A Cunning Plot Borrows a Sword to Kill; Knowing Her Fate, She Swallows Gold and Dies

When Second Sister You heard this, she was endlessly grateful and had no choice but to follow her. Madam You could not very well stay away; she had to come too and go with Xifeng to report, as propriety required. Xifeng said with a smile, “You just keep quiet and let me speak.” Madam You said, “Naturally. But if anything goes wrong, it will be blamed on you.” With that, they all went first to the old lady’s room.

It happened that the old lady was chatting and laughing with the sisters in the garden to amuse herself. Suddenly she saw Xifeng bring in a pretty young married woman. She narrowed her eyes to look and said, “Whose child is this? How pitiful!” Xifeng came forward and said with a smile, “Old Ancestor, look closely. Is she good or not?” She quickly pulled Second Sister and said, “This is your great mother-in-law. Kowtow quickly.” Second Sister quickly made a grand obeisance. Xifeng pointed to the sisters and said, “This is so-and-so, this is so-and-so. First get to know them. After Lady Wang has seen you, you may salute them.” Second Sister, hearing this, deliberately asked each name again and stood with her head lowered to one side. The old lady looked her up and down, then asked with a smile, “What is your surname? How old are you?” Xifeng quickly smiled and said, “Old Ancestor, do not ask yet. Just say whether she is prettier than I.” The old lady put on her glasses and told Faithful and Amber, “Bring that child over. Let me look at her skin.” Everyone smiled with pursed lips and had to push her forward. The old lady looked carefully, then told Amber, “Let me see her hands.” Faithful lifted her skirt. After looking, the old lady took off her glasses and said with a smile, “She is a well-made child. I think she is prettier than you.” Hearing this, Xifeng smiled and quickly knelt, then told the old lady in full detail the story they had concocted on Madam You’s side: “I beg Old Ancestor to be merciful and first allow her to come in. After a year, they may formally be married.” The old lady said, “What fault is there in that? Since you are so virtuous, very good. Only they may not be formally married until a year has passed.” Xifeng kowtowed and rose, then begged the old lady to send two women with her to see the ladies, saying it was the old lady’s idea. The old lady agreed and sent two women to take her to see Lady Xing and the others. Lady Wang had been deeply worried because of the unsavory rumors about her; seeing Xifeng act this way, how could she not be pleased? So from then on Second Sister You saw the light of day and moved into the side rooms.

Meanwhile Xifeng secretly sent someone to incite Zhang Hua, telling him to demand his original wife; there would be many gifts as well, and they would give him silver to settle down and live. Zhang Hua had originally had neither the courage nor the intention to accuse the Jia family. Later, when he saw Jia Rong send someone to confront the accusation, that person said, “Zhang Hua first broke the engagement. We are all relatives. It is true she was brought into the house to live, but there was no talk of marriage. It is only because Zhang Hua owes us money and, when pressed, would not pay, that he falsely accuses my master of such things.” The Censorate had connections with both the Jia and Wang families, and besides, they had taken bribes. They said only that Zhang Hua was a rascal using poverty to extort, refused to accept the complaint, gave him a beating, and drove him out. Qing’er, outside, arranged matters for him, so he was not beaten badly. Then they incited Zhang Hua again: “The betrothal was originally arranged by your family. If you demand the marriage, the officials will surely award her to you.” So he accused again. Wang Xin also sent word to the Censorate, and the Censorate ruled: “The silver Zhang Hua owes the Jia household must be repaid in full within a fixed time. As for the betrothal, he is still permitted to marry her when he has the means.” They also summoned his father to approve it in court. His father, having been instructed by Qing’er, was happy to gain both the person and the money, so he went to the Jia family to claim her.

Xifeng, frightened, reported to the old lady: thus and so, it was all because Cousin Zhen’s wife had handled things unclearly and had not properly broken the engagement with that family, so people accused them, and the court had ruled thus. The old lady, hearing this, quickly summoned Madam You and said she had acted improperly. “Since your sister was betrothed from childhood by pointing at the belly, and the engagement was not properly broken, people made wild accusations.” Madam You had to say, “She even accepted the silver. How was it not settled?” Xifeng added from the side, “Zhang Hua’s testimony now says he never saw the silver, nor saw anyone come. His father says, ‘The mother-in-law mentioned it once, but it was never agreed. After the mother-in-law died, you took her in as a second wife.’ With no witness, we can only let him talk nonsense. Fortunately, Second Master Lian is not at home and they have not been formally married, so it is not too serious. But the person has already come. How can we send her back? Would that not be a loss of face?” The old lady said, “They have not been formally married. There is no reason to forcibly keep another man’s wife. It is bad for reputation. Better send her to him. Can we not find a good man elsewhere?” Second Sister You, hearing this, said to the old lady, “My mother did on such-and-such a date give her ten taels of silver to settle the broken engagement. Because he was desperate in poverty, he accused and then changed his story. My sister did nothing wrong.” The old lady said, “So a rascal is hard to deal with. Since that is so, Xifeng, go and manage it.” Xifeng had no choice but to agree. When she returned, she only sent for Jia Rong. Jia Rong knew Xifeng’s intention well. If Zhang Hua were to take her back, what would become of propriety? So he told Jia Zhen and secretly sent someone to tell Zhang Hua, “Now that you have so much silver, why insist on the original person? If you persist in this, are you not afraid the masters will get angry, find an excuse, and make it so you have no place to die? With silver, you can go home and find any good woman. If you leave, they will even reward you with traveling money.” Zhang Hua thought it over and decided this was a good idea. He discussed it with his father, and in all they got about a hundred taels. Father and son rose at the fifth watch the next day and returned to their native place.

Jia Rong, having verified it, came back and reported to the old lady and Xifeng: “Zhang Hua and his father made false accusations and then fled out of fear of punishment. The authorities know this and will not pursue it. The matter is finished.” Xifeng thought to herself: If I insist on Zhang Hua taking Second Sister back, Jia Lian may spend more silver when he returns to keep her, and Zhang Hua would not dare refuse. Better that Second Sister stay and I keep her company; that is safer, and I can think of something later. But who knows where Zhang Hua has gone? If he tells others about this, or later finds another excuse to reopen the case, would I not be harming myself? I should not have put the handle of the knife in an outsider’s hand. She regretted it endlessly. Then she thought of another plan. She secretly ordered Wang’er to send someone to find Zhang Hua, either accuse him of theft and ruin him in a lawsuit, or secretly arrange to have him killed. Zhang Hua must be killed to cut the grass at the root and protect her reputation. Wang’er accepted the order and went out. At home he thought carefully: The man has already gone, and the matter is over. Why make such a great fuss? Human life is at stake; this is no child’s play. I will fool her for now and think of something later. So he stayed away a few days, then came back and told Xifeng only that Zhang Hua, with a few taels of silver on him, had fled; on the third day, at the fifth watch, in the Jingkou area, he had been struck down by robbers with a club and killed. His father had died of fright in an inn, and they had examined the body and buried it there. Xifeng did not believe it. She said, “If you are lying, I will send someone to find out and knock out your teeth!” After that she let the matter drop. Xifeng and Second Sister You were extremely harmonious, ten times closer than real sisters.

One day, when Jia Lian had finished his business and returned, he first went to the new house. It had already been quietly sealed, with only an old man watching the house. Jia Lian asked him why, and the old man told him the whole story. Jia Lian could only stamp his feet in the stirrups. He had to go see Jia She and Lady Xing and report the completion of his business. Jia She was very pleased, said he was useful, rewarded him with a hundred taels of silver, and gave him a seventeen-year-old maid named Qiutong from his own rooms as a concubine. Jia Lian kowtowed and accepted her, overjoyed. When he saw the old lady and the family, and then returned to see Xifeng, he could not help looking a little ashamed. But who would have thought Xifeng, unlike her usual manner, came out with Second Sister You to welcome him and exchanged greetings. Jia Lian told her about Qiutong, unable to hide a look of pride and smugness. Hearing this, Xifeng quickly ordered two wives to take a carriage and bring her over. A thorn in her heart had not yet been removed, and now another had been added out of nowhere. She had to swallow her anger, put on a good face, and conceal it. She ordered a feast to welcome him, and brought Qiutong to see the old lady and Lady Wang. Jia Lian was secretly amazed.

That day was already the twelfth of the twelfth month. Jia Zhen set out. He first worshipped at the ancestral hall, then came to take leave of the old lady and the others. The clansmen escorted him as far as the Pavilion of Tears before returning. Only Jia Lian and Jia Rong escorted him for three days and three nights before returning. Along the way, Jia Zhen told them to restrain their hearts and manage the household well, and the two agreed, also speaking proper formal words. There is no need to describe it in detail.

Now Xifeng at home, in public treated Second Sister You well, needless to say, but in her heart she harbored other intentions. When no one was around, she said to Second Sister You, “Your reputation is very bad. Even the old lady and Lady Wang have heard of it. They say you were not clean even as a girl at home, and that you had some affair with your brother-in-law. ‘No one wanted you, so you picked her up. Why not divorce her and find a better one?’ When I heard this, I was so angry I fell backward. I tried to find out who said it, but could not. As days go by, how can I face these servants? I have made a fish head for myself to break open.” She said this twice, then made herself ill with anger, and would not eat or drink. Except for Patience, all the maids and wives talked and gossiped, pointing at the mulberry and cursing the locust, mocking her in secret. Qiutong, thinking herself given by Jia She and that no one could override her, did not even respect Xifeng or Patience, and certainly would not tolerate Second Sister. She opened her mouth to say, “A whore who was taken after being seduced, whom no man wanted, and now she wants to lord it over me.” Xifeng was secretly pleased to hear this; Second Sister You was secretly ashamed, angry, and resentful. Since Xifeng pretended to be ill, she no longer ate with Second Sister You. Every day she only had food sent to her room, and it was all but unpalatable. Patience could not bear it. She took her own money to make dishes for her, or sometimes pretended to take her into the garden to play and had special soup and food made for her in the garden kitchen. No one dared report it to Xifeng. Only Qiutong happened to see it once and went to tattle to Xifeng: “Madam’s reputation has been ruined by Patience. Such good food and dishes are left unused, and she goes into the garden to eat secretly.” Hearing this, Xifeng scolded Patience: “Other people keep cats to catch mice; my cat only bites the chickens.” Patience did not dare say much and thereafter kept her distance. She also secretly hated Qiutong but could not speak of it.

The sisters in the garden, and Li Wan, Yingchun, Xichun, and the others, all thought Xifeng meant well, but Baochai and Daiyu and their group secretly worried for Second Sister. Though none of them wanted to meddle, seeing Second Sister pitiable, they often came and showed her compassion. Whenever they spoke in private, Second Sister You would wipe her tears, but did not dare complain. Xifeng revealed not the slightest bad appearance. When Jia Lian came home and saw Xifeng’s virtue, he paid no attention. Moreover, because Jia She had always had the most concubines and maids, Jia Lian often harbored improper thoughts but had not dared act. Women like Qiutong all resented that the old master was aged and muddled, greedy but unable to chew what he took, and wondered why he kept so many. So except for a few who knew propriety and shame, the rest flirted with the young pages at the second gate. Some even exchanged glances with Jia Lian and secretly made appointments, fearing only Jia She’s authority and not yet succeeding. Qiutong had long had a connection with Jia Lian, though they had never been together. Now by a lucky chance she was given to him. They were truly like fire and dry wood, like glue and lacquer. In their new marriage, for days they could not be separated. Jia Lian’s heart toward Second Sister gradually cooled; only Qiutong was his life. Though Xifeng hated Qiutong, she was glad to use her first to get rid of Second Sister. She herself would stand aside, using the trick of “borrowing a sword to kill,” sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight. When Qiutong had killed Second Sister You, she would then kill Qiutong. Her plan settled, when no one was around she often privately urged Qiutong, “You are young and do not know affairs. She is now the second wife mistress, the one in your master’s heart. Even I yield to her three parts. If you go and clash with her head-on, are you not seeking your own death?” Hearing this, Qiutong grew even angrier. Every day she loudly cursed: “Madam is a weak person, so virtuous, but I cannot do it. Madam has lost all her former authority. Madam is magnanimous, but I cannot bear a grain of sand in my eye. Let me have it out with that whore once, and she will know.” Xifeng in her room pretended not to dare make a sound. Second Sister You was so angry she wept in her room, would not eat, and did not dare tell Jia Lian. The next day the old lady saw her eyes red and swollen and asked her, but she did not dare speak. Qiutong, at the height of her cleverness and charm, secretly told the old lady and Lady Wang, “She specializes in courting death. All day long for no reason she wails like at a funeral. Behind our backs she curses Madam and me, wishing we would die early so she can have the Second Master all to herself.” The old lady said, “When a person is too pretty, her heart is jealous. Xifeng treats her with good intentions, yet she contends and is jealous. She is truly a base creature.” So gradually she came to dislike her. When the others saw the old lady disliked her, they trampled on her even more, so that Second Sister You could neither die nor live. It was only thanks to Patience, who often, behind Xifeng’s back, saw how she was and tried to comfort her.

Second Sister You was by nature a person with flowers for intestines and snow for skin. How could she endure such torment? After only a month of secret anger, she fell ill, listless, with no strength in her limbs, unable to eat or drink, and gradually grew thin and sallow. At night when she closed her eyes, she saw her younger sister come holding the Mandarin Duck Swords and say, “Sister, all your life you have been foolish in heart and soft in will, and in the end you have suffered for it. Do not believe that jealous woman’s honeyed words, virtuous outside and treacherous within. She has sworn to destroy you. If I were alive, I would never have let you come in, and even if you had, I would not have let her treat you so. But this is also the natural order. You and I were unchaste and shameless in life, causing others to ruin moral order, and so we have this retribution. If you listen to me, take this sword and cut down that jealous woman, and we will go together to the Goddess of Disenchantment and await her judgment. Otherwise, you will die for nothing, and no one will pity you.” Second Sister You wept and said, “Sister, since I have failed in virtue all my life, this retribution is deserved. Why add the sin of killing? Let me endure it. If Heaven takes pity and lets me recover, would that not be best for both?” The younger sister smiled. “Sister, you are truly foolish. Since ancient times, ‘Heaven’s net is wide, and though its mesh is coarse, nothing slips through.’ Heaven’s way returns. Though you repent and reform, you have already brought father, son, and brothers into a shameful tangle. How could Heaven let you live in peace?” Second Sister You wept. “If I cannot live in peace, that too is as it should be. I do not complain.” The younger sister heard this, sighed deeply, and left. Second Sister You woke with a start. It was a dream. When Jia Lian came to see her, since no one was nearby, she wept and said, “This illness of mine cannot be cured. I have been here half a year, and I am with child, but I do not know whether it is a boy or girl. If Heaven pities me and it is born, perhaps I may live. If not, my life is lost, let alone the child’s.” Jia Lian also wept. “Set your mind at ease. I will send for a famous doctor to treat you.” He went out at once to fetch a doctor.

But Doctor Wang had also sought a post in the army to earn a hereditary title on his return. The pages went and brought a doctor named Hu Junrong. He came in, felt her pulse, and said it was irregular menstruation and she needed a great tonic. Jia Lian said, “She has not had her menses for three months, and often vomits sour water. I fear it is pregnancy.” Hu Junrong, hearing this, had the old women ask her to put out her hand again. Second Sister You had to put her hand out from behind the bed curtain. Hu Junrong felt the pulse for a long while and said, “If it were pregnancy, the liver pulse should be full and large. But when wood is excessive it generates fire, and irregular menstruation is also caused by the liver wood. The doctor must be bold. I must ask the lady to show her face a little so I may observe her complexion before I dare prescribe.” Jia Lian had no choice but to have the curtain lifted a crack, and Second Sister You showed her face. As soon as Hu Junrong saw her, his soul flew up to the ninth heaven, his whole body went numb, and he knew nothing. After a moment the curtain was lowered. Jia Lian accompanied him out and asked what it was. Doctor Hu said, “It is not pregnancy, only stagnant blood congealed. Now the important thing is to move the stagnant blood and open the menses.” He wrote a prescription and took his leave. Jia Lian sent him medicine fees, had the medicine bought and prepared, and gave it to her. In the middle of the night, Second Sister You had unceasing abdominal pain. Unexpectedly, she miscarried a fully formed male fetus. Then the bleeding would not stop, and Second Sister fell unconscious. When Jia Lian heard, he cursed Hu Junrong bitterly. He sent for another doctor to treat her and sent someone to beat and accuse Hu Junrong. Hearing this, Hu Junrong had already packed up and fled. The doctor here said, “Her vital energy and blood were originally weak. Since conception, she must have suffered some anger and been depressed. This gentleman recklessly used a drastic medicine. Now her vital energy is damaged eight or nine parts out of ten. It will be hard to save her at once. We must use both decoctions and pills, and she must hear no idle talk or troubles. Then there is some hope.” He left. Jia Lian was frantic to find out who had called Doctor Hu. When he found out, he beat the man half to death.

Xifeng was ten times more anxious than Jia Lian. She said only, “We have no son by fate. We finally had one, and then met such an incompetent doctor.” She burned incense and worshipped Heaven and Earth, praying herself, “If I have any illness, I only beg that Sister You recover and conceive again and bear a son. I am willing to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddha’s name forever.” Jia Lian and everyone who saw this praised her. When Jia Lian was with Qiutong, Xifeng had soup and water made and sent to Second Sister. She also scolded Patience for being luckless: “You are like me. I am often ill, but you are not ill and yet have not conceived. Now the Second Mistress is like this because we are luckless, or have offended something, and it has affected her.” She sent someone out to have her fortune told. The fortune-teller came back and said, “A woman born in the year of the Rabbit is offending her.” They calculated, and only Qiutong was born in the year of the Rabbit. They said she was the one. Qiutong had recently seen Jia Lian summon doctors, buy medicine, beat people and curse dogs, doing everything for Second Sister You, and a vat of vinegar had already soaked her heart. Now hearing that she was the one causing offense, Xifeng also advised her, “Go and hide elsewhere for a few months and then come back.” Qiutong was so angry she wept and cursed, “Listen to those blind fools wagging their tongues! She and I are like well water and river water, not interfering with each other. How could I offend her? What a fine little mynah bird! Outside, she saw no one knows who, and now she comes and someone offends her. Pale-browed and red-faced, where did this child come from? She is only using it to fool our cotton-eared master. Even if there is a child, who knows whether its surname is Zhang or Wang. Madam may prize that mongrel brat, but I do not like it! Am I too old to bear? Who cannot bear children? In a year or half a year I can bear one, and it will be without any admixture!” Everyone wanted to laugh but did not dare. It happened that Lady Xing came to pay her respects. Qiutong wept and told Lady Xing, “The Second Master and Madam want to drive me back. I have nowhere to go. Please, Lady, show mercy.” Hearing this, Lady Xing scolded Xifeng for a while, then cursed Jia Lian: “You ungrateful seed! However bad she is, your father gave her to you. For the sake of an outsider, you would drive her out and forget your own father. If you want to drive her out, you might as well return her to your father.” With that, she left in anger. Qiutong became even more smug. She went right under Second Sister’s window and wailed and cursed loudly. Second Sister You, hearing this, could not help but be even more troubled.

That evening, Jia Lian slept in Qiutong’s room. Xifeng had already gone to bed. Patience came to see her and quietly urged her, “Take good care of your illness. Pay no attention to that beast.” Second Sister You took her hand and wept, “Sister, since I came here, I have depended on your care. For my sake, you have suffered I do not know how much petty anger. If I escape with my life, I will repay your kindness. I fear I will not escape with my life, and can only wait for the next life.” Patience could not help shedding tears. “I suppose it was I who ruined you. I was foolishly devoted and never hid anything from her. When I heard you were outside, how could I not tell her? Who knew it would lead to all this?” Second Sister You quickly said, “Sister, you are wrong. Even if you had not told her, could she not have found out? It was only that you told her first. Besides, I wanted with all my heart to come in, to make it proper. What has that to do with you?” The two wept a while. Patience gave a few more instructions, and since it was deep in the night, she went to rest.

Second Sister You thought to herself, “My illness has taken hold. Every day I am not nourished but harmed. I am certain I cannot recover. Besides, the fetus is gone, and I have nothing to worry about. Why endure these petty humiliations? Better to die and be clean. I have often heard that raw gold can weigh one down to death. Is that not cleaner than hanging or cutting my throat?” Her mind made up, she struggled up, opened her chest, and found a piece of raw gold, she did not know how heavy. Gritting her teeth and holding back tears, she put it in her mouth. Several times she strained her neck with all her might before she swallowed it. Then she hurriedly dressed herself completely in clothes and ornaments, lay down on the kang, and died. No one knew, no ghost knew. The next morning, when the maids and wives saw she did not call, they were glad to go and wash themselves. Xifeng and Qiutong had both gone up to the old lady. Patience could not bear it and said to the maids, “You only deserve to be used by those with no heart, beaten and scolded. Here is a sick person, and you do not even pity her. She may be good-natured, but you should show some decency. Do not go too far. When a wall falls, everyone pushes it.” Hearing this, the maids pushed open the door and went in. They saw her dressed neatly and lying dead on the kang. Then they panicked and screamed. Patience came in, looked, and could not help weeping loudly. Although everyone had always feared Xifeng, they thought Second Sister You was truly gentle and compassionate to those below, better than Xifeng. Now that she was dead, who could not grieve and shed tears? They only did not dare let Xifeng see.

At once the whole household knew. Jia Lian came in, embraced the corpse, and wept without stopping. Xifeng also pretended to weep: “Cruel sister! How could you leave me and go, disappointing my heart!” Madam You, Jia Rong, and the others also came and wept, then urged Jia Lian to stop. Jia Lian reported to Lady Wang and asked for Pear Fragrance Court to lay her out for five days, then move her to Iron Threshold Temple. Lady Wang agreed. Jia Lian quickly sent people to open Pear Fragrance Court and prepare the main room for the coffin. Jia Lian thought it unseemly to carry the coffin out through the back gate, so he had a new main gate opened in the front wall of Pear Fragrance Court facing the street. Matting sheds were set up on both sides, and an altar was arranged for Buddhist rites. A soft couch was spread with brocade quilts. Second Sister was lifted onto it and covered with a quilt. Eight pages and several wives surrounded and accompanied her as she was carried from the inner wall to Pear Fragrance Court. An astrologer had already been invited to prepare. When the quilt was lifted, Second Sister You’s face was as if alive, more beautiful than in life. Jia Lian embraced her and wept again, crying, “Madam, you died unjustly! It was I who ruined you!” Jia Rong quickly came to urge him, “Uncle, restrain yourself. This aunt of mine had no fortune.” As he spoke, he pointed south toward the boundary wall of Grand View Garden. Jia Lian understood and only secretly stamped his foot, saying, “I was negligent. When it is all out in the end, I will avenge you.” The astrologer reported, “The lady died today at the hour of mao. She cannot be buried in five days. It must be three days or seven days. Encoffining tomorrow at the hour of yin is most auspicious.” Jia Lian said, “Three days is absolutely impossible. Let it be seven days. Because my uncle and elder brother are both away, I dare not keep a minor mourning too long. When it is outside, we will still hold the fifth and seventh week services and a great mass before closing the coffin. Next year she will be buried in the south.” The astrologer agreed, wrote the death notice, and left. Baoyu had already come to join in the weeping. All the clansmen came too.

Jia Lian hurried in to find Xifeng and ask for silver to prepare the coffin and funeral. Xifeng, seeing the body carried out, pretended illness and said, “The old lady and Lady Wang say I am ill and must avoid the three rooms, and will not let me go.” So she did not come out to wear mourning, but went into Grand View Garden. She went around the hills to the foot of the northern boundary wall and listened outside. She heard a word or two indistinctly, then came back and reported to the old lady thus and so. The old lady said, “Do not believe his nonsense. Whose child that dies of consumption is not burned and scattered? Why seriously hold a funeral and break ground? Since she was a second wife, and they were husband and wife, let her be kept five or seven days, then carried out, either burned or buried in a pauper’s field, and that is the end.” Xifeng smiled. “That is true. But I do not dare urge him.” Just then a maid came to invite Xifeng, saying, “The Second Master is waiting for Madam to bring silver.” Xifeng had to come. She asked him, “What silver? The household is hard pressed lately. Do you not know? Our monthly allowance cannot keep up from one month to the next. The chickens have eaten next year’s grain. Yesterday I pawned two gold necklaces for three hundred taels, and you are still dreaming. Here are twenty or thirty taels. Take them if you want.” She told Patience to bring them out and hand them to Jia Lian. Then, saying the old lady had spoken, she left again. Jia Lian was so angry he could say nothing. He had to open the You sisters’ chests and cupboards to get his own private savings. When he opened them, there was not a drop left, only some broken hairpins, faded flowers, and a few half-new silk clothes, all things Second Sister You had worn. He could not help weeping again. He wrapped them all in a bundle himself, and instead of ordering pages or maids to carry it, he carried it himself to burn.

Patience was both grieved and amused. She quickly stole out a package of two hundred taels of broken silver, went to the side room, pulled Jia Lian aside, and secretly handed it to him, saying, “You had better keep quiet. If you want to cry, there are plenty of places outside. Why come here and make a show?” Jia Lian said, “You are right.” He took the silver, then handed a skirt to Patience and said, “This is what she wore at home. Keep it for me carefully as a keepsake.” Patience had to hide it and keep it herself. Jia Lian took the silver and went to the others, then ordered someone to buy a coffin board. The good ones were too expensive, and the middling ones he would not have. Jia Lian rode off to look himself. By evening they indeed carried in a good set of boards, priced at five hundred taels on credit, and worked through the night to make the coffin. He assigned people to wear mourning and keep vigil. At night he did not go inside but stayed there to keep company with the dead.