The Rumor Proves True: The Imperial Concubine Passes Away; A Fake Passes for the Real: Baoyu Goes Mad

Beiming had told the little maid at the gate that Baoyu’s jade had been found. The little maid ran back inside to report to Baoyu. When everyone heard, they all pushed Baoyu out to question him face to face, and they stood in the corridor waiting. Baoyu’s heart was somewhat calmed. He went to the door and asked, “Where did you get the news? Bring the jade quickly.”

Beiming said, “The jade cannot be brought back. We still need someone to stand surety before we can get it.”

Baoyu said, “Tell me quickly what happened. I will send someone to fetch it.”

Beiming said, “I heard that Master Lin went to have a character divined, and it said to search the pawnshops. I did not wait to hear the rest. I ran to several pawnshops one after another. I described the jade to them, and one shop said they had seen it. I asked them to give it to me, but they wanted the pawn ticket. I asked how much had been pawned for. They said some for three hundred coppers, some for five hundred. A few days ago someone pawned a similar jade for three hundred coppers, and today someone pawned one for five hundred.”

Before Beiming had finished, Baoyu at once ordered, “Take silver and redeem them. We will pick through them and see whether one is the real one.”

Xiren spat to one side. “Do not believe him, Second Master. When I was small, I heard my brother say that many people sell such small jades in the market. When they need money, they pawn them. I suppose every pawnshop has such imitations.” The others had been startled at first, but after Xiren spoke, they thought it over and all laughed. They called Baoyu back and told him not to pay attention to this muddle-headed page; what he had described was only ordinary fake jade.

Baoyu was still laughing when Xing Xiuyan returned. She had gone to Green Lattice Nunnery to find Miaoyu. There was no time for idle talk; she begged Miaoyu to work the planchette and ask about good or ill. Miaoyu gave a few cold laughs. “I am willing to associate with you because you are not a vulgar person who chases fame and profit. Why today do you believe outside rumors and come to trouble me? Besides, I do not understand any planchette at all.” She looked as if she would not pay her any more attention.

Xiuyan regretted having come so rashly. She knew Miaoyu’s lofty nature. But the words had already been spoken, and it would not do to go back empty-handed, nor could she argue forcefully that Miaoyu did know how to work the planchette. She could only smile apologetically and explain in detail the trouble of Baoyu losing the jade and how it concerned the lives of all the maids. Miaoyu’s expression softened a little. Xiuyan quickly bowed. Miaoyu sighed. “Why take such trouble for other people? Since I came to the capital, no one has known I can do this. Today I will make an exception for you, but I fear that from now on people will come endlessly to pester me.”

Xiuyan said, “I truly cannot bear to watch them suffer. Even if others come to beg you later, whether you consent is entirely up to you. No one can force you.” Miaoyu smiled faintly, called the old Daoist woman to burn incense, took out a sand tray and planchette frame from a box, drew a talisman, and told Xiuyan to bow and pray. When the prayer was done, Xiuyan and Miaoyu together supported the planchette. Before long the planchette wrote swiftly:

Alas! It comes without trace, goes without shadow,
Beneath the ancient pine at Blue Ridge Peak.
If you would seek it, mountains ten thousand deep—
Enter my gate, and you will meet it with a smile.

When it finished, the planchette stopped. Xiuyan asked which immortal had been invoked. Miaoyu answered, “Iron Crutch Li.” Xiuyan copied down the planchette text and asked Miaoyu to interpret it. Miaoyu said, “I cannot understand it either. Take it back. There are many clever people in your household. Let them ponder it.”

Xiuyan had no choice but to return to Prospect Garden. Everyone in the courtyard quickly asked the result. Xiuyan had no time to explain in detail and handed the copied planchette text directly to Li Wan. The young ladies and Baoyu gathered around to look. They interpreted it: It could not be found for the moment, but the jade would not be lost. At some unknown time, without deliberately seeking it, it would appear on its own. They only did not know where Blue Ridge Peak was.

Li Wan said, “This is immortal language, hidden and obscure. Where in our household is there a Blue Ridge Peak? Perhaps the thief, fearing discovery, hid the jade under a rockery or stone beneath a pine tree. But the line ‘Enter my gate’—whose gate is it?”

Daiyu asked, “Which immortal was invoked?” Xiuyan said it was Iron Crutch Li. Tanchun sighed. “If it is the gate of an immortal, that is not easy to enter.”

Xiren was anxious at heart. She took people to search everywhere according to this clue. They turned over every stone, but found nothing. When they returned to the courtyard, Baoyu did not ask whether the jade had been found. He only laughed foolishly. Sheyue wept in desperation. “Little ancestor! Tell us clearly where you lost it. Even if we are to be punished, let us be punished clearly!”

Baoyu smiled. “I said I lost it outside, and you would not believe me. Now you ask me, how would I know?”

Li Wan and Tanchun said, “We have been at this from morning until the third watch. Cousin Lin could not hold out and went back to rest first. We should rest too and search again tomorrow.” Everyone dispersed. Baoyu lay down to sleep. Xiren, Sheyue, and the others wept awhile, thought awhile, and did not close their eyes the whole night.

Now to return to Daiyu. She went back alone to Xiaoxiang Lodge. Thinking of the saying “gold and jade are destined,” she actually felt a little joy rise in her heart. She thought privately: The words of monks and Daoists truly cannot be taken seriously. If gold and jade were truly fated, how could Baoyu have lost the Magic Jade? Perhaps this matter will instead break the bond of gold and jade and fulfill mine. The more she thought, the more at ease she felt. She forgot the fatigue of the day and picked up a book to read again. Zijuan was already very sleepy and urged Daiyu again and again to rest.

After Daiyu lay down, she thought again of the crabapple that had bloomed out of season. This jade was the treasure Baoyu had brought with him from birth. Its coming and going had omens. If the crabapple blooming foretold a happy event, why should the jade be lost? Seen this way, the crabapple blooming might not be auspicious. Could some misfortune be coming to Baoyu? As she thought, she grew sad again. Now she thought of a happy event, now she guessed at disaster. Sorrow and joy alternated until the fifth watch, when she finally slept.

Early the next morning, Lady Wang sent people to search the pawnshops carefully. Xifeng also secretly sent people everywhere to look. After several days of searching, there was still no news. Fortunately Grandmother Jia and Jia Zheng still did not know of the loss. Xiren and the others lived in daily fear. Baoyu did not go to school for several days. He sat all day in a daze, silent and absent-minded. Lady Wang thought he was only depressed over the lost jade and did not take it too much to heart.

One day Lady Wang was fretting when Jia Lian came in to pay his respects. He reported with a smile, “I have just heard word from Jia Yucun’s side. Uncle Wang Ziteng has been promoted to Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat and has received an imperial decree to return to the capital. The formal decree will be issued on the twentieth of the first month next year. The three-hundred-li express document has already been sent. Uncle will travel day and night and should reach the capital in half a month. Your nephew came specially to report to you, madam.”

Lady Wang was overjoyed. She had long lamented that her natal family had few relatives, that the Xue family was declining, and that her brother was far away in office and could not help them. When she heard Wang Ziteng was returning to the capital as Grand Secretary, the Wang family’s glory, and that Baoyu would have support in the future, she put aside much of the trouble of the lost jade. Every day she looked forward to her brother’s return.

Before many days had passed, Jia Zheng hurried in, his face covered with tears, gasping for breath. “Go quickly and report to the Old Ancestor. We must enter the palace at once. There is no need to bring many people. You accompany the Old Ancestor. The Imperial Concubine has suddenly been taken gravely ill. The eunuchs are waiting outside. The Imperial Medical Academy has already memorialized. The Concubine has suffered a phlegm seizure and treatment has failed.”

When Lady Wang heard this, she wept aloud. Jia Zheng quickly urged her, “This is no time to weep. Go quickly and invite the Old Ancestor. Speak gently. Do not frighten the old lady.” Then Jia Zheng went out to arrange servants, carriages, and horses. Lady Wang forced back her tears and went to see Grandmother Jia, saying only that the Imperial Concubine was ill and they were going into the palace to pay their respects. Grandmother Jia called on the Buddha. “How has she fallen ill again! Last time it was a false alarm. I hope this time it is another misunderstanding.”

While Lady Wang spoke, she urged Yuanyang to open the chests and take out clothes and ornaments. Lady Wang returned to her rooms, changed into court dress, and came back to accompany Grandmother Jia. Before long everyone got into their sedan chairs and entered the palace.

Ever since Yuanchun had been enfeoffed in Phoenix藻 Palace and had enjoyed the emperor’s favor, her body had grown plumper, her movements labored. She was constantly weary, and often suffered from phlegm. A few days earlier, returning from a palace banquet, she had caught a slight chill, which stirred up her old illness. This time the illness was grave: phlegm blocked her breathing, her limbs were cold. Memorials were sent to the emperor, and imperial physicians were summoned. But medicine could not be swallowed, and even the emergency pills to open the passages had no effect. The palace eunuchs were uneasy. They memorialized requesting that preparations for the end be made in advance, and sent an order for the Jia family women to enter the palace for a final meeting.

Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang obeyed the decree and entered the palace. They saw that Yuanchun had phlegm at her mouth and could no longer speak. When she saw Grandmother Jia, she looked grief-stricken, but no tears came. Grandmother Jia came forward to pay her respects and spoke words of comfort. Before long the name cards of Jia Zheng and the others were sent into the inner hall. The palace maids reported that the Imperial Concubine could no longer raise her eyes. The eunuchs, fearing other consorts would come to visit and that the family members should not remain long, asked Grandmother Jia and the others to wait in the outer hall. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang were grief-stricken but dared not weep. They could only withdraw.

Before long a eunuch came out and summoned the Imperial Observatory. Grandmother Jia knew in her heart that matters were dire and did not dare rise. After a moment a young eunuch announced: the Imperial Concubine Jia had passed away.

That year was the jia-yin year. The beginning of spring fell on the eighteenth of the twelfth month. The Imperial Concubine died on the nineteenth of the twelfth month, which already counted as the mao year and yin month. She was forty-three years old. Grandmother Jia forced down her grief, rose, left the palace, and got into her sedan chair to return home. Jia Zheng and the others also received the evil tidings and grieved all the way. When they reached the household, Lady Xing, Li Wan, Xifeng, Baoyu, and the others were waiting on the east and west sides of the main hall. The whole family wept.

The next morning the titled women of the Jia household entered the palace to wail and mourn according to the funeral rites for an imperial concubine. Jia Zheng, in the Ministry of Works, had both to preside over the funeral according to ritual and to receive colleagues. He was busier than at the funerals of the former empress dowager and Consort Zhou. The Imperial Concubine had borne no children. Her posthumous title was Worthy and Virtuous Imperial Concubine. This was according to imperial ritual, and we need not describe it in detail. The men and women of the Jia household went to the palace day after day to mourn and were busily occupied.

Fortunately Xifeng’s health had improved somewhat recently, and she could come out to manage household affairs. At the same time she had to prepare to welcome Wang Ziteng to the capital, with congratulatory gifts and a welcome feast. Xifeng’s brother Wang Ren, hearing that his uncle had been promoted to Grand Secretary, also wanted to bring his family to the capital. Xifeng was glad at heart. Her previous illness was diluted by this happy event in her natal family, and she actually felt better. Lady Wang, seeing that Xifeng could manage affairs, had half her burden lifted. She also looked forward to her brother’s arrival and felt somewhat calmer.

Only Baoyu had no official post and no longer studied. The tutor Dai-ru knew the Jia household was in great mourning and did not come to keep him in hand. Jia Zheng was busy with the Imperial Concubine’s funeral and had no time to ask about Baoyu. One might have thought Baoyu could take advantage of the mourning to play freely with his sisters. But since losing the jade, Baoyu had been too lazy to move and his speech was confused. If someone told him to go pay respects to his elders, he went. If no one told him, he did not move at all. Xiren was frightened and did not dare provoke him, for fear he would lose his temper. If food was set before him, he ate. If it was not brought, he did not ask for it. Xiren saw that he did not seem angry, but more like someone gravely ill.

Xiren found time to go to Xiaoxiang Lodge to see Zijuan. “The Second Master is like this now. I beg Miss Lin to talk some sense into him.” Zijuan passed the message to Daiyu. But Daiyu had privately concluded that Baoyu’s marriage would ultimately fall to her. Now, to go see Baoyu would feel embarrassing. If Baoyu came to Xiaoxiang Lodge, they had grown up together and she could not ignore him. But for her to go to him first was absolutely not possible. So Daiyu would not go.

Xiren also quietly went to Tanchun. Tanchun understood in her heart that the crabapple blooming out of season was strange in itself, that Baoyu losing the jade was even stranger, and that immediately afterward the Imperial Concubine had died. She felt the Jia household’s fortunes were declining and was full of gloom. She had no heart to comfort Baoyu. Besides, brother and sister should keep some distance. She could only go once or twice. Baoyu was always dull and silent, so Tanchun did not come often either.

Baochai also heard of the lost jade. Earlier Aunt Xue and Lady Wang had settled Baoyu’s marriage. Aunt Xue had gone home and asked Baochai whether she was willing. Baochai answered her mother gravely: “Mother, that is not right. A girl’s marriage is decided by her parents. Father is gone, so it should be decided by you, or else by my brother. Why ask me?” Aunt Xue therefore cherished Baochai even more and praised her for being quiet and proper. In Baochai’s presence she no longer mentioned Baoyu’s marriage. Having heard these words, Baochai herself no longer mentioned Baoyu. Now when she heard the jade was lost, she was shocked and suspicious, but it was not proper for her to ask. She only listened to others’ idle talk as if the matter had nothing to do with her. Aunt Xue sent maids several times to inquire. She was worried about Xue Pan’s lawsuit and was waiting for Wang Ziteng to come to the capital to help clear him. Seeing that the Imperial Concubine had died and the Jia household was in confusion, and that Xifeng had recovered and was managing affairs, she put the Jia household’s matters aside for the time being.

The one who suffered most was Xiren. She humbly accompanied and comforted Baoyu, but Baoyu was wholly muddled. Xiren could only worry in secret.

After some days, the Imperial Concubine’s spirit tablet was moved to the ancestral temple. Grandmother Jia and the others went to escort the funeral for several days. Baoyu grew more and more dull. He had no fever and no pain, but he could not eat or sleep steadily, and his speech was disordered. Xiren and Sheyue grew more and more alarmed and reported to Xifeng several times. Xifeng often came to visit. At first she thought he was only depressed over the lost jade. Now, seeing him absent-minded and distraught, she continually called physicians. After several doses of medicine, his illness only worsened. When asked where he was uncomfortable, Baoyu could not say.

After the Imperial Concubine’s funeral was largely over, Grandmother Jia, thinking of Baoyu, came in person to Prospect Garden to see him. Lady Wang came with her. Xiren quickly told Baoyu to rise and pay his respects. Although Baoyu was ill, he could usually walk. Now, supported by Xiren, he paid his respects according to custom. Grandmother Jia looked at him and said, “My good child, I thought you were gravely ill and came specially to see you. Seeing how you look, I am much relieved.” Lady Wang also felt somewhat calmer.

But Baoyu did not answer. He only giggled foolishly. Grandmother Jia and the others went inside and sat down. Every question had to be taught to him by Xiren before he answered. He was completely unlike his former self, like a simpleton. The more Grandmother Jia looked, the more suspicious she became. “At the door he looked fine. Looking closely, his illness is not light. His spirit is scattered. What is the reason?”

Lady Wang knew she could not hide it, and seeing Xiren’s plight, she could only follow Baoyu’s earlier story and quietly report: Baoyu had lost the Magic Jade when he went to the Prince of Nan’an’s mansion to hear plays. She was frightened and, fearing Grandmother Jia would worry, added that people were searching everywhere, and that divination and planchette both said the jade was in a pawnshop and would certainly be found.

When Grandmother Jia heard this, she stood up abruptly, tears streaming. “How could this jade be lost! You are too foolish. Does the master not care either?” Lady Wang, frightened, told Xiren to kneel and report with her head lowered: “Your daughter-in-law feared the Old Ancestor and the master would be angry, so she did not dare report it.”

Grandmother Jia sighed. “This is Baoyu’s root of life! With the jade lost, his spirit is scattered. This is terrible! The whole city knows of this jade. If anyone picks it up, how could it be easily recovered? Call the master. I will speak to him myself.”

Lady Wang and Xiren quickly begged, “If the Old Ancestor is angry, the master will be even more furious when he returns. Baoyu is ill now. Leave it to us to search with all our might.”

Grandmother Jia said, “You fear the master, but I will bear the responsibility.” She told Sheyue to go and call Jia Zheng. Soon a servant reported: the master had gone out to receive guests and was not seeing anyone.

Grandmother Jia then said, “It is all the same without him. Tell Jia Lian to write a reward notice and post it wherever Baoyu passed that day. The notice should say: Whoever finds the jade and returns it will be rewarded ten thousand taels of silver. Whoever knows where it is and reports it will be rewarded five thousand taels. If it is truly recovered, do not stint the silver. Searching only with the people in the household, it will never be found.” Lady Wang did not dare oppose. Grandmother Jia sent word to Jia Lian to do it at once.

Grandmother Jia instructed the servants: “Move all the things Baoyu uses daily to my rooms. Only Xiren and Qiuwen will attend Baoyu. The other maids will stay in Prospect Garden to watch the rooms.” Baoyu heard this and said nothing, only giggled foolishly.

Grandmother Jia took Baoyu out of Prospect Garden and back to her own rooms. When all was settled, Grandmother Jia said to Lady Wang, “Do you understand my meaning? The crabapples in Happy Red Court withered and then bloomed strangely. In the past we relied on this jade to ward off evil. Now that the jade is lost, he is easily troubled by evil influences. That is why I am bringing Baoyu to live with me. For the next few days he is not to go out. The physicians will come here directly.”

Lady Wang quickly said, “The Old Ancestor has thought of everything. With Baoyu living with you, your great fortune can suppress evil influences.”

Grandmother Jia said, “It is not a matter of fortune. It is only that my rooms are clean and have many scriptures. I can chant sutras to calm his spirit. Ask Baoyu whether he is willing.” Baoyu only smiled. Xiren taught him to say “yes,” and Baoyu repeated “yes.” Lady Wang, seeing Baoyu like this, could not hold back her tears, but in Grandmother Jia’s presence she did not dare weep aloud. Grandmother Jia comforted her. “You go back first. I will look after Baoyu here. When the master returns tonight, tell him there is no need to come see me. Do not argue.” After Lady Wang left, Grandmother Jia told Yuanyang to fetch calming medicine and give it to Baoyu.

That evening Jia Zheng returned home. In his sedan chair he heard passersby talking: “Getting rich is easy. The Rong-guo House has lost Master Bao’s jade and posted a reward. Ten thousand taels if you return it, five thousand if you report it.” Jia Zheng did not hear it all clearly and was astonished. When he reached home, he at once questioned the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper reported, “Your servant did not know earlier. At noon today Master Lian passed on the Old Ancestor’s instructions, and only then was the notice posted.”

Jia Zheng sighed deeply. “The family’s fortunes are declining, and we have bred such a curse! When he was born, rumors filled the city, and it took more than ten years to settle. Now again we make a great show of offering a reward for the jade. What sort of behavior is this!”

Jia Zheng went in and questioned Lady Wang. Lady Wang told him the whole story. Jia Zheng knew it was Grandmother Jia’s idea and did not dare oppose her. He could only grumble at Lady Wang. After coming out, he wanted to hide it from Grandmother Jia and quietly sent someone to tear down the notices. But the notices had already been taken by idlers.

Before long, someone came to the main gate of the Rong-guo House and said he was returning Baoyu’s jade. The servants were overjoyed. “Show it to us, and I will report inside.” The man took the reward notice from his bosom and pointed to it. “Is this not your household’s notice? It says ten thousand taels for returning the jade. Do not look down on me because I am poor now. Once I get the silver, I will be a rich man. Do not treat me shabbily.”

The gatekeeper said, “First show it to us so we can report to the masters.” The man refused at first. Then he thought it reasonable and took out the jade, held it in his palm, and flashed it. “Is this it?”

These gatekeepers had only heard of the Magic Jade and had rarely seen it. They thought it was real. They hurried inside to report. That day Jia She and Jia Zheng were out. Only Jia Lian was at home. The servants reported. Jia Lian questioned whether it was real. The gatekeeper said he had seen it with his own eyes and that the man would not hand it over. He wanted to see the master face to face and exchange the jade for silver.

Jia Lian was overjoyed. He hurried to report to Lady Wang and then to Grandmother Jia. Xiren was so happy that she pressed her palms together and called on the Buddha. Grandmother Jia did not change her promise. She said again and again, “Tell Jia Lian to invite the man into the study, bring the jade out for inspection, and once it is confirmed, pay the silver at once.”

Jia Lian invited the man into the study and treated him courteously. “Lend me the jade to send into the inner quarters. If the family recognizes it, not a coin of the reward will be missing.” The man handed over a red silk package. Jia Lian opened it and saw a piece of glistening beautiful jade. Jia Lian had never looked closely at the jade before. Now he examined it carefully. The characters on it were vaguely recognizable, saying something about warding off evil. Jia Lian was overjoyed. He took the jade and hurried into the inner quarters, asking Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang to identify it.

The whole household waited to see the jade. When Xifeng saw Jia Lian come in, she took it at once. She did not dare examine it first, but sent it to Grandmother Jia’s hands. Jia Lian smiled. “You will not even let me present my little merit.” Grandmother Jia opened the package and saw that the jade was much duller than before. Yuanyang brought her reading glasses. Grandmother Jia put them on and looked closely. “Strange. The shape looks like it, but where has the old precious luster gone?” Lady Wang looked for a long time and could not tell. She called Xifeng to look. Xifeng looked and said, “The appearance is like it, but the color is wrong. Let Brother Bao identify it himself. That will be most accurate.”

Xiren looked at it and also suspected it was not the real jade, but she longed for the jade so much that she did not dare say it was not. Xifeng took the jade and, with Xiren, brought it to Baoyu. Baoyu had just woken up. Xifeng said, “Your jade has been found.” Baoyu, still sleepy-eyed, took the jade, did not even look at it, and threw it on the ground. He sneered. “You are fooling me again.”

Xifeng hurriedly picked it up. “Strange! You did not even look closely. How do you know it is fake?” Baoyu did not answer, only sneered without stopping.

Lady Wang came in and saw the scene. She said, “There is no need to say more. That jade was a wonder he brought from the womb. Of course he recognizes it. This one must be a fake made by someone who saw the reward notice.” Only then did everyone understand.

Jia Lian heard from the outer room and said, “Since it is fake, give it to me. I will question him. How dare he come to our household to swindle us?” Grandmother Jia stopped him. “Lian’er, give the jade back to him and send him away. The man is poor and desperate. He saw the notice and wanted to cheat some silver. He spent money to make a fake jade, and we saw through it. In my opinion, do not make things hard for him. Give the jade back and reward him with a few taels besides. When outsiders hear that we are generous, those who find the real jade will dare to bring it. If we punish this man severely, then even if someone has the real jade, they will not dare send it.”

Jia Lian accepted the order and went out. The man had waited a long time in the study and had seen no happy news come from inside. He was already uneasy. Then he saw Jia Lian come out with a face full of anger.

What happened next will be told in the following chapter.