A Moonlit Night in Prospect Garden, a Ghostly Presence Is Felt; At the Temple of Scattered Flowers, a Divine Lot Startles with a Strange Omen

Now to return to Xifeng. When she got back to her own rooms, Jia Lian had not yet returned. She arranged for the servants who were to look after Tanchun’s dowry and luggage. It was already dark. Suddenly she thought of Tanchun and wanted to go see her. She called Feng’er and two maids to follow, with one maid going ahead carrying a lantern. When she went out and saw that the moon had already risen, pouring moonlight like water over the ground, Xifeng sent the lantern-bearing maid back. She walked under the window of the tea room and heard the old women inside muttering. Now it sounded like crying, now like laughing, as if they were discussing something. Xifeng thought to herself: It must be the old women of the household gossiping and stirring up trouble again. She was very displeased. She told Xiaohong to go in, pretend nothing was wrong, draw them out slowly, and find out exactly what they were saying. Xiaohong agreed and went. Xifeng, with only Feng’er, came to the gate of Prospect Garden. The gate was not tightly closed, only left ajar. Mistress and maid pushed......