Wang Xifeng Poisonously Sets a Snare of Love; Jia Tianxiang Looks Straight into the Mirror of Love and Fate

Now, while Xifeng was talking with Ping'er, word came that Master Rui had arrived. Xifeng promptly ordered him in. Jia Rui, overjoyed at the invitation, entered at once and greeted her with a beaming smile and repeated salutations. Xifeng, in turn, feigned hospitality, offering tea and a seat.

Jia Rui, seeing how Xifeng was dressed, was utterly infatuated. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "Why hasn't Second Brother come home yet?" Xifeng said, "I don't know the reason." Jia Rui smiled, "Perhaps someone on the road has detained him—he can't bear to leave?" Xifeng said, "Who can say? Men are apt to fall for whoever they meet." Jia Rui laughed, "Sister-in-law, that's wrong—I'm not like that." Xifeng smiled, "How many men are like you? One in ten, if you're lucky." Jia Rui was so pleased he scratched his ears and cheeks, and said, "Sister-in-law must be bored at home every day?" Xifeng said, "Indeed I am—I long for someone to talk with and while away the time." Jia Rui smiled, "I'm at leisure every day—how about I come over daily to cheer you up?" Xifeng laughed, "You're teasing me—why would you come here?" Jia Rui said, "If I speak a single false word before you, may I be struck by lightning! It's only because I've always heard people say you are a formidable lady, and that one dare not make the slightest mistake with you—so I was intimidated. But now I see you are the most cheerful, talkative, and kind-hearted person—of course I'll come! I'd die for it!" Xifeng laughed, "You truly are an understanding man—far better than those two, Jia Rong and the other. I thought because they were handsome they might have some sense, but they turned out to be utter fools, with no idea of a woman's heart."

Hearing this, Jia Rui felt as if she had struck a chord with him. He could not help drawing closer, stealing glances at her embroidered purse and asking what rings she wore. Xifeng whispered, "Be more discreet—don't let the maids laugh at us." Jia Rui, taking this as a sacred command, hastily drew back. Xifeng smiled, "You should be going now." Jia Rui said, "Let me stay a little longer—cruel sister-in-law!" Xifeng whispered again, "It's broad daylight, with people coming and going—it's not convenient for you here. Go now, and come back after the night watch. Wait for me quietly in the west passage." Jia Rui was overjoyed and asked, "Don't fool me. But that place is always busy—how can I hide?" Xifeng said, "Rest assured—I'll give the night watchmen the night off, and once the gates at both ends are shut, there will be no one about." Jia Rui was beside himself with glee, took his leave hurriedly, and went home, believing his success was assured.

He waited impatiently for nightfall, then slipped into the Rong Mansion in the dark and, taking advantage of the closing gates, hid himself in the passage. It was indeed pitch-black and deserted. The gate toward the Dowager's quarters was already locked from the outside, and only the eastern gate remained open. Jia Rui listened for a long time; no one came. Suddenly he heard a clunk—the eastern gate too had been barred. In desperation, he dared not make a sound, but crept out and tried the gate—it was as solid as an iron drum. There was no way out; high walls rose on both sides, with nothing to climb. The passage was a draughty corridor, completely bare. It was the depth of winter, in the twelfth month, with long nights and a biting north wind. He nearly froze to death that night. At last, at dawn, an old woman opened the eastern gate, then went to open the western one. Jia Rui, seeing her back turned, darted out hugging his shoulders and fled; fortunately it was still early and no one was up. He ran straight home through the back gate.

Now Jia Rui's parents had died young, and he was raised by his grandfather, Jia Dairu. The old man was a strict disciplinarian who would not allow Jia Rui to take a single step out of line, fearing he might drink or gamble and neglect his studies. When he found Jia Rui had not come home all night, he assumed the boy had been out drinking, gambling, or visiting prostitutes—never suspecting the true story. He had fumed all night. Jia Rui was in a cold sweat and had to lie, saying, "I went to my uncle's house, and it got dark, so they made me stay the night." Dairu said, "Since when do you dare go out without reporting to me first? That alone deserves a beating—and lying on top of it!" So he gave him thirty or forty strokes, forbade him to eat, and made him kneel in the yard to read his texts, insisting he make up ten days' worth of lessons. Jia Rui, frozen all night, beaten, and kneeling hungry in the wind, suffered miserably.

Yet even so, his infatuation did not waver; he never suspected that Xifeng had played him for a fool. A couple of days later, when he had a chance, he went to see Xifeng again. Xifeng pretended to reproach him for breaking his promise; Jia Rui protested vehemently, swearing by his life. Seeing him walk straight into her trap, she knew she must devise another scheme to teach him a lesson, so she said, "Don't go there tonight. Wait for me in that empty room in the little passage behind my house—but don't barge in rashly." Jia Rui said, "Really?" Xifeng said, "Who's fooling you? If you don't believe me, don't come." Jia Rui said, "I'll come, I'll come—even if it means death!" Xifeng said, "Go now, then." Convinced all would be well that night, Jia Rui left.

Xifeng then marshalled her troops and laid her snare.

Jia Rui could scarcely wait for nightfall, but relatives arrived that day and did not leave until after supper, by which time the lamps were lit. He waited until his grandfather had gone to bed, then slipped into the Rong Mansion and went straight to the passage room to wait, pacing like an ant on a hot pan. He waited left and right—no sign of anyone. He began to fret: "What if she doesn't come again and leaves me to freeze another night?" Just as he was guessing, a dark figure approached. Jia Rui, certain it was Xifeng, threw himself upon it like a hungry tiger, hugging it as it reached the door, and cried, "Dear sister-in-law, you've nearly killed me with waiting!" He dragged it to the kang, kissed it, and fumbled with its trousers, crying "Sweetheart!" and "Darling!" The other made no sound. Jia Rui had just pulled down his own trousers and was about to thrust when a lamp flickered and Jia Qiang appeared, holding a lighted wick, demanding, "Who's in there?" The figure on the kang laughed, "Uncle Rui is trying to disgrace me." Jia Rui saw it was Jia Rong and was so mortified he wished the ground would swallow him. He turned to flee, but Jia Qiang grabbed him, saying, "Don't go! Second Sister-in-law Lian has already reported to the lady that you molested her. She used a decoy to lure you here, and the lady is so furious she nearly fainted—she sent me to arrest you. Just now you were attacking her—no excuses. Come with me to see the lady!"

Jia Rui was terrified out of his wits and pleaded, "Good nephew, just say you never saw me—I'll reward you handsomely tomorrow." Jia Qiang said, "If you want me to let you go, that's easy enough—but how much will you give me? Words are no proof—you must write a bond." Jia Rui said, "How can I put that in writing?" Jia Qiang said, "That's no problem—just write that you lost money gambling to outsiders and borrowed so many taels from the banker." Jia Rui said, "That's easy—but I have no paper or brush here." Jia Qiang said, "That's easy too." He slipped out and returned with paper and brush, making Jia Rui write. They haggled and settled on fifty taels, which Jia Rui signed with his thumbprint. Jia Qiang pocketed it. Then Jia Rui begged Jia Rong, who at first refused, saying, "Tomorrow I'll tell the clan elders and let them judge." Jia Rui kowtowed frantically. Jia Qiang then played the peacemaker, and Jia Rui was forced to write another fifty-tael bond before they let him go. Jia Qiang added, "To let you go now, I'm taking a risk. The gate to the Dowager's side is already locked, and the master is in the hall looking over things from Nanjing—that way is impossible. You must go out the back gate. But if we run into anyone on the way, we're both done for. Let us go and scout ahead, then come back for you. You can't stay in this room—someone will be bringing things soon. Let me find you a hiding place." He led Jia Rui out, extinguished the lamp, and took him to the base of a large terrace, saying, "This hole is good—just crouch here, don't make a sound, and wait till we come for you." Then the two left.

Jia Rui had no choice but to squat there. As he was thinking, he heard a sound above him, and a whole bucket of urine and excrement was poured down, drenching him from head to foot. He could not help crying out "Ouch!" but immediately covered his mouth and dared not make a sound. He was covered in filth, shivering with cold. Then Jia Qiang came running, calling, "Quick, quick!" Jia Rui fled for his life, stumbling out the back gate and running home; it was already the third watch. He had to knock at the door. When the servant opened it and saw his state, he asked what had happened. Jia Rui had to lie, saying, "It was dark—I slipped and fell into a latrine." He went to his room, changed clothes, and washed, and only then realised that Xifeng had tricked him. He cursed her in his fury, but then thought of her beauty and longed to hold her in his arms; he could not sleep a wink that night.

From then on, he was filled with thoughts of Xifeng but dared not go to the Rong Mansion. Jia Rong and Jia Qiang came often to collect the money, and he feared his grandfather would find out. Between his unquenchable longing, his debts, and his strict lessons, the strain was too much. He was over twenty and not yet married; lately, thinking of Xifeng, he had often resorted to self-relief, and added to that the two nights of cold and humiliation—all these combined to bring on an illness: a bloated feeling, loss of appetite, weak legs, blurred vision, fever at night, fatigue by day, seminal emissions, and a cough with bloody sputum. Within a year, he had all these symptoms. He collapsed and could not get up; in his dreams he was delirious, raving in terror. He called in every doctor, took pounds of medicines—cinnamon, aconite, turtle-shell, ophiopogon, polygonatum—but none had any effect.

Winter passed and spring returned, and his condition grew worse. Dairu was frantic and tried every doctor, but nothing worked. Eventually they prescribed "ginseng decoction," but Dairu could not afford it, so he went to the Rong Mansion to beg for some. Lady Wang ordered Xifeng to give him two ounces. Xifeng said, "We just used all the good ginseng for the Dowager's medicine, and the lady kept some whole pieces to send to Lady Yang, the Admiral's wife—I sent those off yesterday." Lady Wang said, "If we have none here, send someone to ask your mother-in-law, or to your Cousin Zhen's house, and scrape together what you can. If it cures him and saves a life, it will be to your credit." Xifeng, not bothering to send anyone, merely scraped together a few qian of roots and scraps, sent them over, and said, "The lady sent these—there's no more." She then reported to Lady Wang, "I've searched everywhere and managed to send two ounces."

Jia Rui, desperate to live, took every medicine he could, but only wasted money without effect. Then one day a lame Taoist came begging alms, claiming he could cure ailments caused by karmic entanglements. Jia Rui heard him from inside and shouted hoarsely, "Quick, invite that Bodhisattva in to save me!" He kowtowed on his pillow as he called. The servants had to bring the Taoist in. Jia Rui grabbed him, crying, "Bodhisattva, save me!" The Taoist sighed, "Your illness cannot be cured by medicine. I have a treasure for you—look at it every day and your life may be spared." He took from his bag a mirror—both sides could reflect—and on its handle were carved the words "Mirror of Love and Fate." He handed it to Jia Rui, saying, "This was made by the Goddess of Disenchantment in the Hall of the Void in the Illusory Realm of Great Void. It cures the ailments of evil thoughts and wild passions, and has the power to save life. I bring it to the world for the use of clever, refined young nobles. Whatever you do, do not look at the front—only look at the back. That is most important! I shall return in three days to collect it, and by then you will be cured." With that, he strode off; no one could persuade him to stay.

Jia Rui took the mirror and thought, "This Taoist is curious—I might as well try it." So he took the Mirror of Love and Fate and looked at the reverse side. There he saw a skeleton standing inside. Startled, he quickly covered it, cursing, "That rascal of a Taoist, trying to frighten me! Let me look at the front instead." So he turned it over. There he saw Xifeng standing inside, beckoning to him. His heart leapt; he felt himself float into the mirror and enjoyed a tryst with Xifeng, who then sent him out. Back on his bed, he groaned, opened his eyes, and the mirror had fallen over—again showing the skeleton on the reverse. He was drenched in sweat and had spilled a pool of semen. Not satisfied, he turned to the front again, saw Xifeng beckoning, and entered once more. This happened three or four times. The last time, as he was about to emerge, two men came with iron chains, bound him, and dragged him away. He cried, "Let me take the mirror with me!"—and with those words, he could speak no more.

The attendants watching Jia Rui saw him holding the mirror, then it fell; he opened his eyes, picked it up again; and when it fell the last time, he lay still. They came up and found he had stopped breathing. Beneath him was a large cold wet stain. They hurriedly dressed him and laid him out. Jia Dairu and his wife wept bitterly and cursed the Taoist, saying, "What a devilish mirror! If we don't destroy it, it will bring great harm to the world." They ordered a fire to burn it, but from inside the mirror came a voice weeping, "Who told you to look at the front? You yourselves took the false for true—why burn me?" As it wept, the lame Taoist ran in from outside, crying, "Who dares destroy the Mirror of Love and Fate? I'm here to save it!" He snatched it from their hands and disappeared in a flash.

Jia Dairu then arranged the funeral, sending out notices. The rites lasted three days, and the coffin was carried to the Iron Threshold Temple after seven days, awaiting transport to the ancestral home. Relatives came to mourn: Jia She of the Rong Mansion sent twenty taels, Jia Zheng another twenty, Jia Zhen of the Ning Mansion twenty more; other clan members gave what they could—three taels, five taels, in all a considerable sum. His schoolmates also contributed twenty or thirty taels. Though Dairu's means were meagre, the funeral was amply provided for.

Now at the end of that winter, a letter arrived from Lin Ruhai, saying he was gravely ill and requesting that Lin Daiyu be sent back to him. The Dowager was distressed but had to hasten Daiyu's departure. Baoyu was most unhappy, but he could not oppose the bond between father and daughter. The Dowager insisted that Jia Lian escort her and bring her back. All travel gifts and expenses were prepared without delay. A day was quickly chosen, and Jia Lian and Lin Daiyu took leave of the Dowager and the others, boarded a boat with their servants, and set off for Yangzhou. To know what happened next, we must listen to the following chapter.