Chapter 74: Slandered by evil tongues, the Grand View Garden is searched; the solitary girl shuts herself off from the Ning-guo Mansion

When Ping’er heard Yingchun’s words, she was just feeling amused when she suddenly saw Baoyu arrive. It turned out that the sister of the cook, Mrs. Liu, had also gotten into trouble because she had set up a gambling game. There were people in the Garden who had never been on good terms with Mrs. Liu, and they now informed against her, saying that she was in league with her sister—that although the sister was the one in the open, the profits were split evenly between them. Consequently, Xifeng wanted to punish Mrs. Liu. When Mrs. Liu got wind of this, she was terrified. Remembering that she had always been on the best of terms with the people in Happy Red Court, she came quietly to beg Qingwen, Jinxing Boli, and the others. Jinxing Boli told Baoyu. Baoyu then thought that Yingchun’s wet nurse was also guilty of the same offense, and that it would be better to ask Yingchun to join him in pleading for leniency than to go alone and plead only for Mrs. Liu. So he came, only to find many people there. When they saw him, they all asked, “Is your illness better? What have you come for?” Baoyu, not wanting to mention the plea, said, “I’ve come to see Second Sister.” For the moment, no one paid him much attention, and they chatted idly. Ping’er then went out to deal with the matter of the gold phoenix. Mrs. Wang Zhuer’s daughter-in-law followed close behind, pleading earnestly, “Miss, please be merciful with your words—I’ll redeem it somehow.” Ping’er laughed and said, “Whether you redeem it late or early, since you have today, why did you act that way in the first place? You thought you could get away with it. Since that’s the case, I won’t report it. Go redeem it as soon as you can and bring it to me to send back. I won’t breathe a word of it.” When Mrs. Wang Zhuer’s daughter-in-law heard this, she relaxed and thanked her profusely, then said, “Miss, you go about your business. I’ll bring it late this evening, report to you first, and then you can send it—is that all right?” Ping’er replied, “If you don’t bring it by evening, don’t blame me.” With that, they parted and went their separate ways. Ping’er returned to the room, and Xifeng asked her, “What did Third Miss want you for?” Ping’er laughed and said, “Third Miss was afraid you might be angry, so she told me to urge you to take it easy. She also asked what you’ve been eating these past few days.” Xifeng laughed and said, “She’s the one who still remembers me. Just now, another thing came up: someone reported that Mrs. Liu and her sister were running a gambling operation together, and that everything the sister did was under Mrs. Liu’s direction. I thought, you always advise me that ‘less is more’—that way I can have some peace and take care of myself. I didn’t listen, and sure enough, I’ve paid for it: first I offended the Mistress, and then I ended up sick myself. Now I see the light. Let them do what they want—after all, there are plenty of others around. Why should I wear myself out for nothing and get cursed by everyone? My health is the priority now. Even if I get better, I’ll just be an easygoing person, enjoying whatever comes, laughing whenever I can, and leave all the rights and wrongs to them. So I just said I’d note it and didn’t give it another thought.” Ping’er laughed and said, “If you really do that, Madam, it will be our good fortune.”

Before she finished speaking, Jia Lian came in, clapping his hands and sighing. “Why stir up trouble out of nowhere? The other day, I borrowed something from Yuanyang on credit. How did the Mistress find out? Just now, she called me over and told me to borrow two hundred taels of silver from somewhere—anywhere—for the Mid-Autumn Festival expenses. I said there was nowhere to borrow. She said, ‘You have no money, but you have places to borrow. When I ask you nicely, you make excuses and say there’s nowhere. Where did that thousand-tael loan come from the other day? You even managed to get things from the Old Lady’s possessions, and now with two hundred taels, you’re like this. Lucky I didn’t tell anyone.’ I think the Mistress clearly doesn’t need the money—why does she have to make things difficult for people?” Xifeng said, “That day there wasn’t a single outsider. Who leaked the news?” When Ping’er heard this, she thought carefully about who had been there that day. After a long while, she laughed and said, “That’s it. That day, no one outside was there when we spoke, but that evening, when things were delivered, the mother of Simple Sister from the Old Lady’s quarters coincidentally came to deliver laundry. She sat in the servants’ room for a while and saw a big chest of things. Naturally, she asked about it. Some little maidservant must have let it slip without knowing.” So they called in several little maids and asked who had told Simple Sister’s mother that day. The maids panicked, knelt down, and swore, “We never dare say a word more than we should. If anyone asks anything, we always say we don’t know. How could we dare say anything about this?” Xifeng judged the situation and said, “They wouldn’t dare. Let’s not wrong them. For now, let’s set this aside and deal with the Mistress first. Better we cut back a little than make things awkward.” So she told Ping’er, “Bring my gold necklace. Go pawn it for two hundred taels and send them over to settle the matter.” Jia Lian said, “Why not pawn it for four hundred? We could use some too.” Xifeng replied, “No need for that. I have no use for money. When will we redeem it?” Ping’er took the necklace, instructed someone to call Wang’er’s wife to take it, and in no time, the silver was brought. Jia Lian delivered it himself—but that’s another matter.

Meanwhile, Xifeng and Ping’er guessed and speculated about who had leaked the news, but they couldn’t figure it out. Xifeng said, “Knowing about this is a small matter. What I fear is that petty people might take the opportunity to stir up more trouble and create other incidents. Right now, the Mistress is already at odds with Yuanyang. If she hears that Yuanyang lent things to Master Lian privately, those greedy gossips would find fault even with an unbroken egg—now that they have a reason, they might fabricate some outrageous story. It wouldn’t matter so much for your Master Lian, but Yuanyang is a proper girl. If she gets dragged into this and suffers, wouldn’t that be our fault?” Ping’er laughed and said, “That’s not a problem. Yuanyang lent the things for your sake, not for Master Lian’s. And although it seems like her private favor, she actually reported it to the Old Lady. The Old Lady, fearing that with so many grandchildren and nieces and nephews around—one borrowing, another asking, coming to her with their coquettish demands, and no one else to turn to—pretended not to know. Even if it comes out, it won’t cause any real harm.” Xifeng said, “In principle, that’s true. But you and I know this. Those who don’t know can hardly avoid being suspicious.”

Before she had finished speaking, someone reported, “The mistress is coming.” Xifeng was greatly surprised, not knowing why she had come in person, and quickly went out with Ping’er and the others to greet her. They saw Lady Wang, her face ashen, accompanied only by a personal maid. Without a word, she walked straight into the inner room and sat down. Xifeng hastily offered tea and said with a smile, “Madam is in good spirits today to come for a stroll here.” Lady Wang ordered sternly, “Ping’er, leave!” Seeing this, Ping’er was flustered and at a loss, quickly acknowledged the command, and led all the junior maids out. She stopped at the door, deliberately closed it, and sat down on the steps herself, forbidding anyone to enter. Xifeng, too, was alarmed, unsure of what had happened. She saw Lady Wang, tears in her eyes, pull a sachet from her sleeve and toss it out, saying, “Take a look.” Xifeng hurriedly picked it up and saw it was an embroidered spring-scent sachet; she too was startled and asked, “Where did Madam get this?” At her question, Lady Wang’s tears fell like rain, and her voice trembled as she said, “Where did I get it! I’ve been sitting at the bottom of a well every day, thinking you were a careful person, so I stole a moment of leisure. Who knew you’d be just like me? Such an object was openly placed in broad daylight on a rock in the Garden and picked up by the old lady’s maid. Luckily, your mother-in-law came across it, or it would have been sent to the old lady already. Let me ask you first: how did this thing end up there?” Xifeng, her face also changing color, quickly asked, “How does Madam know it’s mine?” Lady Wang, crying and sighing, said, “You’re asking me! Think about it—in the whole household, aside from you young married couple, what use would the old women have for this? As for the girls, where could they get it? Naturally, it’s from that good-for-nothing, degenerate Lian’er. You two are close, and you treat it as a toy. Young people in the privacy of the bedroom have their private affairs—it’s possible—and you still try to deny it to me! Luckily, the people in the Garden, high and low, are still naive and haven’t picked it up. If a maid had found it, and your sisters saw it, that would be unthinkable. Or if a little maid picked it up and took it out, claiming she found it in the Garden, and outsiders learned of it, could we keep our lives and faces?” Hearing this, Xifeng was both anxious and ashamed; her face flushed purple, and she knelt on the edge of the kang, also with tears in her eyes, pleading, “What Madam says is certainly reasonable, and I dare not argue that I don’t have such a thing. But I beg Madam to think carefully about the logic of it: that sachet is made by hired workers outside imitating palace embroidery; the tassels and trimmings are all market goods. Even if I were young and indiscreet, I wouldn’t want such a trifle; naturally, I’d have better ones. That’s the first point. Second, such a thing isn’t usually carried on one’s person. Even if I had one, I’d keep it at home—how could I be willing to carry it around everywhere? Moreover, going into the Garden, where we’re always pulling and tugging at each sister, if it were exposed, not only in front of the sisters but even if the servants saw it, what face would I have? Though I’m young and indiscreet, I’m not foolish enough for that. Third, among the mistresses, I’m a young wife, but counting the servants, there are many younger than me. Besides, they often come into the Garden and go home at night—how do we know it’s not from one of them? Fourth, besides my frequent presence in the Garden, there’s also the other madam who often brings young concubines like Yanhong and Cuiyun—all young chambermaids who are more likely to have this. Then there’s sister-in-law Zhen, who isn’t too old and often brings Peifeng and others—how do we know it’s not from them? Fifth, there are too many maids in the Garden; can we guarantee every one is proper? Some older ones understand matters, and perhaps in a moment when no one’s watching, they sneak out, or under some pretext flirt with the servants at the inner gate and get such things from outside—it’s possible. As for now, not only do I not have such a thing, but I can even vouch for Ping’er. I beg Madam to consider carefully.” After hearing this speech, which seemed very reasonable, Lady Wang sighed, “Get up. I know you come from a proper family—how could you be so frivolous? I was just so angry that I spoke to provoke you. But what’s to be done now? Your mother-in-law just sent someone to seal this and show it to me, saying it was obtained from Foolish Sister the day before yesterday. It nearly made me die of rage.” Xifeng said, “Madam, please don’t be angry. If others notice, the old lady is bound to find out. For now, calm down and secretly investigate, then we can get the truth; even if we don’t find out, outsiders won’t know. This is called ‘breaking an arm inside the sleeve.’ Now is the time, with the excuse of the gambling purge that dismissed many people, to place Zhou Rui’s wife, Wang’er’s wife, and four or five trusted ones who won’t leak news in the Garden, under the guise of checking for gambling. Besides, the maids are too many now; it can’t be helped that some grow bold and cause trouble, and if something happens, it’ll be too late for regrets. If we reduce them now without reason, not only will the girls feel wronged and upset, but even Madam and I would feel uneasy. Better to take this opportunity: from now on, whenever there’s an older one or a troublesome one, find a fault and dismiss her to be married off. First, it ensures no further incidents; second, it saves some expenses. What does Madam think of my idea?” Lady Wang sighed, “What you say is certainly true, but when I think deeply about the big picture, these few sisters of yours are truly pitiable. Not to go far back, just consider your cousin Lin’s mother—before she married, how she was pampered and spoiled, how honored and esteemed—that was like a proper young lady’s style. Now these sisters are barely a step above other people’s maids. Each has only two or three maids who look human; the rest, even if there are four or five little maids, are like little ghosts in a temple. If we reduce them further, not only would my heart not bear it, but I fear the old lady might not agree. Though times are hard, it hasn’t come to that. I may not have experienced great splendor, but I’m better off than you. For now, I’d rather economize elsewhere than wrong them. If we need to save, let it start with me. For the moment, have someone summon Zhou Rui’s wife and the others and order them to secretly investigate this matter quickly.” Xifeng, hearing this, immediately called Ping’er in and gave the orders to go out.

At that moment, the nannies of Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Lai Wang, and Lai Xi—the five stewardesses—came in. The others were all on duty in the south. Lady Wang was just fretting that she had too few people to conduct a thorough search, when suddenly Wang Shanbao’s wife, a stewardess of Lady Xing’s, arrived. She it was who had just delivered the sachet. Lady Wang had always treated Lady Xing’s trusted confidantes with no ill will, and now, seeing her come to inquire about this matter with such concern, she said to her, “When you return, inform your mistress, and then come into the Garden to keep an eye on things. You’ll do better than anyone else.”

Wang Shanbao’s wife had long been displeased because the maids in the Garden did not defer to her much, and she had been itching to find fault with them but could never catch them at anything. Now that this incident had occurred, she saw it as a handle. Upon hearing Lady Wang’s commission, it struck a chord in her heart, and she said, “That’s easy enough. It’s not that I’m meddling, but as a matter of principle, this ought to have been dealt with strictly long ago. Your Ladyship rarely goes into the Garden, and these girls behave as if they’ve each been granted a noble title. They act like fine young ladies. If they raise a ruckus to the heavens, who dares so much as hum a word? Otherwise, they stir up the young ladies’ maids, claiming that the young ladies have been bullied—who could bear that?”

Lady Wang said, “That’s true enough. The maids attending the young ladies are naturally more pampered than others. You ought to admonish them. Even the young ladies themselves, if not properly guided, become unbearable—how much more so their maids?”

Wang Shanbao’s wife replied, “The others are tolerable enough. But Your Ladyship may not know—there’s a maid in Baoyu’s quarters, Qingwen, who relies on her looks being a bit more striking than the others. She’s also got a glib tongue, and every day she decks herself out like a Xishi, chattering and showing off in front of others, always trying to be first and best. If a word doesn’t suit her, she sets those saucy eyes rolling and curses people out. All coy and coquettish—it’s utterly improper.”

Upon hearing this, Lady Wang was suddenly reminded of something from the past. She asked Xifeng, “Last time, when we followed the old lady into the Garden for a stroll, there was a maid with a willowy waist and sloping shoulders, whose eyes and brows were a bit like your cousin Lin Daiyu’s. She was scolding a little maid. I took a strong dislike to that arrogant manner, but since I was walking with the old lady, I didn’t say anything. Later, I meant to ask who she was, but I forgot. Now that this fits the case, that maid must be her.”

Xifeng said, “If we compare all the maids, none of them are as pretty as Qingwen. But in terms of her manner and speech, she does have a certain frivolity. What Your Ladyship just described sounds just like her. I’ve also forgotten the details of that day, so I dare not speak rashly.”

Wang Shanbao’s wife then said, “No need for that—we can summon her right now for Your Ladyship to see.”

Lady Wang said, “In Baoyu’s quarters, the only ones who often see me are Xiren and Sheyue—the two rather plain and simple ones are fine. If there were such a one as this, she wouldn’t dare come before me. I’ve always detested that type of person, especially now that this matter has arisen. If that little hussy were to lead my good Baoyu astray, what then?” So she called for her own maid and ordered her to go to the Garden, “Just say that I have something to ask them. Keep Xiren and Sheyue there to attend to Baoyu—they need not come. There’s a maid named Qingwen, the cleverest one—tell her to come at once. You are not to say anything else to her.”

The little maid assented and went to Happy Red Court. It happened that Qingwen was feeling unwell; she had just gotten up from her nap and was feeling out of sorts. Hearing this, she had no choice but to follow the maid. All the maids knew that Lady Wang detested those who dressed flamboyantly or spoke lightly, so Qingwen usually kept a low profile. Since she had been feeling poorly for several days, she had not dressed up much and thought she would be fine. When she arrived at Xifeng’s room, Lady Wang saw her with her hair loose and disheveled, her gown hanging askew and her sash trailing—a picture of languid charm like a beauty just waking from sleep, or one clutching her heart in illness. And her appearance exactly matched that of the maid from the previous month. This rekindled Lady Wang’s anger.

Now Lady Wang was a person of natural simplicity, expressing joy and anger directly from her heart, unlike those who disguise their feelings. With genuine anger now raging within her, and the memory stirred up, she sneered, “What a fine beauty! Truly a sick Xishi! Who are you putting on this frivolous show for every day? Do you think I don’t know what you’ve been up to? I’ll let you be for now, but tomorrow I’ll have your hide! Is Baoyu feeling any better today?”

Qingwen was greatly startled by these words and realized that someone had plotted against her. Though angry, she dared not speak out. Being exceedingly clever, when asked about Baoyu’s condition, she refused to answer truthfully and only said, “I rarely go into Baoyu’s room, and I’m not often with him. I wouldn’t know how he is—you’d have to ask Xiren or Sheyue.”

Lady Wang said, “That deserves a slap! Are you a dead person? What are you here for?”

Qingwen replied, “I was originally one of the old lady’s maids. Because the old lady said the Garden was too empty and Baoyu was afraid, she assigned me to keep watch in the outer room at night—just to look after the place. I had already told her I was clumsy and unfit to serve. The old lady scolded me, saying, ‘No one’s asking you to manage his affairs—what need have I for cleverness?’ So I went. Only once every ten days or half-month, when Baoyu was bored, we’d play together for a while and then part. As for Baoyu’s meals and daily needs, above there are the old nurses, and below there are Xiren, Sheyue, and Qiuwen. When I’m free, I still do needlework for the old lady’s room, so I’ve never paid much attention to Baoyu’s affairs. Since Your Ladyship is displeased, I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Lady Wang believed this and hastily said, “Amituofo! That you keep away from Baoyu is my good fortune—I needn’t trouble you. Since the old lady assigned you to Baoyu, I’ll speak to her tomorrow and then dismiss you.” She then turned to Wang Shanbao’s wife and said, “Go in and keep a close watch on her for a few days. Don’t let her sleep in Baoyu’s room. When I’ve reported to the old lady, I’ll deal with her.” She then shouted, “Get out! Standing there, I can’t stand that wanton air! Who allowed you to dress up so gaudily?”

Qingwen had no choice but to leave. Her anger was beyond measure. As soon as she stepped out, she covered her face with her handkerchief and wept as she walked, all the way back into the Garden.

Meanwhile, Lady Wang said to Xifeng and the others, in self-reproach, “In recent years, I’ve grown more and more feeble-minded and haven’t been able to keep watch. I never even noticed such a fiendish creature. I fear there may be more like her—we must search thoroughly tomorrow.”

Xifeng, seeing that Lady Wang was in a towering rage, and knowing that Wang Shanbao’s wife was Lady Xing’s spy, often stirring up trouble, dared not say a word, though she had a thousand things to say. She only bowed her head in assent.

Wang Shanbao’s wife said, “Your Ladyship, please take care of your health. These trivial matters can be left to me. It’s very easy to find the culprit now. Tonight, when the Garden gates are locked, cutting off all communication inside and out, we’ll take them by surprise and search the maids’ rooms with our people. If anyone has this, she certainly won’t have only this—there will be other things. When we find something else, this will naturally be hers as well.”

Lady Wang said, “That’s a good point. If we don’t do this, we can never get to the bottom of it.” She then asked Xifeng what she thought. Xifeng could only agree, saying, “Your Ladyship is right—let’s do it.”

Lady Wang said, “This plan is excellent. Otherwise, we’d never find out in a year.” So they all settled on the plan.

After the evening meal, when Grandmother Jia had settled in for sleep and Baochai and the others had entered the Garden, Wang Shanbao’s wife invited Xifeng to come into the Garden with her. They ordered the side gates locked and began the search from the night-watch matrons’ quarters, finding only some surplus candles, lamp oil, and the like. Wang Shanbao’s wife said, “These are also stolen goods—don’t touch them. Wait until tomorrow, when I’ve reported to Your Ladyship, before moving them.” They then went straight to Happy Red Court and ordered the gates shut.

Baoyu was already feeling uneasy about Qingwen’s condition when he suddenly saw this group of people arrive. Not knowing why they were heading straight for the maids’ rooms, he went out to meet Xifeng and asked what was the matter.

Xifeng said, “A valuable item has gone missing, and everyone is blaming each other. We’re afraid one of the maids may have stolen it, so we’re searching everywhere to clear up suspicion.” As she spoke, she sat down and drank tea.

Wang Shanbao’s wife and the others searched for a while, then carefully asked whose trunks these were, and ordered each owner to open them personally. Xiren, seeing what had happened to Qingwen, knew something serious was afoot. Observing this search, she came forward and opened her own trunk and boxes, letting them search freely. They found only ordinary daily items. Then they moved on to search others, going through each one in turn.

When they reached Qingwen’s trunk, she asked, “Whose is this? Why hasn’t it been opened for search?” Just as Xiren and the others were about to open it for her, Qingwen, with her hair disheveled, burst in and flung the trunk open with a crash. Gripping the bottom with both hands, she tipped it upside down and emptied everything onto the floor. Lady Wang’s stewardess felt rather put out, but after a glance, she saw nothing incriminating. She reported to Xifeng that they should move on elsewhere. Xifeng said, “Search thoroughly, all of you. If nothing is found this time, it will be hard to explain.” Everyone replied, “We’ve examined everything carefully; there’s nothing amiss. Though there are a few men’s items, they’re all children’s things, probably old belongings of Baoyu’s—nothing significant.” Hearing this, Xifeng smiled and said, “In that case, let’s go and look elsewhere.” With that, she led the way out and said to Lady Wang’s stewardess, “I have a thought, though I’m not sure if it’s right. If we’re to search, let it be only among our own household. Miss Xue’s quarters must absolutely not be searched.” Lady Wang’s stewardess laughed, “Naturally. How could we search a relative’s home?” Xifeng nodded, “That’s what I say too.” So saying, they arrived at the Naiad’s Lodge.

Daiyu was already asleep, but when she heard that so many people had come, she didn’t know what it was about. Just as she was about to get up, Xifeng entered and quickly pressed her down, forbidding her to rise, saying only, “Go back to sleep; we’ll leave soon.” She then made small talk. Lady Wang’s stewardess took the others to the maids’ rooms, where they also opened trunks and boxes for a thorough search. From Zijuan’s trunk, they found two of Baoyu’s old name-talisman charms, a set of belt pendants, two pouches, and a fan case with a fan inside. When opened, these all turned out to be things Baoyu had once handled in years past. Lady Wang’s stewardess, thinking she had scored a coup, hurriedly invited Xifeng to inspect them, saying, “Where did these come from?” Xifeng laughed, “Baoyu grew up alongside them for years; these are naturally his old things. It’s nothing serious. Set them aside and move on elsewhere—that’s the proper course.” Zijuan smiled, “Even now, our belongings are so mixed up we can’t tell them apart. If you ask about this one, even I’ve forgotten when it came to be here.” Hearing Xifeng’s words, Lady Wang’s stewardess had to let it go.

They next arrived at Tanchun’s courtyard, but unknown to them, someone had already reported to Tanchun. She guessed there must be some reason for this ugly display, so she ordered her maids to light candles and open the doors in readiness. When the group arrived, Tanchun deliberately asked what the matter was. Xifeng smiled and said, “Because we’ve lost something and haven’t been able to find the culprit after days of searching, we’re afraid others might blame these girls. So we thought a general search would remove suspicion—it’s actually the best way to clear them.” Tanchun replied with a cold laugh, “Our maids are naturally all thieves, and I’m the chief receiver of stolen goods. Since that’s the case, start by searching my trunks and cabinets. Everything they’ve stolen is hidden with me.” With that, she ordered her maids to open all her trunks and boxes—her mirror case, dressing case, quilt bundles, and clothing parcels—large and small, and invited Xifeng to search them. Xifeng smiled apologetically, “I’m only acting on Madam’s orders, cousin. Don’t blame me wrongly. Why get angry?” She then ordered the maids to close everything quickly. Ping’er and Feng’er hurried to help Shishu and the others shut and put things away. Tanchun said, “You may search my things, but if you want to search my maids, that I won’t allow. I’m more ruthless than others by nature. I know everything the maids own—it’s all stored here with me. Not a needle or thread can they hide elsewhere. If you want to search, search me only. If you won’t comply, go report to Madam, say I’ve disobeyed her, and I’ll accept whatever punishment she decrees. Don’t be in such a hurry—your own day of being searched will come too! Didn’t you all discuss the Zhen family this morning? A family tearing itself apart with searches—and now it’s really happening to us. We’re heading the same way. Don’t you know that in great houses like ours, if attacked from outside, we won’t fall at once—as the ancients said, ‘A centipede dies but never stiffens.’ It must start with self-destruction from within before we can be utterly defeated!” As she spoke, tears flowed unbidden. Xifeng just looked at the other stewards’ wives. Zhou Rui’s wife said, “Since all the girls’ things are here, madam, please go elsewhere, so the young lady can sleep peacefully.” Xifeng then rose to take her leave. Tanchun said, “Have you searched thoroughly? If you come again tomorrow, I won’t stand for it.” Xifeng smiled, “Since the maids’ things are all here, there’s no need to search further.” Tanchun laughed coldly, “You’re truly cunning. Even my bundles have been opened, yet you say you haven’t searched. Tomorrow you’ll say I shielded my maids and wouldn’t let you search. You’d better make it clear now—if you want to search again, go right ahead.” Knowing that Tanchun had always been different from others, Xifeng had to smile and say, “I’ve already searched everything of yours thoroughly.” Tanchun then asked the others, “Have you all searched thoroughly too?” Zhou Rui’s wife and the others smiled apologetically, “We’ve searched everything thoroughly.” Lady Wang’s stewardess was a tactless woman. Though she had heard of Tanchun’s reputation, she thought it was just that others lacked discernment or courage—how could a young lady be so formidable? Besides, Tanchun was a concubine’s daughter; what could she do? Relying on her status as Lady Xing’s trusted maid, she knew even Lady Wang treated her with special regard, let alone others. Seeing Tanchun’s behavior today, she assumed Tanchun was only angry with Xifeng and not concerned with her. Wanting to curry favor and show off, she stepped forward and pulled at Tanchun’s lapel, deliberately lifting it, and said with a giggle, “I’ve even searched the young lady’s person, and there’s nothing indeed.” Seeing this, Xifeng quickly said, “Go on, old woman, don’t act so foolishly.” Before the words were finished, there was a sharp slap, and Lady Wang’s stewardess’s face was struck by Tanchun’s hand. Tanchun flew into a rage, pointed at her, and demanded, “What do you think you are, daring to pull at my clothes? It’s only out of respect for Madam, and because you’re old, that I call you ‘nurse.’ You dog relying on its master’s power, causing trouble every day and meddling in everything. Now you’ve gone too far. Do you think I’m as meek as your young lady, to be bullied by you? You’ve miscalculated! I don’t mind your searching my things, but you have no right to make a fool of me.” With that, she began to untie her own clothes and remove her skirt, pulling at Xifeng to search her thoroughly, saying, “This way, I won’t have a slave rummaging through my person.” Xifeng and Ping’er quickly helped Tanchun straighten her skirt and sleeves, while scolding Lady Wang’s stewardess, “Nurse, you’ve had a few drinks and lost your senses. The other day you offended Madam too. Get out now, and let’s hear no more of this.” They also tried to calm Tanchun. Tanchun laughed coldly, “If I had any spirit left, I’d have dashed my head against a wall long ago! Otherwise, would I let a slave search me for stolen goods? First thing tomorrow, I’ll report this to the old lady and Madam, then go apologize to Aunt Xing. Whatever punishment comes, I’ll accept it.” Having made a fool of herself, Lady Wang’s stewardess muttered outside the window, “Enough, enough—this is the first time I’ve been struck. Tomorrow I’ll report to Madam and go back to my own home. What use is this old life of mine!” Tanchun ordered her maids, “Do you hear her words? Must I go and argue with her myself?” Shishu and the others went out and said, “If you really go back to your own home, that would be our good fortune. I’m afraid you can’t bear to leave.” Xifeng laughed, “What a good maid—like mistress, like maid.” Tanchun laughed coldly, “We who are thieves all have a few sharp words. This one is still clumsy; in private, she only knows how to stir up her mistress.” Ping’er quickly smiled and tried to mediate, pulling Shishu back inside. Zhou Rui’s wife and the others added their own remonstrances. Xifeng waited until Tanchun had settled down to sleep before leading her party on to the Warm Scent Pavilion across the way.

At that time, Li Wan was still ill in bed. She lived next door to Xichun and also close to Tanchun, so taking the route, they stopped first at these two places. Because Li Wan had just taken medicine and fallen asleep, they did not wish to disturb her, and only searched the maids’ rooms one by one, finding nothing. Then they went to Xichun’s room. Xichun, being young and inexperienced, was so frightened she had no idea what was happening, and Xifeng had to comfort her with a few words. Unexpectedly, in Ruhua’s trunk they found a large bundle of gold and silver ingots, about thirty or forty in all, along with a set of jade belt ornaments and a package of men’s boots and socks. Ruhua turned pale with fear. Xifeng asked where these things came from, and Ruhua had to kneel down and, weeping, tell the truth: “These were given to my brother by Master Zhen. Because my parents are both in the south, I now live only with my uncle. My uncle and aunt are fond of drinking and gambling, and my brother was afraid that if he gave them the things, they would squander them. So each time he received something, he secretly asked an old woman to bring them in for me to keep.” Xichun, being timid, was terrified by this and said, “I knew nothing about it. This is outrageous! Second sister-in-law, if you must beat her, take her outside to do it; I can’t bear to hear it.” Xifeng laughed and said, “If this story is true, it can be forgiven, but it is wrong to have smuggled things in privately. If this can be passed in, what cannot be passed in? The fault lies with the person who carried it. If this is not true, and the things were stolen, then you won’t want to live.” Ruhua knelt and wept, “I dare not lie. Madam, just ask our mistress and Master Zhen tomorrow. If they say it was not a gift, you may beat me and my brother to death, and I will have no complaint.” Xifeng said, “Of course this must be asked, but even if it was a gift, it is still wrong. Who allowed you to smuggle things in? Tell me who the go-between was, and I will spare you. Never do this again.” Xichun said, “Sister-in-law, don’t let her off this time. There are many people here; if you don’t make an example of someone, when the senior maids hear of it, who knows what they will do? If you let her go, I won’t agree.” Xifeng said, “Usually I thought she was all right. Who doesn’t make a mistake? Just this once. If she offends again, both faults will be punished together. But I don’t know who the go-between was.” Xichun said, “If it was smuggled in, there is no one else—it must be Old Woman Zhang at the back gate. She often sneaks around with these maids, and they all are willing to help her.” Xifeng heard this and ordered it noted down. She temporarily gave the things to Zhou Rui’s wife to hold, to be settled tomorrow after verification. Then she took leave of Xichun and went to Yingchun’s room.

Yingchun was already asleep, and her maids were about to retire. They had to knock a long time before the door opened. Xifeng ordered, “Don’t disturb the young lady.” So they went to the maids’ quarters. Because Siqi was Wang Shanbao’s granddaughter, Xifeng wanted to see if the Wang woman would conceal anything, and so she watched her search closely. They began searching the others’ trunks, finding nothing unusual. When they reached Siqi’s trunk, Wang Shanbao’s wife said, “There’s nothing here either.” As she was about to close the trunk, Zhou Rui’s wife said, “Wait, what is this?” With that, she reached in and pulled out a pair of man’s brocade garters and a pair of satin shoes. There was also a small bundle; when opened, inside was a “heart’s-ease” ornament and a letter. She handed them all to Xifeng. Xifeng, being in charge of household affairs and often reading letters and accounts, could recognize a few characters. She saw that the letter was written on red double-happiness notepaper, which read: “Last month after you returned home, your parents already perceived our intentions. But since the young lady is not yet married, they cannot fulfill our wish. If we can meet in the garden, you can send word through Old Woman Zhang. A meeting in the garden would be better than talking at home. Please, please do this. As for the two sachets you gave me, I have received them. I also send you a string of fragrant beads as a small token of my feelings. Keep them safe. Your cousin, Pan You’an, presents this respectfully.” After reading it, Xifeng was not angry but amused. The others could not read. The Wang woman had not known about this romantic affair between her granddaughter and her nephew. Seeing the shoes and garters, she was already suspicious, and when she saw the red letter and Xifeng smiling over it, she said, “It must be some account they scribbled—the characters are not proper, so madam is laughing at it.” Xifeng laughed and said, “Yes, this account is hard to settle. You are Siqi’s own grandmother; her cousin should also be named Wang. How is it that he is named Pan?” Wang Shanbao’s wife, finding the question strange, had to force an answer: “Siqi’s aunt married into the Pan family, so her maternal cousin is named Pan. The Pan You’an who ran away last time is her cousin.” Xifeng laughed and said, “That explains it.” Then she added, “Let me read it to you.” With that, she read it from beginning to end, and everyone was startled. The Wang woman, who had been eager to find fault with others, had instead caught her own granddaughter, and was both angry and ashamed. The four women, including Zhou Rui’s wife, asked her, “Did you hear that, ma’am? It’s clear as day; there’s nothing more to say. Now, what do you think should be done?” The Wang woman wished she could find a hole to crawl into. Xifeng stared at her with a smirk and said to Zhou Rui’s wife, “This is fine. You mothers don’t need to worry at all; she has quietly found you a good son-in-law, so you can all save yourselves trouble.” Zhou Rui’s wife also laughed and joined in the teasing. The Wang woman, with no other outlet for her anger, slapped her own face and cursed, “You old immortal whore! What sin have I committed! My mouth talks back at me—I’m paying for it in broad daylight before everyone’s eyes.” Everyone seeing this laughed without stopping, mixing half-hearted persuasion with sarcasm. Xifeng noticed that Siqi hung her head in silence, showing neither fear nor shame, which struck her as odd. Thinking that it was late at night and it was not the time for interrogation, and fearing that Siqi might kill herself out of shame, she called two older women to guard her. Then, taking the people and the evidence, she returned to rest for the night, intending to deal with it the next day.

But during the night, she got up several times in succession, bleeding profusely from below. By the next day, she felt extremely weak and dizzy when she rose, unable to bear it. The imperial physician was summoned; after taking her pulse, he set down a diagnosis: “The young lady suffers from insufficient heart energy, with deficient heat attacking the spleen, all due to worry and overwork, causing drowsiness and lethargy, weak stomach and spleen, and loss of appetite. For now, a decoction to raise the yang and nourish the blood will be used.” He wrote the prescription, listing ingredients such as ginseng, angelica, and astragalus, and then withdrew. The old women took the prescription to report to Lady Wang, adding to her distress, and so the matter of Siqi and the others was temporarily set aside.

It happened that that day You-shi came to visit Xifeng. After sitting a while, she went into the garden to see Li Wan. Just as she was about to visit the other young ladies, she was suddenly summoned by Xichun, so she went to her room. Xichun told You-shi in detail what had happened the previous night and ordered Ruhua’s things brought for You-shi to see. You-shi said, “It was indeed your brother who gave them to her brother, but it was wrong to smuggle them in. Now official salt has become private salt.” She scolded Ruhua, saying, “You fool! Your heart is stopped up with lard!”

Xichun said, “You are lax in discipline and instead scold the maids. Among all these sisters, only my maid has brought such shame. How can I face anyone? Yesterday I pressed Sister Xifeng to take her away, but she refused. I thought she belongs to your side, and Sister Xifeng was right not to take her. Today I was just about to send her back. Sister, you have come just in time—take her away quickly. Whether you beat her, kill her, or sell her, I don’t care.”

When Ruhua heard this, she knelt down again, weeping and pleading, “I dare not do it again. I only beg you, miss, for the sake of our childhood bond, let us live or die together.” You-shi and the wet nurses all tried to persuade her, saying, “She was just momentarily confused; she won’t dare do it again. She has served you since childhood; it would be best to keep her.”

But although Xichun was young, she had a natural, unyielding, pure, and eccentric temperament. No matter what anyone said, she felt only that her own reputation had been tarnished, and she was determined to refuse. She spoke even more bluntly: “Not only do I not want Ruhua, but now that I am older, I also find it inconvenient to go to your side. Moreover, recently I have often heard rumors of all sorts of disgraceful gossip behind people’s backs. If I go there again, I will be dragged into it as well.”

Madam You said, "Who is talking about what? And what is there to talk about! What are you, and what are we? Since you've heard people gossiping about us, you should have asked them about it." Xichun sneered, "It's fine for you to ask me that. As an unmarried young lady, I only know how to avoid trouble; why would I go looking for it? What kind of person would that make me! And another thing: I'm not afraid of offending you—right and wrong will be judged by public opinion, so why bother asking anyone? As the ancients said well, 'In good and evil, in life and death, even a father and son cannot help each other,' let alone between you and me. I only know that I can keep myself safe, and that's enough for me. I don't care about you. From now on, don’t drag me into your affairs."

Madam You, both irritated and amused, said to the servants on the ground, "No wonder everyone says this Fourth Sister is young and muddled—I never believed it. Listen to that speech just now, completely groundless, not knowing good from bad, with no sense of proportion. Though it's the talk of a child, it can chill one's heart." The old nurses smiled, "The young lady is young, so Madam naturally has to put up with some losses."

Xichun sneered again, "Though I am young, these words are not young. You don’t read books and don’t know many characters, so you’re all fools. When you see a clear-headed person, you call me young and muddled instead." Madam You said, "You are the top scholar, the second, the third—the greatest talent of ancient and modern times. We are muddled people, not as clear as you—how about that?" Xichun replied, "Is the top scholar or second ever without muddle-headedness? Who knows, even they may lack enlightenment."

Madam You laughed, "Well done. Just now you were a talent, and now you’re playing the great monk, talking about enlightenment." Xichun said, "If I weren’t enlightened, I couldn’t bear to let Ruhua go." Madam You said, "It’s clear you are a cold-hearted, cold-mouthed, cruel-hearted, harsh-minded person."

Xichun said, "The ancients also said, 'Without a ruthless heart, one cannot become an Arhat.' I am a pure and clean person—why should I let you people taint and ruin me!" Madam You had her own secret troubles and dreaded hearing such words. Having heard that someone was gossiping, she was already burning with shame and anger, but out of regard for Xichun she held back most of it. Now, hearing Xichun speak this way, she could no longer contain herself and asked Xichun, "How have I tainted you? Your maid was in the wrong, and without cause she blamed me—I’ve endured all this time, yet you grow more arrogant, saying such things. You are a lady of a thousand pieces of gold; from now on, we won’t be close, careful not to taint your noble reputation. Have someone take Ruhua away this instant!" With that, she rose in a huff and left.

Xichun said, "If you truly don’t come, it will save a lot of talk and trouble, and we’ll all have some peace." Madam You made no reply and went straight ahead. What happened next is unknown—