by Cao Xueqin
Lai Wang’s wife laughed.
“You needn’t worry, madam. Who would dare say a word against you? But, honestly speaking, if you stopped lending out that money we’d save ourselves trouble and offend fewer people.”
Xifeng snorted.
“I’ve acted like a fool all for nothing. What did I need money for? Only for daily expenses, as we’re overspending our income and our household is always short. My monthly allowance and his, plus those of our four maids, come to only some twenty taels a month—not enough to last three or five days. If I hadn’t raised more by hook or by crook, we’d long ago have had to move into some tumble-down cave. But all I’ve got for my pains is the reputation of a moneylender. So I may as well call in all those loans. I can spend money as well as anyone else. In future let’s all sit here spending, without worrying how long the money will last. Isn’t that the idea?
“Before the old lady’s birthday the other day, Lady Wang worried for two months, not knowing how to raise funds, till I reminded her that in the back upstairs storeroom there were four or five cases of big copper and pewter vessels lying useless. By pawning these for three hundred taels she managed to make her contribution. As for me, as you know, I sold that gold striking-clock for five hundred and sixty-four taels. But in less than half a month it all went on some ten outlays big and small. Now that even our treasury is short, someone’s had the bright idea of milking the old lady. A few more years and we’ll be reduced to selling our clothes and jewellery, and won’t that be fine!” Lai Wang’s wife chuckled.
“The clothes and jewels of any single one of our mistresses would raise enough to last us a whole lifetime. But of course that would never do.”
“It’s not that I’ve got cold feet,” Xifeng insisted. “But if things go on this way I really can’t cope. Last night I suddenly had a very odd dream. I dreamed that someone with a familiar face, but whose name I couldn’t recollect, came to see me. When I asked her business, she said Her Imperial Highness had sent her to fetch a hundred rolls of silk from me. I asked which Imperial Highness. She told me it wasn’t the one from our family, so I refused. Then she tried to take the silk by force. We were scuffling when I woke up.”
Lai Wang’s wife said with a smile, “That’s because you’d been worrying all day about presents for the Palace.”
Just then it was announced that the eunuch Xia had sent a young eunuch to see them.
Jia Lian frowned.
“What is it this time?” he exclaimed. “Haven’t they squeezed enough out of us this year?”
“You keep out of sight and let me handle this,” suggested Xifeng. “If it’s some small matter, all right. It it’s something important I know how to ward him off.”
Jia Lian withdrew then to the annex.
Xifeng ordered the young eunuch to be brought in and offered him a seat, after which tea was served. She then asked his business.
“His Excellency Xia saw a house today which he’d like to buy, but he’s two hundred taels short,” was the answer. “He sent me to ask you, madam, if you have ready money at home and can lend him a couple of hundred for the time being. He’ll pay you back in a few days.”
Xifeng replied with a smile, “Don’t speak of paying us back. We’ve plenty of silver here; just take any amount you need. If ever we’re short of funds, we’ll apply to you.”
“His Excellency also said he still hasn’t repaid the twelve hundred taels he borrowed the last two times. He will definitely return it all before the end of the year.”
“His Excellency is too scrupulous.” Xifeng laughed. “He may as well forget it. At the risk of offending him I’d like to say that if he remembered to pay us back all he’s borrowed, goodness knows how much that would come to. The only thing that worries us is that we may not have money when he needs it. As long as we have, he can take it.” She called for Lai Wang’s wife and told her, “Go and get hold of two hundred taels from somewhere.”
Taking the hint, Mrs. Lai replied, “I came to borrow from you, madam, because I couldn’t raise money anywhere else.”
“You just come in asking us for money,” scolded Xifeng, “When I ask you to get some outside, you say you can’t.” She told Pinger, “Take those two gold necklets of mine and have them pawned for four hundred taels.”
Pinger went off, returning after some lapse of time with a brocade-covered box containing two silk wrappers. In one was a gold filigree necklet studded with pearls as large as lotus seeds; in the other, a jewelled green enamel necklet. Both were similar to those made for the Palace. She took these away and soon brought back four hundred taels, half of which on Xifeng’s instructions she gave to the young eunuch, the other half to Lai Wang’s wife to meet expenses for the Moon Festival. Then the young eunuch took his leave, and a servant was ordered to carry the silver for him and see him out of the main gate.
Jia Lian returned now demanding, “When will those scoundrels outside stop plaguing us?”
Xifeng chuckled, “It’s a case of ‘talk of the devil.’“
“Yesterday the eunuch Zhou came and asked straight out for a thousand tales. When I hedged, he looked put out. In future we’re bound to offend them even more often. I only wish we could come into another two or three million taels.”
While he was speaking Pinger helped her mistress with her toilet, and then Xifeng went to wait upon the Lady Dowager at dinner.
Jia Lian had barely gone to his outside study when Lin Zhixiao appeared.
“Just now I heard that Jia Yucun has lost his post,” he reported. “I don’t know why. Of course, it may not be true.”
“Whether it’s true or not, he’s not likely to keep his present post for long,” replied Jia Lian. “If he gets into trouble, I’m afraid we’ll be involved. It would be better to keep clear of him.”
“Quite so,” agreed Lin. “But that’s easier said than done. At the moment he’s very thick with the master of the East Mansion, and our master Lord She likes him too. Every body knows that he’s a frequent visitor here.”
“Provided we don’t get involved in any of his schemes, it doesn’t matter. Go and check up to find out what’s really happened.”
Lin Zhixiao assented, but instead of leaving he sat there chatting until the subject of their financial straits came up again. He took this chance to advise:
“We should cut down on our household—it’s too large. Why not ask the old lady and the master to release some old servants who have served the family well but are no longer useful? They all have independent means, and that would save us some money and grain each year. We have too many maids as well. Now that times have changed we can’t follow the old rules but should tighten up a bit! Those used to eight maids can make do with six, those used to four with two. By cutting down like this in all our apartments we’d save a good deal of money and grain every year. And then half the girls in the household, who are grown up anyway, should get married. With them married, our household would increase. Wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
“I’ve had the same idea,” agreed Jia Lian. “But the master is only just back, and there are quite a few important matters I haven’t yet reported to him; so there’s been no time to bring this up. The other day when the professional match-maker came with a horoscope to propose a match, Her Ladyship told us not to mention it as His Lordship is just home, enjoying this family reunion, and a sudden proposal of this sort might upset him.”
“Quite right and proper too. You think of everything, sir.”
“Yes, but this reminds me of something. Our man Lai Wang wants Caixia in Her Ladyship’s place for his son. Yesterday he asked my help. As it’s nothing important, I don’t think it matters which of you goes to propose it. Just send anyone who’s free and say I approve of the match.”
Lin Zhixiao could not but assent. After a pause, however, he smiled.
“Actually, sir, if I were you I’d have nothing to do with this. That son of Lai Wang’s, for all he’s so young, drinks and gambles an
d gets up to all sorts of devilry outside. They may both be bond-servants; still, marriage is for life. Though I haven’t seen Caixia these last few years, I hear she’s grown up a nice-looking girl. Why ruin her life for her?”
“So that young fellow’s a dissolute drunkard, eh?”
“He not only drinks and gambles but carries on outrageously outside. We’ve turned a blind eye because his mother worked for madam.”
“I didn’t know that,” said Jia Lian. “In that case we certainly won’t give him a wife. We’ll give him a good beating instead, then have him locked up and take his parents to task.”
“This isn’t the time for that.” The steward smiled. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. Wait till he makes trouble again and we’ll report it to you, sir, for you to handle. Better let him off for the time being.”
Jia Lian said nothing to this, and soon Lin Zhixiao withdrew.
That evening Xifeng sent for Caixia’s mother and proposed the match. Although the woman did not like the idea, as Xifeng had done her the honour of proposing it in person she had to agree out of hand. After she had left, Xifeng asked Jia Lian whether he had broached the matter.
“I was meaning to,” he said, “but then I heard that the boy is a worthless wretch. I thought: if he’s really no good, we’d better discipline him for a couple of days before giving him a wife.”
“Who told you he’s no good?”
“One of our servants, of course.”
“You think nothing of us Wangs, not even of me, much less our servants. I’ve spoken to Caixia’s mother and she’s consented gladly. Am I to call her back now and tell her it’s off?”
“There’s no need for that if you’ve already made the proposal. I’ll just tell the boy’s father tomorrow to give him a good dressing-down.”
The rest of their conversation need not concern us.
Now Caixia after being released from service was waiting for her parents to choose her a husband. Although she had been on friendly terms with Jia Huan, nothing had come of it; and now she saw Lai Wang coming repeatedly to ask for her hand. As she had heard that his son was a drunkard and gambler and ugly into the bargain, she felt all the more upset—for if Lai Wang fixed up this match with Xifeng’s backing her whole life would be ruined. This prospect made her so frantic that that evening she secretly sent her younger sister Xiaoxia to Concubine Zhao, to find out the situation.
Concubine Zhao had always been on good terms with Caixia and was all for giving her to Jia Huan, for then she would have an ally in the house. She had never expected Lady Wang to discharge her. Day after day she urged Jia Huan to go and ask for her, but he was too shy to speak and not too attracted by Caixia in any case. To him, she was only a maid and he would have others in future; so he procrastinated, quite willing to give her up. His mother was reluctant to do this, however. After the younger sister came for news, as she was free that evening she went to enlist Jia Zheng’s help.
“What’s the hurry?” he asked. “Wait ‘til the boys have studied a year or two more before we get concubines for them. I’ve already got two suitable maids in mind, one for Baoyu, one for Huan. But they’re still young and it might hold up their studies; so let’s wait a couple of years.”
“Baoyu’s had one for two years already. Didn’t you know that sir?” asked Concubine Zhao.
At once Jia Zheng demanded, “Who made the decision?”
Before she could answer they heard a crash outside. To know what had happened, read the following chapter.
Chapter 73
A Foolish Maid by Chance Picks up a Pornographic Pouch
A Timid Young Lady Ignores the Loss of Her Gold Phoenix Tiara
Concubine Zhao’s conversation with Jia Zheng was interrupted by a crash outside. Upon inquiry they found that one of the shutters of the outer room, not being properly secured, had clattered to the ground. Concubine Zhao reprimanded the maids and got them to fix it in place, then helped Jia Zheng to bed.
Meanwhile, in Happy Red Court, Baoyu had just gone to bed and his maids were thinking of turning in themselves when someone knocked at the gate. An old woman opened it to admit Xiaoque, a girl working for Concubine Zhao, who would not state her business but went straight in to find Baoyu already in bed, with Qingwen and some other maids sitting chatting beside him.
“What’s happened?” they asked. “What brings you here at this hour?”
Addressing herself to Baoyu, Xiaoque announced, “I’ve got some news for you. Just now my mistress was talking to Lord Zheng and I heard your name. So look out tomorrow if he sends for you.”
This said, she turned to leave.
Xiren urged her to stay for some tea, but for fear that the Garden gate would be closed she went off.
Baoyu instantly felt as distraught as Monkey King on hearing the incantation to tighten the magic band around his head.’ Staggered, he racked his brains but could think of no way out except to cram in readiness for a test the following day. He fancied that if he could give correct answers from his books, other lapses would be overlooked and he might muddle through. Throwing a jacket round his shoulders he got up to study, thinking remorsefully, “I was sure he wouldn’t test me these first few days, so I let things slide and got rusty. If I’d known, I’d have done some revising every day.”
Now, the only ones of the Four Book he knew by heart together with the commentaries were the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean and the Analects. His knowledge of the first half of Mencius was so sketchy that if suddenly give one sentence from it he would be unable to recite what followed, and the whole of the second half had slipped his mind. When it came to the Five Classics, while writing poems himself he had browsed quite often through the Book of Songs and if questioned on that should be able to get by. It did not matter that he had forgotten the rest, as his father had never told him to study them. As for classical prose, in the past few years he had read several dozen works including the Zuo Annals, Anecdotes of the Warring States, the commentaries of Gongyang and Guliang, and some writings of the Han and Tang dynasties —no more than a few score works in all; but he was quite unable to quote from them, for he had only glanced at them when at a loose end and in the mood. Never having studied them hard, he had since forgotten them and if tested on them now would be floored.
Then there were the fashionable eight-section essays which he had always loathed, taking the view that as these were not written by sages or worthies they could not expound the wisdom of sages or worthies and were simply ladders by which later examination candidates climbed up to bureaucratic advancement. Jia Zheng before his departure had set him over a hundred essays of this kind to study. Baoyu had skipped through these, noting here and there a well-written paragraph or argument or certain digressions, amusing anecdotes or poignant sentiments. But this again was only when the mood took him. He had never given his mind to studying whole essays. If he prepared one now, tomorrow he might be examined on quite another; and it was out of the question to revise the whole lot in one night. These reflections made him more and more frantic.
While Baoyu was dilly-dallying over his studies, none of the girls in his place could go to bed either. It goes without saying that his chief maids Xiren, Sheyue and Qingwen trimmed candles and poured tea for him.
The younger ones, however, were all so sleepy that they kept dozing off.
“Little bitches!” Qingwen scolded. “You all sleep like the dead every day—are you so short of sleep that you can’t even sit up late for once? If you drowse off again I’ll jab you with a needle.”
Just then they heard a thump in the outer room and rushing out to look found that one young maid, falling asleep in her chair, had banged her head on the wall. She woke up with a start to hear this scolding and in her dazed state imagined that Qingwen had struck her.
“Good sister,” she cried tearfully, “I promise not to do it again!”
The others burst out laughing.
“Don’t punish her,” put in Baoyu hastily.
“You should have sent them all to bed. And you must be tired yourselves. You’d better take it in turns to get some sleep.”
“Just get on with your work, Little Ancestor,” urged Xiren. “You’ve only this one night; so give your mind to those books for the time being. You’ll have plenty of time once you’ve passed this test to attend to other things.”
As she spoke in such earnest Baoyu had to comply. He went on reading. But presently when Sheyue poured him more tea to moisten his throat, he noticed that she was wearing a short jacket but had taken off her skirt.
“It’s cold so late at night,” he warned. “You should put on a gown.”
With a smile she pointed at his books.
“Just forget us for the moment and concentrate on those.”
At this point Venturina dashed in through the back door declaring excitedly that someone had just jumped down from the top of the wall.
“Gracious! Where?” cried the others.
At once they called people out to search everywhere.
Qingwen saw how wearisome Baoyu found this cramming, and knew that if he wore himself out tonight he was likely to make a poor showing the next day. She had been wanting to find some way out for him and this alarm provided her with a pretext.
“Take this chance to sham ill,” she advised him. “Just pretend you’ve had a fright.”
Baoyu snatched eagerly at this suggestion.
The matrons on night duty were summoned to search everywhere with lanterns.
When they failed to find anyone they said, “The girls, going out half asleep, must have taken some branches tossed by the wind for a man.”
“Stop farting!” retorted Qingwen. “You’re trying to shift the blame for not making a proper search. More than one person saw someone break in. Some of us had gone out with Baoyu, and we all saw it. It gave him such a fright that he turned white and now he’s feverish. I’m going to the mistress to get a sedative for him, and when she asks what’s happened I’ll have to report it in full. So how can you give up searching?”
