Yuanyang, a Maid, Dies for Her Mistress and Ascends to the Great Void; A Swinish Slave Deceives Heaven and Summons a Band of Robbers

When Xifeng heard the little maid’s words, she was angry, frantic, and heartbroken. Suddenly she spat out a mouthful of blood, fainted, and collapsed to the ground. Ping’er hurried to support her and called for help. They carried her slowly back to her own room and laid her gently on the kang. Xiaohong was told to bring warm water to Xifeng’s lips. Xifeng took a sip and then lay unconscious. Qiutong came over, glanced at her casually, and walked away. Ping’er did not call her. Feng’er stood nearby, and Ping’er told him to go quickly and report to Lady Xing and Lady Wang that Second Mistress had vomited blood and fainted and could not go on managing the funeral. Lady Xing thought Xifeng was pretending to be ill and shirking work. Since there were many women in the inner quarters, she did not say much, but in her heart she did not believe it. She only said, “Let her rest.” The others said little. That night guests came and went. Fortunately, several close female relatives helped look after things. When the servants saw Xifeng had collapsed, many seized the chance to slack off and rest. Everything was in chaos, and matters were badly handled.

After the second watch, guests from afar gradually left, and the rites of farewell to the soul were to be held. The women behind the mourning curtain wept together. Yuanyang wept until she fainted. Everyone supported her, patted her back, and called her name until she revived. She murmured, “Old Ancestor loved me. I will go with Old Ancestor.” Everyone thought this was only the talk of extreme grief and paid no attention. When the time came for the farewell rites, more than a hundred people from the household were present, but Yuanyang was nowhere to be seen. In the confusion, no one noticed. When it was Hupo and the others’ turn to come forward and weep, Yuanyang was still missing. They guessed she was tired from crying and resting somewhere else, and thought no more of it. After the farewell rites, Jia Zheng called Jia Lian outside and asked about the funeral arrangements, then discussed who should stay behind to watch the house. Jia Lian reported, “Among the masters, Jia Yun can stay to look after things and need not follow the funeral. Among the servants, Lin Zhixiao and his family can be put in charge of dismantling the mourning shed and other such matters. But who should be left in the inner quarters?” Jia Zheng said, “I hear from your mother that your wife is ill and cannot go out, so let her stay. Sister-in-law Zhen also says your wife is seriously ill and suggests Fourth Girl stay with her, along with a few maids and old women, to watch the main rooms.” Jia Lian thought to himself: Lady You and Xichun have never gotten along, so she urged that Xichun stay behind. But even if Xichun watches the inner quarters, she cannot be relied on. Xifeng is gravely ill and can hardly hold things together. After thinking a while, he said to Jia Zheng, “Father, rest first. I will go inside, discuss it properly, and come back to report.” Jia Zheng nodded, and Jia Lian went into the inner quarters.

But by this time Yuanyang, after weeping, had been thinking: I have served Old Ancestor all my life, and in the end my own future is unsettled. The Elder Master is not at home, but I cannot bear Lady Xing’s ways. In the future, when the Master no longer manages the household and everything falls into disorder, we maids will be at their mercy. Whether I am taken as a concubine or casually married off to a servant, I could not endure such torment. Better to die. But how should I die? As she thought, she walked back to Old Ancestor’s inner chamber. Just as she entered, the lamplight was dim, and she faintly saw a woman holding a sash, as if about to hang herself. Yuanyang was not frightened at all. She thought: Who is this? She has the same thought as I, and has gone before me. She asked, “Who are you? Since we share the same mind, if we must die, let us die together.” The figure did not answer. Yuanyang drew closer and saw that it was not a maid of this room. She felt a cold breath rush at her, and the figure vanished. Yuanyang was startled. She stepped back and sat on the edge of the kang, thinking carefully. Oh, I understand. This is Young Mistress Rong, Qin Keqing, from the East House. She died long ago. Why would she come here? She must have come to lead me away. She too hanged herself, so she must be here to teach me how to end my life. As Yuanyang thought this, her mind became dazed. She rose, weeping, opened her toilet case, took out the lock of hair she had cut and kept years before, and put it in her bosom. Then she untied the sash from her waist and tied it as the Qin woman had done. She wept a while longer. Hearing the guests outside dispersing, and fearing someone would come in, she quickly closed the door, fetched a footstool, stood on it, made a noose with the sash, put it around her neck, and kicked the stool away. Poor Yuanyang. Her breath stopped, and her soul left her body. Just as she wondered where to go, she saw Qin Keqing’s figure ahead. Yuanyang’s soul hurried after her, calling, “Young Mistress Rong, wait for me.” The figure said, “I am not Young Mistress Rong. I am the sister of Fairy Disenchantment, Keqing.” Yuanyang said, “You are clearly Young Mistress Rong. Why do you say you are not?” Keqing said, “There is a reason. If I tell you, you will understand. In the Great Illusory Realm, I was the first to preside over the debts of wind and moon. When I came into the mortal world, I was the most infatuated person in the world, sent especially to lead infatuated women back to the Department of Infatuation. That is why I hanged myself. I saw through the bonds of mortal love, escaped the sea of passion, and returned to the Great Void. The Department of Infatuation was left empty. Now Fairy Disenchantment has chosen you to fill it and take my place in charge of the Department of Infatuation. Therefore she sent me to lead you there.” Yuanyang’s soul said, “I have always been the least sentimental of people. How can I be counted as one of the infatuated?” Keqing said, “You do not understand. The world takes the passions between men and women as ‘love,’ does things that corrupt propriety, and still thinks itself romantic and full of feeling. They do not understand that before joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness arise, there is human nature; when they arise, there is feeling. Our kind of feeling is the true feeling before it has been expressed, like a flower still in bud. Once it is recklessly released, it is no longer true feeling.” When Yuanyang’s soul heard this, she understood, and followed Keqing toward the Great Illusory Realm.

Meanwhile, after the farewell rites, Hupo heard Lady Xing and Lady Wang arranging who would stay to watch the house. She meant to find Yuanyang and ask about tomorrow’s carriage. She first looked around Jia Mu’s outer room but did not see her. Then she went to the door of the inner chamber. The door was ajar. Peering through the crack, she saw the lamplight flickering and shadows blurred. She felt frightened, and there was no sound from within. She turned back and said, “Where has that girl gone?” She met Zhenzhu and asked, “Have you seen Sister Yuanyang?” Zhenzhu said, “I have been looking for her too. The ladies are waiting for her to report back. She must be asleep in the inner chamber.” Hupo said, “I looked. There is no one there. The lamp has not been trimmed, and it is dark and frightening. I did not dare go in. Let us go in together and look.” The two went in. Just as they were about to trim the lamp, Zhenzhu cried, “Who left the footstool here? I nearly tripped!” She looked up, gave a scream of terror, and fell backward, knocking hard into Hupo. Hupo saw it too and screamed. Her feet were too frightened to move.

People outside heard the screams and ran in. They hurried to report to Lady Xing and Lady Wang. Lady Wang, Baochai, and the others came weeping to see. Lady Xing said, “I never thought Yuanyang had such spirit. Go quickly and report to the Master.” When Baoyu heard the news, he was so frightened that his eyes stared straight. Xiren and the others quickly supported him and urged, “If you want to cry, cry. Do not let it hurt you.” Only then did Baoyu weep aloud. He thought: A person like Yuanyang should choose such a death. He also thought: All the spiritual essence of heaven and earth gathers in these women. She died where she belonged. We, the sons and grandsons of Old Ancestor, are common, muddy creatures. Who can compare with her? At this thought, a trace of admiration rose in his heart, and he even felt a little joy. Baochai heard Baoyu weeping and came over. When she reached him, she saw that he also looked pleased. Xiren said in alarm, “This is bad. He is going to have one of his mad fits again.” Baochai said, “It is nothing. He has his own thoughts.” When Baoyu heard that Baochai understood him, he was even happier. He thought: Only she understands my heart. Who else could? As Baoyu was lost in these thoughts, Jia Zheng and the others came in, sighing again and again. Jia Zheng said, “Good child! Old Ancestor’s love for you was not wasted!” He at once told Jia Lian to prepare a coffin that very night and encoffin her. “Tomorrow she will go out with Old Ancestor’s coffin. Her coffin will rest behind Old Ancestor’s, to fulfill her wish.” Jia Lian accepted the order and went out. Everyone took Yuanyang’s body down and laid it in the inner room. When Ping’er heard, she came and wept bitterly with Xiren, Ying’er, and the others. When Zijuan saw, she thought of her own unsettled future. She wished she could follow Miss Lin in death, both to fulfill the bond between mistress and maid and to have a place to belong. Now she remained in Baoyu’s household. Though Baoyu treated her gently, in the end there was no result. She wept even more bitterly.

Lady Wang called Yuanyang’s sister-in-law and told her to come watch the encoffining. She and Lady Xing discussed and decided to take a hundred taels of silver from the property Old Ancestor had left and give it to Yuanyang’s sister-in-law as a reward. They also said that after the funeral, all Yuanyang’s things would go to them. Yuanyang’s sister-in-law kowtowed and withdrew. She was actually pleased and said, “Our girl truly had spirit and good fortune. She won a good name and a generous funeral gift.” An old woman nearby said, “Sister-in-law, do not speak so. Now that the girl is gone, you are happy to get a hundred taels. If she had been given to the Elder Master, you would have gotten much more silver. Then you would have been even prouder.” This touched her hidden thought. She blushed and went away. Just as she reached the second gate, she saw Lin Zhixiao leading men carrying in the coffin. She had to go in and help with the encoffining, pretending to wail a few times. Jia Zheng, moved by Yuanyang’s death for Mother Jia, took three sticks of incense, bowed with hands clasped, and said, “She died for her mistress. She cannot be treated as an ordinary maid. The younger generation should all pay their respects to her.” Baoyu was delighted. He came forward and respectfully knocked his head several times. Jia Lian remembered Yuanyang’s former kindness and also wanted to bow, but Lady Xing stopped him, saying, “One bow from a junior like Baoyu is enough. Do not diminish her blessing and prevent her from being reborn.” Jia Lian had to stop. Baochai was deeply moved and said, “By rights I should not bow to a maid. But Old Ancestor has just passed away, and our filial hearts are not yet fulfilled, so we dare not be casual. She was willing to serve Old Ancestor faithfully in death. We also entrust her to serve Old Ancestor well on the way to the Western Heaven, as a token of our hearts.” She then, leaning on Ying’er, went to the coffin, poured a libation, and tears fell without stopping. She bowed several times and wept bitterly. Some said Baoyu and his wife were foolish; others praised their good hearts and understanding of propriety. Jia Zheng saw it and was satisfied.

Everyone discussed and agreed to leave Xifeng and Xichun at home to watch the house, while all the rest followed the funeral. That night no one dared sleep peacefully. At the fifth watch, everyone assembled outside. At the beginning of the hour of the Dragon, the coffin set out. Jia Zheng, as the eldest son, wore mourning and wept bitterly, fulfilling the rites of a filial son. When the coffin left the gate, relatives and friends along the way set up sacrifices. The details of the procession need not be told. After half a day, the coffin was taken to Iron Threshold Temple and laid there. All the male mourners stayed in the temple to keep vigil. Of this no more for the moment.

Now in the house, Lin Zhixiao led men to dismantle the mourning shed, close the doors and windows, sweep the courtyard, and arrange night watchmen to keep the watches. According to the old rules of the Rongguo House, after the second watch the third gate was closed, men could not enter the inner quarters, and only women patrolled the inner quarters at night. Xifeng rested one night and felt a little better, but still could not get up and walk. Ping’er and Xichun made a round of inspection, instructed the night watch, and then each returned to rest.

He San, Zhou Rui’s godson, had been beaten and driven out of the house by Jia Zhen the year before because he fought with Bao Er. Since then he had spent every day gambling. Hearing that Mother Jia had died, he thought he could find some work and make money. After inquiring for several days, he found no profit. He returned to the gambling den sighing. A gambling friend asked him, “Why so downcast? Why not go and make a haul to recover your losses?” He San said, “I want to, but I have no money.” The friend laughed. “You ran around Zhou Rui’s place for days. You must have made plenty from the household. Why pretend to be poor?” He San said, “You do not know. The Jia family has millions in gold and silver hidden away, but they will not take it out. They will only be satisfied when it is burned or stolen.” Someone said, “You are lying. Their house has already been confiscated. How much gold and silver could be left?” He San said, “What was confiscated was only what could not be hidden. Old Ancestor left a great pile of gold and silver. They cannot bear to use it. It is all in Old Ancestor’s rooms. They plan to divide it after the funeral.” One of the men took note of this. He threw the dice a few times and said, “I have lost. I will not try to win it back. I am going to sleep.” Then he drew He San aside. “Third Brother, you are clever, yet so poor. It is really unfair.” He San said, “It is my fate to be poor. What can I do?” The man said, “You just said the Rongguo House has plenty of silver. Why not go and take some?” He San said, “Elder Brother, no matter how much gold and silver they have, if we go and ask, will they give it?” The man sneered. “If they will not give it, can we not take it ourselves?” He San sensed a hidden meaning and asked, “How would we take it?” The man said, “I say you have no ability. If it were me, I would have gotten it long ago.” He San said, “What plan do you have?” The man lowered his voice. “If you want to get rich, you take the lead. I have many friends with strong skills. Their whole family has gone out for the funeral. Only a few women are left at home. Even if there are a few men, we need not fear. The only question is whether you have the nerve.” He San said, “What is there to be afraid of? I call Zhou Rui my godfather only for my godmother’s sake. What is he? I only fear that if it fails, great disaster will follow. They are well acquainted with officials. Even if we steal the things, it will be exposed in the end.” The man said, “Your chance has come. I have some friends from the coast waiting here for an opportunity. After we succeed, we cannot stay here. We will go to sea together and enjoy ourselves. If you cannot bear to leave your godmother, bring her along and enjoy life together.” He San said, “Elder Brother, you must be drunk and talking nonsense.” Then he drew him aside to a quiet place, and they talked in detail. Afterward the two parted and each went his own way.

Now Bao Yong had earlier been told by Jia Zheng to guard the Grand View Garden. During Mother Jia’s funeral, no duties had been assigned to him. He did not mind. He cooked for himself. When bored, he slept; when awake, he practiced with knife and staff in the garden, free and unrestrained. When Mother Jia’s coffin left in the morning, he knew of it, but having no duties, he wandered about as he pleased. Then he saw a nun with a Daoist woman come to knock at the garden’s waist gate. Bao Yong went up and asked, “Where are you going, Reverend?” The Daoist woman said, “We heard Old Ancestor’s funeral is over and Fourth Girl did not go to the burial. Our master thought she would be lonely at home, so she has come to visit.” Bao Yong said, “All the masters have gone out. I am guarding the garden gate. Please go back. Come again when the masters return.” The Daoist woman cursed, “Where did you come from, you black charcoal? How dare you stop us from coming and going!” Bao Yong said, “I do not like your kind. I will not let you in. What can you do?” The Daoist woman flew into a rage and shouted, “This is rebellion! When Old Ancestor was alive, she never stopped us from coming and going. What kind of lawless, bullying robber are you? I insist on going in!” She pounded on the door ring. Miaoyu was so angry that she said nothing and turned to leave. The old women at the second gate heard the quarrel and opened the door. They recognized Miaoyu and saw her turning away. They knew Bao Yong had offended a guest. Lady Wang and Xichun had always respected Miaoyu. If Miaoyu complained, they would not be able to bear the blame. They hurried after her and apologized: “We did not know you were coming, Reverend. We opened the door late. Fourth Girl is at home and was just missing you. The man guarding the garden is new and does not know the rules. We will report him to Lady Wang and have him beaten and driven out.” Miaoyu paid no attention. The old women at the waist gate begged and begged, so anxious they were about to kneel. Miaoyu had no choice but to follow them in. Bao Yong watched but could not stop her. He could only glare, sigh, and go back.

Miaoyu and the Daoist woman came to Xichun’s room. The two greeted each other and chatted a while. Xichun said, “I have been left at home to watch the house, and I must sit up several nights. Second Mistress is ill, and I am alone and afraid. If someone could stay with me, I would feel easier. There is not a single man in the inner quarters now. Since you have come today, could you stay one night and play chess and talk with me?” Miaoyu had not intended to stay, but seeing Xichun so lonely, and hearing mention of chess, she was pleased and agreed. She sent the Daoist woman back to fetch tea things and bedding and told her maid to bring them. The two talked all night. Xichun was very happy. She told Caiping to open the rainwater saved from last year and prepare good tea. Miaoyu brought her own tea things. Before long the maid brought Miaoyu’s daily necessities. Xichun brewed tea with her own hands. The two talked congenially. By the first watch, Caiping set out the chessboard, and the two played. Xichun lost two games in a row. Miaoyu gave her four stones, and only then did Xichun win by half a stone. By then it was the fourth watch, and all around was silent. Miaoyu said, “At the fifth watch I must sit in meditation. My maid will attend me. You go and rest.” Xichun was reluctant to part, but seeing Miaoyu wanted quiet, she did not press her.

Xichun was about to rest when she suddenly heard the night watch in the main rooms shouting. The old women in Xichun’s room also shouted, “This is bad! Thieves have come!” Xichun and Caiping were frightened out of their wits. The night watchmen outside also shouted. Miaoyu said, “This is bad. It must be robbers.” No one dared open the door. They dimmed the lights and peeped through the window cracks. They saw several men standing in the courtyard and were too frightened to make a sound. They turned and waved their hands, then crouched low and whispered, “This is bad. There are several big men outside.” Before the words were finished, noises came continuously from the roof. The night watchmen outside came in shouting to catch the thieves. Someone said, “The main rooms have been robbed, and the thieves have disappeared. Some have gone east to chase them. Let us go west.” The old women in Xichun’s room heard their own people coming and shouted from the outer room, “Many thieves have climbed onto the roof!” The night watchmen looked up and shouted together. Tiles kept falling from the roof, and no one dared go forward.

As they were at a loss, they heard the garden’s waist gate crash open with a bang. A tall, strong man with a wooden staff rushed in. Everyone was frightened and hid. The man shouted loudly, “Do not let a single thief escape! Follow me!” The Jia servants were so frightened their legs went weak. Someone with sharp eyes recognized him as Bao Yong, recommended by the Zhen family. The others took a little courage and said trembling, “One thief has run away. The rest are still on the roof.” Bao Yong leaped up onto the roof and chased the thieves. This gang of robbers knew the Jia masters had all gone out. They had first peeped into Xichun’s room and seen Miaoyu’s beauty, and evil thoughts arose. They also bullied the inner quarters because they were all women, and were about to break down the door when they heard someone chasing them. They all jumped onto the roof. Seeing that only one man had come, they meant to resist. They took up short weapons and came at him. Bao Yong struck hard with his staff and knocked one robber off the roof. The rest scattered and fled over the garden wall. Bao Yong continued chasing over the roofs. Outside the wall, accomplices had long been waiting to receive the stolen goods. They had already taken away much. Seeing their companions run back, they raised weapons to protect them. Seeing that only Bao Yong was pursuing, they relied on numbers and turned to surround him. Bao Yong shouted in anger, “You petty thieves, you dare fight me!” The robbers shouted, “One of our brothers has been struck down. We do not know if he is dead or alive. Let us rescue him.” Bao Yong rushed to fight them. Four or five robbers surrounded him. The night watchmen outside took courage and came over. The robbers could not win and had to flee. Bao Yong wanted to chase them but tripped over a box. He stopped and saw that most of the stolen goods had been carried off and the robbers had run far. He did not chase further. He called for lights. On the ground there were only a few empty boxes. He had them collected and was about to return to the main rooms. Because he did not know the way, he came to Xifeng’s courtyard and saw a light inside. He asked, “Are there thieves here?” Ping’er answered trembling from inside, “We have not opened the door. We only heard shouts from the main rooms that there were thieves. Go and look there.” Bao Yong could not find the way. Seeing night watchmen coming, he went with them to the main rooms. The doors were wide open, and the women on night watch were weeping nearby.

Before long Jia Yun and Lin Zhixiao arrived. Learning of the robbery, they hurried in to examine. Old Ancestor’s door was wide open, and the locks had been broken. Entering, they saw all the chests and cabinets open. Lin Zhixiao cursed the night watch women: “Are you all dead? Thieves came in and you did not know!” The women wept and said, “We kept watch in turns for the second and third watches and patrolled back and forth. The thieves came during the fourth and fifth watches, after we had changed. We only heard others shouting. We saw no one, and the things had already been stolen. The Master can ask those who were on watch during the fourth and fifth watches.” Lin Zhixiao said, “I will deal with your crime later. First inspect everywhere.” The night watchmen led the way to Lady You’s quarters. The door was tightly closed, and someone inside said, “We are frightened to death.” Lin Zhixiao asked, “Was anything stolen here?” The door opened and someone replied, “Nothing was stolen.” Lin Zhixiao took people to Xichun’s courtyard and heard shouting inside, “This is terrible! The girl is frightened. Wake up!” Lin Zhixiao told them to open the door and asked what had happened. The old woman opened the door and said, “The thieves fought here. The girl was so frightened she fainted. Thanks to Reverend Miaoyu and Caiping, she was revived. Nothing was lost.” Lin Zhixiao asked, “How did the thieves fight?” The night watchman said, “Thanks to Uncle Bao, who jumped onto the roof and drove them off. He also struck one down.” Bao Yong said, “That man is lying by the garden gate.” Jia Yun and the others went to look. Indeed a man lay on the ground, already dead. On closer inspection, he looked like Zhou Rui’s godson. Everyone was greatly shocked. They set a guard over the corpse and arranged for the front and back gates to be watched and locked again.

Lin Zhixiao opened the gate and sent someone to report to the garrison officer. Soldiers came at once to investigate. They examined the traces. The thieves had climbed from the rear passage onto the roof and gone all the way to the west courtyard roof. Tiles were broken over a large area, and they had escaped over the back garden wall. The night watchmen all said, “This was not just a petty thief. They were armed robbers.” The garrison officer said, “They did not openly use knives to commit violence, so they cannot be called armed robbers.” The night watchmen said, “When we chased them, the thieves threw tiles from the roof, and we could not get near. Thanks to Bao Yong, who went up on the roof and drove them back. Several thieves in the garden surrounded Bao Yong. They could not beat him and fled.” The officer said, “If they were armed robbers, how could they fail against one servant? Say no more. Quickly make a list of what was lost and write a report. We will send it up.”

Jia Yun and the others returned to the main rooms. Xifeng came over despite her illness, and Xichun came too. Jia Yun greeted Xifeng and Xichun. Everyone counted the stolen property. Yuanyang was dead, and Hupo and the others had gone with the funeral. Old Ancestor’s things had no account book; they had only been sealed, so there was no way to calculate how much was missing. Everyone said, “There were many things in the chests. Now they have all been carried off. The loss is enormous. What were the night watchmen doing? And the dead thief is Zhou Rui’s godson. There must have been collusion with someone inside.” Xifeng was so angry that her eyes blazed. She ordered, “Tie up all the night watch women and hand them over to the garrison officer for questioning.” The servants cried out in distress and knelt begging. How the matter was handled, and whether the stolen property could be recovered, will be told in the next chapter.