第十回
第十回 金寡妇贪利权受辱 张太医论病细穷源
话说金荣因人多势众，又兼贾瑞勒令，赔了不是，给秦钟磕了头，宝玉方才不吵闹了。大家散了学，金荣回到家中，越想越气，说：“秦钟不过是贾蓉的小舅子，又不是贾家的子孙，附学读书，也不过和我一样。他因仗着宝玉和他好，他就目中无人。他既是这样，就该行些正经事，人也没的说。他素日又和宝玉鬼鬼祟祟的，只当人都是瞎子，看不见。今日他又去勾搭人，偏偏的撞在我眼睛里。就是闹出事来，我还怕什么不成？”
他母亲胡氏听见他咕咕嘟嘟的说，因问道：“你又要争什么闲气？好容易我望你姑妈说了，你姑妈千方百计的才向他们西府里的琏二奶奶跟前说了，你才得了这个念书的地方。若不是仗着人家，咱们家里还有力量请的起先生？况且人家学里，茶也是现成的，饭也是现成的。你这二年在那里念书，家里也省好大的嚼用呢。省出来的，你又爱穿件鲜明衣服。再者，不是因你在那里念书，你就认得什么薛大爷了？那薛大爷一年不给不给，这二年也帮了咱们有七八十两银子。你如今要闹出了这个学房，再要找这么个地方，我告诉你说罢，比登天还难呢！你给我老老实实的顽一会子睡你的觉去，好多着呢。”于是金荣忍气吞声，不多一时他自去睡了。次日仍旧上学去了。不在话下。
且说他姑娘，原聘给的是贾家玉字辈的嫡派，名唤贾璜。但其族人那里皆能像宁荣二府的富势，原不用细说。这贾璜夫妻守着些小的产业，又时常到宁荣二府里去请请安，又会奉承凤姐儿并尤氏，所以凤姐儿尤氏也时常资助资助他，方能如此度日。今日正遇天气晴明，又值家中无事，遂带了一个婆子，坐上车，来家里走走，瞧瞧寡嫂并侄儿。
闲话之间，金荣的母亲偏提起昨日贾家学房里的那事，从头至尾，一五一十都向他小姑子说了。这璜大奶奶不听则已，听了，一时怒从心上起，说道：“这秦钟小崽子是贾门的亲戚，难道荣儿不是贾门的亲戚？人都别忒势利了，况且都作的是什么有脸的好事！就是宝玉，也犯不上向着他到这个样。等我去到东府瞧瞧我们珍大奶奶，再向秦钟他姐姐说说，叫他评评这个理。”这金荣的母亲听了这话，急的了不得，忙说道：“这都是我的嘴快，告诉了姑奶奶了，求姑奶奶别去，别管他们谁是谁非。倘或闹起来，怎么在那里站得住。若是站不住，家里不但不能请先生，反倒在他身上添出许多嚼用来呢。”璜大奶奶听了，说道：“那里管得许多，你等我说了，看是怎么样！”也不容他嫂子劝，一面叫老婆子瞧了车，就坐上往宁府里来。
到了宁府，进了车门，到了东边小角门前下了车，进去见了贾珍之妻尤氏。也未敢气高，殷殷勤勤叙过寒温，说了些闲话，方问道：“今日怎么没见蓉大奶奶？”尤氏说道：“他这些日子不知怎么着，经期有两个多月没来。叫大夫瞧了，又说并不是喜。那两日，到了下半天就懒待动，话也懒待说，眼神也发眩。我说他：‘你且不必拘礼，早晚不必照例上来，你就好生养养罢。就是有亲戚一家儿来，有我呢。就有长辈们怪你，等我替你告诉。’连蓉哥我都嘱咐了，我说：‘你不许累掯[1]他，不许招他生气，叫他静静的养养就好了。他要想什么吃，只管到我这里取来。倘或我这里没有，只管望你琏二婶子那里要去。倘或他有个好和歹，你再要娶这么一个媳妇，这么个模样儿，这么个性情的人儿，打着灯笼也没地方找去。’他这为人行事，那个亲戚，那个一家的长辈不喜欢他？所以我这两日好不烦心，焦的我了不得。偏偏今日早晨他兄弟来瞧他，谁知那小孩子家不知好歹，看见他姐姐身上不大爽快，就有事也不当告诉他，别说是这么一点子小事，就是你受了一万分的委曲，也不该向他说才是。谁知他们昨儿学房里打架，不知是那里附学来的一个人欺侮了他了。里头还有些不干不净的话，都告诉了他姐姐。婶子，你是知道那媳妇的：虽则见了人有说有笑，会行事儿，他可心细，心又重，不拘听见个什么话儿，都要度量个三日五夜才罢。这病就是打这个秉性上头思虑出来的。今儿听见有人欺负了他兄弟，又是恼，又是气。恼的是那群混帐狐朋狗友的扯是搬非、调三惑四的那些人；气的是他兄弟不学好，不上心念书，以致如此学里吵闹。他听了这事，今日索性连早饭也没吃。我听见了，我方到他那边安慰了他一会子，又劝解了他兄弟一会子。我叫他兄弟到那边府里找宝玉去了，我才看着他吃了半盏燕窝汤，我才过来了。婶子，你说我心焦不心焦？况且如今又没个好大夫，我想到他这病上，我心里倒像针扎似的。你们知道有什么好大夫没有？”
金氏听了这半日话，把方才在他嫂子家的那一团要向秦氏理论的盛气，早吓的都丢在爪洼国[2]去了。听见尤氏问他有知道的好大夫的话，连忙答道：“我们这么听着，实在也没见人说有个好大夫。如今听起大奶奶这个来，定不得还是喜呢。嫂子倒别教人混治。倘或认错了，这可是了不得的。”尤氏道：“可不是呢。”正是说话间，贾珍从外进来，见了金氏，便向尤氏问道：“这不是璜大奶奶么？”金氏向前给贾珍请了安。贾珍向尤氏说道：“让这大妹妹吃了饭去。”贾珍说着话，就过那屋里去了。金氏此来，原要向秦氏说说秦钟欺负了他侄儿〔一〕的事，听见秦氏有病，不但不能说，亦且不敢提了。况且贾珍尤氏又待的很好，反转怒为喜，又说了一会子话儿，方家去了。
金氏去后，贾珍方过来坐下，问尤氏道：“今日他来，有什么说的事情么？”尤氏答道：“倒没说什么。一进来的时候，脸上倒像有些着了恼的气色似的，及说了半天话，又提起媳妇这病，他倒渐渐的气色平定了。你又叫让他吃饭，他听见媳妇这么病，也不好意思只管坐着，又说了几句闲话儿就去了，倒没求什么事。如今且说媳妇这病，你到那里寻一个好大夫来与他瞧瞧要紧，可别耽误了。现今咱们家走的这群大夫，那里要得，一个个都是听着人的口气儿，人怎么说，他也添几句文话儿说一遍。可倒殷勤的很，三四个人一日轮流着倒有四五遍来看脉。他们大家商量着立个方子，吃了也不见效，倒弄得一日换四五遍衣裳，坐起来见大夫，其实于病人无益。”贾珍说道：“可是。这孩子也糊涂，何必脱脱换换的，倘再着了凉，更添一层病，那还了得。衣裳任凭是什么好的，可又值什么，孩子的身子要紧，就是一天穿一套新的，也不值什么。我正进来要告诉你：方才冯紫英来看我，他见我有些抑郁之色，问我是怎么了。我才告诉他说，媳妇忽然身子有好大的不爽快，因为不得个好太医，断不透是喜是病，又不知有妨碍无妨碍，所以我这两日心里着实着急。冯紫英因说起他有一个幼时从学的先生，姓张名友士，学问最渊博的，更兼医理极深，且能断人的生死。今年是上京给他儿子来捐官[4]，现在他家住着呢。这么看来，竟是合该媳妇的病在他手里除灾亦未可知。我即刻差人拿我的名帖请去了。今日倘或天晚了不能来，明日想必一定来。况且冯紫英又即刻回家亲自去求他，务必叫他来瞧瞧。等这个张先生来瞧了再说罢。”
尤氏听了，心中甚喜，因说道：“后日是太爷的寿日，到底怎么办？”贾珍说道：“我方才到了太爷那里去请安，兼请太爷来家来受一受一家子的礼。太爷因说道：‘我是清净惯了的，我不愿意往你们那是非场中去闹去。你们必定说是我的生日，要叫我去受众人些头，莫过你把我从前注的《阴骘文》[5]给我令人好好的写出来刻了，比叫我无故受众人的头还强百倍呢。倘或明日后日这两日一家子要来，你就在家里好好的款待他们就是了。也不必给我送什么东西来，连你后日也不必来；你要心中不安，你今日就给我磕了头去。倘或后日你要来，又跟随多少人来闹我，我必和你不依。’如此说了又说，后日我是再不敢去的了。且叫来升来，吩咐他预备两日的筵席。”尤氏因叫人叫了贾蓉来：“吩咐来升照旧例预备两日的筵席，要丰丰富富的。你再亲自到西府里去请老太太、大太太、二太太和你琏二婶子来逛逛。你父亲今日又听见一个好大夫，业已打发人请去了，想必明日必来。你可将他这些日子的病症细细的告诉他。”
贾蓉一一的答应着出去了。正遇着方才去冯紫英家请那先生的小子回来了，因回道：“奴才方才到了冯大爷家，拿了老爷的名帖请那先生去。那先生说道：‘方才这里大爷也向我说了。但是今日拜了一天的客，才回到家，此时精神实在不能支持，就是去到府上也不能看脉。’他说等调息一夜，明日务必到府。他又说，他‘医学浅薄，本不敢当此重荐，因我们冯大爷和府上的大人既已如此说了，又不得不去，你先替我回明大人就是了。大人的名帖实不敢当。’仍叫奴才拿回来了。哥儿替奴才回一声儿罢。”贾蓉转身复进去，回了贾珍尤氏的话，方出来叫了来升来，吩咐他预备两日的筵席的话。来升听毕，自去照例料理。不在话下。
且说次日午间，人回道：“请的那张先生来了。”贾珍遂延入大厅坐下。茶毕，方开言道：“昨承冯大爷示知老先生人品学问，又兼深通医学，小弟不胜钦仰之至〔二〕。”张先生道：“晚生粗鄙下士，本知见浅陋，昨因冯大爷示知，大人家第谦恭下士，又承呼唤，敢不奉命。但毫无实学，倍增颜汗[7]。”贾珍道：“先生何必过谦。就请先生进去看看儿妇，仰仗高明，以释下怀。”
于是，贾蓉同了进去。到了贾蓉居室，见了秦氏，向贾蓉说道：“这就是尊夫人了？”贾蓉道：“正是。请先生坐下，让我把贱内的病症说一说再看脉如何？”那先生道：“依小弟的意思，竟先看过脉再说的为是。我是初造尊府的，本也不晓得什么，但是我们冯大爷务必叫小弟过来看看，小弟所以不得不来。如今看了脉息，看小弟说的是不是，再将这些日子的病势讲一讲，大家斟酌一个方儿，可用不可用，那时大爷再定夺。”贾蓉道：“先生实在高明，如今恨相见之晚。就请先生看一看脉息，可治不可治，以便使家父母放心。”于是家下媳妇们捧过大迎枕[8]来，一面给秦氏拉着袖口，露出脉来。先生方伸手按在右手脉上，调息了至数[9]，宁神细诊了有半刻的工夫，方换过左手，亦复如是。诊毕脉息，说道：“我们外边坐罢。”
贾蓉于是同先生到外间房里床上坐下，一个婆子端了茶来。贾蓉道：“先生请茶。”于是陪先生吃了茶，遂问道：“先生看这脉息，还治得治不得？”先生道：“看得尊夫人这脉息：左寸沉数，左关沉伏；右寸细而无力，右关需而无神。其左寸沉数者，乃心气虚而生火；左关沉伏者，乃肝家气滞血亏。右寸细而无力者，乃肺经气分太虚；右关需而无神者，乃脾土被肝木克制。心气虚而生火者，应现经期不调，夜间不寐。肝家血亏气滞者，必然肋下疼胀，月信过期，心中发热。肺经气分太虚者，头目不时眩晕，寅卯间必然自汗，如坐舟中。脾土被肝木克制者，必然不思饮食，精神倦怠，四肢酸软。据我看这脉息，应当有这些症候才对。或以这个脉为喜脉，则小弟不敢从其教也。”[10]旁边一个贴身服侍的婆子道：“何尝不是这样呢。真正先生说的如神，倒不用我们告诉了。如今我们家里现有好几位太医老爷瞧着呢，都不能的当真切的这么说。有一位说是喜，有一位说是病，这位说不相干，那位说怕冬至，总没有个准话儿。求老爷明白指示指示。”
那先生笑道：“大奶奶这个症候，可是[11]那众位耽搁了。要在初次行经的日期就用药治起来，不但断无今日之患，而且此时已全愈了。如今既是把病耽误到这个地位，也是应有此灾。依我看来，这病尚有三分治得。吃了我的药看，若是夜里睡的着觉，那时又添了二分拿手了。据我看这脉息：大奶奶是个心性高强聪明不过的人；聪明忒过，则不如意事常有；不如意事常有，则思虑太过。此病是忧虑伤脾，肝木忒旺，经血所以不能按时而至。大奶奶从前的行经的日子问一问，断不是常缩，必是常长的。是不是？”这婆子答道：“可不是，从没有缩过，或是长两日三日，以至十日都长过。”先生听了道：“妙啊！这就是病源了。从前若能够以养心调经之药服之，何至于此。这如今明显出一个水亏木旺的症候来。待用药看看。”于是写了方子，递与贾蓉，上写的是：
贾蓉看了，说：“高明的很。还要请教先生，这病与性命终久有妨无妨？”先生笑道：“大爷是最高明的人。人病到这个地位，非一朝一夕的症候，吃了这药也要看医缘了。依小弟看来，今年一冬是不相干的。总是过了春分，就可望全愈了。”贾蓉也是个聪明人，也不往下细问了。
于是贾蓉送了先生去了，方将这药方子并脉案都给贾珍看了，说的话也都回了贾珍并尤氏了。尤氏向贾珍说道：“从来大夫不像他说的这么痛快，想必用的药也不错。”贾珍道：“人家原不是混饭吃久惯行医的人。因为冯紫英〔三〕我们好，他好容易求了他来了。既有这个人，媳妇的病或者就能好了。他那方子上有人参，就用前日买的那一斤好的罢。”贾蓉听毕话，方出来叫人打药去煎给秦氏吃。不知秦氏服了此药病势如何，下回分解。
[1] 累（lēi垒阴平声）掯（kèn肯去声）——亦作“勒掯”。强制、逼勒的意思。
[2] 爪洼国——古代南洋国名，今属印度尼西亚。明清时，常用以喻指极遥远的地方。
〔一〕 “侄儿”，原作“兄弟”，从蒙府、戚序、舒序、俄藏、卞藏本改。
[4] 捐官——封建时代向政府纳钱粮买官，叫捐官。捐资买官制，始于秦代。西汉景帝时晁错建议，明令纳粟可以拜爵赎罪，以扩大国库收入。见晁错《论贵粟疏》。迄于清代，捐官之制尤滥，用钱买官，已成当时重要的入仕途径。
[5] 《阴骘（zhì治）文》——相传为文昌帝君所作，是一篇宣扬因果报应的“劝善”文字。文昌帝君：又称梓潼帝君，姓张名亚子，道家说他死后成为掌握文昌府事和人间禄籍（科举等事）之神，所以元代封他为文昌帝君。见《明史·礼志》。
〔二〕 “深通医学，小弟不胜钦仰之至”，原作“深通医学之至，小弟不胜欣仰”，卞藏本作“深通”，馀同蒙府、戚序本。从蒙府、戚序、俄藏本改。
[7] 颜汗——或作“汗颜”。因受到称许恭维而羞愧得脸上出汗，实即“惭愧”一词的形象化表述。《汉书·王莽传上》：“未尝不流汗而惭愧也。”颜，颜面。
[8] 迎枕——中医切脉时，垫在病人手背下的小枕，亦作“迎手”。
[9] 调息了至数——中医诊脉，医生先要稳定自己的呼吸，叫作“调息”。一呼一吸叫作一息。正常人一息间脉搏跳动的次数叫作“至数”。调息了至数，指医生诊病时先调整好自己的呼吸，然后诊察病人在医生一息间的脉动次数。
[10] 张太医诊脉论病一段——切脉是中医“望、问、闻、切”四诊之一。医者从病人诊脉部位的不同脉象，可以诊断出病症之所在、深浅和性质。医者以食指、中指、无名指三指切按病人两手桡动脉的“寸、关、尺”三个诊脉部位，中指所按桡骨茎突处为“关”、其前近腕端为“寸”、其后近肘端为“尺”。两手寸、关、尺，共六部脉，各自反映不同脏腑的病情。月信：月经。寅卯间：我国古时以十二地支代表十二时辰。寅时为上午三至五时，卯时为五至七时。寅卯间约指凌晨五时前后这段时间。喜脉：妇女怀孕后的脉象。
[11] 可是——意谓“实在是”，以加重说话人的语气。
〔三〕 “冯紫英”，底本、卞藏本作“冯子英”，从蒙府、戚序、甲辰、舒序、俄藏本改。
CHAPTER 10. Widow Jin’s self-interest gets the better of her righteous indignation And Doctor Zhang’s diagnosis reveals the origin of a puzzling disease
Outnumbered, and hard pressed by Jia Rui to apologize, Jokey Jin made a kotow to Qin Zhong, whereupon Bao-yu agreed to let the matter drop. Back in his own home, when school was over, he brooded with mounting anger on his humiliation.
‘Qin Zhong is Jia Rong’s brother-in-law: it’s not as if he were one of the Jia clan. He’s only an external scholar, the same as me; and it’s only because he is friends with Bao-yu that he can afford to be so high and mighty. Well, in that case he ought to behave himself, then no one would have any cause to complain. But he’s always carrying on in such a sneaky, underhand way with Bao-yu, as though he thought the rest of us were all blind and couldn’t see what he was up to. And now today he’s started making up to someone else and I happen to have found him out. So what if there were a row about this? I’ve got nothing to be afraid of.’
His mother, Widow Jin, overheard his muttering.
‘What have you been getting up to this time?’ she asked. ‘Look at the job we had getting you into that school. All the talks I had with your aunt and the trouble she went to to see Mrs Lian about it. Suppose we hadn’t had their help in getting you in there, we could never have afforded a tutor. What’s more, you get free tea and free dinners there, don’t you? That has meant a big saving for us during the two years you have been going there. And you’re glad enough to have something decent to wear out of the money saved, aren’t you? And another thing. If you hadn’t been going to that school, how would you ever have met that Mr Xue of yours? Between seventy and eighty taels of silver we’ve had out of him during this past year. I can tell you this, my boy. If you get yourself thrown out of there, you needn’t think you can get in anywhere else, because you could easier fly to the moon than find another place like that. Now you just play quietly for a bit and then go to bed like a good boy!’
Thus admonished, Jokey Jin swallowed his anger and fell silent. Before long he went to bed and to sleep, and next day was back at the school again as usual. Of him no more.
Jokey Jin’s aunt was married to one Jia Huang, a member of the Jia clan in the same generation as Cousin Zhen and Jia Lian. It goes without saying, of course, that not all members of the clan lived in the sort of style maintained by the Ning and Rong households. Jia Huang and his wife had only the income from a very small property to live on, and it was only by dint of frequent visits to the Ning and Rong mansions, where their flattering attentions on Wang Xi-feng and You-shi earned them an occasional subsidy, that they were able to make ends meet.
Today the weather was fine and sunny and Mrs Huang had nothing particular to do at home, so taking an old serving-woman with her, she got into a cab and went off to pay a call on her sister-in-law and nephew.
In the course of conversation Widow Jin soon got on to the subject of yesterday’s affair in the schoolroom and launched into a full account, from which no detail was omitted, of all those happenings. It would have been as well for her if she had not done so, for the effect was to kindle a dangerous anger in the bosom of her sister-in-law.
‘That little beast Qin Zhong!’ said Mrs Huang. ‘He may be related to the Jias, by marriage, but then so is your boy. What business has he to go throwing his weight about like that, I should like to know? Especially after the disgusting things he had been doing himself. Considering what he’d been up to, even Bao-yu ought not to have sided with him to that extent. Let me go and see Mrs Zhen about this. I shall ask her to let me have it out with Qin Zhong’s sister and see if we can’t get some satisfaction.’
‘Oh dear, I shouldn’t talk so much! I never meant to tell you this. Please, my dear, I beg of you not to speak to them about it! Never mind the rights and wrongs of the case, if this all gets out, they will make it too hot for my boy to stay on at the school; and if he had to stop going to the school, we should never be able to afford a tutor for him, quite apart from all the extra expense I should have of feeding him during the day.’
‘Never mind about all that!’ said Mrs Huang. ‘We’ll worry about that after I’ve spoken to them and seen what happens.’
Dismissing her sister-in-law’s entreaties, she sent the old servant-woman out for a cab, and getting inside, drove straight off to the Ning-guo mansion. But by the time she had reached it, driven in at the east end gate, dismounted from the carriage and gone in to see You-shi, the edge had already worn off her anger, and it was only after deferential inquiries about the health and comfort of her hostess and various other inconsequential matters that she got around to asking what had become of Qin-shi, who was usually in evidence during her visits.
‘I don’t know what’s the matter with her lately,’ said You-shi. ‘It’s been more than two months now since she had a period, yet the doctors say she isn’t pregnant. And during the last few days she’s been getting so tired and listless in the afternoons: doesn’t feel like doing anything; doesn’t even feel like talking; all the spirit seems to have gone out of her. I’ve said to her, “Never mind about wifely duties. Just forget about the morning and evening visits and concentrate on getting better. Even when relations call,” I said, “I can see to them myself. And never mind what the older members of the family might say: I’ll do all the explaining for you.” I’ve spoken to Rong, as well. “You’re not to tire her out,” I told him, “and you’re not to let her get upset! She must just rest quietly for a few days and look after herself. And if there’s anything she fancies to eat, just come to my apartment to get it. Because if anything should happen to her,” I said, “you wouldn’t find another wife like that, with her looks and her good nature, if you took a lantern to look for her.” She’s such a sweet person, there isn’t anyone among our relations or among the older members of the family who doesn’t love her. I’ve been so worried on her account these last few days. And just to make matters worse, first thing this morning her young brother comes along – Silly little boy! he ought to have realized that his sister wasn’t well and not in a condition to listen to such things, even if he’d suffered ten thousand times the injustice! – It seems that yesterday there was a fight at the school. One of the external students – I don’t know which one it was – had been bullying him; and there were a lot of other very nasty things as well. So he had to go and tell all this to his sister. Well, you know how sensitive she is, my dear, in spite of the fact that she always seems so lively and full of fun to talk to. The slightest little thing can upset her and set her brooding on it for whole days and nights together. In fact, this illness has been brought on by too much worrying, I’m sure of it. Well, this morning when she heard that someone had been bullying her brother, it both upset her and at the same time made her angry. She was upset to think that those horrible boys at the school should be able to twist things round and say such terrible things about him, but she was also angry with him, because she said he must have been getting into bad ways and not giving his mind properly to his studies to have got into trouble of this sort in the first place. So of course, because of this upset she wouldn’t have any breakfast. I’ve just been round there trying to calm her. I gave her brother a talking-to and sent him round to see Bao-yu, and I stood over her while she ate half a bowlful of bird’s-nest soup. I’ve only just this minute got back. Oh, I’m so worried about her, my dear! We haven’t got a good doctor at the moment, either. It pierces me to the heart when I think about that child’s illness! I suppose you don’t happen to know of a good doctor, do you?’
Mrs Huang’s determination to have things out with Qin-shi, of which she had boasted so valiantly at her sister-in-law’s, had, in the course of this outpouring, fled to the far kingdom of Java. She hastened to own that she knew of no good doctor.
‘But hearing what you have said about this illness,’ she added, ‘I can’t help wondering if it may not after all be pregnancy. You want to be careful they don’t give her the wrong treatment. If they give her the wrong treatment for that, there will be real trouble!’
‘I know,’ said You-shi. ‘That’s what I say.’
While they were still talking, Cousin Zhen came in from outside. ‘Isn’t this Cousin Huang’s wife?’ he asked You-shi, catching sight of the visitor. Mrs Huang dropped him a curtsey and a ‘how-do-you-do’. ‘You must ask our cousin to dinner,’ he said, going on into the room beyond.
The original object of Mrs Huang’s visit had of course been to complain to Qin-shi about Qin Zhong’s treatment of her nephew. Hearing of Qin-shi’s illness she had abandoned all thought of even mentioning the subject; and now that Cousin Zhen and You-shi were being so nice to her, her anger gradually gave way to pleasure, and after gossiping a while longer she went off home.
When she had gone, Cousin Zhen came in again and sat down.
‘What did she come about today?’ he asked You-shi.
‘Oh,’ said You-shi, ‘nothing in particular. When she first came in she appeared to be upset about something or other, then after we’d been talking for some time and I mentioned that Rong’s wife was ill, she gradually calmed down. When you invited her to dinner she knew she couldn’t very well stay on with sickness in the house and left after chatting a few minutes longer. She didn’t ask for anything before she went.
‘But let’s talk about that child’s illness. The thing is, you really must find a good doctor to look at her, before it gets too late. This lot we have around the house at present are completely useless! Each one of them just listens to what you say and then gives it back to you with a few learned words thrown in. And they’re so terribly conscientious about it! We have three or four of them coming by turns every day, and sometimes they’ll take her pulse four or five times in the same day. Then they have long discussions while they decide on a prescription. None of the medicine does her any good, and the only consequence of all this is that she is having to change her clothes four or five times in a day and be constantly getting up and sitting down to see these doctors, which is no good at all for a person in her condition.’
‘Oh, she’s a silly child!’ said Cousin Zhen. ‘There’s no need for all this dressing and undressing. Suppose she caught a chill on top of this other illness, that would be really frightful. Never mind about the clothes, for goodness’ sake, however good they are! It’s the child’s health that matters. Who cares if she has to have a completely new outfit every day? We can afford it.
‘What I was going to tell you is that I’ve just had a visit from Feng Zi-ying. He noticed that something was bothering me, and when he asked me what it was I explained that our daughter-in-law isn’t well and told him how worried we are because we haven’t got a decent doctor who can tell us for sure whether it’s pregnancy or disease, so that we don’t even know how serious it is. Then Feng Zi-ying told me about a scholar friend of his called Zhang You-shi. He and Feng were at school together. He is a man of very wide learning including, apparently, an excellent knowledge of medicine and the ability to tell with certainty whether a disease is curable or not. He’s up at the capital this year to purchase a place for his son and is at present staying in Feng Zi-ying’s house. It looks as if in his hands she might stand a good chance of getting better. Anyway, I’ve already sent someone round with my card and and asked him to call. It’s getting a bit late for him to come today, but he should definitely be round tomorrow. Feng Zi-ying promised to see him when he got back and put in a word for me to make quite sure that he agrees to come. So we’ll just have to wait and see what this Dr Zhang says.’
You-shi was delighted with this news.
‘And what are we going to do about Father’s birthday?’ she asked. ‘It’s the day after tomorrow.’
‘I’ve just been out to see him,’ said Cousin Zhen, ‘and I took the opportunity while I was there of asking him if he would come over on his birthday to receive everyone’s kotows, but he refused. He said, “I’ve got used to the peace and quiet of the monastery and I’m not willing to go back into your quarrelsome world again. If you insist on celebrating my birthday it would be a hundred times better to have my tract on Divine Rewards written out by a good calligrapher and cut on blocks for printing than to drag me back to your house for a lot of senseless head-knocking.” He said, “If the family turn up tomorrow and the day after for my birthday, you can give them a party yourself. But don’t go sending me any presents,” he said, “and don’t come yourself! If it will set your mind at rest you can give me a kotow now and get it over with. But if you come round here the day after tomorrow with a lot of other people to pester me, I shall refuse to see you.” Well, after that I obviously can’t go again on his birthday. We’d better have Lai Sheng in and make arrangements for two days’ entertainment.’
You-shi called in Jia Rong.
‘Tell Lai Sheng to prepare the usual two-day party for Grandfather,’ she said. ‘Say we want a really good spread. We shall be asking Lady Jia and Sir Zheng and Lady Wang and your Auntie Lian from the other house: you can go round yourself to invite them.
‘And by the way: today your father heard of a good doctor and has already sent someone to ask him round. He should be coming tomorrow. When he does, you had better tell him exactly what your wife’s symptoms have been during the past few days.’
Jia Rong promised to carry out his mother’s instructions and left the room, encountering, as he did so, the youth who had been sent to Feng Zi-ying’s house to request a call from the doctor. He had just got back from delivering his message and reported to Jia Rong as follows:
‘I took the Master’s card to the doctor at Mr Feng’s house and asked him to call. He said Mr Feng had already spoken to him about it, but he had been out visiting all day and only just got back and he simply didn’t have the energy to go out any more today. He said, “Even if I were to go round to your house now I shouldn’t be able to take the young lady’s pulse. It would take me all night to get my breathing regulated. However,” he said, “I shall definitely call round tomorrow.” And he said, “My knowledge of medicine is really too slight for a consultation of this importance, but as your master and Mr Feng are so pressing, I obviously cannot refuse. But I hope you will explain this to your master.” And he said, “As for your master’s card, that is an honour I really cannot accept”; and he made me bring it back. Will you please pass on this message for me, Master Rong?’
Jia Rong turned and went back into the room to tell his parents. Going out once more, he summoned Lai Sheng and gave instructions for preparing a two-day birthday party, which Lai Sheng duly proceeded to put into operation. But of that no more.
About noon next day one of the servants at the gate came in to report:
‘The Dr Zhang you sent for has arrived, sir’.
Cousin Zhen went out to receive the doctor and conducted him into the main reception room, where they both sat down. He waited until the doctor had taken tea before broaching the subject of his visit.
‘Yesterday Mr Feng was telling me about your great learning,’ said Cousin Zhen. ‘I gather that it includes a profound knowledge of medicine. I assure you I was very much impressed.’
‘I am only a very indifferent scholar,’ replied Dr Zhang, ‘and my knowledge is really extremely superficial. However, Mr Feng was telling me yesterday of the courteous and considerate patronage of scholars which is traditional in your family, so when I received your summons I felt unable to refuse. I must insist, though, that I am entirely lacking in real learning and am acutely embarrassed to think that this will all too soon become apparent.’
‘My dear sir, you are altogether too modest,’ said Cousin Zhen. ‘Do you think I could ask you to go in now and have a look at my daughter-in-law? We are relying on your superior knowledge to put us out of our uncertainty.’
He left the doctor in the charge of Jia Rong, who conducted him through the inner part of the house to his own apartment, where Qin-shi was.
‘Is this the lady?’ asked the doctor.
‘Yes, this is my wife,’ Jia Rong replied. ‘Do sit down! I expect you would like me to describe her symptoms first, before you take the pulse?’
‘If you will permit me, no,’ said the doctor. ‘I think it would be better if I took the pulse first and asked you about the development of the illness afterwards. This is the first time I have been to your house, and as I am not a skilled practitioner and have only come here at our friend Mr Feng’s insistence, I think I should take the pulse and give you my diagnosis first. We can go on to talk about her symptoms and discuss a course of treatment if you are satisfied with the diagnosis. And of course, it will still be up to you to decide whether or not the treatment I prescribe is to be followed.’
‘You speak with real authority, doctor,’ said Jia Rong. ‘I only wish we had got to hear of you earlier. Take her pulse now, then, and let us know whether what she has can be cured, so that my parents may be spared further anxiety.’
At this point Qin-shi’s women carried in a large arm-rest of the kind used in consultations, propped her forward with her arms across it, and drew back her sleeves, exposing both arms at the wrist. The doctor stretched out his hand and laid it on her right wrist, then, having first regulated his own breathing in order to be able to count the rate, he felt the pulses with great concentration for the space of several minutes, after which he transferred to the left wrist and spent an equal amount of time on that. This done, he proposed that they should withdraw to the outside room to talk.
Jia Rong accompanied him outside and sat with him on the kang. An old woman served tea, which Jia Rong invited the doctor to take, waiting until he had done so before asking him for his diagnosis.
‘Tell me, doctor, from your reading of my wife’s pulse, do you think she can be cured?’
‘Well, the lower left distal pulse is rapid and the lower left median pulse is strong and full,’ said the doctor. ‘On the right side, the distal pulse is thin and lacks strength and the median pulse is faint and lacks vitality.
‘Now, a rapid lower left-hand distal pulse means that a malfunction of the controlling humour of the heart is causing it to generate too much fire; and the strong lower median pulse means that the liver’s humour is blocked, giving rise to a deficiency of blood. A thin, weak distal pulse on the right side indicates a gross deficiency of humour in the lungs; and a faint right median pulse lacking in vitality shows that the earth of the spleen is being subdued by the woody element of the liver.
‘If the heart is generating fire, the symptoms should be irregularity of the menses and insomnia. A deficiency of blood and blockage of humour in the liver would result in pain and congestion under the ribs, delay of the menses beyond their term, and burning sensations in the heart. A deficiency of humour in the lungs would give rise to sudden attacks of giddiness, sweating at five or six in the morning, and a sinking feeling rather like the feeling you get in a pitching boat. And if the earth of the spleen is being subdued by the wood of the liver, she would undoubtedly experience loss of appetite, lassitude, and general enfeeblement of the whole body. If my reading of the lady’s pulse is correct, she ought to be showing all these symptoms. Some people would tell you they indicated a pregnancy, but I am afraid I should have to disagree.’
‘You must have second sight, doctor!’ said one of the old women, a body-servant of Qin-shi’s who was standing by. ‘What you have said exactly describes how it is with her; there is no need for us to tell you anything more. Of all the doctors we’ve lately had around here to look at her none has ever spoken as much to the point as this. Some have said she’s expecting; others have said it’s illness; one says it’s not serious; another only gives her till the winter solstice; not one of them tells you anything you can really rely on. Please doctor, you tell us: just how serious is this illness?’
‘I am afraid my colleagues have allowed your mistress’s condition to deteriorate,’ said the doctor. ‘If she had been given proper treatment at the very beginning, when she first started her courses, there is every reason to suppose that she would by now be completely cured. But the illness has been neglected for so long now, this breakdown was almost bound to happen. I would say that with proper treatment she has about a one in three chance of recovery. We shall just have to see how she responds to my medicine. If, after taking it, she can get a good night’s sleep, her chances will be distinctly better: say fifty-fifty.
‘From my reading of her pulse, I should expect your mistress to be a very highly strung, sensitive young woman. Sometimes, when people are over-sensitive, they find a good deal that is upsetting in what goes on around them; and of course, if things are upsetting them, they will tend to worry a lot. This illness has been caused by too much worry affecting the spleen and causing an excess of wood in the liver, with the result that the menstrual blood has been prevented from flowing at the proper times. If we were to ask your mistress about the dates of her courses, I am sure we should find that they tended to be on the late side, isn’t that so?’
‘Absolutely right,’ the old woman replied. ‘Her periods have never been early. Sometimes two or three days late, sometimes as much as ten days: but in any case, always late.’
‘You see!’ said the doctor. ‘There is the cause of the trouble. If she could have been treated in time with something to fortify the heart and stabilize the humours, she would never have got into this present state. What we have now, I am afraid, is an advanced case of dehydration. Well, we shall have to see what my medicine can do for her.’
He wrote out the following prescription and handed it to Jia Rong:
For a decoction to increase the breath, nourish the heart, fortify the spleen and calm the liver
Ginseng
2 drams
Atractylis (clay-baked)
2 drams
Lycoperdon
3 drams
Nipplewort (processed)
4 drams
Angelica
2 drams
White peony root
2 drams
Hemlock parsley
1½ drams
Yellow vetch root
3 drams
Ground root of nutgrass
2 drams
Hare’s ear (in vinegar)
¾ dram
Huaiqing yam
2 drams
Dong E ass’s glue (prepn with powdered oyster-shell)
2 drams
Corydalis (cooked in wine)
1½ drams
Roast liquorice
¾ dram
Adjuvant: Excoriate and remove pits from 7 lotus-seeds; Item 2 large jujubes.
‘Most impressive!’ said Jia Rong, glancing at the prescription. ‘Tell me, though, doctor: just how serious is this illness? Is her life in danger?’
The doctor smiled. ‘You are an intelligent young man, Mr Jia. When an illness has reached this stage, it is not going to be cured in an afternoon. We must see how she responds to medication. As I see it, there is no real danger this winter. I should say that if she can get past the spring equinox, you could look forward to a complete recovery.’
Jia Rong was intelligent enough to understand the real import of what the doctor was telling him and did not question him further. Having first seen him out, he went in to show the prescription and written summary of the diagnosis to Cousin Zhen and gave both his parents a full account of what the doctor had said.
‘No other doctor has ever spoken so convincingly,’ said You-shi, turning to Cousin Zhen. ‘I am sure his medicine will do her good.’
Cousin Zhen smiled complacently.
‘This man is no medical hack practising for a living,’ he said. ‘It’s only because Feng Zi-ying is such a good friend of mine that he could be persuaded to come and see us. Perhaps with a man like this treating her our daughter-in-law stands some chance of getting better. I see there is ginseng in that prescription, by the way. You can use some of that pound of high-grade ginseng we bought the other day.’
Seeing that they had no more to say, Jia Rong went out and ordered the drugs for Qin-shi’s medicine to be purchased and prepared. But you will have to read the next chapter if you want to know what effect the medicine had on her when she had taken it.