第十六回
第十六回 贾元春才选凤藻宫 秦鲸卿夭逝黄泉路
话说宝玉见收拾了外书房，约定与秦钟读夜书。偏那秦钟秉赋最弱，因在郊外受了些风霜，又与智能儿偷期绻缱，未免失于调养，回来时便咳嗽伤风，懒进饮食，大有不胜之态，遂不敢出门，只在家中养息。宝玉便扫了兴头，只得付于无可奈何，且自静候大愈时再约。
那凤姐儿已是得了云光的回信，俱已妥协。老尼达知张家，果然那守备忍气吞声的收了前聘之物。谁知那张家父母如此爱势贪财，却养了一个知义多情的女儿，闻得父母退了前夫，他便一条麻绳悄悄的自缢了。那守备之子闻得金哥自缢，他也是个极多情的，遂也投河而死，不负妻义。张李两家没趣，真是人财两空。这里凤姐却坐享了三千两，王夫人等连一点消息也不知道。自此凤姐胆识愈壮，以后有了这样的事，便恣意的作为起来，也不消多记。
一日正是贾政的生辰，宁荣二处人丁都齐集庆贺，闹热非常。忽有门吏忙忙进来，至席前报说：“有六宫都太监[1]夏老爷来降旨。”唬的贾赦贾政〔一〕等一干人不知是何消息，忙止了戏文，撤去酒席，摆了香案，启中门跪接。早见六宫都太监夏守忠乘马而至，前后左右又有许多内监跟从。那夏守忠也并不曾负诏捧敕，至檐前下马〔二〕，满面笑容，走至厅上，南面而立，口内说：“特旨：立刻宣贾政入朝，在临敬殿陛见[4]。”说毕，也不及吃茶，便乘马去了。贾政等不知是何兆头，只得急忙更衣入朝。
贾母等合家人等心中皆惶惶不定，不住的使人飞马来往报信。有两个时辰工夫，忽见赖大等三四个管家喘吁吁跑进仪门报喜，又说“奉老爷命，速请老太太带领太太等进朝谢恩”等语。那时贾母正心神不定，在大堂廊下伫立，那邢夫人、王夫人、尤氏、李纨、凤姐、迎春姊妹以及薛姨妈等皆在一处，听如此信至，贾母便唤进赖大来细问端的。赖大禀道：“小的们只在临敬门外伺候，里头的信息一概不能得知。后来还是夏太监出来道喜，说咱们家大小姐晋封为凤藻宫尚书[5]，加封贤德妃。后来老爷出来亦如此吩咐小的。如今老爷又往东宫去了，速请老太太领着太太们去谢恩〔三〕。”
贾母等听了方心神安定，不免又都洋洋喜气盈腮。于是都按品大妆起来〔四〕。贾母带领邢夫人、王夫人、尤氏，一共四乘大轿入朝。贾赦、贾珍亦换了朝服，带领贾蓉、贾蔷奉侍贾母大轿前往。于是宁荣两处上下里外，莫不欣然踊跃，个个面上皆有得意之状，言笑鼎沸不绝。
谁知近日水月庵的智能私逃进城，找至秦钟家下看视秦钟，不意被秦业知觉，将智能逐出，将秦钟打了一顿，自己气的老病发作，三五日光景呜呼死了。秦钟本自怯弱，又带病未愈，受了笞杖，今见老父气死，此时悔痛无及，更又添了许多症候。因此宝玉心中怅然如有所失。虽闻得元春晋封之事，亦未解得愁闷。贾母等如何谢恩，如何回家，亲朋如何来庆贺，宁荣两处近日如何热闹，众人如何得意，独他一个皆视有如无，毫不曾介意。因此众人嘲他越发呆了。
且喜贾琏与黛玉回来，先遣人来报信，明日就可到家，宝玉听了，方略有些喜意。细问原由，方知贾雨村亦进京陛见，皆由王子腾累上保本[8]，此来候补京缺，与贾琏是同宗弟兄，又与黛玉有师从之谊，故同路作伴而来。林如海已葬入祖坟了，诸事停妥，贾琏方进京的。本该出月到家，因闻得元春喜信，遂昼夜兼程而进，一路俱各平安。宝玉只问得黛玉“平安”二字，馀者也就不在意了。
好容易盼至明日午错[9]，果报：“琏二爷和林姑娘进府了。”见面时彼此悲喜交集，未免又大哭一阵，后又致喜庆之词。宝玉心中品度黛玉，越发出落的超逸了。黛玉又带了许多书籍来，忙着打扫卧室，安插器具，又将些纸笔等物分送宝钗、迎春、宝玉等人。宝玉又将北静王所赠鹡鸰香[10]串珍重取出来，转赠黛玉。黛玉说：“什么臭男人拿过的！我不要他。”遂掷而不取。宝玉只得收回，暂且无话。
且说贾琏自回家参见过众人，回至房中。正值凤姐近日多事之时，无片刻闲暇之工，见贾琏远路归来，少不得拨冗接待，因房内无外人，便笑道：“国舅老爷大喜！国舅老爷一路风尘辛苦。小的听见昨日的头起报马[11]来报，说今日大驾归府，略预备了一杯水酒掸尘，不知可赐光谬领否？”贾琏笑道：“岂敢岂敢，多承多承。”一面平儿与众丫鬟参拜毕，献茶。
贾琏遂问别后家中的诸事，又谢凤姐的操持劳碌。凤姐道：“我那里照管得这些事！见识又浅，口角又笨，心肠又直率，人家给个棒槌，我就认作‘针’〔五〕。脸又软，搁不住人给两句好话，心里就慈悲了。况且又没经历过大事，胆子又小，太太略有些不自在，就吓的我连觉也睡不着了。我苦辞了几回，太太又不容辞，倒反说我图受用，不肯习学了。殊不知我是捻着一把汗儿呢。一句也不敢多说，一步也不敢多走。你是知道的，咱们家所有的这些管家奶奶们，那一位是好缠的？错一点儿他们就笑话打趣，偏一点儿他们就指桑说槐的抱怨。‘坐山观虎斗’，‘借剑杀人’，‘引风吹火’，‘站干岸儿’，‘推倒油瓶不扶’，都是全挂子的武艺。况且我年纪轻，头等不压众，怨不得不放我在眼里。更可笑，那府里忽然蓉儿媳妇死了，珍大哥又再三再四的在太太跟前跪着讨情，只要请我帮他几日；我是再四推辞，太太断不依，只得从命。依旧被我闹了个马仰人翻，更不成个体统，至今珍大哥哥还抱怨后悔呢。你这一来了，明儿你见了他，好歹描补描补[13]，就说我年纪小，原没见过世面，谁叫大爷错委他的。”
正说着，只听外间有人说话，凤姐便问：“是谁？”平儿进来回道：“姨太太打发了香菱妹子来问我一句话，我已经说了，打发他回去了。”贾琏笑道：“正是呢，方才我见姨妈去，不防和一个年轻的小媳妇子撞了个对面，生的好齐整模样。我疑惑咱家并无此人，说话时因问姨妈，谁知就是上京来买的那小丫头，名叫香菱的，竟与薛大傻子作了房里人，开了脸[14]，越发出挑的标致了。那薛大傻子真玷辱了他。”凤姐道：“嗳！往苏杭走了一趟回来，也该见些世面了，还是这么眼馋肚饱的。你要爱他，不值什么，我去拿平儿换了他来如何？那薛老大也是‘吃着碗里看着锅里’的〔六〕，这一年来的光景，他为要香菱不能到手，和姨妈打了多少饥荒[16]。也因姨妈看着香菱模样儿好还是末则，其为人行事，却又比别的女孩子不同，温柔安静，差不多的主子姑娘也跟他不上呢，故此摆酒请客的费事，明堂正道的与他作了妾〔七〕。过了没半月，也看的马棚风[18]一般了〔八〕，我倒心里可惜了的〔九〕。”一语未了，二门上小厮传报：“老爷在大书房等二爷呢。”贾琏听了，忙忙整衣出去。
这里凤姐乃问平儿：“方才姨妈有什么事，巴巴的打发了香菱来？”平儿笑道：“那里来的香菱，是我借他暂撒个谎。奶奶说说，旺儿嫂子越发连个成算[21]也没了。”说着，又走至凤姐身边，悄悄的说道：“奶奶的那利钱银子，迟不送来，早不送来，这会子二爷在家，他且送这个来了。幸亏我在堂屋里撞见，不然时走了来回奶奶，二爷倘或问奶奶是什么利钱，奶奶自然不肯瞒二爷的，少不得照实告诉二爷。我们二爷那脾气，油锅里的钱还要找出来花呢，听见奶奶有了这个梯己，他还不放心的花了呢。所以我赶着接了过来，叫我说了他两句，谁知奶奶偏听见了问，我就撒谎说香菱来了。”凤姐听了笑道：“我说呢，姨妈知道你二爷〔一〇〕来了，忽喇巴[23]的反打发个房里人来了？原来你这蹄子肏鬼。”
说话时贾琏已进来，凤姐便命摆上酒馔来，夫妻对坐。凤姐虽善饮，却不敢任兴，只陪侍着贾琏。一时贾琏的乳母赵嬷嬷走来，贾琏凤姐忙让吃酒，令其上炕去。赵嬷嬷执意不肯。平儿等早于炕沿下设下一杌[24]，又有一小脚踏，赵嬷嬷在脚踏上坐了。贾琏向桌上拣两盘肴馔与他放在杌上自吃。凤姐又道：“妈妈很嚼不动那个，倒没的矼了他的牙[25]。”因向平儿道：“早起我说那一碗火腿炖肘子很烂，正好给妈妈吃，你怎么不拿了去赶着叫他们热来？”又道：“妈妈，你尝一尝你儿子带来的惠泉酒[26]。”赵嬷嬷道：“我喝呢，奶奶也喝一盅，怕什么？只不要过多了就是了。我这会子跑了来，倒也不为饮酒，倒有一件正经事，奶奶好歹记在心里，疼顾我些罢。我们这爷，只是嘴里说的好，到了跟前就忘了我们。幸亏我从小儿奶了你这么大。我也老了，有的是那两个儿子，你就另眼照看他们些，别人也不敢呲牙儿[27]的。我还再四的求了你几遍，你答应的倒好，到如今还是燥屎[28]。这如今又从天上跑出这一件大喜事来，那里用不着人？所以倒是和奶奶来说是正经，靠着我们爷，只怕我还饿死了呢。”
凤姐笑道：“妈妈你放心，两个奶哥哥都交给我。你从小儿奶的儿子，你还有什么不知他那脾气的？拿着皮肉倒往那不相干的外人身上贴。可是现放着奶哥哥，那一个不比人强？你疼顾照看他们，谁敢说个‘不’字儿？没的白便宜了外人——我这话也说错了，我们看着是‘外人’，你却看着‘内人’[29]一样呢。”说的满屋里人都笑了。赵嬷嬷也笑个不住，又念佛道：“可是屋子里跑出青天来了。若说‘内人’‘外人’这些混帐缘故，我们爷〔一一〕是没有，不过是脸软心慈，搁不住人求两句罢了。”凤姐笑道：“可不是呢，有‘内人’的他才慈软呢，他在咱们娘儿们跟前才是刚硬呢！”赵嬷嬷笑道：“奶奶说的太尽情了，我也乐了，再吃一杯好酒。从此我们奶奶作了主，我就没的愁了。”
贾琏此时没好意思，只是讪笑吃酒，说“胡说”二字，——“快盛饭来，吃碗子还要往珍大爷那边去商议事呢。”凤姐道：“可是别误了正事。才刚老爷叫你作什么？”贾琏道：“就为省亲。”凤姐忙问道：“省亲[31]的事竟准了不成？”贾琏笑道：“虽不十分准，也有八分准了。”凤姐笑道：“可见当今[32]的隆恩。历来听书看戏，古时从未有的。”赵嬷嬷又接口道：“可是呢，我也老糊涂了。我听见上上下下吵嚷了这些日子，什么省亲不省亲，我也不理论他去；如今又说省亲，到底是怎么个原故？”贾琏道：“如今当今贴体万人之心，世上至大莫如‘孝’字[33]，想来父母儿女之性，皆是一理，不是贵贱上分别的。当今自为日夜侍奉太上皇、皇太后，尚不能略尽孝意，因见宫里嫔妃才人等皆是入宫多年，抛离父母音容，岂有不思想之理？在儿女思想父母，是分所应当。想父母在家，若只管思念儿女，竟不能见，倘因此成疾致病，甚至死亡，皆由朕躬[34]禁锢，不能使其遂天伦之愿，亦大伤天和之事。故启奏太上皇、皇太后，每月逢二六日期，准其椒房[35]眷属入宫请候看视。于是太上皇、皇太后大喜，深赞当今至孝纯仁，体天格物。因此二位老圣人又下旨意，说椒房眷属入宫，未免有国体仪制，母女尚不能惬怀。竟大开方便之恩，特降谕诸椒房贵戚，除二六日入宫之恩外，凡有重宇别院之家，可以驻跸关防[36]之处，不妨启请内廷鸾舆[37]入其私第，庶可略尽骨肉私情、天伦中之至性。此旨一下，谁不踊跃感戴？现今周贵人[38]的父亲已在家里动了工了，修盖省亲别院呢。又有吴贵妃的父亲吴天祐家，也往城外踏看地方去了。这岂不有八九分了？”
赵嬷嬷道：“阿弥陀佛！原来如此。这样说，咱们家也要预备接咱们大小姐了？”贾琏道：“这何用说呢！不然，这会子忙的是什么？”凤姐笑道：“若果如此，我可也见个大世面了。可恨我小几岁年纪，若早生二三十年，如今这些老人家也不薄我没见世面了。说起当年太祖皇帝仿舜巡[39]的故事，比一部书还热闹，我偏没造化赶上。”赵嬷嬷道：“嗳哟哟，那可是千载希逢的！那时候我才记事儿，咱们贾府正在姑苏扬州一带监造海舫，修理海塘，只预备接驾一次，把银子都花的淌海水似的！说起来……”凤姐忙接道：“我们王府也预备过一次。那时我爷爷单管各国进贡朝贺的事，凡有的外国人来，都是我们家养活。粤、闽、滇、浙所有的洋船货物都是我们家的。”
赵嬷嬷道：“那是谁不知道的？如今还有个口号儿呢，说‘东海少了白玉床，龙王来请〔一二〕江南王’，这说的就是奶奶府上了。还有如今现在江南的甄家，嗳哟哟，好势派！独他家接驾四次，若不是我们亲眼看见，告诉谁谁也不信的。别讲银子成了土泥，凭是世上所有的，没有不是堆山塞海的，‘罪过可惜’四个字竟顾不得了。”凤姐道：“常听见我们太爷们也这样说，岂有不信的。只纳罕他家怎么就这么富贵呢？”赵嬷嬷道：“告诉奶奶一句话，也不过是拿着皇帝家的银子往皇帝身上使罢了！谁家有那些钱买这个虚热闹去？”
正说的热闹，王夫人又打发人来瞧凤姐吃了饭不曾。凤姐便知有事等他，忙忙的吃了半碗饭，漱口要走，又有二门上小厮们回：“东府里蓉、蔷二位哥儿来了。”贾琏才漱了口，平儿捧着盆盥手，见他二人来了，便问：“什么话？快说。”凤姐且止步稍候，听他二人回些什么。
贾蓉先回说：“我父亲打发我来回叔叔：老爷们已经议定了，从东边一带，借着东府里花园起，转至北边，一共丈量准了，三里半大，可以盖造省亲别院了。已经传人画图样去了，明日就得。叔叔才回家，未免劳乏，不用过我们那边去，有话明日一早再请过去面议。”贾琏笑着忙说：“多谢大爷费心体谅，我就不过去了。正经是这个主意才省事，盖造也容易；若采置别处地方去，那更费事，且倒不成体统。你回去说这样很好，若老爷们再要改时，全仗大爷谏阻，万不可另寻地方。明日一早我给大爷去请安去，再议细话罢。”贾蓉忙应几个“是”。
贾蔷又近前回说：“下姑苏聘请教习〔一三〕，采买女孩子，置办乐器行头[42]等事，大爷派了侄儿，带领着来管家两个儿子，还有单聘仁、卜固修两个清客相公，一同前往，所以命我来见叔叔。”贾琏听了，将贾蔷打量了打量〔一四〕，笑道：“你能在这一行么？这个事虽不算甚大，里头大有藏掖[44]的。”贾蔷笑道：“只好学习着办罢了。”
贾蓉在身旁灯影下悄拉凤姐的衣襟，凤姐会意，因笑道：“你也太操心了，难道大爷比咱们还不会用人？偏你又怕他不在行了。谁都是在行的？孩子们已长的这么大了，‘没吃过猪肉，也看见过猪跑’。大爷派他去，原不过是个坐纛旗儿[45]，难道认真的叫他去讲价钱会经纪[46]去呢！依我说就很好。”贾琏道：“自然是这样。并不是我驳回，少不得替他算计算计。”因问：“这一项银子动那一处的？”贾蔷道：“才也议到这里。赖爷爷说，不用从京里带下去，江南甄家还收着我们五万银子。明日写一封书信会票[47]我们带去，先支三万，下剩二万存着，等置办花烛彩灯并各色帘栊帐幔的使费。”贾琏点头道：“这个主意好。”
凤姐忙向贾蔷道：“既这样，我有两个在行妥当人，你就带他们去办，这个便宜了你呢。”贾蔷忙陪笑说：“正要和婶婶讨两个人呢，这可巧了。”因问名字。凤姐便问赵嬷嬷。彼时赵嬷嬷已听呆了话，平儿忙笑推他，他才醒悟过来，忙说：“一个叫赵天梁，一个叫赵天栋。”凤姐道：“可别忘了，我可干我的去了。”说着便出去了。贾蓉忙送出来，又悄悄的向凤姐道：“婶子要什么东西，吩咐我开个帐给蔷兄弟带了去，叫他按帐置办了来。”凤姐笑道：“别放你娘的屁！我的东西还没处撂呢，希罕你们鬼鬼祟祟的？”说着一径去了。
这里贾蔷也悄问贾琏：“要什么东西？顺便置来孝敬叔叔。”贾琏笑道：“你别兴头。才学着办事，倒先学会了这把戏。我短了什么，少不得写信来告诉你，且不要论到这里。”说毕，打发他二人去了。接着回事的人来，不止三四次，贾琏害乏，便传与二门上，一应不许传报，俱等明日料理。凤姐至三更时分方下来安歇，一宿无话。
次早贾琏起来，见过贾赦贾政，便往宁府中来，合同老管事的人等，并几位世交门下清客相公，审察两府地方，缮画省亲殿宇，一面察度办理人丁。自此后，各行匠役齐集，金银铜锡以及土木砖瓦之物，搬运移送不歇。先令匠人拆宁府会芳园墙垣楼阁，直接入荣府东大院中。荣府东边所有下人一带群房尽已拆去。当日宁荣二宅，虽有一小巷界断不通，然这小巷亦系私地，并非官道，故可以连属。会芳园本是从北拐角墙下引来一股活水，今亦无烦再引。其山石树木虽不敷用，贾赦住的乃是荣府旧园，其中竹树山石以及亭榭栏杆等物，皆可挪就前来。如此两处又甚近，凑来一处，省得许多财力，纵亦不敷，所添亦有限。全亏一个老明公[48]号山子野者，一一筹画起造。
贾政不惯于俗务，只凭贾赦、贾珍、贾琏、赖大、来升、林之孝、吴新登、詹光、程日兴等几人安插摆布。凡堆山凿池，起楼竖阁，种竹栽花，一应点景等事，又有山子野制度[49]。下朝闲暇，不过各处看望看望，最要紧处和贾赦等商议商议便罢了。贾赦只在家高卧，有芥豆之事，贾珍等或自去回明，或写略节[50]；或有话说，便传呼贾琏、赖大等领命。贾蓉单管打造金银器皿。贾蔷已起身往姑苏去了。贾珍、赖大等又点人丁，开册籍，监工等事，一笔不能写到，不过是喧阗热闹非常而已。暂且无话。
且说宝玉近因家中有这等大事，贾政不来问他的书，心中是件畅事；无奈秦钟之病日重一日，也着实悬心，不能乐业。这日一早起来才梳洗完毕，意欲回了贾母去望候秦钟，忽见茗烟在二门照壁前探头缩脑，宝玉忙出来问他：“作什么？”茗烟道：“秦相公不中用了！”宝玉听说，吓了一跳，忙问道：“我昨儿才瞧了他来，还明明白白，怎么就不中用了？”茗烟道：“我也不知道，才刚是他家的老头子来特告诉我的。”宝玉听了，忙转身回明贾母。贾母吩咐：“好生派妥当人跟去，到那里尽一尽同窗之情就回来，不许多耽搁了。”
宝玉听了，忙忙的更衣出来，车犹未备，急的满厅乱转。一时催促的车到，忙上了车，李贵、茗烟等跟随。来至秦钟门首，悄无一人，遂蜂拥至内室，唬的秦钟的两个远房婶母并几个弟兄都藏之不迭。
此时秦钟已发过两三次昏了，移床易箦[51]多时矣。宝玉一见，便不禁失声。李贵忙劝道：“不可不可，秦相公是弱症，未免炕上挺扛的骨头不受用，所以暂且挪下来松散些。哥儿如此，岂不反添了他的病？”宝玉听了，方忍住近前，见秦钟面如白蜡，合目呼吸于枕上。宝玉忙叫道：“鲸兄！宝玉来了。”连叫两三声，秦钟不睬。宝玉又道：“宝玉来了。”
那秦钟早已魂魄离身，只剩得一口悠悠馀气在胸，正见许多鬼判持牌提索来捉他。那秦钟魂魄那里肯就去，又记念着家中无人掌管家务，又记挂着父亲还有留积下的三四千两银子，又记挂着智能尚无下落，因此百般求告鬼判。无奈这些鬼判都不肯徇私，反叱咤秦钟道：“亏你还是读过书的人，岂不知俗语说的：‘阎王叫你三更死，谁敢留人到五更。’我们阴间上下都是铁面无私的，不比你们阳间瞻情顾意，有许多的关碍处。”
正闹着，那秦钟魂魄忽听见“宝玉来了”四字，便忙又央求道：“列位神差，略发慈悲，让我回去，和这一个好朋友说一句话就来的。”众鬼道：“又是什么好朋友？”秦钟道：“不瞒列位，就是荣国公的孙子，小名宝玉。”都判官听了，先就唬慌起来，忙喝骂鬼使道：“我说你们放了他回去走走罢，你们断不依我的话，如今只等他请出个运旺时盛的人来才罢。”众鬼见都判如此，也都忙了手脚，一面又报怨道：“你老人家先是那等雷霆电雹，原来见不得‘宝玉’二字。依我们愚见，他是阳，我们是阴，怕他们也无益于我们。”都判道：“放屁！俗语说的好，‘天下官管天下事’，自古人鬼之道却是一般，阴阳并无二理。别管他阴也罢，阳也罢，还是把他放回没有错了的。”
众鬼听说，只得将秦魂放回，哼了一声，微开双目，见宝玉在侧，乃勉强叹道：“怎么不肯早来？再迟一步也不能见了。”宝玉忙携手垂泪道：“有什么话留下两句。”秦钟道：“并无别话。以前你我见识自为高过世人，我今日才知自误了。以后还该立志功名，以荣耀显达为是。”说毕，便长叹一声，萧然长逝了。
[1] 六宫都太监——六宫：皇后与妃嫔所居之处。都太监：太监的总管，作者虚拟的官名。都：总管之谓。
〔一〕 “贾赦贾政”，原无“贾赦”二字，从各本补。
〔二〕 “檐前下马”，原无“前”字，从梦稿、蒙府本补。
[4] 陛（bì币）见——臣下谒见皇帝。陛：宫殿的台阶。
[5] 凤藻宫尚书——凤藻宫：作者虚拟的宫名。尚书：官名，三国时魏国曾设女尚书之职。唐代白居易《上阳白发人》诗中有“大家（皇帝）遥赐尚书号”之句。清代无此例。
〔三〕 “速请老太太领着太太们去谢恩”，原作“速请太太领众去谢恩”，从甲戌、己卯、梦稿、戚序、蒙府本改。
〔四〕 “按品大妆起来”，原作“按品大小妆束起来了”，“束”为旁添，“了”点去。从甲戌、己卯、甲辰本改。
[8] 保本——封建官吏向皇帝保荐人才的奏本。
[9] 午错——过了正午。
[10] 鹡鸰香——上回作“苓香”，此回径作“鹡鸰香”。按：《诗·小雅·常棣》：“脊令在原，兄弟急难。”“脊令”同“鹡鸰”。后世即以“鹡鸰在原”比喻兄弟友爱。按：雪芹父、祖辈兄弟不和，康熙曾有谕旨，曹家之败，兄弟不和亦是内因之一，雪芹或借此以寄慨耳。
[11] 报马——这里代指报告消息的人。
〔五〕 “认作针”，甲戌、梦稿、戚序、舒序、甲辰本并同。原作“认作真”，“真”旁改为“针”。
[13] 描补——这里指说话办事有不周到处，事后加以解释弥补。
[14] 开脸——旧俗女子出嫁时用线绞净脸上的汗毛，修齐鬓角，叫作“开脸”。
〔六〕 “锅里的”，原无“里”字，从梦稿本补。
[16] 打饥荒——义有多种，此指纠缠不休。
〔七〕 “作了妾”，原作“作亲”，从甲戌、梦稿、甲辰本改。
[18] 马棚风——比喻习以为常。不当一回事。
〔八〕 “过了没半月，也看的马棚风一般了”，原作“过了没半月他就看的耳旁风一般了”，从舒序、甲辰本改。
〔九〕 “我倒心里可惜了的”，原作“说到这里心里怪可惜了的”，“这里”与“怪”字均为“旁添”。从甲戌、舒序本改。
[21] 成算——意为“心计”。
〔一〇〕 “知道你二爷”，原无“你”字，从各本补。
[23] 忽喇巴——忽然、凭空。
[24] 杌（wù物）——凳子。
[25] 矼（ɡànɡ杠）牙——又作“硌（ɡè各）牙”，牙齿嚼到硬东西而感到难受。
[26] 惠泉酒——惠泉水所酿的酒。惠泉在江苏无锡惠山第一峰下，号称“天下第二泉”。
[27] 呲（zī资）牙儿——掀唇露齿。这里引申为议论讥诮别人。
[28] 燥屎——歇后语：“燥屎——干搁着”。此指对受托之事漫不经心，搁置未办。
[29] 内人——对人称自己的妻子为“内人”。
〔一一〕 “我们爷”，原无“爷”字，从甲戌、梦稿、蒙府、舒序、甲辰本增。
[31] 省（xǐnɡ醒）亲——探望父母等长辈尊亲。省：探望问安。
[32] 当今——意同“今上”，即当朝皇帝。见第63页注③。
[33] 世上至大莫如“孝”字——《孝经·圣治章》：“人之行莫大于孝。”封建帝王“以孝治天下”，目的在由孝及忠，以巩固封建宗法制和君主制的统治。
[34] 朕（zhèn振）躬——皇帝自称。朕：本古人自称之词，意同“我”，至秦始皇始定为皇帝专用的自称，后代沿之。躬：自身。
[35] 椒房——汉代后妃住的宫室用花椒和泥涂壁，取其温暖有香气；又因花椒结实多，兼有希求多子之意。后以椒房代指后妃居处或后妃。
[36] 驻跸（bì毕）关防——驻跸：帝王后妃在宫外的停留驻扎。跸：帝王后妃出行，戒严清道，以防常人停留窥视。关防：出于礼制和保安的需要而采取的分隔内外的措施。清代内务府有执掌“关防”的机构和人员。
[37] 鸾舆——皇帝、后妃所乘的宫车。鸾：车上的鸾铃。
[38] 贵人——妃嫔称号的一种。
[39] 舜巡——古时天子巡行四方，祭山川，施教化，谓之“巡狩”。帝舜为古代圣君楷模相传曾南巡至苍梧之野，故这里称皇帝的巡行叫“舜巡”。
〔一二〕 “龙王来请”，原无“龙王”二字，从各本补。
〔一三〕 “下姑苏聘请教习”，原作“下姑苏割聘请教习”，“割”字点去，“请”为旁添，从底本改文。
[42] 行头——演戏所用的服装、道具等。
〔一四〕 “打量了打量”，原作“打谅了”，从甲戌、己卯、甲辰、梦稿本改。
[44] 藏掖——隐匿，这里指营私舞弊的机会。
[45] 坐纛（dào到）旗儿——纛：古代军中大旗。坐纛旗儿：即主帅，这里借指主事的人。
[46] 经纪——买卖。商人亦称经纪人。这里指旧时为买卖双方撮合交易从中赚取佣金的人。
[47] 会票——即“汇票”，唐时号曰：“飞钱”，明清始有“会票”之称。会票不仅用于汇款，且用作清偿债务的凭证。
[48] 明公——本用以称呼有学识有地位的人，后泛作对人的尊称，如同“先生”。
[49] 制度——这里作动词用，规划调度的意思。
[50] 略节——简略扼要的记事报告单子。
[51] 易箦（zé责）——易：更换。箦：竹席。孔子弟子曾参恪守礼制，病危时一定要人换掉大夫才能寝用的华美竹席。后因称人之将死为“易箦”。
CHAPTER 16. Jia Yuan-chun is selected for glorious promotion to the Imperial Bedchamber And Qin Zhong is summoned for premature departure on the Journey into Night
Xi-feng, Qin Zhong and Bao-yu, as we have said, called in at the Temple of the Iron Threshold on their way home. After looking round for a while, the three of them got back into their carriage and continued their journey into the city. Home once more, they first called on Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang and then went off to their several rooms. But of the rest of that day and the night which followed, our story says nothing.
Next morning Bao-yu found that his outer study had now been finished and was ready for use. He looked forward to beginning night-work in it with Qin Zhong, in accordance with a promise they had made each other. But unfortunately Qin Zhong’s always sickly constitution had been much neglected during their two-day excursion into the country, and the unwonted exposure to wind and cold and immoderate indulgence in secret frolic with Sapientia had resulted on his return in a cough and chill accompanied by total loss of appetite. Altogether he presented so sorry a spectacle that study was quite out of the question and they were obliged to send him back home to bed. Although Bao-yu was very disappointed, there was nothing at all he could do but wait for his friend to get better.
Xi-feng had now received Yun Guang’s reply to the bogus letter, expressing his readiness to comply with her (or, as he supposed, Jia Lian’s) request. Euergesia communicated this information to the Zhangs; and soon the captain, swallowing his anger and resentment as best he could, was obliged to receive back the betrothal gifts he had sent them on behalf of his son. But Jin-ge possessed a far nobler spirit than might have been expected in the daughter of such mercenary parents. On learning that her affianced had been sent packing, she quietly went off and hanged herself in her scarf. The captain’s son, too, turned out to be a young person of unexpectedly romantic notions, for on hearing that Jin-ge had hanged herself, he promptly threw himself into a river and was drowned. The Zhangs and the Lis were thus left in a very unenviable situation:
‘the maid and eke the money gone’
in the words of the poet. The only gainer was Xi-feng, who now had three thousand taels of silver to sit back and enjoy at her leisure. Not an inkling of this affair reached the ears of Lady Wang.
Emboldened by this taste of success, Xi-feng from now on undertook many more ventures of a similar nature – far more than we could give an account of in this history.
The day of Jia Zheng’s birthday arrived and all the members of the Ning-guo and Rong-guo households were gathered together to celebrate it. Just as the festivities were at their height, one of the janitors from the main gate burst in on the assembled company:
‘The Master of the Imperial Bedchamber Mr Xia is on his way, sir, with an announcement from His Majesty the Emperor!’
Jia She, Jia Zheng and the rest were taken completely by surprise, quite unable to guess what the meaning of this visitation could be. Hurriedly giving orders for the players to halt their performance and for all traces of the feast to be cleared away, they caused a table with burning incense (which would be required for the reading of the Proclamation, if there was one) to be set down in its place. Then, throwing open the centre of the three main gates, they knelt down in the entrance of the mansion to receive their visitor.
Soon Xia Bing-zhong, the Eunuch Master of the Bedchamber, arrived on horseback with a retinue of eunuchs at his back. He appeared to have no Imperial Proclamation or other document on his person, for instead of dismounting, as etiquette prescribed that he should if he was carrying a Written Instrument, he rode straight on to the foot of the main hall. There, with beaming countenance, he got down from his horse, climbed the steps, faced south and gave utterance to the following announcement:
‘By order of His Imperial Majesty:
Jia Zheng is commanded to present himself at court immediately for private audience with His Imperial Majesty in the Hall of Reverence.’
Having delivered this message he got straight back on to his horse without staying for so much as a cup of tea and rode away. Still no wiser, Jia Zheng hurried into his court dress and hastened to the Palace, leaving Grandmother Jia and the rest in an extreme state of alarm which they endeavoured (unsuccessfully) to allay by dispatching a regular stream of mounted couriers post-haste to the Palace to inquire for news.
About four hours later Lai Da, the Chief Steward of the Rong-guo mansion, and three or four other stewards came panting into the inner gate and gasped out congratulations.
‘Master’s orders,’ said Lai Da between breaths: ‘will Her Old Ladyship please bring Their Ladyships to the Palace to give thanks to His Majesty for the great favour he has shown us!’
Unable in her agitated state to remain indoors, Grandmother Jia had been waiting outside in the loggia, whither the others – Lady Xing, Lady Wang, You-shi, Li Wan, Xi-feng, Aunt Xue and the girls – had also congregated to await news of Jia Zheng. Grandmother Jia called Lai Da inside to explain his cryptic message in somewhat greater detail.
‘We servants were all waiting in an anteroom,’ Lai Da told her, ‘and we had no idea what was going on inside. Eventually Mr Xia came out and saw us waiting there. “Congratulations!” he said. “Your eldest young lady has been appointed Chief Secretary to the Empress and is to become an Imperial Concubine.” Then after that Master came out, too, and told us the same thing. “I have to go off to the East Palace now,” he said, “to see the Prince. But you must hasten back as quick as you can and tell Their Ladyships to come to the Palace and give thanks.” ’
Lai’s Da information at once dispelled the anxiety that Grandmother Jia and the others had all this time been feeling, and the worried looks on their faces quickly gave way to smiles of pleasure. Now a great dressing-up began as each lady robed herself in the costume appropriate to her rank. Then off they went to the Palace in four sedans one behind the other: Grandmother Jia’s at the head, then Lady Xing’s, then Lady Wang’s, and then You-shi’s. Jia She and Cousin Zhen also changed into court dress, and taking Jia Rong and Jia Qiang with them, accompanied Grandmother Jia to the Palace as her male escort.
There was one person who did not share the unbounded delight now general among the members of the Ning-guo and Rong-guo households – who behaved, indeed, almost as if he had not heard the news at all. This person was Bao-yu. What was the reason for his unsociable lack of enthusiasm on this occasion?
A short time previously the little nun Sapientia had absconded from Water-moon Priory and made her way into the city to look for Qin Zhong. Qin Bang-ye had discovered her, driven her from the house, and given Qin Zhong a beating. The shock and anger of the discovery had brought on an attack of the illness from which the old gentleman was a chronic sufferer, and within only four or five days he had breathed his last. Qin Zhong had always been of a weak and nervous disposition and had still not fully recovered from his sickness when these events occurred. The severe beating followed by the overwhelming grief and remorse attendant on the death of his father from anger which he had himself provoked led to serious complications in his illness.
This, then, was the reason for Bao-yu’s unseasonable melancholy – a melancholy which the news of his sister Yuan-chun’s dazzling promotion was powerless to dispel. Grandmother Jia’s visit to the Palace to give thanks, her return home, the visits of friends and relations to congratulate the family, the unwontedly cheerful bustle of the Ning and Rong households during the days that followed, the general satisfaction that everyone in those households now seemed to feel – as far as Bao-yu was concerned these things might just as well not have been: he viewed them with the eyes of an outsider. The rest of the family merely laughed at him, seeing in this behaviour only further confirmation of their belief that he was ‘a bit touched’.
But then there was Jia Lian’s and Dai-yu’s homecoming to look forward to. The advent of the messenger sent on ahead to announce that they would be arriving next day produced the first glimmer of cheerfulness that Bao-yu had so far shown. On being questioned for further details the messenger told them that Jia Yu-cun was also returning to the capital to have an audience with the Emperor. This was the doing of Wang Zi-teng, who had recommended him in a report to the throne for promotion to a metropolitan post. As he was both a cousin (albeit a remote one) of, Jia Lian and also Dai-yu’s former teacher, it had been resolved that he should travel with them. Lin Ru-hai having been laid with his ancestors in the family burying-ground and his obsequies duly concluded, they would, if they had proceeded to the capital by the usual stages, have been arriving back some time in the following month; but when Jia Lian heard the news about Yuan-chun’s elevation, they had decided to make greater speed, travelling by night as well as by day. The journey had been smooth and uneventful.
Bao-yu merely asked if Dai-yu was all right, and on being assured that she was, paid no further attention to the man’s news.
Having waited with great impatience until the early afternoon of the following day, Bao-yu and the rest were rewarded with the announcement ‘Mr Lian and Miss Lin have just arrived!’ The joy of their reunion was, however, tempered with grief, because of the two deaths that had occurred since their parting, and for a while there was much loud weeping on either side. Then there were words of comfort and congratulation to exchange and Bao-yu had an opportunity of studying Dai-yu more carefully. He recognized the same ethereal quality he had always known in her, but it seemed to have deepened and intensified during her absence.
She had brought a lot of books back with her and was soon busy superintending the sweeping out of her bedroom to accommodate them and arranging various objets d’art around it which had also formed part of her luggage. She had salvaged some paper, writing-brushes and other articles of stationery from her old home which she distributed as presents to Bao-chai, Ying-chun, Bao-yu and the rest. Bao-yu for his part hunted up the rosary of fragrant Indian beads given him by the Prince of Bei-jing and offered it as a gift to Dai-yu; but she flung it back at him disdainfully:
‘What, carry a thing that some coarse man has pawed over? I don’t want it!’
So Bao-yu was compelled to take it back again.
But let us now turn to Jia Lian.
When he had finished seeing everyone in the family, Jia Lian returned at last to his own apartment. Xi-feng, though still so busy that she had not a moment’s leisure, had somehow contrived to find time to welcome back her wandering lord.
‘Congratulations, Imperial Kinsman!’ she said with a smile when, except for the servants, they were at last alone together. ‘You have had a tiring journey, Imperial Kinsman. Yesterday when the courier gave notice of your arrival, I prepared a humble entertainment to celebrate your homecoming. Will the Imperial Kinsman graciously condescend to take a cup of wine with his handmaid?’
Jia Lian replied in the same vein:
‘Madam, you are too kind! I am your most oble-e-eged and humble servant, ma’am!’
As they joked together, Patience and the other maids came forward to welcome their Master back, after which they served them both with tea. Jia Lian asked Xi-feng about the events that had occurred during his absence and thanked her for looking after things so well while he was away.
‘I am not much of a manager really,’ said Xi-feng. ‘I haven’t got the knowledge, and I’m too poor at expressing myself and too simple-minded – always inclined to “take a ramrod for a needle”, as they say. Besides, I’m too soft-hearted for the job. Anyone who says a few kind words can get the better of me. And my lack of experience makes me so nervous. Aunt Wang only had to be the slightest bit displeased and I would get so upset that I couldn’t sleep at night. I begged her not to make me do all these things, but she insisted. She said I only refused out of laziness and unwillingness to learn. I don’t think she realizes even now the state I have been in – too scared to move or even to open my mouth for fear of saying or doing something wrong. And you know what a difficult lot those old stewardesses are. The tiniest mistake and they are all laughing at you and making fun; the tiniest hint of favouritism and they are grumbling and complaining. You know their way of “cursing the oak-tree when they mean the ash”. Those old women know just how to sit on the mountain-top and watch the tigers fight; how to murder with a borrowed knife, or help the wind to fan the fire. They will look on safely from the bank while you are drowning in the river. And the fallen oil-bottle can drain away: they are not going to pick it up. On top of that, as I am so young, I haven’t got much authority over them; so it was all I could do to prevent them from ignoring me altogether. And to crown it all, when Rong’s wife died Cousin Zhen kept coming round to see Aunt Wang and begging her on his knees to let me help out for a day or two next door. I said again and again that I couldn’t do it; but Aunt Wang agreed just to please him, so there was nothing for it but to do as I was told. I’m afraid I made a terrible mess of it – even worse than I did here. And now it seems Cousin Zhen is beginning to grumble and says he wishes he had never asked me. When you see him tomorrow, do please try to make it up with him. Tell him it’s because I’m young and inexperienced. You might even hint that it’s his own fault for having asked me in the first place!’
While she was saying this there was a sound of talking in the next room.
‘Who is it?’ said Xi-feng.
Patience came in to reply.
‘Mrs Xue sent Caltrop over to ask me about something. I’ve already given her an answer and sent her back.’
‘Ah yes!’ said Jia Lian, apparently pleased by the recollection. ‘When I went to call on Aunt Xue just now to tell her I was back, I ran into such a pretty young woman! I couldn’t place her as any of the girls in our household, so in the course of conversation I asked Aunt Xue who she was. It seems that she’s the little maid they had that lawsuit about. Cal— something. Caltrop. She’s finally been given as “chamber-wife” to that idiot Xue. Now that she has been plucked and painted like a grown-up woman she really does look most attractive! What a waste to throw away a beautiful girl on that great booby!’
Xi-feng made a little moue.
‘I should have thought that having just got back from Hangchow and Soochow and seen something of the world, you would have settled down a bit; but I see you are still the same greedy-guts as ever. Well, if you want her, there’s nothing simpler: I’ll exchange our Patience for her. You know what Cousin Xue is like: always “one eye on the dish and the other on the saucepan”. Throughout the whole of this last year there have been I don’t know how many alarms and excursions between him and poor Aunt Xue because she wouldn’t let him get his hands on Caltrop. It wasn’t just her looks that made her concerned for the girl. Everything about her is so unusual. She is so gentle and so quiet. Even among our own young ladies there is scarcely her equal. In the end Aunt Xue decided that if she couldn’t stop him having her, at least she could make sure that the thing was done properly, with a party and invitations and all the rest of it. So that’s what she did, and made her his chamber wife. But would you believe it, before a fortnight had gone by he had completely lost interest…!’
She was interrupted by an announcement from one of the pages on the inner gate:
‘Mr Zhen wants you, sir. He’s waiting for you in the larger study.’
At once Jia Lian did up his gown and hurried out.
‘What on earth did Mrs Xue want, sending Caltrop here like that?’ Xi-feng asked Patience as soon as he had gone.
‘It wasn’t Caltrop!’ said Patience. ‘I had to make something up and hers was the first name that came to mind. That wife of Brightie’s is such a stupid woman! Just imagine’ – she drew closer to Xi-feng’s ear and lowered her voice – ‘of all the times she could have chosen to bring you the interest on that money, she had to pick on the very moment when the Master has just got home! It’s lucky I was in the outside room when she came, otherwise she might have come blundering in here and Master would have heard her message. And we all know what Master is like where money is concerned: he’d spend the fat in the frying-pan if he could get it out! Once he found out that you had savings, he’d pluck up courage to spend them in no time. Anyway, I took the money from her quickly and gave her a piece of my mind – which I am afraid you must have heard. That’s why I had to say what I did. I’d never have mentioned Caltrop in the Master’s presence otherwise!’
Xi-feng laughed.
‘I was going to say! Why, for no apparent reason, should Mrs Xue choose a chamber-wife to send here the moment Master gets back? So it was you up to your tricks, you little monkey!’
At this point Jia Lian came in again and Xi-feng ordered her maids to serve the wine and various choice dishes to go with it. Husband and wife sat cross-legged at opposite sides of the low table on the kang and began their drinking – Xi-feng with some restraint, although she was normally a fairly hard drinker, in view of the occasion.
They had not been drinking long when Jia Lian’s old wet-nurse, Nannie Zhao, walked in. The young couple at once invited her to drink with them and tried to make her join them on the kang. This last honour she would under no circumstances accept, and Patience and the girls laid a little table for her at the side of the kang and set a little stool beside it, on which she sat down very contentedly. Jia Lian made a selection with his chopsticks from the dishes on the table, and after heaping up two platefuls, set them down on Nannie Zhao’s own little table for her to eat there by herself. Xi-feng was critical:
‘Nannie can’t chew stuff like that. She’ll break her teeth on it!’ She turned to Patience. ‘That piece of boiled gammon in the bowl I said this morning was so tender: that would be just the thing for Nannie. Why don’t you run round to the kitchen and ask them to heat it up for her? – Nannie,’ she said, addressing the old woman, ‘you must try some of the rice wine your Lian brought back with him from the South!’
‘Ooh yes!’ said Nannie Zhao, ‘I must try some of that! And you must have some too, Mrs Lian. Never fear! As long as you don’t drink too much, ’twill do you good. But I didn’t come all the way here for vittles and drink, bless you. I came on more serious business. And you heed my words, Mrs Lian, and stick up for me; because that Master Lian of yours he always says he’ll do something, but when you go to see him later, he’s clean forgot all about it! To think I reared you up on the milk of my own bosom, Master Lian! And a fine young man you’ve growed into, thanks be! Well, I’m old and of no account now. But there are these two sons of mine, d’ye see? If only you would be more like a foster-brother to them and look after them a bit, no one would dare say a word agen them. But dearie me! I’ve asked you again and again to help them, and you always says yes; yet to this very day nothing has ever come of it. Well, what I thought was this, Mrs Lian. With this great blessing of Heaven that’s come on the family on account of your eldest young lady, surely, I thought to myself, there must be jobs in this for someone? I’ll talk to Mrs Lian about it, I said to myself; because if I rely on Master Lian to help us, we’ll starve to death for certain sure!’
Xi-feng laughed.
‘Leave your two boys to me, Nannie. I’ll look after them! You know all about Lian’s little ways because you nursed him when he was a baby: he’ll give the dearest thing he has to some nobody he’s picked up outside, yet his own two foster-brothers who are much nicer young men than any of his favourites he neglects completely. If only you would take a bit of interest in them, Lian, you wouldn’t hear a word of complaint from anyone, instead of wasting your kindnesses on those – those little male misses of yours! I shouldn’t have called them “misses”, though. You treat the misses as your missus and give me the miss!’
There was a loud laugh from everyone present, including Nannie Zhao, who concluded her cackles with a pious invocation:
‘Bless his Holy Name! Here at last comes a just judge to set all things to rights – But oh Mrs Lian, those naughty things you said about “misses”: that’s not my Master Lian. It’s just that he’s so soft-hearted he can’t bring himself to say “no” to anyone who spins him a tale.’
‘Soft-hearted with his boy friends, maybe,’ said Xi-feng with a lubricious smile; ‘but when he has to do with us women he is hard enough.’
‘Tee, hee, hee, what a one you are, Mrs Lian! I don’t know when I was last so merry. Come on, let’s have another cup of that good wine! – Now that I’ve got Mrs Lian to stand up for me I shall have no more worries!’
Jia Lian was by now thoroughly embarrassed and laughed sheepishly.
‘Stop all this nonsense now and serve the rice! I’ve still got to go round to Cousin Zhen’s after this to discuss things.’
‘Ah yes,’ said Xi-feng. ‘We mustn’t make you late for that. What did Cousin Zhen want you for just now?’
‘It was about the visitation business,’ said Jia Lian.
‘Has it been settled, then?’
‘Well, not absolutely. Eight or nine parts settled, you might say.’
‘That’s a great favour of the Emperor’s, isn’t it?’ said Xi-feng. ‘Something you don’t hear of even in plays and stories about the olden days.’
‘Very true!’ chimed in Nannie Zhao. ‘But I must be getting old and stupid, for everywhere these last few days have been a-buzz with talk of “visitations”, but blessed if I can make head or tail of it. You tell us now: just what manner of thing is this “visitation”?’
Jia Lian undertook to do so.
‘Our present Emperor, who has always had a great sympathy for the common man, believes that the filial affection of a child for its parents is the most important thing in the world, and that family feeling is the same everywhere, irrespective of social rank. He has found that in his own case, even after seeing the Ex-Emperor and Ex-Empress morning, noon and night every day of his life, he is still unable to express more than a fraction of the devotion he feels for them; and this has led him to think of all those concubines and maids of honour and other court ladies, taken from their homes and shut up in the Palace for years and years on end, and to realize how much they must miss their parents. And from there he got to thinking of the parents themselves, how they must long for the daughters they can never see again. And then he thought what a crime against Nature it would be if any of those parents were to become ill as a result of not seeing their daughters. And so he addressed a Memorial to the Ex-Emperor and Ex-Empress requesting permission to allow the families of palace ladies to visit them in the Palace on the twelfth day of every month. When Their Old Majesties saw this Memorial they were very pleased and praised the Emperor for his piety and goodness – “doing Heaven’s work among men” they called it. But they pointed out in their Rescript that when the families of court ladies entered the Palace on these visits, they would inevitably be hampered by the restrictions of court etiquette in the expression of their natural feelings. So in the end, by an act of supreme generosity, the Emperor issued a special decree in which he said that, apart from allowing the families of court ladies to visit their daughters in the Palace on the twelfth day of each month, he would allow any family which had a separate house or annexe capable of being maintained in the degree of security specified for a Temporary Imperial Residence to make written application for permission to receive a Visitation in their own home, where the pleasures of reunion could be enjoyed in an atmosphere of intimacy and affection. The proclamation of this decree has created quite a stir. The Imperial Concubine Lady Zhou’s father already has the builders at work on a special wing for visitations in his house, and Lady Wu’s father, Wu Tian-you, has been outside the city looking for a site. So it’s already eight or nine parts settled, as I said.’
‘Bless my soul!’ said Nannie Zhao. ‘So that’s what it is! Well, I suppose in that case we shall soon be getting ready to receive our young lady?’
‘Of course,’ said Jia Lian. ‘What else do you think we’re all so busy about?’
‘If we do receive her,’ said Xi-feng, ‘it should be an experience worth remembering. I’ve often wished I’d been born twenty or thirty years earlier so that the old folk wouldn’t be able to look down on me for having missed so much. To hear them talk about the Emperor Tai-su’s Southern Progress is better than listening to a story-teller. How I wish I’d been there to see it all!’
‘Ah, now!’ said Nannie Zhao. ‘That’s the sort of thing that scarce comes once in a thousand years! I was not so young then that I can’t still remember. The head of the Jia family in those days was Superintendant of Shipyards and Harbour Maint’nance in the Soochow-Yangchow area and was chosen to receive the Emperor on one of his visits. The way they spent silver on that visit, why, it was like pouring out salt sea water! I call to mind…’
Xi-feng in her eagerness cut her short:
‘We Wangs received the Emperor on one of his visits, too. At that time my grandfather was in charge of all the foreign tribute and the embassies going up to Court. Whenever any foreigners arrived, it was always my family that put them up. All the goods brought by the foreign ships to the seaports in Kwangtung, Fukien, Yunnan and Chekiang passed through our hands.’
‘Everybody knows that,’ said Nannie Zhao. ‘There’s even a rhyme about it:
The King of the Ocean
Goes along,
When he’s short of gold beds,
To the Nanking Wang.
That’s your family: the “Nanking Wangs”. But then there’s the Zhens, who still live down thatway in Kiangnan. My word! There’s riches for you! That family alone received the Emperor four times! If I hadn’t seen with my own two eyes, I don’t care who told me, I wouldn’t have credited it, the sights I saw then! Never mind silver. Silver was just dirt to them. Every precious thing in the world you can think of they had there in mountains! Words like “save” and “spare” they just didn’t seem to know the meaning of!’
‘I believe you,’ said Xi-feng. ‘I’ve heard my grandfather talk about it, and he said it was just like that. But it still amazes me that a single family could have so much wealth.’
‘I’ll tell you something, Mrs Lian,’ said the knowledgeable Nannie. ‘’Twere no more than paying for the Emperor’s entertainment with the Emperor’s own silver. No family that ever lived had money enough of its own to pay for such spectacles of vanity!’
While they were chatting, Lady Wang sent someone round to see if Xi-feng had finished her dinner yet. Xi-feng realized that there must be something which demanded her attention and, finishing hurriedly, rinsed out her mouth and prepared to go. Before she could leave, however, the pages from the second gate announced the arrival of Jia Rong and Jia Qiang from the Ning-guo mansion next door. Jia Lian had just finished rinsing his mouth and was washing his hands in a basin held out for him by Patience when the two young men came into the room.
‘What is your message?’ he asked them.
Xi-feng, curious, stayed to hear.
‘Father sent us to tell you that the uncles have already reached a decision,’ said Jia Rong. ‘They have measured off an area just over a quarter of a mile square which takes in a part of our grounds, including the All-scents Garden, on the east side, and the north-west corner of your grounds on the west, to be turned into a Separate Residence for the Visitation. They’ve already commissioned someone to draw a plan, which should be ready tomorrow. Father says as you’ve just got home he’s sure you must be tired, so don’t bother to come round tonight. If there’s anything to discuss, you can tell him about it first thing tomorrow.’
‘Thank your father for me very much,’ said Jia Lian With a grateful smile. ‘It is very good of him to let me off tonight, and I shall do as he says and not go over until tomorrow. I think the great advantage of this proposal is that it is so economical and makes the job of construction so much easier. It would mean very much more trouble if we were to build on land outside, yet at the same time we should lose the convenience this present scheme gives us of a single layout. Tell him when you get back that I think it is an excellent proposal, and that I leave it to him to protest in any way he thinks fit if the others show signs of going back on it. The one thing we must under no circumstances do is to go looking for land outside. Anyway, I shall be round to see him first thing tomorrow and we can talk about it in detail then.’
Jia Rong promised to retail this message.
Jia Qiang now stepped forward with a message of his own:
‘Uncle Zhen has given me the job of going to Soochow to engage music and drama teachers and to buy girl players and instruments and costumes so that we can have our own theatricals for the visitation. I’m to take Lai Sheng’s two sons with me; and two of Great-uncle Zheng’s gentlemen, Dan Ping-ren and Bu Gu-xiu, are coming as well. Uncle said I ought to have a word with you about it before I go.’
Jia Lian looked the youth up and down appraisingly and laughed:
‘Do you think you are qualified for the job? It may not be a very big one, but I should say the pickings would be pretty good for someone who knew the ropes.’
Jia Qiang laughed too.
‘I shall have to learn as I go along!’
Jia Rong, who was standing somewhat away from the light, availed himself of the shadow’s concealment to give Xi-feng’s dress a surreptitious tug. She understood perfectly well what his meaning was, but pretended not to, dismissing him with a curt wave of the hand and addressing herself instead to Jia Lian:
‘Don’t be so officious, Lian! Cousin Zhen is no less capable of choosing the right person for the job than we are. What do you mean by asking the boy if he’s qualified? He’s as much qualified as any of the rest of us. He’s old enough to have seen a pig run, even if he’s not old enough to have eaten pork! In any case, I’m sure Cousin Zhen only chose him as a figurehead. You don’t seriously suppose that he’ll be the one to discuss prices and deal with the business side of the expedition? – I think myself it’s a very good choice!’
‘Of course it is,’ said Jia Lian. ‘I don’t dispute it. I merely thought we ought to do a few of his sums for him before he goes. Where is the money for this coming from?’ he asked Jia Qiang.
‘We were discussing that just now,’ said Jia Qiang. ‘Gaffer Lai says that there’s no point in taking money with us from here. He says the Zhens of Kiangnan hold fifty thousand taels of ours on deposit and he can give us a letter of credit to take to them when we go. We’ll draw out thirty thousand first and leave the rest to buy lanterns, lamps, and curtains with later on.’
Jia Lian nodded appreciatively.
‘Good idea.’
‘Well, if that’s all settled,’ Xi-feng put in quickly, ‘I’ve got two very reliable young men for you to take with you, Qiang. I’m sure you’ll find them extremely useful.’
‘What a coincidence!’ said Jia Qiang. ‘I was just about to ask if you could recommend a couple of helpers!’
He asked for their names, and Xi-feng turned to Nannie Zhao to supply them. But the old nurse was so bemused by all this talk of policy and high finance that she appeared to be in a sort of coma, which it took a sharp nudge from Patience to rouse her from. When she answered it was in a gabble, to make up for the awkward pause.
‘One of them is called Zhao Tian-liang, the other is called Zhao Tian-dong.’
‘Mind you don’t forget!’ said Xi-feng. ‘Now I’m off to see to my own affairs.’ And she left the room.
Jia Rong slipped out after her.
‘If you will make a list of all the things you want,’ he said, smilingly and softly, ‘I’ll see that he gets them for you, gracious lady.’
‘Gracious arsehole!’ said Xi-feng. ‘Do you think you can buy my favour with a few knick-knacks? I don’t like all this whispering in corners.’
She walked away without giving him a chance to reply.
Meanwhile Jia Qiang was making a somewhat similar proposal to Jia Lian.
‘If there’s anything I can get for you while I’m away, Uncle, I shall be glad to wangle it.’
‘My, my!’ said Jia Lian. ‘Let’s not get carried away, then! I must say, for one who’s only just started, you certainly haven’t lost much time in picking up the tricks of the trade! Yes, I dare say I shall write and let you know if I find I’m short of anything.’
With these words he sent the two young men back to the other house. Their departure was followed by a succession of three or four visits by servants reporting on household matters, after which he felt so exhausted that he instructed the servants on the inner gate to refuse admittance to any others and to inform them that he would deal with their business next day. It was midnight by the time Xi-feng got back to bed.
But the affairs of that night are no part of our story.
Rising early next morning, Jia Lian first called on his father and uncles and then went to the Ning-guo mansion, where, with Cousin Zhen, he joined a group consisting of the older stewards and domestics and a few friends and clients of the family in making a complete survey of the Ning-guo and Rong-guo properties with a view to deciding where the various buildings of the Separate Residence should be sited. He also helped them interview the craftsmen who would undertake the work.
After the assembling of builders and artisans the assembling of materials began: a continuous flow of supplies converging on the site from every direction, from precious consignments of gold, silver, copper and tin, to huge, bulky loads of builder’s clay, timber, bricks and tiles.
Various walls, including the surrounding walls of the All-scents Garden, and some of the garden’s pavilions were demolished so that the north-west part of the Ning-guo property and the large open court on the north-east side of Rong-guo House were thrown into a single site. A range of servants’ quarters on the east side of the Rong-guo grounds had already been demolished. The Ning-guo and Rong-guo properties had previous to this been divided by an alley-way running from north to south between them, but as it was not a public thoroughfare, no problem was involved in closing it and incorporating part of it in the rest of the new site.
The All-scents Garden had been watered by a stream led in by a culvert which ran under a corner of the north wall. Now that the garden was being integrated in the larger site, it was no longer necessary to lead the water in at this point.
The artificial hills, rocks, trees and shrubs of All-scents Garden were, of course, insufficient for the whole of the new site; but the area occupied by Jia She was the original garden of Rong-guo House and plentifully supplied with bamboos, trees, rocks, pavilions, kiosks and pergolas capable of being moved elsewhere. By pooling the resources of these two gardens – the All-scents Garden of Ning-guo House and the original Rong-guo garden where Jia She lived – and redistributing them over a single area, it would be possible to make great economies in both labour and materials, and when the estimates came to be made it was found that the requirements, in terms of completely new materials, would be comparatively modest.
The conception as a whole and the designs for its execution were alike the work of a well-known landscape gardener familiar to all and sundry by the sobriquet of ‘Horticultural Hu’.
Jia Zheng was unused to matters of a practical nature and left the management of men and the control of operations to a consortium consisting of Jia She, Cousin Zhen and Jia Lian, the stewards Lai Da, Lai Sheng and Lin Zhi-xiao, the Clerk of Stores Wu Xin-deng, and two of his literary gentlemen, Zhan Guang and Cheng Ri-xing. The digging of pools, the raising of hills, the siting and erection of lodges and pavilions, the planting of bamboos and flowers – in a word, all matters pertaining to the landscaping and layout of the gardens, were planned and supervised by Horticultural Hu. Jia Zheng would merely drop in occasionally when he got back from Court and look around. On any important matters he sought the advice of Jia She and the rest.
Jia She led a life of cultured ease and never did anything. On routine matters of no great importance Cousin Zhen would either report to him in person or send him a brief note when the thing was done. If consultation was unavoidable, he would send along Lai Da or one of the others for a reply.
Jia Rong’s sole task was to supervise the making of objects in gold and silver.
Jia Qiang had already left for Soochow.
Cousin Zhen, Lai Da and the rest were the ones who did most of the real work. It was they who hired workmen, kept accounts, and supervised and inspected each job as it was undertaken.
The amount of noise and activity generated by these operations could not be described in a few words, and for the time being we shall not attempt the task.
The family’s recent preoccupation with these important developments had released Bao-yu from his father’s periodical quizzing about the progress of his studies. Unfortunately the relief of mind which this would otherwise have afforded him was displaced by a grave concern for Qin Zhong, whose sickness seemed to be daily worsening. Under such circumstances it was impossible for him to feel happy about anything else.
One morning, just as he had finished washing and dressing and was thinking of going round to Grandmother Jia to ask if he might pay Qin Zhong another visit, he caught sight of Tealeaf dodging about behind the screen wall of the inner gate and evidently trying to catch his attention. Bao-yu hurried over to him.
‘What is it?’
‘Master Qin. He’s dying!’
Bao-yu was stunned.
‘Dying? When I saw him yesterday he seemed quite lucid. How can he be dying so soon?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Tealeaf. ‘But that’s what the old gaffer said just now who came round to tell me.’
Bao-yu hurried back and told Grandmother Jia. She instructed some of the more reliable servants to go with him and briefly admonished him before he went:
‘When you get there you may stay with him to the end, since you have been such good friends; but you must come back as soon as it is over. Don’t hang about!’
Bao-yu hurried off to change, only to find, on re-emerging, that the carriage was still not ready. Anxious lest he should arrive too late, he ran up and down the courtyard in a frenzy of impatience, imploring the servants to make haste; and when it at last arrived, he flung himself in it and drove off at great speed, hotly pursued by Li Gui, Tealeaf and the others attending him.
The house, when they reached it, appeared silent and deserted. Entering together in a tight little knot, master and servants surged through like swarming bees to the inner apartment at the back where Qin Zhong lay, causing great consternation among the two aunts and half-dozen girl cousins who were tending him and who were unable to conceal themselves before the advent of this masculine invasion.
At this stage Qin Zhong had already lost consciousness several times and, in accordance with the Northern custom which forbids a sick man to breathe his last on the kang, had some time since been lifted on to a trestle bed to die. Bao-yu gave an involuntary cry when he saw where he was lying and broke into noisy weeping. He was quickly restrained by Li Gui:
‘You know how delicate Master Qin is. I expect the kang was too hard for him and they have put him here so that he can lie a bit more easy. You mustn’t cry like that or you will make him worse!’
Bao-yu held back his sobs and drew close to his dying friend. Qin Zhong’s face was waxen. His eyes were closed tight and he seemed to breathe with difficulty, twisting his head from side to side on the pillow.
‘Jing-qing, old fellow! It’s me! It’s Bao-yu!’ – He called him several times, but Qin Zhong seemed unaware of his presence. Again he called:
‘It’s Bao-yu!’
In point of fact Qin Zhong’s soul had already left his body and the few faint gasps of breath in his failing lungs were the only life that now remained in it. The ministers of the underworld, armed with a warrant and chains to bind him with, were at that very moment confronting him; but his soul was refusing to go quietly. Remembering that he left no one behind him to look after his family’s affairs, and bethinking him of poor Sapientia whose whereabouts were still unknown, he entreated them most piteously to spare him. But the infernal visitants had no ear for his entreaties and silenced him with angry rebuke:
‘You’re an educated young fellow: haven’t you heard the saying
If Yama calls at midnight hour
No man can put off death till four –?
We ministers of the nether world, from the highest down to the lowest, all have unbending iron natures and – unlike the officials of the mortal world, who are always doing kindnesses and showing favours and inventing little tricks and dodges for frustrating the course of justice – we are incapable of showing partiality.’
Suddenly, above their angry shouting, Qin Zhong heard a tiny cry:
‘It’s Bao-yu!’
At once he renewed his entreaties:
‘Good gentlemen, be merciful! Give me just a moment for a few words with a very dear friend of mine, and I’ll be back directly!’
‘What is it now?’ asked the demons. ‘What friend?’
‘I won’t deceive you, gentlemen. It’s a descendant of the Duke of Rong-guo. His name is Bao-yu.’
‘What?’ screamed the officer in charge of the party in great alarm. He turned angrily on his demon minions:
‘I told you we ought to let him go back for a bit, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look what’s happened! He’s gone and called up a person full of life and health to come here right in our midst! This is terrible!’
The demons showed signs of disarray on observing their leader to be so affected, and there was some angry muttering:
‘Yer Honour was putting on a brave enough show a short while ago. Why should the name “Bao-yu” throw you into such a state of commotion? If you ask us, seeing that he’s upper world and we’re lower world, there’s nothing to be afraid of. We might just as well carry this one off now and have done with it.’
The trepidation of their leader, who was perhaps thinking more of Bao-yu’s demon-repelling talisman than of its wearer, was far from comforted by this reflection.
‘No! No! No!’ he shouted, and compelled them to let the soul return to its body.
With the return of his soul Qin Zhong regained consciousness and opened his eyes. He could see Bao-yu standing beside him; but his throat was so choked with phlegm that he was unable to utter a word. He could only fasten his eyes on him and slowly shake his head. Then there was a rasping sound in his throat and he slid once more into the dark.
What followed will be told in the following chapter.