On a personal level, Chin Cheng is especially troubled by the disclosure of Hsi-feng 's misdeeds, while she is conscience-stricken, blaming her own greediness as the cause of all this calamity.
Chin Cheng's soliloquy emphasizes his concern for the deficits in the family's accounts and the family members' extravagance in making a show of affluence all these years while, in reality, their expenditures far exceeded their income. Lady Dowager, born a Shih, prays to heaven for mercy. Her sobbing and praying make everyone weep, but that brings no solution to the terrible family calamity.
In Chapter 107, according to the Emperor's edict, Chin Sheh and Chin Chen are to be sent to the frontier to expiate their crimes, and Chin Chen's hereditary title is to be revoked. Chin Cheng's property is restored, and the Emperor bestows once again the Chin family's hereditary title, Duke of Jungkuo, on Chin Cheng.
All the family members are relieved, and their relatives come to offer their congratulations. Lady Dowager shares her personal savings and belongings to clear all the debts, as well as to pay for Chin Chen's journey to the coast and Chin Sheh's journey to the frontier.
Since the family's income continues to fall short of its expenditures, the stewards and some wealthy servants try to find excuses to leave the Chia family, but not Pao Jung, who hears a conversation between two fellows outside about the reason why the mansions were raided. It seems that Prefect Chin Yu-tsun was responsible for the raid, which he encouraged so that he would not be accused of shielding the Jung and Ning Mansions. Chin Yutsun is furious when he hears this and kicks them in front of the Emperor—a shameful act. As always, he is hunting for fame and fortune, ungrateful to those who have helped him, always playing up to those in power. Here, though, his wickedness is exposed in just a few words and a single act.
From this chapter on, Kno Ngo deals with the revival of the Chin family, beginning with the restoration of Chin Cheng's position and title, and thus he further distorts Tsao Hsueh-chin's original creative intent. Chapter 108 finds Shih Hsiang-yun visiting the Chin family after her marriage. At Lady Dowager's suggestion, a party will be held to celebrate Pao-chai's birthday. Yuan-yang is asked to preside over the drinking game. Hsi-feng tries her best to please the old lady, but she is less witty and amusing than she once was.
Pao-yu is lost in thought when Yuan-yang's dice-pot is set before him, and he throws "The Twelve Girls with Golden Hairpins." This reminds him of his dream of the twelve girls from Chinling. When he thinks of Tai-yu, tears well up in his eyes, and he slips away to the Garden, accompanied by Hsi-jen. As he walks towards Bamboo Lodge, he hears sobbing inside. Pao-yu's visit to the Garden terrifies everyone, and the old lady orders several maids to fetch him, fearing that his visit will bring on another fit of derangement.
In Chapter 109, Pao-yu asks Pao-chai's permission to sleep outside; ostensibly, he wants a change and a chance for better sleep, but actually he wants to dream, without being disturbed, of Tai-yu. Pao-chai agrees and sends His-jen to accompany him for the first night; Sheh-yueh and Wu-erh will accompany him during the second night. Because Wu-erh resembles Ching-wen, Pao-yu wants to make love to her; however, they are disturbed by a sound outside and by Pao-chai's coughing inside, so Wu-erh tiptoes back to her bed.
Ying-chun's husband, Mr. Sun, sends some servants to ask her to return from Pao-Chai's birthday celebration immediately, and Ying-chun has to hurry back. Soon she is reported to have died—after only a little over a year of marriage. Her tragic end is part of Tsao Hsueh-chin's master plan to describe the fates of four "chun" (Yuan-chun, Ying-chun, Tan-chun, and Hsi-chun). If you were reading this book in Chinese, you would give a sigh if you read the four "chun" together in order—that is, Yuan, Ying, Tan, and Hsi.
Lady Dowager falls ill, and doctors are called in. Varying diagnoses are made—one for chills and indigestion, another for an illness caused by chills and vexation. None of the medicines prove effective, and eventually she develops diarrhea. Soon she is near death.
In Chapter 110, Lady Dowager breathes her last, and the Ministry of Rites is ordered to take charge of the sacrifice. Hsi-feng is asked to take charge of the old lady's funeral, which is another opportunity for her to show off her powerful administrative ability. She sees the task as a familiar one, since she gained experience in dealing with Chin Ko-ching's funeral.
To her great surprise and dissatisfaction, Lady Hsing and Lady Wang do not support her. With very little cash in hand, Hsi-feng must pay for the funeral expenses and attend to all of the preparations by herself, since the servants are not as obedient as they once were. Thus, the guests are neglected, and Hsi-feng is criticized behind her back. Because she now lacks sufficient power to order people around, the heavy, tiring work is too much for her, and suddenly she vomits mouthfuls of blood.
The two funerals which Hsi-feng manages sharply contrast in that they reflect two periods of the Chin family—the first, one of prosperity; the second, one of tragic decline.
