56 The Girls Put the Garden to Work; Jia Bao-yu Learns That He Has a Double in Zhen Bao-yu

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Acknowledgments xiii
4. Introduction xv
5. Key to Recurring Characters xxvii
6. 1 The Origin of the Stone and the Vicissitudes of Life 1
7. 2 The Jia Family’s Fortune Coldly Appraised by an Antique Dealer 3
8. 3 Dai-yu’s Arrival at the Jia Household 5
9. 4 A Manslaughter Cover-Up and the Xue Family’s Arrival 9
10. 5 The Girls’ Destinies Revealed to a Bewildered Bao-yu 11
11. 6 Bao-yu’s First Sexual Experience; Grannie Liu’s First Visit to the Jias 13
12. 7 The Perspectives of Two Old Servants; Bao-yu Is Smitten by a Bashful Boy 15
13. 8 Bao-yu and Bao-chai Locked in Fate 17
14. 9 A Schoolhouse Brawl 19
15. 10 Qin-shi’s Illness Heads Off an Accusation Against Her Brother 21
16. 11 Xi-feng Visits Qin-shi; Jia Rui Flirts with Xi-feng 23
17. 12 Xi-feng Sets a Trap for the Amorous Jia Rui; Dai-yu Travels South to See Her Ailing Father 25
18. 13 Qin-shi’s Warning and Her Lavish Funeral 27
19. 14 Xi-feng Imposes Order on the Ning Household; the Funeral Procession Is Greeted by a Prince 29
20. 15 Qin Zhong Fools Around with a Nun and with Bao-yu; Xi-feng Takes a Bribe 31
21. 16 Yuan-chun’s Promotion at Court; Dai-yu’s Return and Qin Zhong’s Death 33
22. 17 Bao-yu’s Poetic Skills Are Tested by His Father; the Household Prepares for the Visitation 35
23. 18 The Imperial Concubine’s Visit to Prospect Garden 39
24. 19 Bao-yu’s Grand Bargain with Aroma and His Growing Intimacy with Dai-yu 43
25. 20 Bao-yu Tries Unsuccessfully to Please Everyone; Shi Xiang-yun’s Arrival Leads to a Declaration 45
26. 21 Aroma Finds an Ally in Bao-chai; Patience Seizes Evidence of Jia Lian’s Misconduct 47
27. 22 An Opera Piques Bao-yu’s Interest in Monkhood; Gloomy Riddles Distress His Father 49
28. 23 Bao-yu Moves with the Girls Into Prospect Garden; The Lovers Bury Fallen Flowers 51
29. 24 Two Ambitious Social Climbers: Jia Yun and Crimson 53
30. 25 Jia Huan and Aunt Zhao Exact Their Revenge; the Monk and the Taoist Come to the Rescue 55
31. 26 Crimson Sends Jia Yun a Message; Skybright Carelessly Shuts Out Dai-yu 57
32. 27 Tan-chun Repudiates Her Mother; Dai-yu Ponders Her Fate Seen in Fallen Flowers 59
33. 28 Bao-yu Gives Aroma’s Sash to Jiang Yu-han; Yuan-chun, in Her Gifts, Favors Bao-chai Over Dai-yu 61
34. 29 Grandmother Jia Shows Her Compassionate Side; a Matchmaking Abbot Provokes a Lovers’ Rift 63
35. 30 Bao-yu Is Chastened by Bao-chai for Being Rude; He Causes Golden to Be Dismissed 65
36. 31 Bao-yu Lets Skybright Rip Up Two Fans for Fun; Shi Xiang-yun Finds the Kylin Meant for Her 67
37. 32 Criticism of Dai-yu Prompts Bao-yu to Avow His Love; Golden Commits Suicide 69
38. 33 Bao-yu Is Savagely Beaten by His Father Due to Jiang Yu-han’s Disappearance 71
39. 34 Aroma Confides Her Worries to Lady Wang; Bao-yu Sends Two Used Handkerchiefs to Dai-yu 73
40. 35 Grandmother Jia Indicates Her Preference for Bao-chai; Bao-yu Makes Golden’s Sister Laugh 75
41. 36 Aroma Receives an Informal Promotion; Bao-chai Hears Bao-yu Reveal He Prefers Dai-yu 77
42. 37 The Founding of the Crab-flower Club 79
43. 38 A Crab-Eating Feast Is Hosted by Shi Xiang-yun 81
44. 39 Li Wan Laments Her Lack of an Able Assistant; Grannie Liu Is Enlisted for Entertainment 85
45. 40 Grannie Liu Is Given a Tour of Prospect Garden and Made the Butt of Practical Jokes 87
46. 41 The Finicky Adamantina Serves Tea; Grannie Liu Passes Out on Bao-yu’s Bed 89
47. 42 Grannie Liu Names Xi-feng’s Daughter Before Departing; Bao-chai Befriends Dai-yu 91
48. 43 Xi-feng Squeezes Aunt Zhou and Aunt Zhao for Her Party; Bao-yu Makes an Offering to Golden 93
49. 44 Xi-feng Catches Jia Lian with a Servant’s Wife; Patience Is Struck and a Woman Hangs Herself 95
50. 45 The Steward’s Son Is Made a Magistrate; Bao-chai Supplies Dai-yu with Edible Bird’s Nest 97
51. 46 Jia She Tries to Take Faithful as His Concubine 99
52. 47 Grandmother Jia Gives Lady Xing a Scolding; Xue Pan Is Thrashed by Liu Xiang-lian 101
53. 48 Jia Lian Is Beaten by His Father for Criticizing Him; Caltrop Becomes Obsessed with Poetry 103
54. 49 The Arrival of Xue Bao-qin, Xue Ke, Xing Xiu-yan, and the Li Sisters 105
55. 50 Grandmother Jia Invites Herself to a Merry Gathering in a Garden Blanketed by Snow 107
56. 51 Aroma Makes a Trip Home in Style; Skybright Catches a Cold 109
57. 52 Xue Bao-qin Recites a Poem by a Blonde Girl; an Ailing Skybright Mends a Cloak for Bao-yu 111
58. 53 Solemn Ancestral Rites Are Performed on New Year’s Eve; the Festivities Last Half a Month 113
59. 54 Grandmother Jia Holds Forth at Her Banquet 115
60. 55 Tan-chun Takes Charge of the Household; Xi-feng Shares Her Views of the Cousins with Patience 117
61. 56 The Girls Put the Garden to Work; Jia Bao-yu Learns That He Has a Double in Zhen Bao-yu 119
62. 57 Nightingale Forces Bao-yu to Declare His Love for Dai-yu; Xing Xiu-yan Is Betrothed to Xue Ke 121
63. 58 A Dowager Consort’s Death Disrupts the Jia Household; the Child Actresses Stay On as Maidservants 123
64. 59 Conflicts Break Out Between the Ex-Actresses and Their Foster Mothers 125
65. 60 The Ex-Actresses Gang Up to Assault Aunt Zhao; Parfumée Tries to Help Fivey Join Bao-yu’s Staff 127
66. 61 Fivey Is Accused of Theft; Chess Tries to Replace Cook Liu with Her Own Aunt 129
67. 62 A Garden Party Is Held to Celebrate Bao-yu, Xue Bao-qin, Xing Xiu-yan, and Patience’s Birthdays 131
68. 63 The Party Continues Into the Night; Jia Rong, in Mourning, Flirts with the You Sisters 133
69. 64 Dai-yu Writes About Beauties in History; Jia Lian Is Urged to Take Er-jie as His Second Wife 135
70. 65 Jia Lian Secretly Installs You Er-jie in a Second Household; You San-jie Enthralls Cousin Zhen 137
71. 66 You San-jie Kills Herself with a Sword; Liu Xiang-lian Goes Off with a Crippled Taoist 139
72. 67 Bao-chai Gives Away the Presents from Her Brother; Xi-feng Discovers Jia Lian’s Second Marriage 141
73. 68 Xi-feng Lures You Er-jie Into the Rong Compound and Humiliates Jia Rong with a Bogus Lawsuit 143
74. 69 Xi-feng, Feigning Kindness, Drives Er-jie to Her Death 145
75. 70 The Cousins Release Their Kites; Bao-yu, Though Deeply Troubled, Catches Up on His Studies 147
76. 71 Jia Zheng Comes Home for Grandmother Jia’s Birthday; Faithful Catches Chess in Flagrante 149
77. 72 Jia Lian Is Driven to Pawning Grandmother Jia’s Valuables; Sunset Is Promised to a Wastrel 151
78. 73 A Maidservant Shows Lady Xing a Piece of Erotica; Ying-chun Refuses to Discipline Her Staff 153
79. 74 Lady Wang Turns Against Skybright; a Raid Is Conducted on Prospect Garden 155
80. 75 The Zhen Clan of Nanking Is Disgraced; the Jia Men Take to Gambling 157
81. 76 Grandmother Jia Resists Ending the Mid-Autumn Party; Shi Xiang-yun Commiserates with Dai-yu 159
82. 77 Chess and the Ex-Actresses Are Expelled; Bao-yu and Skybright Bid Their Final Farewell 161
83. 78 Lady Wang Lies About Skybright; Bao-yu Writes an Elegy to the Hibiscus Spirit 163
84. 79 Jia She Arranges a Hasty Marriage for Ying-chun; Xue Pan Weds a Conceited Girl 165
85. 80 Xia Jin-gui Turns the Xue Family Upside Down; Ying-chun’s Husband Treats Her Like a Slave 167
86. 81 Bao-yu Learns the Limits of the Matriarch’s Power; He Is Sent Back to the Clan School 169
87. 82 Aroma Probes Dai-yu on Concubines; Dai-yu Coughs Up Blood on Waking from a Nightmare 171
88. 83 The Matriarch Is Told of Dai-yu’s Condition; Yuan-chun’s Illness Alarms the Jia Elders 173
89. 84 Jia Zheng Considers a Bride for Bao-yu; the Matriarch Is Pleased When Bao-chai Is Suggested 175
90. 85 Bao-yu Is Kept in the Dark About His Betrothal; Jia Zheng Receives a Promotion 177
91. 86 Xue Pan’s Murder Charge Is Reduced; Dai-yu Teaches Bao-yu About Music 179
92. 87 Dai-yu Plays a Tune That Snaps Her Qin String; Adamantina Has a Horrific Dream Vision 181
93. 88 Li Wan Is Consoled by Jia Lan’s Achievement; Zhou Rui Is Kicked and Jia Yun Is Humiliated 183
94. 89 The Snapped String Unnerves Bao-yu; Hearing He Is Betrothed, Dai-yu Stops Eating 185
95. 90 Hearing the Bride Is to Be a Cousin, Dai-yu Rallies; the Matriarch Bans Talk of the Betrothal 187
96. 91 A Timetable Is Set for Bao-yu’s Wedding; Dai-yu and Bao-yu Communicate by Talking Zen 189
97. 92 Bao-yu Discusses Noble Women with Qiao-jie; Chess and Her Cousin Commit Double Suicide 191
98. 93 Bao-yu Identifies with Jiang Yu-Han; Jia Qin Is Caught Seducing the Young Novices 193
99. 94 Crab-flower Trees Bloom Out of Season; Bao-yu’s Jade Mysteriously Disappears 195
100. 95 Yuan-chun Passes Away in the Palace; Bao-yu Turns Into a Simpleton 197
101. 96 Wang Zi-teng Dies on His Way to the Capital; a Hasty Wedding Is Set Before Jia Zheng Departs 199
102. 97 Bao-yu Is Tricked Into Marrying Bao-chai; Dai-yu Burns Her Poems and Dies 201
103. 98 Bao-chai Tells Bao-yu That Dai-yu Is Dead; Bao-yu Improves After Mourning for Dai-yu 205
104. 99 Bao-yu Is Reconciled to Accepting Bao-chai; Jia Zheng Turns a Blind Eye to Misdeeds 207
105. 100 Tan-chun Is Betrothed to Be Married Afar; Efforts to Save Xue Pan Bankrupt His Family 211
106. 101 Wang Zi-teng’s Debt Strains the Wang Clan; Anxious, Xi-feng Entrusts Qiao-jie to Patience 213
107. 102 An Exorcism Is Performed in the Garden; Jia Zheng Is Demoted for His Underlings’ Abuses 215
108. 103 Xia Jin-gui Mistakenly Poisons Herself; Jia Yu-cun Happens on Zhen Shi-yin at a Derelict Temple 217
109. 104 Jia Yun and Ni Er Vow Revenge on the Jias; Bao-yu Wants Nightingale to Know He Was Tricked 219
110. 105 The Secret Police Conduct a Raid of the Jia Compound; Four Jia Men Are Arrested 221
111. 106 Jia Zheng Realizes His Family Faces Financial Ruin; the Matriarch Begs Heaven to Punish Her 223
112. 107 Jia She and Cousin Zhen Go Into Exile; Grandmother Jia Distributes Her Possessions 225
113. 108 The Matriarch Hosts a Surprise Birthday Party; Bao-yu Wails for Dai-yu in the Desolate Garden 227
114. 109 Bao-yu’s Attempt at Intimacy Is Rebuffed by Fivey; Guilt Stricken, He Makes It Up to Bao-chai 229
115. 110 The Matriarch Dies with a Smile on Her Face; Lady Xing Makes Life Difficult for Xi-feng 231
116. 111 A Ghost Shows Faithful How to Hang Herself; the Matriarch’s Apartment Is Looted 233
117. 112 Adamantina Is Abducted by Pirates; Xi-chun Resolves to Become a Nun 237
118. 113 Grannie Liu Playfully Offers to Be Qiao-jie’s Matchmaker; Nightingale Takes Pity on Bao-yu 239
119. 114 Xi-feng Dies Babbling of the Register; Wang Ren and Qiao-jie Antagonize Each Other 243
120. 115 Xi-chun Declares She Intends to Take Vows; Bao-yu Relapses After Meeting His Look-Alike 245
121. 116 Bao-yu Has a Second Dream of Revelations; His Father Takes the Coffins to the South for Burial 247
122. 117 Bao-yu Reaches an Agreement with the Monk; Jia Lian Leaves Jia Qiang and Jia Yun in Charge 249
123. 118 Qiao-jie Is Offered to a “Mongol” Prince; Bao-yu Studies to Discharge His Filial Obligations 251
124. 119 Bao-yu Is Missing After the Examinations; the Emperor Declares a General Amnesty 253
125. 120 Bao-yu Bids His Father Farewell and Vanishes in the Snow; Aroma Marries the Actor Jiang Yu-han 255
126. Selected Bibliography 257
127. Index 261