Chapter 98: The Suffering Crimson Pearl's Soul Returns to the Realm of Parting Sorrow; The Ailing Divine Luminary's Tears Drench the Land of Longing
CHAPTER 98
BITTER PEARL'S SOUL RETURNS TO THE REALM OF SEPARATION FROM LOVE; SICK SPIRIT JADE'S TEARS SOAK THE LAND OF LONGING FOR LOVE
To resume. When Baoyu had seen Jia Zheng and returned to his room, he felt even more dizzy and lethargic, too lazy to stir, and without even eating supper, fell into a heavy, stupefied sleep. The doctors were called again, but the medicines they prescribed had no effect; eventually he no longer even recognized people. When they supported him to sit up, he still looked like a normal person. This went on for several days, and it happened that the day for the bride's return visit to her mother's home fell at that time. If they did not go, Aunt Xue would lose face; but if they went, Baoyu was in such a condition. Grandmother Jia knew full well that this was all because of Daiyu. She wanted to explain the matter clearly, but was afraid that if he became angry, something worse might happen. Baochai was a new daughter-in-law and difficult to comfort; it would be better if Aunt Xue came over first. If they did not make the return visit, Aunt Xue would be offended. So she discussed it with Lady Wang and Xifeng, saying, "As I see it, Baoyu is completely distracted. Getting him up and moving about shouldn't be a problem. Let's use two small sedan chairs, have people support him, and go through the Garden to make the return visit on the auspicious day. Afterwards, we'll invite Aunt Xue over to comfort Baochai, and we can all concentrate on treating Baoyu. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?" Lady Wang agreed and made preparations at once. Fortunately, Baochai was a new bride and Baoyu was in a dazed state, so they managed to get him through the visit by letting others handle him. Baochai understood the situation perfectly well, but in her heart she only blamed her mother for handling things so foolishly. Since matters had come to this, she was unwilling to say much. Only Aunt Xue, seeing Baoyu in such a state, felt deep regret, but could only rush through the formalities hastily.
After they returned home, Baoyu's condition worsened. The next day, he could not even get up or sit. Day by day, it grew more severe, until he could not even take soup or water. Aunt Xue and the others were frantic, summoning famous doctors from everywhere, but none could diagnose the source of the illness. Only a poor doctor living in a dilapidated temple outside the city, named Bi, with the courtesy name Zhi'an, diagnosed the cause as a mixture of joy and sorrow, imbalance of cold and warmth, irregular eating and drinking, pent-up grief and anger in the chest, and blockage of the vital energy: a condition of both internal injury and external attack. He then carefully prescribed medicine. That evening, after taking the medicine, by the second watch, Baoyu indeed regained some clarity and asked for water. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang felt relieved, and they invited Aunt Xue to bring Baochai and rest temporarily at Grandmother Jia's quarters.
Baoyu was clear-headed for a moment, but he felt that he could not hold on. After the others had left and only Xiren remained in the room, he called her to his side, took her hand, and said tearfully, "Let me ask you—how did Sister Baochai get here? I remember that Father married Sister Lin for me—how did Sister Baochai come to take her place? Why has she taken possession of this place? I want to speak, but I'm afraid of offending her. Have you heard how Lin-meimei is crying?" Xiren dared not tell the truth, so she could only say, "Miss Lin is ill." Baoyu said, "I want to go see her." As he spoke, he tried to get up. But how could he move, having taken no food for days? He wept and said, "I'm going to die! I have something on my mind, and I beg you to tell the old lady: Sister Lin is going to die anyway, and I can't hold on either. Two patients in two places—both will die, and after death it will be even harder to manage. Better to clear out an empty room and move Sister Lin and me there early on. While alive, we can be treated and nursed together; after death, we can be laid out together. If you do as I say, it won't be for nothing after all these years of affection." When Xiren heard this, she wept so hard she could scarcely breathe. Just then, Baochai happened to come in with Ying'er and overheard. She said, "You are ill and won't take care of yourself—why say such unlucky things? The old lady has just begun to feel a little easier, and you stir up trouble again. The old lady has doted on you alone all her life, and now she's over eighty. Even if she doesn't seek an official title from you, when you grow up and become a man, she can take pleasure in seeing it for a day—that would not be for nothing after all her pains. As for your mother, there's no need to mention her—she has spent all the effort of her life raising you, her only son. If you were to die halfway, what would become of her? And as for me, though my fate is thin, it should not come to this. Looking at these three things, even if you wanted to die, Heaven would not allow it. So you cannot die. Just calm yourself, rest for four or five days until the wind-cold evil disperses and your vital energy is restored, and naturally these evil ailments will disappear." Baoyu heard this and had nothing to say in reply. After a long pause, he giggled and said, "It's been a long time since you spoke to me. Who are you lecturing with all this high-minded talk now?" When Baochai heard this, she said, "Let me tell you the truth: those two days when you were unconscious, Lin-meimei had already passed away." Baoyu suddenly sat up and cried out in astonishment, "Has she really died?" Baochai said, "She has really died. Who would speak with a red mouth and white tongue to curse someone to death? The old lady and your mother knew how close you two sisters were, and they were afraid that if you heard of her death, you would want to die as well, so they refused to tell you." When Baoyu heard this, he could not help but burst into loud weeping and fell back onto the bed.
Suddenly, everything went black before his eyes, and he could not tell directions. While he was still dazed, he saw someone approaching. Baoyu asked in confusion, "May I ask what place this is?" The person said, "This is the Yellow Springs Road in the underworld. Your allotted lifespan is not yet over—why have you come here?" Baoyu said, "I just heard that an old friend has died, so I came to search for her, but I have lost my way." The person said, "Who is this old friend?" Baoyu said, "Lin Daiyu of Gusu." The person sneered, "Lin Daiyu was not like ordinary people when alive, nor is she like ordinary ghosts in death. She has no soul, no spirit—where can you search for her? All human souls and spirits gather to form a shape and disperse into vapor. While alive, they collect; after death, they scatter. Even ordinary people cannot be sought, let alone Lin Daiyu. Go back quickly." Baoyu heard this and was stunned for a long time, then said, "If you say that the dead are scattered, then how can this underworld exist?" The person sneered, "That underworld exists if you say it exists, and does not exist if you say it does not. It is all because the worldly are sunk in the concepts of life and death, so it was fabricated to warn people. It is said that Heaven deeply hates fools—those who do not keep to their proper lot and abide by the ordinary Way, those whose lifespan is not yet ended but who cut themselves off early, those who indulge in lust and anger, or who act violently and kill themselves for no reason—for these, a special hell is established to imprison their souls, to suffer endless torments as recompense for their sins in life. As for your search for Daiyu, you are needlessly entrapping yourself. Moreover, Daiyu has already returned to the Illusory Realm of the Great Void. If you are sincere in your search, cultivate your spirit with devotion, and in time you may see her. If you do not keep to your proper lot, you will be imprisoned in the underworld for the crime of cutting your life short, and except for your parents, you will never be able to see Daiyu again, not even once." After saying this, the person took a stone from his sleeve and threw it at Baoyu's heart. When Baoyu heard this and was struck in the heart by the stone, he was terrified and wanted to go home, but he could not find the way. While he was hesitating, he suddenly heard someone calling him from over there. He turned to look, and it was none other than Grandmother Jia, Lady Wang, Baochai, Xiren, and the others, surrounding him, weeping and calling his name. He himself was still lying on the bed. He saw the red lamp on the table and the bright moonlight at the window, still amid embroidered splendor, in a world of bustle. He composed himself and thought it over—it had all been a great dream. His whole body was drenched in cold sweat, and he felt clear-headed. Thinking carefully, there was truly nothing to be done, so he could only heave a few long sighs. Baochai had long known that Daiyu was dead, but because Grandmother Jia and the others forbade anyone from telling Baoyu, for fear of aggravating his illness and making it harder to cure, she kept it secret. She herself knew full well that Baoyu's illness was really caused by Daiyu, with the loss of the jade being secondary. So she took the opportunity to tell him, so that a single burst of grief might bring him to a decisive end, reunite his spirit, and perhaps lead to a cure. Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, unaware of Baochai's intention, deeply blamed her for being rash. But later, when they saw Baoyu wake up, they felt relieved. They immediately sent to the outer study to invite Doctor Bi in for a consultation. The doctor came in, felt his pulse, and said, "Strange—this time the pulse is calm and deep, the spirit is at peace, and the depression has dispersed. If we give regulating medicines tomorrow, we may hope for a recovery." With that, he went out. Everyone was relieved and dispersed.
Xiren at first deeply resented Baochai for telling him, though she dared not say it out loud. Ying’er also said to Baochai in private, “Miss, you were too hasty.” Baochai replied, “What do you know? In any case, I’ll handle it.” Baochai ignored others’ criticism, only secretly observing Baoyu’s heartache and subtly applying her remedies. One day, Baoyu gradually felt his mind settle, though when he suddenly thought of Daiyu, he was still somewhat confused. Moreover, Xiren slowly used such words to console him: “The young lady chosen by the Master, Miss Baochai, is kind and gentle; he found Miss Lin’s temperament odd, and originally feared she would die young. The old lady was afraid you wouldn’t understand and would be anxious in your illness, so she sent Xueyan over to deceive you.” Baoyu’s heart still ached, and he shed tears. He wanted to seek death, but then remembered the words from his dream, and feared angering the old lady and the mistress, so he couldn’t let go. He also thought that since Daiyu was dead, and Baochai was a top-notch person, he came to believe that the gold and stone marriage was fated, and he himself felt somewhat relieved. Seeing that it was no longer a major concern, Baochai’s own heart settled, and after performing family rites before Lady Jia and Lady Wang, she tried to dispel Baoyu’s worries. Although Baoyu could not always sit up, he often saw Baochai sitting by the bed, and couldn’t help his old ailment arising. Baochai would often admonish him with proper words, comforting him with things like, “Nurturing your health is paramount; now that we are husband and wife, why be concerned about a moment?” Though Baoyu’s heart was not at ease, with Lady Jia, Lady Wang, and Aunt Xue taking turns accompanying him during the day, and Baochai sleeping alone at night while Lady Jia sent people to attend him, he had no choice but to rest quietly and recover. Seeing Baochai’s gentle demeanor, he gradually shifted some of the affection he had for Daiyu onto Baochai—but that is a later tale.
Now, on the day Baoyu married, Daiyu had been unconscious through the day, yet a faint breath remained in her heart and mouth, leaving Li Wan and Zijuan weeping as if dead. By evening, Daiyu revived slightly, opening her eyes a little, seeming to want water or soup. By then, Xueyan had gone, and only Zijuan and Li Wan were by her side. Zijuan brought a bowl of longan soup mixed with pear juice and fed her two or three sips with a small silver spoon. Daiyu closed her eyes and rested for a while, her mind seeming dimly clear. Seeing Daiyu slightly better, Li Wan knew it was a sign of the final flicker, but thought she might still last half a day, so she returned to Daoxiang Village to attend to some matters.
Here, Daiyu opened her eyes and saw only Zijuan, the wet nurse, and a few maids. She grabbed Zijuan’s hand with all her strength and said, “I am a useless person. You have served me for years; I had hoped we would always be together. I never expected that I…” As she spoke, she gasped for a while, then closed her eyes to rest. Seeing her grip wouldn’t loosen, Zijuan dared not move, and thought her condition was better than in the morning, hoping she might recover; but hearing these words, her heart grew cold. After a long while, Daiyu spoke again: “Sister, I have no kin here. My body is pure; you must see to it that they send me back.” With that, she closed her eyes and fell silent. Her hand gradually tightened, and she gasped for breath, the exhalations greater than the inhalations, very rapid.
Zijuan panicked and quickly sent someone to fetch Li Wan. As luck would have it, Tanchun arrived. Seeing her, Zijuan said quietly, “Third Miss, look at Miss Lin.” As she spoke, tears streamed down like rain. Tanchun came over and felt Daiyu’s hand—it was already cold, and her gaze was scattered. As Tanchun and Zijuan wept and called for water to wash Daiyu, Li Wan hurried in. The three had just met when, before they could speak, they heard Daiyu cry out in a straight voice, “Baoyu, Baoyu, you…” At the word “you,” she broke into a cold sweat all over and fell silent. Zijuan and the others quickly supported her, but the sweat poured out, and her body gradually grew cold. Tanchun and Li Wan called for people to hastily comb her hair and dress her, when Daiyu’s eyes rolled back, and alas, a fragrant soul drifted away with the wind, and sorrowful thoughts entered distant dreams at midnight!
At the moment Daiyu breathed her last, it was the very hour of Baoyu’s wedding to Baochai. Zijuan and the others wailed loudly. Li Wan and Tanchun, thinking of her usual loveliness, found her even more pitiable now, and wept in grief. Because the Xiaoxiang Lodge was far from the new bridal chamber, no sound was heard there. After a burst of weeping, they heard distant music, but when they listened closely, it was gone. Tanchun and Li Wan walked out of the courtyard to listen again; only the bamboo tips rustled in the wind, and the moonlight shifted across the wall—a scene of utter desolation and coldness! Soon, they called for Lin Zhixiao’s wife to come, laid Daiyu out properly, and set people to watch, waiting until morning to report to Xifeng.
Xifeng, seeing Lady Jia, Lady Wang, and the others in a flurry, and Jia Zheng about to leave, and Baoyu even more unconscious, was extremely anxious. If she reported Daiyu’s death, she feared Lady Jia and Lady Wang, overwhelmed with grief, might fall ill from worry. So she went herself to the garden. Upon entering the Xiaoxiang Lodge, she too could not help weeping. Seeing Li Wan and Tanchun, and learning that everything was ready, she said, “Very good. But why were you all silent just now, making me anxious?” Tanchun replied, “Just now we were seeing off the Master; how could we speak?” Xifeng said, “It’s true that you two take pity on her. Now I must go back to attend to that wretched one. But this matter is troublesome—if I don’t report it today, it won’t do; if I do, I fear the old lady can’t bear it.” Li Wan said, “You go and act according to circumstances; report it only when it’s appropriate.” Xifeng nodded and hurried off.
When Xifeng reached Baoyu’s place, she heard the doctor say it was not serious, and Lady Jia and Lady Wang felt somewhat relieved. Xifeng then, away from Baoyu, slowly reported Daiyu’s death. Lady Jia and Lady Wang were both greatly startled. Lady Jia, her tears flowing, said, “I ruined her. But that girl was too foolish!” With that, she wanted to go to the garden to weep for her, but was also worried about Baoyu, torn between the two. Lady Wang and the others, holding back their grief, urged Lady Jia not to go, saying, “The old lady’s health is most important.” Lady Jia had no choice but to tell Lady Wang to go herself, and added, “You tell her spirit for me: ‘It’s not that I had the heart to be cruel and not see you off, but there is a difference in closeness. You are my granddaughter, and thus dear to me; but compared to Baoyu, Baoyu is dearer. If anything happens to Baoyu, how could I face his father?’” As she spoke, she wept again. Lady Wang urged, “Miss Lin was the old lady’s favorite, but lifespan is fated. Since she is dead, we can do no more, but we should give her the finest funeral. That will somewhat fulfill our duty, and also bring some peace to the spirits of our late lady and your niece.” Hearing this, Lady Jia wept even more bitterly. Xifeng, fearing the old lady’s grief might harm her, and knowing Baoyu was not fully conscious, secretly sent someone to lie to the old lady, saying, “Baoyu is looking for the old lady.” Hearing this, Lady Jia stopped crying and asked, “Is there something wrong again?” Xifeng smiled and said, “Nothing wrong; he probably just misses you.” Lady Jia quickly leaned on Zhenzhu’er, and Xifeng followed.
Halfway there, they met Lady Wang coming, who reported everything to Lady Jia. Lady Jia was naturally grieved again, but since she had to go to Baoyu, she held back her tears and said, “If that’s the case, I won’t go over. Let you handle it; it pains me to see it. Just don’t wrong her.” Lady Wang and Xifeng agreed. Lady Jia then went to Baoyu’s side, and seeing him, asked, “Why were you looking for me?” Baoyu smiled and said, “Last night I saw Sister Lin; she said she wanted to return south. I thought no one could keep her, so I wanted you to detain her for me.” Hearing this, Lady Jia said, “All right, don’t worry.” Xiren then helped Baoyu lie down.
Jia Mu came out and went to Baochai’s quarters. At that time Baochai had not yet completed the “return to the ninth day” ritual, so whenever she saw anyone, she still appeared somewhat shy. That day, seeing Jia Mu’s face streaked with tears, she served her tea, and Jia Mu asked her to sit down. Baochai sat down sideways beside her and only then asked, “I heard that Cousin Lin is ill; I wonder if she has improved any?” When Jia Mu heard this, tears streamed down uncontrollably, and she said, “My child, I will tell you, but you must not tell Baoyu. It is all because of your Cousin Lin that you have suffered so many grievances. Now that you are a married woman, I can tell you. As it happens, your Cousin Lin passed away two or three days ago—it was at the very hour of your wedding that she died. This illness of Baoyu’s now is all on account of this; you were both in the garden before, so naturally you understand everything.” Baochai’s face flushed crimson, and thinking of Lin Daiyu’s death, she could not help shedding tears. Jia Mu spoke a while longer and then left. From then on, Baochai turned the matter over and over in her mind countless times, thinking of a plan, but she was unwilling to act rashly, so it was only after the “return to the ninth day” that she came up with this method. Now, indeed, things improved somewhat, and then when everyone spoke, they no longer had to be as guarded as before. Only Baoyu, though his condition improved day by day, could not resolve his infatuation and insisted on going to weep over her himself. Jia Mu and the others knew that the root of his illness had not been eradicated and forbade him from indulging in wild thoughts, but his depression was unbearable, and his illness often relapsed. In the end, the physician recognized that it was a heart ailment and simply advised letting him vent his feelings, and then using medicine to regulate his health, which might speed his recovery. When Baoyu heard this, he immediately wanted to go to the Xiaoxiang Lodge. Jia Mu and the others had no choice but to have someone bring a bamboo chair, help Baoyu onto it, and support him. Jia Mu and Lady Wang went ahead. Upon entering the Xiaoxiang Lodge and seeing Daiyu’s coffin, Jia Mu wept until her tears were spent and her breath was gone. Xifeng and the others urged her repeatedly to stop. Lady Wang also wept for a while. Li Wan then invited Jia Mu and Lady Wang to rest in the inner room, but they were still in tears.
As soon as Baoyu arrived, remembering how he had come here before falling ill, and now finding the room still there but the person gone, he could not help wailing bitterly. Recalling how close they had once been, and now being separated by death, how could he not be even more grief-stricken? The others, originally afraid that Baoyu, after his illness, would be overwhelmed by sorrow, all came to dissuade him, but Baoyu had already wept until he was half dead, and they helped him to rest. The others who came along, including Baochai, all wept bitterly. Only Baoyu insisted on summoning Zijuan to ask what words the young lady had spoken at her death. Zijuan had originally harbored deep resentment toward Baoyu, but seeing him like this, her heart softened somewhat, and seeing Jia Mu and Lady Wang present, she dared not be rude to Baoyu. She then told him, one by one, how Miss Lin had relapsed into illness, how she had burned the handkerchief and the poetry manuscripts, and what she had said at her death. Baoyu wept again until his voice was choked and his throat dry. Tanchun took the opportunity to tell him about Daiyu’s dying instructions to have her coffin taken back to the south. Jia Mu and Lady Wang wept again. Fortunately, Xifeng’s persuasive words provided some comfort, and they managed to stop slightly, then urged Jia Mu and the others to return. Baoyu was reluctant to leave, but with Jia Mu pressing him, he had no choice but to go back to his room reluctantly.
Jia Mu, being advanced in age and having had no peace day or night since Baoyu fell ill, and now suffering another great bout of grief, felt dizzy and feverish. Though she was still worried about Baoyu, she could not hold out and returned to her own room to lie down. Lady Wang, even more heartbroken and unable to bear it, also went back, sending Caiyun to help Xiren attend to matters, and said, “If Baoyu grieves any more, come and tell us immediately.” Baochai knew that Baoyu could not let go for the time being and did not try to dissuade him, but instead spoke to him with sarcastic remarks. Baoyu, afraid that Baochai might misunderstand, restrained his tears and composed himself. After resting for a night, things were fairly stable. The next morning, everyone came to see him; he felt weak and frail, but the heart ailment seemed to have lessened somewhat. So he intensified his care and gradually recovered. Fortunately, Jia Mu did not fall ill, but Lady Wang’s heartache had not healed. That day, Aunt Xue came to visit, and seeing that Baoyu’s spirits were slightly better, she felt relieved and stayed for a while.
One day, Jia Mu specially invited Aunt Xue over to discuss matters, saying, “Baoyu’s life was saved thanks to you, Aunt. Now it seems there is no further danger, though your daughter has been put to great inconvenience. Once Baoyu has recuperated for a hundred days and his body is restored, and after your daughter’s mourning period is over, it will be time for them to formally consummate the marriage. I ask you, Aunt, to make the decision and choose another auspicious day.” Aunt Xue replied, “Your idea, madam, is excellent. Why ask me? Though Baochai is plain in appearance, her mind is very clear. You have always known her temperament. I only hope that the two of them will be harmonious and agreeable, that from now on you, madam, will have less to worry about, that my sister will be comforted, and that I too can be at ease. You, madam, set the date. Do we need to inform the relatives or not?” Jia Mu said, “This is the most important event in Baoyu’s and your daughter’s lives. Besides, after so many twists and turns, now that peace has been achieved, we must certainly have everyone celebrate for a few days. All relatives should be invited. First, to fulfill our wishes; second, for us to drink some wedding wine, so that I, an old woman, will not have worried in vain.” When Aunt Xue heard this, she was naturally pleased and also spoke about preparing the dowry. Jia Mu said, “We are already kin by marriage, so I think such things are unnecessary. As for daily necessities, his room is already full. If Baochai has some favorite items she wants, Aunt, you can bring them over. I don’t think Baochai is the suspicious type, unlike my granddaughter’s disposition, which is why she did not live long.” As she said this, Aunt Xue also shed tears. Just then Xifeng entered, smiling, and said, “Grandmother and Aunt, what are you thinking of now?” Aunt Xue said, “The old lady and I were talking about your Cousin Lin, which is why we are sad.” Xifeng smiled and said, “Grandmother and Aunt, don’t be sad for now. I just heard a funny story, which I intend to tell you both.” Jia Mu wiped her tears, smiled faintly, and said, “You are probably about to make up some story about someone again. Tell it to me and Aunt, and let’s hear it. If it doesn’t make us laugh, we won’t let it pass.” Then Xifeng, before opening her mouth, first gestured with both hands, bending over with laughter. What she said remains to be told in the next chapter.