A Corrupt Official Takes Bribes and Alters the Case Files; A Talented Girl Expresses Her Feelings Through a Qin Score

After Aunt Xue finished reading the letter Xue Ke had sent, she called in the servant who had brought it and asked, “You heard the Elder Master say with your own ears—how exactly did he beat the man to death?”

The servant said, “I did not hear the whole thing. That day the Elder Master was talking about it with the Second Master, Xue Ke.” Then he looked around to make sure no one else was nearby and lowered his voice:

“The Elder Master said that ever since the household had been turned upside down, he had been feeling miserable, and he planned to go south to buy goods. That day he meant to ask a man to travel with him. The man lived more than two hundred li south of the city. On the way to see him, the Elder Master ran into Jiang Yuhan, an old acquaintance, who was bringing a troupe of young actors into town. The Elder Master dragged him into a tavern for a drink. The waiter there, Zhang San, kept eyeing Jiang Yuhan, which put the Elder Master in a very bad mood. Later Jiang Yuhan left first.

The next day, the Elder Master treated the man he had originally planned to travel with to wine. While drinking, he thought again of what had happened the day before and called Zhang San over to change the wine. Zhang San was slow to come, and the Elder Master cursed him. Zhang San refused to take it and talked back. The Elder Master picked up a wine bowl and threw it at him. Who would have thought Zhang San was a bullying rogue too? He actually stuck his head forward on purpose, as if daring the Elder Master to hit him. The wine bowl in the Elder Master’s hand struck him right on the head. Blood came at once, and he fell to the ground. At first he was still cursing, but before long he stopped making any sound.”

Aunt Xue asked, “Was there no one there to stop them?”

The servant said, “The Elder Master did not mention that, and I would not dare guess.”

Aunt Xue said, “Go and rest for now.” The servant withdrew.

Aunt Xue went in person to the Jia mansion and begged Lady Wang to ask Jia Zheng for help. After Jia Zheng heard the whole story, he could only give a vague promise, saying that after Xue Ke submitted the appeal, they would see how the local magistrate responded and then think of something.

Aunt Xue also took silver from the family pawnshop and told a servant to hurry it to Xue Ke. Three days later, a reply arrived. Aunt Xue quickly sent for Baochai to read the letter with her.

The letter said:

The silver sent has been used to grease the palms of everyone in the magistrate’s office. Brother is getting along well enough in prison, so Mother need not worry. But the local people are very difficult. The dead man’s family and all the witnesses refuse to soften their stories. Even the friend Brother asked to testify for him has turned around and speaks for the other side. Li Xiang and I are outsiders here. Fortunately, we have hired a legal secretary who knows the law thoroughly. We promised him silver, and he gave us an idea: we must drag Wu Liang, who was drinking with him, into the case. Pay to get him out of prison and offer him benefits, and have him work for us. If he refuses, we will simply insist that Wu Liang was the one who beat the man to death and shift the blame onto an outsider. He will not be able to withstand the pressure and will go along with us.

I have done as he suggested. Wu Liang has already agreed to cooperate. Now we have also bribed the dead man’s family and the witnesses with money, and written a new appeal. It was submitted a few days ago. Today the magistrate’s reply came down. Read the copy of the appeal and you will understand.

Then Aunt Xue read the copy of the appeal:

The petitioner, so-and-so, submits this appeal on behalf of his elder brother, who has suffered a sudden calamity, to redress his grievance. My full elder brother, Xue Pan, is a native of Nanjing and is temporarily residing in the capital. In such-and-such year and month, he set out for the south to do business. Not many days after he left, a servant at home sent word back that he had become involved in a case of manslaughter. I hurried at once to the local authorities and learned that my elder brother had accidentally injured a man named Zhang and had already been thrown into prison.

According to my brother’s tearful account, he and the deceased, Zhang San, had never known each other and had no former grudge. That day they had only quarreled over changing the wine. My brother poured the wine onto the ground. It happened that Zhang San bent down to pick something up, and the wine bowl slipped from my brother’s hand and struck him on top of the head, killing him on the spot. When the authorities arrested and questioned him, my brother was afraid of being tortured, so he rashly admitted that they had fought and that he had beaten the man to death. Thanks to Your Honor’s clear insight, the wrongful elements in the case have been seen, and the case has not yet been finally settled.

My brother is in prison and by law cannot submit his own defense. Out of loyalty to my brother, I risk death to appeal for him. I beg Your Honor to summon the witnesses and confront them in court. This would be an immeasurable kindness. Our whole family would be endlessly grateful. Submitted in urgency.

The magistrate’s reply read:

The autopsy was conducted on the spot, and the evidence is conclusive. Moreover, no instruments of torture were used during interrogation. Your elder brother himself confessed to fighting and killing the man, and his confession is on record. You came from elsewhere and did not see the incident with your own eyes. How dare you fabricate lies and file a reckless appeal? You ought to be punished for false accusation. In consideration of your affection for your brother, you are pardoned for now. The appeal is rejected and will not be accepted.

When Aunt Xue read this, she panicked. “If that is so, does it mean he cannot be saved? What are we to do?”

Baochai said, “I have not finished reading Second Brother’s letter. There is more after this.” She went on reading: “There is an important matter. Please ask the servant who brought the letter.”

Aunt Xue immediately questioned the messenger. The servant said, “The magistrate has long known our family is rich. We must open a way through high connections in the capital and send a generous gift before we can ask for a retrial and a lighter sentence. Mother must act quickly. If we delay any longer, the Elder Master will suffer in prison.”

Aunt Xue sent the servant back, then hurried again to the Jia mansion and told Lady Wang the situation, begging her earnestly to have Jia Zheng help. Jia Zheng was willing only to ask someone to speak privately to the magistrate. He absolutely refused to become involved in bribery. Aunt Xue knew that a mere verbal favor would be useless, so she went to beg Wang Xifeng to have Jia Lian act. The Xue family spent several thousand taels of silver and finally bribed the magistrate. Xue Ke also smoothed over every connection in the locality.

After that, the magistrate formally held court. He summoned the local constable, neighbors, witnesses, and the dead man’s family. Xue Pan was brought out from prison, and the clerk of the penal office called the roll one by one.

The magistrate told the constable to repeat his original testimony from the time of the incident. Then he summoned the dead man’s mother, Mrs. Zhang Wang, and the dead man’s uncle, Zhang Er, for questioning.

Mrs. Zhang Wang wept and said, “My husband, Zhang Da, lived in the southern countryside and died eighteen years ago. My eldest and second sons also died young. Only this dead son, Zhang San, was left. He was twenty-three this year and not yet married. Our family was too poor to support him, so he worked as a waiter in Li’s tavern. That day at noon, someone from the tavern came to call me and said, ‘Your son has been beaten to death.’ Oh, Your Honor, I nearly lost my soul with fright. I ran to the shop and saw my son lying on the ground, his head covered with blood, with only a breath left. He could not answer when I spoke to him, and soon he died. At that moment I wished I could tear the murderer apart!”

The runners shouted at her to stop. Mrs. Zhang Wang kowtowed and cried, “I beg the clear-sky magistrate to redress my grievance. He was my only son!”

The magistrate told her to withdraw.

Then the magistrate summoned the tavern owner, Li Er. “Was Zhang San your employee?”

Li Er answered, “Not exactly an employee. He just did odd jobs and waited tables.”

The magistrate asked, “In the testimony taken at the scene, you said you saw with your own eyes Xue Pan strike Zhang San with a bowl and kill him. Was that true?”

Li Er said, “This humble one was at the counter and heard the private room call for wine. Before long I heard loud cries of ‘Oh no, someone is hurt!’ I ran in and saw Zhang San lying on the ground unable to speak. I notified the constable at once and sent word to his mother. As for how the two actually came to blows, I did not really see it with my own eyes. I beg Your Honor to question the people who were drinking with him and you will know.”

The magistrate shouted sternly, “At the first hearing you clearly said you saw it with your own eyes. Why do you change your story today and say you did not see it?”

Li Er said, “When the incident first happened, I was so frightened that my head swam, and I spoke nonsense.” The runners shouted again.

The magistrate summoned Wu Liang. “That day you were drinking with Xue Pan. Tell the truth: how did Xue Pan injure the man?”

Wu Liang had already been bribed. He said, “That day Elder Master Xue invited me to drink. He thought the wine was bad and asked for it to be changed. Zhang San refused. Xue Pan grew angry and threw the wine in his face. Somehow the wine bowl struck Zhang San on the head. That is what I saw with my own eyes.”

The magistrate pretended to be angry. “Nonsense! At the scene Xue Pan himself confessed that he struck the man with a wine bowl and killed him. Now you say it was only an accidental collision. Your testimony contradicts the earlier confession completely. Guards, slap his mouth!”

The runners were about to strike him. Wu Liang begged in panic, “Xue Pan truly did not fight with Zhang San. He only accidentally hit him on the head with the wine bowl. I beg Your Honor to ask Xue Pan himself!”

The magistrate ordered Xue Pan brought up. “What grudge did you have with Zhang San? How exactly did the man die? Tell the truth!”

Xue Pan followed the story they had prepared in advance: “I beg Your Honor’s mercy. I did not deliberately strike him. He refused to change the wine, so I poured the wine out. I never imagined my hand would slip and the wine bowl would accidentally hit him on the head. I immediately pressed the wound to stop the bleeding, but the blood would not stop, and after a while he died. At the scene I was afraid Your Honor would use torture, so I rashly admitted that I had deliberately struck him with the bowl. I beg Your Honor to forgive me.”

The magistrate pretended to fly into a rage. “Foolish creature! At the earlier interrogation you clearly said that you were angry because he would not change the wine and that you deliberately struck him with the bowl. Today you change your story and say it was an accidental injury!” The magistrate put on a show and threatened torture, but Xue Pan clung stubbornly to the claim that it had been an accident.

The magistrate ordered the coroner to report the wounds exactly as recorded at the original autopsy. The coroner had long since been bribed. He reported, “When the body was first examined, there were no wounds elsewhere. There was only one porcelain-impact wound on the crown of the head at the fontanel, one inch and seven-tenths long and five-tenths deep. The scalp was split, and the skull was slightly cracked. It was an injury caused by a collision.”

The magistrate compared this with the case record. He knew in his heart that the documents had been altered, but he did not expose it. He told everyone to sign and fingerprint their confessions.

Mrs. Zhang Wang wailed aloud, “Clear-sky magistrate! At the first autopsy there were clearly many wounds on his body. Why have they all disappeared now?”

The magistrate scolded the woman for talking nonsense and pointed to the official autopsy report. Then he called the dead man’s uncle, Zhang Er, and asked, “When your nephew died, how many wounds did you see on his body?”

Zhang Er had also been bribed. He answered quickly, “Only one wound on the head.”

The magistrate had the clerk show the case file to Mrs. Zhang Wang and had the constable and Zhang Er identify it in court. All the witnesses’ testimony stated that there had been no fight, and the case was classified as accidental injury. The crowd was forced to sign and fingerprint. The judgment was that Xue Pan should remain in prison awaiting reply from the higher authorities and could pay a fine to redeem his crime. The other witnesses were all released into the custody of guarantors, and the court was adjourned.

Mrs. Zhang Wang cried and refused to let the matter go. The magistrate ordered the runners to drive her out. Zhang Er even urged her, “It really was an accidental injury. Do not keep making a senseless fuss. The authorities have already judged the case clearly.”

Xue Ke had watched the whole process from outside the courtroom. He breathed a sigh of relief and at once sent a letter home. They had only to wait for the higher authorities’ reply, and then they could pay the fine and save the man.

There was talk everywhere on the road that an imperial concubine in the palace had died, and that the Emperor had suspended court for three days in mourning. This place was not far from the imperial tombs, and the magistrate was ordered to handle matters connected with the imperial funeral and to repair the roads. He was so busy that the case could not be reported upward for the time being. Xue Ke thought there was no use in staying there any longer, so he went to the prison and told Xue Pan to wait in peace. “I will go home first and come back after a while.”

Xue Pan also felt sorry that his mother was grieving, so he sent word: “I am all right here. If the office spends a few more sums of silver, I can come home. Do not begrudge the money.”

Xue Ke left Li Xiang behind to manage everything locally and set out for the capital. When he saw Aunt Xue, he explained in detail how the magistrate had taken gifts and twisted the law, how he had held court and changed the verdict to accidental injury. They needed only to give the dead man’s family another sum of money. Once the higher authorities replied, the case could be settled by paying a fine.

After hearing this, Aunt Xue finally felt a little calmer. She said, “It is fortunate that you have come back to manage the household. By rights we should go to the Jia mansion and thank them. Now that Consort Zhou in the palace has died, the Jia women have to go into the palace often to offer condolences, and the house is very quiet. I wanted to go and keep Lady Wang company, but there was no one to look after the house. Now that you are back, that is good.”

Xue Ke said, “On the road I heard rumors that it was Consort Jia Yuanchun who had died, so I hurried back. Yuanchun had been ill once before, but she recovered. Recently I had not heard that she was sick. A few days ago, the old lady, Grandmother Jia, could not sleep at night. As soon as she closed her eyes she saw Yuanchun. Everyone merely thought the old lady was worrying too much and did not take it to heart. Then the night before last, the old lady herself said, ‘Why has Yuanchun come alone into my dream?’ She also said that Yuanchun had told her that glory and wealth scatter easily and that one must know when to withdraw in time. Everyone thought it was just an old person’s fancies.

But the next morning, word came from the palace that an imperial concubine was gravely ill and that all titled ladies were summoned to the palace to inquire after her. The Jia women hurried into the palace. Before they returned, word came from outside that it was Consort Zhou who had died, not our Yuanchun. The outside rumors and the dream at home happened to coincide. It really is strange!”

Baochai took up the subject. “It was not only the outside news that was wrong. The maids and old women in the household talked afterward and said they had felt all along that the person in the dream was not Yuanchun. A few years ago, during the first month, a very accurate fortune-teller came from out of town. The old lady had Yuanchun’s birth characters mixed in with those of the maids and took them to be read. The fortune-teller said that the young lady born on the first day of the first month, if the hour was not mistaken, was destined to be a great noblewoman, but that she should not be trapped within the walls of the Jia household.

According to the birth chart, in the year Jiashen, the first month, Bingyin, there was loss in the fate structure. Fortunately, the hour brought an official star, making it a ‘Flying Horse’ pattern, with the Two Virtues of Heaven and Moon protecting her. Hers was originally the fate of an imperial consort. But alas, such glory would not last long. It was feared that in a yin year and a mao month, like fine timber carved too much, her foundation would become fragile. Everyone had long since forgotten these words, but at the least rumor they all panicked. When I think back, this year exactly corresponds to that yin year and mao month.”

Before Baochai had finished, Xue Ke hurriedly interrupted. “Never mind other people’s fates for now. Since there is such an accurate fortune-teller, and my brother has met such a great disaster this year, we should quickly take his birth characters and have them read to see whether his future is lucky or unlucky.”

Baochai said, “That man was from out of town. I do not know whether he is still in the capital.”

With that, they packed up, and Aunt Xue set out for the Jia mansion. When she arrived, Li Wan and Tanchun received her at home and quickly asked how Xue Pan’s lawsuit was progressing.

Aunt Xue said, “We are still waiting for the higher authorities’ reply. It looks as though he will not be sentenced to death.” Only then did everyone feel relieved.

Tanchun said, “A while ago, when trouble came to our family, we relied on you, Aunt, to come and help. Now that disaster has come to your house, we want to help but do not know how to bring it up. We have been thinking of you all along.”

Aunt Xue said, “I have been suffering at home too. Your elder brother is caught up in this lawsuit, Xue Ke is running about outside, and at home there is only Baochai, a girl, left. My daughter-in-law, Xia Jingui, is unreasonable. I truly cannot leave. Now the magistrate is busy with the imperial concubine’s funeral affairs, and the case is temporarily set aside. Xue Ke has returned, so I have taken the time to come and sit for a while.”

Li Wan urged, “Aunt, why not stay here for a few days?”

Aunt Xue nodded. “I would like to come and keep you girls company, but I cannot set my mind at ease leaving Baochai alone at home.”

Xichun said, “If Aunt is worried, why not bring Sister Baochai here too?”

Aunt Xue smiled. “That will not do.”

Xichun did not understand. “Did she not often stay here before?”

Li Wan explained, “You do not understand. Her family has now met with a great disaster. It is not convenient for Baochai to come.”

Xichun heard this and asked no more.

While they were talking, Grandmother Jia and the others returned from the palace. When they saw Aunt Xue, they had no time for pleasantries and at once asked about Xue Pan’s case. Aunt Xue told the whole story in detail.

Baoyu was nearby. When he heard Jiang Yuhan mentioned, he could not ask questions in front of everyone, but he wondered to himself: Since Jiang Yuhan has already returned to the capital, why has he not come to see me? And when he saw that Baochai had not come with Aunt Xue today, he felt puzzled and fell into a daze. Just then Daiyu came to pay her respects. When Baoyu saw Daiyu, his mood improved a little. He put aside his thoughts of Baochai and ate dinner with his sisters in Grandmother Jia’s room.

After everyone dispersed, Aunt Xue stayed in the side room of Grandmother Jia’s quarters.

Baoyu returned to the Happy Red Court to change clothes. Suddenly he remembered the large red sash Jiang Yuhan had given him, and he asked Xiren, “That red sash you refused to wear back then—do you still have it?”

Xiren said, “I put it away. Why do you ask?”

Baoyu said, “I was only asking.”

Xiren urged him, “Have you not heard? Elder Master Xue got into this terrible disaster because he kept company with disreputable people. Why are you still thinking about such things? If you have time, you would do better to settle down and study, and put these unimportant trifles out of your mind.”

Baoyu said, “I was not going to make trouble. I just happened to think of it. Whether it is there or not does not matter. I asked casually, and you give me a whole lecture.”

Xiren smiled. “I am only giving you good advice. A scholar should strive to improve. Even if a friend you value in your heart comes, you should let him see that you are steady and worthy of respect.”

Baoyu suddenly came to himself. “Oh! Just now there were so many people in the old lady’s room, and it was noisy. I did not get to speak with Cousin Lin, and she paid no attention to me either. When the party broke up, she left first. She must be in the Bamboo Lodge now. I will go over and be back quickly.” He rose and went out.

Xiren called after him, “Come back early. It is all my fault for speaking too much and setting you off running over there.”

Baoyu did not answer. He went straight to the Bamboo Lodge with his head down. He saw Daiyu bending over the table reading. Baoyu stepped forward and said with a smile, “Sister, you came back very early.”

Daiyu smiled too. “You paid no attention to me. Why should I have stayed there?”

Baoyu explained, “Just now there were so many people and it was so lively that I could not get a word in, so I did not speak with you.” As he spoke, he looked at the book in Daiyu’s hand. He did not recognize a single symbol in it. Some symbols looked like “shao,” some like “mang”; one resembled the character “da” with a hook, with a “wu” written in the middle; some had five or six above, wood in the middle, and five below. He was completely baffled.

Baoyu laughed. “Sister, your learning is growing more and more profound. You have even begun to read heavenly books.”

Daiyu burst out laughing. “You call yourself a young scholar, and you cannot even recognize a qin score?”

Baoyu said, “I have certainly heard of qin scores, but why is there not a single Chinese character in these symbols? Can you understand them?”

Daiyu said, “If I could not understand them, why would I be reading them?”

Baoyu said, “I have never heard you say you can play the qin. There are several qin hanging in our study. The year before last a family friend named Ji Haogu came. Father asked him to play. He took down the qins but said they were all unfit for use. He said he would bring his own qin another day and play, but afterward he never came again. So you have been hiding a rare skill all along and never told anyone!”

Daiyu said, “I am hardly a real player. A few days ago, when I was feeling a little better, I was looking through the bookshelf and found a set of qin scores. They are written very elegantly. The principles of playing the qin in them are clear and thorough, and the fingering methods are set out distinctly. It is the learning by which the ancients cultivated their nature. When I was in Yangzhou, I heard people talk about the qin and learned a little, but I have not touched it for so long that I have grown rusty. As the saying goes, ‘If you do not play for three days, your hands feel full of thorns.’

This set of books has only tune titles and no lyrics. I found another book with lyrics, and reading it is very interesting. But to play it exquisitely is truly difficult. The old books say that when Shi Kuang played the qin, he could summon wind, thunder, dragons, and phoenixes. Confucius even learned the qin from Shi Xiang. After hearing one piece, he could tell that it was in praise of King Wen of Zhou. Boya and Ziqi understood each other through high mountains and flowing water—such a true friend is rarely found.”

As she said this, her eyelids moved slightly, and she slowly lowered her head.

Baoyu listened with great interest. “Good sister, what you say is so interesting. But I cannot understand those symbols at all. Will you teach me a few?”

Daiyu said, “There is no need to memorize them by rote. Once they are explained, you will understand.”

Baoyu said, “I am slow. Just teach me that symbol that looks like ‘da’ with a hook and a ‘wu’ in the middle.”

Daiyu explained with a smile, “That ‘da’ and ‘jiu’ mean the left thumb presses the ninth hui of the qin; the hook and ‘wu’ mean the right hand plucks the fifth string. They are not Chinese characters. They only record the playing actions. It is very simple. There are also yin, rou, chuo, zhu, zhuang, zou, fei, and tui—all playing techniques.”

Baoyu was so delighted that he danced about. “Since you understand the principles of the qin, sister, why do we not learn to play it?”

Daiyu said seriously, “The qin was originally meant for restraint and moderation. The ancients made the qin to cultivate the self and regulate the nature, to restrain wildness and frivolity, and to guard against luxury and pleasure. If one wishes to play the qin, one must choose a quiet and refined room, a high tower, a mountain forest by rocks, a mountain top, or a waterside. One must wait for clear weather, a bright moon, and a fresh breeze. Then burn incense and sit quietly, with no distracting thoughts and a calm heart. Only then can the spirit merge with the sound of the qin and accord with the principles of heaven and earth.

That is why the ancients sighed that a true listener is hard to find. If you cannot meet someone who truly understands you, it is better to play alone to the clear breeze and bright moon, the green pines and strange rocks, the apes, cranes, and flying birds, and entrust your feelings to them. Only then do you not fail the qin.

There are also rules for fingering and tone. When playing the qin, one’s clothes must be neat and dignified. One should wear loose, elegant garments, like the ancients, to be worthy of this instrument of the sages. Then wash the hands and burn incense. Sit by the table with the qin properly placed. Sit at the fifth hui, directly facing the heart. Raise both hands calmly and keep body and mind upright. In playing, one must also understand lightness and heaviness, speed and slowness, relaxation and composure, and maintain a dignified expression.”

Baoyu said, “We are only playing for amusement. If there are so many rules, it will be too difficult.”

As the two were chatting, Zijuan came in and said to Baoyu with a smile, “Second Master, why are you so happy today?”

Baoyu said, “Listening to your mistress explain the principles of the qin has opened my eyes. The more I hear, the more absorbed I become.”

Zijuan smiled. “I did not mean that you are happy about the qin. I meant that you are willing to come over to our side.”

Baoyu said, “A while ago your mistress was not well, and I was afraid of disturbing her rest. Besides, I had to go to school, so it looked as if I had grown distant.”

Zijuan did not wait for him to finish. “The young lady has only just recovered. Even if you mean well and want to keep her company, you should let her rest and not make her talk too much.”

Baoyu came to himself. “Yes. I was so happy listening that I forgot she was tiring herself.”

Daiyu smiled. “Talking about these things is pleasant. It does not count as fatigue. I only fear that after all my explaining, you still do not understand.”

Baoyu said, “If I listen slowly and learn slowly, I will understand a little.” Then he stood up. “Sister, you really should rest. Tomorrow I will ask Third Sister and Fourth Sister to come over, and we will all learn to play the qin. You can play for me.”

Daiyu said with a smile, “You certainly know how to enjoy yourself. Even if everyone learns to play, you will not understand it. Would that not be wasting…” She stopped halfway as something touched her heart, and she said no more.

Baoyu teased her. “As long as you are willing to play, I will be happy to listen. What does it matter whether I understand or not?” Daiyu blushed slightly and smiled. Zijuan and Xueyan also laughed.

Baoyu took his leave and went out. He happened to meet Qiuwen coming with a young maid carrying a pot of orchids. Qiuwen said, “Lady Wang’s side sent over four pots of orchids. The household is too busy to care for them, so one pot was given to Second Master and one to Miss Lin.”

Daiyu looked at the orchids and saw that several stems had twin flowers. Suddenly a mixture of feelings surged in her heart. She stared at the flowers in a daze, unable to tell whether she was happy or sad. Baoyu, still immersed in thoughts of the qin, said casually, “Now that you have orchids, sister, you can play the ancient piece ‘The Orchid in Full Bloom.’”

When Daiyu heard this, she felt all the more unhappy. She returned to her room and gazed at the orchids in secret sorrow. The plants and flowers met spring and bloomed in abundance. But though she was young, her body was as frail as late-autumn rushes. If her wishes could be fulfilled, perhaps her health would gradually improve. If not, she feared she would be like the plants and flowers of late spring, unable to withstand the wind and rain. At this thought, tears fell despite herself.

Zijuan stood nearby, unable to guess the reason. Just now Baoyu had been here laughing and talking. Why had she looked at a pot of flowers and begun to weep? She was just trying to think of something to comfort her when a messenger came from Baochai’s side. What news the messenger brought—please read the next chapter.