第九十九回

第九十九回 守官箴恶奴同破例 阅邸报老舅自担惊

话说凤姐见贾母和薛姨妈为黛玉伤心，便说：“有个笑话儿说给老太太和姑妈听”，未从开口，先自笑了，因说道：“老太太和姑妈打谅是那里的笑话儿？就是咱们家的那二位新姑爷新媳妇啊。”贾母道：“怎么了？”凤姐拿手比着道：“一个这么坐着，一个这么站着。一个这么扭过去，一个这么转过来。一个又……”说到这里，贾母已经大笑起来，说道：“你好生说罢，倒不是他们两口儿，你倒把人怄的受不得了。”薛姨妈也笑道：“你往下直说罢，不用比了。”凤姐才说道：“刚才我到宝兄弟屋里，我看见好几个人笑。我只道是谁，巴着窗户眼儿一瞧，原来宝妹妹坐在炕沿上，宝兄弟站在地下。宝兄弟拉着宝妹妹的袖子，口口声声只叫：‘宝姐姐，你为什么不会说话了？你这么说一句话，我的病包管全好。’宝妹妹却扭着头只管躲。宝兄弟却作了一个揖，上前又拉宝妹妹的衣服。宝妹妹急得一扯，宝兄弟自然病后是脚软的，索性一扑，扑在宝妹妹身上了。宝妹妹急得红了脸，说道：‘你越发比先不尊重了。’”说到这里，贾母和薛姨妈都笑起来。凤姐又道：“宝兄弟便立起身来笑道：‘亏了跌了这一交，好容易才跌出你的话来了。’”薛姨妈笑道：“这是宝丫头古怪。这有什么的，既作了两口儿，说说笑笑的怕什么。他没见他琏二哥和你。”凤姐儿笑道：“这是怎么说呢，我饶说笑话给姑妈解闷儿，姑妈反倒拿我打起卦[3]来了。”贾母也笑道：“要这么着才好。夫妻固然要和气，也得有个分寸儿。我爱宝丫头就在这尊重上头。只是我愁着宝玉还是那么傻头傻脑的，这么说起来，比头里竟明白多了。你再说说，还有什么笑话儿没有？”凤姐道：“明儿宝玉圆了房，亲家太太抱了外孙子，那时候不更是笑话儿了么。”贾母笑道：“猴儿，我在这里同着姨太太想你林妹妹，你来怄个笑儿还罢了，怎么臊起皮来了。你不叫我们想你林妹妹，你不用太高兴了。你林妹妹恨你，将来不要独自一个到园里去，隄防他拉着你不依。”凤姐笑道：“他倒不怨我。他临死咬牙切齿倒恨着宝玉呢。”贾母薛姨妈听着，还道是顽话儿，也不理会，便道：“你别胡拉扯了。你去叫外头挑个很好的日子给你宝兄弟圆了房儿罢。”凤姐去了，择了吉日，重新摆酒唱戏请亲友。这不在话下。

却说宝玉虽然病好复原，宝钗有时高兴翻书观看，谈论起来，宝玉所有眼前常见的尚可记忆，若论灵机，大不似从前活变了。连他自己也不解，宝钗明知是通灵失去，所以如此。倒是袭人时常说他：“你何故把从前的灵机都忘了？那些旧毛病忘了才好，为什么你的脾气还觉照旧，在道理上更糊涂了呢？”宝玉听了并不生气，反是嘻嘻的笑。有时宝玉顺性胡闹，多亏宝钗劝说，诸事略觉收敛些。袭人倒可少费些唇舌，惟知悉心服侍。别的丫头素仰宝钗贞静和平，各人心服，无不安静。只有宝玉到底是爱动不爱静的，时常要到园里去逛。贾母等一则怕他招受寒暑，二则恐他睹景伤情，虽黛玉之柩已寄放城外庵中，然而潇湘馆依然人亡屋在，不免勾起旧病来，所以也不使他去。况且亲戚姊妹们，薛宝琴〔二〕已回到薛姨妈那边去了；史湘云因史侯回京，也接了家去了，又有了出嫁的日子，所以不大常来，只有宝玉娶亲那一日与吃喜酒这天来过两次，也只在贾母那边住下，为着宝玉已经娶过亲的人，又想自己就要出嫁的，也不肯如从前的诙谐谈笑，就是有时过来，也只和宝钗说话，见了宝玉不过问好而已；那邢岫烟却是因迎春出嫁之后便随着邢夫人过去；李家姊妹也另住在外，即同着李婶娘过来，亦不过到太太们与姐妹们处请安问好，即回到李纨那里略住一两天就去了：所以园内的只有李纨、探春、惜春了。贾母还要将李纨等挪进来，为着元妃薨后，家中事情接二连三，也无暇及此。现今天气一天热似一天，园里尚可住得，等到秋天再挪。此是后话，暂且不提。

且说贾政带了几个在京请的幕友，晓行夜宿，一日到了本省，见过上司，即到任拜印受事，便查盘各属州县粮米仓库。贾政向来作京官，只晓得郎中事务都是一景儿[5]的事情，就是外任，原是学差，也无关于吏治上。所以外省州县折收粮米勒索乡愚这些弊端，虽也听见别人讲究，却未尝身亲其事。只有一心做好官，便与幕宾商议出示严禁，并谕以一经查出，必定详参揭报[6]。初到之时，果然胥吏畏惧，便百计钻营，偏遇贾政这般古执。那些家人跟了这位老爷在都中一无出息，好容易盼到主人放了外任，便在京指着在外发财的名头向人借贷，做衣裳装体面，心里想着，到了任，银钱是容易的了。不想这位老爷呆性发作，认真要查办起来，州县馈送一概不受。门房签押等人心里盘算道：“我们再挨半个月，衣服也要当完了。债又逼起来，那可怎么样好呢。眼见得白花花的银子，只是不能到手。”那些长随也道：“你们爷们到底还没花什么本钱来的。我们才冤，花了若干的银子打了个门子[7]，来了一个多月，连半个钱也没见过。想来跟这个主儿是不能捞本儿的了。明儿我们齐打伙儿告假去。”次日果然聚齐，都来告假。贾政不知就里，便说：“要来也是你们，要去也是你们。既嫌这里不好，就都请便。”那些长随怨声载道而去。

只剩下些家人，又商议道：“他们可去的去了，我们去不了的，到底想个法儿才好。”内中有一个管门的叫李十儿，便说：“你们这些没能耐的东西，着什么忙！我见这长字号儿的在这里，不犯给他出头。如今都饿跑了，瞧瞧你十太爷的本领，少不得本主儿依我。只是要你们齐心，打伙儿弄几个钱回家受用，若不随我，我也不管了，横竖拚得过你们。”众人都说：“好十爷，你还主儿信得过。若你不管，我们实在是死症了。”李十儿道：“不要我出了头得了银钱，又说我得了大分儿了。窝儿里反起来，大家没意思。”众人道：“你万安，没有的事。就没有多少，也强似我们腰里掏钱。”

正说着，只见粮房书办走来找周二爷。李十儿坐在椅子上，跷着一只腿，挺着腰说道：“找他做什么？”书办便垂手陪着笑说道：“本官到了一个多月的任，这些州县太爷见得本官的告示利害，知道不好说话，到了这时候都没有开仓。若是过了漕[8]，你们太爷们来做什么的。”李十儿道：“你别混说。老爷是有根蒂的，说到那里是要办到那里。这两天原要行文催兑，因我说了缓几天才歇的。你到底找我们周二爷做什么？”书办道：“原为打听催文的事，没有别的。”李十儿道：“越发胡说，方才我说催文，你就信嘴胡诌。可别鬼鬼祟祟来讲什么帐，我叫本官打了你，退你。”书办道：“我在这衙门内已经三代了。外头也有些体面，家里还过得，就规规矩矩伺候本官升了还能够，不像那些等米下锅的。”说着，回了一声“二太爷，我走了。”李十儿便站起，堆着笑说：“这么不禁顽，几句话就脸急了。”书办道：“不是我脸急，若再说什么，岂不带累了二太爷的清名呢。”李十儿过来拉着书办的手说：“你贵姓啊？”书办道：“不敢，我姓詹，单名是个‘会’字，从小儿也在京里混了几年。”李十儿道：“詹先生，我是久闻你的名的。我们弟兄们是一样的，有什么话晚上到这里咱们说一说。”书办也说：“谁不知道李十太爷是能事的，把我一诈就吓毛了。”大家笑着走开。那晚便与书办咕唧了半夜，第二天拿话去探贾政，被贾政痛骂了一顿。

隔一天拜客，里头吩咐伺候，外头答应了。停了一会子，打点已经三下了，大堂上没有人接鼓。好容易叫个人来打了鼓。贾政踱出暖阁，站班喝道的衙役只有一个。贾政也不查问，在墀下上了轿，等轿夫又等了好一回。来齐了，抬出衙门，那个炮只响得一声，吹鼓亭的鼓手只有一个打鼓，一个吹号筒。贾政便也生气说：“往常还好，怎么今儿不齐集至此。”抬头看那执事，却是搀前落后。勉强拜客回来，便传误班的要打，有的说因没有帽子误的，有的说是号衣当了误的，又有的说是三天没吃饭抬不动。贾政生气，打了一两个也就罢了。隔一天，管厨房的上来要钱，贾政带来银两付了。

以后便觉样样不如意，比在京的时候倒不便了好些。无奈，便唤李十儿问道：“我跟来这些人怎样都变了？你也管管。现在带来银两早使没有了，藩库[9]俸银尚早，该打发京里取去。”李十儿禀道：“奴才那一天不说他们，不知道怎么样这些人都是没精打彩的，叫奴才也没法儿。老爷说家里取银子，取多少？现在打听节度衙门这几天有生日，别的府道老爷都上千上万的送了，我们到底送多少呢？”贾政道：“为什么不早说？”李十儿说：“老爷最圣明的。我们新来乍到，又不与别位老爷很来往，谁肯送信。巴不得老爷不去，便好想老爷的美缺。”贾政道：“胡说，我这官是皇上放的，不与节度做生日便叫我不做不成！”李十儿笑着回道：“老爷说的也不错。京里离这里很远，凡百的事都是节度奏闻。他说好便好，说不好便吃不住。到得明白，已经迟了。就是老太太、太太们，那个不愿意老爷在外头烈烈轰轰的做官呢。”贾政听了这话，也自然心里明白，道：“我正要问你，为什么都说起来？”李十儿回说：“奴才本不敢说。老爷既问到这里，若不说是奴才没良心，若说了少不得老爷又生气。”贾政道：“只要说得在理。”李十儿说道：“那些书吏衙役都是花了钱买着粮道的衙门，那个不想发财〔三〕？俱要养家活口。自从老爷到了任，并没见为国家出力，倒先有了口碑载道。”贾政道：“民间有什么话？”李十儿道：“百姓说，凡有新到任的老爷，告示出得愈利害，愈是想钱的法儿。州县害怕了，好多多的送银子。收粮的时候，衙门里便说新道爷的法令，明是不敢要钱，这一留难叨蹬[11]，那些乡民心里愿意花几个钱早早了事，所以那些人不说老爷好，反说不谙民情。便是本家大人是老爷最相好的，他不多几年已巴到极顶的分儿，也只为识时达务能够上和下睦罢了。”贾政听到这话，道：“胡说，我就不识时务吗？若是上和下睦，叫我与他们猫鼠同眠吗。”李十儿回说道：“奴才为着这点忠心儿掩不住，才这么说。若是老爷就是这样做去，到了功不成名不就的时候，老爷又说奴才没良心，有什么话不告诉老爷了。”贾政道：“依你怎么做才好？”李十儿道：“也没有别的。趁着老爷的精神年纪，里头的照应，老太太的硬朗，为顾着自己就是了。不然到不了一年，老爷家里的钱也都贴补完了，还落了自上至下的人抱怨，都说老爷是做外任的，自然弄了钱藏着受用。倘遇著一两件为难的事，谁肯帮着老爷？那时办也办不清，悔也悔不及。”贾政道：“据你一说，是叫我做贪官吗？送了命还不要紧，必定将祖父的功勋抹了才是？”李十儿回禀道：“老爷极圣明的人，没看见旧年犯事的几位老爷吗？这几位都与老爷相好，老爷常说是个做清官的，如今名在那里！现有几位亲戚，老爷向来说他们不好的，如今升的升，迁的迁。只在要做的好就是了。老爷要知道，民也要顾，官也要顾。若是依着老爷不准州县得一个大钱，外头这些差使谁办。只要老爷外面还是这样清名声原好，里头的委屈只要奴才办去，关碍不着老爷的。奴才跟主儿一场，到底也要掏出忠心来。”贾政被李十儿一番言语，说得心无主见，道：“我是要保性命的，你们闹出来不与我相干。”说着，便踱了进去。

李十儿便自己做起威福，钩连内外一气的哄着贾政办事，反觉得事事周到，件件随心。所以贾政不但不疑，反多相信。便有几处揭报，上司见贾政古朴忠厚，也不查察。惟是幕友们耳目最长，见得如此，得便用言规谏，无奈贾政不信，也有辞去的，也有与贾政相好在内维持的。于是漕务事毕，尚无陨越[12]。

一日，贾政无事，在书房中看书。签押上[13]呈进一封书子，外面官封上开着：“镇守海门等处总制公文一角[14]，飞递江西粮道衙门。”贾政拆封看时，只见上写道：

金陵契好，桑梓[15]情深。昨岁供职来都，窃喜常依座右。仰蒙雅爱，许结朱陈[16]，至今佩德勿谖。祇因调任海疆，未敢造次奉求，衷怀歉仄，自叹无缘。今幸棨戟[17]遥临，快慰平生之愿。正申燕贺[18]，先蒙翰教，边帐[19]光生，武夫额手[20]。虽隔重洋，尚叨樾荫[21]。想蒙不弃卑寒，希望茑萝[22]之附。小儿已承青盼，淑嫒素仰芳仪。如蒙践诺，即遣冰人[23]。途路虽遥，一水可通。不敢云百辆之迎[24]，敬备仙舟以俟。兹修寸幅[25]，恭贺升祺，并求金允。临颖[26]不胜待命之至。

世弟周琼顿首。

贾政看了，心想：“儿女姻缘果然有一定的。旧年因见他就了京职，又是同乡的人，素来相好，又见那孩子长得好，在席间原提起这件事。因未说定，也没有与他们说起。后来他调了海疆，大家也不说了。不料我今升任至此，他写书来问。我看起门户却也相当，与探春到也相配。但是我并未带家眷，只可写字与他商议。”正在踌躇，只见门上传进一角文书，是议取到省会议事件。贾政只得收拾上省，候节度派委。

一日在公馆闲坐，见桌上堆着一堆字纸，贾政一一看去，见刑部一本：“为报明事，会看得金陵籍行商薛蟠——”贾政便吃惊道：“了不得，已经提本了！”随用心看下去，是“薛蟠殴伤张三身死，串嘱尸证捏供误杀一案。”贾政一拍桌道：“完了！”只得又看，底下是：

据京营节度使咨[27]称：缘薛蟠籍隶金陵，行过太平县，在李家店歇宿，与店内当槽之张三素不相认，于某年月日薛蟠令店主备酒邀请太平县民吴良同饮，令当槽张三取酒。因酒不甘，薛蟠令换好酒。张三因称酒已沽定难换。薛蟠因伊倔强，将酒照脸泼去，不期去势甚猛，恰值张三低头拾箸，一时失手，将酒碗掷在张三囟门，皮破血出，逾时殒命。李店主趋救不及，随向张三之母告知。伊母张王氏往看，见已身死，随喊禀地保赴县呈报。前署县诣验，仵作将骨破一寸三分及腰眼一伤，漏报填格，详府审转。看得薛蟠实系泼酒失手，掷碗误伤张三身死，将薛蟠照过失杀人，准斗杀罪收赎等因前来。臣等细阅各犯证尸亲前后供词不符，且查《斗杀律》注云：“相争为斗，相打为殴。必实无争斗情形，邂逅身死，方可以过失杀定拟。”应令该节度审明实情，妥拟具题。今据该节度疏称：薛蟠因张三不肯换酒，醉后拉着张三右手，先殴腰眼一拳。张三被殴回骂，薛蟠将碗掷出，致伤囟门深重，骨碎脑破，立时殒命。是张三之死实由薛蟠以酒碗砸伤深重致死，自应以薛蟠拟抵。将薛蟠依《斗杀律》拟绞监候[28]，吴良拟以杖徒[29]。承审不实之府州县应请……

以下注着“此稿未完”。贾政因薛姨妈之托曾托过知县，若请旨革审起来，牵连着自己，好不放心。即将下一本开看，偏又不是。只好翻来复去将报看完，终没有接这一本的。心中狐疑不定，更加害怕起来。

正在纳闷，只见李十儿进来：“请老爷到官厅伺候去，大人衙门已经打了二鼓了。”贾政只是发怔，没有听见。李十儿又请了一遍。贾政道：“这便怎么处？”李十儿道：“老爷有什么心事？”贾政将看报之事说了一遍。李十儿道：“老爷放心。若是部里这么办了，还算便宜薛大爷呢。奴才在京的时候听见，薛大爷在店里叫了好些媳妇，都喝醉了生事，直把个当槽儿的活活打死的。奴才听见不但是托了知县，还求琏二爷去花了好些钱各衙门打通了才提的。不知道怎么部里没有弄明白。如今就是闹破了，也是官官相护的，不过认个承审不实革职处分罢，那里还肯认得银子听情呢。老爷不用想，等奴才再打听罢。不要误了上司的事。”贾政道：“你们那里知道，只可惜那知县听了一个情，把这个官都丢了，还不知道有罪没有呢。”李十儿道：“如今想他也无益，外头伺候着好半天了，请老爷就去罢。”贾政不知节度传办何事，且听下回分解。

[1] 官箴（zhēn珍）——本指古代百官规劝帝王过失的箴辞，后来成为对官吏的箴言诫辞的泛称。箴：劝诫。

〔一〕 “守官箴恶奴同破例”，“例”原作“刑”，从藤本、程乙本改。

[3] 打卦——打趣、损人。

〔二〕 “薛宝琴”，原作“为宝琴”，从藤本、王本改。

[5] 一景儿——这里是一样、同类的意思。

[6] 详参揭报——呈报上级，揭发弊端，进行弹劾。参：弹劾。

[7] 打了个门子——这里是找了个门路，得了个差事之意。

[8] 过了漕——超过了漕运的期限。漕：水路运输，这里专指水道运粮。

[9] 藩库——即省库。明清时代，各省所设掌管财务等事的承宣布政使司，又称藩司，故省库也称藩库。

〔三〕 “那个不想发财”，原无“那个”，从程乙本补。藤本作“来想发财”。

[11] 留难叨蹬——故意刁难、折腾。

[12] 陨（yǔn允）越——颠坠。这里喻失败、丢官。

[13] 签押上——指掌管收发、处理公文的部门。

[14] 公文一角——即一封公文；一件公文。

[15] 桑梓（zǐ紫）——两种树名。因多种宅旁，故常用以代指家乡。

[16] 结朱陈——朱陈：村名，在江苏省丰县。据说村中朱、陈两姓世代通婚。见白居易《朱陈村》诗，后遂以结朱陈代指联姻。

[17] 棨（qǐ起）戟——古代王公以下出行时作仪仗用的木戟，表面涂有赤色油漆，或以赤黑色缯作戟衣。见晋代崔豹《古今注·舆服》及唐代颜师古《汉书·韩延寿传》注。

[18] 燕贺——本为庆贺新屋落成之词。《淮南子·说林训》：“大厦成而燕雀相贺。”这里用来祝贺官位的升迁。

[19] 边帐——边防的军营。

[20] 额手——以手加额，表示庆幸。

[21] 樾（yuè月）荫——代指别人的庇护。樾：树荫。《玉篇》：“两树交阴之下曰樾。”

[22] 茑（niǎo鸟）萝——两种寄生植物，茎皆攀附蔓延。萝：女萝。《诗·小雅·弁》：“茑与女萝，施于松柏。”后借以谦称同别人的亲戚关系。

[23] 冰人——即媒人。《晋书·索传》载，令狐策梦见自己立在冰上与冰下人谈话。索据《诗·邶风·匏有苦叶》中“士如归妻，迨冰未泮”之句，为他解梦说他将替人保媒。后来，令狐策果然作了田、张两家的媒人，订婚者并在仲春结了婚。后因称媒人为冰人。

[24] 百辆之迎——意谓迎娶新妇。《诗·召南·鹊巢》：“之子于归，百辆御之。”《毛传》：“百辆，百乘也。诸侯之子嫁于诸侯，送御皆百乘。”郑玄笺：“御，迎也。”

[25] 寸幅——短信。寸：短小的意思。幅：这里代指书信。

[26] 临颖（yǐnɡ影）——当执笔写信的时候。颖：笔尖。

[27] 咨——咨文，旧时用于同级机关的公文。

[28] 监候——清代刑律，拟成死罪但不立即处决，暂时监禁等待秋审叫监候。

[29] 杖、徒——自隋迄清二者皆为五刑之一。杖：用木棍、竹板或荆条拷打犯人。徒：强制犯人服一定时间的劳役。

CHAPTER 99. Unscrupulous minions make use of their master’s virtue to conceal a multitude of sins And Jia Zheng is alarmed to read his nephew’s name in the ‘Peking Gazette’

TO CONTINUE OUR STORY

We told in our previous volume how Xi-feng, finding Grandmother Jia and Aunt Xue somewhat cast down by the mention of Dai-yu’s death, had endeavoured to raise their spirits with a humorous anecdote.

‘Who else could it be,’ she finally managed to say, after much incapacitating mirth, ‘but our newly married couple!’

‘Well – what about them?’ asked Grandmother Jia.

Xi-feng began mimicking again.

‘Here sits one, here stands t’other … One bends this-a-way, one turns that-a-way … One …’

Grandmother Jia interrupted her with a loud laugh.

‘For heaven’s sake get on with the story! If we have to watch you any more, it’ll be the death of us!’

‘Yes, do stop all this monkeying around,’ said Aunt Xue, laughing in spite of herself, ‘and get on with your story.’

Xi-feng began again:

‘Just now, I was passing through Cousin Bao-yu’s apartment when I heard the sound of laughter coming from inside; and wondering who it could be, I took a peep through a little hole in the paper casement. There was Cousin Chai sitting on the edge of the kang, with Bao-yu standing in front of her, holding her sleeve and imploring her: “Oh, Coz! Why won’t you speak to me? A word from you and I know I should be completely cured!” But she turned away and seemed bent on taking no notice of him whatsoever. He bowed to her, and then came still closer and took hold of her dress, which she tugged away from him at once. You know how unsteady on his feet Bao-yu has been since his last illness – well, with this tug he just tumbled right on top of her! She flushed and cried out: “You’re worse than ever! You haven’t a scrap of dignity!” ’

At this both Grandmother Jia and Aunt Xue burst out laughing again. Xi-feng went on:

‘Then Bao stood up and grinned. “At least I tripped you into speaking to me!” he said.’

‘My daughter certainly has her foibles,’ said Aunt Xue, with a good-humoured smile. ‘Now that they’re married there’s really nothing against a bit of harmless fun. If she could but see her cousin Lian and you, my dear, when the two of you get started …’

Xi-feng blushed.

‘Honestly!’ she protested laughingly. ‘I tell a story to raise your spirits and you turn it against me.’

‘Chai is quite right to behave as she does,’ put in Grandmother Jia with a chuckle. ‘I don’t deny that marriage should be based on affection; but there should always be a sense of proportion. I’m glad Chai sets such store by dignity, and it saddens me that Bao-yu should still be such a silly boy – though from some of the things you tell me it seems that he may be improving. Well – any more stories?’

‘Soon there will be no lack of them,’ replied Xi-feng. ‘When their marriage is consummated, and Bao-yu presents his mother-in-law with a grandchild …’

‘You monkey!’ exclaimed Grandmother Jia. ‘Thinking of your Cousin Lin’s death made us both feel sad, and it was thoughtful of you to want to cheer us up. But now you’re going too far. Would you have us forget her altogether? You’d better watch your step. She was never very fond of you while she was alive, and you’d be well advised not to go walking in the Garden alone after this, or her ghost may pounce on you and try to take its revenge!’

‘But she never bore a grudge against me,’ countered Xi-feng with a smile. ‘It was Bao-yu she cursed with her dying breath.’

Grandmother Jia and Aunt Xue took this to be another of her witticisms, and ignored it:

‘Don’t talk such nonsense. Now off you go and find someone to choose a lucky day for your cousin Bao’s party.’

‘Yes, Grannie.’ After a little more chat Xi-feng went on her way. She despatched one of the servants to consult the almanac; and on the chosen day, the family duly celebrated the (formal if not actual) ‘consummation’ of Bao-yu and Bao-chai’s marriage, and entertained their guests with a banquet and plays. But of this our narrative omits further details.

It turns instead to the convalescent Bao-yu.

From time to time Bao-chai would pick up one of his books and engage him in conversation about it, and on these occasions Bao-yu was sufficiently compos mentis to sustain a desultory dialogue of sorts. But his mind was unquestionably duller than it had been, a deterioration he himself was unable to account for. Bao-chai argued with herself that the cause lay in the loss of his Magic Jade, but Aroma was less philosophical and frequently took him to task:

‘Where have your wits fled to? If only it was that old weakness of yours that had left you! But you seem to have kept that and lost your wits instead!’

Bao-yu did not let remarks such as this rile him, and responded with an inane grin. If he ever showed signs of letting his wild streak get the better of him, he allowed himself to be restrained by Bao-chai’s good sense, while as time went by Aroma rebuked him less and less, and confined herself instead to ministering to his practical needs. His other maids had always respected Bao-chai’s quiet, demure manner, and now that she was their mistress her gentle and friendly nature won their willing obedience.

Beneath this apparent calm, Bao-yu continued to feel a deep sense of restlessness, and in particular a recurring desire to visit the Garden. Grandmother Jia and the other ladies were afraid that such an expedition might expose him to a chill or fever of some kind, and that the Garden’s surroundings would have too gloomy and depressing an effect on his spirits. Dai-yu’s coffin was already lodged in a temple outside the city walls, but the Naiad’s House and the memories associated with it would be sure to cause him renewed distress and bring on a relapse. So they forbade him to go. Most of the Garden was now deserted. Of Bao-yu’s cousins, Bao-qin had already moved out to live with Aunt Xue, while Shi Xiang-yun had gone home on her uncle’s return to the capital, and seldom visited the Jias now that the date of her own wedding had been settled. She had been present on Bao-yu’s wedding-day and more recently on the day of the party, but on both occasions she had stayed with Grandmother Jia; and her awareness that Bao-yu was now a married man, and she herself betrothed, had inhibited her from indulging in any of her old high-spirited banter. When she saw the newly wed couple, she talked to Bao-chai but scarcely said more than a polite ‘hello’ to Bao-yu. Xing Xiu-yan had moved in with her aunt Lady Xing after Ying-chun’s marriage, while the two Li sisters only ever visited the Garden with their mother, and then would stay for a couple of days with Li Wan before returning home. The only Garden residents proper were now Li Wan, Tan-chun and Xi-chun. Grandmother Jia had wanted the three of them to move in with her, but with Yuan-chun’s death and all the subsequent family excitements of one kind or another, she had not been able to find time to make the necessary arrangements; and now the weather was growing warmer daily and the Garden was beginning to seem less dreary, so she decided to leave things as they were until the autumn. But we anticipate.

Jia Zheng had set off for his new provincial posting, travelling by day and resting by night, accompanied by the various aides and secretaries he had engaged before his departure. On his arrival at the provincial capital, he reported to his superiors and immediately proceeded to his new yamen to take ceremonial possession of the official seal and to assume office. His first administrative action was to take stock of the grain lying in all the granaries of the sub-prefectures and shires under his jurisdiction.

Jia Zheng’s previous experience as an official had been mainly in the capital, and had been restricted moreover to the theoretical aspects of the metropolitan bureaucracy. His one provincial appointment had been as an Examiner, and his responsibilities then were of a purely academic nature. He therefore had no first-hand knowledge of the practicalities of provincial administration, let alone of the forms of corruption widely tolerated – the cuts taken by middlemen, or the extortion practised on the ignorant peasantry, to mention but two. He knew of such things in theory only, as evils to be avoided, and was adamant that his would be an incorruptible administration. On arrival he consulted with his private secretaries and issued a public notice strictly forbidding malpractice of any kind, and announcing that any instance of it would be investigated and reported to the authorities.

At first the locally employed clerks were overawed and tried their utmost to ingratiate themselves with the new incumbent, only to discover that the man they were dealing with was totally inflexible. As for Jia Zheng’s family servants, they, after years of unprofitable service in the capital, had rubbed their hands with glee at the news of their master’s provincial posting and, on the strength of their anticipated profits, had borrowed money to buy clothes and equip themselves in a manner befitting their new station. Money would fall into the laps of a Grain Intendant’s staff. Or so they had assumed. But now all their plans were being foiled by their master’s blind insistence on enforcing the regulations to the last letter and by his obstinate refusal to accept a single one of the bribes offered by the sub-prefects and magistrates.

The porter, head clerk and other local staff in the yamen made a few mental calculations:

‘If this lasts another fortnight, we’ll have pawned all our clothes, and our creditors will start to press for payment; what will we do then? There’s good money staring us in the face out there, if we could only lay our hands on it!’

When these locals voiced their concern to the newly arrived staff whom Jia Zheng had personally recruited in the capital, they met with an indignant response:

‘You haven’t staked your last penny on this venture – we’re the ones that should be complaining, not you! We paid money to get our jobs, and here we are after more than a month with nothing to show for it. At this rate we won’t break even. We might as well hand in our notices tomorrow.’

Which is exactly what they did. The following day they went in a body and tendered their resignations to a bewildered Jia Zheng, who commented somewhat naїvely:

‘Very well. You were free to come. You are free to return. If you find it uncongenial here, please feel under no obligation to stay.’

This group went grumbling on their way. The family servants next held a council of war among themselves:

‘It’s all very well for them. They’re free to go. But what about us? We can’t leave even if we want to.’

Among these servants was a porter by the name of Li Shi (Ten), who soon took a prominent part in the debate.

‘You chickens!’ he scoffed. ‘Don’t be so helpless! While that “contract” mob was here I wasn’t going to say anything; but now that they’ve pushed off, I don’t mind showing you a trick or two! I’ll soon have that Master of ours eating out of the palm of my hand! But you’ve got to back me up. Stick together, and we can all go home with our pockets full. Of course, if you’d rather keep out of this, that’s all right by me. I can manage. I can get the better of you lot any day!’

‘Come on, Ten old mate! We’re depending on you!’ groaned the others. ‘You know you’re the one the Master trusts. If you won’t help us, we’re done for!’

‘All right. But you’ve got to trust me too. Don’t leave me to do all the dirty work and bring in the money, and then turn on me and say I’ve taken more than my fair share.’

‘No chance of that. You know we’re broke. Anything’s better than nothing.’

As they were speaking, the granary clerk came in, and asked for Mr Zhou. Ten, who was lounging complacently in a chair with one foot propped on his other knee and his chest puffed out, asked him what his business was with Mr Zhou. The clerk stood to attention with his hands at his sides and smiled uneasily.

‘The new Intendant has been in office more than a month now,’ he replied, ‘but not a single granary’s been opened to take in the tax-grain. The local magistrates have been made to feel uncomfortable by all his stern pronouncements. They’ve been quite put off from entering into the usual – how shall I put it? – negotiations. Now, if the grain is not going to be taken in and delivered on time, what’s the point of your being here at all?’

‘What a ridiculous question!’ said Ten. ‘Our Master the Intendant is a man of his word. Of course he’ll meet his commitments. As a matter of fact he was about to issue the Reminders a couple of days ago, but on my advice they were postponed. Now, tell me what you really wanted to see Zhou about?’

Clerk: ‘Oh, that was it … the Reminders. Nothing else …’

Ten: ‘Nonsense! Don’t try to fool me with that, my lad! And don’t come sneaking in here with any nifty little plans, or I’ll tell the Intendant to beat you and take your job away.’

Clerk: ‘My family has served in this yamen for three generations; I’ve got a decent position here, I manage to make an honest living. I don’t mind going by the book until this Intendant gets promoted and moved somewhere else. I’m not like that beggarly lot who’ve just left.’

He took formal leave of Li Ten:

‘I’d best be going now, sir.’

Ten stood up, all smiles:

‘Come on now, can’t you take a joke? No need to get rattled by a few words …’

‘I’m not rattled. I just don’t want to say anything that might compromise you, sir.’

Ten walked over to the clerk and took him confidentially by the hand:

‘Tell me, what’s your name?’

‘Zhan Hui,* sir,’ replied the clerk nervously. ‘I spent quite a few years up in the capital myself when I was a boy.’

‘Mr Zhan! Why, of course! I’ve heard of you. Come now, we’re all in this together. If there’s something you want to talk to me about, why not drop by this evening and we can have a nice little chat.’

‘We all know how capable you are, Mr Li,’ replied the clerk aloud, with a sigh of relief. ‘Why, you really had me worried there for a minute!’

He left amidst general laughter.

That evening Zhan returned and he and Li were closeted together deep into the night. The next day, when Li found some pretext to call on Jia Zheng, and hinted at some of the ‘measures’ he had in mind, predictably he received a stern reprimand.

The following day, Jia Zheng was due to pay a formal visit in the town, and he issued orders for his retinue to make themselves ready. A considerable interval of time elapsed, and the gong in the inner yamen was struck three times, but still there was no sign of anyone to beat the drum in the main hall. Someone was finally found to perform this duty, and Jia Zheng came walking out of his private chambers with measured stride, to find that there was only one attendant waiting for him, instead of the usual team of runners and criers. Resolving not to pursue this dereliction for the time being, Jia Zheng stepped into the sedan at the foot of the terrace and waited for his chair-bearers. Another long interval elapsed before these had all assembled and were ready to carry him out of the yamen, and the Intendant’s solemn departure was then announced by a single feeble report from the cannon, while a grand total of two members of the ceremonial band, a drummer and a bugler, put in a forlorn appearance on the bandstand. Jia Zheng was now extremely annoyed.

‘Things have been in perfect order until today. What’s the meaning of this shambles?’

His insignia-bearers, such as they were, straggled across the road in an unseemly fashion. Jia Zheng concluded his visit as best he could, and immediately upon his return summoned the defaulters and threatened them with a flogging. Some pleaded that they had been unable to attend because they lacked the requisite headgear, others that they had been forced to pawn their uniforms, while some claimed that they had not eaten for three days and were therefore too weak for heavy carrying duties. Jia Zheng vented his anger on them verbally, ordered a couple of them to be flogged and left it at that.

The next day the chief cook came asking for more money, and Jia Zheng had to provide him with some of the personal reserve he had brought with him from home. From then on, one such incident followed another and it soon became apparent that most departments of his provincial yamen were in total disarray. In the end he was driven to send for Porter Li, and asked him outright:

‘What’s come over my staff? You must try to instil some sense of discipline in them. And another thing: my reserve of cash has run out, and it will be some time before my salary arrives from the Provincial Treasurer’s office, so we shall have to send home for extra funds.’

‘I’ve had words with the staff almost every day, sir,’ replied Li. ‘But I can’t do a thing with them. They seem to have lost all interest in their work. Gone to pieces, sir. As for the money, may I ask how much you will be requiring? I understand the Viceroy has a birthday coming up in a few days’ time, and the Prefects and Circuit Intendants are mostly giving four-figure donations. How much will you be sending, sir?’

Jia Zheng: ‘You should have told me of this earlier.’

Li: ‘With respect, sir, it’s the fault of the local mandarins. They’ve not kept you informed. It’s because we’re new here and haven’t made any effort to get to know them. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had an eye on your job and were even hoping you would fail to attend the Viceroy’s birthday altogether, sir …’

Jia Zheng: ‘That’s preposterous! I was appointed by His Majesty. I am hardly to be relieved of my post for not attending the Viceroy’s birthday!’

Li (with a smile): ‘That’s all very well, sir. The trouble is that with the capital such a long way off, His Majesty relies on the Viceroy for all his information. If the Viceroy speaks ill of a person, there’s not much hope of that person being able to defend himself, whatever the truth might be. Now I’m sure Her Old Ladyship and Their Ladyships want to see you do well for yourself here …’

Jia Zheng began to see what he was driving at:

‘Why couldn’t you have said all this before?’

Li: ‘At first I didn’t dare, sir. Seeing that you asked me, it would have been wrong of me not to speak up. But I’m sure what I’ve got to say is only going to make you angry.’

Jia Zheng: ‘Not if it is reasonable. Go on.’

Li: ‘Well, sir: the truth of the matter is that the staff in a Grain Intendant’s yamen expect to make a bit on the side. Your clerks and runners have all paid money for their jobs. They’ve got families to look after and livings to earn. And so far as they’re concerned, sir, since you’ve been here, all you’ve done is set the local people grumbling.’

Jia Zheng: ‘What do you mean? Grumbling about what?’

Li: ‘The way the locals see it is quite simple. Officials all behave like that when they first arrive. The stricter they sound, the more certain it is that they’re on the squeeze, trying to browbeat the mandarins working in the district. When the time comes for the tax-grain to be collected, the yamen staff will repeat your instructions, they’ll swear that they’re not allowed to take a penny; and it will only mean a lot of unnecessary trouble and delay for the country people, who’d much rather have things the old way – pay up a bit and get the whole thing over and done with as quickly as possible. So, in short, instead of speaking well of you, they just complain that you haven’t understood their situation.

‘Look at that smart relation of yours, sir – that Mr Jia Yu-cun you’ve always been so friendly with. In a few years he’s done very well for himself, and all because he’s shrewd. He’s got a good sense of what’s what in the world, he knows how to handle his superiors and staff and how to keep everything running smoothly …’

Jia Zheng: ‘This is ridiculous! Are you suggesting that I possess no such sense? Harmony is one thing: but I draw the line at collusion!’

Li: ‘It’s only my concern for you that causes me to speak my mind, sir. If I stand by and let you carry on like this, if I don’t even warn you and if your career is ruined as a result, you’ll think very poorly of me.’

Jia Zheng: ‘Well: what precisely are you suggesting?’

Li: ‘My advice is to take immediate action; do the sensible thing, secure your own interests now, while you’re in your prime and still in favour at court, and while Her Old Ladyship still enjoys good health. Otherwise, before the year’s out, you may find you’ve used all your own funds to cover official expenses. No one in the government service will have the slightest sympathy for you then. No one will believe that you’re poor. They’ll all think that you’re sitting on a secret pile of money; and if anything goes wrong, none of them will come forward to help you. You’ll find it impossible to clear yourself, and by then it’ll be too late to wish you’d followed my advice.’

Jia Zheng: ‘In short, what you are saying is that I must allow myself to be corrupted! The consequences for myself of such a dereliction of duty, even death itself, I consider as nothing compared with the disgrace that would tarnish my family’s honour.’

Li: ‘You’re a wise man, sir. If it’s family honour you’re bothered about, then think back for a moment to that group of officials who got themselves into such disgrace a few years ago; good friends of yours they were, good men, men you used to call “above corruption”. Where’s their family honour now? But certain other relatives of yours, men you used to call “downright rogues”, have done very well for themselves, gone from strength to strength. What’s been their secret? They just knew how to adapt. You’ve got to look after the common people, but you’ve got to look after the local mandarins as well. If your ideas came into general fashion and the shire or district mandarins were strictly forbidden to take even the tiniest squeeze, why, nothing would ever get done in the provinces!

‘You keep things respectable on the outside, and leave all the inside work to me. I’ll manage things so you don’t have to be personally involved. I am only trying to be helpful, sir. It’s the least I owe you after being with you all these years.’

Jia Zheng hesitated. ‘I suppose I too must look to my own survival,’ he said in the end. ‘Do whatever you must. But I will play no part in it.’

He walked stiffly back into his private chambers.

Li Ten now came into his own and began to implement his plans with a vengeance. He had soon organized, behind Jia Zheng’s back, an elaborate squeeze operation involving yamen staff and local mandarins. On the surface, day-to-day business in the yamen began running smoothly again, so smoothly that Jia Zheng allowed himself to set his mind at rest and, far from suspecting that anything was amiss, put absolute faith in Li. Any irregularities reported to his superiors were discounted by them in view of Jia Zheng’s record for scrupulous honesty. His private secretaries had a shrewder idea of what was going on and tried to caution him. When he refused to listen, some of them resigned, others decided to stay on for friendship’s sake. Thus it was that the tax-grain for that year was eventually collected and shipped to the capital without any apparent mishap.

One day, in one of his free moments, Jia Zheng was sitting in his study reading, when the chief clerk sent in a letter. It bore an official seal and the superscription:

From the Commandant of Haimen and surrounding Coastal Region To the Yamen of the Kiangsi Grain Intendant By Express Delivery

Jia Zheng opened the envelope and examined its contents:

Honoured Sir,

Last year when duty called me to the capital, I was privileged, on the strength of our common Nanking origin, to enjoy your hospitality on a number of occasions. At that time you graciously favoured my suggestion that the connection between our two families be further strengthened by a matrimonial alliance. I have since then had this constantly in the forefront of my mind, but was reluctant to press the matter after my transfer to maritime defence in this remote region. That circumstances should have put such an obstacle in the way of our plans has been a source of great regret to me. Now that the light of your noble presence illumines these southern skies, however, that obstacle has been removed. I had been thinking to write and send you my felicitations, when I received your letter.

From his bivouac an old soldier raises his hand in humble salute! Even on these distant shores, I feel myself basking in the genial warmth of your benevolence.

Dare I hope for your consent if I now propose this alliance once more? My son was favoured, I recall, with your gracious approval, and we have long anticipated the great joy that your daughter’s charming presence would bring to our household.

If you are kind enough to confirm your acceptance, I shall despatch a go-between without delay. Though the journey is a long one for your daughter, it can be accomplished by boat. And though I cannot offer much in the way of pomp and ceremony, I can at least send a suitably furnished barge to receive her.

This brief missive carries my most sincere congratulations on your new appointment. In eager anticipation of your favourable response, believe me to be, honoured sir, your most humble and respectful servant,

Zhou Qiong.

‘Fate seems indeed to play a decisive role in affairs of matrimony,’ reflected Jia Zheng to himself after perusing the letter. ‘I do remember suggesting this betrothal last year. There seemed to be several factors in its favour: Zhou was taking up an appointment in the capital, he and I were old friends and both from Nanking families, and his son was a good-looking enough young man. It was only a casual suggestion, and I never mentioned it at home. Afterwards he was transferred to Maritime Defence and the matter was dropped. And yet now an unforeseeable stroke of fate has sent me here to the provinces, and Zhou has broached the subject once more. Theirs seems a suitable family, and I think it would be a good match for Tan-chun. But I am here on my own, and I shall have to write home to consult them first.’

He was still deliberating, when one of the gate-attendants came in with an official despatch summoning him to a conference with the Viceroy, and he had to set out at once for the Viceroy’s seat. After his arrival there, he was awaiting further instructions and sitting in his temporary lodgings, idly leafing through a pile of Peking Gazettes that lay on the table, when his eye was caught by a report from the Board of Punishments:

‘In the case of Xue Pan, travelling on business, registered domicile Nanking …’

‘Good heavens!’ exclaimed Jia Zheng in some alarm. ‘Have they memorialized already?’

He read on more carefully. The gist of the report was that Xue Pan, having killed Zhang San ‘in an affray’, had connived with the relatives of the deceased and other eyewitnesses to get himself off on a charge of ‘accidental homicide’. Jia Zheng brought his hand down with a thump on the table.

‘He’s done for!’

He read the report through to the end:

The Metropolitan Governor has forwarded the following abstract of the case:

Xue Pan of Nanking, while travelling through the town of Tai-ping, stayed at Li’s Inn. One of the waiters employed by Gaffer Li the proprietor was a certain Zhang San, with whom Xue was not previously acquainted. On the __ day of the __ month of the year ___, Xue Pan placed an order with the proprietor for some wine, as he had invited Wu Liang (a native of Tai-ping) to drink with him. When his guest came, he sent the waiter Zhang San to bring them the wine. The wine was sour, and Xue Pan told him to replace it with something better. Zhang San argued that since that particular wine had been ordered, it was impossible to change it. Xue Pan considered Zhang’s behaviour insolent and raised his cup to throw the wine in his face. Unfortunately he exerted too much force and the cup slipped from his hand just as Zhang lowered his head to retrieve a chopstick from the ground. The cup struck Zhang on the top of the head, there was a substantial loss of blood, and he died shortly afterwards. Gaffer Li hurried to the scene but was too late to be of any help. He informed Mrs Zhang, née Wang, the deceased’s mother, who came to the inn only to find her son already dead. She called out the beadle and brought a plaint at the local yamen. The then acting magistrate held an inquest and the coroner completed the usual certificate. Two crucial facts were, however, omitted: first, that the bregmatic fracture was one and one-third inches long; and second, that Zhang had also sustained injuries in the small of the back. The case was then sent up to the prefectural yamen, where it was confirmed that Xue Pan had only intended to throw the wine, that the cup had slipped from his hand, and that he had therefore accidentally caused the death of Zhang San. He was dealt with according to the law relating to Accidental Homicide, and permitted to pay a fine in commutation.

The Board has investigated the evidence given by the accused, by the various eyewitnesses and by the relatives of the deceased, and has found it to be inconsistent. It has also consulted the detailed provisions of the code relating to homicide, wherein a fight is defined as a ‘struggle between two persons’, and an affray as a ‘struggle in which the parties strike one another’. There must be no evidence of such a fight or struggle if the offence is to be classified as accidental homicide. The case was therefore handed back to the office of the Metropolitan Governor to establish the exact facts, on the basis of which a final recommendation for sentence could be reached.

This is the substance of the Governor’s final findings: Xue Pan was already intoxicated when Zhang San refused to replace the wine. Seizing Zhang by the right hand, he struck him in the small of the back. Whereupon Zhang began to abuse Xue Pan, who then hurled his wine cup at him, inflicting a severe wound on his skull. The bone was fractured, causing damage to the brain and immediate death. In other words, Zhang’s death was directly caused by the force with which Xue Pan threw the cup. Xue Pan should therefore pay for this crime with his life. In accordance with the code relating to Homicide by Blows, he should be kept in custody until the Assizes, and then executed by strangulation. Wu Liang should be flogged and sentenced to penal servitude.

The Prefectural, Shire and District Magistrates implicated in this miscarriage of Justice should be dealt with as follows …

The report broke off at this point with the note ‘To be continued’.

Jia Zheng reflected that it was he who, at Aunt Xue’s request, had brought pressure to bear on the local magistrate to reverse the verdict in Xue Pan’s case. If that magistrate had now been cashiered, and an enquiry had been held, he could be implicated himself. It was very worrying. He read through the next issue of the Gazette, but there was no further mention of the case. He searched through all the remaining issues without being able to find the conclusion of the report. He began to feel more and more uneasy, and was deep in thought when Li Ten came in and said:

‘Will you please proceed to the yamen to attend on the Viceroy, sir? His attendants have already beaten the drum twice.’

Jia Zheng was miles away and heard none of this. Li had to repeat himself.

‘What can I do?’ muttered Jia Zheng to himself.

‘Is something the matter, sir?’ asked Li.

Jia Zheng confided to Li his anxiety about the report in the Gazette.

‘Don’t you worry too much about that, sir,’ said Li. ‘In fact, if you ask me, Mr Xue was quite lucky. Back in the capital I heard that he invited a lot of women along to that very inn and that they were all there together getting drunk and causing quite a rumpus on the very evening when he beat this waiter to death. And I heard that the local mandarin was not the only one to do the family a favour. Apparently Mr Lian spent a small fortune on the case, and sent bribes to every yamen concerned, to try to get Mr Pan off. It’s funny the Board hasn’t mentioned that in its report. I suppose in one way it’s only to be expected. Now this affair has come to light, the people involved must all be busy covering up for each other. They’re trying to sweep the whole thing under the carpet. They want to make it seem like a minor case of negligence. Then the worst that can happen to them is that they’ll lose their jobs. They’d never want to admit to bribes being taken. Much too serious. Don’t you worry about this one, sir, I’ll get hold of the inside story. We’d best not keep the Viceroy waiting any longer …’

‘You don’t understand,’ said Jia Zheng. ‘It’s the local magistrate I feel sorry for. For doing us this favour, he has forfeited his job. And that may not even be the end of it for him.’

‘It won’t do any good worrying about him, sir,’ said Li. ‘Your attendants have been waiting for a long time. You’d best be going in to see the Viceroy now, sir.’

To learn what it was the Viceroy wanted of Jia Zheng, please read the next chapter.