Chapter 20: Baoyu Leaves the World
The Jia family had fallen. Once the most powerful house in Jinling, it was now reduced to ruins and debts. The emperor had taken away their titles, their lands were seized, and many family members were sent away. The Grand Garden, once filled with laughter and poetry, stood empty and silent.
Baoyu had married Baochai, but his heart was never at peace. He had been tricked into the marriage, believing that he was marrying Daiyu. When he learned the truth, he fell into a deep sadness that no one could cure. Baochai tried to be a good wife, but she could not fill the empty space in his heart.
One day, a monk appeared at the door of the Jia mansion. He carried the Magic Jade in his hand and spoke in a voice that seemed to come from another world. "The stone has completed its journey," he said. "It is time for the boy to return to where he belongs." Baoyu heard these words and felt a strange peace wash over him.
He kissed his newborn son goodbye and embraced Baochai one last time. "I am sorry," he whispered. "My heart was never truly mine to give." Then he followed the monk out of the gate and into the snow. No one saw him again. Some said he became a monk, while others believed he returned to the heavens.
The Grand Garden stood empty for many years. The flowers grew wild, the paths were covered with leaves, and the pavilions fell into ruin. But those who remembered the young people who had lived there still spoke of their beauty, their love, and their sorrow. The dream of the red chamber had ended, but its story would live on forever.