Chapter 116: Gaining the Jade of Spiritual Understanding, Baoyu Awakens to Immortal Fate; Escorting the Coffin to His Hometown, He Fulfills Filial Piety

Chapter 116: Attaining Spiritual Insight in the Illusory Realm, Understanding the Immortal Destiny; Escorting the Coffin of a Beloved One Homeward, Fulfilling Filial Piety

Now, as Baoyu heard Sheyue’s words, his body fell backward, and he fainted once more, throwing Lady Wang and the others into frantic weeping and shouting. Sheyue realized she had misspoken and caused trouble, but at that moment, Lady Wang and the others had no time to rebuke her. Sheyue, sobbing, made up her mind: “If Baoyu dies, I will kill myself and follow him!” But let us set aside Sheyue’s inner resolve. As for Lady Wang and the others, seeing they could not revive him, they hastily sent someone out to find the monk to treat him. Unexpectedly, when Jia Zheng went out through the inner courtyard, the monk had already disappeared. Jia Zheng was puzzled, and upon hearing the commotion inside, he hurried in. He saw Baoyu in the same state as before, with his mouth tightly shut and no pulse at all. Feeling his chest, it was still warm. Jia Zheng had no choice but to urgently summon a doctor to administer medicine and attempt resuscitation.

Little did they know that Baoyu’s soul had already left his body. Do you think he was dead? In truth, he vaguely and swiftly arrived at the front hall, where he saw the monk who had brought the jade sitting there, and he bowed to him. Unexpectedly, the monk stood up, took Baoyu by the hand, and led him away. Following the monk, Baoyu felt his body as light as a leaf, drifting and swaying, and without leaving through the main gate, he somehow stepped out. After walking some distance, they reached a desolate place, and from afar he saw a memorial archway, which seemed familiar, as if he had been there before. Just as he was about to ask the monk, a woman appeared in a hazy vision. Baoyu thought to himself: “In such an empty wilderness, how could there be such a beautiful woman? She must be a goddess descended to the mortal world.” As he pondered this, he drew closer and looked carefully, and found her somewhat familiar, though he could not immediately recall who she was. The woman exchanged a glance with the monk and then vanished. Baoyu realized she looked like You Sanjie, and he grew even more puzzled: “Why is she here too?” Just as he was about to ask, the monk pulled Baoyu past the archway, and he saw four large characters inscribed on it: “True Suchness, Blessed Land.” On either side was a couplet, reading:

Falsehood gone, truth comes, truth surpasses falsehood;

Non-existence has existence, existence is not non-existence.

After passing the archway, they came to a palace gate. Across the top were written four characters: “Blessings for Good, Calamities for Lewdness.” There was another couplet, boldly inscribed:

Do not say the wise and clever can break through past and future;

Know that causes and effects, though close, seldom meet.

Baoyu read this and thought: “So that’s how it is. I should ask about the coming and going of cause and effect.” As this thought occurred to him, he saw Yuanyang standing there, beckoning to him. Baoyu thought: “I’ve been walking for so long, yet I haven’t left the garden. How has everything changed?” He hurried to speak with Yuanyang, but in the blink of an eye, she disappeared, leaving him perplexed. He walked to the spot where she had stood, which was a row of side halls, each with plaques. Baoyu paid them no heed and dashed toward where Yuanyang had been. The door of one side hall was half-open, and Baoyu dared not enter recklessly. He wanted to ask the monk, but turning around, the monk was already gone. In his daze, Baoyu saw the temple towering majestically, nothing like the sights of Grand View Garden. He stopped, looked up, and read the plaque: “Guiding the Love-Stricken.” On either side was a couplet:

Joy, laughter, sorrow, and grief are all illusion;

Coveting, seeking, yearning, and longing all stem from infatuation.

Baoyu read this, nodded, and sighed. He wanted to go inside to find Yuanyang and ask what place this was, but on closer thought, it seemed very familiar, so he mustered his courage and pushed the door open. Scanning the room, he saw no trace of Yuanyang; it was pitch-black inside, and he grew afraid. Just as he was about to retreat, he noticed more than a dozen large cabinets with their doors half-open.

Suddenly, Baoyu recalled: “When I was a child, I dreamed of this place. To now come here in person is a great fortune.” In a daze, he forgot about finding Yuanyang. He bravely opened the uppermost cabinet and looked inside, finding several volumes of registers, which delighted him even more. He thought: “People often say dreams are false, but little do they know that a dream can reflect reality. I often wished I could have that dream again but couldn’t, and now I’ve found it today. But I wonder if these registers are the ones I saw before?” He reached in and took out a volume, on which was written: “Main Register of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling.” Holding it, Baoyu thought: “I vaguely remember that one, but I can’t recall clearly.” He opened the first page and saw a painting, but its lines were blurred, and he could not make it out. Behind it were a few lines of text, also unclear, but still traceable. As he examined them closely, he saw something like “Jade Belt” with a character that seemed to be “Lin” above it. He thought: “Could this be about Sister Lin?” He looked more intently, and below it were the four characters “Golden Hairpin, Snow Concealed.” Startled, he said: “How does this seem like her name too?” Then he recited the four lines together and thought: “There’s no real meaning; it just hints at both their names, nothing remarkable. Only the characters for ‘pity’ and ‘sigh’ are troubling. What do they mean?” Thinking this, he scolded himself: “I’m sneaking a look; if I keep pondering foolishly and someone comes, I won’t be able to see anymore.” So he continued reading, not lingering on the pictures, but going through them from the start. When he reached the end, there were some lines of verse, including the phrase “Meeting in a great dream returns to the end,” and he suddenly understood: “Yes, the clues are correct. This must be Sister Yuanchun. If all are this clear, I could copy it and study it, and then I would know the life spans and fortunes of all those sisters. When I return, I naturally won’t reveal it; I’ll just be a person who knows the future, saving myself from idle speculation.” He looked around for brush and ink, but found none, and fearing someone might come, he hurriedly read on. He saw a faint image of someone flying a kite on the picture, but he paid it no attention. He quickly scanned all twelve poems. Some he understood at first glance, others after a moment’s thought, and a few he didn’t fully grasp, but he committed them firmly to memory. Sighing, he then took out the “Supplementary Register of Jinling” and looked at it. When he saw the line “How enviable the actor’s fortune, who knows the young master’s fate was not fated,” he didn’t understand it at first, but then he saw an image of a flower mat, and he was greatly startled, bursting into bitter tears.

Just as he was about to look further, he heard someone say, “You’re daydreaming again! Sister Lin is calling for you.” It sounded like Yuanyang’s voice, but when he turned his head, he couldn’t see anyone. While he was still astonished and bewildered, suddenly Yuanyang waved to him from outside the door. Baoyu, delighted at the sight, hurried out. He could only see Yuanyang’s shadowy figure walking ahead, but he couldn’t catch up. Baoyu called out, “Good sister, wait for me.” Yuanyang paid no attention and simply kept going forward. Baoyu had no choice but to strain every effort to follow. Suddenly he saw a completely different realm: lofty towers, exquisitely carved eaves and corners, and many palace maids faintly visible within. Baoyu was so captivated by the scenery that he forgot all about Yuanyang. He strolled casually into a palace gate, where there were rare flowers and strange plants, none of which he could recognize. Only a single green herb, with a slight reddish tinge on its leaf tips, was enclosed by a white stone railing. He had no idea what precious herb this was, to be so honored. Where the breeze stirred, the green herb swayed unceasingly. Though it was just a tiny plant with no blossoms, its graceful allure could not but move one’s heart and spirit, making the soul melt away. Baoyu stood staring blankly, when he heard someone nearby say, “What stupid creature are you, to come spying on the immortal herb!” Startled, Baoyu turned his head and saw a fairy maiden. He bowed and said, “I was looking for Sister Yuanyuan and accidentally wandered into this immortal realm. Please forgive my presumption. May I ask, immortal sister, what place this is? How is it that my Sister Yuanyuan came here saying Sister Lin was calling me? I beg you to enlighten me.” The maiden replied, “Who knows about your sisters or brothers? I am the guardian of the immortal herbs, and no mortal is allowed to linger here.” Baoyu wanted to leave, but couldn’t bear to, so he pleaded, “Since you, immortal sister, are the guardian of the immortal herbs, you must surely be the Flower Goddess. But may I ask what virtue this herb possesses?” The fairy maiden said, “If you want to know about this herb, the story is a long one. This herb originally grew on the banks of the Spirit River and was called Crimson Pearl Herb. At that time, it was withering and fading, but fortunately a Divine Luminescent Stone Attendant watered it daily with sweet dew, allowing it to live long. Later, it descended to the mortal world to undergo its trials and repaid the kindness of irrigation. Now it has returned to its true realm. Therefore, the Goddess of Disenchantment ordered me to guard it, to keep bees and butterflies from pestering it.” Baoyu didn’t understand and was firmly convinced that he had met the Flower Goddess; he felt he absolutely must not miss this chance today, so he asked, “So you, immortal sister, are the guardian of this herb. There must also be special guardians for the countless famous flowers. I dare not trouble you about them, but which immortal is the guardian of the hibiscus flower?” The fairy maiden replied, “I don’t know that. Only my mistress would know.” Baoyu then asked, “Who is your mistress, sister?” The fairy maiden said, “My mistress is the River Xiang Consort.” Baoyu said, “Ah! You don’t know, but this consort is actually my cousin Lin Daiyu.” The fairy maiden retorted, “Nonsense. This place belongs to the divine maidens of the upper realm. Though she is called the River Xiang Consort, she is not of the same kind as Ehuang and Nüying. How could she have any kinship with mortals? Stop your wild talk, or I’ll call the spirit warriors to drive you out.”

Baoyu was dumbfounded, feeling himself coarse and defiled. He was about to withdraw when he heard someone rushing over and saying, “The one inside is summoning the Divine Luminescent Stone Attendant.” The maiden said, “I have been waiting under orders for a long time, but I haven’t seen any Divine Luminescent Stone Attendant come. Where am I to invite him from?” The other laughed and said, “Isn’t the one who just withdrew that person?” The maid hurried out and said, “Please, Divine Luminescent Stone Attendant, come back.” Baoyu thought she was asking someone else, and fearing pursuit, he stumbled away in panic. As he fled, he saw a person holding a sword, blocking his way and shouting, “Where do you think you’re going!” Frightened and at a loss, Baoyu summoned his courage, looked up, and saw that it was none other than Third Sister You. Baoyu steadied himself a little and pleaded, “Sister, how can you also come to press me?” The person said, “None of you brothers are any good—ruining people’s reputations and destroying their marriages. Now that you’ve come here, I won’t let you off!” Baoyu sensed the tone was unfavorable and was growing anxious, when he heard someone behind him call out, “Sister, stop him quickly, don’t let him escape!” Third Sister You said, “I have been waiting long under the consort’s orders. Now that I’ve seen you, I must cut off your earthly ties with one sword stroke.” Baoyu grew even more flustered and didn’t understand what these words meant, so he turned and tried to run. But the person speaking behind him was none other than Qingwen. At the sight of her, Baoyu felt a mix of sorrow and joy and said, “I got lost all alone and met an enemy. I wanted to flee back, but none of you followed me. Now, thank goodness, Sister Qingwen, please take me home quickly.” Qingwen said, “Attendant, don’t be suspicious. I am not Qingwen. I have been sent by the consort’s order to invite you for a meeting. I will not harm you.” Baoyu was full of doubt and had to ask, “You say the consort summoned me, but who exactly is this consort?” Qingwen replied, “There’s no need to ask now. When you get there, you will naturally know.” Baoyu had no choice but to follow. He carefully observed the person’s movements from behind—they were exactly like Qingwen’s, and her face and voice were unmistakable. “Why does she say she’s not? My mind is so confused now. Never mind that—once I get there and see the consort, if there’s any trouble, I’ll beg forgiveness then. After all, a woman’s heart is compassionate; she will surely pardon my rashness.” While he was thinking, they soon arrived at a place. The halls were exquisitely built, with brilliant colors and splendor. In the courtyard grew a grove of green bamboo, and outside the door stood several old pine trees. Beneath the eaves stood several maids, all dressed in palace attire. When they saw Baoyu approach, they whispered, “Is this the Divine Luminescent Stone Attendant?” The one leading Baoyu said, “Yes. Go in quickly and announce him.” One maid smiled and beckoned, and Baoyu followed her inside. After passing through several rooms, they came to a main hall with pearl curtains hanging high. The maid said, “Stand here and await the command.” Baoyu dared not speak and waited outside. The maid went in, and after a short time came out and said, “The attendant is to present himself.” Another person rolled up the pearl curtain. Inside, a woman sat upright, wearing a floral crown and embroidered robes. Baoyu glanced up and saw that it resembled Daiyu, so he couldn’t help saying, “Sister! You’re here! I’ve missed you so bitterly.” The maid outside the curtain whispered sternly, “This attendant is rude. Leave at once!” Before she finished speaking, another maid lowered the pearl curtain. Baoyu wanted to go in but didn’t dare; he wanted to leave but couldn’t bear to; he wanted to ask, but he didn’t recognize any of the maids, and being driven away, he had no choice but to withdraw. He thought to ask Qingwen, but when he looked around, she was nowhere to be seen. Filled with doubt, he had to leave in disappointment. With no one to guide him, he tried to find his original path but could no longer locate it. While he was at a loss, he saw Xifeng standing under the eaves of a building, waving to him. Baoyu was overjoyed and said, “How wonderful! So I’ve come back to my own home. How could I have been so confused?” He hurried forward and said, “Sister, you’re here! I’ve been tormented by these people like this. Sister Lin refuses to see me, and I don’t know why.” As he spoke, he reached the place where Xifeng had stood, but looking closely, it was not Xifeng at all—it was Qin Keqing, Jia Rong’s former wife. Baoyu had to stop and was about to ask, “Where is Sister Xifeng?” but Qin Keqing did not answer and simply went inside. Baoyu, dazed and confused, dared not follow, so he stood there stupidly and sighed, “What wrong have I done today that everyone ignores me?” Then he burst into bitter tears. Several turbaned spirit warriors with whips rushed over, shouting, “What mortal man dares to barge into our celestial fairyland? Get out at once!” Baoyu dared not speak. As he was trying to find a way out, he saw from afar a group of women approaching, talking and laughing. When Baoyu looked, they seemed to include Yingchun and others. Overjoyed, he called out, “I’m lost here! Come quickly and save me!” As he shouted, the spirit warriors behind him closed in. Baoyu panicked and ran forward wildly, and suddenly the group of women all turned into hideous ghosts and monsters, and they also came chasing after him.

Baoyu, in his panic, saw the monk who had brought the jade holding up a mirror and shining it, saying, "I come by order of Her Highness Imperial Consort Yuanchun to save you." Instantly all the ghosts and monsters vanished, and there was only a desolate wilderness. Baoyu grabbed the monk and said, "I remember you led me here, and then you disappeared. I saw many relatives, but none of them paid me any attention; suddenly they turned into ghosts and monsters. Is this a dream or reality? I beg you, Master, to enlighten me clearly." The monk said, "Did you secretly look at anything while you were here?" Baoyu thought to himself, "Since he can lead me to this celestial paradise, he must be an immortal; how can I hide anything from him? Besides, I want to get a clear explanation." So he said, "I did see some albums." The monk said, "There you are! After seeing those albums, don’t you understand? All worldly attachments are demonic obstacles. Just remember carefully everything you have experienced, and in the future I will explain it to you." With these words, he gave Baoyu a hard push, saying, "Go back!" Baoyu lost his footing, fell down, and cried out, "Ah yo!"

Lady Wang and the others were weeping when they heard Baoyu regain consciousness and quickly called out to him. Baoyu opened his eyes and saw he was still lying on the kang, with Lady Wang, Baochai, and the others crying until their eyes were red and swollen. He calmed himself and thought, "That’s it—I died and came back to life." Then he stared blankly and pondered the experiences of his spirit, fortunately remembering most of it, and laughed heartily, saying, "That’s it, that’s it." Lady Wang thought it was a relapse of his old illness and was about to send for a doctor to treat him, when she ordered the maids and nannies to quickly tell Jia Zheng that "Baoyu has come to his senses; before, his mind was clouded, but now he’s speaking, so there’s no need to prepare for the funeral." When Jia Zheng heard this, he hurried in to check, and seeing Baoyu indeed revived, he said, "You luckless fool, are you trying to scare someone to death?" As he spoke, tears involuntarily streamed down his face. He sighed a few times, then went out again and sent for a doctor to take his pulse and prescribe medicine. Meanwhile, Sheyue, who had been contemplating suicide, was relieved when she saw Baoyu awaken. Lady Wang had someone bring longan soup and made him drink a few sips, and gradually his mind steadied. Lady Wang and the others felt reassured and said nothing to Sheyue, only telling someone to give the jade back to Baochai to put on Baoyu, "Thinking of that monk, I wonder where this jade came from; it’s strange. How could it ask for silver one moment and disappear the next? Could he be an immortal?" Baochai said, "Speaking of that monk, his comings and goings are elusive. The jade didn’t come from anywhere—when it was lost before, it must have been taken by that monk." Lady Wang said, "How could the jade be taken while it was at home?" Baochai said, "Since it could be sent back, it could also be taken away." Xiren and Sheyue said, "That year when the jade was lost, Master Lin divined a character, and later when the Second Mistress married into the family, I told her that the character divined was ‘reward.’ Do you remember, Second Mistress?" Baochai thought for a moment and said, "That’s right. You said it meant looking in a pawnshop, but now I understand: the character ‘shang’ (monk) was at the top—wasn’t it taken by a monk?" Lady Wang said, "That monk was strange indeed. That year when Baoyu was ill, the monk came and said our family had a treasure that could cure him, referring to this jade. Since he knew that, this jade must have some origin. Besides, your husband was born with it in his mouth. Have you ever heard of such a thing, past or present? But I don’t know what will become of this jade in the end, nor even what will become of our son. Illness is this jade, health is this jade, life is this jade—" She stopped there, unable to help shedding tears again. Baoyu listened and understood in his heart, and thought even more about his death having a reason, but he said nothing, memorizing everything carefully. Then Xichun said, "That year when the jade was lost, we invited Miaoyu to summon an immortal, who said, ‘Under the Green Ridge Peak, leaning on an ancient pine,’ and ‘Enter my gate and meet with a smile.’ Thinking about it, the phrase ‘enter my gate’ has deep significance. The gate of Buddhism is vast; I’m afraid Second Brother cannot enter it." Baoyu heard this and laughed coldly a few times. Baochai heard it and unconsciously furrowed her brows, looking dazed. You-shi said, "You always bring up Buddhism again. Haven’t you given up the idea of becoming a nun?" Xichun laughed, "To be honest with you, sister-in-law, I’ve already given up meat." Lady Wang said, "Good child, Amitabha, you mustn’t entertain such thoughts." Xichun said nothing in response. Baoyu recalled the line "before the green lamp and ancient Buddha" and couldn’t help sighing several times. Suddenly he thought of the line about a mat and a flower, looked at Xiren, and involuntarily shed tears again. Everyone saw him laughing and then crying, but they didn’t understand what it meant, thinking it was just his old illness. Little did they know that Baoyu, sparked by these encounters, had firmly remembered all the lines from the albums he had secretly seen, but he said nothing, having already formed a fixed opinion in his mind. We will say no more of this for now.

Now, when everyone saw Baoyu revived from death, looking clear and refreshed, and with continued medication day by day, he gradually recovered. Jia Zheng, seeing Baoyu well and now idle during his period of mourning, thought of Jia She, not knowing when he would be pardoned, and the old lady’s coffin long stored in the temple, which worried him. He wanted to escort the coffin south for burial, so he called Jia Lian to discuss it. Jia Lian said, "Your idea is excellent, and it would be best to accomplish this great task during the mourning period. Once your mourning is over, things might not go so smoothly. But since my father is not home, I dare not overstep. Your plan is very good, but this matter will cost several thousand taels of silver. The yamen will never recover the stolen goods." Jia Zheng said, "My mind is made up, but since the elder master is not home, I called you to discuss how to proceed. You cannot leave. There’s no one else here, and I have several coffins to take back; how can I manage alone? I thought of taking Rong-ge with me. Besides, his wife’s coffin is also there. And there’s your cousin Lin’s, which was the old lady’s dying wish to be buried with her. I think we can borrow a few thousand taels locally to cover the cost." Jia Lian said, "People’s affections are too thin nowadays. You, sir, are in mourning, and my father is away; borrowing on short notice is impossible. We’ll have to mortgage some property deeds." Jia Zheng said, "The house we live in was built by the government; it can’t be touched." Jia Lian said, "The house can’t be touched. But there are a few other properties that can be sold, and we can redeem them after you return to office. When my father comes back, if he gets reappointed, we can redeem them too. But I feel uneasy, sir, at your age having to endure this hardship." Jia Zheng said, "It’s my duty regarding the old lady. Just be careful at home and keep things steady." Jia Lian said, "You can rest assured, sir. Though I’m foolish, I dare not be negligent. Besides, you’ll have to take many people south, leaving few behind, so the expenses here can be managed. If you run short on the road, you’ll pass by Lai Shangrong’s place; you can call on him for some help." Jia Zheng said, "This is my own parent’s affair; why should I ask for help from others?" Jia Lian acknowledged with a "yes" and withdrew to plan the finances.

Jia Zheng then told Lady Wang to take charge of the household, while he chose an auspicious day for the funeral procession and prepared to leave. By then, Baoyu had fully recovered, and Jia Huan and Jia Lan were diligently studying. Jia Zheng entrusted them to Jia Lian, telling him to discipline them, saying, "This year is the year of the great examination. Huan is in mourning and cannot enter the hall; Lan is a grandson, and after his mourning period, he can take the exam. Be sure to have Baoyu take the exam with him. If he can pass as a juren, it will help redeem our family’s crimes." Jia Lian and the others respectfully assented. Jia Zheng also gave many instructions to those staying home, then bid farewell to the ancestral temple, had several days of sutra chanting outside the city, and finally set off with the coffins onto the boat, taking Lin Zhixiao and others with him. He did not disturb friends or relatives; only the family members saw them off for part of the journey before returning.

Because Jia Zheng had ordered Baoyu to take the examinations, Lady Wang from time to time pressed and examined him on his studies. Baoyu’s constant exhortations from Baochai and Xiren went without saying. Who would have thought that after his illness, although his spirits daily improved, his thoughts had become even more eccentric—they had actually changed into a different sort. Not only had he grown weary of official honors and advancement, but he had also become quite indifferent to the ties of love and affection. Yet most people took little notice, and Baoyu did not speak of it. One day, it happened that Zijuan had just returned from escorting Lin Daiyu’s coffin to its home district. She sat gloomily in her own room weeping, thinking to herself: “Baoyu is heartless. When he saw his Lin sister’s coffin sent away, he shed not a single tear, nor did he come to comfort me when he saw me weeping so bitterly. Instead, he stared at me and smiled. Such an ungrateful person! In the past he used sweet words and cunning talk to fool us! The other night, fortunately, I saw through him, or I would almost have been taken in again. But one thing puzzles me: nowadays I see him treating Xiren and the others coldly too. The Second Mistress was never one to like being close to people, but don’t Sheyue and the others complain about him? I think most girls are foolishly devoted; they have wasted all their care. What will become of them in the end?” As she was thinking, Wuer came in to see her. Noticing Zijuan’s tear-stained face, she said: “Sister, are you thinking of Miss Lin again? As they say, ‘Hearing of someone is not as good as seeing them.’ Earlier I heard that Master Bao was best with the girls, and my mother went to great trouble to get me in here. But after I came, I did my utmost to nurse him through several illnesses. Now that he is well, he hasn’t left me even a single kind word. Lately, he won’t even look at me.” Zijuan found what she said amusing and burst out laughing. Then she spat and said: “Pah! You little hussy! What sort of treatment do you want from Baoyu? A girl like you without any shame! Even the properly recognized chambermaids get no more than a casual glance from him—does he have time to bother with you?” And laughing, she drew a finger across her cheek in mockery and asked: “What relation are you to Baoyu, anyway?” When Wuer heard this, she realized she had spoken indiscreetly and blushed scarlet. She was about to explain that she did not mean to demand any special treatment from Baoyu, but only to remark on his recent lack of consideration for his inferiors, when they heard a commotion outside the courtyard gate: “That monk from outside has come again, asking for that ten thousand taels of silver. The mistress is worried and has told Master Lian to go and negotiate with him, but unfortunately Master Lian is not at home. The monk is outside talking nonsense. The mistress has sent for the Second Mistress to go and discuss it.” How they dealt with that monk will be told in the next chapter.