王熙鳳·機關算盡太聰明反算了卿卿性命Wang Xifeng · Her Schemes Were Too Clever—and in the End Cost Her Own LifeWang Xifeng · Her Schemes Were Too Clever—and in the End Cost Her Own Life王熙鳳·機關算盡太聰明反算了卿卿性命

中篇小說（122）Novella (122)

《紅樓夢》裡那些死去的女孩，大多是被人害死的。可是賈璉的妻子王熙鳳，情況卻完全不同。 她害過別人，也被別人所害；她可以算是那個吃人世界的幫凶，最後也被那個世界慢慢吃掉。她不像晴雯，是一個純粹的受害者；也不像林黛玉，是一個純粹的薄命人。她是榮國府裡最能幹的女人，也是整部《紅樓夢》中最難給予公平評價、最難說清楚的女人。 可無論她曾經多麼風光，做過多少狠毒的事，最後她自己同樣也是一個悲劇人物。 在曹雪芹的筆下，王熙鳳一出場，便聲勢奪人，風光無限。 為了對王熙鳳這個人物有更加感性的了解，閱讀曹雪芹的原著，是最直接、也最可靠的辦法。所以，雖然下面這段文字較長，筆者還是願意抄錄如下，與讀者共享： 「一語未了，只聽後院中有人笑聲，說：『我來遲了，不曾迎接遠客！』黛玉納罕道：『這些人個個皆斂聲屏氣，恭肅嚴整如此，這來者系誰，這樣放誕無禮？』 心下想時，只見一群媳婦丫鬟圍擁著一個人從後房門進來。這個人打扮與眾姑娘不同，彩繡輝煌，恍若神妃仙子：頭上戴著金絲八寶攢珠髻，綰著朝陽五鳳掛珠釵，項上戴著赤金盤螭瓔珞圈，裙邊系著豆綠宮絛，雙衡比目玫瑰佩，身上穿著縷金百蝶穿花大紅洋緞窄褙襖，外罩五彩刻絲石青銀鼠褂，下著翡翠撒花洋縐裙。 一雙丹鳳三角眼，兩彎柳葉吊梢眉，身量苗條，體格風騷，粉面含春威不露，丹唇未啟笑先聞。黛玉連忙起身接見。」 王熙鳳一進門，剛剛來到賈府的林黛玉，即便年紀小小，也立刻明白，眼前這個女人絕不是一個普通的兒媳婦。 事實也確實如此。她是當時榮國府最有權勢的當家人。 她是賈母面前最會說話、最會辦事，也最能討人喜歡的人。她知道什麼時候該笑，什麼時候該哭，什麼時候該撒嬌，什麼時候又該發狠。她把榮國府裡錯綜複雜的人情關係，像算盤珠子一樣撥得清清楚楚。 這樣的女人，在那個由男人主宰的時代，本來不應當擁有如此巨大的權力，可是她偏偏有。 王熙鳳出身金陵大戶王家，是賈政妻子王夫人的親侄女，嫁給賈璉以後，又深得賈母寵愛。賈府上下，多少媳婦、婆子、小廝和丫鬟都怕她。她一句話，可以讓人得到賞賜；她一句話，也可以讓人倒霉。 這一切造就了她在榮國府的權力、地位和無限風光，卻也埋下了她日後遭到反噬的禍根。 秦可卿死後，寧國府亂成一團。賈珍悲痛失據，無暇顧及府中事務，更不知道應當怎樣收拾局面。寶玉便向賈珍推薦鳳姐協理寧國府。 寶玉雖然不喜歡仕途經濟，也不愛功名利祿，卻並不厭惡女子有才幹。他知道鳳姐能幹，也知道鳳姐心裡其實盼望著能有一個施展才幹的機會。 鳳姐果然不凡。 她進入混亂不堪的寧國府，一出手，便把府中那麼多僕從、婆子和丫鬟整頓得服服帖帖。誰該管什麼，誰該做什麼，銀錢怎麼支取，差事怎麼分派，她一樣一樣安排清楚，殺伐果斷，毫不含糊。 那一次協理寧國府，是王熙鳳一舉成名的漂亮一仗，也把她卓越的管理才幹展現得淋漓盡致。 可是，正是在那裡，讀者也第一次真正看見，她的能幹中帶著寒氣，甚至帶著隱隱的殺氣。 她能管家，也能弄權；她能挽救混亂的局面，也可能因為濫用權力而傷害別人。 鐵檻寺裡發生的一件事，使王熙鳳第一次利用賈府的權勢，逾越了道德底線。這件事的原委如下： 長安府有個張財主，有一個女兒，小名金哥，原來已經接受原任長安守備之子的聘定。後來，長安府府太爺的小舅子李衙內見到張金哥後，一心要娶她。 李衙內明知張金哥已有婚約，仍然仗勢強求，是整場悲劇的起因。 張家父母夾在兩家之間，既不敢得罪李衙內，又害怕守備家不肯退婚。守備家聽到消息以後，也不管事情原委究竟如何，便前來責備辱罵張家，指責張家一女許配兩家，要告狀打官司。 張家父母受到守備家辱罵，惱羞成怒，就賭氣偏要退掉原來的婚約。他們派人上京尋找門路，甚至表示只要事情辦成，便是傾家孝順，也情願承受。 原著後來直接說張家父母「愛勢貪財」，由此可見，張家父母不是被王熙鳳強迫才要退婚，而是自己已經有了退婚的打算。他們畏懼李衙內的權勢，又與守備家鬧得不可開交，最終決定犧牲女兒原有的婚姻，來解決眼前的麻煩。 可是，他們雖然想退婚，自己卻沒有足夠的權勢迫使守備家同意解除婚約、退還聘禮。於是，他們便委託鐵檻寺的淨虛老尼出面，替張家尋找門路。 淨虛老尼受張家委託，從中奔走說合，顯然也有自己的利害盤算，於是便把事情求到了王熙鳳面前。 鳳姐最初其實並沒有立刻答應。她對淨虛說：「我也不等銀子使，也不做這樣的事。」 如果淨虛老尼就此罷手，這件事就不會與王熙鳳發生關係。可是淨虛老尼老謀深算，深知王熙鳳的性格，便故意使用激將法，說張家已經知道她來賈府求人，如果賈府不肯管，張家不會認為是賈府不屑於收取謝禮，反而會以為堂堂賈府，竟然連這一點手段也沒有。 這句話正好擊中了王熙鳳好強、逞能、喜歡顯示手段的性格。她立刻「發了興頭」，說： 「你是素日知道我的，從來不信什麼是陰司地獄報應的，憑是什麼事，我說要行就行。你叫他拿三千銀子來，我就替他出這口氣。」 淨虛老尼又一路奉承她能者多勞，說這樣的事情到了別人面前不知有多麼困難，在鳳姐面前卻根本不算什麼。 鳳姐聽後越發受用，便決定插手這樁原本與她毫無關係的婚姻。 她悄悄命令來旺兒辦理，假託賈璉的名義修書一封，送給與賈府素有交情的長安節度使雲光。雲光看在賈府的情面上出面施壓，守備家只得忍氣吞聲，收回聘禮。 事情表面上看，就這樣辦成了。 可是誰也沒有想到，張金哥得知父母退掉婚約以後，竟然上吊自盡；守備之子聽說張金哥已死，也投河殉情。 兩個多情重義的年輕人，就這樣成為權勢、金錢、父母之命和封建婚姻制度的犧牲品。 仔細分析，兩個年輕人喪失性命的悲劇，不是王熙鳳一個人造成的。 李衙內仗勢搶親，是事情的起因；張家父母愛勢貪財，又因為受到守備家辱罵而賭氣退婚，他們對女兒之死負有無法推卸的責任；守備家不問事情原委，便以辱罵和訴訟相逼，也進一步激化了兩家的矛盾；淨虛老尼為了促成此事而四處奔走，又用激將法挑動鳳姐出手，同樣是這場悲劇的重要參與者。 那麼，到了王熙鳳這裡，應當怎樣判斷她的責任？ 她與張金哥和守備之子素不相識，也沒有證據表明她預料到退婚會使兩個年輕人雙雙殉情。她的主觀目的不是殺人，而是收取三千兩銀子，替淨虛和張家「出氣」，同時顯示自己有能力支配一樁遠在長安的婚姻。 因此，不能把張金哥和守備之子的死亡，簡單說成是王熙鳳蓄意害死的。 可是，這樣分析，並不是把她應該負的責任抹去。 如果沒有她利用賈府的權勢寫信給雲光，張家即使想要悔婚，也未必能夠迫使守備家收回聘禮。正是她的插手，使張家的退婚企圖最終成為現實。 她不是這場悲劇的唯一製造者，也沒有蓄意殺人的主觀願望，卻是濫用權勢、促成退婚的關鍵參與者之一。而這次被權勢強行促成的退婚，正是導致兩個年輕人先後殉情的最直接誘因。 她這一次濫用賈府的權勢，不但沒有受到懲罰，反而得到了銀子，也再次證明了自己的手段。這次成功，使她對權力更加迷信，對因果更加漠視，膽子也變得越來越大。 她不是一開始就決定害人，而是在一次運用權力、獲得利益而又沒有受到懲罰之後，逐漸失去了對道德界線的敬畏。 從此，她在弄權與斂財的道路上越走越遠，手段也變得越來越狠。尤其是在對待賈璉背著她偷娶的尤二姐這件事上，鳳姐的狠毒到了令人膽寒的地步。 賈璉背著她在外面偷娶尤二姐，金屋藏嬌。這對鳳姐來說，不只是丈夫偷腥，而是直接動搖了她在家庭中的地位。 王熙鳳沒有生下兒子，身體又因流產而漸漸虧損。在那個以「無後為大」為信條的封建宗法家庭裡，她的地位其實遠沒有表面上看來那樣穩固。 在男人主導的社會裡，賈璉可以借著延續香火的名義納妾，甚至敢於背著妻子在外面偷娶尤二姐。他其實一直都沒有閒著，從多姑娘、鮑二家的，到後來的尤二姐，身邊的女人一個接著一個，根本不在意正妻王熙鳳心中如何感受。 可是鳳姐不行。 她是女人，是妻子，就必須守本分，守著元配妻子的名分；她若表現出嫉妒，便會被視為不夠大度；她若為此吵鬧，便會被罵作不夠賢惠。 那麼，面對賈璉的出軌成性，她能怎麼辦？既然不能直接反對，她就選擇了迂迴而又狠毒的辦法。 她笑著把尤二姐接進榮國府，連尤二姐自己也被她的表面功夫迷惑，以為她大度容人，感動不已。可是王熙鳳的笑裡，藏著她的委屈和不甘，也藏著可怕的殺機。 這樣的笑，比她當面哭鬧更加讓人害怕。 她表面上把尤二姐當作姐妹相待，暗地裡卻一步一步地摧毀她。她唆使張華告狀，大鬧寧國府，又利用秋桐羞辱尤二姐，縱容下人冷落她，使尤二姐在榮國府中陷入孤立無援的境地。 尤二姐懷孕以後，庸醫胡君榮診斷不明，誤下虎狼藥，使她失去腹中的男胎。 原著並沒有直接證明胡君榮受王熙鳳指使，因此不能斷言這場醫療悲劇完全出自鳳姐的暗中安排。但是，尤二姐長期遭受的精神折磨與孤立，無疑與鳳姐有直接關係。失去腹中胎兒以後，尤二姐最後的一點希望也隨之破滅。 在精神與肉體的雙重折磨之下，尤二姐已經看不到任何前途，無路可走，終於選擇吞金自盡。 尤二姐之死，王熙鳳所負的責任，與張金哥和守備之子的死亡完全不同。 在張金哥事件中，王熙鳳只是複雜因果鏈條中的關鍵參與者。她沒有針對兩個年輕人的個人仇恨，也沒有希望他們死亡。 可是在尤二姐事件中，她面對的是一個自己認定必須除掉的對手。她有明確的敵意，也有長期而持續的暗中迫害。她沒有親手殺人，卻一步一步摧毀了尤二姐繼續活下去的希望與寄託。 因此，對於尤二姐之死，王熙鳳無疑是最主要、也最具有主觀意願的加害者。她除掉了眼中釘，暫時保住了自己的正妻地位，卻也使自己在賈璉心目中，從妻子逐漸變成了仇人。 她像一把極其鋒利的雙刃刀，砍傷了別人，也割傷了自己。 她日夜操勞，盤算如何得到更多銀錢，盤算如何應付上下，還要防著丈夫到處偷腥。她打壓下人，討好賈母，順從王夫人，還要在婆婆邢夫人面前忍氣吞聲。 她雖然表面上看似風光，其實早已被榮國府這部巨大的吃人機器，一點一點榨乾了骨血。 王熙鳳的婚姻表面風光，其實她並不幸福。 從王熙鳳的立場出發，如果尤二姐生下兒子，母憑子貴，在賈璉心中的地位越來越高，而無子又病弱的王熙鳳很可能逐漸失寵，甚至最終被丈夫拋棄，那麼，她又將何以自處？ 賈璉是個風流輕薄的人。身邊已經有貌美能幹的正妻王熙鳳，還有同樣美貌、性情平和、善解人意的平兒，他卻還不滿足。從多姑娘、鮑二家的，到後來的尤二姐，只要是女人，不管乾淨骯髒，他都不管不顧地往上撲，根本不在意正妻王熙鳳心中如何感受。 王熙鳳心狠、毒辣，當然不能因此得到原諒；可是她之所以變得如此心狠，也不能離開她所處的婚姻環境來理解。 她若不狠、不毒辣，稍微軟弱一點，她的地位、尊嚴和生活，可能早已被賈璉與接連不斷出現的那些女人撕碎了。到那時，被丈夫厭棄、被逼入絕境的，可能就不是尤二姐，而是王熙鳳自己。

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可是王熙鳳再強、再狠，也仍然只是一個女人。在那個男性主導的社會裡，她不能像男人那樣理直氣壯地放縱自己，只能站在元配妻子的處境中，拚命守住自己的名分、臉面和那一點可憐的尊嚴。 她越守，越狠；越狠，越孤獨。 平兒是她身邊最親近的人。可是即使性情平和、與世無爭的平兒，也常常成為她的出氣筒，還要一次又一次替她收拾殘局。 鳳姐得罪的人太多。整個賈府上下，大家表面上敬她，實際上怕她；口頭上巴結她，心裡卻恨她。真正理解她、心疼她的人，幾乎沒有。 整個榮國府裡，倒是只有寶玉對她保有一種與眾不同的情誼。 寶玉叫王熙鳳「鳳姐姐」，從不喊她「璉二嫂子」。從賈家這一邊排輩論，鳳姐是寶玉的璉二嫂子；從王家一邊論，兩人又有姑表親緣。這一聲「鳳姐姐」裡，既有親戚之間的情分，也有少年時代相處的親近。 王熙鳳對寶玉也確實疼愛，當然，這裡面有討好賈母與王夫人的成分。寶玉是賈母的心肝寶貝，誰對寶玉好，誰就在賈母面前有功。鳳姐這樣聰明的人，怎麼會不明白？ 可是，如果說她對寶玉的情分全是假的，是裝出來的，那也不公平。 王熙鳳對待寶玉，確實有幾分對待小弟弟的真心，也有幾分發自內心的真情意。她知道寶玉不是管家理事的人，所以既不把寶玉當作權力競爭的對手，也不把他當作執掌權力的幫手。 她心裡喜歡寶玉，願意哄他、疼他、護他，也願意順著他。寶玉不喜歡仕途，她不像賈政那樣一味逼迫；寶玉喜歡在女兒堆裡玩鬧，她也睜一隻眼、閉一隻眼，不聞不問。 如果說王熙鳳心中還保存著一些沒有被權力和金錢完全污染的人間真情，那麼，她對這個比自己年紀小、一直喊她「鳳姐姐」的寶玉，至少有幾分情是真實的。 在這一點上，寶玉其實也很懂鳳姐姐。 寶玉雖然討厭世俗的爭權奪利，卻不輕視鳳姐的才幹。他能向賈珍推薦鳳姐協理寧國府，說明他知道鳳姐姐有本事，而且這樣的本事不應當被埋沒。 只是寶玉與鳳姐終究不是一路人。 寶玉厭惡這個世界的虛假，王熙鳳卻是善於在這個虛假世界裡謀求生存和利益的人。寶玉不願意學會算計，鳳姐卻必須依靠算計活著。 所以他們彼此親近，卻永遠不可能真正同行。 王熙鳳一生中，還做過一件當時看來微不足道、後來卻改變了女兒命運的善事。 劉姥姥第一次走進榮國府求助時，王熙鳳雖然帶著富貴人家的傲慢，也沒有真正把這個鄉下窮親戚放在心上，卻終究依照王夫人的意思，給了她二十兩銀子，又另給一吊錢作為雇車費，幫助劉姥姥一家渡過難關。 這次幫助未必完全出於鳳姐主動，也算不上多麼慷慨無私，卻仍然是她一生中少有的一次善意之舉。 她當時也許並沒有想到，自己隨手給出去的一點幫助，最後竟成為女兒巧姐逃離災禍、獲得拯救的重要因緣。 在《紅樓夢》原著中，巧姐的判詞說： 「勢敗休云貴，家亡莫論親。 偶因濟村婦，巧得遇恩人。」 就是這件事的寫照。 王熙鳳一生做過無數的算計，那些算計最後大多害人害己。反而是她當年對劉姥姥無心所做的那一次善事，最後改變了女兒巧姐的命運。 至於經常被人算在王熙鳳帳上的賈瑞之死，則與尤二姐之死不能相提並論。 賈瑞雖然在賈府地位不高，身上卻同樣帶著賈府某些男人好色輕薄的劣根性。他真是昏了頭腦，竟然對王熙鳳動了淫邪念頭，用言語加以調戲。 以王熙鳳這樣心高氣傲之人，如何能夠忍受賈瑞的這種侮辱？ 可是她沒有選擇當面斥責，而是暗中設下「相思局」，想狠狠捉弄和教訓賈瑞，出一口胸中惡氣。她未必以置賈瑞於死地為目的，可是她的報復也確實夠狠毒。 她先讓賈瑞在寒冬中苦等受凍，後來又讓賈蓉、賈薔對他加以羞辱和勒索，使賈瑞受凍、受辱，因此大病。 此後，賈瑞不思悔改，仍然沉迷色欲，又違背跛足道人使用風月寶鑑的告誡，最終送掉了自己的性命。 因此，賈瑞之死的主要原因，在於他自己的淫念、執迷和不知悔改，可以說是咎由自取；但是王熙鳳的過度報復，也確實加速了他的病倒和死亡。 王熙鳳未必以置賈瑞於死地為明確目的，卻也不能完全擺脫過度報復所應承擔的道義責任。 在三樁與王熙鳳有關的人命悲劇中，她所負的責任並不相同。 對張金哥與守備之子的死亡，她沒有殺人意願，也不是唯一應該負責任的人，卻因為濫用權勢促成退婚，成為這場悲劇因果鏈條中的一個關鍵參與者。 對尤二姐之死，她有明確的敵意，並且進行了有計畫、持續性的迫害，應當承擔主要責任。 至於賈瑞之死，她原本是受到冒犯的一方，設局主要是為了懲戒和報復，未必有取其性命的明確目的，但是她的手段過於狠毒，仍然負有一定的道義責任。 這三件事不能混為一談，更不能把所有人的死亡，都簡單寫成是她蓄意害死的。 這正是評價王熙鳳時最複雜、最困難的地方。 她不是無辜的，可是她的許多狠毒行為，也不是憑空產生的。她每次出手大多事出有因，卻也不能因此說，那些被她傷害的人都是咎由自取。 理解她為什麼害人，不等於認為她害人有理；指出她所受的傷害，也不等於免除她對別人所受傷害應當承擔的責任。 王熙鳳算計別人，算計銀子，算計人情，算計丈夫，也算計賈府上下每一個人的心思。可她唯獨沒有算到，自己同樣也是局中人，別人也一直在暗中算計她。 她一直以為自己是下棋的人，是可以掌控全局的棋手。可是到了最後，她才發現，自己也只是棋盤上的一枚棋子。 她是封建大家族裡最能幹的女人，卻也只不過是一個女人。她能夠施展才幹的天地極其有限，只能把自己的能力用在管理內宅、維持豪門秩序、爭奪丈夫的心、斂取銀錢、壓制丫鬟、打擊姨娘之上。 如果她生為一個男人，也許能夠在更廣闊的天地中施展才幹，有所作為。可是她偏偏生為一個女人，於是，她全部的智慧和能力，只能在賈府這個狹小的圈子裡慢慢消耗，最後變成害人又害己的利器。 她並不是一個可以簡單概括的天生惡婦。她後來之所以變得那麼尖刻狠毒，與她所處的生存環境密切相關。 真正公正的評價，是既不替她開脫，也不把她簡化為一個天生的惡人。 後來，賈府敗落了。 賈府敗落之後，最先被壓垮的，恰恰就是王熙鳳這樣曾經依靠賈府權力活著的人。 她曾經依靠的權勢，一夜之間土崩瓦解。她的身體本來就已經嚴重虧損，下紅之症不止，氣血兩虛，又被家事、官司、債務、抄家、丈夫冷落和長輩責難一起圍攻，終於再也支撐不住。 那個曾經人未到、笑聲先聞的鳳姐，慢慢病得面黃肌瘦，再也沒有了從前的神采。她曾經那麼喜歡管事，到了最後，卻連自己的命也管不了。 《紅樓夢》第五回的判詞寫道： 「凡鳥偏從末世來，都知愛慕此生才。 一從二令三人木，哭向金陵事更哀。」 《紅樓夢曲》中的《聰明累》又寫道： 「機關算盡太聰明，反算了卿卿性命。」 這兩句話，確實是王熙鳳一生極其精準的寫照。 不過，王熙鳳最後究竟怎樣死去，死後又有怎樣的身後事，現存的《紅樓夢》版本留下了不同的說法。 曹雪芹的前八十回並沒有寫到王熙鳳之死，只留下判詞、曲文和一些伏筆。根據這些零星線索，部分紅學家推測，賈府敗落以後，王熙鳳可能因放高利貸、包攬訴訟以及其他罪行東窗事發，被賈璉休妻，甚至獲罪入獄。 有人把判詞中的「三人木」理解為一個「休」字，認為它暗示賈璉最終休妻。 脂硯齋批語也留下了「獄神廟」等八十回後佚稿的零星線索；一些探佚者據此進一步推測，鳳姐敗落後可能獲罪入獄，甚至設想劉姥姥曾在她落難時前往探望。 但是，這些都屬於紅學探佚，沒有完整原稿可以證實。 曹雪芹原來究竟怎樣安排鳳姐的死亡，她是否被休，是否獲罪入獄，又是否死在獄中，現存原著都無法作出確切回答。 程高本後四十回所寫的，是另外一種結局。 在通行本中，王熙鳳沒有被賈璉休妻，也沒有死在獄神廟。她在榮國府中因重病纏身，油盡燈枯而死，她死前還惦記女兒巧姐。她死後，賈璉雖然手頭拮据，無力替她大操大辦，仍命賴大辦理喪事，並因想起她往日的好處而悲傷不已。 這個結局雖然風光不再，卻沒有出現草蓆裹屍、棄置亂葬崗的情節。 1987年版電視劇《紅樓夢》，沒有採用程高本所寫的病死榮府，而是根據判詞、脂批以及當時紅學界的探佚設想，重新安排了鳳姐獲罪入獄、死後以草蓆裹屍、在大雪中被拖走的結局。 這個著名畫面，並不見於曹雪芹現存的前八十回，也不見於程高本後四十回，是電視劇為了強化人物盛衰反差而進行的藝術創造。 鳳姐活著時，何等威風。 她一句話，可以讓整個寧國府上下忙碌起來；她一抬手，多少人都要低頭聽命。可是到了最後，她被一張破草蓆裹住，在漫天大雪中被人拖走。 一邊是「粉面含春威不露，丹唇未啟笑先聞」，一邊是破席裹屍、無人相送。這種極端強烈的反差，確實具有震撼人心的藝術力量，也滿足了部分觀眾希望看到她「惡有惡報」的心理。 可是，藝術上的震撼並不等於原著中的事實。 草蓆裹屍的畫面，是87版電視劇的藝術創造，不是曹雪芹現存原著中寫下的結局。 如果換一個角度來看，王熙鳳自己其實也是一個受害者。 特別是作為一個女人，她太能幹，太有主見，也太希望掌握自己的命運。這樣的女人，很難真正被那個以男性為主導的社會所容納。 賈璉可以出軌，可以納妾，可以背著妻子金屋藏嬌，別人最多說他風流成性；可是鳳姐如果嫉妒、憤怒和反抗，便會被視為妒婦、潑婦和惡婦。 這當然不能成為她迫害尤二姐的理由。 王熙鳳最大的悲劇，是她沒有、也不可能真正反抗造成不公的制度和背叛婚姻的丈夫，只能把全部力量用來傷害另一個同樣被男人支配命運的女人。 她有能力反抗，卻找錯了反抗的對象；她想保護自己，卻用毀滅另一個女人的方式來達到目的；她想掌控命運，最後卻被自己的所作所為和那個社會對女人的不公共同毀滅。 所以，理解王熙鳳，不等於替她開脫；指出她也是受害者，也不等於抹去她對尤二姐之死所負的主要責任，以及她在張金哥與守備之子的悲劇中所負的弄權責任。 在整部《紅樓夢》裡，沒有誰真正贏過。 賈府像一張巨大而華麗的網。 有人在網底哭，有人在網中央笑，也有人站在網上面發號施令。王熙鳳曾經以為，自己是掌管這張網的人；直到最後她才明白，自己也一直被困在這張網中，從來沒有真正自由過。 當這張大網轟然倒塌，晴雯、林黛玉和尤二姐沒有逃出去，王熙鳳同樣也沒有逃出去。 她害過人，也被別人和那個時代所害。她是那個吃人世界的幫凶，最後又成為那個吃人世界的犧牲品。 這不是為她開脫，而是她比一個普通的惡人更加複雜、更加深刻，也更加令人悲哀的地方。 （未完待續）

Most of the young women who die in Dream of the Red Chamber are destroyed by others. But Wang Xifeng, the wife of Jia Lian, is an entirely different case. She harmed others, yet she was also harmed by others. She was an accomplice of that man-eating world, only to be slowly devoured by it in the end. Unlike Qingwen, she was not purely a victim; unlike Lin Daiyu, she was not simply a woman doomed to misfortune. She was the most capable woman in Rongguo House—and the woman in the entire novel who is the hardest to judge fairly and the hardest to explain. Yet no matter how glorious she once appeared, or how many ruthless things she did, she too ultimately became a tragic figure. From the moment Wang Xifeng first appears in Cao Xueqin’s novel, her presence is commanding and her splendor dazzling. To acquire a more vivid and immediate understanding of Wang Xifeng, there is no better or more reliable way than to read Cao Xueqin’s own words. Therefore, although the following passage is rather long, I would still like to reproduce it here and share it with my readers: “Before she had finished speaking, laughter was heard from the rear courtyard, followed by a woman’s voice: ‘I’m late! I’ve failed to welcome our honored guest.’ Daiyu was astonished. ‘Everyone here is so restrained and silent,’ she thought, ‘so respectful and solemn. Who can this newcomer be, to behave with such uninhibited boldness?’ “As the thought passed through her mind, she saw a group of maids and married servants crowding around a woman who entered through the rear door. This woman was dressed quite differently from the other young ladies. Resplendent in brilliant embroidery, she seemed almost a divine consort or celestial maiden. On her head she wore a gold-wire coiffure set with eight treasures and pearls, adorned with a five-phoenix hairpin whose pendants faced the rising sun. Around her neck was a necklace of coiling dragons fashioned from pure gold. At her waist hung a pea-green sash, with paired jade pendants in the form of two fish, and she wore a close-fitting jacket of scarlet foreign satin embroidered in gold with butterflies among flowers. Over it was a dark blue-green jacket of multicolored silk tapestry lined with silver squirrel fur, and below it a turquoise crepe skirt scattered with floral designs. “She had a pair of phoenix eyes, triangular in shape, and two long, willow-leaf eyebrows sweeping upward at the ends. Slender in figure and graceful in bearing, her powdered face seemed to hold all the warmth of spring, though its authority remained concealed; before her crimson lips had even opened, her laughter had already been heard. Daiyu hurriedly rose to greet her.” The moment Wang Xifeng entered the room, Lin Daiyu, newly arrived at the Jia household, understood at once, young though she was, that this woman was no ordinary daughter-in-law. And indeed, she was not. At that time, she was the most powerful household manager in Rongguo House. She knew better than anyone how to speak and act in Grandmother Jia’s presence, and how to win her affection. She knew when to laugh, when to weep, when to behave playfully, and when to become ruthless. She handled the intricate web of human relationships in Rongguo House as deftly as an expert moving beads upon an abacus. In an age ruled by men, a woman like her was not supposed to possess such extraordinary power. Yet somehow, she did. Wang Xifeng was born into the prominent Wang family of Jinling. She was the niece of Lady Wang, the wife of Jia Zheng, and after marrying Jia Lian, she also became a great favorite of Grandmother Jia. Throughout the Jia household, countless married servants, old women, pages, and maids feared her. A word from her could bring someone a reward; another word could bring someone misfortune. All this created her power, status, and boundless splendor within Rongguo House. Yet it also planted the seeds of the retribution that would one day descend upon her. After Qin Keqing’s death, Ningguo House fell into chaos. Overwhelmed by grief, Jia Zhen had neither the attention to manage the household nor the slightest idea how to restore order. Baoyu therefore recommended that Xifeng be asked to take charge of Ningguo House. Although Baoyu disliked official careers, worldly advancement, fame, and wealth, he was not opposed to women possessing ability. He knew that Xifeng was capable, and he also understood that she longed for an opportunity to put her talents to use. Xifeng did not disappoint him. Upon entering the chaotic Ningguo House, she quickly brought its many servants, old women, and maids under firm control. Who was responsible for what, who should perform which duty, how money should be issued, and how work should be assigned—she arranged everything clearly and systematically, acting with decisiveness and tolerating no carelessness. Her management of Ningguo House was the brilliant victory that established Wang Xifeng’s reputation and displayed her exceptional administrative abilities to the fullest. Yet it was also there that readers first truly saw that a chill lay beneath her competence—perhaps even the faint shadow of something murderous. She could manage a household, but she could also manipulate power. She could rescue a chaotic situation, but she could also abuse her authority and harm others. An incident at Iron Threshold Temple marked the first time Wang Xifeng used the Jia family’s power to cross a moral boundary. The circumstances were as follows: A wealthy man named Zhang lived in Chang’an Prefecture. He had a daughter whose childhood name was Jinge, and she had already been formally betrothed to the son of a former military commandant of Chang’an. Later, a young man known as Li—the brother-in-law of the prefectural magistrate—saw Jinge and became determined to marry her. Young Master Li knew perfectly well that Jinge was already betrothed, yet he relied upon his powerful connections to demand her hand. This was the beginning of the entire tragedy. Jinge’s parents were trapped between the two families. They dared not offend Young Master Li, but they also feared that the commandant’s family would refuse to dissolve the engagement. When the commandant’s family heard what had happened, they came to denounce and insult the Zhang family without first asking who was truly at fault. They accused the Zhangs of promising one daughter to two families and threatened to take them to court. Humiliated and enraged by the commandant family’s abuse, Jinge’s parents stubbornly resolved to cancel the original engagement. They sent someone to the capital in search of powerful assistance, declaring that if the matter could be settled, they would willingly exhaust their entire fortune in gratitude. The original novel later describes Jinge’s parents directly as people who “coveted wealth and worshiped power.” This makes it clear that Wang Xifeng did not force them to break the engagement; they had already decided to do so. They feared Young Master Li’s influence and had become bitterly entangled with the commandant’s family. In the end, they chose to sacrifice their daughter’s existing marriage in order to escape their immediate predicament. Yet although they wanted to cancel the engagement, they did not possess enough power to compel the commandant’s family to agree and return the betrothal gifts. They therefore entrusted Abbess Jingxu of Iron Threshold Temple with the task of finding an influential intermediary. Having accepted the Zhang family’s request, Abbess Jingxu busily sought a way to mediate the dispute. She plainly had interests of her own at stake, and eventually brought the matter before Wang Xifeng. At first, Xifeng did not immediately agree. She told Jingxu, “I am not in need of money, and I do not do this sort of thing.” Had Abbess Jingxu stopped there, the affair would never have had anything to do with Wang Xifeng. But Jingxu was shrewd and calculating, and she understood Xifeng’s character very well. She therefore deliberately provoked her, saying that the Zhang family already knew she had come to the Jia household seeking help. If the Jia family refused to intervene, the Zhangs would not think that such a great house was above accepting a gift. Instead, they would conclude that the mighty Jia family did not possess even this small degree of influence. The taunt struck directly at Wang Xifeng’s pride, competitiveness, and desire to display her power. Her interest was immediately aroused, and she declared: “You have known me long enough. I have never believed in judgment in the netherworld, hell, or divine retribution. Whatever the matter may be, if I say it can be done, then it will be done. Tell him to bring me three thousand taels of silver, and I will avenge this grievance for him.” Abbess Jingxu continued flattering her, saying that a matter of this kind would be impossibly difficult for anyone else, but in Xifeng’s hands it amounted to almost nothing. The more Xifeng listened, the more pleased she became. She finally decided to interfere in a marriage that had originally had nothing whatsoever to do with her. She secretly instructed Laiwang to handle the matter. In Jia Lian’s name, she had a letter written to Yun Guang, the military governor of Chang’an, who had long been on friendly terms with the Jia family. Out of regard for the Jia household, Yun Guang applied pressure, and the commandant’s family had no choice but to swallow their anger and take back the betrothal gifts. On the surface, the matter had been successfully settled. But no one had expected that when Jinge learned her parents had canceled the engagement, she would hang herself. When the commandant’s son heard that Jinge was dead, he too took his own life by throwing himself into a river. Thus, two devoted young people became victims of power, money, parental authority, and the feudal marriage system. Upon closer examination, the deaths of these two young people cannot be attributed to Wang Xifeng alone. Young Master Li’s attempt to seize another man’s betrothed by relying on his powerful connections was the original cause. Jinge’s parents coveted wealth and worshiped power; after being insulted by the commandant’s family, they rashly insisted upon canceling the engagement and therefore bore an inescapable responsibility for their daughter’s death. The commandant’s family, without first examining what had happened, resorted to abuse and threats of litigation, further intensifying the conflict between the two households. Abbess Jingxu worked tirelessly to force the matter through and deliberately provoked Xifeng into intervening. She too was an important participant in the tragedy. How, then, should Wang Xifeng’s responsibility be judged? She had never met Jinge or the commandant’s son, and there is no evidence that she anticipated the broken engagement would drive both young people to suicide. Her purpose was not to kill anyone. It was to collect three thousand taels of silver, avenge Jingxu and the Zhang family’s grievance, and demonstrate that she possessed enough influence to control a marriage far away in Chang’an. The deaths of Jinge and the commandant’s son therefore cannot simply be described as deliberate murders committed by Wang Xifeng. But this does not erase the responsibility she did bear. Had she not used the Jia family’s influence to write to Yun Guang, the Zhang family, despite its desire to break the engagement, might never have been able to force the commandant’s family to return the betrothal gifts. It was Xifeng’s intervention that finally turned the Zhang family’s intention into reality. She was neither the sole creator of the tragedy nor someone who consciously wished to kill. Yet by abusing power and forcing the engagement to be canceled, she became one of the crucial participants in the chain of events. And this coerced dissolution of the engagement was the most immediate cause of the two young people’s successive suicides. For this abuse of the Jia family’s power, she was not punished. On the contrary, she received the silver and proved her influence once again. Her success increased her faith in power, deepened her indifference to consequences and retribution, and made her ever more audacious. She did not begin by consciously deciding to harm others. But after using power once, obtaining material gain, and suffering no punishment, she gradually lost her respect for moral boundaries. From that point onward, she traveled ever farther down the road of manipulation and illicit profit, and her methods became increasingly ruthless. Nowhere was this more frighteningly evident than in her treatment of Second Sister You, whom Jia Lian secretly married behind her back. Jia Lian kept Second Sister You hidden away as his secret bride. To Xifeng, this was not merely another act of marital infidelity. It directly threatened her position within the family. Wang Xifeng had not borne a son, and her health had gradually deteriorated after a miscarriage. In a feudal patriarchal household that upheld the belief that nothing was more unfilial than failing to produce a male heir, her position was far less secure than it appeared. In a society dominated by men, Jia Lian could take concubines in the name of continuing the family line. He even dared to marry Second Sister You secretly behind his wife’s back. Nor had he ever remained idle. From Duo-guniang and Bao’er’s wife to Second Sister You, one woman followed another, while he paid no attention whatsoever to the feelings of his lawful wife, Wang Xifeng. But Xifeng was not permitted the same freedom. She was a woman and a wife. She was expected to behave properly and preserve the dignity of her position as the lawful first wife. If she showed jealousy, she would be condemned as ungenerous; if she quarreled over her husband’s infidelities, she would be denounced as an unvirtuous wife. What, then, could she do in the face of Jia Lian’s habitual betrayal? Since she could not openly oppose him, she chose an indirect and merciless course. Smiling, she brought Second Sister You into Rongguo House. Even Second Sister You was deceived by her gracious performance, believing that Xifeng was magnanimous and tolerant, and feeling deeply grateful to her. But behind Wang Xifeng’s smile lay humiliation and resentment—and a terrifying intent to destroy. That smile was far more frightening than any open scene of weeping and rage. On the surface, she treated Second Sister You as a beloved sister. In secret, she destroyed her step by step. She incited Zhang Hua to file a lawsuit, created a violent disturbance at Ningguo House, used Qiutong to humiliate Second Sister You, and allowed the servants to neglect and mistreat her, leaving her isolated and helpless within Rongguo House. After Second Sister You became pregnant, an incompetent doctor named Hu Junrong misdiagnosed her condition and prescribed an extremely dangerous medicine, causing her to lose the son she was carrying. The original novel does not directly prove that Hu Junrong acted under Wang Xifeng’s orders. It would therefore be unjustified to state with certainty that this medical disaster was secretly arranged by Xifeng. Yet there can be no doubt that the prolonged torment and isolation Second Sister You endured were directly connected to her. Once Second Sister You lost her unborn child, the last of her hopes died as well. Crushed by both mental and physical suffering, she could see no future and no possible way of escape. At last, in despair, she swallowed gold and ended her life. Wang Xifeng’s responsibility for the death of Second Sister You was entirely different from her responsibility for the deaths of Jinge and the commandant’s son. In the Jinge affair, Wang Xifeng was a crucial participant in a complicated chain of causes. She bore no personal hatred toward either young person, nor did she wish for their deaths. But in the case of Second Sister You, she faced a rival whom she had decided must be eliminated. Her hostility was unmistakable, and her covert persecution was prolonged and relentless. She did not kill Second Sister You with her own hands, but step by step, she destroyed every hope and emotional support that might have enabled her to go on living. For the death of Second Sister You, therefore, Wang Xifeng was unquestionably the principal aggressor and the person who acted with the clearest conscious intent to cause harm. She removed the thorn from her side and temporarily preserved her position as Jia Lian’s lawful wife, but in Jia Lian’s eyes, she gradually ceased to be a wife and became an enemy. She was like an exceedingly sharp double-edged blade: she wounded others, but cut deeply into herself as well. She labored day and night, calculating how to acquire more silver, how to manage those above and below her, and how to guard against her husband’s endless infidelities. She oppressed servants, pleased Grandmother Jia, obeyed Lady Wang, and endured humiliation in the presence of her mother-in-law, Lady Xing. Though outwardly surrounded by splendor, she was already being drained of blood and strength, little by little, by the enormous man-eating machinery of Rongguo House. Wang Xifeng’s marriage appeared glorious, but in truth, she was not happy. From Wang Xifeng’s point of view, if Second Sister You gave birth to a son, she would rise in status as the mother of a male heir and become increasingly important to Jia Lian. Xifeng, childless and weakened by illness, might gradually lose her husband’s favor and even be cast aside. If that happened, how could she continue to survive? Jia Lian was a frivolous and promiscuous man. He already had Wang Xifeng, a beautiful and capable lawful wife, as well as Ping’er, who was equally beautiful, gentle, and understanding. Yet he was still not satisfied. From Duo-guniang and Bao’er’s wife to Second Sister You, he would pursue almost any woman, respectable or disreputable, without the slightest concern for how Wang Xifeng might feel. Wang Xifeng’s cruelty and ruthlessness cannot be excused on this account. But the marital environment in which she lived cannot be separated from any attempt to understand how she became so ruthless. Had she not been hard and merciless—had she shown even a little weakness—her position, dignity, and life might long ago have been torn apart by Jia Lian and the endless succession of women around him. The person rejected by her husband and driven into desperation might then have been not Second Sister You, but Wang Xifeng herself.

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Yet no matter how strong or ruthless Wang Xifeng became, she was still only a woman. In a society dominated by men, she could not indulge herself with the same confidence and impunity as a man. She could only struggle from within the position of a lawful wife to preserve her title, her dignity, and the little self-respect still left to her. The more fiercely she defended them, the more ruthless she became; and the more ruthless she became, the more isolated she was. Ping’er was the person closest to her. Yet even the gentle and uncontentious Ping’er often became the target of her anger and had to clean up the consequences of her actions time after time. Xifeng had made too many enemies. Throughout the Jia household, people appeared to respect her but were actually afraid of her. They flattered her aloud while resenting her in their hearts. Almost no one truly understood or felt compassion for her. Within all of Rongguo House, only Baoyu retained a distinctive affection for her. Baoyu called Wang Xifeng “Sister Feng,” never “Second Sister-in-law Lian.” According to their positions within the Jia family, she was his second cousin’s wife; through the Wang family, however, they were also related as cousins. The name “Sister Feng” expressed both the affection of kinship and the intimacy born of growing up together. Wang Xifeng genuinely cared for Baoyu. Of course, part of this affection arose from her desire to please Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang. Baoyu was the apple of Grandmother Jia’s eye, and anyone who treated him well earned favor in her sight. How could someone as intelligent as Xifeng fail to understand that? But it would also be unfair to say that all her affection for Baoyu was false or merely performed. In her treatment of Baoyu, Wang Xifeng showed some of the genuine tenderness of an elder sister toward a younger brother, as well as a measure of sincere affection. She knew Baoyu had no interest in managing household affairs. She therefore regarded him neither as a rival for power nor as an ally who might help her exercise it. She liked Baoyu and was willing to humor, cherish, protect, and indulge him. When Baoyu rejected the path of official advancement, she did not pressure him relentlessly as Jia Zheng did. When he preferred playing among the young women, she turned a blind eye and left him alone. If some measure of human affection remained in Wang Xifeng’s heart, not yet completely corrupted by power and money, then at least part of what she felt for Baoyu—the younger boy who always called her “Sister Feng”—was real. And in this respect, Baoyu understood Sister Feng very well. Although Baoyu detested worldly struggles for power and advantage, he did not look down upon Xifeng’s abilities. His recommendation that she manage Ningguo House shows that he knew how capable she was and believed that such talent should not be buried. Yet Baoyu and Xifeng ultimately traveled along different roads. Baoyu detested the falseness of the world, while Wang Xifeng excelled at surviving and pursuing advantage within that false world. Baoyu refused to learn calculation and intrigue, while Xifeng depended upon them to survive. Thus, although they were close, they could never truly walk the same path. Wang Xifeng also once performed a kindness that appeared insignificant at the time but later changed her daughter’s fate. When Granny Liu first entered Rongguo House seeking help, Wang Xifeng received this impoverished country relation with the arrogance of the wealthy and did not truly regard her as important. Yet in accordance with Lady Wang’s wishes, she gave Granny Liu twenty taels of silver, along with another string of cash to hire a carriage, enabling Granny Liu’s family to survive its hardship. This help may not have originated entirely from Xifeng herself, nor was it an act of extraordinary generosity or selflessness. Nevertheless, it remained one of the few gestures of kindness in her life. She could never have imagined that this small assistance, casually given, would one day become the crucial bond that allowed her daughter Qiaojie to escape disaster and find salvation. In the original Dream of the Red Chamber, Qiaojie’s prophetic verse reads: “When power is lost, speak no more of noble rank; When the family falls, do not depend upon your kin. Because her mother once aided a village woman, By happy chance, the child would meet her benefactor.” These lines foreshadow precisely what was to come. Throughout her life, Wang Xifeng devised countless schemes, most of which ultimately harmed both others and herself. Yet the one kindness she had casually shown Granny Liu was what eventually changed the fate of her daughter Qiaojie. As for the death of Jia Rui, which is also frequently charged to Wang Xifeng’s account, it cannot be placed in the same category as the death of Second Sister You. Although Jia Rui occupied no important position in the Jia household, he possessed the same lustful and frivolous tendencies seen in some of its other men. He truly lost all sense of judgment when he conceived an obscene desire for Wang Xifeng and attempted to seduce her with suggestive words. How could a woman as proud and strong-willed as Wang Xifeng tolerate such an insult? Yet instead of rebuking him openly, she secretly set a “trap of desire,” intending to deceive, punish, and humiliate Jia Rui so severely that she could vent her anger. She may not have intended to kill him, but her revenge was unquestionably vicious. First, she made Jia Rui wait for her in the bitter winter cold. Later, she arranged for Jia Rong and Jia Qiang to humiliate and extort money from him. Frozen and disgraced, Jia Rui fell seriously ill. Even then, Jia Rui did not repent. He remained enslaved by lust and ignored the lame Taoist’s instructions on how to use the Precious Mirror of Romantic Enchantment. In the end, he brought about his own death. The principal causes of Jia Rui’s death, therefore, were his own lust, obsession, and refusal to repent. To a great extent, he suffered the consequences of his own conduct. Yet Wang Xifeng’s excessive vengeance undeniably hastened his illness and death. Although Wang Xifeng may not have consciously intended to take Jia Rui’s life, she cannot be absolved of the moral responsibility arising from the cruelty of her revenge. In the three fatal tragedies associated with Wang Xifeng, the degree and nature of her responsibility were not the same. For the deaths of Jinge and the commandant’s son, she had no intention to kill and was not the only person responsible. Yet by abusing power to force the cancellation of their engagement, she became a crucial participant in the chain of events that produced the tragedy. In the death of Second Sister You, she bore unmistakable hostility and carried out a planned and sustained campaign of persecution. She must therefore bear the principal responsibility. In Jia Rui’s case, she was originally the person who had been insulted. Her scheme was primarily intended to punish and avenge herself, and she may not have explicitly sought his death. Yet because her methods were excessively cruel, she still bore a measure of moral responsibility. These three cases cannot be confused with one another, nor can every death be simplistically described as someone Wang Xifeng deliberately killed. This is precisely what makes judging Wang Xifeng so complicated and so difficult. She was not innocent, but neither did her cruelty arise from nothing. Most of the time, she had a reason for striking back. Yet this does not mean that those she injured deserved what she did to them. To understand why she harmed others is not to say that she was justified in doing so. To acknowledge the injuries she suffered is not to absolve her of responsibility for the injuries she inflicted. Wang Xifeng calculated against other people. She calculated money, favors, her husband, and the thoughts of everyone in the Jia household. The one thing she failed to calculate was that she too was trapped inside the game—and that others were constantly calculating against her. She always imagined herself to be the person playing the game, the master strategist who controlled the entire board. Only at the end did she discover that she too was merely one of the pieces. She was the most capable woman in a great feudal household, yet she was still only a woman. The field in which she could exercise her abilities was extremely narrow. She could use her talents only to manage the inner household, preserve the order of an aristocratic family, compete for her husband’s affection, accumulate silver, suppress maids, and attack concubines. Had she been born a man, she might have exercised her abilities in a much wider world and accomplished something of lasting value. But she was born a woman. All her intelligence and strength were therefore consumed within the narrow confines of the Jia household, until they were transformed into weapons that harmed others and ultimately destroyed herself. She cannot be reduced to a woman who was simply born wicked. The sharpness and cruelty she later displayed were closely connected to the conditions in which she struggled to survive. A truly fair judgment neither excuses her nor reduces her to an innately evil woman. Then the Jia family fell. After the collapse of the family, those most quickly crushed were precisely the people like Wang Xifeng, whose lives and identities had depended upon its power. The influence upon which she had relied disintegrated almost overnight. Her health was already gravely impaired: she suffered from persistent bleeding and severe weakness. Then household turmoil, lawsuits, debts, confiscation of the family property, her husband’s estrangement, and the reproaches of her elders closed in upon her all at once. At last, she could endure no more. The woman whose laughter had once been heard before she even entered the room gradually became gaunt and sallow, stripped of all her former radiance. She had once been so fond of managing everything, yet in the end she could not even manage to preserve her own life. Wang Xifeng’s prophetic verse in Chapter Five of Dream of the Red Chamber reads: “This splendid phoenix came in an age of decline; All admired the brilliance of her life and mind. First obedience, then command, and finally dismissal; She would return to Jinling in tears, her grief still deeper.” The song Too Much Cleverness also declares: “Her schemes were too clever, every calculation made; Yet all that cleverness cost her her own life.” These lines are indeed an extraordinarily precise summation of Wang Xifeng’s life. Yet exactly how Wang Xifeng died, and what happened to her after death, differs among the surviving versions and later adaptations of Dream of the Red Chamber. Cao Xueqin’s surviving first eighty chapters do not narrate Wang Xifeng’s death. They contain only the prophetic verse, the song, and a number of scattered clues. From these fragments, some Redology scholars have conjectured that after the fall of the Jia family, her involvement in usurious lending, interference in lawsuits, and other offenses may have been exposed, leading Jia Lian to repudiate her and possibly even resulting in her imprisonment. Some readers interpret the three Chinese characters in the line “first obedience, then command, and finally three-men-wood” as components forming the character 休, meaning “to repudiate a wife.” They therefore regard the line as a hint that Jia Lian would eventually cast her off. The marginal annotations attributed to Zhiyanzhai also preserve fragmentary references to episodes beyond Chapter Eighty, including an incident at the Prison God Temple. Some scholars attempting to reconstruct the lost chapters have gone further, suggesting that Xifeng may have been imprisoned after her downfall, and even imagining that Granny Liu might have visited her in her time of ruin. These ideas, however, all belong to the scholarly reconstruction of the novel’s lost ending. No surviving complete manuscript can confirm them. We therefore cannot know with certainty how Cao Xueqin originally intended Wang Xifeng to die, whether Jia Lian would repudiate her, whether she would be imprisoned, or whether she would die in prison. The final forty chapters of the Cheng-Gao editions present a different conclusion. In the commonly read 120-chapter version, Wang Xifeng is neither repudiated by Jia Lian nor left to die in prison. Gravely ill, she dies of physical exhaustion in Rongguo House. Even in her final hours, she remains concerned about her daughter Qiaojie. After her death, Jia Lian, though impoverished and unable to provide her with an elaborate funeral, orders Lai Da to make the necessary arrangements. Remembering the good she had once done, he weeps bitterly. Although this ending contains none of her former splendor, it also includes no scene in which her body is wrapped in a straw mat and abandoned in an unmarked grave. The 1987 television adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber did not follow the Cheng-Gao version in having Xifeng die of illness in Rongguo House. Drawing instead upon the prophetic verses, the Zhiyanzhai annotations, and scholarly reconstructions current at the time, the series created an ending in which Xifeng is convicted and imprisoned, dies in disgrace, and is wrapped in a straw mat before being dragged away through the falling snow. This famous scene appears neither in Cao Xueqin’s surviving first eighty chapters nor in the final forty chapters of the Cheng-Gao editions. It was an artistic creation of the television adaptation, designed to heighten the contrast between Xifeng’s former magnificence and her final ruin. How imposing Xifeng had been in life! A single command from her could set all of Ningguo House in motion. With one gesture, she could make countless people lower their heads and obey. Yet at the end of the television adaptation, her body is wrapped in a ragged straw mat and dragged away through a great snowstorm. On one side stands the woman whose “powdered face held the warmth of spring, though its authority remained concealed,” and whose “laughter was heard before her crimson lips had opened.” On the other lies a corpse wrapped in a tattered mat, with no one to mourn or accompany her. The extreme contrast possesses undeniable artistic power. It also satisfies the desire of some viewers to see her receive retribution for her wrongdoing. But artistic power is not the same as fact in the original novel. The image of Wang Xifeng’s body wrapped in a straw mat was created for the 1987 television adaptation. It was not the ending recorded in Cao Xueqin’s surviving text. Viewed from another perspective, Wang Xifeng herself was also a victim. As a woman, she was too capable, too independent in judgment, and too determined to control her own destiny. A woman of that kind could never be fully accepted by a society ruled by men. Jia Lian could commit adultery, take concubines, and keep another woman in a secret residence behind his wife’s back, and others would at most describe him as incorrigibly amorous. But if Xifeng became jealous, angry, or resistant, she would be condemned as a jealous wife, a shrew, and a wicked woman. This, of course, cannot justify her persecution of Second Sister You. Wang Xifeng’s greatest tragedy was that she did not—and in truth could not—directly resist the unjust system or the husband who betrayed their marriage. Instead, she turned all her strength against another woman whose destiny was equally controlled by men. She had the strength to resist, but chose the wrong object of resistance. She wanted to protect herself, but attempted to do so by destroying another woman. She wanted to control her destiny, yet in the end she was destroyed both by her own actions and by a society profoundly unjust to women. To understand Wang Xifeng, therefore, is not to excuse her. To recognize that she too was a victim is not to erase her principal responsibility for the death of Second Sister You, or her responsibility for abusing power in the tragedy of Jinge and the commandant’s son. In the entire world of Dream of the Red Chamber, no one truly wins. The Jia family is like an enormous and magnificent net. Some people weep at the bottom of the net. Some laugh at its center. Others stand above it and issue commands. Wang Xifeng once imagined that she was the person controlling the net. Only at the end did she understand that she too had always been trapped within it and had never truly been free. When that enormous net finally collapsed, Qingwen, Lin Daiyu, and Second Sister You failed to escape. Wang Xifeng failed to escape as well. She harmed others, but she too was harmed by other people and by the age in which she lived. She was an accomplice of that man-eating world, and in the end, she became one of its victims. This does not absolve her. It is what makes her more complicated, more profound, and more tragic than an ordinary villain. (To be continued)