by Cao Xueqin
‘Merciful Buddha!’ exclaimed Grandmother Jia. ‘How can she have fallen ill again? Last time if you remember I had such a fright, and then we found out that I had been imagining it all. If only I were imagining it now!’
Lady Wang talked to the old lady, and at the same time urged Faithful and the other maids to look out her court robes and begin attiring her. She then went in haste to her own apartment, dressed and returned to wait on Grandmother Jia. In a short while they were ready, and walked out from the main hall to the sedan-chairs that were waiting to carry them to the palace.
Yuan-chun, since her elevation to the Imperial Bedchamber, had been the cherished object of the emperor’s favours, and had become as a result somewhat plump. From the constant pressure and daily exhaustion of life at court, she had also developed a chronic bronchial condition. A few days previously, when returning late from attendance at a banquet, she had caught a chill, which soon brought on her old complaint. This time, however, it was a severe attack. Phlegm completely obstructed her passages, causing a coldness and faintness in her limbs. The emperor was informed, and a court physician summoned at once. But she could swallow none of the medicines that he prescribed, and even the decongestant salts they tried to administer had no beneficial effect. Concerned at her critical condition, her attendant eunuchs reported again to His Majesty, requesting that the necessary precautions be taken. And so her immediate family were summoned to the Palace.
Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang presented themselves at the palace, and entered the Imperial Concubine’s Bedchamber, to find her choked with phlegm, with saliva dribbling from her mouth, no longer capable of speech. When she saw her grandmother coming towards her, her face took on the most pitiful expression, as if she wanted to weep but no longer had the strength to do so. Grandmother Jia came forward to do homage, and offered a few words of comfort. A little later, the official cards of Jia Zheng and company were brought in, and a lady-in-waiting presented them for Her Grace’s inspection. She no longer had the strength to look at them, however, and her face was growing paler minute by minute.
The eunuchs were about to report to the emperor again, and foreseeing that the other concubines would soon arrive to pay their last respects, asked the Jia relatives if they would kindly step outside and wait in one of the ante-chambers of the Palace. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang had no choice but to conform to court regulations, and wrench themselves away. Holding back their tears, they left the chamber with sorrowful hearts.
They could see messages being passed within the Palace, and shortly afterwards a eunuch came out and sent for an official from the Imperial Board of Astronomy. Grandmother Jia knew only too well what this meant. He was requesting an auspicious date for the funeral. It was all over. But still she dared not make a move. It was not long before a junior eunuch came out to make the official announcement:
‘Her Grace the Jia Concubine has passed away.’
It was the nineteenth of the twelfth month. Spring Commencement fell on the eighteenth of the twelfth month of that year, being the year Jia Yin; the nineteenth of the month was therefore also, astrologically speaking, within the month Yin of the following Mao year. Her Grace was forty-three years old.
Grandmother Jia rose, and doing her best to remain composed, left the Palace, climbed into her sedan and was carried home. Jia Zheng and company had also been informed, and they too made the sad journey home. Lady Xing, Li Wan, Xi-feng, Bao-yu and other members of the family were lined up on both sides of the courtyard before the main hall of Rong-guo House to greet first Grandmother Jia, then Jia Zheng and Lady Wang as they returned. Our narrative passes over the tearful family scene.
Early next day, all members of the family with official rank went to the Palace to pay their last respects, and to mourn as the rites prescribed. The details of Yuan-chun’s tomb were the responsibility of the Minister of Works, and Jia Zheng found himself being frequently entertained by his President, and consulted by his colleagues. It was a very busy time – not at all like the period of the previous court funerals for the Dowager Empress and the Zhou Concubine. Because Yuan-chun had died without issue, she was given the posthumous title: ‘Illustrious and Chaste Imperial Concubine’. This was in conformity with state precedent. But of this no more.
Everyone in the Jia family was kept extremely busy, travelling to and from the Palace daily for the duration of the funeral. Luckily Xi-feng’s health had improved a little of late, and she was able to get up and manage the household. She was also preparing to celebrate the return of Wang Zi-teng. Her own elder brother, Wang Ren, now that his uncle was to be a Privy Councillor and in a position of such influence, was also on his way to the capital with his family. Xi-feng was glad of this. The knowledge that she would have these extra Wangs around her also gave her renewed confidence, and had a beneficial effect on her health. Lady Wang, now that Xi-feng was up and about again, unloaded half of her responsibilities onto her, and with the reassuring prospect of having her elder brother back in the capital soon, felt more at peace.
Bao-yu was not entitled to attend any of his eldest sister’s funeral ceremonies, as he held no official rank. He did no work either, and was left undisturbed in his idleness; the Preceptor attributed his state to the recent family events, while Jia Zheng was far too busy to keep a check on his son’s studies. Our hero might have been expected to seize this as an ideal opportunity to amuse himself in the delightful company of his sister and cousins. But from the day he lost his jade, he just sat around all the time doing nothing, and if he spoke, did so in an incoherent mumble. When Grandmother Jia and the others returned from the Palace, he went over to pay his respects if told to do so; if not, he stayed where he was. All this time Aroma and his other maids grew more and more guilty and apprehensive. They dared not take him to task, for fear that he might have a tantrum. Each day he drank his tea and ate his meals, when they were placed before him. But he would as soon have gone without.
It eventually dawned on Aroma that this was not just a mood of his, but a genuine illness. When she had a free moment, she slipped over to the Naiad’s House, and had a word with Nightingale.
‘If only your Mistress would talk to him, and try to cheer him up,’ she said.
Nightingale passed this message on to Dai-yu straight away. But Dai-yu now saw herself as Bao-yu’s future bride, and felt a need to behave towards him with scrupulous modesty.
‘If he should come to see me,’ she argued with herself, ‘I should have to receive him politely, for the sake of our childhood friendship. But as for going over to see him myself, that is quite out of the question.’
So she turned a deaf ear to Aroma’s entreaties. Aroma next went secretly to tell Tan-chun. But Tan-chun was herself plunged in gloom. To her mind, the strange flowering of the crab-trees had been the first of a series of ill omens, followed by the still stranger loss of the Precious Jade, and now by her sister’s death. With the family fortunes so evidently on the decline, how could she find it in herself to rally Bao-yu’s spirits? Besides, as brother and sister, they were obliged to maintain a certain distance. She did visit him once or twice, but he seemed indifferent to her presence and she made no further efforts.
Bao-chai also knew of the missing jade. Her mother had already told her of her proposed betrothal to Bao-yu, the day she discussed it with Lady Wang and all but consented.
‘Although it is your Aunt Wang’s proposal,’ she had said to Bao-chai, ‘I have still not given my final consent. I said we should have to wait until Pan comes home. What do you say to the idea? Are you willing?’
‘Mother,’ replied Bao-chai, in a most serious tone, ‘you don’t need to ask me. A daughter’s future lies in her parents’ hands. Since Father is dead, the decision is entirely yours. Consult Pan, if you wish, but why me?’
Aunt Xue was most touched by this display of modesty in her daughter, proof that her basically sound character had not been in any way spoiled by her luxurious upbringing. She would not mention Bao-yu�
�s name to her again. Bao-chai for her part maintained a strict taboo from that day forth on those two syllables. So when she came to hear of the missing jade, despite the concern she felt, she refrained from inquiring any further and contented herself with what she gleaned from those around her, while maintaining a show of complete indifference.
Aunt Xue, on the other hand, sent a maid over several times to inquire after Bao-yu. She was also greatly concerned about her own son, and awaited her elder brother’s arrival with impatience. His influence would surely secure Pan’s release. With the death of the Imperial Concubine, she could see how busy the Jias were. But as Xi-feng was well enough to take charge of the household management, she did not feel it necessary to visit them often.
The one to suffer most during all this was Aroma, although she tried to remain quiet and calm, and to comfort Bao-yu and minister to his needs. He seemed to understand nothing, and she could only watch over him in secret anguish.
After a few days, Yuan-chun’s coffin was laid out in the Imperial Chapel of Rest, and Grandmother Jia and the other senior members of the family attended funeral services there for several days. Bao-yu was becoming daily more and more of an imbecile. He had no fever and was not in any physical pain, but he was eating little and sleeping less and becoming quite incoherent in his speech. Aroma, Musk and the other maids were at their wits’ end, and several times went to report to Xi-feng, who came over constantly to see how he was. At first she had thought that he was simply upset that his jade had not been found. But now, seeing the deranged state into which he was sinking, she sent for the doctor. The doctor paid daily visits, and more than one kind of medicine was prescribed, but all seemed to do more harm than good. To all inquiries as to where he felt pain, he was quite unable to reply.
When Yuan-chun’s funeral ceremonies were over, Grandmother Jia’s thoughts turned again to Bao-yu, and she came to the Garden to visit him, accompanied by Lady Wang. Aroma told Bao-yu to go out and greet her properly. Bao-yu was still able to get about, and managed to greet his grandmother presentably, with Aroma at his side prompting him at every turn.
‘My dear boy!’ exclaimed Grandmother Jia. ‘I am so relieved! I was led to believe that you were seriously ill. But now I see that you are quite your normal self.’
Lady Wang too seemed pleasantly surprised. Bao-yu said nothing and gave an inane grin. They went in and sat down. When Grandmother Jia asked him a question, he could only repeat whatever Aroma said. It soon became clear to them all that so far from being his normal self, he was now little more than a halfwit. The more Grandmother Jia saw, the more it puzzled and distressed her.
‘When I came in,’ she said, ‘he seemed quite well. But I can see now that he really is seriously ill. He seems to have quite lost his wits. Will someone please tell me what has happened?’
Lady Wang realized that they could not keep it from her any longer. For Aroma’s sake, who stood there in mortal terror, she stuck to Bao-yu’s story and told Grandmother Jia that he had lost his jade at the Earl of Lin-an’s party, whispering it all in the old lady’s ear, afraid it might come as too great a shock to her.
‘The servants have been told to look everywhere,’ she added. ‘We have asked several fortune-tellers, and they all say that it’s in a pawnshop, so it can only be a matter of time before we find it.’
Grandmother Jia rose to her feet in great agitation, tears streaming down her cheeks.
‘How could he lose such a precious thing? You are not fit to look after him! What about his father? Surely he has not washed his hands of it too?’
Lady Wang could see that Grandmother Jia was in a rage. She told Aroma and the others to kneel, and herself replied, with contrite face and lowered head:
‘I was afraid you would be upset, Mother, and that his father would be angry, so I still have not told him.’
‘But can’t you see?’ cried Grandmother Jia. ‘The jade is Bao-yu’s very life. Losing it is what has made him lose his wits. What are we going to do? People all over town have heard of the jade. If someone picks it up, he’s hardly going to hand it in. Send someone at once to his father and ask him to come here. I must speak to him about this.’
Lady Wang, Aroma and all the others present were terrified of the possible consequences and entreated Grandmother Jia to relent.
‘Imagine how angry Sir Zheng will be, Mother! Think of poor Bao-yu! For his sake, give us one last chance. We will search for all we are worth.’
‘Why should you fear his father’s wrath? I shall be here,’ said the old lady firmly.
She told Musk to send someone for Jia Zheng. Minutes later, the message returned that he was out visiting a friend.
‘Well, we’ll go ahead without him,’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘For the present, none of the servants is to be punished. Those are my instructions, and I shall take full responsibility. Send for Lian and tell him to write out a Notice of Reward, and post copies of it wherever Bao-yu went on the day he lost his jade. It is to say: “Reward for return of jade, ten thousand taels of silver. Reward for information leading to its recovery, five thousand taels.” And there is to be no question of not paying up in full if someone does come forward. This is the only way we shall ever find it. If we rely on our own people, we could go on searching for the rest of our lives.’
Lady Wang did not dare voice her reservations about this plan of action. Jia Lian was sent for, and told to have the posters made up with all speed.
‘Move Bao-yu’s things to my apartment,’ Grandmother Jia ordered one of the servants. ‘I shall only need Aroma and Ripple to wait on him. The rest can stay here and look after his apartment.’
Bao-yu remained silent throughout all of this, grinning inanely. Grandmother Jia took him by the hand and led him out, Aroma and the others clustering round to support him as far as the garden gate. When they reached her apartment, Grandmother Jia told Lady Wang to sit down, and herself supervised the putting in order of the inner room. When this was done, she spoke to Lady Wang:
‘You know why I have brought him over here, don’t you? In the first place, there are so few people living in the garden now, and I can’t help feeling there’s something odd about the way those crab-trees in his courtyard died so suddenly, and then so suddenly flowered. Before now he could always rely on his jade to keep any evil influences at bay. But now that it is lost, I am afraid the evil can get in more easily. So I thought it best for him to stay here with me. He had better not go out for a few days. When the doctor comes, he can see him here.’
‘Of course you are right,’ said Lady Wang promptly. ‘Your good luck will shelter him from any such influences, now that he is here.’
‘My luck! Nothing of the sort! It is quieter here, that is all, and there are plently of sutras for him to read, to help settle his mind. Ask him if he agrees.’
When his mother put the question to him, Bao-yu merely smiled. Finally, prompted by Aroma, he answered, ‘Yes Mother.’ Lady Wang was moved to tears by the pitiful spectacle her son presented, but contained herself in Grandmother Jia’s presence. Grandmother Jia could see that she was somewhat overwrought, and told her to go back to her own apartment.
‘Leave him to me. I shall look after him. When his father gets home this evening, tell him there is no need for him to come and see me today. I do not want him to know yet.’
When Lady Wang had left, Grandmother Jia told Faithful to bring her one of her sedative remedies. Bao-yu took it; and there we must leave them for the present.
Jia Zheng, on his way home that evening, heard from within his carriage the following conversation in the street:
‘If you want to get rich, I know of an easy way …’
‘Oh? What’s that?’
‘I heard today that at Rong-guo House one of the young nobs has lost a jade, and they’ve posted a notice of reward, with all the details – shape, size, colour, etc. Ten thousand they’re offering to anyone who hands it in, and five thousand for information!’
Jia Zheng did not catch every word. But he heard enough to be considerably alarmed. He hurried home, and on arrival summoned one of the janitors and questioned him about the whole affair.
‘I knew nothing of all this until today, sir,’ replied the janitor. ‘The first I heard of it was this afternoon, when Mr Lian gave us Her Old Ladyship’s orders to put the posters up.’
‘We are doomed!’ said Jia Zheng to himself with a bitter sigh. ‘This son of mine is the bane of our lives! When he was a child he was the talk of the neighbourhood. It has taken us these last ten years or more to stop their tongues, and now we have to go putting up a poster like this, announcing our troubles to the world!’
He went in without further delay and questioned Lady Wang, who told him the whole story. When he learnt that the reward was the old lady’s idea, Jia Zheng knew that he could not very well openly oppose it. He criticized Lady Wang instead for her part in it, and going out once more, gave orders for the posters to be taken down without Grandmother Jia’s knowledge. As it turned out, some local loafers had already pulled them down.
Despite this, a day or two later, a man did arrive at the main gate of Rong-guo House, claiming to have brought the jade. The servants were ecstatic. ‘Give it here!’ they cried. ‘We’ll take it in for you.’
‘Not so fast!’ The man fumbled inside his gown, and brought out the reward poster. ‘Look here,’ he said, pointing to the wording on the poster. ‘This is what your masters put up, isn’t it? “Ten thousand taels for return of jade” – plain as daylight. I may be a pauper today, my man, but wait till I come into my ten thousand. You’ll sing a different tune then.’
The gateman could see he was a difficult customer.
‘Well at least give us a look, so we can go in and report.’
At first the man refused. But eventually he allowed himself to be persuaded, and producing it from within his gown, he exhibited the jade to them fleetingly on the palm of his hand, saying:
