CHAPTER 112
Adamantina discharges a karmic debt and receives a blow
from the Hand of Providence
Aunt Zhao concludes a deadly feud and sets out
on the road to the Nether World
The women on night-duty went down on their knees and begged Xi?-feng to spare them, but Steward Lin and Jia Yun told them they were wasting their breath:
‘The Master left us to mind the house, and now that things have gone wrong, we must all take our share of the blame. You needn’t think anyone’s going to bale you out. If Zhou Rui’s adopted son is involved, then everyone – from Her Ladyship downwards – men and women, masters and servants, is under suspicion.’
‘Fate has brought this on us,’ said Xi-feng, struggling for breath. ‘Why waste words? Just take them away. As for the stolen things, you must be sure to tell the police that they all belonged to Her Old Ladyship. Only the masters know the details. When we’ve sent word to them and they come home, then of course we can make out a list and hand it in to the police. The same statement must be made to the civil authorities.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’ Jia Yun and Steward Lin went out to execute these instructions.
Xi-chun had said nothing throughout this, but now she began to whimper: ‘I’ve never heard of anything so terrible in all my life! Why did it have to be us? When Uncle Zheng and Aunt Wang come home, how am I to face them? They’ll say they left the house in our hands, they’ll blame us for this disaster. I shall die of shame!’
Xi-feng: ‘It’s not our doing. The women on night-duty must take the blame.’
Xi-chun: ‘It’s all very well for you to say that. You were ill anyway. But I’ve got no excuse! It’s exactly what my sister-in-law planned! She wanted me to come to grief! She deliberately talked Aunt Xing into giving me this responsibility. Now I’m quite dis?graced!’ She broke down, sobbing violently.
Xi-feng: ‘You mustn’t take it like that. We are all in disgrace. If you adopt such a silly attitude, how am I to hold my head up?’
As they were speaking they heard a man’s voice shouting in the courtyard:
‘I said we should have no truck with such women. They’re witches and whores the lot of them! The Zhen family never allowed people like that in the house, and I didn’t expect things to be so lax here! Her Old Ladyship’s funeral procession was hardly through the front entrance yesterday when that nun from that Hermitage place came pestering to be let in. I told her straight out that she couldn’t, but then the old women on the side gate turned round and gave me some cheek, and begged her to come in. So some of the time the side gate was closed, some of the time it was open – who could tell what was going on! I lay awake worrying about it till two in the morning, and then I heard shouts coming from the house here. So I called at the gate, but they wouldn’t open up, and as the shouting was getting worse I broke the gate down and came in. I saw some men in the west courtyard, chased them and killed one of them. I only found out today that the place I was in was the courtyard of Miss Xi-chun’s apartment. So the nun was there with her at the very time the burglary took place. She slipped out this morning before dawn. She must have been the one who let the burglars in. She’s the traitor in our midst!’
‘Who is that insolent fellow?’ asked Patience. ‘How dare he use such language with Mrs Lian and Miss Xi-chun here inside?’
‘He mentioned the Zhen family,’ said Xi-feng. ‘It must be that vile servant they palmed off on us.’
Xi-chun had heard and understood Bao Yong only too clearly, and felt more wretched than ever as a consequence.
‘Wasn’t there something about a nun in his babblings?’ Xi-feng continued, turning to Xi-chun. ‘How did you come to have a nun staying with you? Where did she spring from?’
Xi-chun told her that Adamantina had visited her, and that she had stayed on to play Go and keep her company during the night.
‘Oh, Adamantina!’ exclaimed Xi-feng. ‘How could she possibly have betrayed us! What a ridiculous idea! But still, it would be most unfortunate if this loathsome creature’s accusations ever reached Sir Zheng’s ears.’
The more Xi-chun thought about the possible consequences for Adamantina the more distressed she became. She rose to leave, but Xi-feng, though anxious herself to return to her own apartment, feared that Xi-chun might do something rash in her present state, and asked her to wait a little.
‘Before we go, we must make sure they have sorted what’s left of Grandmother’s belongings; and we must set a watch.’
Patience: ‘But nothing can be sorted before the authorities carry out their inspection. Till then we should leave everything as it is. Has anyone been sent to inform Sir Zheng?’
Xi-feng: ‘You’d better send one of the serving-women to find out.’
Presently the reply came back:
‘Steward Lin can’t go himself. Most of the servants are needed to be in attendance for the inspection, and those that can be spared are incapable of explaining things clearly to the Master. So Young Master Yun has already gone.’
Xi-feng nodded, and sat down anxiously with Xi-chun to wait.
*
The gang, who had been brought together by He San and his friend for the express purpose of burgling Rong-guo House, succeeded in laying their hands on a fair amount of gold, silver and valuables and had already passed it out before they were discovered. Even then they were able to see at a glance that their pursuers were nothing to be afraid of; and therefore moved on to the west courtyard to in?vestigate possibilities for burglary there. Through the window they spied two very attractive young ladies sitting together in the lamp?light, one of whom was dressed in a nun’s habit. Their baser instincts were immediately aroused, and they would have burst recklessly in had they not a moment later seen the figure of Bao Yong coming in hot pursuit. They then made a quick getaway, leaving the unfortunate He San behind to the fate we have already described, and reassembled afterwards in secret with their ‘fence’. The next day they learned that He San had been stopped and killed, and that the police and civil authorities had been alerted. It was no longer safe for them in town, and after some discussion they decided to make their way back without delay to their headquarters on the coast and rejoin their pirate friends. A general warrant for their arrest would soon be issued, after which it would be impossible for them to pass through the inspection posts.
There was however one especially brazen character among them.
‘It’s all very well saying we ought to leave town,’ he said. ‘But I’ve still got my eye on that little nun. Beautiful little piece of work! I wonder which convent she’s from, the luscious thing!’
‘Aiyo!’ exclaimed one of the others. ‘I’ve just remembered. She must be that nun who lives right on the premises, in Prospect Garden, in that place they call Green Bower Hermitage. Wasn’t there a story going round a year or two ago about her and their Master Bao? She fell head over heels in love with him and in the end they had to call in the doctor. She must be the one!’
‘In that case,’ said the first, ‘let’s lie low tonight and give the skipper time to buy the gear we need to pass as travelling merchants. Tomorrow at dawn bell you can start leaving town at intervals and wait for me at Seven Mile Bank.’
It was settled. They shared out the spoils and went their separate ways.
*
When Jia Zheng and the rest of the cortege had conveyed the cof?fins of Lady Jia and Faithiul to the temple and had formally de?posited them there until such time as they could be placed in a permanent grave, the various relatives and friends who had accompanied them took their leave. Jia Zheng installed himself in one of the outer wings of the temple as his ‘mourning quarters’, while the ladies stayed in the inner room where the coffins had been placed. There was continuous lamentation throughout the night.
The next morning they began the funeral offerings once more, and were in the act of setting out the sacrificial dishes when Jia Yun burst in. First he kowtowed before Grandmother Jia’s coffin, then he hurried over to Jia Zheng, dropped one knee to the ground and proceeded to give a breathless account of the previous night’s bur?glary and the loss of Grandmother Jia’s belongings. He described how Bao Yong had given chase and had killed one of the robbers, and concluded by saying that the facts had already been laid before the police and civil authorities. Jia Zheng listened to all this aghast, while the ladies, who overheard with horror from the inner room, were also too shocked to speak and could only sob loudly. Eventually Jia Zheng composed himself sufficiently to ask:
‘What sort of an inventory has been made of the stolen items?’
Jia Yun: ‘None of the servants knew what was there, so the inventory has not been made yet.’
Jia Zheng: ‘A good thing too. After the confiscation, if we were to include things of value in the inventory, we’d be guilty of a further infringement of the law. Tell Lian to come here at once.’
Jia Lian had gone with Bao-yu and some of the other young male Jias to make offerings in a different part of the temple, and hurried back on receiving Jia Zheng’s summons. The news put him in a state of extreme agitation, and in front of Jia Zheng he began cursing and swearing at Jia Yun:
‘Miserable wretch! I entrust you with an important responsibility, and expect you to organize the night-watch properly, and look what you have gone and done! Are you half-dead or something? I’m amazed you have the nerve to come here at all!’
He spat in his face. Jia Yun stood there with his hands hanging at his sides, not daring to breathe a word.
Jia Zheng (to Jia Lian): ‘Swearing at him won’t achieve anything.’
Jia Lian (falling to his knees): ‘What are we to do?’
Jia Zheng: ‘There’s nothing we can do, except wait and hope that the authorities apprehend the thieves. The trouble is we never opened any of Grandmother’s boxes. When you came to me for money, I thought it improper to start taking her silver when she’d only been dead a few days. I decided to wait until after the funeral and to settle all our accounts at once and invest any surplus in trust-estates here and in the South. So we don’t even know exactly what she had left. Now the police want an inventory, and we can hardly include any?thing of value on it; but at the same time we’ll never get away with “sundry quantities of gold and silver and various items of clothing and jewellery”. Come on, what are you still kneeling down there for, you useless creature!’
Jia Lian did not dare say a word, but rose to his feet and began walking out of the room.
Jia Zheng: ‘Where are you off to now?’
Jia Lian retraced his steps.
‘I thought I should go home at once and try to sort this out properly.’
There was a ‘hm’ from Jia Zheng (signifying, ‘I should think so too’), and Jia Lian hung his head abjectly.
Jia Zheng: ‘Report first to your mother. When you go home, take one or two of Grandmother’s maids with you. Tell them to think carefully, and produce something in the way of an inventory…’
Jia Lian knew that Faithful had been in charge of all Grandmother Jia’s personal effects, and that now she was dead it would be useless to ask Pearl or the other maids to remember. But he hadn’t the nerve to contradict Jia Zheng, and responding docilely to his instructions, he went to the inner room, where he had to endure the reproaches of Ladies Xing and Wang, and was then ordered to hurry home and bid the women on night-duty prepare themselves for their mistresses’ wrath. Assuring his mother and aunt with a somewhat ill grace that he would do as they commanded, Jia Lian went out and ordered one of his men to hire a carriage for Amber and Grandmother Jia’s other maids, while he himself mounted a mule and hastened home with a few of his pages. Jia Yun had no stomach for further confrontations with Jia Zheng, and he sneaked out in a sort of sideways slither, mounted horse and caught up with Jia Lian. Their ride into town passed uneventfully.
Jia Lian was greeted at Rong-guo House by Steward Lin, who led him into Grandmother Jia’s apartment, where they found Xi-feng and Xi-chun waiting. Seething as he was with bitterness towards them both, Jia Lian restrained himself and turned to ask Lin:
‘Have the authorities had a look yet?’
Lin (kneeling guiltily): ‘Both the police and the civil authorities have made an inspection, sir. They discovered the burglars’ tracks, and examined the corpse.’
Jia Lian (with considerable surprise): ‘What corpse?’
Steward Lin told him how Bao Yong had killed one of the burglars, and that the dead man showed a strong resemblance to Zhou Rui’s adopted son.
Jia Lian: ‘Send for Jia Yun!’
When Jia Yun came in, he too fell to his knees before Jia Lian.
Jia Lian: ‘Why didn’t you tell Uncle Zheng about this, that one of the burglars was Zhou Rui’s adopted son, and that he had been killed by Bao Yong?’
Jia Yun: ‘The men on night-duty only said that it looked like him. I was afraid they might turn out to be wrong, so I didn’t mention it.’
Jia Lian: ‘Idiot! If you’d told me, I could have brought Zhou Rui with me to identify the corpse. That would have settled any doubt.’
Lin: ‘The authorities have taken the corpse away and exhibited it in the market-place for identification.’
Jia Lian: ‘That’s pretty damned foolish of them! As if anyone would come forward for a man that’s been killed escaping from a burglary!’
Lin: ‘There’s no need for identification anyway, sir. I recognized the man myself.’
Jia Lian pondered for a minute.
‘Of course! Wasn’t it Zhou Rui’s adopted son that Mr Zhen wanted to have flogged a year or so ago?’
Lin: ‘That’s right, sir. He was caught fighting with Bao Er. You must have seen him at the time.’
Jia Lian was made angrier still by this revelation, and wanted to beat the man on night-duty, but Steward Lin pleaded with him to abate his wrath.
‘They had their orders, sir, and I’m sure they did their duty. But it is a strict family regulation that men are not allowed beyond the inner gate. Even we are not allowed in unless expressly sent for. Master Yun and I did our rounds regularly in the outer apartments; the inner gate was firmly closed, and none of the outer gates was left open. The burglars broke in from a back alley.’
Jia Lian: ‘Where are the women who were supposed to be on night-duty in the inner apartments?’
Lin informed him that on Xi-feng’s instructions the women had all been detained and bound, and were waiting to be interrogated.
Jia Lian: ‘And Bao Yong?’
Lin: ‘He has gone back to the Garden.’
Jia Lian: ‘Send for him.’
The pages went to fetch Bao Yong, and when he arrived Jia Lian praised him for his conduct:
‘It’s a good job you were here! Otherwise I dare say everything in the house would have been taken!’
Bao Yong said nothing. Xi-chun was terrified that he was going to open his mouth and start abusing Adamantina. Xi-feng maintained an apprehensive silence.
It was reported meanwhile that Amber and the other maids had arrived from the temple, and they entered and amid much weeping exchanged greetings with the rest of the household. On Jia Lian’s orders the servants searched Grandmother Jia’s apartment to see what if anything the burglars had left behind, and found nothing but clothes, a few lengths of fabric and some caskets of copper cash. Jia Lian was now more distraught than ever. The men working on the awning and the pall-bearers had not been paid, nor had the extra kitchen expenses for the funeral reception been met. Where was he to find the money now? He brooded morosely, while Amber and the other maids went into Grandmother Jia’s inner rooms and broke into a renewed fit of sobbing as they surveyed the havoc. The boxes and cupboards were all flung Open, and how could they possibly remember what had been in them? However, they eventually managed to concoct a list of sorts, which they handed to a servant to deliver to the authorities. Jia Lian issued instructions for that night’s watch, and Xi-feng and Xi-chun went back to their rooms. Jia Lian thought it best not to spend the night at home, and did not even find time to reproach Xi-feng for her part in the affair. As soon as he could get away he mounted horse and galloped back to the temple. Xi-feng was still anxious that Xi-chun might be contemplating suicide, and sent Felicity over to comfort her.
*
At ten o’clock that night the gates were firmly barred – a somewhat superfluous precaution by now – and everyone lay in bed in a state of nervous wakefulness. But our narrative leaves Rong-guo House and returns to the nun-besotted burglar. He knew that the Hermitage occupied an isolated location in the Garden, and that the nun’s only companions there were a few old matrons and novices, who would present no obstacle. He made his plans accordingly. At midnight, when all was quiet, equipped with a knife and a supply of potent narcotic incense, he scaled the Garden wall, and from his vantage point there he could see in the distance lamps burning in the Her?mitage. He crept stealthily across and hid himself in an out-of-the-?way corner.
By two o’clock, there was only a single night-light still burning. Adamantina was sitting cross-legged on her mat. She took a short break from her meditations, and after several gusty sighs reflected aloud to herself:
‘When I came to the capital from my old home on Mount Xuan?-mu, I had hoped to make a name for myself. But then when the Jias invited me to stay here, I could hardly decline their invitation. And now I can’t even do something as simple and innocent as paying a visit to Xi-chun without being heaped with abuse by some coarse creature. And later in the night I had such a fright! How nervous I’ve been all day, ever since my return. I simply can’t settle down properly and meditate.’
She usually meditated alone, and even today had not asked the others to stay up with her. But suddenly at four o’clock she began to tremble with cold and was about to call out to one of her women when she heard a sound through the window. She thought im?mediately of what had happened the previous evening and gave a terrified cry for help! But it brought no answer. From where she sat she could detect a strange smell seeping right into her head, and she felt her limbs becoming gradually numb and incapable of movement, her mouth incapable of speech. Panic began to grip her. Helplessly she watched as a stranger entered her room, a man, with a knife glistening in his hand. Though she was paralysed, her mind was still clear, and thinking that she was about to be murdered she steeled herself mentally to her fate and found herself surprisingly free of fear. Then to her amazement the man slipped the knife back into the scabbard slung over his shoulder, came towards her and put both his arms softly round her. He fondled her briefly, then hoisted her up onto his back. By now Adamantina was too groggy to understand what was happening to her. The drugs had sent her into a profound stupor, and she surrendered her virginal body into the stranger’s hands, to do with as he pleased.
With Adamantina on his back, the man made his way to the Garden wall, which he scaled with a rope-ladder, climbing down to where some of his accomplices were waiting with the getaway cart. They bundled her in and set off. The impressive-looking official titles inscribed on the carriage lanterns enabled them to pass through the district barricades, and by the time they reached the city gate it was opening time and the gatekeeper did not even bother to ask any questions, thinking they were on official business. Once out of the city, they pressed on to Seven Mile Bank, where they joined the rest of the gang and agreed to make their ways separately to the South coast.
It is not known what eventually became of Adamantina: whether she submitted willingly to her captor’s desires, or whether she resisted and died in so doing. In the absence of conclusive evidence as to her ultimate fate, it would be futile for us to speculate on that subject. Instead, our narrative returns to the Hermitage. One of the old nuns who had her quarters to the rear of Adamantina’s meditation chamber slept that night until four in the morning, when she was awakened by the sound of voices from the front room. Adamantina must be having a restless spell in her meditations, she concluded. But then afterwards she heard heavy (and unmistakably male) footsteps and the sound of doors and windows opening and closing. She would have risen to investigate, but her limbs had become quite weak and she could not so much as open her mouth to speak. No further sound came from Adamantina’s room, and the old nun lay there till dawn in a stupor, with her eyes wide open. It was only then that her head began to clear; she threw on some clothes and told the old matrons to heat the water for Adamantina’s morning tea. Then she went to the front room, but to her alarm found no trace of Ada?mantina, and door and windows open wide. She began to have suspicions about the sounds she had heard in the night.
‘Where could she have gone so early in the morning?’ she asked aloud.
Walking out into the Garden, she saw a rope-ladder hanging from the wall, and lying on the ground beneath it a scabbard and sash.
‘Oh my goodness! It must have been a burglar last night! He must have put us all to sleep!’
She called the others to rise and make a search of the Hermitage. The main gate was still firmly closed.
‘Oh dear, the fumes from the stove were terrible last night!’ grumbled the old matrons and young novices alike when they were summoned. ‘None of us felt like getting up this morning. What do you want us for at this ungodly hour?’
‘Sister Adamantina has disappeared!’ exclaimed the nun.
‘She’s probably in Our Lady Guan-yin’s chapel meditating.’
‘You’re all still dreaming! Come and have a look.’
The women finally roused themselves in a flurry of alarm, opened the main gate of the Hermitage and searched throughout the Garden. Then it occurred to them that Adamantina might have gone to visit Xi-chun, and they went in a body to knock at the side gate, only to receive another round of abuse from Bao Yong.
‘We don’t know where Sister Adamantina went last night,’ they said. ‘We’re looking for her. Open up, old fellow, and let us into the house. We just want to find out if she’s been visiting there or not.’
‘She was the one who let the burglars in!’ cried Bao Yong. ‘Now they’ve got what they came for, and she’s gone off with them to enjoy it!’
‘Holy Name!’ exclaimed one of the women. ‘You’ll have your tongue cut out in hell for such wicked talk!’
Bao Yong (vehemently): ‘Rubbish! Any more trouble from you and I’ll have to use force.’
Women (smiling obsequiously now and pleading): ‘Please sir, we beseech you, open the gate. Just let us have a look. If she’s not there, we’ll never bother you again.’
Bao Yong: ‘Very well. If you don’t believe me, go in and look for yourselves. But if you don’t find her, I shall want an explanation from you on your way back.’
He opened the gate and the women went into Xi-chun’s apartment.
Xi-chun was in very low spirits that morning, and was still brooding about what had happened the previous day:
‘Adamantina went home so early yesterday. I wonder if she heard what that servant Bao Yong said. If he has offended her again, she’ll never come and visit me; and then I shall have lost my only real friend in the world. With Mother and Father both dead and my own sister-in-law hating me the way she does, I find it so hard to face other people. Before there was always Granny Jia, I knew I could count on her for affection. Now that she’s gone too, I’m utterly alone. What will become of me?’
She thought of the other girls and their various fates:
‘Ying-chun driven to her death; Xiang-yun married to a con?sumptive; Tan-chun living at the other end of the world … Each one of them had her destiny, and each was powerless to change its course. Adamantina is the only free one among us, free as a wandering cloud or a wild crane. If I could only be like her, how happy I would be! But how can I hope to follow her example? I belong to a wealthy family! And now I’ve let even my family down, and I’m in complete disgrace. Neither Aunt Wang nor Aunt Xing understands how I feel. There’s no telling how life will turn out for me!’
She was more resolved than ever to take the final, irrevocable step, to cut her hair and by so doing signal once and for all her entry into the religious life. Landscape and the other maids heard the snip of the scissors and hurried over, but they were too late. She had already removed a good half of her hair.
‘Before one disaster is over, here’s another!’ cried Landscape in alarm. ‘What are we to do now?’
This was the state of disarray that prevailed in Xi-chun’s apartment when Adamantina’s old women arrived on their search. Landscape enquired what their mission was and was shocked to hear of Ada?mantina’s disappearance.
‘She left us early yesterday morning and hasn’t been back since,’ she informed them. Xi-chun overheard from inside and asked in alarm:
‘Where has Adamantina gone?’
One of the women told the tale, how they had heard sounds in the night, had been put to sleep by the incense, had found Adamantina missing in the morning and discovered the rope-ladder and scabbard by the Garden wall. Xi-chun was both distressed and puzzled. She recalled Bao Yong’s accusations of the previous day, but dismissed them at once from her mind, reflecting that most probably the bur?glars had spotted Adamantina and come back during the night to carry her off. But she knew Adamantina; surely a person of such chastity and pride would have died rather than submit to such indignity?
‘Didn’t you hear anything?’ she asked of the women.
‘We heard,’ they replied. ‘But we couldn’t do anything. We could only lie there with our eyes wide open, unable to say a word. The burglars must have put us to sleep by burning some sort of incense. And Sister Adamantina must have been overcome with the fumes too. That’s why she couldn’t speak either. Besides, there were probably a lot of them, armed to the hilt, so she would have been too scared to make a noise or cry out.’
Bao Yong could be heard yelling from the gate:
‘Get those stupid old hags out of here and close the gate at once!’
Landscape, who was afraid of causing fresh trouble, told the women to leave immediately and gave orders for the gate to be closed.
Xi-chun was now more miserable than ever. Landscape and her other maids repeatedly urged her to take a more reasonable view, and persuaded her to put up the remaining portion of her hair.
‘We mustn’t spread the word about Adamantina,’ they all agreed. ‘Even if it is true, we must behave as if we know nothing until Sir Zheng and Lady Wang come home.’
From this day, Xi-chun’s determination to renounce the world was immovable. But of this no more at present.
*
When Jia Lian returned to the Temple of the Iron Threshold, he reported to Jia Zheng that he had interrogated the men on night-duty and had seen to it that an inventory was prepared and delivered to the authorities.
‘How did you manage with the inventory?’ asked Jia Zheng.
Jia Lian showed him a copy of the list Amber had made up from memory, adding:
‘All Grandmother’s presents from Her Grace are clearly indicated. Any other unusual or conspicuous items have been left off the list. When my period of mourning is over, I shall instigate a search for those items and am confident we shall find them.’
Jia Zheng thought this course of action wise, and nodded his silent approval.
Jia Lian went in to see Ladies Xing and Wang, and begged them to urge Jia Zheng to return home as soon as possible. The longer they stayed away the greater the chaos would be when they got back.
‘I quite agree,’ said Lady Xing. ‘So long as we stay here, we’ll only be in this dreadful suspense anyway.’
‘I would not dare suggest an early departure myself;’ said Jia Lian. ‘But if it came from you, Mother, I am sure Uncle Zheng would agree.’
Lady Xing discussed the matter with Lady Wang, and they both agreed that Lian’s suggestion was a good one.
As it turned out, by the next morning Jia Zheng was himself anxious to return and sent Bao-yu in to the ladies with this message:
‘I propose that we return today and resume our mourning here in two or three days’ time. I have given the necessary instructions to those of my servants who are staying behind; would the ladies be so good as to do likewise?’
Lady Xing instructed Parrot and some of the other maids to stay as mourners, and left Zhou Rui’s wife and a few of the older stewardesses in overall charge. Everyone else was to return home. There was an immediate bustle of activity as carriages were prepared and horses saddled, and Jia Zheng led the family in a final lamentation, bidding ceremonial farewell to Grandmother Jia’s mortal remains.
They had all risen from their prostrations and were about to leave, when they noticed that Aunt Zhao was still down on her knees. Aunt Zhou thought she must still be weeping and came over to help her up. But something more than grief had incapacitated her; she was foaming at the mouth, her eyes were fixed in a glassy stare, her tongue protruded from her face. The sight gave everyone a nasty turn, and Jia Huan came up to his mother crying frantically, which seemed to bring her round momentarily.
‘I won’t go home!’ she began babbling. ‘I’m going back to the South with Lady Jia!’
‘But why should Lady Jia need you to go with her?’ they asked.
‘I’ve been with her all my life. Sir She wanted to separate us and tried all manner of tricks to lay his hands on me. I thought old Mother Ma could help me get my own back but that was all money wasted: it didn’t work, nobody died. Now if I go home, I’m afraid someone may try to take revenge!’
At first they thought she was possessed by the spirit of Faithful, but her subsequent reference to Mother Ma pointed to something quite different. The ladies said nothing, but Suncloud and some of the other maids interceded with the spirit on Aunt Zhao’s behalf:
‘Sister Faithful, your death was of your own choosing; what does it have to do with Mrs Zhao? Please set her free!’
With Lady Xing present they didn’t dare say any more.
‘I’m not Faithful!’ protested Aunt Zhao. ‘I’ve been sent for by King Yama of the Nether World. He wants to question me about Mother Ma and the black magic…’
She dropped her voice to a whisper, and continued:
‘Oh Mrs Lian, put in a good word for me with Lord Yama! For all the bad that I’ve done, there must be some good! Dear Mrs Lian! Dearest Mrs Lian! I never meant to harm you! I was such a fool! I should never have listened to that old slut!’
While this extraordinary scene was taking place, Jia Zheng sent in a servant to fetch Jia Huan. One of the serving-women went out to inform the Master that Aunt Zhao was possessed by some evil spirit, and that Jia Huan was looking after her.
‘What nonsense!’ exclaimed Jia Zheng brusquely. ‘We’re leaving now anyway.’
So the men set off, while Aunt Zhao continued to rave deliriously and no one could bring her to her senses. Lady Xing was afraid she might say something even more indiscreet.
‘Leave some women here to keep an eye on her,’ she ordered. ‘We really must be going. When we reach the city we’ll send ~ doctor.’
Lady Wang had always disliked Aunt Zhao and was only too glad to abandon her. Bao-chai, on the other hand, was less ill-disposed towards her; she knew that Aunt Zhao had tried to harm Bao-yu, but could not help feeling sorry for her all the same and secretly asked Aunt Zhou to stay behind with her. Aunt Zhou was a good soul, and agreed to do so. Li Wan volunteered to stay as well, but was informed curtly by Lady Wang that her presence would be unnecessary.
They were now ready to leave.
‘What about me?’ asked Jia Huan in some alarm. ‘Do I have to stay too?’
‘You great booby!’ retorted Lady Wang contemptuously (and not a little hypocritically). ‘Would you forsake your own mother when she is at death’s door?’
Jia Huan dared not utter another word.
‘Dear brother,’ said Bao-yu, ‘you really ought to stay. As soon as we get to town, I’ll send someone out to you.’
They climbed into their carriages and returned home, leaving Aunt Zhao with Aunt Zhou, Jia Huan and a few serving-women at the temple.
When they reached home, Jia Zheng, the ladies and the rest of the family went to Grandmother Jia’s apartment and tearfully surveyed the scene. Steward Lin came in at the head of the domestic staff to pay their respects.
‘Get out!’ shouted Jia Zheng as they fell to their knees. ‘I shall deal with you tomorrow!’
Xi-feng had already fainted several times that day, and was too weak to come out and welcome them home. The only person to receive them was Xi-chun, looking extremely ashamed of herself. Lady Xing ignored her entirely, Lady Wang was her reasonable self, while Li Wan and Bao-chai took her by the hand and spoke a few comforting words. You-shi predictably had a barbed comment to make:
‘What a deal of trouble we have put you to these last few days, my dear!’
Xi-chun could say nothing in reply, but only blushed a deep crimson from ear to ear. Bao-chai took You-shi aside and gave her a meaningful look. The ladies went to their rooms.
Jia Zheng examined the extent of the damage, heaving many a silent sigh. He went into his study and, sitting on his mourning mat, sent for Jia Lian, Jia Rong and Jia Yun and gave the three of them a short homily. Bao-yu wanted to wait on him in the study, but Jia Zheng said it would not be necessary. Jia Lian went to his mother’s room. That night passed uneventfully.
First thing next morning Steward Lin came into the study and knelt before Jia Zheng, who asked him for a full account of the calamity. Lin mentioned that Zhou Rui was involved:
‘Mr Lian’s servant Bao Er has been arrested, and some of the items on the inventory of stolen property have been found on his person. He is being interrogated, and they hope to trace the burglars through him.’
This piece of information threw Jia Zheng into a rage:
‘That our servants should have the base ingratitude to betray us to thieves, that they steal from their own masters! It is sheer treason!’
He sent a man at once to the temple to bind Zhou Rui and deliver him to the authorities for questioning. Lin remained kneeling and did not dare rise to his feet.
‘What are you still down there for?’
‘I deserve to die, sir! I beg your forgiveness!’
Lai Da and some of the other stewards now came in to pay their respects and to present the various bills for funeral expenses.
‘Give these to Mr Lian to deal with. He can report back to me afterwards.’
Jia Zheng bellowed at Lin to get up and leave the study. Jia Lian now knelt on one knee and whispered a suggestion in Jia Zheng’s ear.
‘Out of the question!’ snapped Jia Zheng, glowering at Lian. ‘Just because the money for Mother’s funeral has been taken by thieves, does that mean we must stoop to fining our own servants?’
Jia Lian blushed and said nothing further. He stood up but dared not move.
‘How is it with your wife?’ asked Jia Zheng.
Jia Lian knelt again.
‘I’m afraid she is near the end.’
Jia Zheng sighed.
‘I never dreamt that our family would crumble as quickly as this! And now, to add to our misfortunes, Huan’s mother has been taken ill at the temple, and we still don’t know what’s the matter with her. Do you know anything about this?’
Jia Lian did not dare breathe a word.
‘Tell one of the servants,’ said Jia Zheng, ‘to take a doctor out there and have a look at her, will you?’
‘Yes, Uncle.’
Jia Lian went out at once, and executed these instructions. To learn if Aunt Zhao survived or not, please turn to the next chapter.
