Chapter 12: Wang Xifeng Devises a Deadly Love Trap; Jia Tianxiang Looks into the Precious Mirror of Love

Xifeng was just speaking with Ping’er when someone announced, “Master Rui has come.” Xifeng urgently ordered, “Invite him in quickly.” Jia Rui saw that he was being ushered inside, and his heart leaped with unexpected joy. He hurried in, and upon seeing Xifeng, his face was full of smiles as he repeatedly greeted her. Xifeng also feigned warmth, inviting him to sit and offering tea.

Seeing Xifeng dressed like this, Jia Rui was even more entranced, his eyes glazed over as he asked, “Why hasn’t Brother Lian returned yet?” Xifeng said, “I don’t know the reason.” Jia Rui laughed, “Could it be that someone has delayed him on the road, and he can’t bear to come back?” Xifeng replied, “That’s possible. Men often love one as soon as they see another.” Jia Rui laughed, “Sister-in-law, you’re mistaken. I’m not like that.” Xifeng smiled, “How many men like you are there? You couldn’t pick one out of ten.” Hearing this, Jia Rui was overjoyed, scratching his ears and cheeks, and then said, “Sister-in-law must be very bored every day.” Xifeng said, “Exactly, I just hope for someone to talk to and relieve the tedium.” Jia Rui laughed, “I’m free every day. How about I come over every day to relieve your boredom?” Xifeng smiled, “You’re teasing me. You wouldn’t be willing to come here.” Jia Rui said, “If I lie to you, may heaven strike me with lightning! It’s just that I’ve always heard people say you’re a formidable person, and that one can’t make the slightest mistake in front of you, so I was intimidated. But now I see you’re the most cheerful and kind person. Why wouldn’t I come? I’d even be willing to die for it!” Xifeng smiled, “You truly are a sensible person, far better than those two, Jia Rong and his brother. I thought they were clever with such refined looks, but they turned out to be two blockheads, completely ignorant of people’s hearts.”

When Jia Rui heard this, it struck him to the core, and he couldn’t help but move closer. He squinted at the pouch Xifeng wore and then asked what ring she had on. Xifeng whispered, “Behave yourself, don’t let the maids see and laugh.” As if hearing a divine command, Jia Rui quickly stepped back. Xifeng smiled, “You should go now.” Jia Rui said, “Let me stay a little longer. How heartless you are, sister-in-law.” Xifeng whispered again, “In broad daylight, with people coming and going, it’s not convenient for you to be here. Go now, and wait until the first watch tonight. Come secretly and wait for me in the western passage.” Hearing this, Jia Rui felt as if he had found a treasure and quickly asked, “Don’t tease me. But that place is often passed through, how can I hide?” Xifeng said, “Just rest assured. I’ll give the night watchmen the night off. Once the gates on both sides are closed, there won’t be anyone else.” Jia Rui was overjoyed and hurriedly took his leave, thinking he had succeeded.

He waited until evening, and in the darkness, he groped his way into the Rong Mansion. Taking advantage of the moment the gates were being closed, he slipped into the passage. It was pitch black with no one around. The gate leading to Grandmother Jia’s quarters was already locked, and only the eastern gate was still open. Jia Rui listened intently, but for a long time, no one came. Suddenly, he heard a click, and the eastern gate was also locked tight. Panicked, Jia Rui dared not make a sound and could only quietly try to push the gate, but it was shut as solid as an iron barrel. Now he couldn’t get out. To the north and south were high walls, and there was nothing to climb. The passage was drafty, empty, and it was the twelfth month, with long nights and biting winds that cut to the bone. He nearly froze to death that night. After enduring until dawn, he finally saw an old woman open the eastern gate and go to open the western one. Taking advantage of her turned back, Jia Rui slipped out like a puff of smoke, hugging his shoulders and running. Fortunately, it was early and no one was up yet; he fled straight home through the back gate. Jia Rui’s parents had died early, and he was raised by his grandfather, Jia Dai-ru. Dai-ru was strict in his teachings and never allowed Jia Rui to take an extra step, fearing he would drink or gamble outside and neglect his studies. Suddenly seeing him not return all night, he assumed he must have been drinking, gambling, or visiting prostitutes, never imagining this situation. So he fumed all night. Jia Rui also broke out in a cold sweat, but he had to go back and lie, saying, “I went to my uncle’s house, and it got dark, so they kept me for the night.” Dai-ru said, “You’ve never dared to go out without my permission. How did you go on your own yesterday? That alone deserves a beating, let alone lying.” So he furiously gave him thirty or forty strokes with a bamboo rod, forbade him from eating, made him kneel in the courtyard to read essays, and insisted he make up for ten days of lessons before he could stop. Jia Rui, having suffered the cold all night, now endured a severe beating and, with an empty stomach, knelt in the wind to read, his suffering beyond measure.

At this point, Jia Rui’s infatuation had not changed at all, and he never imagined that Xifeng was toying with him. A couple of days later, when he found an opportunity, he came looking for Xifeng again. Xifeng deliberately complained that he had broken his promise, and in his anxiety, Jia Rui swore and vowed. Seeing that he was walking right into the trap, Xifeng had to devise another plan to make him see reason, so she arranged another meeting: “Tonight, don’t go there. Wait for me in that empty room in the small passage behind my house. Don’t be reckless.” Jia Rui asked, “Really?” Xifeng said, “Who would fool you? If you don’t believe me, don’t come.” Jia Rui said, “I’ll come, I’ll come. Even if it kills me, I’ll come!” Xifeng said, “Go now for the time being.” Jia Rui, convinced it would go smoothly that night, left for now. Xifeng then deployed her troops and set her trap.

Jia Rui could hardly wait for evening, but unfortunately, a relative came to the house, and he couldn’t leave until after dinner, when it was already lamplight. He waited until his grandfather had settled in for the night, then sneaked into the Rong Mansion and went straight to the room in the corridor to wait. He was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing around. He waited left and right, but there was no sign of anyone, and he heard nothing. He thought to himself, “Could it be that she’s not coming again, and I’ll have to freeze another night?” Just as he was lost in wild guesses, he saw a dark figure approaching. Jia Rui was sure it was Xifeng, and without thinking, he pounced like a starving tiger. As soon as the person reached the door, he grabbed them like a cat catching a mouse and shouted, “Dear sister-in-law, you’ve kept me waiting to death!” Saying this, he carried the person to the kang, kissed them, and tugged at their pants, babbling “Dear mother” and “Dear father” wildly. The person remained silent. Jia Rui pulled down his own pants and, stiff and ready, tried to thrust in. Suddenly, a lamp flashed, and Jia Qiang, holding a torch, shone it in and said, “Who’s in there?” The person on the kang laughed and said, “Uncle Rui wants to fuck me.” When Jia Rui saw it was Jia Rong, he was so ashamed he wished the ground would swallow him, and he didn’t know what to do. He turned to run, but Jia Qiang grabbed him and said, “Don’t go! Your sister-in-law, Lian’s wife, has already reported to the mistress that you molested her for no reason. She used a trick to get away and made you wait here. The mistress was so furious she fainted, and she sent me to catch you. Just now, you even grabbed me. No more excuses—come with me to see the mistress!”

Hearing this, Jia Rui was terrified out of his wits and only said, “Good nephew, just say you never saw me, and tomorrow I’ll reward you handsomely.” Jia Qiang said, “If you reward me, letting you go is nothing, but I don’t know how much you’ll give. Besides, words are empty. Write a contract.” Jia Rui said, “How can I put this on paper?” Jia Qiang said, “That’s no problem. Write that you lost money gambling and borrowed a certain amount from the banker.” Jia Rui said, “That’s easy. But I have no paper or pen now.” Jia Qiang said, “That’s easy too.” He then turned and went out, returning with paper and pen ready, and made Jia Rui write. The two of them, pretending to be difficult, had him write only fifty taels, then he signed and sealed it, and Jia Qiang put it away. Then they dealt with Jia Rong. Jia Rong at first refused to relent, insisting, “Tomorrow, I’ll tell the clan to judge this.” Jia Rui was so desperate he even kowtowed. Jia Qiang, pretending to mediate, also had him write a fifty-tael IOU before they stopped. Jia Qiang then said, “Now, if I let you go, I’ll be in trouble. The gate to Grandmother’s quarters is already locked, and the master is in the main hall inspecting things from Nanjing, so that way is impossible. We’ll have to go out the back gate. But if we run into anyone on the way, I’m finished too. Let us scout ahead first, then come back for you. You can’t stay in this room; they’ll be stacking things here soon. Let me find a place.” With that, he pulled Jia Rui, extinguished the lamp, and went out to the courtyard. Feeling under the large stone steps, he said, “This spot is good. Crouch here and don’t make a sound. Wait for us to come back before moving.” Then the two of them left.

Jia Rui, now unable to control himself, had no choice but to crouch there. As he was plotting in his mind, he suddenly heard a crash overhead—a bucket of urine and feces poured straight down from above, drenching him from head to toe. Jia Rui couldn't help letting out an "Aiyo!" but quickly covered his mouth, not daring to make a sound. His head and face, his whole body, were covered in filth, cold and shivering. Then Jia Qiang came running, shouting, "Quick, quick, get out of here!" As if his life depended on it, Jia Rui scurried through the back gate and ran home in a few strides. It was already the third watch of the night, so he had to call for the gate to be opened. The gateman, seeing him in such a state, asked what had happened. He had no choice but to lie, saying, "It was dark, and I slipped and fell into a latrine." Once inside his own room, changing his clothes and washing up, he finally realized that Xifeng had tricked him. He fumed with resentment for a while, but then, thinking of Xifeng's appearance, he longed to hold her in his arms at once. He didn't close his eyes all night.

From then on, he thought of Xifeng constantly but dared not go to the Rongguo Mansion anymore. Jia Rong and Jia Qiang often came to demand money, and he was also afraid his grandfather would find out. He could hardly bear the pangs of lovesickness, and now debts were added on top. During the day, his studies were pressing. He was a man of about twenty, not yet married, and lately, thinking of Xifeng, he had resorted to manual relief and such matters. Added to this, he had suffered two bouts of cold and anxiety from rushing about, so with troubles pressing in from all sides, he unknowingly fell ill: his chest felt distended, his mouth had no taste, his feet were like cotton, his eyes felt like vinegar, he ran a fever at night, he was often tired during the day, his urine carried semen, and he coughed up blood. All sorts of symptoms like these had fully appeared within less than a year. He could no longer hold on and collapsed into bed. As soon as he closed his eyes, his dreams were disordered and confused, and he babbled nonsense, terrified beyond measure. He called in doctors for treatment of all kinds—medicines like cinnamon, aconite, turtle shell, dwarf lilyturf, and Solomon's seal—consuming dozens of catties without any effect. Suddenly, the year turned, and spring returned, but his illness only worsened. Dai Ru, growing alarmed, sought doctors everywhere, but none proved effective. Later, when "single ginseng decoction" was prescribed, Dai Ru, lacking the means, had to go to the Rongguo Mansion to seek it. Lady Wang ordered Xifeng to weigh out two ounces for him. Xifeng replied, "The other day, all the whole ones were used to make medicine for the old lady, and madam said to keep the remaining whole ones for sending to Commander Yang's wife for her medicine. As luck would have it, I sent them off yesterday." Lady Wang said, "If we don't have any here, send someone to your mother-in-law's place to ask, or look in Uncle Zhen's mansion for some more, and make up the amount for him. If it cures him and saves a life, it will be to your credit." Xifeng, upon hearing this, did not send anyone to search, but merely gathered a few maces of broken pieces, dregs, and root hairs, and had someone deliver them, saying, "This is what madam sent; there is no more." Then she reported to Lady Wang, saying, "I searched everywhere and put together about two ounces to send over."

At this point, Jia Rui, desperate to save his life, would take any medicine, but it was all a waste of money with no effect. Suddenly, one day, a lame Taoist came begging for alms, claiming to specialize in curing karmic illnesses. Jia Rui, who happened to hear him from inside, shouted out in a loud voice, "Quickly, invite that Bodhisattva in to save me!" As he shouted, he kowtowed on his pillow. The attendants had no choice but to bring the Taoist in. Jia Rui grabbed hold of him, repeatedly calling out, "Bodhisattva, save me!" The Taoist sighed and said, "Your illness cannot be cured with medicine. I have a precious object to give you. If you look at it every day, your life can be preserved." With that, he took out a mirror from his cloth bag—it could reflect people on both sides, and on the handle were engraved the four characters "Precious Mirror of Romantic Illusions"—and handed it to Jia Rui, saying, "This object comes from the Hall of Ethereal Emptiness in the Realm of Illusion, made by the Fairy of Disenchantment. It is specially designed to cure ailments of improper thoughts and reckless actions, and has the power to save lives and protect health. Therefore, I brought it into the world, solely for the viewing of intelligent heroes and elegant nobles. On no account should you look at the front; only look at its back. This is crucial, crucial! In three days, I will come to retrieve it, and I guarantee you will be cured." Having said this, he left as if nothing were the matter, and the attendants could not persuade him to stay.

Jia Rui took the mirror and thought, "This Taoist is quite interesting. Why don't I try looking into it?" With that, he picked up the Precious Mirror of Romantic Illusions and looked at the reverse side. There he saw a skeleton standing inside. Frightened, Jia Rui quickly covered it, cursing, "The Taoist is a scoundrel! How dare he scare me! Let me look at the front and see what's there." Thinking this, he turned the mirror to the front, and there stood Xifeng, beckoning to him. Jia Rui's heart leaped with joy, and he felt himself drifting dizzily into the mirror, where he had a tryst with Xifeng. Xifeng then escorted him out. Back on his bed, he let out an "Aiyo!" and opened his eyes. The mirror had fallen from his hand, and on its reverse side stood the skeleton again. Jia Rui felt himself drenched in sweat, and beneath him was a pool of semen. Still unsatisfied, he turned the mirror to the front again, and there was Xifeng still beckoning him. He entered once more. This happened three or four times. On this last occasion, just as he was about to come out of the mirror, two men approached, put iron chains around him, and dragged him away. Jia Rui cried out, "Let me take the mirror first!" But after saying this, he could no longer speak.

The attendants beside Jia Rui saw him first holding the mirror to look, then dropping it, then opening his eyes to pick it up again, and finally, when the mirror fell, he did not move. They came up to look and found he had stopped breathing. Under his body was a cold, wet pool of semen. Then they hurriedly dressed him and laid him out on the bed. Dai Ru and his wife wept bitterly, cursing the Taoist, "What kind of demonic mirror is this! If we don't destroy this thing quickly, its harm to the world will be great." They ordered a fire to be set to burn it, when a voice was heard weeping from the mirror, "Who told you to look at the front! You yourselves took the false for the true—why should you burn me?" As the weeping continued, the lame Taoist was seen running in from outside, shouting, "Who dares destroy the 'Precious Mirror of Romantic Illusions'? I have come to save it!" With that, he strode into the main hall, snatched the mirror into his hands, and drifted away.

At that time, Dai Ru managed the funeral arrangements and sent out obituary notices everywhere. The sutra recitation began on the third day, the funeral procession on the seventh day, and the coffin was temporarily housed at the Iron Threshold Temple, to be taken back to their ancestral home later. The Jia family members all came to offer condolences. Jia She of the Rongguo Mansion gave twenty taels of silver, Jia Zheng also twenty taels, Jia Zhen of the Ningguo Mansion also twenty taels. Others among the clan, rich or poor, gave three or five taels—the number was too many to count. In addition, his fellow students contributed a total of twenty or thirty taels. Although Dai Ru's household was modest, they managed to complete the affair quite handsomely.

Who would have thought that at the end of this winter, a letter arrived from Lin Ruhai, stating that he was seriously ill and had specially sent for Lin Daiyu to return. When Lady Jia heard this, she could not help but feel more worried and had to hastily prepare Daiyu for departure. Baoyu was greatly displeased, but given the bond between father and daughter, he could hardly dissuade her. Lady Jia insisted that Jia Lian escort her and bring her back. All the necessary local gifts and travel expenses were, of course, properly arranged without further ado. A date was quickly chosen, and Jia Lian, together with Lin Daiyu, took leave of Lady Jia and the others, leading their servants, and boarded a boat for Yangzhou. To know what happened next, listen to the next chapter's explanation.