Bai Yuchuan Tastes the Lotus-Leaf Soup in Person; Golden Oriole Cleverly Weaves Plum-Blossom Knots

Baochai clearly heard Daiyu's barbed remark, but thinking of her mother and brother, she did not turn back and went straight on. Daiyu stood alone in the shade of the flowers, watching the direction of the Crimson Delight Court. She saw Li Wan, Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, and various others all go to the Crimson Delight Court and then depart in groups—but Xifeng never came. Daiyu thought, "Why hasn't she come to see Baoyu? Even if she were tied up with business, she would surely put in an appearance to curry favour with the Dowager and Lady Wang. It's so late and she still hasn't come—there must be a reason." As she wondered, she looked up and saw another colourful crowd heading toward the Crimson Delight Court. Looking closely, she saw the Dowager leaning on Xifeng's arm, followed by Lady Xing, Lady Wang, Concubine Zhou, maids, and married women—all entering the courtyard. Daiyu nodded to herself, thinking of the advantages of having parents, and tears filled her eyes. Soon Baochai, Aunt Xue, and the others also went in. Suddenly Zijuan came up behind her, "It's time for your medicine—the water's getting cold again." Daiyu said, "What do you want? Always rushing me. Whether I take it or not, what's it to you?" Zijuan smiled, "You were just getting over your cough—and now you're neglecting your medicine. Though it's the fifth month and hot, you should still be careful. Standing in this damp spot all morning, you should go back and rest." Reminded, Daiyu felt her legs were sore. After a long pause, she slowly leaned on Zijuan and returned to the Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Entering the courtyard, she saw bamboo shadows dappled on the ground and moss in varying shades. She recalled the lines from The Western Wing: "In this lonely spot, who would tread? The moss is white with cold dew." She sighed, "Shuangwen, Shuangwen—truly ill-fated. Yet even you had a widowed mother and a young brother. My fate is worse than yours—I have no one." As she walked, the parrot on the veranda, seeing her, fluttered down with a squawk, startling her. "You wretch! You've covered me with dust again!" The parrot flew back to its perch and called, "Xueyan, lift the curtain—Miss is coming." Daiyu stopped and tapped the stand, "Have you been fed and watered?" The parrot gave a long sigh, just like Daiyu's, and recited, "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!" Daiyu and Zijuan laughed. Zijuan said, "It's memorized all the verses you usually recite." Daiyu had the stand moved to the moon-shaped window, then sat inside. After taking her medicine, the bamboo shadows fell through the gauze window, casting a cool green gloom over the room, chilling the mats and tables. With nothing else to occupy her, she played with the parrot through the window, teaching it favourite poems.

Now Baochai returned home to find her mother combing her hair. "Why are you here so early?" her mother asked. Baochai said, "I came to see how you are. After I left yesterday, did he come and make trouble again?" She sat beside her mother and began to cry. Aunt Xue, seeing this, wept too, then comforted her, "My child, don't be upset. I'll deal with him. If anything happens to you, who will I have?" Xue Pan, hearing this outside, rushed in and made deep bows to Baochai, "Dear sister, forgive me this once! I was drunk last night, came home late, and was possessed—I didn't know what I was saying. No wonder you're angry." Baochai, who had been hiding her face, couldn't help smiling. She looked up and spat, "Don't put on that act. I know you're tired of us and want to get rid of us." Xue Pan laughed, "What are you saying? You leave me no place to stand. You've never been so suspicious." Aunt Xue said, "You call her suspicious—but what about what you said last night?" Xue Pan said, "Mother, don't be angry, and Sister, don't worry. I'll never drink or carouse with them again, how about that?" Baochai smiled, "That's more like it." Aunt Xue said, "If you had that much resolve, dragons would lay eggs." Xue Pan said, "If I go with them again, Sister can spit on me and call me a beast—how's that? Why should you two worry over me? It's bad enough Mother is angry, but if Sister worries too, I'm not even a man. With Father gone, I should be good to you both, but instead I make you fret." He wept. Aunt Xue, who had stopped crying, was moved again. Baochai forced a smile, "You've made enough noise—now you've made Mother cry again." Xue Pan wiped his tears and laughed, "I didn't mean to! Let's forget it. Xiangling, bring tea for Sister." Baochai said, "I don't want tea. Wait till Mother's ready, then we'll go." Xue Pan said, "Let me see your necklace—it might need re-gilding." Baochai said, "It's still bright—why re-gild it?" Xue Pan said, "You should get some new clothes. Tell me what colours and patterns you'd like." Baochai said, "I haven't even worn all I have—why make more?" After Aunt Xue changed, she took Baochai into the garden.

At the Crimson Delight Court, many maids and serving women stood in the outer hall and veranda—clearly the Dowager and the others were there. They went in and exchanged greetings. Baoyu was lying on a couch. Aunt Xue asked how he was; he tried to rise, saying he was better, and apologized for troubling them. Aunt Xue made him lie down and asked what he wanted to eat. Baoyu laughed, "If I think of anything, I'll tell you." Lady Wang asked, "What would you like to eat? I'll send it over." Baoyu laughed, "I don't really want anything—but that soup with the little lotus leaves and lotus-pod shapes we had once was quite good." Xifeng laughed, "Listen to that—not a fancy taste, but troublesome to make. To think of that!" The Dowager immediately ordered it made. Xifeng said, "Don't rush, Old Ancestress—let me remember who has the moulds." She sent an old woman to ask the kitchen. The woman returned saying the kitchen had turned them in. Xifeng thought a moment, "I remember giving them to someone—probably the tea room." She sent someone to ask the tea room, but they didn't have them. Finally the gold and silver ware keeper sent them over. Aunt Xue looked first—it was a small box containing four silver moulds, over a foot long and an inch wide, carved with tiny patterns—chrysanthemums, plum blossoms, lotus pods, water-chestnuts—thirty or forty designs, exquisitely made. She laughed, "Your household is so ingenious—even soup has these forms. If you hadn't told me, I'd never have known what they were." Xifeng said, "Aunt doesn't know—they were thought up for the imperial meals. You make little shapes from flour, using the fragrance of fresh lotus leaves, with a good broth. It's nothing special—who eats this every day? They made it once, and today he remembers it." She handed the moulds to a serving woman and ordered the kitchen to make ten bowls with chicken and other ingredients. Lady Wang said, "Why so many?" Xifeng said, "It's not a common dish—if we make it just for Baoyu and no one else eats, it wouldn't be right. Might as well share it, and I get to share the credit." The Dowager laughed, "You monkey—you're so clever! You use the public money to gain favour!" Xifeng laughed, "It's nothing—I can afford this little treat." She told the woman to charge the cost to her account.

Baochai said, "In all my years here, I've noticed that no matter how clever Xifeng is, she's not as clever as the Old Ancestress." The Dowager said, "I'm old now—what cleverness? When I was her age, I was even sharper. She's not as good as I was, but she's fine—much better than your aunt, who's so quiet she seems wooden. Xifeng has a glib tongue—no wonder people love her." Baoyu said, "So those who don't talk much aren't loved?" The Dowager said, "Those who don't talk much have their lovable points, and those with glib tongues have their faults." Baoyu said, "I see—you treat Sister-in-law Li, who doesn't talk much, the same as Sister Xifeng. If only the glib are lovable, then only Xifeng and Lin Daiyu among us are lovable." The Dowager said, "Speaking of girls, not to flatter Aunt, but truly—from our four girls on down, none match Baochai." Aunt Xue said, "You're too kind." Lady Wang said, "The Dowager often says Baochai is the best." Baoyu had meant to steer the praise toward Daiyu, but instead Baochai was praised. Surprised, he glanced at Baochai, who had turned away to talk to Xiren.

Someone came to call them to eat. The Dowager rose, told Baoyu to rest well, gave the maids more instructions, and left with Xifeng and Aunt Xue. She asked about the soup and told Aunt Xue, "If you want anything, just tell me—I'll make Xifeng get it." Aunt Xue laughed, "You love to tease her. She often gives us things, but we don't eat much." Xifeng laughed, "Don't say that. Our Old Ancestress just finds human flesh too sour—if she didn't, she'd have eaten me by now!" Everyone laughed, and even Baoyu laughed in his room. Xiren said, "That mouth of hers is terrifying!" Baoyu pulled Xiren down to sit beside him, "Are you tired from standing so long?" Xiren said, "Oh! I forgot—since Miss Baochai is here, ask her to send Ying'er to make some knot-tassels." Baoyu called out the window, "Cousin Baochai, after you eat, could you send Ying'er to make some tassels? Is she free?" Baochai turned, "Of course—I'll send her." The Dowager and the others, not hearing clearly, stopped to ask, then understood. The Dowager said, "Good child, have her make some for your brother. If you need help, I have plenty of idle maids—just tell me who you like." Aunt Xue and Baochai laughed, "She'll do it—she's always idle anyway."

As they walked out, they saw Xiangyun, Ping'er, and Xiangling picking balsam flowers by the rocks. They came to greet them. Outside the garden, Lady Wang, fearing the Dowager was tired, suggested they rest in her main room. The Dowager, feeling sore, agreed. Maids hurried to arrange seats. Concubine Zhao pleaded illness; only Concubine Zhou and the other women attended. The Dowager and Aunt Xue sat as guests; Baochai and Xiangyun sat below. Lady Wang served tea to the Dowager, Li Wan to Aunt Xue. The Dowager told Lady Wang, "Let the younger sisters-in-law serve—you sit down and talk." Lady Wang sat on a small stool and told Xifeng to have the Dowager's meal served there. Xifeng sent word to the Dowager's quarters. Only Tanchun and Xichun came; Yingchun was unwell and didn't eat, and Daiyu naturally ate little. When the food arrived, Xifeng stood below with chopsticks wrapped in a cloth, saying, "Old Ancestress and Aunt, don't stand on ceremony—just listen to me." She laid out four sets of chopsticks. Lady Wang and Li Wan watched the dishes being arranged. Xifeng chose clean dishes for Baoyu.

When the lotus-leaf soup came, Lady Wang called Yuchuan to take it to Baoyu. Xifeng said, "She can't carry it alone." Ying'er and Xier happened to be there. Baochai, knowing they had eaten, said to Ying'er, "Brother Bao wants you to make tassels—go together." Ying'er and Yuchuan went out. Ying'er said, "It's so far and hot—how will we carry it?" Yuchuan said, "Don't worry." She called an old woman to carry the dishes in a box, while they walked empty-handed. At the Crimson Delight Court, Yuchuan took the box and entered with Ying'er. Xiren, Sheyue, and Qiowen were joking with Baoyu. They welcomed them, took the food, and offered seats. Ying'er dared not sit; Xiren brought a footstool, but she still hesitated. Baoyu, glad to see Ying'er, was suddenly reminded of her sister Jinchuan, and felt both grief and shame. He ignored Ying'er and spoke only to Yuchuan. Xiren, seeing this, fearing Ying'er would feel awkward, took her to another room for tea.

Sheyue and the others set out the dishes, but Baoyu wouldn't eat. He asked Yuchuan, "Is your mother well?" Yuchuan, sullen, wouldn't look at him, and after a long pause muttered, "Fine." Baoyu felt awkward, and after a while asked, "Who sent you with this?" Yuchuan said, "The ladies, of course!" Seeing her still so angry, he knew it was about Jinchuan. He tried to coax her, but with others present, he couldn't speak freely. He found ways to send everyone out, then spoke gently. Yuchuan, though unhappy, saw he bore no grudge and was always warm, so she softened. Baoyu begged, "Good sister, bring me that soup to taste." Yuchuan said, "I've never fed anyone—wait till the others come." Baoyu laughed, "I don't ask you to feed me. If you just hand it to me, you can go back and eat sooner. If I delay, you'll starve. If you won't move, I'll have to get it myself." He struggled to rise, groaning. Yuchuan, seeing this, rose and said, "Lie down! What sin from a past life is being repaid now? I can't bear to watch!" She brought the soup. Baoyu said, "Dear sister, be angry here if you must, but when you see the Dowager and Lady Wang, be pleasant—or you'll be scolded." Yuchuan said, "Drink up—don't sweet-talk me!" Baoyu drank two sips and said, "This isn't good—I won't drink more." Yuchuan said, "Amitabha! If this isn't good, what is?" Baoyu said, "It has no taste—taste it and see." Yuchuan, in a huff, took a sip. Baoyu laughed, "Now it's good!" Yuchuan realized he'd tricked her, "If you said it wasn't good, don't ask for more." Baoyu coaxed her, but she refused and called for his meal.

Just then a maid announced that two women from Master Fu's household had come to pay respects. Fu Shi was a protégé of Jia Zheng's, and Jia Zheng valued him. Baoyu, hearing they were from the household of Fu Shi—whose sister, Fu Qiufang, was said to be a gifted beauty—agreed to see them. Fu Shi, a parvenu, hoped to marry his sister into a noble family, but she was already twenty-three and still unmarried. The two women were ignorant; they came in, exchanged greetings, and said little. Yuchuan stopped playing with Baoyu and listened. Baoyu, talking to them while eating, reached for the soup without looking—he knocked the bowl over, spilling it on his hand. Yuchuan wasn't scalded but was startled, "What a mess!" The maids cleaned up. Baoyu, not minding his own burn, asked Yuchuan, "Are you hurt? Does it pain?" Yuchuan and the others laughed. Yuchuan said, "You scalded yourself—why ask me?" Only then did Baoyu notice. He stopped eating, washed his hands, and had tea while chatting with the women. They soon left.

Outside, the two women talked. One laughed, "No wonder people say he's handsome but foolish—scalding himself and asking others if they're hurt. What a fool!" The other said, "Last time I came, many complained. He stood in the rain like a drowned rat and told others to take shelter. He laughs and cries alone, talks to swallows and fish, sighs at the moon, and puts up with the maids' tempers." They left.

Xiren returned with Ying'er and asked Baoyu what tassels he wanted. He said, "Any kind—make several." Ying'er laughed, "That would take ten years!" Xiren said, "Make the important ones first." Ying'er asked for what objects—fans, sachets, sashes. Baoyu chose a sash and said it should be red. Ying'er said red needed black or dark blue to set it off. Baoyu asked about pale yellow; Ying'er said it went with peach. Baoyu wanted one peach and one pale green. Ying'er asked about patterns—incense stick, stool, diamond, interlocking rings, plum blossom, willow leaf. Baoyu chose the plum-blossom pattern Ying'er had made for Tanchun. As she worked, Baoyu asked her age. She said sixteen. Her surname was Huang (Yellow). Baoyu laughed, "A perfect name—Yellow Oriole." She said her full name was Jin Ying (Golden Oriole), but Baochai shortened it. Baoyu said Baochai was good to her, and that whoever married her would get both mistress and maid. Ying'er smiled and said Baochai had qualities no one else had. Baoyu was intrigued, but before she could elaborate, Baochai arrived. Baoyu offered her a seat. Seeing Ying'er had only made half a tassel, Baochai suggested making one for the jade instead. Baoyu agreed and asked what colour. Baochai said variegated wouldn't do—red would clash, yellow was dull, black too dark. She suggested gold and black thread twisted together. Baoyu was delighted and called for Xiren to bring gold thread.

Xiren entered carrying two bowls of food, saying Lady Wang had sent them specifically for her. She was puzzled. Baochai said, "If they're for you, eat them." Xiren, remembering Lady Wang's words the other day, said nothing. After eating, she brought the thread for Ying'er. Baochai was called away by Xue Pan's servant. As Baoyu watched Ying'er work, two maids from Lady Xing's came with fruit, asking if he could visit the next day. He said he would if he could, and sent half the fruit to Lin Daiyu with Qiowen. Just then Daiyu was heard in the courtyard, and Baoyu called for her to come in.