At Dripping Emerald Pavilion, the Yang Guifei Chases Colored Butterflies; At the Flower Grave, the Flying Swallow Weeps for Fallen Blossoms

Lin Daiyu was still sobbing alone when she heard the courtyard gate creak open and saw Baochai come out, followed by Baoyu, Xiren, and a crowd of others seeing her off. Daiyu wanted to go up and ask Baoyu, but feared embarrassing him in front of everyone, so she stepped aside to let Baochai pass. After Baoyu and the others had gone back in and closed the gate, she turned back and shed a few more tears at the door. Feeling foolish, she returned to her own room and listlessly removed her makeup.

Zijuan and Xueyan knew Daiyu's temperament well: when she sat alone, she would either frown or sigh, and often weep for no apparent reason. At first, others would try to comfort her, thinking she missed her parents or her homeland or had been wronged. But as time went on and she kept on this way year after year, everyone grew used to it and paid no heed. So they left her to her brooding and went to bed. Daiyu leaned against the bedpost, hugging her knees, her eyes full of tears, like a carved wooden statue, and sat there until well past the second watch before she finally slept. The night passed without incident.

The next day was the twenty-sixth of the fourth month. On this day, at the Wei hour, the Grain in Ear festival began. According to ancient custom, on this day people would set out offerings to bid farewell to the Flower Spirit, for after Grain in Ear comes summer, when all flowers fade and the Flower Spirit retires. This practice was especially popular among young ladies, so everyone in the Grand View Garden rose early. The girls made sedan-chairs and carriages out of petals and willow branches, and banners and canopies out of silks and gauzes, all tied with coloured cords, and fastened them to every tree and branch. The whole garden was festooned with fluttering ribbons and blossoms, and the girls themselves were dressed so beautifully that even peach and apricot blossoms would blush with envy, and swallows and orioles would feel put to shame.

Now Baochai, Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Li Wan, Xifeng, Qiaojie, Sister Da, Xiangling, and the maids were all playing in the garden, but Daiyu was nowhere to be seen. Yingchun said, "Where's Cousin Lin? What a lazybones! Surely she's not still in bed?" Baochai said, "Wait, I'll go and drag her here." She left the others and headed straight for the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. On the way, she met the twelve actresses—Wenguan and the others—who came to greet her and chatted a while. Baochai pointed and said, "They're all over there—go find them. I'm going to fetch Miss Lin." She then made her way through the winding paths toward the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Looking up, she saw Baoyu entering the courtyard. She stopped and thought: Baoyu and Daiyu had grown up together and were often careless about appearances, laughing and quarrelling freely. Daiyu was always suspicious and prone to taking offense. If she went in now, Baoyu would feel awkward and Daiyu would become suspicious. Better to turn back. So she withdrew.

She was about to look for the other girls when she saw a pair of jade-coloured butterflies, as large as round fans, fluttering up and down in the wind—very pretty. Baochai wanted to catch them for fun, so she took out her fan from her sleeve and chased them across the grass. The butterflies rose and fell, coming and going, darting through flowers and willows, nearly flying over the stream. Baochai crept along after them, all the way to the Dripping Emerald Pavilion in the middle of the pond, until she was dripping with sweat and breathless. She gave up the chase and was about to turn back when she heard whispered voices from inside the pavilion. The pavilion was surrounded by covered walkways and winding bridges, set on the water, with carved lattice windows papered over.

Baochai stopped outside and listened carefully. She heard one voice say, "Look at this handkerchief—if it's really the one you lost, take it; if not, give it back to Master Yun." Another voice said, "It is mine! Give it to me." The first said, "What will you give me for finding it? I didn't get it for nothing." The other replied, "Since I promised to reward you, I won't go back on my word." The first said, "I found it for you, so you'll reward me. But what about the one who found it originally—won't you give him something?" The other said, "Don't talk nonsense. He's a young master—if he found my things, he ought to return them. Why should I reward him?" The first said, "If you don't reward him, how am I to answer him? He told me again and again that if there's no reward, I'm not to give it to you." After a pause, the other said, "Very well—take this and give it to him as thanks. But if you tell anyone, you must swear an oath." The first said, "If I tell a soul, may I get a boil and die a bad death!" The other said, "Oh dear! We've been talking too long. What if someone heard us outside? Let's open these lattice windows—if anyone sees us, they'll think we're just chatting. If they come closer, we can see them and stop talking."

Baochai was startled. She thought, "No wonder those who sneak around are always so cunning. If they open the window and see me here, they'll be mortified. And from their voices, it sounds like Xiaohong, that maid in Baoyu's room—she's always sharp-eyed and ambitious, a sly one. If she knows I've overheard her secret, she might do anything out of desperation, and it would be awkward for me. I can't get away in time—I'll have to use the 'golden cicada sheds its shell' trick." Before she finished thinking, she heard the window creak open. Baochai deliberately walked heavily and called out, "Frowner, where are you hiding?" She pretended to chase after someone. Xiaohong and Zhuier, who had just opened the window, were stunned. Baochai turned and smiled at them, "Where have you hidden Miss Lin?" Zhuier said, "We haven't seen Miss Lin." Baochai said, "I saw her crouching by the water over there just now. I wanted to sneak up and startle her, but before I got close, she saw me and ran off around the east side. Maybe she's hiding in here." She went in and pretended to look around, then left, saying, "She must have run into the rockery again. If a snake bites her, so be it." As she walked away, she thought it funny—she had covered it up, but she wondered what the two girls would think.

Xiaohong, believing Baochai's words, waited until she was far away, then took Zhuier's hand and said, "Oh no! Miss Lin was crouching here—she must have heard everything!" Zhuier was silent for a long time. Xiaohong said, "What shall we do?" Zhuier said, "Even if she heard, who cares? Everyone minds their own business." Xiaohong said, "If Miss Baochai had heard, it might be all right. But Miss Lin has a sharp tongue and a suspicious nature. If she heard and let it slip, what then?" Just then Wenguan, Xiangling, Siqi, Daishu, and others came up to the pavilion, so they had to drop the subject and join in the chat.

Just then Xifeng stood on the hillside and beckoned. Xiaohong left the others and ran to her, smiling, "What do you need, Mistress?" Xifeng looked her over—clean, pretty, and quick-witted—and smiled, "My maid didn't come in with me today. I need to send someone out on an errand. Are you up to it? Can you deliver a clear message?" Xiaohong said, "Just tell me what to do. If I'm not clear and delay your business, punish me as you see fit." Xifeng smiled, "Which young lady's room are you from? If your mistress asks for you, I can explain." Xiaohong said, "I'm from Second Master Bao's room." Xifeng said, "Oh! So you're from Baoyu's room—no wonder. Very well, if she asks, I'll tell her. Go to my house and tell Sister Ping: on the table in the outer room, under the Ru ware dish-stand, there's a roll of silver—one hundred and sixty taels—for the embroiderers' wages. When Mrs. Zhang Cai comes to collect, weigh it in front of her and give it to her. Also, bring me the little embroidered pouch from the bedside table."

Xiaohong turned and went. When she came back, Xifeng was no longer on the hillside. Seeing Siqi come out of a cave and stop to fasten her skirt, Xiaohong asked, "Sister, do you know where Second Mistress went?" Siqi said, "I didn't notice." Xiaohong looked around and saw Tanchun and Baochai watching fish by the pond. She approached and asked with a smile, "Do you know where Second Mistress went?" Tanchun said, "She went to your Elder Mistress's courtyard." Xiaohong then went to Rice-Fragrance Village. On the way, she met a group including Qingwen, Qixian, Bihun, Zixiao, Sheyue, Daishu, Ruhua, Ying'er, and others. Qingwen, seeing Xiaohong, said, "You just go on fooling around! You haven't watered the flowers, fed the birds, or lit the tea stove—just wandering about." Xiaohong said, "Second Master said yesterday not to water the flowers today—water them every other day. And when I fed the birds, you were still asleep, sister." Bihun said, "What about the tea stove?" Xiaohong said, "It's not my turn to tend the stove today—if there's tea or not, don't ask me." Qixian said, "Listen to her! Don't say any more—let her wander." Xiaohong said, "Ask me if I've been wandering. Second Mistress sent me to deliver a message and fetch something." She showed them the embroidered pouch, and they had nothing more to say, and went their separate ways. Qingwen sneered, "So that's it—she's climbed up the high branch and looks down on us. She doesn't even know if she's been praised or not, and she's already so puffed up! A little errand like this means nothing—later she'll still be scolded. If she has real skill, let her leave this garden and stay on that high branch for good!" With that they went off.

Xiaohong, unable to argue, swallowed her anger and went to find Xifeng. At Li Wan's quarters, she found Xifeng talking with Li Wan. Xiaohong reported, "Sister Ping said that after you left, she put away the silver. When Mrs. Zhang Cai came to collect, she weighed it and gave it to her." She handed over the pouch and added, "Sister Ping told me to tell you: Wang'er came to ask for your instructions about which house to go to. Sister Ping sent him off according to your orders." Xifeng smiled, "How did she send him according to my orders?" Xiaohong said, "Sister Ping said: 'Our mistress asks how the mistress here is. Since our master is not at home, though it's two days late, please set your mind at ease. When Fifth Mistress is better, our mistress will come with her to see you. Fifth Mistress sent word the day before yesterday that the aunt's wife has brought a letter, asking after you, and also wants two pills of "Everlasting Life and Divine Efficacy" from the mistress here. If you have them, send them to our mistress, and when someone goes tomorrow, they can take them to the aunt's wife on the way.'"

Before she finished, Li Wan said, "Oh my! I don't understand any of that—all those 'mistresses' and 'aunts'!" Xifeng laughed, "No wonder you don't—that's four or five different people she's talking about." She said to Xiaohong, "Good child, you speak very clearly. Not like those who mumble like mosquitoes. Sister-in-law, you don't know—apart from the few maids and women I use regularly, I dread talking to them. They stretch a single sentence into two or three pieces, mincing words and humming and hawing—it makes me furious, but they don't know it. Ping'er used to be like that, and I asked her: 'Do you think acting like a mosquito makes you a beauty?' It took a few times before she improved." Li Wan laughed, "Not everyone is as sharp as you." Xifeng added, "This girl is good. Though she hasn't said much, her speech is crisp and clear." She said to Xiaohong, "Tomorrow you can come and serve me. I'll take you as my daughter—with my training, you'll go far."

Xiaohong chuckled. Xifeng said, "What are you laughing at? Are you thinking I'm too young to be your mother? Don't dream! There are women older than you who call me 'mother' and I don't even acknowledge them. Today I'm honouring you!" Xiaohong said, "I wasn't laughing at that. I was laughing because you've got the generations wrong. My mother is your daughter, and now you want to make me your daughter too." Xifeng said, "Who is your mother?" Li Wan laughed, "Don't you recognize her? She's Lin Zhixiao's daughter." Xifeng was surprised, "Oh! So she's their daughter." She laughed again, "That couple are so quiet you couldn't get a word out of them with an awl. I always say they're a perfect match—one deaf as a post, the other dumb as a stone. Who'd have thought they'd raise such a clever girl! How old are you?" Xiaohong said, "Seventeen." Xifeng asked her name. Xiaohong said, "Originally Hongyu, but because it has 'yu' like Second Master Bao's, now they just call me Hong'er (Little Red)."

Xifeng frowned and turned her head away, "How tiresome! Everyone's got 'yu' as if it were some blessing. Since you're willing to follow me, I'll speak to your mother. I told her, 'With Lai Da's wife so busy, she doesn't know who's who in this house—find me a couple of good maids.' She agreed, but instead of choosing anyone, she sent you elsewhere. Is serving me so bad?" Li Wan said, "You're being too sensitive. She came here before you spoke, so you can't blame her mother." Xifeng said, "In that case, tomorrow I'll tell Baoyu to find someone else, and this girl can come with me. But I don't know if she herself is willing." Xiaohong said, "Whether willing or not, we dare not say. But if I follow you, I'll learn to read people's moods, manage affairs, and see something of the world." Just then Lady Wang's maid came to summon Xifeng, so she took her leave of Li Wan. Xiaohong returned to the Crimson Delight Court.

Now Lin Daiyu, having lain awake all night, rose late the next day. Hearing that the others were holding the Flower-Farewell Festival in the garden, she feared being laughed at for laziness, so she hurriedly washed and dressed. Just as she reached the courtyard, Baoyu entered and said with a smile, "Dear cousin, did you tell on me yesterday? I was worried all night." Daiyu turned and said to Zijuan, "Tidy the room, leave one gauze window open for the swallows when they come back, lower the blinds and weigh them down with the lion weights, and put the cover on the incense burner." She walked out without a word. Baoyu, seeing her like this, thought it was about the afternoon's incident, unaware of what had happened that evening. He bowed and apologized, but Daiyu didn't even look at him. She left the courtyard and went straight to find the other girls. Baoyu was puzzled. He thought: This doesn't seem to be about yesterday. I came back late and didn't see her—no other way I could have offended her. He followed her.

Baochai and Tanchun were watching cranes dance. When Daiyu joined them, the three stood chatting. When Baoyu arrived, Tanchun laughed, "Brother Bao, are you well? I haven't seen you for three days." Baoyu smiled, "Are you well? I asked about you at Sister-in-law's place the day before yesterday." Tanchun said, "Brother Bao, come here—I want to talk to you." Baoyu followed her away from Baochai and Daiyu, under a pomegranate tree. Tanchun said, "Has Father called for you lately?" Baoyu said, "No." Tanchun said, "I heard yesterday he sent for you." Baoyu said, "Someone misheard—he didn't." Tanchun smiled, "I've saved over ten strings of cash these past few months. Take them, and when you go out, buy me some good calligraphy, paintings, or some novel trinkets." Baoyu said, "I go all over—inside and outside the city, through lanes and temples—but I never see anything really novel. Only old gold, jade, bronze, and porcelain—or silks, food, and clothes." Tanchun said, "I don't want those. Things like that little willow-basket you bought last time, or that incense box carved from a bamboo root, or that little clay stove—those are wonderful. I loved them, and everyone else snatched them up." Baoyu laughed, "So that's what you want. That's easy—give the pages five hundred coppers and they'll bring you a cartload." Tanchun said, "The pages don't know what's good. Pick out things that are plain but not vulgar, simple but not clumsy, and bring me lots of them. I'll make you a pair of shoes like last time—even better than those. How about that?"

Baoyu laughed, "Speaking of shoes, I remember something: that time I wore them and happened to meet Father. He didn't like them and asked who made them. I didn't dare say 'Third Sister,' so I said they were a gift from my aunt on my birthday. When Father heard they were from Aunt, he couldn't say much, but after a long pause he said, 'Why waste effort and spoil good silk on such things?' When I told Xiren, she said it was all right, but Concubine Zhao was furious and complained, 'For a proper brother, with shoes and socks all in tatters, no one sees to him—and you make things like this!'" Tanchun's face darkened, "That's utter nonsense! Am I the one who ought to be making shoes? Doesn't Huan have his allowance and his own people? He has his clothes and shoes—there are maids and nannies in his room. Why complain like that? And to whom? I just make a pair or two when I'm free, and give them to whichever brother I like. Who dares stop me? It only makes me angry." Baoyu nodded, "You don't know—she has her own thoughts." Tanchun grew more annoyed, turned her head, and said, "You're being foolish too! She certainly has her own thoughts—petty and mean ones. She can think what she likes—I only acknowledge Father and Mother. As for brothers and sisters, I'm friends with whoever is good to me. I don't care about being born of the principal wife or not. I shouldn't speak of her, but she's so unreasonable! There's something else: last time I gave you money to buy things. A couple of days later she came to me, complaining she had no money. I ignored it. But later, when the maids were out, she complained that I gave my money to you instead of to Huan. I found it so funny and annoying that I went straight to Mother." Just then Baochai called from over there, "Are you done? Come back—clearly you're brother and sister, leaving us aside to share secrets. Can't we hear a word?" Tanchun and Baoyu laughed and rejoined them.

Baoyu, seeing Daiyu had gone off, knew she was avoiding him. He decided to let her cool down and wait a few days. Looking down, he saw a thick carpet of fallen flowers—garden balsam, pomegranate, and others—and sighed, "She's so angry she didn't even bother to gather these. Let me take them to the grave and ask her tomorrow." Baochai and Tanchun called him to go with them, but he said, "I'll be along." After they had gone, he gathered up the petals and made his way over hills and streams, through flowers and trees, to the spot where he and Daiyu had buried peach blossoms before. As he approached the flower grave, before he could round the slope, he heard sobbing on the other side—someone weeping and lamenting bitterly. He thought, "Some maid must have been wronged and come here to cry." He stopped and listened. The voice sang:

Flowers fall and fly, filling the sky;
Their fragrance fades—who pities them?
Silken threads drift over the spring pavilion;
Floating catkins lightly brush the embroidered curtain.
A maiden in her bower grieves for the passing spring;
Her heart is full, with no release from care.
Taking her flower-hammer, she leaves her room,
Treading softly among the fallen blooms, back and forth.
Willow strands and elm pods are fair and fragrant,
Heedless of peach and plum that drift away.
Peach and plum will bloom again next year—
But who will be in this bower when that comes?
By the third month, the swallows' nests are built—
Swallows on the beam, too heartless!
Next year, though blossoms may be pecked,
The beam will be empty, the nest overturned.
Three hundred and sixty days a year,
The wind and frost and knives and swords are harsh;
How long can brightness and beauty last?
Once cast adrift, they cannot be found.
Flowers bloom to be seen, but fall to be lost—
The one who buries them grieves by the steps.
Leaning on her hoe, she weeps in secret,
Her tears fall on bare branches, leaving blood-like stains.
The cuckoo is silent; dusk draws near;
She bears her hoe home, closes the heavy gate.
By the green lamp, the walls are lit as she sleeps;
Cold rain taps the window, the quilt is not yet warm.
Why is she so troubled, so sad at heart?
Half for pity of spring, half for anger at spring—
Pity that spring comes, anger that it goes;
It comes without a word, leaves without a sound.
Last night outside the court, a sad song was heard—
Was it the soul of flowers, or the soul of birds?
The souls of flowers and birds cannot be kept;
The birds are silent, the flowers are ashamed.
Would that I could grow wings beneath my arms,
And follow the flowers to the end of the sky!
At the end of the sky—where is the fragrant mound?
Better to gather her fair bones in a silken bag,
And cover her grace with a handful of pure earth.
Pure she came, and pure she shall return—
Better than sinking in the muddy ditch.
You die today—I bury you;
Who knows when I myself shall die?
Today I bury flowers, and fools mock me;
But when I die, who will bury me?
Look—as spring wanes, the flowers fall;
That is the time when beauty fades and dies.
Once spring is gone and beauty fades,
Flowers fall and people die—and neither knows!

Baoyu was utterly entranced. To know what follows, read the next chapter.