The Lover, Deluded by Love, Thinks of Travel; The Elegant Maid, in a Refined Gathering, Toils at Poetry

Now Xue Pan, hearing this, gradually calmed down. After three or five days, though the pain was better, the marks had not faded. He pretended to be ill at home, ashamed to face relatives and friends.

Soon it was the tenth month. Among the shop assistants, there was one who had to settle the year’s accounts and go home, so a farewell dinner had to be given. Among them was Zhang Dehui, over sixty years old, who had been a manager in the Xue family pawnshop since childhood. He had two or three thousand taels of his own and was also going home this year, to return next spring. He remarked, “This year paper and incense are scarce; next year they will certainly be dear. Next year I will first send my eldest son up to look after the pawnshop, and before the Dragon Boat Festival I will buy some paper, incense, and fans on the way to sell. After customs and expenses, I can still make several times the profit.” Xue Pan heard this and thought to himself, “I have just been beaten and am ashamed to face people. I have been thinking of hiding for a year or half a year, but have nowhere to hide. Pretending to be ill every day is no solution. Besides, I have grown so big, neither scholar nor soldier. Though I am in business, I have never handled the scales or abacus, and I do not know the customs of the land or the roads near and far. I might as well prepare some capital and go with Zhang Dehui for a year. Whether I make money or not, I can at least hide my shame. Second, seeing mountains and rivers would be good.” His mind made up, after the dinner he told Zhang Dehui and told him to wait a day or two before setting out together.

That evening Xue Pan told his mother. Aunt Xue was pleased but feared he would make trouble outside; spending capital was a small matter, so she would not let him go. She said, “You had better stay with me, and I can be easier. Besides, you need not do this business, nor are we waiting for those few hundred taels. If you stay home and behave, that is better than a few hundred taels.” Xue Pan had made up his mind and would not obey. He said, “Every day you say I do not know the world, that I know nothing and learn nothing. Now I am determined to cut off all useless things and become a man, learn to do business, and you still will not let me. What am I to do? I am not a maid, to be shut up at home. When will it end? Besides, Zhang Dehui is old and virtuous, and our families have been friends for generations. If I go with him, how can anything go wrong? If I do something bad for a moment, he will naturally speak and advise me. As for the prices of goods, he knows them, and I can ask him about everything. How smooth it would be! Yet you will not let me go. In a couple of days I will prepare secretly without telling the family and go. Next year when I have made my fortune and come home, then you will know me.” He went to bed in a huff.

Aunt Xue, hearing this, consulted Baochai. Baochai smiled, “If Brother really wants to experience proper matters, that is good. But at home he talks well; once outside, his old illness will return, and he will be even harder to restrain. Still, we cannot worry about everything. If he truly reforms, it is his life’s blessing. If not, Mother can do nothing else. Half is human effort, half is Heaven’s will. He is so grown. If we only fear he does not know the world and cannot go out or do anything, this year we keep him home, next year he will be the same. Since he speaks so reasonably, Mother may as well reckon on losing eight hundred or a thousand taels and let him try. With the assistants to help him, they will not likely cheat him. Second, once he is out, there will be no one to encourage him or whom he can rely on. Outside, who fears whom? If he has money, he eats; if not, he starves. With no one to turn to, seeing this, perhaps he will be less trouble than at home.” Aunt Xue thought for a while and said, “You are right. Spending a little money to teach him a lesson is worth it.” The matter was settled. Nothing more that night.

The next day Aunt Xue sent for Zhang Dehui and had Xue Pan entertain him with wine and food in the study. She herself stood in the back corridor and, through the window, gave Zhang Dehui a thousand instructions to look after Xue Pan. Zhang Dehui agreed to everything. After the meal he took his leave and said, “The fourteenth is a good day for setting out. The young master should prepare his luggage at once and hire mules. We will set out early on the fourteenth.” Xue Pan was overjoyed and told his mother. Aunt Xue, with Baochai, Xiangling, and two old nurses, spent days preparing the luggage. They assigned one old servant who had been Xue Pan’s nurse-father, two old servants experienced in affairs, and two personal servants for Xue Pan—six persons in all. They hired three large carts for luggage and four long-distance mules. Xue Pan rode a dark blue mule from the family stable and had an extra riding horse. When all was ready, Aunt Xue and Baochai admonished him all night. No need to detail.

On the thirteenth, Xue Pan first took leave of his uncle, then came to take leave of the Jia household. Jia Zhen and the others wanted to give him a farewell feast, but no need to detail. On the morning of the fourteenth, Aunt Xue and Baochai accompanied Xue Pan out of the ceremonial gate. Mother and daughter watched him go with four tearful eyes, then returned.

Aunt Xue had brought only four or five households of servants to the capital, with two or three old nurses and little maids. Now that Xue Pan had gone, only one or two men remained outside. So Aunt Xue went to the study that day and had all the furnishings, curios, curtains, and hangings moved inside and stored. She told the wives of the two men who had gone with Xue Pan to come in and sleep. She also told Xiangling to tidy her room and lock the door, “and sleep with me at night.” Baochai said, “Since Mother has these people for company, why not let Sister Ling keep me company? Our Garden is empty, and the nights are long. I work every night. One more person will be better.” Aunt Xue heard and smiled, “I forgot. She should go with you. The other day I told your brother that Wenxing is young and unreliable, and Ying’er alone is not enough to serve you. We should buy a maid for you.” Baochai said, “If we buy one, we do not know her background. If we are cheated, spending money is a small matter, but the vexation is not. Better to inquire slowly and buy one whose origin we know.” As she spoke, she told Xiangling to pack her bedding and toilet things, and had an old nurse and Zhen’er take them to Alpinia Park. Then Baochai and Xiangling returned to the Garden together.

Xiangling said, “I was going to tell Auntie that since the Master has gone, I would keep you company. But I feared Auntie would suspect I was greedy to play in the Garden. Who would have thought you would speak of it?” Baochai smiled, “I knew you had envied this Garden for a long time, but you had no chance. Even if you came once a day, you would be in a hurry and it would not be fun. So I took this chance to let you stay a year. I gain a companion, and you have your wish.” Xiangling smiled, “Good Miss, while you have the time, teach me to write poetry.” Baochai smiled, “I said you would ask for a mile when given an inch. I advise you, on your first day here, go out the east side gate and from Grandmother down, see everyone and pay your respects. You need not tell them you have moved into the Garden. If anyone asks why, just say I brought you in to keep me company. Then come back into the Garden and visit each of the young ladies’ rooms.”

Xiangling was about to go when Ping’er came hurrying over. Xiangling quickly greeted her, and Ping’er smiled in return. Baochai said to Ping’er, “I have brought her today to keep me company. I was just going to tell your mistress.” Ping’er smiled, “What is Miss saying? I have no words to answer.” Baochai said, “This is proper. A shop has an owner, a temple has an abbot. Though it is not a great matter, we should tell her, so that the night watch in the Garden knows two more are here and can close the gates properly. Go back and tell her. I will not send anyone.” Ping’er agreed and smiled to Xiangling, “Since you have come, should you not pay a visit to your neighbours?” Baochai smiled, “I was just telling her.” Ping’er said, “You need not go to our house. The Second Master is ill at home.” Xiangling agreed and went first to Grandmother Jia. No more of this.

When Ping’er saw Xiangling go, she pulled Baochai aside and said quickly, “Miss, have you heard our news?” Baochai said, “I have heard no news. I have been busy sending my brother off these days, so I know nothing of your affairs, and I have not seen the sisters these two days.” Ping’er smiled, “The Elder Master beat the Second Master until he cannot move. Did you not hear?” Baochai said, “I vaguely heard a word this morning, but did not believe it. I was just going to see your mistress when you came. Why did he beat him?” Ping’er ground her teeth and cursed, “It is all that Jia Yucun, or whatever his name is, that half-way hungry wild bastard! In less than ten years of acquaintance, how much trouble has he caused! This spring the Elder Master saw some old fans somewhere. When he came home, he looked at all the good fans in the house and found none good enough. He immediately sent people everywhere to search. Then there was a poor wretch whom people called Stone Fool. He was so poor he had no food, yet his family had twenty old fans, and he would not bring them out the gate even if he died. The Second Master went to great trouble, saw the man, pleaded with him again and again, and was finally invited into his house. The man brought out the fans and let him look. According to the Second Master, they were unmatched, all made of spotted bamboo, palm bamboo, elk horn, and jade bamboo, with genuine ancient paintings and calligraphy. He told the Elder Master. The Elder Master told him to buy them, whatever the price. But Stone Fool said, ‘I may starve or freeze, but I will not sell for a thousand taels a fan!’ The Elder Master had no way and cursed the Second Master daily for being useless. He offered five hundred taels, first silver then the fans. The man still would not sell, saying, ‘If you want the fans, you must first take my life!’ Miss, think, what could be done? Then that heartless Yucun heard of it and devised a scheme. He accused him of owing official silver, had him taken to the yamen, said the debt would be made up by selling his property, and confiscated the fans as official goods and sent them over. No one knows whether Stone Fool is dead or alive. The Elder Master took the fans and asked the Second Master, ‘How did others get them?’ The Second Master only said, ‘To ruin a man’s family for a few fans is no great ability!’ The Elder Master was angry, saying the Second Master was talking back. That was the first big matter. These last days there were several small ones I cannot remember. They all came together, and so he was beaten. They did not use a plank or stick, but beat him standing, with something or other. His face was cut in two places. We heard your aunt has a pill for stick wounds. Miss, please find one for me.” Baochai heard and quickly told Ying’er to get a pill and give it to Ping’er. Baochai said, “Since that is so, give my regards. I will not go.” Ping’er agreed and left.

After Xiangling had seen everyone and eaten supper, Baochai and the others went to Grandmother Jia. Xiangling went to Bamboo Lodge. Daiyu was much better and was glad Xiangling had come to live in the Garden. Xiangling smiled, “Now that I am here, I have time. Please teach me poetry. It will be my good fortune!” Daiyu smiled, “If you want to write poetry, you must take me as your teacher. Though I am not accomplished, I can roughly teach you.” Xiangling smiled, “If so, I will take you as my teacher. You must not grow tired of me.” Daiyu said, “What is so difficult? It is worth learning? It is only beginning, developing, turning, and concluding, with two couplets in the middle. Level tones match oblique, empty matches solid, solid matches empty. If you have a remarkable line, you may ignore the rules.” Xiangling smiled, “No wonder I often took an old poetry book and read a poem or two when I had time. Some lines are very neat, some are not. I heard ‘first, third, fifth need not matter; second, fourth, sixth must be clear.’ In ancient poems some follow this, some do not. I was puzzled. Now that you tell me, these rules are secondary. Only novelty of wording matters.” Daiyu said, “That is the principle. Wording is secondary; the first thing is the idea. If the idea is true, even without ornament the words are good. This is called ‘not letting words harm the meaning.’” Xiangling smiled, “I only like Lu You’s lines, ‘The heavy curtain not rolled up keeps the fragrance long; the old inkstone slightly hollowed gathers much ink.’ They are so interesting!” Daiyu said, “You must not study such poems. Because you do not know poetry, you love the shallow and easy. Once in that groove, you cannot learn. Listen to me. If you truly want to learn, I have the complete works of Wang Wei. Read a hundred of his five-character regulated verses, ponder them thoroughly, then read one or two hundred of Du Fu’s seven-character regulated verses, then one or two hundred of Li Bai’s seven-character quatrains. With these three as a foundation, then look at Tao Yuanming, Ying Yang, Xie, Ruan, Yu, Bao, and the others. You are clever and quick. In less than a year, you need not worry about becoming a poet!” Xiangling heard and smiled, “If so, good Miss, bring me the book. I will take it back and read a few at night.” Daiyu told Zijuan to bring Wang Wei’s five-character regulated verses and gave them to Xiangling, saying, “Only read the ones with red circles. They are my selections. Read one after another. If you do not understand, ask your mistress, or when you see me, I will explain.” Xiangling took the poems and returned to Alpinia Park. She paid no attention to anything else but read one after another under the lamp. Baochai urged her several times to sleep, but she would not. Baochai saw her determination and let her be.

One day Daiyu had just finished washing when Xiangling came smiling with the book and asked to exchange it for Du Fu. Daiyu smiled, “How many have you remembered?” Xiangling smiled, “I have read all the red-circled ones.” Daiyu said, “Have you grasped some flavour?” Xiangling smiled, “I have grasped some, but I do not know if it is right. Let me tell you.” Daiyu smiled, “We must discuss it to improve. Tell me.” Xiangling smiled, “In my view, the good of poetry is a meaning that cannot be spoken but is vivid when thought of. Some lines seem unreasonable, but when thought of, they are reasonable and full of feeling.” Daiyu smiled, “That has some sense. But where do you see it?” Xiangling smiled, “I read his ‘On the Frontier.’ The couplet says, ‘In the great desert, a lone smoke rises straight; over the long river, the setting sun is round.’ How can smoke be straight? The sun is naturally round. The word ‘straight’ seems unreasonable, and ‘round’ too common. But when I close the book and think, I seem to see the scene. If I tried to find two other words to replace them, I could not. Then ‘Sunset makes the rivers and lakes white; the tide comes and heaven and earth are green.’ The words ‘white’ and ‘green’ also seem unreasonable. But only these words can express it. They are like an olive weighing thousands of pounds in the mouth. And ‘At the ferry, the setting sun lingers; in the village, a lone smoke rises.’ The words ‘lingers’ and ‘rises’—how did he think of them? The year we came to the capital, one evening our boat moored. There was no one on the bank, only a few trees. Far off, a few families were cooking supper. The smoke was dark blue and rose straight to the clouds. Last night when I read these lines, I seemed to be there again.”

Just then Baoyu and Tanchun came and sat to listen. Baoyu smiled, “If so, you need not read more poetry. Understanding does not lie in quantity. Hearing you speak of these two lines, I know you have got the secret.” Daiyu smiled, “You say her ‘lone smoke rises’ is good, but you do not know she borrowed it from an earlier poet. Let me show you a line even plainer and more ready-made.” She turned to Tao Yuanming’s “Dim, dim, the distant village; softly, softly, the smoke from the hamlet,” and gave it to Xiangling. Xiangling read it, nodded, and smiled, “So the word ‘rises’ comes from ‘softly, softly.’” Baoyu laughed, “You have got it. No need to explain more, or you will learn too many mixed things. If you write now, it will be good.” Tanchun smiled, “Tomorrow I will send an invitation for you to join the club.” Xiangling smiled, “Why tease me? I only admired it and learned for fun.” Tanchun and Daiyu both smiled, “Who is not playing? Do you think we write poetry seriously? If we did, and it went outside the Garden, people would laugh their teeth out.” Baoyu said, “That is giving up on yourself. The other day I discussed painting with the gentlemen outside. They heard we had a poetry club and asked to see our poems. I wrote a few for them. Who did not truly admire them? They copied and printed them.” Tanchun and Daiyu quickly asked, “Is that true?” Baoyu smiled, “May the parrot on the perch lie if I do.” Daiyu and Tanchun said, “You are really too wild! Never mind that they are not good poems; even if they were, our writings should not go outside.” Baoyu said, “What harm? If women’s writings had not been passed down from ancient times, no one would know them today.” Just then Xichun sent Ru Hua to call Baoyu, and he went. Xiangling again pressed Daiyu to exchange for Du Fu and begged Daiyu and Tanchun, “Give me a topic to compose on, and correct it.” Daiyu said, “Last night the moon was best. I was going to write one but did not. You write one. Use the fourteenth rhyme, ‘han,’ and choose any words you like.”

Xiangling was delighted. She took the poem back, thought hard, wrote two lines, could not bear to leave Du Fu, and read two more poems. She had no heart for food or drink, and could not sit or lie still. Baochai said, “Why seek trouble? It is all Pin’er’s doing. I will settle accounts with her. You were dull enough; now with this, you are more foolish.” Xiangling smiled, “Good Miss, do not confuse me.” She wrote a poem and showed it to Baochai. Baochai read it and smiled, “This is not good. This is not the way. Do not be ashamed. Take it to her and see what she says.” Xiangling took it to Daiyu. Daiyu read:

The moon hangs in mid-heaven, the night is cold,
Its clear light bright, its shadow round.
The poet, stirred, often thinks to gaze;
The traveller, saddened, cannot bear to look.
By emerald towers hangs a jade mirror;
Beyond pearl curtains hangs an ice plate.
Why burn silver candles on a fine night?
Its bright splendour shines on painted rails.

Daiyu smiled, “The idea is there, but the wording is not elegant. Because you have read too little, you are bound by it. Put this aside and write another. Be bold.” Xiangling went back silently. She would not even enter her room, but stayed by the pool and under the trees, sitting on a rock in a daze, or squatting on the ground scratching the earth. People wondered. Li Wan, Baochai, Tanchun, Baoyu and the others heard and stood far off on the slope watching her. She frowned, then smiled to herself. Baochai smiled, “This one will go mad! Last night she muttered until the fifth watch before sleeping. In less than a meal, it was light. I heard her get up, hurry through her toilet, and go to Pin’er. She came back, sat all day, wrote one that was not good, and now she is writing another.” Baoyu smiled, “This is ‘the earth is spiritual and people are outstanding.’ Heaven never gives life in vain. We often sighed that such a person should be common. Who knew she would have today? Heaven is fair.” Baochai smiled, “If you had her determination, what could you not learn?” Baoyu did not answer.

Xiangling happily went to Daiyu again. Tanchun smiled, “Let us follow and see if she has anything.” They all went to Bamboo Lodge. Daiyu was discussing the poem with her. They asked how it was. Daiyu said, “Of course it is good for her, but still not good. This one is too forced. She must write another.” They asked to see it:

Not silver, not water, it chills the window;
Wiped clear, it guards the jade plate in the sky.
Faint plum fragrance seems to dye it;
Silken willow strands, dew just dried.
I suspect leftover powder on golden steps;
As if light frost on jade rails.
Awaking from dream on west tower, no one there;
Its lingering beauty can still be seen through the curtain.

Baochai smiled, “This is not singing the moon. Add the word ‘colour’ after ‘moon’ and it would do. Every line is moon-colour. Still, poetry comes from nonsense. In a few more days she will be better.” Xiangling thought this one was wonderful. Hearing this, she was discouraged, but would not give up. She went to the steps and walked under the bamboo, searching her heart. Tanchun called through the window, “Ling girl, take a rest.” Xiangling answered absently, “The word ‘rest’ is in the fifteenth rhyme, ‘shan.’ You are using the wrong rhyme.” Everyone laughed. Baochai said, “She is truly possessed by poetry. It is all Pin’er’s doing!” Daiyu said, “The sage said, ‘Teach without wearying.’ She asks me, how can I not answer?” Li Wan smiled, “Let us drag her to Fourth Miss’s room to see the painting and wake her up.”

They did go and pulled her to Lotus Fragrance Pavilion and into Warm Fragrance Hall. Xichun was tired and lying on the bed for a nap. The painting silk stood against the wall, covered with gauze. They woke Xichun and uncovered it. It was only three-tenths done. Xiangling saw several beauties in the painting and pointed, smiling, “This one is our Miss, that one is Miss Lin.” Tanchun smiled, “Everyone who can write poetry is painted there. Learn quickly.” They joked a while.

After they dispersed, Xiangling still thought of poetry. That evening she sat staring at the lamp, and after the third watch went to bed. Her eyes stayed open until the fifth watch, when she dozed off. At dawn Baochai woke and listened. Xiangling was sleeping soundly. Baochai thought, “She tossed all night. I wonder if she finished it. She is tired now; let her sleep.” Just then Xiangling laughed in her dream, “I have it! Surely this one is good?” Baochai sighed and laughed, woke her, and asked, “What have you got? Your sincerity has made you immortal. If you do not learn poetry, you will make yourself ill.” They washed and went with the sisters to Grandmother Jia. Xiangling had worked so hard that her essence and blood gathered. She could not write by day, but in a dream got eight lines. After washing, she quickly wrote them out. Not knowing if they were good, she took them to Daiyu. Just as she reached Seeping Fragrance Pavilion, she saw Li Wan and the sisters coming back from Lady Wang’s. Baochai was telling them how Xiangling had written poetry in her dream and talked in her sleep. They were laughing when they looked up and saw her. They all clamoured to see the poem. What happened next will be told in the next chapter.