Chapter 53: Sacrifice to ancestors at New Year's Eve in the Ningguo Mansion; a lantern festival banquet in the Rongguo Mansion
CHAPTER 53
On New Year’s Eve the Ningguo House Sacrifices in the Ancestral Temple
On the Lantern Festival the Rongguo House Holds a Night Feast
When Baoyu saw that Qingwen, having finished mending the peacock-fur cloak, was utterly spent and at the point of collapse, he hastily ordered a little maid to come and massage her. They took turns pounding and kneading for a while, then rested. Before a meal had been finished, the sky was already fully light. Baoyu did not go out but called for the doctor to be sent for at once. Presently Dr. Wang arrived. After feeling her pulse, he said with some perplexity: “She seemed better yesterday; why is her pulse today so faint, weak, floating, and thin? Could she have eaten too much? Or else she overexerted herself mentally. The external affliction has cleared, but this failure to nurse her strength properly after sweating is no small matter.” As he spoke, he went out, wrote out a prescription, and returned. When Baoyu looked at it, he saw that the medicines for dispersing and expelling pathogenic influences had been reduced, and instead, drugs such as Poria cocos, Rehmannia root, and angelica—tonics to boost the spirit and nourish the blood—had been added. Baoyu hastily ordered someone to decoct it, sighing as he said: “What is to be done! If anything goes wrong, it will all be my fault.” Qingwen, lying on her pillow, groaned: “Dear master! Go about your own business. How could I be so unlucky as to contract consumption?” Baoyu had no choice but to leave. By the afternoon, he said he felt unwell and returned. Although Qingwen’s illness was severe, fortunately she was by nature one who exerted her strength rather than her mind, and she had always been used to light, bland food, so neither hunger nor surfeit harmed her. In the Jia household, there was a customary secret method: whether high or low, at the slightest sign of a cold or cough, the main treatment was fasting, with medicine taken secondarily for nursing. So when she first fell ill the day before, she had fasted for two or three days and taken medicine cautiously to regulate her condition. Now, having been a bit overworked, she was nursed with extra care for several days and gradually recovered. Recently, the young ladies in the Garden all ate their meals in their own rooms, and cooking was convenient. Baoyu could always find ways to order soups and broths to suit her needs—no need to go into detail.
After Xiren had seen off her mother’s funeral, she had already returned. Sheyue then told Baoyu about the business of Song Mama and Zhuier, as reported by Pinger, and about Qingwen’s expulsion—all of this had been reported back to Baoyu. Xiren had nothing else to say, only that he had been too hasty. Because Li Wan had also caught a seasonal cold, and Lady Xing was suffering from pinkeye, Yingchun and Xiuyan were both attending them day and night with medicine. Aunt Li’s brother had come to fetch Aunt Li, Li Wen, and Li Qi to stay at his home for a few days. Baoyu also noticed that Xiren was often grieving for her mother, and Qingwen was not yet fully recovered. Thus, when the Poetry Club’s meeting day came, no one was in the mood to hold it, and several sessions were missed.
It was now the twelfth month, and the New Year was drawing near. Lady Wang and Xifeng were busy managing the New Year’s preparations. Wang Ziteng had been promoted to Inspector-General of the Nine Provinces, and Jia Yucun had been appointed Grand Minister of War, assisting in military affairs and advising on state policy. These matters need not be elaborated.
Turning to Jia Zhen’s side, the ancestral temple was opened, and he ordered people to clean it, prepare the sacrificial vessels, and set out the ancestral tablets. He also had the main hall cleaned, ready to hang the ancestral portraits. At this time, both the Rong and Ning mansions, inside and out, high and low, were bustling with activity. That day, Lady You of the Ning Mansion had just risen and was with Jia Rong’s wife sorting out the needlework and gifts to be sent to the Jia Mother, when a maid came in carrying a tea-tray of New Year’s money ingots and reported: “Xinger tells madam that the packet of broken gold from the day before yesterday totals one hundred fifty-three taels, six qian, and seven fen. The fineness varies, and altogether two hundred and twenty ingots have been cast.” As she spoke, she presented the tray. Lady You looked at them and saw that some were in the shape of plum blossoms, some crabapple blossoms, some brushes, ingots, and ruyi scepter designs, and some with the pattern of “Eight Treasures Uniting Spring.” Lady You ordered: “Put these away and tell him to quickly bring in the silver ingots.” The maid acknowledged and left.
Shortly afterward, Jia Zhen came in to eat, and Jia Rong’s wife withdrew. Jia Zhen asked Lady You: “Have we received the imperial bounty for the spring sacrifice yet?” Lady You said: “Today I sent Rong’er to collect it.” Jia Zhen said: “Our family doesn’t depend on these few taels of silver, but it is still an imperial favor. If it’s collected early, we can show it to the old lady over there, use it for the ancestral offerings—above, receiving the emperor’s grace; below, relying on our ancestors’ blessings. Even if we spent ten thousand taels of silver on ancestral offerings, it wouldn’t be as dignified as this, which is both a mark of favor and a blessing. Apart from families like ours, those hereditary poor officials—if they didn’t rely on this silver, what would they use for offerings and the New Year? Truly, the imperial grace is vast and thoughtful.” Lady You said: “That is exactly right.”
As the two were speaking, someone reported: “The young master has arrived.” Jia Zhen ordered him to come in. Jia Rong entered, carrying a small yellow cloth bag. Jia Zhen said: “Why did you take the whole day?” Jia Rong replied with a smile: “Today it wasn’t issued at the Ministry of Rites; it was assigned to the Imperial Banqueting Court’s treasury. So I had to go to the Banqueting Court to receive it. The officials there all sent their regards to you, Father, saying they hadn’t seen you for many days and missed you very much.” Jia Zhen laughed: “They don’t miss me. With New Year’s coming, it’s not my things they want, but my operas and wine.” As he spoke, he looked at the yellow cloth bag. On it was stamped the four large characters: “Eternal Imperial Favor.” On the other side was the seal of the Department of Sacrificial Rites of the Ministry of Rites, and a line of small characters reading: “Ningguo Duke Jia Yan and Rongguo Duke Jia Yuan, grace-granted perpetual spring sacrifice, two portions, net silver converted to a certain number of taels. Received on such-and-such a date by Jia Rong, Imperial Bodyguard Candidate, in person. The year’s duty officer, so-and-so.” Below that was a vermilion flourish.
After Jia Zhen had eaten, washed his hands, and rinsed his mouth, he changed into his boots and hat and ordered Jia Rong to follow him, carrying the silver. They went first to pay their respects to the Jia Mother and Lady Wang, then to Jia She and Lady Xing’s side. Only then did they return home, take out the silver, and order the bag to be burned in the great furnace of the ancestral temple. Then Jia Zhen said to Jia Rong: “Go and ask your Second Aunt Lian whether the dates for inviting guests to the New Year’s wine feasts in the first month have been set. If they are decided, have the study make out a clear list for us, so that when we issue invitations, we don’t duplicate them. Last year I was careless and duplicated several households—not that they said we were inattentive, but it seemed as if the two mansions had colluded to send empty courtesies, afraid of the trouble.” Jia Rong promptly agreed and left. After a while, he returned with the list of dates for inviting guests to the New Year’s wine. Jia Zhen looked it over and ordered it to be given to Lai Sheng to study, so that when inviting people, the dates would not overlap.
Then, in the main hall, he watched the pages move the folding screens and wipe the gold and silver sacrificial vessels. Suddenly, a page came in holding a visiting card and an account book, reporting: “Manager Wu of Black Mountain Village has arrived.”
Jia Zhen said: “That old rascal has finally come today.” As he spoke, Jia Rong took the visiting card and account book, quickly unfolded them, and held them up. Jia Zhen, hands clasped behind his back, looked at the red visiting card in Jia Rong’s hands. On it was written: “Your servant, Village Manager Wu Jinxiao, respectfully wishes the Master and Mistress boundless blessings and golden peace, and sends his respects to the young masters and young ladies. May the New Year bring great happiness, great fortune, glory, peace, promotion to higher office, and the fulfillment of all wishes.” Jia Zhen laughed: “These country folk have a certain charm.” Jia Rong also laughed quickly: “Don’t mind the grammar; just take it as an auspicious greeting.” At the same time, he unfolded the list and looked at it. On it was written: “Thirty large deer, fifty river deer, fifty roe deer, twenty Siam pigs, twenty soup pigs, twenty dragon pigs, twenty wild boars, twenty home-cured pigs, twenty wild sheep, twenty blue sheep, twenty home-soup sheep, twenty home-wind-dried sheep, two sturgeon, two hundred catties of assorted fish, two hundred each of live chickens, ducks, and geese, two hundred each of wind-dried chickens, ducks, and geese, two hundred pairs each of pheasants and hares, twenty pairs of bear paws, twenty catties of deer sinews, fifty catties of sea cucumbers, fifty deer tongues, fifty ox tongues, twenty catties of dried razor clams, two sacks each of hazelnuts, pine nuts, peach kernels, and apricot kernels, fifty pairs of large prawns, two hundred catties of dried shrimp, one thousand catties of top-grade silver-frost charcoal, two thousand catties of medium-grade, thirty thousand catties of firewood charcoal, two piculs of Imperial Field rosy rice, fifty hu of green glutinous rice, fifty hu of white glutinous rice, fifty hu of fine polished rice, fifty hu each of various grains, one thousand piculs of ordinary daily rice, one cart of assorted dried vegetables, and two thousand five hundred taels of silver in lieu of grains and livestock sold outside. Additionally, as a token of respect from the village manager to the young masters and young ladies for amusement: two pairs of live deer, four pairs of live white rabbits, four pairs of black rabbits, two pairs of live golden pheasants, and two pairs of Western ducks.”
Jia Zhen ordered the man brought in. In a short while, Wu Jinxiao entered and knelt in the courtyard to kowtow and pay his respects. Jia Zhen had someone help him up and said with a smile, “You’re still hale and hearty.” Wu Jinxiao replied with a smile, “Thanks to your good fortune, Master, I can still get about.” Jia Zhen said, “Your son is grown now; you should let him do some of the traveling too.” Wu Jinxiao laughed and said, “To be honest with you, Master, we underlings are used to the road, and we’d feel cooped up if we didn’t go. Besides, aren’t they all eager to see the sights of the Imperial City? But they’re still young, and I worry about accidents on the road; in a few more years, I’ll feel easy about it.” Jia Zhen asked, “How many days did you travel?” Wu Jinxiao replied, “To answer you, Master, this year the snow was heavy—outside there was four or five feet of snow everywhere. A few days ago, it suddenly turned warm and melted, making the roads very hard to travel, and I was delayed several days. Though it took a month and two days, since time was short and I feared you’d be anxious, Master, I hurried on.” Jia Zhen said, “I was just wondering why you came only today. I just looked at the list, and this year you old rascal have come to haggle again.” Wu Jinxiao quickly stepped forward two paces and replied, “To answer you, Master, the harvest this year was truly bad. Starting with rain in the third month, it went on continuously until the eighth month, without a single clear spell lasting five days. In the ninth month, there was a hailstorm with hailstones the size of bowls, covering nearly thirteen hundred li. It injured thousands of people, houses, livestock, and crops. That’s why it’s like this. I wouldn’t dare lie.” Jia Zhen frowned and said, “I calculated you’d bring at least five thousand taels of silver—what’s this supposed to be enough for! Now you have only eight or nine estates left, and this year two of them reported drought or flood, and you’re haggling again—truly, you mean for us to skip the New Year.” Wu Jinxiao said, “Your estate, Master, is still considered good! My brother is only a little over a hundred li from here, but it turned out far worse. He manages eight estates for that other mansion, several times more than yours, and this year he only brought this much—just two or three thousand taels more—and he’s still scraping to get by.” Jia Zhen said, “Exactly. On my side, things are manageable; there are no major external affairs, just the year’s expenses being a bit high. If I bear some hardship, I can save a little. Also, for the annual gifts and invitations, if I’m thick-skinned, I can cut back and get by. It’s not like that other mansion; in recent years, they’ve added many costly affairs that can’t be avoided, yet they haven’t increased their silver or properties. These last two years, they’ve actually lost a lot—if not from you, who else am I to ask!” Wu Jinxiao laughed and said, “Though that mansion has added affairs these days, there’s income and outgo—surely the Imperial Consort and His Majesty will bestow rewards!” When Jia Zhen heard this, he laughed and said to Jia Rong and the others, “Listen to him—isn’t that ridiculous?” Jia Rong and the others quickly laughed and said, “You people from the mountain hollows and seaside corners, how could you understand such matters? Would the Imperial Consort give us the Emperor’s treasury! Even if she had the intention, she couldn’t decide it. Of course, there are rewards, but at the appointed times and festivals, it’s just some colored silks, antiques, and trinkets. Even if they bestow silver, it’s at most a hundred taels of gold, worth only a thousand taels of silver—what’s that for a whole year? These last two years, haven’t we lost several thousand taels each year! In the first year, the Imperial Consort’s visit home, including building the garden—just calculate how much that one item cost, and you’ll know. In another two years, if there’s another visit home, I’m afraid they’ll be completely broke.” Jia Zhen laughed and said, “That’s why these honest farmers know the outside but not the inside—like the saying goes, ‘Using corkwood for a chime hammer—honorable on the outside, bitter within.’” Jia Rong also laughed and said to Jia Zhen, “That mansion really is poor now. The other day I heard Miss Feng and Yuanyang whispering about secretly pawning some of the old lady’s things for silver.” Jia Zhen laughed and said, “That’s another trick of your Miss Feng’s. How could they be that poor? She must see too many expenses and truly heavy losses, and she’s probably thinking of where to cut costs. So she first sets up this scheme to let people know they’re so poor. I have my own calculations; it hasn’t come to that yet.” With that, he ordered someone to take Wu Jinxiao out and treat him well, and that was that.
Here, Jia Zhen instructed that from the various items just received, those for ancestral offerings should be set aside, and taking some of each kind, he ordered Jia Rong to deliver them to the Rong Mansion. Then he kept what his own household needed, and the rest he portioned out according to set shares, piling them in separate heaps below the moon terrace, and ordered that the clan’s younger sons and nephews be summoned to receive them. Shortly after, the Rong Mansion also sent many items for ancestral offerings and gifts for Jia Zhen. Jia Zhen watched as the sacrificial vessels were prepared, then, slipping on his shoes and donning his lynx-fur greatcoat, he ordered a large wolfskin cushion to be spread on the stone platform at the foot of the hall pillars in the sun, where he sat basking in the warmth, idly watching the younger members come to collect their New Year goods. When he saw Jia Qin also come to collect, Jia Zhen called him over and said, “What are you doing here? Who told you to come?” Jia Qin, with hands at his sides, replied, “I heard that you, Great Uncle, were distributing goods, so I came without waiting for anyone to call me.” Jia Zhen said, “These goods of mine are originally for those idle, unproductive younger uncles and brothers of yours. In those two years when you were idle, I gave you some too. Now you’re managing affairs in that other mansion, overseeing the monks and Taoists at the family temple, and besides your own monthly allowance, you also handle the monks’ stipends. And yet you still come to take this—you’re too greedy! Look at yourself—do you dress like someone who handles money and affairs? Before, I said you had no income, but now what’s the matter? You look even worse than before.” Jia Qin said, “My family has many people and large expenses.” Jia Zhen sneered and said, “You’re still making excuses to me. Do you think I don’t know what you’ve been doing at the family temple? Once you get there, you’re the master, with no one daring to defy you. With money in hand and far from us, you lord it over everyone, gathering gangs to gamble every night, keeping women and boys. Now that you’ve squandered everything to this state, you still dare to come for goods? If you don’t get goods, you’ll get a beating with a club instead. After the New Year, I’ll definitely speak to your Second Uncle Lian and have you replaced.” Jia Qin’s face turned red, and he dared not reply. A servant announced, “The Prince of the Northern Mansion, Prince Shui, has sent calligraphy scrolls and embroidered pouches.” On hearing this, Jia Zhen quickly ordered Jia Rong to go out and entertain the messenger, saying, “Just say I’m not at home.” Jia Rong left, and Jia Zhen watched as the goods were distributed, then returned to his room to have dinner with You Shi. That night passed without incident. The next day was busier than usual, but no need for detailed description.
By the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, everything was ready. Both mansions had changed their door gods, couplets, and hanging plaques, and freshly painted their peachwood charms, making everything look brand new. The Ning Mansion, from the main gate, ceremonial gate, great hall, warm pavilion, inner hall, inner third gate, inner ceremonial gate, and inner barrier gate, all the way to the main hall, had its main doors wide open. On either side of the steps, a row of tall red lanterns burned like two golden dragons. The next day, Lady Jia and those with noble titles, dressed in court robes according to their rank, first took eight-man palanquins and led the company to the palace to pay respects and attend the banquet. After returning, they alighted from their palanquins at the warm pavilion of the Ning Mansion. The younger members who had not accompanied them to court were already lined up in front of the Ning Mansion gate, waiting, and then they were led into the ancestral temple.
Now, Baoqin, being there for the first time, carefully scrutinized the ancestral temple. It turned out to be a separate compound west of the Ning Mansion. Inside a black oiled railing stood a five-bay main gate, above which hung a plaque inscribed with the four characters “Jia Clan Ancestral Temple,” with a side note reading “Written by Kong Jizong, Duke Yansheng.” Flanking it was a long couplet, reading:
“Their brains and bowels spill on the ground, the myriad people rely on their nurturing grace; their merits and fame reach to heaven, for a hundred generations they enjoy the splendor of sacrifices.”
This too was written by the Duke Yansheng. Entering the courtyard, there was a white stone path, with ancient pines and verdant cypresses on either side. On the moon terrace were placed bronze and ancient vessels such as ding and yi. Before the veranda hung a gold plaque with nine dragons, inscribed with the words “Starlight Shines on the Aides,” written by a former emperor in his own hand. On either side was a couplet, reading:
“Their achievements shine brightly, illuminating sun and moon; their honors and fame extend unbroken to their children and grandchildren.”
This too was in the imperial hand. Before the five-bay main hall hung a blue plaque with a writhing dragon, inscribed with the words “Careful in the End, Reverent in Remembrance.” Beside it was a couplet, reading:
“Henceforth, descendants receive blessings and virtue; to this day, the common people remember Rong and Ning.”
All were written by the imperial brush. Inside, incense and candles blazed brilliantly, with brocade curtains and embroidered screens, and though the ancestral tablets were set out, they could not be seen clearly. The members of the Jia clan were seen standing in rows arranged by generation rank: Jia Jing presided over the sacrifice, Jia She assisted, Jia Zhen offered the wine vessels, Jia Lian and Jia Cong presented the silk, Baoyu held the incense, Jia Chang and Jia Ling spread the kneeling mats and tended the burning pit. Musicians in blue robes played music, wine was presented three times, they knelt and rose again; after the rites were completed, the silk was burned, wine was poured as libation, the ceremony ended, the music stopped, and the crowd withdrew.
The crowd, surrounding Grandmother Jia, came to the main hall. Before the spirit shrine, the brocade curtains were drawn high, colored screens stood as guards, and incense and candles blazed brilliantly. Above, in the very center, hung the portraits of the two founding ancestors, Ningguo Duke and Rongguo Duke, both in python robes with jade belts; on either side were several more portraits of successive ancestors. Jia Xing, Jia Zhi, and others stood in order from the inner ceremonial gate all the way to the veranda of the main hall. Outside the threshold were Jia Jing and Jia She; inside the threshold were the various ladies. All the household servants and young manservants were outside the ceremonial gate. Each dish, when sent in, was passed to the ceremonial gate, where Jia Xing, Jia Zhi, and others took it and, in proper order, passed it up the steps to Jia Jing’s hands. Jia Rong, being the eldest grandson of the senior branch, alone followed the ladies inside the threshold. Whenever Jia Jing presented a dish and passed it to Jia Rong, Jia Rong would pass it to his wife, who then passed it to Xifeng, You Shi, and the others, until it reached the altar table, where it was given to Lady Wang. Lady Wang passed it to Grandmother Jia, who then placed it on the table with her own hands. Lady Xing stood on the west side of the altar table, facing east, and together with Grandmother Jia, they arranged the offerings. Only after all the dishes, rice, soup, snacks, wine, and tea had been passed in full did Jia Rong withdraw back down the steps and take his place at the head of Jia Qin’s row on the steps. Of those with the “wen” radical in their names, Jia Jing was first; of those with the “yu” radical, Jia Zhen was first; of those with the “cao” radical, Jia Rong was first. Left and right by generation, men to the east and women to the west, when Grandmother Jia took incense and knelt to bow, then everyone knelt together, filling the five-bay main hall, the three-bay porch, the inner and outer verandas, and the two stone courtyards above and below the steps, so crowded with a profusion of silk and finery that not a single empty space remained. Not a sound was heard, only the faint tinkling of gold bells and jade pendants, and the rustling of boots and shoes as they rose and knelt. When the ceremony ended, Jia Jing, Jia She, and the others quickly withdrew and went to the Rongguo Mansion to wait specifically to pay their respects to Grandmother Jia.
In You Shi’s main room, red felt carpets had already been laid out fully, and on the floor was a large brazier in the shape of an elephant with three legs and a loach-like rim, made of gilded cloisonné. On the kang bed facing the main wall was spread a brand-new scarlet felt rug, and on it were placed large crimson embroidered backrests and armrests with the pattern of clouds and dragons holding up the character for longevity. Over these was draped a covering of black fox fur, and a large white fox fur cushion was set out, inviting Grandmother Jia to sit up there. On either side, fur cushions were also spread for two or three of Grandmother Jia’s sisters-in-law of the same generation to sit. On the small kang behind the partition at the side, fur cushions were also spread for Lady Xing and others to sit. On the ground, facing each other in two rows, were twelve carved lacquer chairs, each with a uniform gray squirrel fur cover and small cushion, and under each chair was a large brass foot warmer, for Baochin and the other girls to sit on. You Shi herself, using a tea tray, served tea to Grandmother Jia, and Rong’s wife served it to the various elder grandmothers; then You Shi served Lady Xing and the others, and Rong’s wife served the girls. Xifeng, Li Wan, and the others only waited on them from the floor. After tea, Lady Xing and the others rose first and attended to Grandmother Jia. Grandmother Jia, having drunk her tea and exchanged a few words of idle chat with her old sisters-in-law, ordered the sedan chair to be prepared. Xifeng quickly went up to help her rise. You Shi smiled and replied, “I have already prepared the Old Ancestress’s dinner. Every year you refuse to do me the honor of eating here before going; are we really not as good as Miss Xifeng?” Xifeng, helping Grandmother Jia, laughed and said, “Old Ancestor, hurry up, let’s go home and eat; don’t pay her any mind.” Grandmother Jia laughed, “You have the ancestors to attend to here—you’re busy enough as it is; how could you put up with me making a fuss? Besides, every year, even if I don’t eat here, you still send things over. It’s better to just send it over; if I can’t finish it, I’ll keep it for tomorrow and eat it then—won’t that mean I get to eat more?” This made everyone laugh. She also instructed You Shi: “Be sure to assign reliable people to keep watch over the incense and candles tonight—this is not something to be careless about.” You Shi agreed. Then she went out, reached the warm alcove, and got into her sedan chair. You Shi and the others slipped behind the screen, and the young servants then led the sedan chair bearers, who carried the sedan chair out through the main gate. You Shi also followed Lady Xing and the others to the Rongguo Mansion.
When the sedan chair came out of the main gate, on this street, on the east side, the full ceremonial regalia, instruments, and music of the Ningguo Duke were arranged in a row, and on the west side, those of the Rongguo Duke were likewise arranged. All passersby were cleared away and not allowed to pass through. Soon they arrived at the Rongguo Mansion, where the main gate and main hall also stretched straight to the end. This time, she did not dismount at the warm alcove; after passing the main hall, they turned west and went to Grandmother Jia’s main hall, where she dismounted from the sedan chair. The crowd surrounded her and accompanied her into Grandmother Jia’s main chamber, which was also adorned with brocade cushions and embroidered screens, everything fresh and new. In the brazier on the floor were burning pine and cypress incense and sweet grass. Grandmother Jia took her seat, and an old serving woman came to report: “The old ladies have come to pay their respects.” Grandmother Jia quickly rose to greet them, and sure enough, two or three old sisters-in-law had already entered. They clasped hands, laughed for a while, and yielded seats to each other. After drinking tea, they departed, and Grandmother Jia saw them only as far as the inner ceremonial gate before returning to her main seat. Jia Jing, Jia She, and the others led the younger men in. Grandmother Jia laughed, “It’s been hard on you all year—let’s dispense with the formal bows.” Even as she spoke, the men in one group and the women in another, group by group, all performed their bows. Chairs were set on the left and right, and then everyone took their seats in order of seniority to receive the bows. The male and female servants and young maids of both mansions also bowed in order according to their rank and duties. After that, New Year’s money, embroidered pouches, and gold and silver ingots were distributed, and the happy reunion feast was laid out. Men to the east and women to the west took their seats; the tusu wine, happy reunion soup, auspicious fruits, and ruyi cakes were served, and then Grandmother Jia rose and went into the inner chamber to change her clothes. Only then did the others disperse. That evening, incense was burned and offerings were made before the Buddha shrines and the Kitchen God in various places; in Lady Wang’s main courtyard, paper effigies of Heaven and Earth with incense and offerings were set up; at the main gate of the Grand View Garden, large horn lanterns were hung, blazing high on both sides, and there were street lamps everywhere. High and low, everyone was dressed in the finest silks and finery, and all night long, the noise of voices, laughter, and chatter mingled with the endless crackle of firecrackers and the whoosh of skyrockets.
By the fifth watch of the next day, Grandmother Jia and the others, having put on full court dress according to their rank, with the complete ceremonial retinue, entered the palace to pay homage and also to offer birthday greetings to Yuanchun. After receiving the imperial feast and returning, they went again to the Ningguo Mansion to worship the successive ancestors, and then came back to receive family bows. After that, they changed clothes and rested. All relatives and friends who came to offer New Year’s greetings were not received; Grandmother Jia only chatted at leisure with Aunt Xue and Aunt Li, or played games like encirclement chess or card games with Baoyu, Baochin, Baochai, Daiyu, and the other girls. Lady Wang and Xifeng were busy every day inviting people for New Year’s feasts; in the side halls and courtyards on the other side, there were operas and banquets, and relatives and friends came and went without end, keeping them busy for seven or eight days straight. Soon the Lantern Festival was approaching, and both the Ning and Rong mansions were decked with lanterns and festoons. On the eleventh day, Jia She invited Grandmother Jia and the others; the next day, Jia Zhen also invited them; Grandmother Jia went to both and casually spent half a day. Lady Wang and Xifeng were invited out day after day to New Year’s feasts, too many to remember. On the evening of the fifteenth day, Grandmother Jia ordered several tables of wine to be set in the great flower hall, engaged a small theatrical troupe, hung up all kinds of fine lanterns, and led the sons, nephews, grandsons, and their wives of both the Rong and Ning mansions in a family feast. Jia Jing, who never drank, was not invited; after the ancestral sacrifices on the seventeenth day were completed, he again went out of the city to cultivate himself. Even during these few days he was at home, he stayed in his quiet room in seclusion, hearing and knowing nothing—let us say no more of this. Jia She, having briefly received Grandmother Jia’s gifts, also took his leave and departed. Grandmother Jia knew that his presence there was inconvenient for both sides, so she let him go. Jia She, returning to his own home, enjoyed the lanterns and drank wine with his numerous retainers; naturally, the sound of music filled his ears, and his eyes were filled with splendor—the ease and pleasure he took were of a different sort from that here.
On this side, in Lady Jia’s flower hall, about ten tables of food and drink were set. Beside each table was a small side table, on which were placed the three implements of incense burner, vase, and incense box, burning the imperial gift of Hundred Harmonies Palace incense. There were also small potted landscapes, eight inches long, four or five inches wide, and two or three inches high, adorned with miniature rockeries and covered with moss, all with fresh flowers. There were also small lacquered tea trays, holding old kiln teacups and ten-patterned fine tea pots, filled with top-grade famous tea. Everywhere were purple sandalwood openwork carvings, inlaid with large red gauze, embroidered with flowers and calligraphic poems on streamers. It turned out that the embroiderer of these streamers was also a woman from Suzhou, named Huiniang. She came from a scholarly and official family, originally skilled in painting and calligraphy, and only occasionally embroidered a piece or two for amusement, not for sale in the market. All the flowers embroidered on these screens were imitations of the cut-branch flower paintings of famous masters from the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, so her patterns and color schemes were all elegant, by no means comparable to the gaudy work of mere artisans. Next to each flower branch, she used an old poem or verse by an ancient scholar about that flower—some poems, some songs, some odes, some rhapsodies—all embroidered in black velvet in cursive script, with strokes, turns, weights, and breaks identical to handwritten cursive, not at all like the stiff and detestable embroidery of the marketplace. She did not seek profit from this skill, so although the world knew of her work, few obtained it. Among noble and wealthy families, many lacked such items, and in her time, it was called “Hui Embroidery.” There were even vulgar profit-seekers who, in recent days, imitated her stitching to fool people for gain. But unfortunately, Huiniang’s life was short; she died at eighteen, and now no more of her pieces could be obtained. Those who had even one or two pieces treasured them and did not use them. A group of Hanlin academicians and literary enthusiasts, deeply regretting the loss of “Hui Embroidery’s” excellence, said that the word “embroidery” could not fully convey its beauty; to call such brushwork “embroidery” seemed almost disrespectful. So they discussed among themselves and replaced the word “embroidery” with “pattern,” thus it is now called “Hui Pattern.” If a genuine piece of “Hui Pattern” existed, its price was limitless. Even the glory of the Jia family included only two or three such pieces. Last year, they had presented two of them to the emperor, and now only this set of streamers remained, consisting of sixteen panels. Lady Jia treasured them like jewels, not placing them among the various furnishings for guests, but keeping them by her side, to enjoy when she was in high spirits and set out wine. There were also various old kiln small vases, adorned with “Three Friends of Winter” and “Jade Hall Wealth and Honor” and other fresh flowers and grasses.
At the top, two seats were for Aunt Li and Aunt Xue. Lady Jia had a low couch with openwork carving of a dragon pattern and a low footrest, complete with backrest, armrest pillows, and fur cushions, set on the east side. On one end of the couch was placed a very light, lacquered, gold-painted small table, holding a tea pot, tea bowls, a spittoon, a foreign towel, and a spectacle case. Lady Jia reclined on the couch, chatting and laughing with the company for a while, then took her spectacles to look toward the stage, then said to Aunt Xue and Aunt Li with a smile, “Forgive me for being old, my bones ache; make allowances, and let me recline while I keep you company.” She then ordered Hupo to sit on the couch and beat her legs with a “beauty’s fist” massager. No feast was set below the couch; only a high table was there, holding the streamers, vases, incense burners, and other items. Another exquisite small high table was set with wine cups, spoons, and chopsticks. She arranged her own seat beside the couch and ordered Baoqin, Xiangyun, Daiyu, and Baoyu to sit there. With every dish and every fruit that arrived, it was first presented to Lady Jia for her to see; if she liked it, she kept it on the small table to taste a little, then had it removed and placed on the table of the four, counting them as sitting with her. Thus, below them were the seats of Lady Xing and Lady Wang, and further below were those of Madam You, Li Wan, Xifeng, and Jia Rong’s wife. On the west side were Baochai, Li Wen, Li Qi, Xiuyan, and the Yingchun sisters and others. On the large beams on both sides hung a pair of linked, clustered glass hibiscus-colored tassel lamps. In front of each seat stood a lacquered pole with an inverted lotus leaf, on which a candle holder held colored candles. These lotus leaves were made of cloisonné enamel, and the mechanism could turn them; now they were all turned outward, directing the lamplight outward, making the opera viewing especially clear. The window lattices and doors were all removed, and various colored tasseled palace lamps were hung. Under the eaves, inside and out, and along the covered corridors on both sides, all kinds of lamps—goat-horn, glass, gauze-cut, silk-thread, embroidered, painted, piled, carved, silk, or paper—were hung full. On the veranda were several seats for Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, Jia Huan, Jia Cong, Jia Rong, Jia Qin, Jia Yun, Jia Ling, Jia Chang, and others.
Lady Jia had also sent people to invite all the men and women of the clan. But some were too old and disliked the bustle, some had no one at home to mind things and could not come conveniently, some were ill and could not come, some were envious of wealth and ashamed of poverty and so did not come, and some even hated or feared Xifeng’s character and stayed away out of spite, or were too shy and unaccustomed to company and dared not come. Thus, although the clan was numerous, among the female guests, only Lady Jia Jun’s mother née Lou came, bringing Jia Jun, and among the men, only Jia Qin, Jia Yun, Jia Chang, and Jia Ling, who were all currently working under Xifeng, came. Although not everyone was present, for a small family gathering, it could be counted as lively enough. At that time, Lin Zhixiao’s wife brought six serving women, carrying three kang tables, each covered with a red felt, on which were placed freshly minted copper coins of the same size, strung on large red silk cords, each table carried by two women—three tables in all. Lin Zhixiao’s wife directed that two tables be placed under the seats of Aunt Xue and Aunt Li, and one table be sent under Lady Jia’s couch. Lady Jia said, “Put it on the floor.” These serving women all knew the rules; they set down the tables, opened the coins, removed the red cords, and scattered the coins in piles on the tables. Just as the opera “The Western Tower: Meeting at the Tower” was nearing its end, where Yu Shuye left in a huff, the actor playing Wen Bao made a comic interjection: “You’ve left in a huff, but today happens to be the fifteenth of the first month. The Old Ancestress of the Rongguo Mansion is holding a family feast. Let me ride this horse, rush in, and beg for some fruit to eat—that’s what matters!” This brought laughter from Lady Jia and the others. Aunt Xue and the rest said, “What a clever little rascal, the poor thing.” Xifeng said, “This child is only nine years old.” Lady Jia said with a smile, “It’s hard to believe he spoke so cleverly.” Then she gave the order, “Reward him!” Three serving women had already prepared winnowing baskets. Hearing the word “reward,” they went up to the scattered coin piles on the table, each scooped up a basketful of coins, walked out toward the stage, and said, “The Old Ancestress, Madam Aunt, and Madam Aunt by marriage reward Wen Bao with fruit money!” As they spoke, they flung the coins toward the stage, and a loud clatter of coins filled the stage. Jia Zhen and Jia Lian had already ordered the young servants to bring large baskets of coins and had secretly prepared them. Hearing Lady Jia’s reward, if you want to know what happened next, listen to the next chapter’s explanation.