By Willow Leaf Isle, She Rebukes the Oriole and Scolds the Swallow; In Crimson Cloud Studio, Generals Are Summoned and Talismans Fly

When Baoyu heard that Lady Jia and the others had returned, he put on an extra garment, leaned on his cane, and went to the front to greet them all. Lady Jia and the others, tired from their daily labors, wanted to rest early, and the night passed without incident. At the fifth watch the next morning, they went to court again.

The day for escorting the coffin was near. Yuanyang, Hupo, Feicui, and Bolì were busy packing Lady Jia’s things, while Yu Chuan, Caiyun, Caixia, and the others packed Lady Wang’s things, checking them item by item in the presence of the stewardesses who would accompany them. Those following included six maids, great and small, ten old women and stewardesses, not counting the men. For days they had been preparing the mule-borne sedan chairs and equipment. Yuanyang and Yu Chuan were not going; they were to watch the rooms. A few days earlier, curtains, hangings, bedding, and furnishings had been sent ahead. Four or five stewardesses and several men had been dispatched first, traveling by a roundabout route in several carts to the lodging, where they spread things out and waited.

On the day of departure, Lady Jia took Jia Rong’s wife in one mule-borne sedan; Lady Wang rode in another behind. Jia Zhen rode on horseback, leading the household guards. There were also several large carts for the old women and maids, carrying changes of clothes and bundles. That day Aunt Xue and You Shi led everyone to see them off outside the main gate before returning. Jia Lian, fearing inconvenience on the road, sent his parents ahead to catch up with Lady Jia and Lady Wang’s sedans, while he himself followed behind with the guards.

In the Rong mansion, Lai Da added more men for night watch. Both halls and courtyards were closed. All who came and went used the small side gate on the west. At sunset the ceremonial gate was closed, and no one was allowed in or out. The side gates east, west, front, and back in the garden were also locked. Only the gate behind Lady Wang’s main room, through which her sisters usually came and went, and the side gate on the east leading to Aunt Xue’s, were left unlocked because they were within the inner quarters. Inside, Yuanyang and Yu Chuan each closed the main rooms and led the maids and old women to rest in the side rooms. Every day Lin Zhixiao’s wife came in with a dozen old women for night watch, and many pages were added in the passage hall to sit watch and beat the clapper. Everything was arranged properly.

One clear early morning, Baochai woke from spring drowsiness. She lifted the bed curtain and got down. Feeling a slight chill, she opened the door and saw that the earth in the garden was moist and the moss green; a little rain had fallen at the fifth watch. She woke Xiangyun and the others. As they washed and dressed, Xiangyun said her cheeks itched and she feared her apricot-blotch ringworm had returned, so she asked Baochai for some rose nitrate. Baochai said, “I gave the rest the other day to my cousin.” She added, “Pin’er has compounded a lot. I was just going to ask her for some, but since I have not itched this year, I forgot.” She told Ying’er to go fetch some. Ying’er had just agreed to go when Ruiguan said, “I will go with you and see Ouguan on the way.” So the two left the Alpinia Garden together.

Chatting and laughing as they walked, they soon reached Willow Leaf Isle and followed the willow embankment. The willow leaves had just put forth pale green, their threads like hanging gold. Ying’er said with a smile, “Do you know how to weave things from willow twigs?” Ruiguan smiled, “What sort of things?” Ying’er said, “What can’t be woven? Playthings, useful things—anything. Let me pick some. With these leaves I can weave a flower basket, gather all kinds of flowers, and put them inside. That would be fun.” So instead of fetching the nitrate, she reached up, pulling down green and gold, and picked many tender twigs, telling Ruiguan to hold them. As she walked, she wove a flower basket. Whenever she saw a flower along the way, she picked one or two sprigs and wove a dainty basket with an arched handle. The twigs still had their green leaves, and when the flowers were placed in it, it was quite charming. Ruiguan was delighted and said with a smile, “Sister, give it to me.” Ying’er said, “This one we will give to Miss Lin. When we come back, we will pick more and weave several for everyone to play with.” As she spoke, they arrived at the Bamboo Lodge.

Daiyu was doing her morning toilet. Seeing the basket, she smiled and said, “Who wove this fresh flower basket?” Ying’er smiled, “I wove it for you to play with, miss.” Daiyu took it and smiled, “No wonder people praise your clever hands. This little thing is quite unique.” She looked at it and told Zijuan to hang it up. Ying’er then paid her respects to Aunt Xue and only then asked Daiyu for the nitrate. Daiyu quickly told Zijuan to wrap a packet and hand it to Ying’er. Daiyu added, “I am better today and want to go out for a stroll. Go back and tell my sister not to come to greet my aunt, and I would not dare trouble her to come see me. After I do my hair, I will go with my aunt to your place. Have the meal sent there too, so we can all be lively together.”

Ying’er assented and went out. She went to Zijuan’s room to look for Ruiguan, but saw Ouguan and Ruiguan talking happily and unable to part. Ying’er said, “The young lady is going too. Would it not be better for Ouguan to come with us and wait there?” Zijuan heard this and said, “That is right. She is mischievous here and quite tiresome.” She wrapped Daiyu’s spoon and chopsticks in a foreign towel and gave them to Ouguan, saying, “Take these first. That will count as one errand.”

Ouguan took them and went out happily with the two others, following the willow embankment. Ying’er picked more willow twigs and simply sat down on a rockery to weave, telling Ruiguan to deliver the nitrate first and then come back. But the two were so intent on watching her weave that they could not bear to leave. Ying’er kept urging, “If you don’t go now, I won’t weave anymore.” Ouguan said, “I will go with you and come back quickly.” So the two finally left.

As Ying’er was weaving, Chunyan, Old Mrs. He’s little daughter, came over and asked with a smile, “Sister, what are you weaving?” Just then Ruiguan and Ouguan returned. Chunyan said to Ouguan, “What paper were you burning the other day? My aunt saw you and wanted to report you, but failed. Instead, Baoyu blamed her for a great many things, and she was so angry she told my mother the whole story. What grudge have you accumulated in your two or three years outside? Why haven’t you settled it yet?” Ouguan sneered, “What grudge? They are never satisfied, and instead resent us. In these two years outside, not counting other things, just from our rice and vegetables, who knows how much they have taken home? Their whole family cannot eat it all, and there is still the money they make buying and selling for us every day. If we ask them to do the least errand, they complain to heaven and earth. Tell me, have they any conscience?” Chunyan smiled, “She is my aunt, so I cannot speak against her to outsiders. No wonder Baoyu says: ‘A girl before marriage is a priceless pearl; after marriage, somehow she develops many bad faults, and though still a pearl, she has no luster or jewel color—she is a dead pearl; when older still, she is no longer a pearl at all, but a fish eye. Clearly one person—how has she turned into three?’ That is nonsense, but there is something to it. Others may not know, but take my mother and aunt. The two old sisters now, the older they get, the more they care for money. At first the two old sisters complained at home that they had no errand and no income. Fortunately this garden came, and I was chosen to come in. It happened I was assigned to Happy Red Court. Besides saving my family the expense of me, I have four or five hundred cash left over each month. Yet they still say it is not enough. Later the two old sisters were both sent to Pear Fragrance Court to look after them. Ouguan acknowledged my aunt, and Fangguan acknowledged my mother. These years they have been quite well off. Now that they have moved in here, they have more freedom, yet they are still insatiable. Isn’t that funny? My aunt just quarreled with Ouguan, and then my mother quarreled with Fangguan over washing hair. Fangguan would not even let her wash her hair. Yesterday, when the monthly allowance came, she could not put it off any longer. She bought things and first called me to wash. I thought: I have my own money. If I have no money and want to wash, I can just say a word to Xiren, Qingwen, or Sheyue, and it would be easy. Why borrow her favor? It is pointless. So I did not wash. She then called my little sister Xiao Jiuer to wash, and only then called Fangguan. Sure enough, they quarreled. Then she wanted to blow on Baoyu’s soup. Isn’t that killingly funny? When I saw her come in, I told her the rules. She would not believe me and insisted on pretending to know, so she got a rebuff. Fortunately there are many people in the garden, and no one clearly remembers who is whose relative. If anyone did, only our family quarreling—what would that mean? Now you have come here to fool with this again. This whole area is managed by my aunt. Since she got this place, it is more important to her than an everlasting estate. She rises early and sleeps late, works hard herself, and still makes us come and watch, afraid someone will trample things, and afraid I will neglect my duties. Now that we are in here, the two old women watch most carefully. Not a blade of grass may be touched. You are picking these flowers and breaking her tender branches. They will come at once. Mind they complain.” Ying’er said, “Others may not pick or break things, but I may. Since the land was divided, each quarter has its allotted share every day. Not to mention food, just the flowers and plants: whoever manages them must send cut branches of every kind for the young ladies and maids to wear, and for vases. Only we said, ‘Do not send us any. When we want something, we will ask you.’ In the end, we have never asked once. If I pick a little now, they will be too embarrassed to say anything.”

Before she finished, her aunt indeed came over leaning on a cane. Ying’er, Chunyan, and the others quickly offered her a seat. The old woman saw many tender willow twigs had been picked, and saw Ouguan and the others had gathered many fresh flowers. She was displeased. Watching Ying’er weave, she could not say much, so she said to Chunyan, “I told you to come and keep watch. Instead you are greedy for play and won’t go. If I call you, you will say I am using you and making you my invisibility charm while you enjoy yourself.” Chunyan said, “You old one use me, and then are afraid. Now you blame me. Do you want to split me into eight pieces?” Ying’er smiled, “Auntie, don’t believe Xiaoyan. She picked these and begged me to weave for her. I tried to drive her away, but she would not go.” Chunyan smiled, “You may as well play a little less. You only care for play, and the old one takes it seriously.” The old woman was foolish and stubborn, and near-sighted with age. She cared only for profit and nothing for feelings. She was already heartsick and unable to do anything. Hearing Ying’er, she put on the airs of age, picked up her cane, and struck Chunyan several times, scolding, “Little wretch, I am talking to you, and you still talk back. Your mother hates you so much her teeth itch; she wants to tear your flesh and eat it. And you still come and talk back to me like a noisy clapper.” Chunyan, both ashamed and frantic, wept, “Sister Ying’er was joking, and you old one took it seriously and beat me. Why does my mother hate me? I have not burned the water for washing her face. What have I done wrong?” Ying’er had only been joking. Seeing the old woman truly angry, she quickly went up and pulled her back, saying with a smile, “I was only joking. If you beat her, how can I not be ashamed?” The old woman said, “Girl, don’t meddle in our affairs. Because you are here, am I not allowed to discipline my child?” Hearing such foolish talk, Ying’er flushed with anger. She let go and sneered, “You may discipline her any time. But because I said one joking word, you discipline her. I will watch you discipline her!” She sat down and went on weaving the willow basket.

Just then Chunyan’s mother came out looking for her, calling, “Aren’t you coming to draw water? What are you doing there?” The old woman immediately said, “Come and see. Your daughter will not even obey me! She is scolding me here.” The mother came over and said, “Good sister, what is it now? Our girl has no eyes for her mother, and now no eyes for her aunt either?” Ying’er, seeing her mother come, had to explain again. But the aunt would not let anyone speak. She showed the flowers and willows on the rock to the mother and said, “Look. Your daughter is old enough to play with these. She first led people to trample my things, and now what can I say?” The mother was still angry over Fangguan and hated that Chunyan had not pleased her. She came up and slapped Chunyan, scolding, “Little whore, how many years have you been up there? You have learned from those frivolous, loose little hussies. Why can’t I control you? The adopted one I cannot control, but you dropped out of my cunt—can I not control you too? Since you little wretches can go where I cannot, you should die there serving, not run out here to gad about.” She seized a willow twig and thrust it in Chunyan’s face, asking, “What is this called? What are you weaving? Your mother’s cunt?” Ying’er quickly said, “We wove that. Don’t point at the mulberry and curse the locust.” The old woman was deeply jealous of Xiren, Qingwen, and the others. She already knew that the older maids in the rooms had more standing and authority than they did. Whenever she saw them, she feared and yielded to them, but also hated and resented them, and vented her anger on everyone. Then she saw Ouguan, who was her sister’s enemy. All these things gathered into one rage.

Chunyan ran weeping toward Happy Red Court. Her mother, fearing she would be asked why she was crying and would tell that she had beaten her, and that she would then suffer from Qingwen and the others, grew anxious and called, “Come back! I will tell you before you go.” Chunyan would not come back. Her mother ran after her and pulled her. Chunyan looked back, saw her, and ran faster. Her mother chased her and, not watching her step, slipped on the moss and fell, making Ying’er and the other two laugh. Ying’er, in a temper, threw all the flowers and willows into the stream and went back to her room. The old woman was so distressed she could only call on Buddha and scold, “You spiteful little wretch! You wasted the flowers. Lightning will strike you.” She herself picked flowers to send to the various quarters, and we need not mention it.

Chunyan ran all the way into the courtyard and ran head-on into Xiren, who was going to ask after Daiyu. Chunyan threw her arms around Xiren and said, “Miss, save me! My mother is beating me again.” Xiren saw her mother coming and could not help being angry. She said, “Every few days you beat the adopted one and then your own. Are you showing off how many daughters you have, or do you truly not know the law?” The old woman had been here a few days and saw that Xiren was quiet and good-natured, so she said, “Girl, you don’t know. Don’t meddle in our affairs! It is all because you indulge them. What are you managing now?” She rushed forward to beat her again. Xiren was so angry she turned and went inside. She saw Sheyue drying towels under the crabapple tree. Hearing the noise, Sheyue said, “Sister, don’t meddle. See what she does.” She winked at Chunyan. Chunyan understood and ran straight to Baoyu. Everyone laughed, “Now something that should never happen has happened.” Sheyue said to the old woman, “Calm down a little. Can you not even grant these people a favor?” The old woman saw her daughter run to Baoyu, and saw Baoyu take Chunyan’s hand and say, “Don’t be afraid. I am here.” Chunyan, weeping and talking, told everything about Ying’er and the rest. Baoyu grew even more anxious and said, “You may make a scene here, but why offend even relatives?” Sheyue said to the old woman and everyone, “No wonder this sister-in-law says we have no right to meddle in their affairs. Though we are ignorant and meddled wrongly, now let us invite someone who does have the right to manage it. Then sister-in-law will be convinced and will know the rules.” She turned and called a little maid: “Go call Ping’er for me. If Ping’er is busy, call Mrs. Lin.” The little maid assented and left. The stewardesses came up and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law, quickly beg the young ladies to call the child back. When Miss Ping comes, it will not be good.” The old woman said, “Whoever this Miss Ping is, she must still go by reason. There is no rule that when a mother disciplines her daughter, everyone disciplines the mother.” Everyone laughed, “Who do you think Miss Ping is? She is Miss Ping from the Second Mistress’s rooms. If she is kind, she will say a few words to you. If she turns her face, sister-in-law, you will not be able to bear the consequences.”

As they spoke, the little maid returned and said, “Miss Ping is busy. She asked what I wanted, and I told her. She said, ‘Since that is so, expel her for now. Tell Mrs. Lin to give her forty strokes outside the side gate.’” Hearing this, the old woman could not bear to leave. Tears streamed down her face, and she begged Xiren and the others, “It was so hard for me to get in here. Besides, I am a widow with no one at home. It is good for me to serve the young ladies here with my whole heart. It is convenient for the young ladies, and my family saves some expense. If I leave, I will have to make my own fire and live, and in the future I may lose my livelihood.” Xiren, seeing her like this, softened again and said, “If you want to stay, then you must not break the rules, not refuse to listen, and not beat people wildly. Where did we get an ignorant one like you, quarreling every day and making people laugh, losing all propriety?” Qingwen said, “Pay her no mind. Send her away and be done. Who has time to argue with her?” The old woman begged everyone again, “Though I was wrong, if the young ladies give the order, I will reform. Young ladies, is that not doing good and accumulating merit?” She also begged Chunyan, “It was over beating you, but in the end I did not beat you. Now I am the one suffering. Speak for me too.” Baoyu, seeing how pitiable she was, had to let her stay and told her not to make trouble again. The old woman came and thanked everyone one by one, then withdrew.

Then Ping’er came and asked what it was about. Xiren and the others quickly said, “It is over. No need to bring it up.” Ping’er smiled, “Where you can forgive, forgive; where you can let things go, let them go. In the few days they have been gone, I hear people everywhere, great and small, are rebelling. One place is not finished before another starts. I do not know which place to manage.” Xiren smiled, “I thought only our place was in rebellion. So there are other places too.” Ping’er smiled, “That is nothing. I was just reckoning with Senior Mistress Zhen. In these three or four days, eight or nine matters, great and small, have come up. Yours here is tiny and does not even count. There are bigger, maddening, laughable things.” If you want to know what Xiren asked her, listen to the next chapter.