A Dream of Red Mansion Page 4

  “He had a fearful temper and could be incredibly stubborn and obstreperous; but as soon as classes were over and he joined the girls he became a different person—amiable, sensible and gentle. More than once, because of this, his father thrashed him within an inch of his life, but still that didn’t change him. When the pain became too much for him, he would start yelling, ‘Sister! Little Sister!’ Once the girls in the inner chambers teased him saying, ‘Why do you call us when you’re being beaten? Do you want us to beg you off? For shame!’ You should have heard his answer. He said, ‘The first time I called I didn’t know it would ease the pain. But then I discovered that it worked like magic. So when the pain’s worst, I keep on calling ‘Sister.’ Have you ever heard anything so ludicrous?

  “His grandmother indulged him so unwisely that she was often rude to his tutor or blamed her son. That’s why I resigned from that post. A boy like that is bound to lose the property he inherits and won’t benefit by the advice of teachers and friends. The pity is, all the girls in his family are admirable.”

  “The three girls in the Jia family aren’t bad either,” rejoined Zixing, “Jia Zheng’s elder daughter Yuanchun was chosen to be a Lady-Clerk in the palace of the heir apparent because of her goodness, filial piety and talents. The second, Yingchun, is Jia She’s daughter by a concubine. The third, Tanchun, is Jia Zheng’s daughter by a concubine. The fourth, Xichun, is the younger sister of Jia Zhen of the Ning Mansion. The Lady Dowager is so attached to these grand-daughters that she makes them study in the Rong Mansion near her, and I hear good reports of them all.”

  “I prefer the Zhen family’s way of giving their daughters the same sort of names as boys instead of choosing flowery names meaning Spring, Red, Fragrant, or Jade,” remarked Yucun. “How could the Jia family sink to such vulgarity?”

  “You don’t understand,” said Zixing. “They named the eldest girl Yuanchun because she was born on New Year’s Day, and so the others have chun in their names too. But all the girls of the last generation had names like those of boys. For proof, look at the wife of your respected employer Mr. Lin, the sister of Jia She and Jia Zheng in the Rong Mansion. Her name, before she married, was Jia Min. If you don’t believe me, check up when you go back.”

  Yucun pounded the table with a laugh. “No wonder my pupil always pronounces min as mi and writes it with one or two strokes missing. That puzzled me, but now you’ve explained the reason. And no wonder she talks and behaves so differently from the general run of young ladies nowadays. I suspected she must have had an unusual mother. If she’s a grand-daughter of the Rong family that explains it. What a pity that her mother died last month.”

  “She was the youngest of four sisters, but now she’s gone too.” Zixing sighed. “Not one of those sisters is left. It will be interesting to see what husbands they find for the younger generation.”

  “Yes. Just now you spoke of Jia Zheng’s son born with jade in his mouth, and mentioned a young grandson left by his elder son. What about the venerable Jia She? Has he no sons?”

  “After the birth of this son with the jade Jia Zheng had another by his concubine, but I know nothing about him. So he has two sons and a grandson. However, there’s no saying how they’ll turn out. Jia She has two sons as well. Jia Lian, the elder, is over twenty now. Two years ago he married a relative, the niece of Jia Zheng’s wife Lady Wang. This Jia Lian, who has bought the rank of a sub-prefect, takes no interest in books but is a smooth man of the world, so he lives with his uncle Jia Zheng and helps him to manage his domestic affairs. Since his marriage he’s been thrown into the shade by his wife, who is praised by everybody high and low. I hear she’s extremely good-looking and a clever talker. So resourceful and astute that not a man in ten thousand is a match for her.”

  “That bears out what I was saying. These people we’ve been discussing are probably all pervaded by mixed essences of both good and evil. They are people of similar ways.”

  “Never mind about good and evil,” protested Zixing. “We’ve been doing nothing but reckoning accounts for others. You must drink another cup.”

  “I’ve been talking so hard, I’m already slightly tipsy.”

  “Gossip goes well with wine. Why not drink some more?”

  Yucun looked out of the window. “It’s growing late. They’ll soon be closing the city gates. Let’s stroll back and continue our conversation in town.”

  With that they paid the bill. They were on the point of leaving when a voice from behind called out:

  “Congratulations, Brother Yucun! What are you doing here in the wilds of the country?”

  Yucun turned to look. But to know who it was, you must read the chapter which follows.

  Chapter 3

  Lin Ruhai Recommends a Tutor to His Brother-in-Law

  The Lady Dowager Sends for Her Motherless Grand-Daughter

  To continue. Yucun turned and saw that it was Zhang Rugui, a native of this place and his former colleague who had also been dismissed from his post for the same reason as himself, and had returned home to Yangzhou. Now there was word from the capital that a request for the reinstatement of former officials had been sanctioned, and he was busily pulling strings to find some opening. He congratulated Yucun the instant he saw him and lost no time, once greetings had been exchanged, in telling him the good news. Yucun was naturally overjoyed, but after some hurried remarks each went his own way.

  Leng Zixing, who had heard everything, at once proposed asking Lin Ruhai to enlist the support of Jia Zheng in the capital. Accepting his advice, Yucun went back alone to verify the report from the Court Gazette.

  The next day he laid his case before Lin Ruhai.

  “What a lucky coincidence!” exclaimed Ruhai. “Since my wife’s death my mother-in-law in the capital has been worried because my daughter has no one to bring her up. She has sent two boats with male and female attendants to fetch the child, but I delayed her departure while she was unwell. I was wondering how to repay you for your goodness in teaching her: now this gives me a chance to show my appreciation. Set your mind at rest. I foresaw this possibility and have written a letter to my brother-in-law urging him to do all he can for you as a small return for what I owe you. You mustn’t worry either about any expenses that may be incurred—I’ve made that point clear to my brother-in-law.”

  Yucun bowed with profuse thanks and asked: “May I know your respected brother-in-law’s position? I fear I am too uncouth to intrude on him.” Ruhai smiled. “My humble kinsmen belong to your honourable clan. They’re the grandsons of the Duke of Rongguo. My elder brother-in-law Jia She, whose courtesy name is Enhou, is a hereditary general of the first rank. My second, Jia Zheng, whose courtesy name is Cunzhou, is an under-secretary in the Board of Works. He is an unassuming, generous man who takes after his grandfather. That is why I am writing to him on your behalf. If he were some purse-proud, frivolous official I’d be dishonouring your high principles, brother, and I myself would disdain to do such a thing.”

  This confirmed what Zixing had said the previous day, and once more Yucun expressed his thanks.

  “I’ve chosen the second day of next month for my daughter’s departure for the capital,” continued Ruhai. “It would suit both parties, surely, if you were to travel together?”

  Yucun promptly agreed with the greatest satisfaction, and took the gifts and travelling expenses which Ruhai had prepared.

  His pupil Daiyu, who had just got over her illness, could hardly bear to leave her father, but she had to comply with the wishes of her grandmother.

  “I am nearly fifty and don’t intend to marry again,” Ruhai told her, “You’re young and delicate, with no mother to take care of you, no sister or brothers to look after you. If you go to stay with your grandmother and uncles’ girls, that will take a great load off my mind. How can you refuse?”

  So parting from him in a flood of tears, she embarked with her nurse and some elderly maid-servants from the Rong Mansion, followed by Yucun and two pages i
n another junk.

  In due course they reached the capital and entered the city. Yucun spruced himself up and went with his pages to the gate of the Rong Mansion, where he handed in his visiting-card on which he had styled himself Jia Zheng’s “nephew.”

  Jia Zheng, who had received his brother-in-law’s letter, lost no time in asking him in. Yucun cut an impressive figure and was by no means vulgar in his conversation. Since Jia Zheng was well-disposed to scholars and, like his grandfather before him, delighted in honouring worthy men of letters and helping those in distress, and since moreover his brother-in-law had recommended Yucun, he treated him uncommonly well and did all in his power to help him. The same day that he presented a petition to the throne Yucun was rehabilitated and ordered to await an appointment. In less than two months he was sent to Jinling to fill the vacated post of prefect of Yingtian. Taking leave of Jia Zheng he chose a day to proceed to his new post. But no more of this.

  To return to Daiyu. When she disembarked, a sedan-chair from the Rong Mansion and carts for her luggage were waiting in readiness. She had heard a great deal from her mother about the magnificence of her grandmother’s home; and during the last few days she had been impressed by the food, costumes and behaviour of the relatively low-ranking attendants escorting her. She must watch her step in her new home, she decided, be on guard every moment and weigh every word, so as not to be laughed at for any foolish blunder. As she was carried into the city she peeped out through the gauze window of the chair at the bustle in the streets and the crowds of people, the like of which she had never seen before.

  After what seemed a long time they came to a street with two huge stone lions crouching on the north side, flanking a great triple gate with beast-head knockers, in front of which ten or more men in smart livery were sitting. The central gate was shut, but people were passing in and out of the smaller side gates. On a board above the main gate was written in large characters: Ningguo Mansion Built at Imperial Command.

  Daiyu realized that this must be where the elder branch of her grandmother’s family lived.

  A little further to the west they came to another imposing triple gate. This was the Rong Mansion. Instead of going through the main gate, they entered by the smaller one on the west. The bearers carried the chair a bow-shot further, then set it down at a turning and withdrew. The maidservants behind Daiyu had now alighted and were proceeding on foot. Three or four smartly dressed lads of seventeen or eighteen picked up the chair and, followed by the maids, carried it to a gate decorated with overhanging flowery patterns carved in wood. There the bearers withdrew, the maids raised the curtain of the chair, helped Daiyu out and supported her through the gate.

  Inside, verandahs on both sides led to a three-roomed entrance hall in the middle of which stood a screen of marble in a red sandalwood frame. The hall gave access to the large court of the main building. In front were five rooms with carved beams and painted pillars, and on either side were rooms with covered passageways. Cages of brilliantly coloured parrots, thrushes and other birds hung under the eaves of the verandahs.

  Several maids dressed in red and green rose from the terrace and hurried to greet them with smiles.

  “The old lady was just talking about you,” they cried. “And here you are.”

  Three or four of them ran to raise the door curtain, and a voice could be heard announcing, “Miss Lin is here.”

  As Daiyu entered, a silver-haired old lady supported by two maids advanced to meet her. She knew that this must be her grandmother, but before she could kowtow the old lady threw both arms around her.

  “Dear heart! Flesh of my child!” she cried, and burst out sobbing.

  All the attendants covered their faces and wept, and Daiyu herself could not keep back her tears. When at last the others prevailed on her to stop, Daiyu made her kowtow to her grandmother. This was the Lady Dowager from the Shi family mentioned by Leng Zixing, the mother of Jia She and Jia Zheng, who now introduced the family one by one.

  “This,” she said, “is your elder uncle’s wife. This is your second uncle’s wife. This is the wife of your late Cousin Zhu.”

  Daiyu greeted each in turn.

  “Fetch the girls,” her grandmother said. “They can be excused their lessons today in honour of our guest from far away.”

  Two maids went to carry out her orders. And presently the three young ladies appeared, escorted by three nurses and five or six maids.

  The first was somewhat plump and of medium height. Her cheeks were the texture of newly ripened lichees, her nose as sleek as goose fat. Gentle and demure, she looked very approachable.

  The second had sloping shoulders and a slender waist. She was tall and slim, with an oval face, well-defined eyebrows and lovely dancing eyes. She seemed elegant and quick-witted with an air of distinction. To look at her was to forget everything vulgar.

  The third was not yet fully grown and still had the face of a child.

  All three were dressed in similar tunics and skirts with the same bracelets and head ornaments.

  Daiyu hastily rose to greet these cousins, and after the introductions they took seats while the maids served tea. All the talk now was of Daiyu’s mother. How had she fallen ill? What medicine had the doctors prescribed? How had the funeral and mourning ceremonies been conducted? Inevitably, the Lady Dowager was most painfully affected.

  “Of all my children I loved your mother best,” she told Daiyu. “Now she has gone before me, and I didn’t even have one last glimpse of her face. The sight of you makes me feel my heart will break!” Again she took Daiyu in her arms and wept. The others were hard put to it to comfort her.

  All present had been struck by Daiyu’s good breeding. For in spite of her tender years and evident delicate health, she had an air of natural distinction. Observing how frail she looked they asked what medicine or treatment she had been having.

  “I’ve always been like this,” Daiyu said with a smile. “I’ve been taking medicine ever since I was weaned. Many well-known doctors have examined me, but none of their prescriptions was any use. The year I was three, I remember being told, a scabby monk came to our house and wanted to take me away to be a nun. My parents wouldn’t hear of it. The monk said, ‘If you can’t bear to part with her she’ll probably never get well. The only other remedy is to keep her from hearing weeping and from seeing any relatives apart from her father and mother. That’s her only hope of having a quiet life.’ No one paid any attention, of course, to such crazy talk. Now I’m still taking ginseng pills.”

  “That’s good,” approved the Lady Dowager. “We’re having pills made, and I’ll see they make some for you.”

  Just then they heard peals of laughter from the back courtyard and a voice cried:

  “I’m late in greeting our guest from afar!”

  Daiyu thought with surprise, “The people here are so respectful and solemn, they all seem to be holding their breath. Who can this be, so boisterous and pert?”

  While she was still wondering, through the back door trooped some matrons and maids surrounding a young woman. Unlike the girls, she was richly dressed and resplendent as a fairy.

  Her gold-filigree tiara was set with jewels and pearls. Her hair-clasps, in the form of five phoenixes facing the sun, had pendants of pearls. Her necklet, of red gold, was in the form of a coiled dragon studded with gems. She had double red jade pendants with pea-green tassels attached to her skirt.

  Her close-fitting red satin jacket was embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers. Her turquoise cape, lined with white squirrel, was inset with designs in coloured silk. Her skirt of kingfisher-blue crepe was patterned with flowers.

  She had the almond-shaped eyes of a phoenix, slanting eyebrows as long and drooping as willow leaves. Her figure was slender and her manner vivacious. The springtime charm of her powdered face gave no hint of her latent formidability. And before her crimson lips parted, her laughter rang out.

  Daiyu rose quickly to greet her.

/>   “You don’t know her yet.” The Lady Dowager chuckled. “She’s the terror of this house. In the south they’d call her Hot Pepper. Just call her Fiery Phoenix.”

  Daiyu was at a loss how to address her when her cousins came to her rescue. “This is Cousin Lian’s wife,” they told her.

  Though Daiyu had never met her, she knew from her mother that Jia Lian, the son of her first uncle Jia She, had married the niece of Lady Wang, her second uncle’s wife. She had been educated like a boy and given the school-room name Xifeng. Daiyu lost no time in greeting her with a smile as “cousin.”

  Xifeng took her hand and carefully inspected her from head to foot, then led her back to her seat by the Lady Dowager.

  “Well,” she cried with a laugh, “this is the first time I’ve set eyes on such a ravishing beauty. Her whole air is so distinguished! She doesn’t take after her father, son-in-law of our Old Ancestress, but looks more like a Jia. No wonder our Old Ancestress couldn’t put you out of her mind and was for ever talking or thinking about you. But poor ill-fated little cousin, losing your mother so young!” With that she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

  “I’ve only just dried my tears. Do you want to start me off again?” said the old lady playfully. “Your young cousin’s had a long journey and she’s delicate. We’ve just got her to stop crying. So don’t reopen that subject.”

  Xifeng switched at once from grief to merriment. “Of course,” she cried. “I was so carried away by joy and sorrow at sight of my little cousin, I forgot our Old Ancestress. I deserve to be caned.” Taking Daiyu’s hand again, she asked, “How old are you, cousin? Have you started your schooling yet? What medicine are you taking? You mustn’t be home sick here. If you fancy anything special to eat or play with, don’t hesitate to tell me. If the maids or old nurses aren’t good to you, just let me know.”