Dream of the Red Chamber: A Sequel in 28 Chapters

Writing about Yingchun this time was truly difficult; I couldn't bear to put pen to paper. Throughout her life, she was gentle and yielding, never harming anyone, yet every step she took was a trap, every place a knife to the heart. Qiu Hong's wickedness and Sun Shaozu's violence were external factors; what truly killed her was her never resisting, never daring to fight back.

This chapter, depicting Tan Chun's distant marriage and Xiang Yun's fall from grace, is written with a heavy touch. Tan Chun's line, "Whether I like it or not, it's not up to me," is the most sober resignation in the entire book; Xiang Yun's laughter followed by tears on the painted boat—the laughter is for others, the tears are for herself.

This chapter reveals the true inner world of Grandmother Jia and Wang Xifeng towards Lin Daiyu, which is definitely not as depicted in Gao E's continuation. In fact, they originally preferred the "wood and stone marriage," but they had to compromise because of the imperial concubine's bestowal of a marriage.

This chapter, depicting the loss and recovery of the magical jade, is a turning point in the entire book. The loss of the jade caused his madness, its return brought him clarity—this jade was not only Baoyu's lifeblood, but also the switch that unlocked his lifelong obsession. But after waking up, Daiyu was gone, Fengjie was gone, Grandmother Jia was gone, Yuanyang and Zijuan were gone too.

This is the final chapter of the entire book, a return to emptiness. Zhen Shiyin's conversion of Baoyu is the last encounter between the country gentleman by the Gourd Temple and the stubborn stone at the foot of Qinggeng Peak, marking the closure of the entire grand dream.

This chapter describes Lady Wang's nightmare on her deathbed, with Jin Chuan's spirit calling for her. In Chapter 30, Jin Chuan was slapped out of the house by Lady Wang for joking with Bao Yu and then threw herself into a well. Lady Wang shed a couple of tears and gave her fifty taels of silver, thinking the matter was settled. But a life cannot be settled with money.

This chapter, depicting Jia Zheng seeking refuge at the Zhen family mansion and Bao Yu's heartfelt bow to his father in the snow, is the most poignant scene in the entire book. Jia Zheng, a lifelong adherent to rigid social norms and traditions, ultimately suffers the loss of his family and has nowhere to turn but the Zhen family.

This chapter depicts Qiao Jie and Ban'er finally getting married, echoing the foreshadowing in Chapter 41, "The Buddha's Hand Citron Exchanged for a Pomelo." Back then in the Grand View Garden, Qiao Jie was just an infant, and Ban'er was a mischievous country boy. A Buddha's hand citron and a pomelo were exchanged among the maids, merely a childish joke.

This chapter describes Xue Baoqin's encounter with a robbery at Plum Blossom Ridge, and Liu Xianglian's righteous rescue. Baoqin is the only daughter of the Xue family not listed in the Book of Ill-fated Women. She married the son of Mei Hanlin, and should have lived a peaceful life, but instead, she encountered danger in the chaotic world.

This chapter depicts the final fate of Aunt Zhao and Granny Ma. In Chapter Twenty-Five, Aunt Zhao, out of jealousy for Bao Yu and Feng Jie's favor with the emperor, conspired with Granny Ma to cast a spell, nearly killing them both. At the time, no one investigated further, and the matter was covered up. But what's covered up will inevitably resurface sooner or later.