日才看见这玉的模样儿了。急忙跑到里头，抢头报似的。那日贾政贾赦出门，只有贾琏在家。众人回明，贾琏还细问真不真。门上人口称：“亲眼见过，只是不给奴才，要见主子，一手交银，一手交玉。”贾琏却也喜欢，忙去禀知王夫人，即便回明贾母。把个袭人乐得合掌念佛。贾母并不改口，一叠连声：“快叫琏儿请那人到书房内坐下，将玉取来一看，即便送银。”贾琏依言，请那人进来当客待他，用好言道谢：“要借这玉送到里头，本人见了，谢银分厘不短。”那人只得将一个红绸子包儿送过去。贾琏打开一看，可不是那一块晶莹美玉吗。贾琏素昔原不理论，今日倒要看看，看了半日，上面的字也仿佛认得出来，什么“除邪祟”等字。贾琏看了，喜之不胜，便叫家人伺候，忙忙的送与贾母王夫人认去。
这会子惊动了合家的人，都等着争看。凤姐见贾琏进来，便劈手夺去，不敢先看，送到贾母手里。贾琏笑道：“你这么一点儿事还不叫我献功呢。”贾母打开看时，只见那玉比先前昏暗了好些。一面擦摸，鸳鸯拿上眼镜儿来，戴着一瞧，说：“奇怪，这块玉倒是的，怎么把头里的宝色都没了呢？”王夫人看了一会子，也认不出，便叫凤姐过来看。凤姐看了道：“像倒像，只是颜色不大对。不如叫宝兄弟自己一看就知道了。”袭人在旁也看着未必是那一块，只是盼得的心盛〔三〕，也不敢说出不像来。凤姐于是从贾母手中接过来，同着袭人拿来给宝玉瞧。这时宝玉正睡着才醒。凤姐告诉道：“你的玉有了。”宝玉睡眼朦胧，接在手里也没瞧，便往地下一撂道：“你们又来哄我了。”说着只是冷笑。凤姐连忙拾起来，道：“这也奇了，怎么你没瞧就知道呢。”宝玉也不答言，只管笑。王夫人也进屋里来了，见他这样，便道：“这不用说了。他那玉原是胎里带来的一种古怪东西，自然他有道理。想来这个必是人见了帖儿照样做的。”大家此时恍然大悟。贾琏在外间屋里听见这话，便说道：“既不是，快拿来给我问问他去，人家这样事，他敢来鬼混。”贾母喝住道：“琏儿，拿了去给他，叫他去罢。那也是穷极了的人没法儿了，所以见我们家有这样事，他便想着赚几个钱也是有的。如今白白的花了钱弄了这个东西，又叫咱们认出来了。依着我不要难为他，把这玉还他，说不是我们的，赏给他几两银子。外头的人知道了，才肯有信儿就送来呢。若是难为了这一个人，就有真的，人家也不敢拿来了。”贾琏答应出去。那人还等着呢，半日不见人来，正在那里心里发虚，只见贾琏气忿走出来了。未知何如，下回分解。
[1] 拐仙——传说中的八仙之一，又称李铁拐或铁拐李。
〔一〕 “此玉又似应失，如此一悲一喜”，原作“此玉又似应出失，一悲一喜”，从藤本改。
[3] 宣麻——唐代任免将相、号令征伐时，用麻纸书写诏书，在朝堂上当众宣布，叫宣麻。见《新唐书·百官志》。这里代指朝廷的任命。
[4] 三百里的文书——日夜行程三百里的急递公文。《金史·章宗本纪》，太和六年，“初置急递铺，腰铃转递，日行三百里，非军期、河防不许起马。”
[5] 痰厥——中医术语。指痰气壅塞，骤然昏倒的症状。
[6] 通关之剂——指适用于医治昏厥、痰壅、牙关紧闭等症的通关开窍药剂，如通关散等。
[7] 寝庙——指宗庙的两个部分。《礼记·月令》：“寝庙毕备。”郑玄注：“凡庙，前曰庙，后曰寝。”
〔二〕 “那个问道”，原作“那个个道”，从藤本改。
〔三〕 “盼得的心盛”，“盼”原作“聘”，从藤本改。
CHAPTER 95. A rumour comes true and the Imperial Consort passes away A counterfeit is deceptively like the real thing, and Bao-yu loses his wits
There was Tealeaf at the entrance to Green Delights, proclaiming his discovery of the missing jade. A junior maid hurried in to tell Bao-yu. The others, when they heard, propelled Bao-yu towards the entrance to question Tealeaf, while they stood listening in the covered gallery. Bao-yu, greatly relieved at the news, walked out and asked Tealeaf:
‘Where did you find it? Come on, give it to me.’
Tealeaf replied:
‘I’m afraid I couldn’t bring it with me. I need a guarantor.’
‘But how did you find it? Tell me, and I’ll send someone to fetch it.’
‘I heard that Steward Lin was going to consult the word-diviner,’ said Tealeaf, ‘so I went along with him. When I heard the word ‘pawnshop’, I didn’t wait to hear the rest, but went racing round the pawnshops. I described the jade to them, and eventually one of them said, “We’ve got it.” I asked him to hand it over, but he insisted on having the pawn-ticket. When I asked him how much it had been pawned for, he said he had one for three hundred taels and another for five hundred. The one for three hundred was brought in the day before yesterday, the one for five hundred came in today.’
‘Quick,’ interrupted Bao-yu. ‘Take three hundred taels and five hundred. Get them both, and we can see which is the right one.’
But Aroma called out jeeringly from within:
‘You’re not going to take any notice of him, are you? I remember my elder brother telling me when I was a little girl, that the people who deal in that kind of jade pawn one or two from their stock when they are short of cash. Every pawnshop must have at least one of them.’
At first everyone had been carried away by Tealeaf’s story. But now, after reflecting on what Aroma had just said, they all began to laugh.
‘Come inside, Master Bao. Don’t listen to that fool. Whatever it is he’s talking about, it obviously isn’t the real thing.’
Bao-yu laughed too. At that moment, Xiu-yan returned from her mission.
On her arrival at Green Bower Hermitage, she had come straight to the point. Would Adamantina consult the planchette for them? Her request met with a scornful laugh.
‘I thought you were above such worldly things, Xiu-yan. I am sure we should never have been such friends if I had known you would ever let idle talk induce you to come bothering me. Anyway, I’m afraid this planchette you mention is something I am not familiar with.’
With this, she clearly intended to dismiss the subject, and Xiu-yan regretted ever having come. She knew what a difficult disposition Adamantina had. But now that she had broached the subject, it seemed such a pity to return empty-handed. She made no attempt to insist on her friend’s psychic powers, but instead tried to win Adamantina around by speaking of the urgent light in which Aroma and the others viewed the loss. At this, Adamantina showed signs of relenting, and Xiu-yan rose to her feet and bowed humbly before her several times. Adamantina sighed.
‘Are we to be at everyone’s beck and call? Since I have been here, I have kept this a secret. Now, if I make an exception for you, I shall never be left in peace.’
‘I felt I had to come, their need seemed so great,’ replied Xiu-yan. ‘I knew that you would feel sorry for them. If anyone else should ask, you will be quite free to say no. No one would ever press you into it.’
Adamantina laughed. She told one of the lay-sisters to light some incense, and went herself to fetch the tray of sand and the planchette-wand from a chest. After writing out the requisite incantation, she told Xiu-yan to kneel and pray. When this was done, they both stood and held the wand by its double handle. Before long it began to move across the tray. The characters it traced with a rapid motion in the sand read as follows:
ALAS! IT LEFT NOR TRACE NOR SIGN. GONE TO GREENSICKNESS PEAK, TO LIE AT THE FOOT OF AN AGE-OLD PINE. WHY TRAVERSE COUNTLESS MOUNTAINS, SEARCHING FOR YOUR FRIEND? FOLLOW ME AND LAUGH TO SEE YOUR JOURNEY AT AN END!
The writing ceased, and the wand came to rest.
‘Which spirit did you invoke?’ asked Xiu-yan.
‘Iron Crutch Li,’ replied Adamantina.
Xiu-yan copied down the writing, and asked Adamantina to give an explanation of the lines.
‘How could I?’ she replied. ‘I don’t understand them myself. Take it back to the others. Many of them are far cleverer than I am, I’m sure.’
Xiu-yan did not press her, but returned to Green Delights. On her arrival, she was besieged with questions.
Tell us what happened!’ they all cried.
Instead of giving them a lengthy description of the séance, Xiu-yan handed her transcript straight to Li Wan. The girls and Bao-yu crowded round to read it. Between them they came to the following interpretation of the lines: the jade would not be found by looking for it, and yet it was not irretrievably lost. At some unforeseeable time, when no one was looking for it, it would just turn up. But as for Green-sickness Peak, no one had any idea where that could be.
‘It may be some sort of hidden clue,’ suggested Li Wan. ‘We’ve certainly never had such a mountain in our garden, and one is not going to spring suddenly from nowhere. The only explanation I can think of is that whoever stole the jade lost his nerve and threw it away, and now it’s lying beneath some miniature mountain in a rockery somewhere near a pine-tree. But what’s all this about ‘follow me’ at the end?’
‘Who was the spirit invoked?’ asked Dai-yu.
‘Iron Crutch Li,’ Xiu-yan informed her.
‘He’d be a hard one to follow!’ protested Tan-chun.
Aroma, meanwhile, in her desperation, took the words quite literally and set to in earnest, searching blindly everywhere. She left no stone in the garden unturned, but all to no avail. When she returned, Bao-yu did not even ask her if she had had any success, but just gave her a silly grin.
‘Little ancestor!’ cried Musk. ‘For pity’s sake tell us where you lost it! At least then if we have to suffer for it, we will know why!’
‘You wouldn’t listen to me when I said I’d lost it outside,’ protested Bao-yu. ‘How am I supposed to know any better now?’
Li Wan and Tan-chun suggested that they had all had a long and tiring day. It was now eleven o’clock. Dai-yu, they observed, had been too weary to stay up any longer, and had gone home on her own.
‘We should all go to bed now,’ they proposed. ‘Tomorrow we can start afresh.’
The gathering dispersed. Bao-yu went straight to sleep. Aroma and the other maids, however, were quite unable to get to sleep, and sat up all night long, weeping and brooding by turns.
*
But we must leave them for a while, and turn our attention to Dai-yu. When she reached home, her thoughts turned once more to the subject that had always preoccupied her, the bond of gold and jade between Bao-yu and Bao-chai. On this occasion, her conclusions were more gratifying than usual.
‘How can there have been any truth in the prophecy made by the Monk and the Taoist?’ she argued with herself. ‘If there really were a bond of gold and jade, how could Bao-yu lose his jade like this? Perhaps I am an unforeseen circumstance that has broken the bond …’
More reflections of this kind brought her an unwonted peace of mind. Her weariness after the day’s exertions seemed to fall from her, and she began reading again. Nightingale, however, was worn out, and urged her mistress repeatedly to go to sleep. Dai-yu lay down, but continued to think. This time it was the crab-trees that occupied her thoughts.
‘Bao-yu’s jade is no ordinary stone. He was born with it, and whatever happens to it is highly significant. If the crab-blossom were a good omen, then why should he lose his jade at the same time? It must be inauspicious. I’m afraid something unlucky will happen to him.’
Down went her spirits again. And then she saw it in yet another light, and became optimistic once more. Perhaps both the blossoming and the loss of the jade were meant to happen, were both in some way timely and auspicious. She lay awake in the throes of these conflicting emotions, and only fell asleep in the early hours.
Early the next morning, Lady Wang sent servants to make inquiries in the pawnshops, while Xi-feng set in motion her own secret investigations. Several days went by, but despite their combined efforts, there was still no sign of the missing jade. Luckily word of the disaster had as yet reached neither Grandmother Jia nor Jia Zheng. But Aroma and the other maids lived from day to day in unbearable suspense, while Bao-yu, who had now been absent from school for several days, was becoming progressively more morose, listless and silent. Lady Wang was not too worried by this, judging it to be a temporary affliction brought on by the loss of his jade.
She was sitting one day lost in thought, when Jia Lian came into her room, and having paid his respects, announced with a complacent smile:
‘Uncle Zheng has today had word from Yu-cun that Uncle Wang Zi-teng has been promoted to a position in the Grand Secretariat. He has received an Imperial Decree to proceed to the capital. His official instatement is to be on the twentieth of the First month of next year, and an urgent dispatch has been sent to summon him from the frontier. He will be travelling day and night, and should be here in half a month or so. I have come especially to bring you this news, Aunt.’
Lady Wang was absolutely delighted. She had only just been thinking how few of her own family she had around her, a deficiency that had been highlighted during her sister’s latest troubles. Her brother Zi-teng had been too far away to be able to wield any influence on their behalf. But now, with his new appointment and return to the capital, she could expect a revival of Wang family prestige from which Bao-yu too would be able to benefit. For the time being she felt able to dismiss her anxiety over the missing jade, and looked forward more and more to her brother’s return.
A day or two later, Jia Zheng came in unexpectedly, and with tear-stained face and voice choking with emotion, told her:
‘You must inform Mother immediately that her presence is required at once at the Palace. There is no need for a large party to go. It will be sufficient if you escort Mother. Her Grace has suddenly been taken ill, and has fallen into a coma. There is a court eunuch waiting outside. He says the official diagnosis by the College of Physicians is an incurable stroke.’
Lady Wang burst into tears.
‘This is no time for crying,’ said Jia Zheng. ‘You must go and tell Mother at once. Break it to her gently. We must not cause the old lady too much of a shock.’
So saying, Jia Zheng went out to give the staff their instructions. Lady Wang dried her eyes and went in to Grandmother Jia’s apartment. She said simply that Yuan-chun was ill, and that they must go to the Palace to present their respects.
‘Merciful Buddha!’ exclaimed Grandmother Jia. ‘How can she have fallen ill again? Last time if you remember I had such a fright, and then we found out that I had been imagining it all. If only I were imagining it now!’
Lady Wang talked to the old lady, and at the same time urged Faithful and the other maids to look out her court robes and begin attiring her. She then went in haste to her own apartment, dressed and returned to wait on Grandmother Jia. In a short while they were ready, and walked out from the main hall to the sedan-chairs that were waiting to carry them to the palace.
Yuan-chun, since her elevation to the Imperial Bedchamber, had been the cherished object of the emperor’s favours, and had become as a result somewhat plump. From the constant pressure and daily exhaustion of life at court, she had also developed a chronic bronchial condition. A few days previously, when returning late from attendance at a banquet, she had caught a chill, which soon brought on her old complaint. This time, however, it was a severe attack. Phlegm completely obstructed her passages, causing a coldness and faintness in her limbs. The emperor was informed, and a court physician summoned at once. But she could swallow none of the medicines that he prescribed, and even the decongestant salts they tried to administer had no beneficial effect. Concerned at her critical condition, her attendant eunuchs reported again to His Majesty, requesting that the necessary precautions be taken. And so her immediate family were summoned to the Palace.
Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang presented themselves at the palace, and entered the Imperial Concubine’s Bedchamber, to find her choked with phlegm, with saliva dribbling from her mouth, no longer capable of speech. When she saw her grandmother coming towards her, her face took on the most pitiful expression, as if she wanted to weep but no longer had the strength to do so. Grandmother Jia came forward to do homage, and offered a few words of comfort. A little later, the official cards of Jia Zheng and company were brought in, and a lady-in-waiting presented them for Her Grace’s inspection. She no longer had the strength to look at them, however, and her face was growing paler minute by minute.
The eunuchs were about to report to the emperor again, and foreseeing that the other concubines would soon arrive to pay their last respects, asked the Jia relatives if they would kindly step outside and wait in one of the ante-chambers of the Palace. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang had no choice but to conform to court regulations, and wrench themselves away. Holding back their tears, they left the chamber with sorrowful hearts.
They could see messages being passed within the Palace, and shortly afterwards a eunuch came out and sent for an official from the Imperial Board of Astronomy. Grandmother Jia knew only too well what this meant. He was requesting an auspicious date for the funeral. It was all over. But still she dared not make a move. It was not long before a junior eunuch came out to make the official announcement:
‘Her Grace the Jia Concubine has passed away.’
It was the nineteenth of the twelfth month. Spring Commencement fell on the eighteenth of the twelfth month of that year, being the year Jia Yin; the nineteenth of the month was therefore also, astrologically speaking, within the month Yin of the following Mao year. Her Grace was forty-three years old.
Grandmother Jia rose, and doing her best to remain composed, left the Palace, climbed into her sedan and was carried home. Jia Zheng and company had also been informed, and they too made the sad journey home. Lady Xing, Li Wan, Xi-feng, Bao-yu and other members of the family were lined up on both sides of the courtyard before the main hall of Rong-guo House to greet first Grandmother Jia, then Jia Zheng and Lady Wang as they returned. Our narrative passes over the tearful family scene.
Early next day, all members of the family with official rank went to the Palace to pay their last respects, and to mourn as the rites prescribed. The details of Yuan-chun’s tomb were the responsibility of the Minister of Works, and Jia Zheng found himself being frequently entertained by his President, and consulted by his colleagues. It was a very busy time – not at all like the period of the previous court funerals for the Dowager Empress and the Zhou Concubine. Because Yuan-chun had died without issue, she was given the posthumous title: ‘Illustrious and Chaste Imperial Concubine’. This was in conformity with state precedent. But of this no more.
Everyone in the Jia family was kept extremely busy, travelling to and from the Palace daily for the duration of the funeral. Luckily Xi-feng’s health had improved a little of late, and she was able to get up and manage the household. She was also preparing to celebrate the return of Wang Zi-teng. Her own elder brother, Wang Ren, now that his uncle was to be a Privy Councillor and in a position of such influence, was also on his way to the capital with his family. Xi-feng was glad of this. The knowledge that she would have these extra Wangs around her also gave her renewed confidence, and had a beneficial effect on her health. Lady Wang, now that Xi-feng was up and about again, unloaded half of her responsibilities onto her, and with the reassuring prospect of having her elder brother back in the capital soon, felt more at peace.
Bao-yu was not entitled to attend any of his eldest sister’s funeral ceremonies, as he held no official rank. He did no work either, and was left undisturbed in his idleness; the Preceptor attributed his state to the recent family events, while Jia Zheng was far too busy to keep a check on his son’s studies. Our hero might have been expected to seize this as an ideal opportunity to amuse himself in the delightful company of his sister and cousins. But from the day he lost his jade, he just sat around all the time doing nothing, and if he spoke, did so in an incoherent mumble. When Grandmother Jia and the others returned from the Palace, he went over to pay his respects if told to do so; if not, he stayed where he was. All this time Aroma and his other maids grew more and more guilty and apprehensive. They dared not take him to task, for fear that he might have a tantrum. Each day he drank his tea and ate his meals, when they were placed before him. But he would as soon have gone without.
It eventually dawned on Aroma that this was not just a mood of his, but a genuine illness. When she had a free moment, she slipped over to the Naiad’s House, and had a word with Nightingale.
‘If only your Mistress would talk to him, and try to cheer him up,’ she said.
Nightingale passed this message on to Dai-yu straight away. But Dai-yu now saw herself as Bao-yu’s future bride, and felt a need to behave towards him with scrupulous modesty.
‘If he should come to see me,’ she argued with herself, ‘I should have to receive him politely, for the sake of our childhood friendship. But as for going over to see him myself, that is quite out of the question.’
So she turned a deaf ear to Aroma’s entreaties. Aroma next went secretly to tell Tan-chun. But Tan-chun was herself plunged in gloom. To her mind, the strange flowering of the crab-trees had been the first of a series of ill omens, followed by the still stranger loss of the Precious Jade, and now by her sister’s death. With the family fortunes so evidently on the decline, how could she find it in herself to rally Bao-yu’s spirits? Besides, as brother and sister, they were obliged to maintain a certain distance. She did visit him once or twice, but he seemed indifferent to her presence and she made no further efforts.
Bao-chai also knew of the missing jade. Her mother had already told her of her proposed betrothal to Bao-yu, the day she discussed it with Lady Wang and all but consented.
‘Although it is your Aunt Wang’s proposal,’ she had said to Bao-chai, ‘I have still not given my final consent. I said we should have to wait until Pan comes home. What do you say to the idea? Are you willing?’
‘Mother,’ replied Bao-chai, in a most serious tone, ‘you don’t need to ask me. A daughter’s future lies in her parents’ hands. Since Father is dead, the decision is entirely yours. Consult Pan, if you wish, but why me?’
Aunt Xue was most touched by this display of modesty in her daughter, proof that her basically sound character had not been in any way spoiled by her luxurious upbringing. She would not mention Bao-yu’s name to her again. Bao-chai for her part maintained a strict taboo from that day forth on those two syllables. So when she came to hear of the missing jade, despite the concern she felt, she refrained from inquiring any further and contented herself with what she gleaned from those around her, while maintaining a show of complete indifference.
Aunt Xue, on the other hand, sent a maid over several times to inquire after Bao-yu. She was also greatly concerned about her own son, and awaited her elder brother’s arrival with impatience. His influence would surely secure Pan’s release. With the death of the Imperial Concubine, she could see how busy the Jias were. But as Xi-feng was well enough to take charge of the household management, she did not feel it necessary to visit them often.
The one to suffer most during all this was Aroma, although she tried to remain quiet and calm, and to comfort Bao-yu and minister to his needs. He seemed to understand nothing, and she could only watch over him in secret anguish.
After a few days, Yuan-chun’s coffin was laid out in the Imperial Chapel of Rest, and Grandmother Jia and the other senior members of the family attended funeral services there for several days. Bao-yu was becoming daily more and more of an imbecile. He had no fever and was not in any physical pain, but he was eating little and sleeping less and becoming quite incoherent in his speech. Aroma, Musk and the other maids were at their wits’ end, and several times went to report to Xi-feng, who came over constantly to see how he was. At first she had thought that he was simply upset that his jade had not been found. But now, seeing the deranged state into which he was sinking, she sent for the doctor. The doctor paid daily visits, and more than one kind of medicine was prescribed, but all seemed to do more harm than good. To all inquiries as to where he felt pain, he was quite unable to reply.
When Yuan-chun’s funeral ceremonies were over, Grandmother Jia’s thoughts turned again to Bao-yu, and she came to the Garden to visit him, accompanied by Lady Wang. Aroma told Bao-yu to go out and greet her properly. Bao-yu was still able to get about, and managed to greet his grandmother presentably, with Aroma at his side prompting him at every turn.
‘My dear boy!’ exclaimed Grandmother Jia. ‘I am so relieved! I was led to believe that you were seriously ill. But now I see that you are quite your normal self.’
Lady Wang too seemed pleasantly surprised. Bao-yu said nothing and gave an inane grin. They went in and sat down. When Grandmother Jia asked him a question, he could only repeat whatever Aroma said. It soon became clear to them all that so far from being his normal self, he was now little more than a halfwit. The more Grandmother Jia saw, the more it puzzled and distressed her.
‘When I came in,’ she said, ‘he seemed quite well. But I can see now that he really is seriously ill. He seems to have quite lost his wits. Will someone please tell me what has happened?’
Lady Wang realized that they could not keep it from her any longer. For Aroma’s sake, who stood there in mortal terror, she stuck to Bao-yu’s story and told Grandmother Jia that he had lost his jade at the Earl of Lin-an’s party, whispering it all in the old lady’s ear, afraid it might come as too great a shock to her.
‘The servants have been told to look everywhere,’ she added. ‘We have asked several fortune-tellers, and they all say that it’s in a pawnshop, so it can only be a matter of time before we find it.’
Grandmother Jia rose to her feet in great agitation, tears streaming down her cheeks.
‘How could he lose such a precious thing? You are not fit to look after him! What about his father? Surely he has not washed his hands of it too?’
Lady Wang could see that Grandmother Jia was in a rage. She told Aroma and the others to kneel, and herself replied, with contrite face and lowered head:
‘I was afraid you would be upset, Mother, and that his father would be angry, so I still have not told him.’
‘But can’t you see?’ cried Grandmother Jia. ‘The jade is Bao-yu’s very life. Losing it is what has made him lose his wits. What are we going to do? People all over town have heard of the jade. If someone picks it up, he’s hardly going to hand it in. Send someone at once to his father and ask him to come here. I must speak to him about this.’
Lady Wang, Aroma and all the others present were terrified of the possible consequences and entreated Grandmother Jia to relent.
‘Imagine how angry Sir Zheng will be, Mother! Think of poor Bao-yu! For his sake, give us one last chance. We will search for all we are worth.’
‘Why should you fear his father’s wrath? I shall be here,’ said the old lady firmly.
She told Musk to send someone for Jia Zheng. Minutes later, the message returned that he was out visiting a friend.
‘Well, we’ll go ahead without him,’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘For the present, none of the servants is to be punished. Those are my instructions, and I shall take full responsibility. Send for Lian and tell him to write out a Notice of Reward, and post copies of it wherever Bao-yu went on the day he lost his jade. It is to say: “Reward for return of jade, ten thousand taels of silver. Reward for information leading to its recovery, five thousand taels.” And there is to be no question of not paying up in full if someone does come forward. This is the only way we shall ever find it. If we rely on our own people, we could go on searching for the rest of our lives.’
Lady Wang did not dare voice her reservations about this plan of action. Jia Lian was sent for, and told to have the posters made up with all speed.
‘Move Bao-yu’s things to my apartment,’ Grandmother Jia ordered one of the servants. ‘I shall only need Aroma and Ripple to wait on him. The rest can stay here and look after his apartment.’
Bao-yu remained silent throughout all of this, grinning inanely. Grandmother Jia took him by the hand and led him out, Aroma and the others clustering round to support him as far as the garden gate. When they reached her apartment, Grandmother Jia told Lady Wang to sit down, and herself supervised the putting in order of the inner room. When this was done, she spoke to Lady Wang:
‘You know why I have brought him over here, don’t you? In the first place, there are so few people living in the garden now, and I can’t help feeling there’s something odd about the way those crab-trees in his courtyard died so suddenly, and then so suddenly flowered. Before now he could always rely on his jade to keep any evil influences at bay. But now that it is lost, I am afraid the evil can get in more easily. So I thought it best for him to stay here with me. He had better not go out for a few days. When the doctor comes, he can see him here.’
‘Of course you are right,’ said Lady Wang promptly. ‘Your good luck will shelter him from any such influences, now that he is here.’
‘My luck! Nothing of the sort! It is quieter here, that is all, and there are plently of sutras for him to read, to help settle his mind. Ask him if he agrees.’
When his mother put the question to him, Bao-yu merely smiled. Finally, prompted by Aroma, he answered, ‘Yes Mother.’ Lady Wang was moved to tears by the pitiful spectacle her son presented, but contained herself in Grandmother Jia’s presence. Grandmother Jia could see that she was somewhat overwrought, and told her to go back to her own apartment.
‘Leave him to me. I shall look after him. When his father gets home this evening, tell him there is no need for him to come and see me today. I do not want him to know yet.’
When Lady Wang had left, Grandmother Jia told Faithful to bring her one of her sedative remedies. Bao-yu took it; and there we must leave them for the present.
Jia Zheng, on his way home that evening, heard from within his carriage the following conversation in the street:
‘If you want to get rich, I know of an easy way …’
‘Oh? What’s that?’
‘I heard today that at Rong-guo House one of the young nobs has lost a jade, and they’ve posted a notice of reward, with all the details – shape, size, colour, etc. Ten thousand they’re offering to anyone who hands it in, and five thousand for information!’
Jia Zheng did not catch every word. But he heard enough to be considerably alarmed. He hurried home, and on arrival summoned one of the janitors and questioned him about the whole affair.
‘I knew nothing of all this until today, sir,’ replied the janitor. ‘The first I heard of it was this afternoon, when Mr Lian gave us Her Old Ladyship’s orders to put the posters up.’
‘We are doomed!’ said Jia Zheng to himself with a bitter sigh. ‘This son of mine is the bane of our lives! When he was a child he was the talk of the neighbourhood. It has taken us these last ten years or more to stop their tongues, and now we have to go putting up a poster like this, announcing our troubles to the world!’
He went in without further delay and questioned Lady Wang, who told him the whole story. When he learnt that the reward was the old lady’s idea, Jia Zheng knew that he could not very well openly oppose it. He criticized Lady Wang instead for her part in it, and going out once more, gave orders for the posters to be taken down without Grandmother Jia’s knowledge. As it turned out, some local loafers had already pulled them down.
Despite this, a day or two later, a man did arrive at the main gate of Rong-guo House, claiming to have brought the jade. The servants were ecstatic. ‘Give it here!’ they cried. ‘We’ll take it in for you.’
‘Not so fast!’ The man fumbled inside his gown, and brought out the reward poster. ‘Look here,’ he said, pointing to the wording on the poster. ‘This is what your masters put up, isn’t it? “Ten thousand taels for return of jade” – plain as daylight. I may be a pauper today, my man, but wait till I come into my ten thousand. You’ll sing a different tune then.’
The gateman could see he was a difficult customer.
‘Well at least give us a look, so we can go in and report.’
At first the man refused. But eventually he allowed himself to be persuaded, and producing it from within his gown, he exhibited the jade to them fleetingly on the palm of his hand, saying:
‘Isn’t this what you are looking for?’
Now these servants were all employed on external duties, and though they had heard tell of Bao-yu’s jade, had hardly ever set eyes on it. This was in fact their first opportunity of inspecting the thing at close quarters. This did not deter them from running into the house in a great state of excitement, racing to be the first with the news.
They found that both Jia Zheng and Jia She were out. It was Jia Lian who received their report.
‘Is it genuine or a fake?’ he asked them sceptically.
‘I saw it with my own eyes!’ replied one of them. ‘He wouldn’t hand it over to us though, but insisted on seeing one of the masters, so that he could exchange it directly for the money.’
Jia Lian could not help being infected by their enthusiasm, and went in straight away to tell Lady Wang and Grandmother Jia. Aroma, when she heard, was overjoyed, and brought her hands piously together in a prayer of thanks to Lord Buddha. Grandmother Jia stood firmly by her word.
‘Tell Lian to invite him into the study at once,’ she said to Lady Wang in a flurry of excitement. ‘Once we have had a look at it, he will get his money straight away.’
Jia Lian did as instructed and invited the stranger in, treating him most politely and expressing profuse thanks.
‘I should just like to let the owner have a look at it, if I may,’ he said. ‘Then you shall have your money, every penny of it, I assure you.’
Reluctantly, the man handed him a little parcel wrapped in red silk. Jia Lian opened it. There lay a lustrous jade. Surely this was it! Jia Lian, to tell the truth, had never taken much, notice of it while it hung round Bao-yu’s neck. Now he looked closely at it for some time. The inscription was certainly familiar. He remembered some of the words, such as “dispels the harms of witchcraft”. With a jubilant air, he strode in to show it to the ladies, leaving a servant to wait on the stranger.
By now the whole family had heard the news, and were gathered in Grandmother Jia’s apartment, waiting eagerly, each one anxious to be the first to see. Xi-feng saw Jia Lian come in, and thrusting forward her hand, snatched the parcel from him and without looking at it herself, placed it in Grandmother Jia’s hand.
‘Can’t you even let me take the credit for a small thing like this?’ said Jia Lian with a sneer.
Grandmother Jia opened the silk bundle and examined the stone. It seemed a great deal duller than she remembered. She rubbed it between her fingers. Faithful brought her spectacles, and put them on for her. She examined it again.
‘How peculiar! This must surely be it; and yet it seems to have lost its original lustre entirely.’
Lady Wang now inspected it. She too felt unable to identify it with any certainty, and told Xi-feng to come over and take a look.
‘There is a certain similarity,’ said Xi-feng after her inspection. ‘But the colour is not quite right. We should show it to Bao-yu himself. He will be able to tell.’
Aroma was standing at her side, and had managed to have a look at the stone. Her eyes told her that it was not the one, but her heart was too full of hope to allow her to voice her misgivings. Xi-feng took the stone from Grandmother Jia’s hands and went with Aroma to show it to Bao-yu, who had just awoken.
‘Your stone has been found!’ announced Aroma.
Bao-yu’s eyes were still heavy with sleep. He took the stone in his hand, and without so much as a glance, let it drop to the ground.
‘Why try to fool me!’ he said, smiling strangely.
Xi-feng picked it up promptly.
‘That’s odd,’ she said. ‘How can you tell without even looking at it?’
Bao-yu only smiled again. Lady Wang had come in meanwhile, and observed what happened.
‘It is perfectly natural,’ she commented. ‘That strange jade came into the world with him, it is his very own. He would be bound to know whether this was genuine or not. Someone must have read the reward-notice and faked it.’
The truth dawned on them all. Jia Lian, who heard it all from the outer room, said at once:
‘If it is a fake, give it to me! I’ll have it out with this impostor! How dare he play a trick on us, in such a serious matter!’
‘No, Lian!’ ordered Grandmother Jia. ‘Give it back to him, and tell him to leave. No doubt he was desperately poor, and when he read the notice, saw a way of making a few pennies. It’s understandable. Now he has been found out, and whatever it cost him to make the thing has been wasted too. Don’t be too hard on him. Give him back the jade, and just say that it’s not ours, and there’s been a mistake. Give him a few taels of silver. If people hear that he’s been well treated, it will encourage someone with genuine information to come forward. If we treat this one harshly, no one will bring it in even if they do find it.’
Jia Lian went as bidden. The impostor had been waiting in the study, and as time went by and no one returned, had already begun to lose his nerve. Now he saw the irate figure of Jia Lian advancing into the room. For the outcome of their subsequent interview, please read the next chapter.