Resourceful Tanchun Promotes Profit and Abolishes Old Abuses; Seasonable Baochai’s Small Favors Preserve the General Order

Ping’er had eaten with Xifeng and attended her while she washed and rinsed, then went to Tanchun’s rooms. The courtyard was quiet; only the maids and old women of the inner household waited outside the windows.

Ping’er entered the hall. The three sisters were discussing household matters—how, at the New Year, the Lai family had invited them to drink, and what had happened in the Lai family’s garden. Seeing Ping’er, Tanchun told her to sit on the footstool and said, “The matter I have in mind is nothing else. I was thinking that besides our two taels of monthly silver, the maids have their own monthly allowance. The other day someone reported that for the hair oil and face powder we use each month, each of us is again to have two taels. This is just like the eight taels for the school—layer upon layer. The matter is small and the money limited, but it does not look right. Why has your mistress never thought of this?”

Ping’er smiled. “There is a reason. The things you young ladies use naturally have their allotted allowance. Each month the purchasing agent buys them and has the women from each quarter deliver them to us to keep and distribute, simply to have them ready for you. There is no reason for us to take money each day and find someone to buy hair oil and powder. So the outside purchasing agent takes the general sum, and each month tells the women to deliver to us by quarters. Your two taels a month were not originally for buying these things. They were for times when the mistress in charge is away or busy, and you young ladies might suddenly need a little money, so you would not have to send someone. It was to keep you from feeling put out. So this money was not meant for buying these things. Now I have been watching with cool eyes: in each quarter our sisters are buying these things with ready money—half of them. I suspected either the purchasing agent was shortchanging, or delaying, or buying inferior goods and fobbing them off.”

Tanchun and Li Wan both laughed. “You have noticed too. There is no shortchanging—they would not dare—only delays. If you press them, they find something somewhere, just a name, but actually unusable, so you still have to buy. If you use this two taels to have someone else’s nurse or a brother’s son buy it, then it is usable. If you use the household people, it is the same. I wonder what method they use—broken or unwanted goods from shops, they get them all and keep them specially for us?”

Ping’er smiled. “The purchasing agent buys that sort. If someone bought good goods, the agent would not let him off easily; he would say he had bad intentions and wanted to take over the purchasing. So they can only do this. They would rather offend those inside than the outside men of affairs. You young ladies can only use the nurses; then they will not dare gossip.”

Tanchun said, “That is why I am uneasy. Money is spent twice, and half the goods are wasted. Altogether it costs double. Better to abolish the purchasing agent’s monthly allowance. That is one thing. Second, when we went to the Lai family’s during the New Year, you went too. How does their small garden compare with ours?”

Ping’er smiled. “It is not even half the size of ours, and the trees and flowers are much fewer.”

Tanchun said, “I was chatting with their daughter. Who would have thought that in such a garden, besides the flowers they cut and the bamboo shoots, vegetables, fish, and shrimp they eat, someone contracts for it every year, and at year’s end there is a clear profit of two hundred taels. From that day I learned that a broken lotus leaf and a withered grass root are worth money.”

Baochai laughed. “This is truly the talk of one reared on rich food and silk. Though you are a thousand-gold young lady and would not know such things, you have all read books and know characters. Have you never seen Master Zhu’s essay ‘On Not Despising Oneself’?”

Tanchun laughed. “I have seen it, but it is just to encourage people to exert themselves—empty comparisons and floating words. How can everything be real?”

Baochai said, “Master Zhu had empty comparisons and floating words? Every sentence is true. You have only been managing affairs for two days and already your heart is clouded by profit and desire, so you think Master Zhu is empty. If you go out and see more great matters of advantage and disadvantage, you will think Confucius empty too!”

Tanchun laughed. “You are such a learned person, and you have not seen the philosophers? In the Jizi it says: ‘Those who ascend the field of profit and stand in the realm of strategy steal the words of Yao and Shun and turn their backs on the way of Confucius and Mencius.’”

Baochai laughed. “What is the next line?”

Tanchun laughed. “Now I will only take the meaning from the passage. If I read the next line, would I not be cursing myself?”

Baochai said, “There is nothing in the world that cannot be used. If it can be used, it is worth money. It is a pity you are clever but have no experience in these proper great matters. It is also a pity it is late.”

Li Wan laughed. “We called you here, and you do not talk business; instead you discuss scholarship.”

Baochai said, “Scholarship is business. If you apply scholarship to small matters, the small matters rise a level. Without scholarship, everything sinks to the vulgar.”

The three only joked and laughed for a while, then returned to business. Tanchun continued: “Our garden is only half again larger than theirs. Double it, and there are four hundred taels of interest a year. If we now sell off or develop it to make money, that would be petty and not the way of a family like ours. But if we assign two fixed people, since there are many valuable things, to let people trample them at will seems like wasting heaven’s gifts. Better to choose several honest, experienced old women from among all the old nurses in the garden, who know gardening, and assign them to tend and manage it. They need not pay rent or taxes; we need only ask what they can respectfully offer each year. First, the garden will have special people to tend it, and the flowers and trees will improve year by year, with no last-minute rush. Second, things will not be trampled and wasted. Third, the old women can make a little extra, not having drudged in the garden all year for nothing. Fourth, we can save the wages of flower gardeners, rockery gardeners, sweepers, and the like. Using the surplus to make up the deficit—this is not impossible.”

Baochai was looking at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall. Hearing this, she nodded at each point. When Tanchun finished, Baochai laughed. “Excellent! Within three years there will be no famine!”

Li Wan laughed. “A good idea. If this is done, Lady Wang will surely be pleased. Saving money is a small matter; first, someone will sweep and tend, with specific duties, and they are allowed to sell for money. Give them authority and move them with profit, and none will fail to do their duty.”

Ping’er said, “This matter must be proposed by the young lady. Our mistress may have had the thought, but it would not be easy for her to speak. Now you young ladies live in the garden. She cannot add more amusements to adorn it, yet would set people to supervise and repair it to save money—that is not something she could easily say.”

Baochai quickly came over, touched Ping’er’s face, and laughed. “Open your mouth. Let me see what your teeth and tongue are made of. From morning till now, everything you have said has been in a different style each time. You do not flatter Third Miss, nor do you say your mistress was short-sighted. And when Third Miss says one thing, you do not just say yes. Whatever Third Miss says, you have a reply. You always make it seem that whatever Third Miss thinks of, your mistress thought of too, only there was some reason she could not do it. Now it is because the young ladies live in the garden, so it is not good to save money by having people supervise. Think about it: if it really were handed over to people to make money, they naturally would not allow a single flower to be picked or a single fruit touched. The young ladies would not dare, but there would be endless quarrels with the little maids. She considers distant worries and near fears, neither overbearing nor servile. Even if her mistress were not on good terms with us, hearing this, she would be ashamed and change for the better; if not on good terms, she would become so.”

Tanchun laughed. “This morning I was full of anger. When I heard she had come, I suddenly thought of her mistress, and how when she was in charge she turned out such wild people. I got angry at the sight of her. But when she came, she stood there like a mouse avoiding a cat for a long time—quite pitiable. Then she said all that. She did not say her mistress treated me well, but said, ‘It would not be in vain that you have shown kindness to our mistress all along.’ That one sentence not only dissipated my anger, it made me ashamed and sad. I thought: I am a girl, and I myself am so unloved and uncared for—how can I have any goodness to treat others?” As she spoke, tears fell.

Li Wan and the others, seeing her sincerity, and thinking how Zhao Yiniang often slandered her, and how she suffered for Zhao Yiniang’s sake before Lady Wang, also shed tears. They urged, “While it is quiet today, let us discuss two matters of promoting profit and removing abuses, so as not to fail Lady Wang’s trust. Why bring up these unimportant things?”

Ping’er quickly said, “I understand. Just name whomever you think suitable, and assign them.”

Tanchun said, “That may be, but we must report to your mistress. It is already improper for us to search out and remove small abuses here. It is only because your mistress is an understanding person that I do this. If she were muddled, suspicious, and jealous, I would not be willing—it would look as if I were seizing on her faults. How can we act without discussing it?”

Ping’er laughed. “In that case, I will go tell her.” She went and returned after a long while, smiling. “I said it was a wasted trip. How could my mistress not agree to such a good thing?”

Tanchun, hearing this, told Li Wan to send for the list of all the old women in the garden. They considered together and roughly fixed on several. They summoned them all, and Li Wan explained the general plan. Everyone was willing. One said, “Give me that bamboo grove alone. In a year’s time, next year there will be another grove. Besides the bamboo shoots we eat at home, I can hand in some money and grain each year.” Another said, “Give me that rice field. A year’s grain for the birds and small creatures will not need public funds, and I can still hand in money and grain.”

Tanchun was about to speak when someone announced, “The doctor has come to the garden to see the young lady.” The old women had to go receive the doctor. Ping’er quickly said, “You alone—even a hundred of you—would be no proper reception. Are there not two stewards to lead the doctor in?” The reporter said, “Yes. Mrs. Wu and Mrs. Shan are waiting at the Gathering Brocade Gate at the southwest corner.” Ping’er then let it be.

After the old women left, Tanchun asked Baochai what she thought. Baochai smiled. “Those who are lucky at the start are lazy at the end; those who polish their words are greedy for profit.” Tanchun nodded in praise, then pointed out several names on the list for the three to see. Ping’er hurried to fetch brush and inkstone. The three said, “This Old Mrs. Zhu is reliable. Her old man and son have swept the bamboo for generations. Give her all the bamboo. This Old Mrs. Tian was a farmer. Around Rice Fragrance Village, all the vegetables, rice, and weeds—though it is an amusement, not to be seriously cultivated—still need her, and with timely cultivation it will be better.”

Tanchun laughed again. “It is a pity that the two big places, Alpinia Garden and Happy Red Court, have nothing that yields profit.”

Li Wan quickly laughed. “Alpinia Garden is even more remarkable. Are not the spices and fragrant herbs sold in spice shops and at the great markets and temples all these things? They bring in more profit than others. As for Happy Red Court, not to mention anything else, in spring and summer alone, how many roses bloom? And on the fences, there are roses, monthly roses, baoxiang, honeysuckle. Even these unimportant flowers, dried and sold to tea shops and medicine shops, are worth money.”

Tanchun laughed. “So that is it. But there is no one skilled in fragrant herbs.”

Ping’er quickly laughed. “Ying’er’s mother, who serves Miss Baochai, knows how to handle them. Last time she gathered some, dried them, and braided them into a flower basket and gourd for me to play with. Have you forgotten, miss?”

Baochai laughed. “I had just praised you, and now you tease me.”

The three were surprised and asked why. Baochai said, “Absolutely not! You have many useful people here, each idle with nothing to do. If I bring in someone now, those people will look down on me too. Instead, I will think of someone for you: there is an Old Mrs. Ye in Happy Red Court, Mingyan’s mother. She is an honest old woman, and she is on very good terms with Ying’er’s mother. Better give this matter to Mrs. Ye. If she does not know something, she can consult Ying’er’s mother without our saying so. Even if Mrs. Ye does not manage it at all and hands it to the other, that is their private arrangement. If people gossip, they cannot blame us. In this way, your handling is fair and the matter is proper.”

Li Wan and Ping’er both said, “Excellent.”

Tanchun laughed. “Even so, I fear they may forget righteousness at the sight of profit.”

Ping’er laughed. “That is no matter. The other day Ying’er became Mrs. Ye’s goddaughter. They invited each other to meals and wine; the two families are very close.”

Tanchun let it be. Together they considered several more people, all of whom the four had chosen with cool eyes, and circled their names with a brush.

Presently the old women returned and reported the doctor had gone. The prescription was sent up. The three looked at it, sent someone out to get the medicine, and supervised its preparation. Meanwhile Tanchun and Li Wan instructed everyone: So-and-so would manage such-and-such a place. In each season, after the household’s fixed needs were met, the surplus could be gathered and sold for profit by the managers, with accounts settled at year’s end.

Tanchun laughed. “I have thought of another thing. If at year’s end the accounts are settled and the money goes to the accounts office, then another layer of supervisors is added above, and we are still in their grip, skinned again. Now that we have started this and assigned you, we have already bypassed them. They are angry but cannot say it. When you go to settle accounts at year’s end, what can they do but make trouble for you? Moreover, in this year’s management, whatever the masters get, they get half. This is the old household rule, known to all, not counting private skim. Now this garden is my new venture. It should not go through their hands. The year-end accounts should be settled inside.”

Baochai laughed. “In my opinion, there is no need to settle accounts inside either. One has more, one less—it creates trouble. Better ask whoever has a share to take on one item. It is only the garden people’s consumption. I have calculated for you: there are only a few items—hair oil, face powder, incense, paper; each young lady and her maids have fixed amounts. Then brooms, dustpans, feather dusters, and feed for the birds, deer, and rabbits. Just these. Let them contract for these and not draw money from the accounts office. Calculate how much is saved.”

Ping’er laughed. “These items are small, but reckoned together for a year, they save four hundred taels.”

Baochai laughed. “There you are. Four hundred a year, eight hundred in two years. You could buy several houses for rent, or add a few acres of poor land. Though there is surplus, since they work hard all year, they should keep some to patch up their own homes. Though promoting profit and economizing is the principle, one must not be too stingy. Even if you save another two or three hundred taels, losing the general order is not right. So by doing this, the outside accounts office pays out four or five hundred taels less a year, and will not feel it too harshly, while those inside get a little extra. These old women with no livelihood will be better off, the flowers and trees in the garden will flourish each year, and you will have things to use. This is more or less preserving the general order. If you only want to save, you can find money everywhere. If all surplus profit goes to the public, then inside and out there will be complaints. Would that not lose the general order of a family like yours? Now there are several dozen old women in the garden. If only these are given something, the rest will complain of unfairness. What I just said—that they supply only these few items—is too generous. Each year, besides this, whether they have surplus or not, have each of them contribute a few strings of cash. Pool it and distribute it to all the old women in the garden. Though they do not manage these things, they work day and night in the garden, watching the gates, locking doors, rising early and sleeping late, in rain and snow, attending the young ladies coming and going, carrying sedan chairs, punting boats, pulling ice sleds—all the rough work is their duty. After a year of hard work in the garden, since the garden yields profit, they should share in it. And one more small thing, to speak plainly: if you only make yourselves comfortable and do not share with them, though they will not dare complain openly, they will be unconvinced. They will use public business for private gain, picking a few extra fruits and flowers. You will have no place to complain. If they share a little, then when you cannot look after something, they will look after it for you.”

When the old women heard this, they were freed from the accounts office and did not have to settle with Xifeng. They only had to contribute a few strings of cash a year. Each was overjoyed and all said, “We agree. Better than going out and being squeezed and still having to pay.” Those who did not get land to manage, hearing they would receive money at year’s end for no reason, were also pleased and said, “They work hard managing, so they should keep some to patch up. How can we sit idle and take three shares?”

Baochai laughed. “Do not decline, ladies. This is what you are entitled to. You only need to work hard day and night and not be lazy or let people drink and gamble. Otherwise, I should not be managing this. You all heard Aunt Wang personally entrust it to me three or five times, saying the senior mistress is busy and the other young ladies are young, so she asked me to keep an eye. If I refused, I would be making Aunt Wang worry. Your mistress is often ill and busy with household affairs. I am an idle person. Even a neighbor should help, let alone when my own aunt asks me. I must overlook small matters for the greater good, and not mind if people dislike me. If I only sought a small reputation, and then drinking and gambling caused trouble, how could I face Aunt Wang? Your regret then would be too late, and you would lose the old faces you have had all along. These young ladies and this great garden are all in your care because you are old women of three or four generations and most law-abiding. You should all be of one mind and preserve propriety. If you instead let others drink and gamble at will, if Aunt Wang hears, she may only scold you. But if those stewardesses hear, they will not report to Aunt Wang—they will just teach you a lesson. You old people would be lectured by younger ones. Though they are stewards and have authority over you, would it not be better for you to keep your own dignity, so they cannot trample on you? So I have thought out this extra income for you, so that everyone can be of one mind and keep the garden in good order, so that those with authority see how strict and careful you are and do not have to worry. Will they not respect you? It will not be in vain that I planned this income for you. We can take away their power and give you profit, and also practice non-interference and share their worries. Think it over.”

The household all shouted joyfully, “The young lady is quite right. From now on, young lady and mistress, rest assured. Since you care for us so, if we do not appreciate it, heaven and earth will not tolerate us.”

Just then Lin Zhixiao’s wife came in and said, “The family of the Zhen family of Jiangnan arrived in the capital yesterday and today entered the palace to offer congratulations. They have sent someone ahead with gifts and greetings.” She presented the gift list. Tanchun took it and read: “Twelve bolts of imperial satin and python satin, twelve bolts of imperial mixed-color satin, twelve bolts of imperial gauze of various colors, twelve bolts of imperial palace silk, twenty-four bolts of official satin, gauze, silk, and damask of various colors.” Li Wan also looked and said, “Give the messenger a first-class reward.” She also sent someone to report to Lady Jia. Lady Jia ordered Li Wan, Tanchun, Baochai, and the others to come over and look at the gifts. Li Wan received them and told the inner treasury, “Wait until Lady Wang returns to look before storing them.” Lady Jia said, “The Zhen family is not like other families. Give first-class rewards to the men. I am afraid in a moment they will send women to pay respects. Prepare lengths of cloth.” Before she finished, someone announced, “Four women from the Zhen family have come to pay respects.” Lady Jia ordered them brought in.

The four women were all over forty. Their dress and ornaments were not much different from their mistresses’. After greetings, Lady Jia ordered four footstools brought. The four thanked her and sat down only after Baochai and the others were seated. Lady Jia asked, “When did you arrive in the capital?” The four rose and replied, “Yesterday. Today our mistress took the young lady into the palace to pay respects, so she sent us to pay respects and ask after the young ladies.” Lady Jia asked with a smile, “You have not come to the capital all these years. I did not think you would this year.” They replied with smiles, “Indeed. This year we came by imperial order.” Lady Jia asked, “Is the whole family here?” They replied, “The old lady, the young gentleman, the two young ladies, and the other mistresses did not come. Only our mistress brought the Third Young Lady.” Lady Jia asked, “Is she betrothed?” They said, “Not yet.” Lady Jia smiled. “Your First and Second Young Ladies are both on very good terms with our family.” They smiled. “Indeed. Every year the young ladies send letters home saying they owe everything to your household’s care.” Lady Jia smiled. “What care? We are old family friends and old relatives; it is only proper. Your Second Young Lady is even better, even less arrogant, so we are close.” They smiled. “You are too modest, Old Ancestress.” Lady Jia asked again, “Is your young gentleman with your old lady?” They replied, “Yes, with the old lady.” Lady Jia asked, “How old is he?” And, “Has he started school?” They smiled. “He is thirteen this year. Because he is handsome, the old lady dotes on him. Since childhood he has been terribly mischievous, playing truant every day. The master and mistress cannot discipline him much.” Lady Jia smiled. “He is just like ours! What is your young gentleman’s name?” They said, “Because the old lady treasures him like a jewel, and he is fair, she calls him Baoyu.” Lady Jia said to Li Wan and the others, “He has the same name as ours.” Li Wan quickly bowed and smiled. “From ancient times to now, there are many who share names in different generations.” The four also smiled. “After we gave him this childhood name, everyone in our household wondered, as if some relative or friend’s family also had one. But we have not been to the capital for ten years, so we cannot remember clearly.” Lady Jia smiled. “How dare I—it is my grandson. Someone come.” The maids and serving women answered and came closer. Lady Jia smiled. “Bring our Baoyu from the garden and let these four stewardesses see how he compares with their Baoyu.”

The women hurried off. In a moment they brought Baoyu in. At the sight, the four rose quickly and smiled. “You gave us a start. If we had not come into your mansion, and had met him elsewhere, we would have thought our Baoyu had followed us to the capital.” They came up to take his hand and ask all sorts of questions. Baoyu quickly smiled and greeted them. Lady Jia smiled. “How does he compare with yours?” Li Wan and the others smiled. “From what the four ladies just said, we know they look alike.” Lady Jia smiled. “How could there be such a coincidence? Children in great families are raised delicate; except for those with facial defects or very dark and ugly, they all look more or less alike. There is nothing strange.” The four smiled. “Now it seems the looks are the same. According to you, Old Ancestress, the mischief is the same too. But in our view, this young gentleman’s temperament is a little better than ours.” Lady Jia quickly asked, “How so?” The four smiled. “We know from just now taking his hand and talking. Our one only says we are muddled. Not to mention taking his hand, if we so much as touch his things, he will not allow it. And all his attendants are girls.” Before they finished, Li Wan and the sisters could not help laughing aloud. Lady Jia also smiled. “We might send someone now to see your Baoyu. If they took his hand, he would naturally endure it for a while. You can see that children in families like ours and yours, no matter what strange, perverse faults they have, when they see outsiders, must still show proper manners. If he did not, we would never allow him to be perverse. The reason the elders dote on them is first that they are lovable, and second that their manners before others are even more correct than adults’, making people love and pity them, so behind their backs they indulge them a little. If he were utterly shameless and gave the elders no credit, no matter how handsome, he should be beaten to death.” The four heard this and all smiled. “Old Ancestress, you are quite right. Although our Baoyu is mischievous and strange, sometimes when he meets guests, his manners are even more polite than an adult’s. So no one who sees him dislikes him, and they only ask why he is still beaten. They do not know that at home he is lawless; he says things adults never thought of and does things adults never thought of, so the master and mistress hate him beyond help. His tantrums are also a child’s normal nature; spending recklessly is also a young gentleman’s normal nature; fear of school is also a child’s normal nature—all these can be cured. But first, this naturally perverse, strange temperament—how can it be allowed?” Before she finished, someone announced, “Lady Wang has returned.” Lady Wang came in and asked after Lady Jia. The four paid respects and exchanged a few words. Lady Jia told them to rest. Lady Wang personally offered tea, then withdrew. The four took leave of Lady Jia and went to Lady Wang’s quarters. After discussing household matters for a while, they were sent back. No need to detail.

Lady Jia was so pleased that she told everyone she met that there was another Baoyu with the same ways. Everyone thought that the world was vast, there were many official families, and many shared names; a grandmother doting on a grandson was a common thing in all ages, not rare, so no one minded. Only Baoyu, with his impractical, silly young gentleman’s nature, thought it was the four women flattering Lady Jia. Later, when he went to Alpinia Garden to see Xiangyun’s illness, Xiangyun said to him, “You may as well make trouble. First it was ‘a single thread does not make a cord, a single tree does not make a forest.’ Now you have a double. If you make trouble and get beaten badly, you can run away to Nanjing and find that other one.” Baoyu said, “You believe their lies? As if there were another Baoyu.” Xiangyun said, “How is it that in the Warring States there was Lin Xiangru, and in the Han dynasty there was Sima Xiangru?” Baoyu laughed. “That may be, but for him to look exactly the same too—that is impossible.” Xiangyun said, “How was it that the people of Kuang saw Confucius and took him for Yang Hu?” Baoyu laughed. “Confucius and Yang Hu had the same looks but different names. Lin and Sima had the same name but different looks. Are you saying he and I are the same in both?” Xiangyun had no answer, so she laughed. “You only quibble. I will not argue with you. Whether there is or not has nothing to do with me.” She lay down.

Baoyu was again doubtful: if he said there was certainly no such person, it seemed there might be; if he said there certainly was, he had not seen him. Feeling depressed, he returned to his room and lay on the couch, silently turning it over. Unconsciously he dozed off and found himself in a garden. Baoyu was astonished: “Besides our Grand View Garden, there is another garden like this?” As he wondered, several girls came from the other side, all maids. Baoyu was again astonished: “Besides Yuanyang, Xiren, and Ping’er, there are actually such people too?” The maids laughed. “How did Baoyu get here?” Baoyu thought they meant him, so he quickly smiled and said, “I was strolling by and came here. I do not know whose family garden this is. Good sisters, take me for a stroll.” The maids all laughed. “So it is not our Baoyu. He looks clean enough, and his tongue is clever.” Baoyu quickly said, “Sisters, is there another Baoyu here?” The maids said quickly, “The words ‘Baoyu’—we use them by order of the old lady and mistress to protect him and prolong his life and avert disaster. When we call him, he likes to hear it. Where are you from, you stinking little page, that you dare call him so wildly? Mind your stinking flesh—we will beat you to pieces.” Another maid laughed. “Let us go quickly. Do not let Baoyu see us, or he will say we talked with this stinking page and got stunk.” They went off.

Baoyu was puzzled. “No one has ever reviled me like this. How can they be even more so? Is there really another person like me?” As he thought, he walked on and came to a courtyard. Baoyu was again astonished: “Besides Happy Red Court, there is another courtyard like this.” He went up the steps and entered. He saw a young man lying on a couch, and several girls doing needlework or playing and laughing. The young man on the couch sighed. A maid smiled and asked, “Baoyu, you are not sleeping. Why sigh? Surely because your sister is ill, you are again fretting and grieving over nothing.” Baoyu was startled. The young man on the couch said, “I heard the old lady say there is a Baoyu in the capital with the same temperament as mine. I did not believe it. I just had a dream and actually dreamed I came to a garden in the capital and met some sisters who all called me a stinking page and ignored me. I finally found his room, but he was asleep—only an empty shell. His true spirit had gone somewhere.” Baoyu heard this and quickly said, “I came here looking for Baoyu. So you are Baoyu?” The one on the couch quickly got down and took his hand. “So you are Baoyu? This is not a dream.” Baoyu said, “How is this a dream? It is more real than real.” Before he finished, someone came and said, “The master wants Baoyu.” Both were frightened. One Baoyu ran off, and the other Baoyu quickly called, “Baoyu, come back, come back!”

Xiren, beside him, heard him calling himself in his dream and quickly woke him, asking with a smile, “Where is Baoyu?” Though Baoyu was awake, his mind was still dazed. He pointed to the door and said, “He just went out.” Xiren laughed. “You were dreaming. Rub your eyes and look—it is your reflection in the mirror.” Baoyu looked and saw it was the large inlaid mirror facing the bed reflecting him. He laughed too. Someone brought a rinsing cup and tea. After rinsing, Sheyue said, “No wonder Lady Jia often warns that young people’s rooms should not have many mirrors. Young people’s souls are not complete. If they look in mirrors too much, they have frightening dreams at night. Now a bed has been placed right by the big mirror. Sometimes it is all right if the mirror cover is let down, but when it is hot and sleepy, one does not always remember to cover it—just now, for instance, it was forgotten. Naturally you first lay down and looked at your reflection for fun, and when you closed your eyes, you had wild dreams. Otherwise, how could you look at yourself and call your own name? Better move the bed in tomorrow.” Before she finished, Lady Wang sent someone to call Baoyu. What she had to say is not known.