第一○七回

第一○七回 散馀资贾母明大义 复世职政老沐天恩

话说贾政进内，见了枢密院[1]各位大人，又见了各位王爷。北静王道：“今日我们传你来，有遵旨问你的事。”贾政即忙跪下。众大人便问道：“你哥哥交通外官，恃强凌弱，纵儿聚赌，强占良民妻女不遂逼死的事，你都知道么？”贾政回道：“犯官自从主恩钦点学政，任满后查看赈恤，于上年冬底回家，又蒙堂派工程，后又往江西监道，题参回都，仍在工部行走，日夜不敢怠惰。一应家务并未留心伺察，实在糊涂，不能管教子侄，这就是辜负圣恩。亦求主上重重治罪。”

北静王据说转奏，不多时传出旨来。北静王便述道：“主上因御史参奏贾赦交通外官，恃强凌弱。据该御史指出平安州互相往来，贾赦包揽词讼。严鞫[2]贾赦，据供平安州原系姻亲来往，并未干涉官事。该御史亦不能指实。惟有倚势强索石呆子古扇一款是实的，然系玩物，究非强索良民之物可比。虽石呆子自尽，亦系疯傻所致，与逼勒致死者有间[3]。今从宽将贾赦发往台站[4]效力赎罪。所参贾珍强占良民妻女为妾不从逼死一款，提取都察院原案，看得尤二姐〔一〕实系张华指腹为婚未娶之妻，因伊贫苦自愿退婚，尤二姐之母愿结贾珍之弟为妾，并非强占。再尤三姐自刎掩埋并未报官一款，查尤三姐原系贾珍妻妹，本意为伊择配，因被逼索定礼，众人扬言秽乱，以致羞忿自尽，并非贾珍逼勒致死。但身系世袭职员，罔知法纪，私埋人命，本应重治，念伊究属功臣后裔，不忍加罪，亦从宽革去世职，派往海疆效力赎罪。贾蓉年幼无干省释[6]。贾政实系在外任多年，居官尚属勤慎，免治伊治家不正之罪。”贾政听了，感激涕零，叩首不及，又叩求王爷代奏下忱。北静王道：“你该叩谢天恩，更有何奏？”贾政道：“犯官仰蒙圣恩不加大罪，又蒙将家产给还，实在扪心惶愧，愿将祖宗遗受重禄积馀置产一并交官。”北静王道：“主上仁慈待下，明慎用刑，赏罚无差。如今既蒙莫大深恩，给还财产，你又何必多此一奏。”众官也说不必。贾政便谢了恩，叩谢了王爷出来。恐贾母不放心，急忙赶回。

上下男女人等不知传进贾政是何吉凶，都在外头打听，一见贾政回家，都略略的放心，也不敢问。只见贾政忙忙的走到贾母跟前，将蒙圣恩宽免的事，细细告诉了一遍。贾母虽则放心，只是两个世职革去，贾赦又往台站效力，贾珍又往海疆，不免又悲伤起来。邢夫人、尤氏听见那话，更哭起来。贾政便道：“老太太放心。大哥虽则台站效力，也是为国家办事，不致受苦，只要办得妥当，就可复职。珍儿正是年轻，很该出力。若不是这样，便是祖父的馀德，亦不能久享。”说了些宽慰的话。

贾母素来本不大喜欢贾赦，那边东府贾珍究竟隔了一层。只有邢夫人、尤氏痛哭不已。邢夫人想着“家产一空，丈夫年老远出，膝下虽有琏儿，又是素来顺他二叔的，如今是都靠着二叔，他两口子更是顺着那边去了。独我一人孤苦伶仃，怎么好。”那尤氏本来独掌宁府的家计，除了贾珍也算是惟他为尊，又与贾珍夫妇相和，“如今犯事远出，家财抄尽，依住荣府，虽则老太太疼爱，终是依人门下。又带了偕鸾、佩凤，蓉儿夫妇又是不能兴家立业的人。”又想着“二妹妹三妹妹俱是琏二叔闹的，如今他们倒安然无事，依旧夫妇完聚。只留我们几人，怎生度日！”想到这里，痛哭起来。贾母不忍，便问贾政道：“你大哥和珍儿现已定案，可能回家？蓉儿既没他的事，也该放出来了。”贾政道：“若在定例，大哥是不能回家的。我已托人徇个私情，叫我们大老爷同侄儿回家好置办行装，衙门内业已应了。想来蓉儿同着他爷爷父亲一起出来。只请老太太放心，儿子办去。”贾母又道：“我这几年老的不成人了，总没有问过家事。如今东府是全抄去了，房屋入官不消说的。你大哥那边琏儿那里也都抄去了。咱们西府银库，东省地土，你知道到底还剩了多少？他两个起身，也得给他们几千银子才好。”

贾政正是没法，听见贾母一问，心想着：“若是说明，又恐老太太着急；若不说明，不用说将来，现在怎样办法？”定了主意，便回道：“若老太太不问，儿子也不敢说。如今老太太既问到这里，现在琏儿也在这里，昨日儿子已查了，旧库的银子早已虚空，不但用尽，外头还有亏空。现今大哥这件事若不花银托人，虽说主上宽恩，只怕他们爷儿两个也不大好。就是这项银子尚无打算。东省的地亩早已寅年吃了卯年的租儿了，一时也算不转来，只好尽所有的蒙圣恩没有动的衣服首饰折变了给大哥、珍儿作盘费罢了。过日的事只可再打算。”贾母听了，又急得眼泪直淌，说道：“怎么着，咱们家到了这样田地了么！我虽没有经过，我想起我家向日比这里还强十倍，也是摆了几年虚架子，没有出这样事已经塌下来了，不消一二年就完了。据你说起来，咱们竟一两年就不能支了。”贾政道：“若是这两个世俸不动，外头还有些挪移。如今无可指称，谁肯接济。”说着，也泪流满面，“想起亲戚来，用过我们的如今都穷了，没有用过我们的又不肯照应了。昨日儿子也没有细查，只看家下的人丁册子，别说上头的钱一无所出，那底下的人也养不起许多。”

贾母正在忧虑，只见贾赦、贾珍、贾蓉一齐进来给贾母请安。贾母看这般光景，一只手拉着贾赦，一只手拉着贾珍，便大哭起来。他两人脸上羞惭，又见贾母哭泣，都跪在地下哭着说道：“儿孙们不长进，将祖上功勋丢了，又累老太太伤心，儿孙们是死无葬身之地的了！”满屋中人看这光景，又一齐大哭起来。贾政只得劝解：“倒先要打算他两个的使用，大约在家只可住得一两日，迟则人家就不依了。”老太太含悲忍泪的说道：“你两个且各自同你们媳妇们说说话儿去罢。”又吩咐贾政道：“这件事是不能久待的，想来外面挪移恐不中用，那时误了钦限[7]怎么好。只好我替你们打算罢了。就是家中如此乱糟糟的，也不是常法儿。”一面说着，便叫鸳鸯吩咐去了。

这里贾赦等出来，又与贾政哭泣了一会，都不免将从前任性过后恼悔如今分离的话说了一会，各自同媳妇那边悲伤去了。贾赦年老，倒也抛的下；独有贾珍与尤氏怎忍分离！贾琏、贾蓉两个也只有拉着父亲啼哭。虽说是比军流[8]减等，究竟生离死别，这也是事到如此，只得大家硬着心肠过去。

却说贾母叫邢、王二夫人同了鸳鸯等，开箱倒笼，将做媳妇到如今积攒的东西都拿出来，又叫贾赦、贾政、贾珍等，一一的分派说：“这里现有的银子，交贾赦三千两，你拿二千两去做你的盘费使用，留一千给大太太另用。这三千给珍儿，你只许拿一千去，留下二千交你媳妇过日子。仍旧各自度日，房子是在一处，饭食各自吃罢。四丫头将来的亲事还是我的事。只可怜凤丫头操心了一辈子，如今弄得精光，也给他三千两，叫他自己收着，不许叫琏儿用。如今他还病得神昏气丧，叫平儿来拿去。这是你祖父留下来的衣服，还有我少年穿的衣服首饰，如今我用不着。男的呢，叫大老爷、珍儿、琏儿、蓉儿拿去分了，女的呢，叫大太太、珍儿媳妇、凤丫头拿了分去。这五百两银子交给琏儿，明年将林丫头的棺材送回南去。”分派定了，又叫贾政道：“你说现在还该着人的使用，这是少不得的。你叫拿这金子变卖偿还。这是他们闹掉了我的，你也是我的儿子，我并不偏向。宝玉已经成了家，我剩下这些金银等物，大约还值几千两银子，这是都给宝玉的了。珠儿媳妇向来孝顺我，兰儿也好，我也分给他们些。这便是我的事情完了。”贾政见母亲如此明断分晰，俱跪下哭着说：“老太太这么大年纪，儿孙们没点孝顺，承受老祖宗这样恩典，叫儿孙们更无地自容了！”贾母道：“别瞎说，若不闹出这个乱儿，我还收着呢。只是现在家人过多，只有二老爷是当差的，留几个人就够了。你就吩咐管事的，将人叫齐了，他分派妥当。各家有人便就罢了。譬如一抄尽了，怎么样呢？我们里头的，也要叫人分派，该配人的配人，赏去的赏去。如今虽说咱们这房子不入官，你到底把这园子交了才好。那些田地原交琏儿清理，该卖的卖，该留的留，断不要支架子做空头。我索性说了罢，江南甄家还有几两银子，二太太〔二〕那里收着，该叫人就送去罢。倘或再有点事出来，可不是他们躲过了风暴又遇了雨了么。”

贾政本是不知当家立计的人，一听贾母的话，一一领命，心想：“老太太实在真真是理家的人，都是我们这些不长进的闹坏了。”贾政见贾母劳乏，求着老太太歇歇养神。贾母又道：“我所剩的东西也有限，等我死了做结果我的使用。馀的都给我服侍的丫头。”贾政等听到这里，更加伤感。大家跪下：“请老太太宽怀，只愿儿子们托老太太的福，过了些时都邀了恩眷。那时兢兢业业的治起家来，以赎前愆[10]，奉养老太太到一百岁的时候。”贾母道：“但愿这样才好，我死了也好见祖宗。你们别打量我是享得富贵受不得贫穷的人哪，不过这几年看着你们轰轰烈烈，我落得都不管，说说笑笑养身子罢了，那知道家运一败直到这样！若说外头好看里头空虚，是我早知道的了。只是‘居移气，养移体’[11]，一时下不得台来。如今借此正好收敛，守住这个门头，不然叫人笑话你。你还不知，只打量我知道穷了便着急的要死，我心里是想着祖宗莫大的功勋，无一日不指望你们比祖宗还强，能够守住也就罢了。谁知他们爷儿两个做些什么勾当！”

贾母正自长篇大论的说，只见丰儿慌慌张张的跑来回王夫人道：“今早我们奶奶听见外头的事，哭了一场，如今气都接不上来。平儿叫我来回太太。”丰儿没有说完，贾母听见，便问：“到底怎么样？”王夫人便代回道：“如今说是不大好。”贾母起身道：“嗳，这些冤家竟要磨死我了！”说着，叫人扶着，要亲自看去。贾政即忙拦住劝道：“老太太伤了好一回的心，又分派了好些事，这会该歇歇。便是孙子媳妇有什么事，该叫媳妇瞧去就是了，何必老太太亲身过去呢。倘或再伤感起来，老太太身上要有一点儿不好，叫做儿子的怎么处呢。”贾母道：“你们各自出去，等一会子再进来。我还有话说。”贾政不敢多言，只得出来料理兄侄起身的事，又叫贾琏挑人跟去。这里贾母才叫鸳鸯等派人拿了给凤姐的东西跟着过来。

凤姐正在气厥[12]。平儿哭得眼红，听见贾母带着王夫人、宝玉、宝钗过来，疾忙出来迎接。贾母便问：“这会子怎么样了？”平儿恐惊了贾母，便说：“这会子好些。老太太既来了，请进去瞧瞧。”他先跑进去轻轻的揭开帐子。凤姐开眼瞧着，只见贾母进来，满心惭愧。先前原打算贾母等恼他，不疼的了，是死活由他的，不料贾母亲自来瞧，心里一宽，觉那拥塞的气略松动些，便要扎挣坐起。贾母叫平儿按着，“不要动，你好些么？”凤姐含泪道：“我从小儿过来，老太太、太太怎么样疼我。那知我福气薄，叫神鬼支使的失魂落魄，不但不能够在老太太跟前尽点孝心，公婆前讨个好，还是这样把我当人，叫我帮着料理家务，被我闹的七颠八倒，我还有什么脸儿见老太太、太太呢！今日老太太、太太亲自过来，我更当不起了，恐怕该活三天的又折上了两天去了。”说着，悲咽。贾母道：“那些事原是外头闹起来的，与你什么相干。就是你的东西被人拿去，这也算不了什么呀。我带了好些东西给你，任你自便。”说着，叫人拿上来给他瞧瞧。

凤姐本是贪得无厌的人，如今被抄尽净，本是愁苦，又恐人埋怨，正是几不欲生的时候，今儿贾母仍旧疼他，王夫人也没嗔怪，过来安慰他，又想贾琏无事，心下安放好些，便在枕上与贾母磕头，说道：“请老太太放心。若是我的病托着老太太的福好了些，我情愿自己当个粗使丫头，尽心竭力的服侍老太太、太太罢。”贾母听他说得伤心，不免掉下泪来。宝玉是从来没有经过这大风浪的，心下只知安乐、不知忧患的人，如今碰来碰去都是哭泣的事，所以他竟比傻子尤甚，见人哭他就哭。凤姐看见众人忧闷，反倒勉强说几句宽慰贾母的话，求着“请老太太、太太回去，我略好些过来磕头。”说着，将头仰起。贾母叫平儿“好生服侍，短什么到我那里要去。”说着，带了王夫人将要回到自己房中。只听见两三处哭声，贾母实在不忍闻见，便叫王夫人散去，叫宝玉“去见你大爷大哥，送一送就回来。”自己躺在榻上下泪。幸喜鸳鸯等能用百样言语劝解，贾母暂且安歇。

不言贾赦等分离悲痛。那些跟去的人谁是愿意的？不免心中抱怨，叫苦连天。正是生离果胜死别，看者比受者更加伤心。好好的一个荣国府，闹到人嚎鬼哭。贾政最循规矩，在伦常上也讲究的，执手分别后，自己先骑马赶至城外举酒送行，又叮咛了好些国家轸恤勋臣，力图报称的话。贾赦等挥泪分头而别。

贾政带了宝玉回家，未及进门，只见门上有好些人在那里乱嚷说：“今日旨意，将荣国公世职着贾政承袭。”那些人在那里要喜钱，门上人和他们分争，说是“本来的世职我们本家袭了，有什么喜报。”那些人说道：“那世职的荣耀比任什么还难得，你们大老爷闹掉了，想要这个再不能的了。如今的圣人在位，赦过宥罪，还赏给二老爷袭了，这是千载难逢的，怎么不给喜钱。”正闹着，贾政回家，门上回了，虽则喜欢，究是哥哥犯事所致，反觉感极涕零，赶着进内告诉贾母。王夫人正恐贾母伤心，过来安慰，听得世职复还，自是欢喜。又见贾政进来，贾母拉了说些勤黾[13]报恩的话。独有邢夫人尤氏心下悲苦，只不好露出来。且说外面这些趋炎奉势的亲戚朋友，先前贾宅有事都远避不来，今儿贾政袭职，知圣眷[14]尚好，大家都来贺喜。那知贾政纯厚性成，因他袭哥哥的职，心内反生烦恼，只知感激天恩。于第二日进内谢恩，到底将赏还府第园子备折奏请入官。内廷降旨不必，贾政才得放心。回家以后，循分供职，但是家计萧条，入不敷出。贾政又不能在外应酬。

家人们见贾政忠厚，凤姐抱病不能理家，贾琏的亏缺一日重似一日，难免典房卖地。府内家人几个有钱的，怕贾琏缠扰，都装穷躲事，甚至告假不来，各自另寻门路。独有一个包勇，虽是新投到此，恰遇荣府坏事，他倒有些真心办事，见那些人欺瞒主子，便时常不忿。奈他是个新来乍到的人，一句话也插不上，他便生气，每天吃了就睡。众人嫌他不肯随和，便在贾政前说他终日贪杯生事，并不当差。贾政道：“随他去罢。原是甄府荐来，不好意思，横竖家内添这一人吃饭，虽说是穷，也不在他一人身上。”并不叫来驱逐。众人又在贾琏跟前说他怎样不好，贾琏此时也不敢自作威福，只得由他。

忽一日，包勇奈不过，吃了几杯酒，在荣府街上闲逛，见有两个人说话。那人说道：“你瞧，这么个大府，前儿抄了家，不知如今怎么样了。”那人道：“他家怎么能败，听见说里头有位娘娘是他家的姑娘，虽是死了，到底有根基的。况且我常见他们来往的都是王公侯伯，那里没有照应。便是现在的府尹前任的兵部是他们的一家，难道有这些人还护庇不来么？”那人道：“你白住在这里！别人犹可，独是那个贾大人更了不得！我常见他在两府来往，前儿御史虽参了，主子还叫府尹查明实迹再办。你道他怎么样？他本沾过两府的好处，怕人说他回护一家，他便狠狠的踢了一脚，所以两府里才到底抄了。你道如今的世情还了得吗！”两人无心说闲话，岂知旁边有人跟着听的明白。包勇心下暗想：“天下有这样负恩的人！但不知是我老爷的什么人。我若见了他，便打他一个死，闹出事来我承当去。”

那包勇正在酒后胡思乱想，忽听那边喝道而来。包勇远远站着。只见那两人轻轻的说道：“这来的就是那个贾大人了。”包勇听了，心里怀恨，趁了酒兴，便大声的道：“没良心的男女！怎么忘了我们贾家的恩了。”雨村在轿内，听得一个“贾”字，便留神观看，见是一个醉汉，便不理会过去了。那包勇醉着不知好歹，便得意洋洋回到府中，问起同伴，知是方才见的那位大人是这府里提拔起来的。“他不念旧恩，反来踢弄咱们家里，见了他骂他几句，他竟不敢答言。”那荣府的人本嫌包勇，只是主人不计较他，如今他又在外闯祸，不得不回，趁贾政无事，便将包勇喝酒闹事的话回了。贾政此时正怕风波，听得家人回禀，便一时生气，叫进包勇骂了几句，便派去看园，不许他在外行走。那包勇本是直爽的脾气，投了主子他便赤心护主，岂知贾政反倒责骂他。他也不敢再辨，只得收拾行李往园中看守浇灌去了。未知后事如何，下回分解。

[1] 枢密院——封建时代中央官署名称，始于五代，宋元沿置，主要掌管军事机密、边防等。明代废。这里是托古虚拟。

[2] 鞫（jū居）——审讯、查问。

[3] 有间（jiàn见）——这里是有区别的意思。

[4] 台站——清代设置在边远地区的报告军情、传递公文、押送犯人之驿站。

〔一〕 “尤二姐”（二处）原均作“尤三姐”，藤本、程乙本同。从王本改。

[6] 省释——释放。察其无罪而开释。省：省察。

[7] 钦限——皇帝亲定的期限。钦：皇帝亲自处理事情的专用词语。

[8] 军流——充军流放。

〔二〕 “二太太”，原作“大太太”，从藤本、王本改。

[10] 前愆（qiān牵）——从前的罪过。愆：过失、罪咎。

[11] 居移气，养移体——语出《孟子·尽心上》，意思是一个人所处的环境可以改变气度，供养可以改变体质。这里是养尊处优惯了的意思。

[12] 气厥——由情绪紧张、气血逆乱而引起的昏厥。

[13] 勤黾（mǐn敏）——勤勉，努力。

[14] 圣眷——皇上的恩遇。眷：眷顾，关切。

CHAPTER 107. Impelled by family devotion, Grandmother Jia distributes her personal possessions Favoured with an Imperial dispensation, Jia Zheng receives his brother’s hereditary rank

Jia Zheng arrived at the Palace, and greeted the various princes and ministers of the Privy Council assembled there to meet him.

‘His Majesty has instructed us to send for you,’ said the Prince of Bei-jing. ‘He would like us to ask you one or two questions.’

Jia Zheng fell hastily to his knees, and the inquisition proceeded:

‘Were you aware that your elder brother had connived with a provincial official for personal gain? That he had abused his influence and bullied a defenceless citizen? That he had permitted his son to indulge in gambling and loose living, and that this same son forcefully took to his bed the fiancée of an innocent person and drove her to her death when she would not gratify his desires? Were you aware of all this?’

Jia Zhen replied as best he could:

‘Upon the expiry of my term of office as Education Commissioner, an appointment I owed to the gracious favour of His Majesty, I was engaged at first in supervising relief measures, and then on my return home at the end of last winter I was deputed by my superiors to inspect reconstruction work and was subsequently appointed Grain Intendant for Kiangsi Province. From this last post I returned to the capital under impeachment, and have now resumed my former position at the Board of Works. I have truly endeavoured to be diligent in the performance of all these official duties, but I fear that I have completely neglected to keep my own household in order. For this inexcusable shortcoming on my part, for my abject failure to instruct my sons and nephews in the true principles of conduct, for my base ingratitude to the throne, I can only beg that His Majesty will punish me with fitting severity.’

The Prince of Bei-jing went in to communicate this to the Emperor, and after a short while returned with the Imperial Edict, which he declaimed to the assembled company:

‘We have received an indictment from the Censorate stating that Jia She connived with a provincial official and abused his own personal influence to bully a defenceless citizen. The provincial official named by the censor was the prefect of Ping-an. Jia She, so the impeachment reads, was in communication with this prefect with a view to perverting the true course of justice. When closely interrogated, however, Jia She testified that the prefect was in fact a relation of his by marriage and that their connection was a purely personal one. The censor has therefore been unable to substantiate this part of the charge. Another part, however, has been verified, namely that Jia She abused his personal influence in coercing the man named Stony to part with a set of antique fans. These fans were none the less trifles, and the case must therefore be distinguished from serious cases of extortion. Stony’s subsequent suicide can also be ascribed to his own eccentricity, and he cannot be strictly considered to have been “driven to his death”. We see fit to show leniency to Jia She, and hereby sentence him to penal service at a military post on the Mongolian border, where he shall redeem himself by diligent service.

‘With reference to the first charge brought against Jia Zhen, that he forcefully took to his bed the betrothed of an innocent citizen and drove her to her death when she would not gratify his desires: upon consulting the original records at the Censorate, We find that the lady in question, a certain Miss You Er-jie, was betrothed to a certain Zhang Hua when both were still in their mothers’ wombs. The marriage was never solemnized, indeed Zhang himself wished to annul it on the grounds of his own poverty. The lady’s mother was also quite willing for her daughter to be taken as a concubine, not by Jia Zhen himself but by his younger cousin. So clearly this was not a case of forceful appropriation. Then the case of Miss You San-jie: the charge here is that following her suicide she was buried secretly and the facts of her death were concealed from the authorities. On further investigation it has been found that this Miss You San-jie was the younger sister of Jia Zhen’s wife, and that it was his original intention to arrange a marriage for her. The widespread and malicious rumours circulating about her character, her own subsequent feelings of shame and remorse and the insistence of her fiancé that she should return his betrothal gifts were the cause of her suicide, not any direct maltreatment or coercion on the part of Jia Zhen. As the holder of a hereditary rank, however, Jia Zhen deserves to be severely punished for his ignorance of the law and for his failure to report the burial of a deceased person. In view of the fact that he is a descendant of a loyal and distinguished subject, We cannot bring ourselves to impose the heavy penalty strictly required by law, but choose to exercise Our discretion, hereby sentencing him to be stripped of his hereditary rank and sent to a maritime frontier region, there to redeem himself by diligent service. Jia Rong, who is too young to have been involved in these affairs, is acquitted. Jia Zheng has for many years held provincial posts in which he has served conscientiously and prudently, and he is absolved from the consequences of his failure to govern his household correctly.’

Jia Zheng responded to the Edict with tears of gratitude, and hastily kowtowed, first in the direction of the Imperial throne, then towards the prince, whom he begged to convey to the Emperor a humble plea of devotion.

‘A simple kowtow will suffice,’ said the prince. ‘There is no need of anything further.’

‘My gratitude to His Majesty, for so graciously absolving me of blame, and for restoring my portion of the family property, knows no bounds,’ said Jia Zheng. ‘I feel a great sense of inner remorse. Please allow me to donate to the Imperial purse all my hereditary emoluments and accumulated property.’

‘His Majesty is indeed humane and compassionate towards His subjects,’ replied the prince. ‘He is wise and discriminating in his judgements, and never errs, whether it be in recompensing virtue or in punishing vice. In having your property thus restored, you have been blessed with his exceptional favour. There is really no call for any further gesture on your part.’

The other gentlemen present concurred.

So Jia Zheng kowtowed again, first towards the Emperor and then to the prince, and left the Palace, hurrying home to bear the news to Grandmother Jia, knowing the anxious suspense in which she would be awaiting his return. The entire Jia household, menfolk and womenfolk, were waiting anxiously at the entrance of Rong-guo House to learn the outcome of his interview, and breathed a huge sigh of relief when they saw him return safely home. None dared to question him as he hurried past them and on into Grandmother Jia’s apartment. He recounted to her the details of the latest Edict; and Grandmother Jia, though pleased that some of the charges had been dropped, was understandably distressed to learn that the two titles were lost to the family and that both Jia She and Cousin Zhen were sentenced to penal servitude. Lady Xing and You-shi simply broke down when they heard the news.

‘You must not distress yourself, Mother,’ pleaded Jia Zheng. ‘Although Brother She will have to work at the Mongolian frontier post, he will still be serving the nation, and will not be maltreated. If he acquits himself creditably, he may be fully reinstated. As for Zhen, he is still a young man and a bit of hard work certainly won’t do him any harm. This is a lesson we would have had to learn sooner or later. We cannot rest for ever on the laurels of our forefathers.’

He added a few more words of this kind, which comforted Grandmother Jia. After all, she had never been particularly fond of Jia She, and Cousin Zhen was not her own grandson. But Lady Xing and You-shi were inconsolable.

‘We are ruined!’ thought Lady Xing to herself. ‘With my husband sent into exile in his old age, who can I turn to? Lian is supposed to be my son, but he has always attached himself more to his uncle Zheng than to his own father. Now that we are all dependent on Zheng, Lian and Xi-feng are bound to lean even more towards that side of the family. I shall be completely abandoned; I have nothing to look forward to but loneliness and misery for the rest of my days.’

You-shi had always been in charge of Ning-guo House, and apart from Cousin Zhen she was the only one of the family to have earned the respect of the domestic staff. She and Cousin Zhen had a happy marriage moreover. Now he was to be sent away in disgrace, everything they had was confiscated, and they would be obliged to look to the Rong-guo branch for support. Grandmother Jia loved her well enough, but still, she would be the recipient of charity, and she would have to bring Lovey and Dove along with her, not to mention young Rong and his wife, who were still too young to be independent.

‘It was really Lian’s fault that my sisters came to such a wretched end,’ she reflected. ‘And yet he and Xi-feng have survived unscathed, while we are reduced to this desperate state of affairs.’

Grandmother Jia was greatly affected by You-shi’s disconsolate sobbing, and she turned to Jia Zheng and asked him:

‘Now that their sentence has been pronounced, will your brother She and young Zhen be allowed to come home to say goodbye? Rong has been acquitted, so I assume that he will be set free.’

‘In the normal course of events such a visit would not be allowed,’ replied Jia Zheng. ‘But I have already asked if as a personal favour Brother She and Cousin Zhen could be allowed home to make preparations for their departure, and the Board of Punishments has most graciously agreed to make this concession. I assume that Rong will be set free and will accompany them. Now, please don’t you worry, Mother. I shall do all I can for them.’

‘I’m growing old and senile,’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘It’s years since I last enquired about the family’s finances. The Ning-guo side has had everything confiscated, I know, and that of course includes the house itself. On our side, your brother She and Lian have had their things taken too. Now, you’d better tell me: how much money do we have left? And what are our estates in the Eastern provinces worth? When those two have to go, we must give them a few thousand taels of silver to take with them.’

Jia Zheng saw himself caught.

‘If I tell the truth,’ he thought to himself, ‘I fear it will come as a great blow. But if I conceal it, heaven alone knows how we will be able to pay for our present needs, let alone manage in the future.’

‘Had you not asked, Mother,’ he began, ‘I would never have bothered you with this. But since you have asked, and since Lian is present, I am bound to say that yesterday I examined the family accounts, and discovered the truth. Which is this: our exchequer has for a long time been completely empty – in fact, more than empty. There are substantial debts. I must somehow find money, and without delay, to mollify the officials involved in Brother She’s case. Without such intervention I fear they will both suffer, despite His Majesty’s generous concern. I am still not certain how this money can be raised. The Eastern estates cannot be depended on for anything. The rents for the forthcoming year have long been borrowed against. Our only recourse will be to sell what clothes and jewellery they are lucky enough to have left in their possession, and to let Brother She and Cousin Zhen take the proceeds of that sale with them. How we ourselves will manage afterwards is another matter altogether.’

Grandmother Jia was once more reduced to floods of tears.

‘Is it really so desperate? Can we have fallen so low? I’ve never experienced anything like this. I can remember my own family in the old days; they were ten times as grand as us, yet they managed to live beyond their means for years. And even in the end, no such calamity as this ever befell them. It was more gradual. It must have been a year or two before they were finished. But you seem to be saying that we may not even last another year!’

‘If only we still had the two hereditary state emoluments to fall back on,’ said Jia Zheng. ‘Then we might be able to procure a loan. But as things stand, no one is going to lend us a penny.’

Even his cheeks were now streaming with tears.

‘It’s certainly no use turning to our own relatives for help,’ he continued. ‘The ones that owe us a favour are penniless, and the ones that don’t are unlikely to come forward and help us now. I did not examine the accounts in any detail yesterday, but I did glance at the register of household staff. We can barely afford to keep ourselves alive, let alone such a host of servants.’

These final details in Jia Zheng’s tale of financial woe plunged Grandmother Jia in still deeper gloom. Presently Jia She, Cousin Zhen and Jia Rong arrived and paid her their respects. The sight of them somehow brought home to her the true horror of their predicament. She took Jia She by one hand, Cousin Zhen by the other and burst out sobbing. The two men hung their heads in shame and, when she began weeping, fell to their knees and cried:

‘We have dishonoured the family! We have forfeited the glory won by our forefathers! We have brought you grief! We are not even worthy to be buried when we die!’

At this a chorus of wailing filled the room.

‘Come on now,’ urged Jia Zheng. ‘We must lose no time in thinking of a way to provide them with funds. They can stay with us only a day or two at the most.’

Grandmother Jia did her best to contain her grief.

‘Go now, both of you,’ she said, holding back her tears, ‘and speak with your wives.’ She turned to Jia Zheng: ‘There must be no delay, and I can see it would be futile trying to borrow. We have so little time. I shall have to do something myself. Oh dear, this is all so dreadfully confusing! Things mustn’t be allowed to go on like this!’

She called Faithful to her and sent her off with some secret instructions.

Jia She and Cousin Zhen meanwhile left the room and conversed tearfully with Jia Zheng outside, expressing their remorse for their past waywardness and anticipating with gloom the bitter exile that lay ahead. Then they went over and lamented with their wives. Jia She was growing old, and the prospect of separation was less harrowing for him and Lady Xing than it was for Cousin Zhen and You-shi.

Jia Lian and Jia Rong held their fathers’ hands and wept at their side. Frontier service was a less severe punishment than military exile, but it would still be a long and painful ordeal. They could only try to steel themselves to it as best they could.

Grandmother Jia told Lady Xing, Lady Wang, Faithful and a bevy of maids to look through every one of her trunks and boxes, and to take out all the personal belongings she had stored away over the years of her marriage. Then she summoned Jia She, Jia Zheng, Cousin Zhen and all the other menfolk to attend while she made a distribution. She began by giving Jia She three thousand taels of silver.

‘You are to take two thousand with you,’ she said, ‘for the journey and for any expenses afterwards, and leave one thousand here for your wife. This three thousand is for you, Zhen. You must take one thousand with you, and leave two thousand for your wife. In this way, although they will be living with us, they will still be independent and able to make separate catering arrangements. I shall provide for Xi-chun’s marriage when the time comes. Now Xi-feng; I feel sorry for her, she tried so hard for so long, and has ended up with nothing. She too shall have three thousand taels, and she is to keep all of it for her own use and not give a penny to Lian. I know she is much too ill now, and in no fit state to come and receive it herself, so Patience can take it to her.

‘Here are some robes that once belonged to my husband, and some of the gowns and jewellery that I used to wear when I was young – I don’t need them any more. The men’s clothing can be divided between She, Zhen, Lian and Rong. Their wives can share the ladies’ things. This five hundred taels of silver is for Lian to pay for transporting Miss Lin’s coffin to the South next year.’

When this distribution was complete, she turned to Jia Zheng:

‘The debts you mentioned must be honoured at once. Take this gold and use it for that purpose. Their misdeeds have driven me to these drastic measures, but don’t think I have forgotten that you too are my son. In due time you will receive your fair share. Bao-yu is married and can have what is left here – gold and silver worth several thousand taels. And Li Wan: she has always been such a dutiful granddaughter-in-law to me, and little Lan is such a sweet child. Here’s some for them too. There, I’ve finished.’

Jia Zheng was moved to tears to see how clearly she had worked everything out.

‘We have failed you, Mother!’ he sobbed, falling to his knees. ‘We have not done our filial duty towards you in your old age; and yet you shower us with such bounty! How can we ever outlive our shame!’

‘Oh poppycock!’ exclaimed Grandmother Jia. ‘Don’t you worry, if it weren’t for this crisis I should certainly have kept it all for myself! But let’s be serious: our staff is much too large. You are the only one left with an official post, Zheng, so we don’t need more than a few servants. Tell the stewards to call the staff together and make the necessary arrangements. Each establishment must make do with as few servants as possible. We would have had to manage with none at all if our household had been confiscated. The same goes for the ladies’ apartments. We must find husbands for some of the maids, and give others back their freedom. And although our property has not been taken, I still think it would be best if you handed over the Garden. Lian should be given the job of sorting out the country estates. Some can be sold, some kept on, as seems most appropriate. Above all there must be no more pomp in future, no more empty show. We must be realistic. And another thing I should mention. We still have some money belonging to the Zhen family of Nanking. It’s in safe keeping with your wife, Zheng. Someone should be sent to take it back to them straight away. If anything else should happen to us, we’d only involve them in a lot more trouble, push them out of the frying-pan and into the fire.’

Jia Zheng, who was painfully aware of his own incompetence in such matters, mumbled a contrite ‘Yes, Mother’ to all of these eminently practical instructions, thinking to himself:

‘What a flair she has for organization! And what worthless bunglers we all are by comparison!’

He could see that Grandmother Jia was tired, and begged her to lie down and rest.

‘The little you see here is all I have left,’ she said. ‘When I die, you can use some of it to pay for my funeral, and give the remainder to my maids.’

They found this mention of her death greatly upsetting, and all fell to their knees once more.

‘Please set your mind at ease, Mother. In time to come, if we enjoy your blessing and can once more regain His Majesty’s favour, then we shall do our utmost to atone for past errors, to restore the family fortune and to support you into your hundredth year.’

‘If you can only somehow make amends,’ said Grandmother Jia, ‘then perhaps I shall be able to face our ancestors with pride when I die. Don’t think that I know only how to enjoy a comfortable life, and that I have no stomach for poverty! That’s not it at all. It’s just that I am rather shocked by all this. During the past few years you have seemed so prosperous, and I was only too glad not to interfere; to jolly along and mind my own business. I never for one moment imagined that we were in such a precarious state. I’ve always known that we were living beyond our means, of course, but I thought somehow we’d manage to muddle through. I suppose we were “dulled by habit”; we couldn’t adjust, we were too used to things as they were. Well now we must use this opportunity to economize and set things to rights, or else our family will be the laughing-stock of the world. You may think it’s the poverty that appals me. But it’s not. What I have always cared about more than anything is our family tradition, our family honour. Every day of my life has been lived in the hope that this generation would outshine our ancestors. But I would have been content just to maintain our position as it was. I had no idea of the disgraceful jiggery-pokery those two were up to behind my back!’

Grandmother Jia was ruminating aloud in this fashion when Felicity came hurrying into the room and ran over to Lady Wang in a great fluster:

‘Oh Your Ladyship! Mrs Lian heard the news from court this morning, and she’s cried such a lot that now she seems quite faint. Patience sent me over to let you know.’

‘How is Mrs Lian?’ Grandmother Jia asked her before she’d finished speaking. ‘Not at all well today,' replied Lady Wang on Felicity’s behalf.

‘Ai!’ exclaimed the old lady, rising wearily to her feet. ‘These young people are the bane of my life! I can see they want to drive me into my grave!’

She asked her maids to assist her and announced her intention of paying Xi-feng a visit herself. Jia Zheng hastened to detain her, and endeavoured to calm her down:

‘This has all been so distressing for you, Mother. You have already exerted yourself so much in finding a solution to our problems. You really must give yourself a bit of a rest. I am sure my wife can go over and see to Xi-feng. There is no need for you to expose yourself to any further upsets. If anything serious were to happen to you, how should I ever forgive myself.’

‘You may all leave now,’ ordered Lady Jia. ‘Come back a little later. There are still a few things I want to say.’

Jia Zheng, his attempt at filial consolation having been thus peremptorily crushed, did not venture to say any more. He went out to superintend the practical arrangements for the convicts’ departure and instructed Jia Lian to choose some servants to accompany them.

Faithful assembled a group of serving-women to carry Xi-feng’s presents and to escort Grandmother Jia over to Xi-feng’s apartment. Xi-feng was very weak and almost unconscious, while Patience’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. When she heard that Lady Jia and Lady Wang, accompanied by Bao-yu and Bao-chai, were on their way, Patience hurried out anxiously to greet them.

‘How is she now?’ asked Grandmother Jia the moment she saw Patience.

Patience was afraid of frightening the old lady.

‘A little better, ma‘am.’

She escorted the party inside and hurrying over to Xi-feng’s bed lightly drew aside the bed curtains. Xi-feng opened her eyes and, when she saw Grandmother Jia enter the room, was filled with shame. Earlier she had come to the conclusion that the whole family had turned against her, that no one cared for her any more, that they were all indifferent whether she lived or died. And yet now Grandmother Jia had come to visit her personally. Her spirits were immediately restored, and she even struggled to sit up; but Grandmother Jia ordered Patience to settle her down again.

‘Don’t you move, dear,’ she said to Xi-feng. ‘Are you feeling a little better now?’

‘Oh yes, Grannie, I am. A lot better,’ replied Xi-feng, holding back her tears. ‘But it grieves me when I think how you and Mother and Aunt Wang have loved me, ever since I came here as a young bride, and how little I have been able to return that love. How cruelly fate has possessed me, driving me quite out of my mind, making me fail in my duty to you and Aunt Wang, preventing me from ever winning your praise … Yet still you trusted me, still you allowed me to play my part. And all I’ve ever done is ruin things for everyone! How can I look you and Auntie in the face again? This visit is more than I deserve. I’m afraid Heaven will punish me for it, by taking away most of the few days I may have left to live …

She sobbed violently.

‘This whole nonsense was started by the men,’ Grandmother Jia consoled her. ‘It was nothing to do with you. I know some of your belongings have been taken, but don’t you worry: I’ve brought you all sorts of presents – take a look and see.’

She instructed one of the serving-women to bring the presents forward and exhibit them. Possessions had always meant a great deal to Xi-feng, and the sudden loss of all of her worldly goods had dealt a severe blow to her morale. She had also been tormenting herself with the thought that everyone in the family secretly blamed her for what had happened, and as a consequence she had all but lost her will to live. This new evidence of Grandmother Jia’s affection was a much-needed tonic; and it seemed that Lady Wang was not really so cross with her either, to judge from the fact that she had accompanied Grandmother Jia. And had Jia Lian not been acquitted, after all? Xi-feng kowtowed to Grandmother Jia from her pillow:

‘Please don’t worry on my behalf, Grannie. If I can continue to enjoy your blessing, and if I recover my health, I’ll gladly be your lowliest maidservant and do any menial task, devote myself heart and soul for the rest of my life to serving you and Aunt Wang.’

This abject gratitude was too pitiful a sight for Grandmother Jia, and she broke down and wept. Bao-yu immediately followed suit. He had never witnessed anything resembling a family crisis. His life till recently had consisted for the most part of peaceful and pleasant pursuits, and he had been protected from too close an acquaintance with real suffering. But now wherever he turned he saw anguish and weeping. It had the effect of accentuating his imbecility; and if he saw anyone else crying, he instantly responded by doing likewise.

Seeing what low spirits her visitors were in, Xi-feng did her best to muster a few cheerful words, and then begged Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang to return to their apartments, promising to come and kowtow to them as soon as she was well enough. She raised her head feebly from the pillow as she spoke.

‘Look after her well now,’ Grandmother Jia enjoined Patience. ‘And if you’re short of anything, be sure to come and let me know.’

She took Lady Wang back with her to her own apartment. On the way, she could hear the sound of weeping coming from every quarter. It was more than she could bear. She sent Lady Wang away and told Bao-yu to bid his Uncle She and Cousin Zhen farewell and to return immediately afterwards.

Left on her own, she sank onto her couch in tears. Faithful tried every way she knew of consoling her, and finally Grandmother Jia dozed off.

Understandably Jia She and Cousin Zhen viewed the prospect of their exile with little relish. The men chosen to accompany them were equally reluctant to go, and complained bitterly of their lot. To be parted in life is in truth more painful than to be parted by death, and the witnessing of such a parting often more distressing than the parting itself. Rong-guo House, once a scene of such brilliance and distinction, now echoed with the sounds of wailing and lamentation.

Jia Zheng had always been a great stickler for formalities, and despite everything he continued to observe towards Jia She the solemn respect prescribed towards an elder brother. The two brothers shook hands at home, and Jia Zheng then rode out ahead to beyond the city walls and there waited to drink the ritual farewell cup of wine. He exhorted Jia She to remember the compassion the state had shown him on his ancestors’ account, and to prove himself worthy of it. Jia She and Cousin Zhen wiped the tears from their eyes, and set off for their different destinations.

Jia Zheng returned home with Bao-yu. As they neared the gateway of Rong-guo House they saw a crowd gathered outside and heard a confused hubbub of voices:

‘An Imperial Edict issued today! The Rong-guo hereditary rank and title to be passed on to Sir Zheng!’

The men in the crowd were demanding their statutory tip for bringing this good news, but the janitors were resisting vigorously:

‘The title belonged to the family in the first place, and was inherited by our masters. That’s not worth a tip!’

‘Come on!’ came the indignant reply. ‘Think of the glory! A title like that is the most glorious thing there is – and your Sir She could never hope to get it back, not after what he’s done. Now His Majesty, in his wisdom and mercy, greater than the sky is broad, has passed it on to Sir Zheng; why, that’s nothing less than a miracle for your family! Definitely worth a tip!’

Jia Zheng entered the house and received a full report on the matter from the janitors. His pleasure was inevitably mingled with shame that his own good fortune had been made possible only by his elder brother’s disgrace. He was momentarily overwhelmed and wept tears of emotion. Then he hurried in to convey the news to Grandmother Jia, who took him delightedly by the hand and urged him to show himself worthy of this signal honour. Lady Wang was also present, anxious that Grandmother Jia might be souffrante and in need of consolation, and she too was delighted to hear Jia Zheng’s news. Only Lady Xing and You-shi felt their own misfortune the more keenly, an emotion they took pains to conceal.

The family’s sponging friends and relatives, who had kept well clear while times were hard, learned that Jia Zheng had now been given his brother’s title and – deducing from this that the Emperor must still view the Jias with a favourable eye – flocked to Rong-guo House to offer their felicitations. But Jia Zheng’s feelings were running along very different lines. He was by nature a man of such soul-searching integrity that, so far from congratulating himself on his good luck, he was greatly troubled at heart, and wondered how he would ever be able to show his gratitude sufficiently. The following day he went to the Palace to make a formal expression of thanks, and this time went so far as to submit a memorial begging that his restored residence, together with Prospect Garden, be accepted as a gift by the Emperor. An Edict was issued in reply to this request, dismissing it as quite superfluous; and Jia Zheng, his conscience a little placated, returned home and applied himself with devotion and zeal to his official duties.

The family’s finances were still as precarious as ever. Income continued to fall far short of expenditure. Entertaining, making connections with the right people and winning favours were not Jia Zheng’s strong point. The servants knew how incorrigibly upright he was, while Xi-feng was still sick and unable to apply her experience to the solving of the present crisis. The debts Jia Lian was forced to incur were mounting daily, and it seemed almost inevitable that he would have to mortgage still more property and sell still more land. The servants could see it coming. Some of them were quite wealthy themselves and were worried that Jia Lian might come to them for money. Some tried to keep out of harm’s way by feigning poverty, some asked for leave of absence and went looking for other employment.

One exception was Bao Yong. Though he was a newcomer and had arrived only a short while before the crisis, he proved to be a most industrious and loyal servant, and was appalled by the way the other servants were taking advantage of their masters. He had insufficient status among the domestic staff to dare voice his feelings to the offenders, and could only eat his evening meal and take his indignation to bed. The others disliked him for not going along with them, and complained about him to Jia Zheng, calling him an incompetent, a drunkard and a troublemaker.

‘Let him be,’ was Jia Zheng’s response. ‘He was recommended to me by the Zhens, and we cannot be too hard on him. After all, we may be poor, but we can surely afford to feed one extra mouth.’

When they failed in their attempts to have him sacked by the master, the servants turned next to Jia Lian with their complaints; but Jia Lian felt in no position to exert his authority, and in the end they had to let Bao Yong be.

One day Bao Yong was feeling particularly angry and, having drunk a few cups of wine to comfort himself, went for a stroll in the street outside the main entrance to Rong-guo House, where he happened to overhear the following conversation:

‘See that great mansion in there?’ said one of the two men, pointing to Rong-guo House. ‘Wonder how they’re managing after that raid the other day …’

‘Oh they’ll be all right!’ replied the other. ‘I’ve heard that one of their daughters was a concubine of His Majesty’s. She’s dead now, but a connection like that doesn’t die so quickly. And they’re on hob-nobbing terms with all sorts of princes, dukes, marquises and earls. They’ll never be short of friends. Take the present Mayor, who used to be Minister of War, he’s from the same family. With people like that to look after them, they’ll always be all right.’

‘Hm!’ replied the first. ‘You may live locally, but I can see you’re rather out of touch. I don’t know about their other friends, but that Mayor Jia you mentioned is a regular bounder! I’ll tell you why I say that. I’ve seen him at Rong-guo House countless times, so I know he’s had a lot to do with them in the past. When the censor brought that indictment against members of the Jia family, the Emperor asked him to look into the matter and establish the facts of the case. And what do you think he did? Because he owed both branches of the family big favours himself, and because he was afraid he’d be suspected of covering up for his own friends, he went to the other extreme. He said the most terrible things about them. That’s what led to both houses being raided. It’s shocking how people treat their friends nowadays, isn’t it!’

This casual conversation happened to fall on the ears of one who understood only too clearly what it meant.

‘That such a scoundrel should live and breathe on this earth!’ thought Bao Yong secretly to himself. ‘I wonder what relation of the Master’s he is? If I so much as set eyes on him, I’ll beat the innards out of him! To hell with the consequences!’

Wild (and somewhat befuddled) thoughts of revenge filled Bao Yong’s loyal breast. Suddenly the cry of official runners could be heard clearing the way, and from where he was standing Bao Yong heard one of the bystanders whisper to the other:

‘Why, here he comes now, the very Mayor Jia we were talking about!’

Bao Yong was seething with righteous indignation, and the wine lent him the final touch of inspiration and courage.

‘Blackguard!’ he yelled recklessly. ‘Scurvy knave! Would you forget the kindness shown you by our masters the Jias?’

From within his sedan Jia Yu-cun heard the name ‘Jia’ and leaned forward to see what was going on. Just another drunken lout in the street, not worth bothering with. His sedan moved on, and Bao Yong swaggered home feeling very pleased with himself and far too drunk to be discreet. He made a few enquiries, and his fellow-servants confirmed that the Mayor did indeed owe his entire career to the patronage of the Jia family.

‘Well he’s an ungrateful scoundrel, and I’ve told him so!’ boasted Bao Yong. ‘After all they’ve done for him, to kick them in the teeth like that! I gave him a piece of my mind, and he didn’t dare answer me back either …’

Until now, the other servants, who were united in their dislike of Bao Yong, had been unable to persuade Jia Zheng to get rid of him. This was the very pretext they had been waiting for, and they seized their chance to report him to the Master for being drunk and disorderly and creating a disturbance in the street. Jia Zheng was extremely nervous of provoking the authorities any further, and was very angry when he heard of Bao Yong’s riotous behaviour. He summoned him and gave him a thorough dressing-down. He still felt that in view of his connection with the Zhens it would be wrong to punish him too severely, and instead transferred him to caretaking duties in the Garden, with strict instructions not to go wandering outside again.

Bao Yong was a straightforward sort of fellow. Once he worked for a man, that man was his master, to serve and protect with every ounce of loyalty he had. He was greatly dismayed that Jia Zheng should have listened to tales and been misled into scolding him in this fashion. But he did not say a word in protest. He merely packed his bags and moved into the Garden to commence his new duties.

To learn what followed, please read the next chapter.