Chapter 3: Baoyu wandering in the Realm of the Void

Foreword:
This article mainly talks about Baochai stands out among the servants at Rongfu, causing subtle resentment in the distant Daiyu. Baoyu treats all women as sisters and attends a flower-viewing banquet. Tired, he falls asleep in a room filled with art and dreams of the Taixu Illusion Realm, where he meets Fairy Jinghuan. She guides him to explore emotional histories of women, including the Misfortune Department and the “Twelve Beauties of Jinling.”

In this chapter, the presence of Baochai in Rongfu captivates the servants with her charm and adaptability, contrasting with the aloofness of Daiyu, which leads to a subtle resentment within her. Baoyu, known for his fondness for women, treats them all equally as sisters.

Amidst the blooming plum blossoms, Youshi organizes a flower-viewing banquet for family members, including Jia Mu and others. Feeling tired, Baoyu is guided by Qin to a prepared room where he admires a painting and couplets on the wall, inspiring thoughts of learning and introspection. As he drifts to sleep, he has a vivid dream transported to the enchanting Taixu Illusion Realm, where he meets Fairy Jinghuan, who oversees the love-related grievances of the world.

Fairy Jinghuan invites Baoyu to experience her new songs, leading him through a magical gateway adorned with philosophical couplets. He learns of different departments dedicated to the emotional histories of women and wishes to explore them, particularly the Misfortune Department. Inside, he sees cabinets with records of notable women, including the “Twelve Beauties of Jinling”. Despite warnings about the nature of these insights being unsuitable for mortals, Baoyu feels compelled to learn more.

The fairy explains that she was directed to guide him by the spirits of his ancestors, who wish for him to find a path free from lust and confusion. Jinghuan introduces Baoyu to a luxurious and otherworldly experience filled with enchanting performances, fine foods, and exquisite teas, including one made from rare flowers.

As Baoyu listens to songs about love and sorrow, he becomes conflicted, sensing the deeper meanings but failing to fully grasp them. In his dream state, he unknowingly succumbs to temptation with a beautiful girl named Keqing, an act which deepens his desires upon waking.

The dream shifts uneasily, as Baoyu faces frightening scenarios, invoking a sense of dread that drives him to call for help, waking in fear. His confusion between dream and reality illustrates the conflict within him, especially as he navigates his feelings towards the surrounding maids, including his affection for Xiren.

Meanwhile, the chapter wraps up with a subplot involving Granny Liu and her family seeking assistance from the affluent Wang family, highlighting themes of connection, desperation, and the social dynamics between different classes within the narrative. As Granny Liu maneuver around her circumstances, the interactions showcase the intricate relationships that bind characters across various social strata in the novel.

Story: Baoyu wandering in the Realm of the Void

On a dusky twilight evening, when the sun’s last rays still lingered on the horizon, Baoyu, the charismatic protagonist of “The Story of the Stone,” found himself within the richly woven fabric of the dreamscape rather than the opulent corridors of the Jia mansion. He had long felt the weight of life’s expectations upon him—an existence filled with duties and traditions that were often at odds with his yearning for freedom and genuine connection.

As he walked along an ethereal path that shimmered like starlight, Baoyu realized that he had crossed the boundary from his world into an enigmatic realm—the great Void that stretches beyond all comprehension, where the boundaries of reality seemed to blur. Here, the laws of life and death, duty and desire, all danced together in a mesmerizing cosmic ballet.

No longer burdened by familial obligations or societal expectations, Baoyu felt an internal awakening. He wandered through this realm, where clouds of swirling energy carried echoes of half-formed thoughts and unfulfilled dreams. Serene gardens bloomed with flowers that sang melodies sweet enough to awaken the soul. Intrigued by this bizarre landscape, he pressed on, hoping to uncover the secrets hidden within this boundless expanse.

As he wandered, Baoyu encountered ephemeral beings—spirits made of light and shadow, each bearing the essence of forgotten dreams. They floated silently through the Void, eyes filled with longing and nostalgia for the lives they once led. Curious, he approached one, a gentle spirit that shimmered with grace but bore a melancholic expression.

“Who are you?” Baoyu asked, his voice gentle, echoing softly in the vast emptiness around them.

“I am a fragment of what once was,” the spirit replied, its voice melodic yet haunting. “I linger here, for I was a poet who never penned my verses, a lover who never shared her heart. My dreams drift endlessly, lost in the chasm of the Void.”

At this, Baoyu felt a pang of recognition, for he too had walked the path of unfulfilled potential. Stricken with a sudden desire to help this lost spirit, he offered, “Let us weave our dreams together. Your whispers of beauty and my heart’s yearning could create something vibrant and alive.”

The spirit’s eyes brightened at his words, and together they embarked on a journey through the Void, gathering threads of hope, joy, and sorrow. They plucked melodies from the air and infused them with the colors of their emotions—vivid blues of longing, soft pinks of love, and golds of joyful laughter. As they spun their dreams together, the Void began to transform, shifting from a palette of muted shadows into a radiant tapestry of bright possibilities.

As they created, other spirits began to join—each one inspired by Baoyu’s resolve to reclaim what was lost. He understood that the essence of life lay not in the material burdens that shackled him but in the dreams that dared to transcend the boundaries of reality. They molded their stories and shared their experiences, crafting a world pulsating with the essence of life.

In that splendid realm, Baoyu learned that sorrow and joy intertwined like the threads of his beloved brocades, and beauty thrived within imperfection. Each spirit reclaimed their lost dreams with joy, and the Void became a vibrant kingdom resplendent with the light of hope.

Finally, as the stars began to twinkle in the newly born sky, Baoyu realized that it was time to return to his world, a realm of complex relationships and expectations. But he knew he would carry the lessons of the Void within him—the importance of embracing dreams, the joy of connection, and the power of collective hope.

Stepping back through a shimmering portal, Baoyu returned to the Jia mansion, forever changed. He found himself blending his experiences into the fabric of his life, nurturing the dreams of those around him, including Daoist priests who spoke of fate, and his beloved cousins who longed for freedom. In each interaction, he wove a little more of the Void’s vibrant essence into his reality, igniting hope and possibility in a world so often bound by restrictions.

As he walked the halls of the mansion, with a resolved heart and an imaginative spirit, Baoyu became not just a young heir but a bearer of dreams, lighting the way for others to step bravely into the realms of their own desires.