by Bangqing Han
Harmony Qi nodded in sympathy. “Jade and Water Blossom are an exceptional pair. Even Water Blossom’s mother is quite admirable.”
“The more in love they are, the worse their trouble! I suppose Jade owed them a huge debt in his last incarnation. He’s now paying it back,” said Cloud.
Everyone at the table sighed. Cloud Tao intended to leave Belle Tan there to keep the others company, but she refused. Instead, she ordered her maid to gather up her silver water pipe and nutmeg box. Cloud made his apologies to everybody, and Harmony saw him out the door.
He walked down the steps with Belle Tan, and they boarded their sedan chairs. Two servants of the Qi house led the way to the gate, each holding a lantern. Their sedan chairs left the garden in haste for Fourth Avenue, from where Belle returned to West Civic Peace Alley while Cloud made his way to Water Blossom’s in East Prosperity Alley. When he got there, he went into River Blossom’s room on the right. Big Goldie, who had caught a glimpse of him, followed him in with tea and was going to offer him the water pipe, too. He waved her off, telling her to get Second Young Master.
It took Jade Tao some seven or eight minutes to come over from the next room. He was followed by River Blossom. Having greeted his elder brother, Jade sat down in silence. Cloud immediately inquired about Water Blossom’s condition. Too upset to speak, Jade shook his head as tears streamed down his face. Unable to get his handkerchief out in time, he wiped his tears on his sleeve. River Blossom, who was leaning on his knees, pulled away his hand to look up at him. Seeing his tears, she started wailing. Big Goldie’s admonitions failed to make her stop. It was only when Jade told her not to cry that she tried to get a grip on herself.
Seeing how it was, Cloud Tao was also shaken. He spoke gently to Jade: “Poor Water Blossom! It’s perfectly all right if you want to stay here and look after her, but you do need to use your common sense. I heard that you’re running a fever, is that true?”
Jade stared at the floor silently, his face blank. Just when Cloud was about to speak again, he heard Fair Sister Li’s voice calling softly at the door for “Second Young Master.” Jade rushed off in a panic, followed by River Blossom. Cloud was left alone in the room. He wanted to find out how bad Water Blossom was so he, too, crossed over to her room. When he entered, he saw Water Blossom sitting up in bed, propped up by several quilts. Her face was as white as paper, her eyes were half closed, and her breathing was labored. Jade leaned against her bedside to massage her chest slowly while Beckon was kneeling on the bed with a cup of ginseng soup. Fair Sister Li stood at a corner with a candle lamp in hand. River Blossom pushed her way up to the bedside but was told off by Fair Sister; she had to be satisfied with standing behind Jade and peeking from there.
Realizing that the situation was grave, Cloud was about to walk away. Just then, Water Blossom coughed up some thick phlegm. Fair Sister brought a handkerchief to her mouth for her to spit in. After that, her breathing seemed a little easier. Beckon served her some of the ginseng soup with a silver spoon. She opened her mouth as if to drink it, but of the four or five spoonfuls fed her, she only swallowed half of them.
Jade asked her tenderly, “Does your heart still hurt?” Despite his repeated inquiry, she barely glanced at him before closing her eyes again. He knew she found this annoying, so he drew back and stood up.
Only when Fair Sister turned around to put down the candle lamp did she see Cloud standing there. “Aiya! So you’re here as well, Eldest Young Master? It’s filthy here, do please go and sit in the next room,” she said, flustered.
And so Cloud turned and walked out of the room. Fair Sister told Beckon to get down from the bed but to stay in the room, while she went quickly into the next one with Jade and River Blossom. Nobody took a seat; they just stood around looking at one another. River Blossom stared restlessly from one face to another, not knowing what to do.
In the end, it was Fair Sister who started talking. “Well, it seems Water Blossom stands little chance of overcoming her illness now. We had hoped she’d get better, but now that looks unlikely, and there’s really nothing we can do. Though she is ill, the rest of us have to carry on with life. Nothing says that we shouldn’t live because of her illness; it just doesn’t make sense. Isn’t that so, Eldest Young Master?”
When Jade, who was seated by her side, heard this, he took a deep breath, his voice choked, and he almost burst out crying. To hide this, he made for the back door. Cloud pretended not to notice.
Fair Sister continued, “Water Blossom has been ill for more than a month now, and so many people have suffered because of it. First among them is Second Young Master, who has taken the strain all this time, keeping her company day and night. This morning, I felt Second Young Master’s forehead and noticed that he had a little fever, so I thought it best if you would talk to him, Eldest Young Master. As I had said to Second Young Master, after Water Blossom passes away, I’ll be relying on him to look after me. To me, Second Young Master is just like family. Now that Water Blossom is ill, what am I to do if Second Young Master falls ill, too?”
Cloud listened to this with a frown. He hesitated for a long while before sending Big Goldie to fetch Jade. She looked for him in Water Blossom’s room, but he was not there. She asked Beckon, who replied, “He didn’t come in.”
What had not occurred to them was that Jade was sitting in Fair Sister’s room and crying his eyes out, trying his best not to make any noise. River Blossom, who was also weeping, tugged at his sleeve, pleading with him, “Brother-in-law, please don’t cry.”
When Big Goldie found him, she passed on the message: “Eldest Young Master wants you.”
Jade made an effort to hold back his tears and then waited a while before going to join them. He sat down facing Cloud, with River Blossom by his side. Fair Sister sat on one side to keep them company.
Cloud tried to reason with him. “It makes no sense for a man to give up his life at the death of his wife. Even if Water Blossom had been your wife, according to etiquette, it’d only be right for you to temper your sorrow with decorum, not to mention the fact that her relationship with you has not been formalized.”
Before he could finish, Jade replied, “Don’t you worry, Brother. Water Blossom will only live a couple more days. After that, I’ll see to it that her funeral is properly arranged, and then I’ll go home and never set foot outside again. If other people have anything to say, don’t pay them any attention. Poor Water Blossom, she hasn’t got anybody dear to her to look after her in her illness. This is too much for me; I just need to speak out.”
“You’re an intelligent man, so you should have learned to take it philosophically. What you propose to do is all right. But now you’re running a fever, so why do you refuse to sleep?” said Cloud.
“I couldn’t sleep in the daytime, but I’m going to sleep now. Don’t worry, Brother.” Jade gave his promise over and over again.
Having said all that he could, Cloud Tao prepared to leave. But Fair Sister detained him, saying, “There’s something else I’d like to discuss. A couple of days ago, when Water Blossom didn’t look so good, I thought we should make the final preparations for her.1 As you know, it is believed that such preparations may very well pull the patient back from the brink. But Second Young Master forbade me to do it because he still hoped she’d recover. I’m afraid we must go ahead now, or else we won’t be able to get things ready in time.”
“Go ahead by all means. Even if she does get well, there’ll have been no harm done.” Cloud rose to his feet as he replied. Jade stood up to see his brother out. River Blossom, afraid that he would leave with Cloud, held on to him, refusing to let go. Cloud also told Jade to stay in the room, keep out of the draught, and have an early night. Fair Sister saw Cloud out.
“Jade is not thinking straight. If anything happens, send someone to West Civic Peace Alley to let me know. I’ll come and give him a hand,” Cloud said.
Fair Sister was deeply grateful. Cloud also ordered Jade’s sedan-c
hair bearers to report to him at regular intervals. Fair Sister accompanied Cloud all the way to the front door and did not turn back until he had got into his sedan chair. But Cloud was still worried. As soon as he got to West Civic Peace Alley, he told one of his sedan-chair bearers, “Go to East Prosperity Alley and find out whether Second Young Master has gone to bed.”
It was a long time before the man came back to report, “Second Young Master is in bed, but he’s running a fever again.”
Cloud sent the man off with another message: “Since he caught a chill, having a fever is not too much of a worry. Just keep him warm and make sure he sweats; that should help.”
After the sedan-chair bearer had delivered the message, he again reported back. Then Cloud had some congee for supper and went to bed with Belle. The next morning, he was about to send someone over to inquire when Jade’s sedan-chair bearer came to report, “Second Young Master is quite well. The maestro is also feeling a little better.”
Somewhat relieved, Cloud got up to wash. It so happened the Flora Zhang’s maid had come back from Conical Hat Garden to fetch some more clothes for her, and Harmony Qi told her to take a note to Cloud, inviting him to dinner that evening and also inquiring after Water Blossom. Cloud sent his card in reply, saying, “I’ll be there if nothing happens.”
Shortly after the clock struck twelve, Cloud was still having lunch when Jade’s sedan-chair bearer dashed in to report that Water Blossom had passed away. Worried about Jade, Cloud put down his rice bowl and left at once for East Prosperity Alley. On the way, he tried to work out what to do, and as soon as he reached the house, he sent the chair bearers to invite Cloudlet Chen and Whistler Tang to come for consultation.
On entering the house, he saw all the windows in Water Blossom’s room were wide open and the door curtain had been removed. Besides paper money for the underworld, they were also burning the clothes Water Blossom had worn. The smoke gushed up from the courtyard and scattered in the wind. The loud wailing indoors was ear-piercing. There were also a number of people shouting out orders as they went about tidying up. Cloud could not tell whether Jade’s voice was among them. Just then, the manservant, Laurel Blessing, happened to come out carrying the bed curtains, now roughly rolled up. Seeing Cloud, he called loudly over his shoulder, “Eldest Young Master is here.”
Cloud went into River Blossom’s room and sat down to wait. He suddenly heard Fair Sister shout desperately, “No, Second Young Master!” The maids and servant girls dashed into the room, while the sedan-chair bearers gathered outside the windows to find out what had happened. A moment later, Jade came out of the room, surrounded by Fair Sister and the maid and servant girls, who had pulled and pushed to make him come out. Jade had cried himself hoarse. Still choking in his tears, he tottered into River Blossom’s room like a blind man. Cloud saw the bump on his forehead, the result of his knocking his head against the bedstead.
“What d’you think you’re doing?” Cloud stamped his foot in anger.
His brother’s anger made Jade calm down a little. He turned around and stretched himself out stiffly on a chair. Just as Fair Sister was going to consult Cloud about the funeral, Beckon called out in the parlor, “Mother, come! River Blossom is still calling Elder Sister. She’s on the bed trying to pull her up.” Fair Sister rushed out to get River Blossom, who was dissolved in tears. After a few words of rebuke, Fair Sister placed her in Jade’s care.
It happened that Cloudlet Chen had arrived just then, so Cloud went out to greet him. Cloudlet said, “Whistler has gone to Hangzhou on account of Modesty Zhu’s betrothal. What did you want him for?” When Cloud Tao replied that he needed their help with the funeral, Cloudlet readily agreed.
Cloud turned around to address Jade, “Let’s face it, she’s dead now, and you know too little about practical matters to be of much help even if you hang around. I suggest we leave things to Cloudlet. You and I should keep out of his way.”
Jade became desperate. “Why don’t you just give me another four or five days, Brother?” That was all he managed to say before he was choked in tears again.
“You misunderstood me. We’ll come back here later. I just want you to have a change of scene,” said Cloud.
Fair Sister also urged him to go: “It’s good to have a change of scene. In fact, it worries me a little having Second Young Master here.”
Cloudlet also tried to smooth things over. “A change of scene is not a bad idea. If anything comes up, I’ll tell them to send for you.”
With the pressure piling up, Jade hung his head and said no more. Cloud immediately called out for the sedan chairs and took Jade by the arm to make him come along. “We’ll go across the way to West Civic Peace Alley.”
River Blossom heard him say “across the way” and thought they were going over to see Water Blossom. She ran ahead into the room before Beckon could stop her. She waited there but no one came. Completely at a loss, she ran out to the parlor and saw that Jade was just getting into his sedan chair. She rushed out of the front door crying and yelling and rammed her head against the sedan chair. Fortunately, Fair Sister reacted quickly. She grabbed River Blossom around the waist and lifted her off her feet. Even then, the girl still struggled stubbornly.
“Let her come along,” Jade interceded.
Fair Sister consented and let her go. River Blossom took the opportunity to duck into Jade’s sedan chair. He managed to soothe her.
The sedan-chair bearers bore them to Belle Tan’s at West Civic Peace Alley. Cloud took Jade and River Blossom upstairs into Belle’s room. Seeing the tears on the faces of Jade and River Blossom, Belle realized Water Blossom had died. When the menservants brought them hot towels, Cloud told them to get a couple more for River Blossom. Belle went further; she told the maid to fetch a basin of hot water and her own toilet articles and then combed River Blossom’s hair for her and persuaded her to put on some rouge and powder. The young girl could not very well refuse. Jade settled on the opium couch but remained fidgety whether lying down or sitting up.
Soon Cloudlet Chen came to them with a question, “There’re some ready-made coffins. One is made of Wuyuan wood; it’s not bad really. The other is made of cedar and is more expensive. Which should it be?”
“Cedar,” replied Jade. Cloud said nothing.
“They’ve made a list of the clothes. They want to use the bridal headdress and the wedding cape for burial.2 What d’you say to that?” said Cloudlet.
Jade had no answer to that; he turned to look at Cloud.
“That’s all right. It’ll just mean that Jade will have to spend a couple more dollars. This business is in the Li family, it has nothing to do with us Taos. Let them use whatever they want,” said Cloud.
“The astrologer has picked noon on the ninth as the hour for the body to be laid out in the coffin and two hours later for the funeral procession. Burial will be at four in the afternoon on the tenth. The grave is in Xujiahui. The gravediggers should be sent there tomorrow; that’s rather urgent.”
Cloud and Jade said yes simultaneously. Cloudlet left as soon as these matters had been settled.
At dusk, Jade thought of something he had to see to. Unable to stop him, Cloud accompanied him back to the Lis’. River Blossom naturally went with them, again sharing Jade’s sedan chair. When they reached the house in East Prosperity Alley, they saw that Water Blossom’s body was already laid out in the parlor and blue cotton mourning curtains had been hung up. Four nuns sitting on either side of the bier were chanting Buddhist sutras. Water Blossom’s room was brightly lit, and six or seven tailors had set up work tables there to make white mourning clothes. Cloudlet Chen was in River Blossom’s room, helping Fair Sister Li sort out clothes for the burial.
At the sight of this scene, Jade’s heart contracted with grief. He turned away from Cloud and went into Fair Sister’s room, where he hammered the tables and chairs with his fist and howled. This sent River Blossom into loud wailing as well, and the noise rang through the house. Fair
Sister wanted to rush in and talk to him, but Cloud stopped her. “Let him be. It’s all right if he just cries. He needs to get it out of his system.”
So Fair Sister told Big Goldie to get tea and hot water ready and to stand by when the clothes for the burial had been sorted out. The noise continued, except now it sounded more like shouting than weeping.
“Now go and talk to him,” said Cloud Tao.
Fair Sister went in. Sure enough, Jade stopped crying as soon as she consoled him. He even came out to wash his face and rinse his mouth. River Blossom stayed glued to his side, not leaving him for an instant.
His mind now more at ease, Jade asked Fair Sister what jewelry would be used for the burial.
“There’s quite enough jewelry for that. All that’s lacking is some clothes.”
“She didn’t like any of the pearl combs or flower-shaped pearl hairpins. Her favorite was the large pearl on her hat,” he said. “Use that as the center ornament of her hat band. Then there’s a white jade pendant that she used to wear hanging on a button; make sure she takes it with her. Don’t forget.”
“I won’t,” Fair Sister replied.
There was much that Jade wanted to say, but he could not think of anything right away. Cloud said, “It’s all right if you want to come here to have a good cry; just don’t spend the night here. You should come with me to West Civic Peace Alley. It’s nearby, so you can come over whenever you think of something, and they can go there to consult you. It’s convenient for everybody, right?”
Jade did not have the heart to reject such kindness, so he agreed. Thereupon Cloud invited Cloudlet Chen to a casual dinner at Belle’s. Fair Sister tried to press them to stay for dinner.
