第一○五回

第一○五回 锦衣军查抄宁国府 骢马使弹劾平安州

话说贾政正在那里设宴请酒，忽见赖大急忙走上荣禧堂来回贾政道：“有锦衣府堂官赵老爷带领好几位司官说来拜望。奴才要取职名来回，赵老爷说：‘我们至好，不用的。’一面就下车来走进来了。请老爷同爷们快接去。”贾政听了，心想：“赵老爷并无来往，怎么也来？现在有客，留他不便，不留又不好。”正自思想，贾琏说：“叔叔快去罢，再想一回，人都进来了。”正说着，只见二门上家人又报进来说：“赵老爷已进二门了。”贾政等抢步接去，只见赵堂官满脸笑容，并不说什么，一径走上厅来。后面跟着五六位司官，也有认得的，也有不认得的，但是总不答话。贾政等心里不得主意，只得跟了上来让坐。众亲友也有认得赵堂官的，见他仰着脸不大理人，只拉着贾政的手，笑着说了几句寒温的话。众人看见来头不好，也有躲进里间屋里的，也有垂手侍立的。

贾政正要带笑叙话，只见家人慌张报道：“西平王爷到了。”贾政慌忙去接，已见王爷进来。赵堂官抢上去请了安，便说：“王爷已到，随来各位老爷就该带领府役把守前后门。”众官应了出去。贾政等知事不好，连忙跪接。西平郡王用两手扶起，笑嘻嘻的说道：“无事不敢轻造，有奉旨交办事件，要赦老接旨。如今满堂中筵席未散，想有亲友在此未便，且请众位府上亲友各散，独留本宅的人听候。”赵堂官回说：“王爷虽是恩典，但东边的事，这位王爷办事认真，想是早已封门。”众人知是两府干系，恨不能脱身。只见王爷笑道：“众位只管就请，叫人来给我送出去，告诉锦衣府的官员说，这都是亲友，不必盘查，快快放出。”那些亲友听见，就一溜烟如飞的出去了。独有贾赦贾政一干人唬得面如土色，满身发颤。

不多一回，只见进来无数番役，各门把守。本宅上下人等，一步不能乱走。赵堂官便转过一付脸来回王爷道：“请爷宣旨意，就好动手。”这些番役却撩衣勒臂，专等旨意。西平王慢慢的说道：“小王奉旨带领锦衣府赵全来查看贾赦家产。”贾赦等听见，俱俯伏在地。王爷便站在上头说：“有旨意：‘贾赦交通外官[2]，依势凌弱，辜负朕恩，有忝[3]祖德，着革去世职。钦此。’”赵堂官一叠声叫：“拿下贾赦，其馀皆看守。”维时贾赦、贾政、贾琏、贾珍、贾蓉、贾蔷、贾芝、贾兰俱在，惟宝玉假说有病，在贾母那边打闹，贾环本来不大见人的，所以就将现在几人看住。赵堂官即叫他的家人：“传齐司员，带同番役，分头按房抄查登帐。”这一言不打紧，唬得贾政上下人等面面相看，喜得番役家人摩拳擦掌，就要往各处动手。西平王道：“闻得赦老与政老同房各爨[4]的，理应遵旨查看贾赦的家资，其馀且按房封锁，我们复旨去再候定夺。”赵堂官站起来说：“回王爷：贾赦贾政并未分家，闻得他侄儿贾琏现在承总管家，不能不尽行查抄。”西平王听了，也不言语。赵堂官便说：“贾琏贾赦两处须得奴才带领去查抄才好。”西平王便说：“不必忙，先传信后宅，且请内眷回避，再查不迟。”一言未了，老赵家奴番役已经拉着本宅家人领路，分头查抄去了。王爷喝命：“不许罗唣！待本爵自行查看。”说着，便慢慢的站起来要走，又吩咐说：“跟我的人一个不许动，都给我站在这里候着，回来一齐瞧着登数。”正说着，只见锦衣司官跪禀说：“在内查出御用衣裙并多少禁用之物，不敢擅动，回来请示王爷。”一回儿又有一起人来拦住王爷，就回说：“东跨所抄出两箱房地契又一箱借票，却都是违例取利的。”老赵便说：“好个重利盘剥！很该全抄！请王爷就此坐下，叫奴才去全抄来再候定夺罢。”说着，只见王府长史来禀说：“守门军传进来说，主上特命北静王到这里宣旨，请爷接去。”赵堂官听了，心里喜欢说：“我好晦气，碰着这个酸王。如今那位来了，我就好施威。”一面想着，也迎出来。

只见北静王已到大厅，就向外站着，说：“有旨意，锦衣府赵全听宣。”说：“奉旨意：‘着锦衣官惟提贾赦质审，馀交西平王遵旨查办。钦此。’”西平王领了，好不喜欢，便与北静王坐下，着赵堂官提取贾赦回衙。里头那些查抄的人听得北静王到，俱一齐出来，及闻赵堂官走了，大家没趣，只得侍立听候。北静王便拣选两个诚实司官并十来个老年番役，馀者一概逐出。西平王便说：“我正与老赵生气。幸得王爷到来降旨，不然这里很吃大亏。”北静王说：“我在朝内听见王爷奉旨查抄贾宅，我甚放心，谅这里不致荼毒。不料老赵这么混帐。但不知现在政老及宝玉在那里，里面不知闹到怎么样了。”众人回禀：“贾政等在下房看守着，里面已抄得乱腾腾的了。”西平王便吩咐司员：“快将贾政带来问话。”众人命带了上来。贾政跪了请安，不免含泪乞恩。北静王便起身拉着，说：“政老放心。”便将旨意说了。贾政感激涕零，望北又谢了恩，仍上来听候。王爷道：“政老，方才老赵在这里的时候，番役呈禀有禁用之物并重利欠票，我们也难掩过。这禁用之物原办进贵妃用的，我们声明，也无碍。独是借券想个什么法儿才好。如今政老且带司员实在将赦老家产呈出，也就了事，切不可再有隐匿，自干罪戾。”贾政答应道：“犯官再不敢。但犯官祖父遗产并未分过，惟各人所住的房屋有的东西便为己有。”两王便说：“这也无妨，惟将赦老那一边所有的交出就是了。”又吩咐司员等依命行去，不许胡混乱动。司官领命去了。

且说贾母那边女眷也摆家宴，王夫人正在那边说：“宝玉〔一〕不到外头，恐他老子生气。”凤姐带病哼哼唧唧的说：“我看宝玉也不是怕人，他见前头陪客的人也不少了，所以在这里照应也是有的。倘或老爷想起里头少个人在那里照应，太太便把宝兄弟献出去，可不是好？”贾母笑道：“凤丫头病到这地位，这张嘴还是那么尖巧。”正说到高兴，只听见邢夫人那边的人一直声的嚷进来说：“老太太、太太，不……不好了！多多少少的穿靴带帽的强……强盗来了，翻箱倒笼的来拿东西。”贾母等听着发呆。又见平儿披头散发拉着巧姐哭啼啼的来说：“不好了，我正与姐儿吃饭，只见来旺被人拴着进来说：‘姑娘快快传进去，请太太们回避，外面王爷就进来查抄家产。’我听了着忙，正要进房拿要紧东西，被一伙人浑推浑赶出来的。咱们这里该穿该带的快快收拾。”王邢二夫人等听得，俱魂飞天外，不知怎样才好。独见凤姐先前圆睁两眼听着，后来便一仰身栽到地下死了。贾母没有听完，便吓得涕泪交流，连话也说不出来。那时一屋子人拉这个，扯那个，正闹得翻天覆地，又听见一叠声嚷说：“叫里面女眷们回避，王爷进来了！”

可怜宝钗宝玉等正在没法，只见地下这些丫头婆子乱抬乱扯的时候，贾琏喘吁吁的跑进来说：“好了，好了，幸亏王爷救了我们了！”众人正要问他，贾琏见凤姐死在地下，哭着乱叫，又怕老太太吓坏了，急得死去〔二〕活来。还亏平儿将凤姐叫醒，令人扶着。老太太也回过气来，哭得气短神昏，躺在炕上。李纨再三宽慰。然后贾琏定神将两王恩典说明，惟恐贾母邢夫人知道贾赦被拿，又要唬死，暂且不敢明说，只得出来照料自己屋内。

一进屋门，只见箱开柜破，物件抢得半空。此时急得两眼直竖，淌泪发呆。听见外头叫，只得出来。见贾政同司员登记物件，一人报说：“赤金首饰共一百二十三件，珠宝俱全。珍珠十三挂，淡金盘二件，金碗二对，金抢碗[7]二个，金匙四十把，银大碗八十个，银盘二十个，三镶金象牙筯二把，镀金执壶四把，镀金折盂[8]三对，茶托二件，银碟七十六件，银酒杯三十六个。黑狐皮十八张，青狐六张，貂皮三十六张，黄狐三十张，猞猁狲皮十二张，麻叶皮[9]三张，洋灰皮六十张，灰狐腿皮四十张，酱色羊皮二十张，猢狸皮二张，黄狐腿二把，小白狐皮二十块，洋呢三十度，毕叽二十三度[10]，姑绒[11]十二度，香鼠筒子十件，豆鼠皮四方，天鹅绒一卷，梅鹿皮一方，云狐[12]筒子二件，貉崽皮一卷，鸭皮[13]七把，灰鼠一百六十张，獾子皮八张，虎皮六张，海豹三张，海龙十六张，灰色羊四十把，黑色羊皮六十三张，元狐帽沿十副，倭刀[14]帽沿十二副，貂帽沿二副，小狐皮十六张，江貉皮[15]二张，獭子皮二张，猫皮三十五张，倭股[16]十二度，绸缎一百三十卷，纱绫一百八一卷，羽线绉[17]三十二卷，氆氇[18]三十卷，妆蟒缎八卷，葛布三捆，各色布三捆，各色皮衣一百三十二件，棉夹单纱绢衣三百四十件。玉玩三十二件，带头[19]九副，铜锡等物五百余件，钟表十八件，朝珠[20]九挂，各色妆蟒三十四件，上用蟒缎迎手靠背三分，宫妆衣裙八套，脂玉圈带一条，黄缎十二卷。潮银[21]五千二百两，赤金五十两，钱七千吊。”一切动用家伙攒钉[22]登记，以及荣国赐第，俱一一开列，其房地契纸，家人文书，亦俱封裹。贾琏在旁边窃听，只不听见报他的东西，心里正在疑惑。只闻两家王爷问贾政道：“所抄家资内有借券，实系盘剥，究是谁行的？政老据实才好。”贾政听了，跪在地下碰头说：“实在犯官不理家务，这些事全不知道。问犯官侄儿贾琏才知。”贾琏连忙走上跪下，禀说：“这一箱文书既在奴才屋内抄出来的，敢说不知道么。只求王爷开恩，奴才叔叔并不知道的。”两王道：“你父已经获罪，只可并案办理。你今认了也是正理。如此叫人将贾琏看守，馀俱散收宅内。政老，你须小心候旨。我们进内复旨去了，这里有官役看守。”说着，上轿出门。贾政等就在二门跪送。北静王把手一伸，说：“请放心。”觉得脸上大有不忍之色。

此时贾政魂魄方定，犹是发怔。贾兰便说：“请爷爷进内瞧老太太，再想法儿打听东府里的事。”贾政疾忙起身进内。只见各门上妇女乱糟糟的，不知要怎样。贾政无心查问，一直到贾母房中，只见人人泪痕满面，王夫人宝玉等围住贾母，寂静无言，各各掉泪。惟有邢夫人哭作一团。因见贾政进来，都说：“好了，好了！”便告诉老太太说：“老爷仍旧好好的进来，请老太太安心罢。”贾母奄奄一息的，微开双目说：“我的儿，不想还见得着你！”一声未了，便嚎啕的哭起来。于是满屋里人俱哭个不住。贾政恐哭坏老母，即收泪说：“老太太放心罢。本来事情原不小，蒙主上天恩，两位王爷的恩典，万般轸恤[23]。就是大老爷暂时拘质，等问明白了，主上还有恩典。如今家里一些也不动了。”贾母见贾赦不在，又伤心起来，贾政再三安慰方止。

众人俱不敢走散，独邢夫人回至自己那边，见门总封锁，丫头婆子亦锁在几间屋内。邢夫人无处可走，放声大哭起来，只得往凤姐那边去。见二门旁舍亦上封条，惟有屋门开着，里头呜咽不绝。邢夫人进去，见凤姐面如纸灰，合眼躺着，平儿在旁暗哭。邢夫人打谅凤姐死了，又哭起来。平儿迎上来说：“太太不要哭。奶奶抬回来觉着像是死的了，幸得歇息一回苏过来，哭了几声，如今痰息气定，略安一安神。太太也请定定神罢。但不知老太太怎样了？”邢夫人也不答言，仍走到贾母那边。见眼前俱是贾政的人，自己夫子被拘，媳妇病危，女儿受苦，现在身无所归，那里禁得住。众人劝慰，李纨等令人收拾房屋请邢夫人暂住，王夫人拨人服侍。

贾政在外，心惊肉跳，拈须搓手的等候旨意。听见外面看守军人乱嚷道：“你到底是那一边的？既碰在我们这里，就记在这里册上。拴着他，交给里头锦衣府的爷们！”贾政出外看时，见是焦大，便说：“怎么跑到这里来？”焦大见问，便号天蹈地的哭道：“我天天劝，这些不长进的爷们，倒拿我当作冤家！连爷还不知道焦大跟着太爷受的苦！今朝弄到这个田地！珍大爷蓉哥儿都叫什么王爷拿了去了，里头女主儿们都被什么府里衙役抢得披头散发擉[24]在一处空房里，那些不成材料的狗男女却像猪狗似的拦起来了。所有的都抄出来搁着，木器钉得破烂，磁器打得粉碎。他们还要把我拴起来。我活了八九十岁，只有跟着太爷捆人的，那里倒叫人捆起来！我便说我是西府里，就跑出来。那些人不依，押到这里，不想这里也是那么着。我如今也不要命了，和那些人拚了罢！”说着撞头。众役见他年老，又是两王吩咐，不敢发狠，便说：“你老人家安静些，这是奉旨的事。你且这里歇歇，听个信儿再说。”贾政听明，虽不理他，但是心里刀绞似的，便道：“完了，完了！不料我们一败涂地如此！”

正在着急听候内信，只见薛蝌气嘘嘘的跑进来说：“好容易进来了！姨父在那里。”贾政道：“来得好，但是外头怎么放进来的？”薛蝌道：“我再三央说，又许他们钱，所以我才能够出入的。”贾政便将抄去之事告诉了他，便烦去打听打听，“就有好亲，在火头上也不便送信，是你就好通信了。”薛蝌道：“这里的事我倒想不到，那边东府的事我已听见说，完了。”贾政道：“究竟犯什么事？”薛蝌道：“今朝为我哥哥打听决罪的事，在衙内闻得，有两位御史风闻得珍大爷引诱世家子弟赌博，这款还轻；还有一大款是强占良民妻女为妾，因其女不从，凌逼致死。那御史恐怕不准，还将咱们家的鲍二拿去，又还拉出一个姓张的来。只怕连都察院都有不是，为的是姓张的曾告过的。”贾政尚未听完，便跺脚道：“了不得！罢了，罢了！”叹了一口气，扑簌簌的掉下泪来。

薛蝌宽慰了几句，即便又出来打听去了。隔了半日，仍旧进来说：“事情不好。我在刑科打听，倒没有听见两王复旨的信，但听得说李御史今早参奏平安州奉承京官，迎合上司〔三〕，虐害百姓，好几大款。”贾政慌道：“那管他人的事，到底打听我们的怎么样？”薛蝌道：“说是平安州就有我们，那参的京官就是赦老爷。说的是包揽词讼。所以火上浇油。就是同朝这些官府，俱藏躲不迭，谁肯送信。就即如才散的这些亲友，有的竟回家去了，也有远远儿的歇下打听的。可恨那些贵本家便在路上说，‘祖宗掷下的功业，弄出事来了，不知道飞到那个头上，大家也好施威。’”贾政没有听完，复又顿足道：“都是我们大爷忒糊涂，东府也忒不成事体。如今老太太与琏儿媳妇是死是活还不知道呢。你再打听去，我到老太太那边瞧瞧。若有信，能够早一步才好。”正说着，听见里头乱嚷出来说：“老太太不好了！”急得贾政即忙进去。未知生死如何，下回分解。

[1] 骢马使——即骢马御史。《后汉书·桓典传》：“拜侍御史，常乘骢马，京师畏惮，为之语曰：‘行行且止，避骢马御史。’”骢：青白相间的杂色马。御史：官名。秦以前本为史官，汉以后专主纠察，明清时称监察御史。

[2] 交通外官——指京官私自交结外任官员，是一种结党营私的罪名。清代《钦定吏部则例》：“如外官赴任时，谒见在京各官或至任所差人来往交结者革职。其在京各官与之接见及差人至外官任所往来者亦革职。”

[3] 忝（tiǎn舔）——辱没；有愧于。

[4] 同房各爨（cuàn窜）——意谓同一房、未分家，但各自起火过活。爨：烧火做饭。

〔一〕 “宝玉”二字原无，从藤本、程乙本补。

〔二〕 “死去”后，原有“也回过来气”五字，与上文殊难连贯，系后文“老太太也回过气来”句后五字衍入。删。

[7] 金抢碗——即抢金碗。在碗盘等器物上镶嵌金的花纹叫抢金，也作戗金。

[8] 折盂——旧时备以承接饭后漱口水的小盂。“折”在这里读阴平。

[9] 麻叶皮——或即“麻叶子”。《清稗类钞·狐裘之类别》：“其（狐）股里黄黑杂色者，集以成裘，名麻叶子。”

[10] 度——度尺。古代称黍百粒横排起来的长度为一度尺，等于清代营造尺的八寸一分。

[11] 姑绒——洋绒的一种。

[12] 云狐——用狐脑门和狐股两处皮毛拼成的皮衣料，毛色呈云纹，故名。

[13] 鸭皮——用野鸭头部绿色皮毛拼成，次于雀金呢。

[14] 倭刀——青狐的别称，亦作“窝刀”。《清一统志·奉天府五》：“青狐亦名倭刀，毛色兼黑黄，贵重次元（玄）狐。”

[15] 江貉皮——毛短色深，做帽檐或袖头用。

[16] 倭股——日本缎。

[17] 羽线绉——用毛线按织绉法织成的料子。“绉”本是一种丝织品。

[18] 氆氇——藏族生产的一种羊毛织品。

[19] 带头——旧时袍外所系腰带一端的扣头，常镶以金玉等饰物。

[20] 朝珠——清代礼服中的一种佩饰，珠计一百零八颗，五品以上文官得挂。

[21] 潮银——成色不足或重新回炉熔炼过的劣质银子。

[22] 攒钉——攒聚堆叠。钉，通饤，堆叠之意。这里是将一页页的清单或账目装订成册。

[23] 轸（zhěn枕）恤——同情；怜悯。轸：伤痛。

[24] 擉（chuō戳）——同戳。这里是被迫聚集的意思。

〔三〕 “迎合上司”，原作“上司迎合”，从藤本、王本乙。

CHAPTER 105. The Embroidered Jackets raid Ning-guo House And Censor Li impeaches the Prefect of Ping-an

The day of the reception arrived. Jia Zheng was busily entertaining his guests in the Hall of Exalted Felicity, when Lai Da the steward hurried in to report that a Commissioner Zhao was outside, with a detachment of the Embroidered Jackets, the Imperial secret police:

‘He says he is making a social call, and when I asked for his visiting card he told me there was no need for any such formality, as he was on the best of terms with you, sir. Then he got down from his carriage and started walking straight in. I beg you, sir, to go out with the young masters and receive him at once.’

‘I’ve never had anything to do with this Zhao,’ mused Jia Zheng. ‘I wonder what can have brought him here? And at such an inconvenient hour. I can hardly abandon my guests to entertain him; and yet if I do not invite him in it will seem uncivil …’

He stood there thinking the matter over to himself, and Jia Lian urged him to hurry: ‘If you wait much longer, Uncle, they will be upon us.’

Even as he said these words, a servant entered to announce that Commissioner Zhao had indeed already passed through the inner gate, and Jia Zheng hurried out into the courtyard to receive him. Zhao soon came into sight, smiling but silent, and walked straight on and up into the hall. He was followed by five or six of his aides, some of whom were known to Jia Zheng, but although Jia Zheng greeted them, none of them said a word in reply. Jia Zheng could only follow them helplessly back into the hall and ask them to be seated. Some of the guests were acquainted with Zhao, but he passed them by with his head in the air and ignored everyone except Jia Zheng, whom he eventually took by the hand and engaged in vague small-talk, smiling inscrutably all the while. The guests scented trouble in the air, and either sneaked out into the private apartments at the back of the mansion, or stood stock-still where they were, in an attitude of apprehensive respect.

Jia Zheng managed to maintain an anxious smile, and was about to attempt a response to one of Zhao’s pleasantries when a flustered servant entered the hall and announced:

‘His Highness the Prince of Xi-ping!’

Jia Zheng hurried out once again, to find the prince already entering the courtyard. Commissioner Zhao moved smartly forward ahead of Jia Zheng to salute the prince, and then gave his own aides their orders:

‘His Royal Highness has now arrived; take your men and post yourselves at the front and rear gates of the mansion.’

Zhao’s aides went off to do his bidding, while Jia Zheng and the other menfolk, filled with foreboding by this sinister turn of events, fell to their knees and kowtowed before the Prince of Xi-ping. The prince raised Jia Zheng with both hands and said with a reassuring smile:

‘I would not intrude on you at such a time did I not have special reasons: I am entrusted with an Imperial Edict for your brother, Sir She. But I see that we have come upon you in the midst of a private gathering, and as it would hardly be fitting to proceed while your friends and relatives are still present, I would ask them to leave. Only the members of your own household need remain behind.’

‘A most gracious gesture, I am sure,’ interposed Commissioner Zhao sharply. ‘But His Highness supervising operations at Ning-guo House is, I believe, taking this matter a little more seriously, and has already ordered every gate to be sealed.’

The guests learned from this that both mansions were in some sort of trouble, and began to fear that they themselves were trapped as well. The prince, however, seemed unperturbed, and announced smilingly:

‘Gentlemen, please consider yourselves free to leave. Send for some of my men to escort them out,’ he continued, addressing Zhao, ‘and tell your own officers that these are all guests and are not to be hindered or subjected to any kind of search, but are to be let through without delay.’

As soon as they heard this, the guests vanished like a puff of smoke, leaving only Jia She, Jia Zheng and the immediate family, who stood there trembling and pale with fear. Shortly afterwards, constables swarmed in and stationed themselves at every doorway, thereby denying freedom of movement to masters and servants alike. Zhao turned to the prince, his face positively venomous:

‘Will Your Highness be so good as to read the Edict, so that we can proceed with our task?’

The constables hitched up their robes, rolled up their sleeves, and stood smartly to attention to hear the Edict. The prince began his preamble with great deliberation:

‘I am hereby instructed by His Majesty to proceed with Commissioner Zhao Quan of the Embroidered Jackets and to search, and take a complete inventory of, the property of Jia She.’

Jia She cowered prostrate on the ground as the prince mounted the terrace and, facing south, began the proclamation of the Edict proper:

‘ “Hearken! Inasmuch as Our subject Jia She has connived with a provincial official and has used his influence to persecute a defenceless citizen, he has shown himself unworthy of Our favour, has disgraced his ancestors, and is to be deprived of his hereditary rank. By Imperial Decree.” ’

‘Arrest him!’ barked Zhao. ‘Take the others away and put them under close guard!’

This referred to the other Jia menfolk present – Jia Zheng, Jia Lian, Cousin Zhen, Jia Rong, Jia Qiang, Jia Zhi and Jia Lan. Bao-yu had somehow managed to slip out to Grandmother Jia’s apartment earlier, on the pretext of some indisposition or other, while Jia Huan hardly ever put in an appearance at such social gatherings.

Zhao also told his aides to issue the junior officers and constables with their orders at once: they were to divide up and search the mansion room by room, taking a detailed inventory as they went along. These orders, and the brisk matter-of-fact efficiency with which they were delivered, had a devastating impact on the morale of the Jia family, young and old alike. They looked at one another in terror as they were led away, while Zhao’s constables and personal lackeys began rubbing their hands in gleeful anticipation.

‘I understand,’ said the Prince of Xi-ping, ‘that Sir Zheng and Sir She maintain separate establishments. Since the Edict only empowers us to search Sir She’s property, the other apartments should be locked and sealed, until such time as I have received further instructions from His Majesty.’

Zhao rose to his feet.

‘Your Highness, I should inform you that in point of fact Jia She and Jia Zheng do not maintain separate establishments. On the contrary, I am given to understand that the affairs of both branches of Rong-guo House are managed by one person, Jia Lian, who is the son of Sir She and the nephew of Sir Zheng. It is therefore imperative that we search the entire mansion.’

The prince was silent, and Zhao continued:

‘In view of this, I shall personally direct the search of the residences of both Jia She and Jia Lian.’

‘There is no hurry,’ said the prince. ‘Send word to the inner apartments first, and give the ladies time to withdraw. A few minutes’ delay is neither here nor there.’

But even as he was speaking, Zhao’s men, who had already led away the Jia menfolk, were dividing up into search parties and had begun their work, each taking one of the Jia servants to act as guide.

‘Let there be no rowdy behaviour now!’ cried the prince. ‘I shall be along presently to supervise the proceedings myself.’

He rose to his feet in a dignified manner, and addressed his own attendants:

‘Not one of you is to move. Wait here, and later we shall inspect the inventory together.’

Almost immediately one of Zhao’s men returned from the search and knelt before him:

‘Your Highness, restricted garments and skirts for palace use, and many other prohibited items, have been found in the inner apartments. I have given orders that these are not to be moved, pending Your Highness’s instructions.’

Presently another search party returned and pressed before the prince:

‘Two chests of property deeds found in the eastern side-compound, and one chest of promissory notes – all bearing illegal rates of interest!’

‘Usurers!’ hissed Zhao. ‘They deserve to lose everything. Take a seat, Your Highness, and allow me to order the immediate confiscation of the entire contents of the mansion. We can report to the throne for the necessary authorization afterwards.’

At that moment an aide-de-camp came in to speak to the prince:

‘The soldiers at the gate have sent word that the Prince of Bei-jing is here, as the special emissary of His Majesty, and will deliver a second Edict. You are requested to go out and receive him.’

Zhao welcomed this news.

‘It was just my luck,’ he thought to himself, ‘to have been lumbered with this first prince! Now he’s being replaced, and I should be able to get down to business!’

He went out to the front courtyard, to find the Prince of Bei-jing already facing south, and delivering the new Edict.

‘ “For the Edification of Zhao Quan, Commissioner of the Embroidered Jackets. Hearken! The men under Zhao’s command are to arrest no one, with the exception of Jia She, who is to be held for questioning. The Prince of Xi-ping will supervise all other aspects of the investigation according to Our Instructions.” ’

The Prince of Xi-ping was delighted. He sat down with the Prince of Bei-jing, and told Zhao to take Jia She with him and return to his yamen. The search parties, having learned of the arrival of the new prince, had all congregated once more in the courtyard. They were most disappointed to hear that Zhao was being removed from the scene, and stood around, disconsolately waiting for their new orders. The Prince of Bei-jing selected two of the more honest-looking officers and a dozen or so of the older constables to stay behind, and dismissed all the others.

‘I was just beginning to get extremely annoyed with old Zhao,’ said the Prince of Xi-ping. ‘You arrived with that second Edict in the nick of time. If you’d been much later, I’m afraid it would have gone badly for the Jias.’

‘I heard at court,’ replied the Prince of Bei-jing, ‘that you had been entrusted with the original Edict, and that the investigation was in your hands, and I must say I was greatly relieved. I knew I could depend on you to see that things did not get out of hand. But I hadn’t bargained on that old rogue Zhao. Tell me, where are Sir Zheng and young Bao-yu? I do hope these men have not been creating too much havoc.’

‘Jia Zheng and the other gentlemen are being held under guard in the servants’ quarters,’ he was informed by the officers. ‘The men have turned the entire house upside-down in the course of their search.’

The Prince of Bei-jing turned to one of them:

‘Bring Sir Zheng here at once. I wish to speak to him.’

Jia Zheng was brought in, and fell to his knees, tearfully pleading for mercy. The Prince of Bei-jing stood up, took him by both hands and said:

‘My friend, set your mind at rest.’

When the prince went on to inform him of the new Edict, Jia Zheng wept with emotion, and faced in a northerly direction to kowtow his thanks to the throne. Then he came forward again to receive any further instructions. It was the Prince of Xi-ping who continued:

‘My friend, when Commissioner Zhao was here just now, his constables reported having found prohibited items of clothing, and promissory notes bearing excessive rates of interest. It will be hard to gloss all this over. The clothes were no doubt intended for Her Grace’s use – that I can state quite plausibly in my report. But these promissory notes – what are we to say about them? I think you, Zheng, had better go now with one of the officers and give him a complete account of all Sir She’s property. It is essential that you conceal nothing, or you will only make things worse for yourself.’

‘How could I dare to conceal anything!’ replied Jia Zheng. ‘But I beg to inform Your Highness that our family estate has never been formally divided between my brother and myself; individually we own only whatever we happen to have in our apartments.’

‘Very well,’ said the princes. ‘Proceed on that basis, and declare whatever is in Sir She’s compound.’

The officers were instructed to execute this task in an orderly and civilized fashion, and departed with Jia Zheng.

Let us return to Grandmother Jia’s apartments, where the ladies had been holding a party of their own that day. Bao-yu had come to join them, and Lady Wang asked him if he ought not to be with the men, for fear of angering his father. Xi-feng was also present, despite her illness, and she replied somewhat croakily on Bao-yu’s behalf:

‘I’m sure Bao-yu wasn’t afraid of the company, Aunt Wang, and I’m sure he wasn’t shirking his responsibilities. He just thought there were plenty of men to wait on the guests outside, and that he would be better employed helping us here – which is reasonable enough. If Uncle Zheng needs an extra hand, you can always send Bao-yu over later.’

Grandmother Jia laughed:

‘Fengie may be ill, but she still has a tongue in her head!’

The party was warming up and the conversation becoming quite merry, when suddenly one of Lady Xing’s maidservants came running in, screeching:

‘Your Old Ladyship! Your Ladyships! The most terr … terrible thing has happened! Hundreds of bandits in big boots and hats have broken into the house, turned all the trunks and boxes upside down and started stealing our things!’

The ladies stared at her dumbfounded. Next, Patience hurried into the room, her hair dishevelled, dragging Qiao-jie by the hand and sobbing hysterically:

‘Lord have mercy on us! I was having my meal with Qiao-jie when Brightie was brought in, his hands tied behind his back. “Hurry, miss,” he told me, “go inside and tell Their Ladyships to hide. The prince is on his way in to search the house!” I nearly died of fright. I went into our apartment to rescue a few of the more important things, and ran into a gang of ruffians who pushed me out of their way. You’d better hurry and collect together all the clothes and things you’ll need before it’s too late.’

Lady Xing and Lady Wang were utterly flabbergasted; Xi-feng listened wide-eyed as Patience told her tale, and then slumped onto the floor with her head thrown back; Grandmother Jia burst into floods of tears before Patience had even finished, and was too distraught to utter a word. The whole room was in this state of total disarray, and the servants were falling over each other in their panic, when suddenly more cries were heard from outside:

‘Ladies to withdraw! His Highness the Prince is approaching!’

Bao-chai and Bao-yu stood watching helplessly, as the maids and old nannies scrambled in every direction. The next they knew, Jia Lian came running in, panting:

‘All is well! The prince has saved the day!’

They wanted to ask him what had happened, but Jia Lian was himself too infected by the general hysteria to be of any service as an informant. First he caught sight of Xi-feng lying unconscious on the floor, and cried out in alarm; then he saw that Grandmother Jia had also fainted from shock, and feared the worst for her. Patience succeeded in bringing Xi-feng round, and with the help of one of the maids helped her up onto her feet; while Grandmother Jia, when she finally regained consciousness, lay down sobbing on the kang, struggling for breath, as though she might faint again at any moment. Li Wan did her best to comfort her, and Jia Lian himself was at last sufficiently composed to tell them of the events that had taken place, and of the kindness shown them by the two princes – though he withheld the news of Jia She’s arrest, which he was afraid might prove too great a shock for Grandmother Jia and Lady Xing. He then went to examine the condition of his own apartment, and found chests and cupboards broken open and ransacked. There was almost nothing left. He stared around him aghast, and tears sprang to his eyes. He heard his name called outside, and went out to find Jia Zheng with the two princes and the officer taking the inventory. The items were being called out one by one:

One Longevity Buddha in aloeswood

One Goddess of Mercy, ditto

One Buddha plinth

Rosary-beads in aloeswood, two strings

Golden Buddhas, one set

Nine gold-plated bronze mirrors

Jade Buddhas, three

Longevity and the Eight Immortals, a set of jade figurines

Four Ru-yi sceptres – two in gold and jade, two in aloeswood

Antique porcelain vases and jars, seventeen

Fourteen chests containing antique objets d’art and mounted scrolls

One large jade jar

Two small ditto

Large jade circular dishes, two pairs

Two large glass folding-screens

Two small kang screens

Four large dishes in glass

Four jade dishes

Two agate ditto

Four large dishes in solid gold

Gold bowls, six pairs

Eight bowls with pattern in gold inlay

Gold spoons, forty

Large silver bowls, sixty

Silver dishes, sixty

Ivory chopsticks with triple gold inlay, four bundles

Gold-plated jugs with handles, twelve

Small spittoons, three pairs

Two saucers

Silver cups and saucers, one hundred and sixty

Black fox-furs, eighteen

Sables, fifty-six

Russet fox-furs, forty-four

White ditto, forty-four

Mongolian lynx-skins, twelve

Partly tailored Yunnan fox-skins, twenty-five

Sea-otter skins, twenty-six

Seal-skins, three

Tiger-skins, six

Brown-and-black striped fox-furs, three

Otter-skins, twenty-eight

Red astrakhan-skins, forty

Black astrakhan-skins sixty-three

Partly tailored musquash-skins, twenty

Mongolian suslik, twenty-four squares

‘Swansdown’ velvet, four rolls

Grey squirrel-skins, two hundred and sixty-three

Japanese damask silk, thirty-two lengths

Imported worsted, thirty lengths

Serge, thirty-three lengths

Velveteen, forty lengths

Plain satin, one hundred and thirty bolts

Gauze silk, one hundred and eighty bolts

Corded silk-crêpe, thirty-two bolts

Bombasine and camlets, twenty-two rolls each

Tibetan yak’s serge, thirty bolts

Dragon-robe satin, eighteen bolts

Cottons, assorted colours, thirty bundles

Sundry fur garments, one hundred and thirty-two

Various garments, padded, lined, unlined, gauze and silk – three hundred and forty

Nine pairs of belt-buckles

Items in brass and pewter, over five hundred

Clocks and watches, eighteen

Court chaplets, nine strings of one hundred and eight bands

Pearls, thirteen strings

Gold head-dresses, complete with jewels and precious stones, one hundred and twenty-three

Cushion covers and arm-rest covers in Imperial yellow satin, three sets

Palace dresses and skirts, eight sets

Two girdles in ‘mutton-fat’ white jade

Yellow satin, twelve bolts

Substandard silver, seven thousand taels

Pure gold, one hundred and fifty-two taels

Copper cash, seven thousand five hundred strings

All the furniture and properties bestowed by Imperial favour on the Rong-guo branch of the family had been itemized in a similar fashion, while property deeds and bonds for household servants had been put into separate covers and sealed.

Jia Lian followed this recital in detail, and was greatly puzzled to hear no mention of any of his own belongings. Presently one of the princes put an end to his bewilderment by asking Jia Zheng:

‘Among the items confiscated earlier, there were promissory notes bearing exorbitant rates of interest – who is responsible for these? You must tell the truth, Zheng.’

Jia Zheng knelt, kowtowed and said:

‘I have, alas, been insufficiently diligent in supervising my household. I was completely unaware of these activities. My nephew Jia Lian can doubtless answer your questions.’

Jia Lian hurried forward and fell to his knees.

‘Since the chest containing these documents was found in my apartment, how dare I disclaim knowledge of them? I can only beg Your Highnesses’ mercy. My uncle was quite unaware of their existence.’

‘Your father has already been arrested,’ said the princes to Jia Lian. ‘This offence can be dealt with at the same time as his. We commend you for having made a clean breast of it.’ They turned to their men: ‘Jia Lian must be detained. The others may be released, but are to be kept within the confines of the mansion.’ Finally they addressed Jia Zheng: ‘You, Zheng, must be more circumspect in future. Stay here and await His Majesty’s final Edict. We will now return to make our report to the throne, and in the meantime will leave guards here to keep watch over the house.’

They climbed into their princely sedans and were carried out of the mansion. Jia Zheng escorted them as far as the inner gate, where he knelt to see them off, and the Prince of Bei-jing stretched out a hand towards him as he passed, urging him to set his mind at ease. There was genuine concern written on the prince’s face.

After their departure Jia Zheng managed to compose himself somewhat, though he was still suffering from a deep sense of shock. When Jia Lian came and asked him to call on Grandmother Jia, informing him that she was indisposed, he roused himself at once and went in. At every doorway he encountered frantic maids and serving-women, all wondering what turn events would take next. Too preoccupied to stop and question them, he hurried on to Grandmother Jia’s apartment, and arrived to find Lady Wang, Bao-yu and the others gathered around Grandmother Jia, their faces wet with tears; there was silence in the room, broken only by the occasional fit of convulsive wailing from Lady Xing. The appearance of Jia Zheng brought cries of ‘Heaven be praised!’ and they hastened to reassure the old lady:

‘The Master is safe and sound! He’s here with us! Please don’t fret any more, Grannie!’

Grandmother Jia gave a faint little gasp and opened her eyes a slit:

‘Oh my son! I thought I’d never see you again!’

As she spoke, she burst out sobbing, and everyone in the room immediately followed suit. Jia Zheng was afraid that all this emotion might injure the old lady’s health and checked his own tears:

‘Please calm yourself, Mother. I cannot deny the gravity of what has happened. But thanks to the Emperor’s generosity and the gracious favour of the two princes, we have been treated with great compassion. Brother She has only been taken for questioning, and when his case has been investigated I am sure His Majesty will deal with him leniently also. And so far, not a thing has been removed from the house.’

When Grandmother Jia learned that her elder son had been taken away, she broke down again, and it was a while before Jia Zheng could finally calm her spirits.

The first person to venture out of the room was Lady Xing. She went to inspect her own apartment, and found all the doors sealed with strips of paper and padlocked, and her maids and serving-women held prisoner inside. There was nowhere for her to take refuge, and she let out a great howl of despair. Finally she made her way to Xi-feng’s apartment. Xi-feng’s side-rooms were sealed in a similar fashion, but the door leading into the main hall was still open, and from inside she could hear the sound of sobbing. She went in, and saw Xi-feng lying on her couch with eyes closed, her face ashen-pale; Patience stood by her side, quietly weeping. Lady Xing thought Xi-feng must be already dead and broke down again. Patience came up to her:

‘Please, Your Ladyship, don’t cry! We carried Mrs Lian back and she looked as good as dead. She had a sleep and then she woke up again and started crying. Now she’s more settled. Please try to be calm, Your Ladyship. How is Her Old Ladyship taking it?’

Lady Xing did not answer her question, but returned to Grandmother Jia’s apartment. There she was surrounded by Jia Zheng’s family. She reflected on her wretched fate: her husband and son were under arrest, her daughter-in-law was at death’s door, her newly married daughter was suffering maltreatment, and now she herself had nowhere to turn. Her whole world seemed to be collapsing around her. The others took pity on her distress and did what they could to comfort her; Li Wan sent a servant to prepare temporary accommodation while Lady Wang deputed some of her own maids and serving-women to wait on her.

Jia Zheng meanwhile had returned to his outer study and was sitting there, stroking his beard and nervously rubbing his hands together, waiting in a state of great trepidation for the outcome of the princes’ report to the throne. He heard one of the guards shouting outside:

‘Which part of the house do you belong to, for goodness’ sake? Since you’ve turned up here, we’ll have to enter you in our book. Bind him and hand him over to the Jackets.’

Jia Zheng went out to the gate and found that the man in question was Big Jiao, the ‘trusty old retainer’ from Ning-guo House.

‘What the devil brings you here?’ he asked.

Stomping furiously on the ground and calling heaven to be his witness, Big Jiao cried:

‘Hadn’t I warned these good-for-naught masters time after time – and they always said I was agin them! But you, sir, you know the wounds I had at my master’s side! And now look what we’ve come to! Mr Zhen and Master Rong both put in chains by some prince or other; the ladies manhandled and locked up in an empty room by some men from the whatsit guards; the slaves all penned up together, sir, like the worthless pigs that they are! Everything taken out for inventory and pushed to one side, lovely old furniture broken up, china smashed to smithereens … And now they want to get their hands on me! In my more than four score years I’ve tied men aplenty for my master: but let ’em do it to me – never! I gave ’em the slip at first and said I was from Rong-guo House; but they wouldn’t believe it and dragged me in. And now I find things are just as bad here. Nothing left worth living for. Whole place gone to the dogs. Well, I’m damned if I’ll knuckle under now. I might as well go down fighting!’

He charged head-first at the guards, who, out of respect for his age, and not wishing to contravene the princes’ orders, handled him with restraint.

‘Calm down, old man. We’re here to carry out an Imperial Edict. Now just take it easy and wait to see what His Majesty commands.’

Throughout this Jia Zheng said nothing, though he was cut to the quick by the old man’s words.

‘So it has come to this!’ he finally exclaimed to himself. ‘We are finished! I never thought we should be brought so low!’

He returned to his study and a little later was still sitting there, anxiously awaiting news from the Palace, when he heard Xue Ke come running into the courtyard and call out breathlessly:

‘I got through by the skin of my teeth! Where’s Uncle Zheng?’

Jia Zheng stepped out to greet him:

‘I am so glad you were able to reach us. How did you persuade them to let you in?’

‘I just begged and begged for all I was worth, and promised them money, and in the end they let me pass.’

Jia Zheng told him of the raid and asked him to try to find out on their behalf what was going on:

‘We can’t communicate with our friends and relatives. It would be too dangerous. You are the very person to carry word through for us.’

‘I had heard of the charges brought against Ning-guo House,’ said Xue Ke, ‘but I had no idea things were so bad on this side too.’

‘But what are the charges?’ asked Jia Zheng.

‘Earlier today,’ replied Xue Ke, ‘I was at the Board of Punishments on business of my own. I was enquiring about Cousin Pan’s sentence, but while I was there I happened to hear of the indictments brought by two censors against Cousin Zhen. One was for corrupting the sons of noble families, encouraging them to gamble and that sort of thing. That was the lesser of the charges: the other was for forcefully taking as a concubine the fiancée of an innocent man; when she resisted, or so the indictment reads, he subjected her to physical violence and drove her to her death. To corroborate the charges, the censor concerned has arrested a servant of ours named Bao Er and has also brought as witness a certain Mr Zhang. Even the Chief Censorate may be in trouble, as this fellow Zhang originally appealed to them some time ago and had his appeal quashed.’

Jia Zheng stamped his foot before Xue Ke had finished speaking.

‘What have things come to! This is truly the end!’

He sighed, and his cheeks were wet with tears. Xue Ke tried to console him, and then went out again to gather more news.

‘Things look bad,’ he reported later that day. ‘At the Board of Punishments, I could discover nothing about the two princes and their report to the throne. But I did learn something else. Early this morning a censor named Li presented an impeachment against the magistrate of Ping-an, accusing him of toadying to a metropolitan official, of pandering to his superiors and of oppressing the common people – together with a whole string of serious related offences.’

‘What has that to do with us?’ replied Jia Zheng somewhat impatiently. ‘What about our own people?’

‘The two cases are connected,’ said Xue Ke. ‘The metropolitan official referred to in Censor Li’s impeachment is in fact Uncle She: which means that he is implicated in a miscarriage of justice – which is a serious offence. His friends at court want to keep their hands clean if they possibly can, and there is no one even willing to keep us informed. It’s the same with the guests who fled from the party just now – they have either gone home, or found some other hiding place in which to lie low until the storm blows over. A few members of the clan are even publicly asking who will be the lucky one to get the title now that the family has been disgraced. They all have an eye on it …’

Jia Zheng stamped his foot and interrupted him again:

‘This is all the consequence of my elder brother’s folly! And of the disgraceful ways into which Ning-guo House had fallen! But enough of this. Who knows if Lady Jia and Lian’s wife are even still alive! You had best return and continue your enquiries, while I go and see how Lady Jia is. If you have any news, bring it as quickly as you can.’

As they were speaking, a confused cry was heard from within:

‘Her Old Ladyship is sinking!’

Jia Zheng hurried away in great alarm. To learn if she lived, you must turn to the next chapter.