Wu Xindeng xifu

Her Story

Wife of Wu Xindeng, who keeps the silver store. In Chapter 55, with Xifeng ill and Tanchun newly put in charge, she comes to ask what should be paid out for the funeral of Zhao Guoji — Zhao Yiniang’s brother, and so Tanchun’s uncle by blood. She offers no precedent and waits to watch the young mistress guess wrong. Tanchun sends for the old accounts, finds the figure, and gives twenty taels. The woman leaves without another word.

In Xiang Li's Hands

Three sheets, none a scheming clerk’s wife. In one she sits with chrysanthemums and a basin of red berries; in one she carries a laden lacquer tray past huge fanned shell-forms; in one she holds up a lit lotus lamp, head bowed. Young each time, and each time carrying something.

The Calligraphy

All three sheets read 吴新登媳妇 — 媳妇 rather than the ledger’s 家的, a shade warmer, still her husband’s name and none of her own.

Connections

• Jia Tanchun 贾探春 — tests her in Chapter 55, and is not caught out.
• Zhao Yiniang 赵姨娘 — whose brother’s funeral money is the question.
• Wang Xifeng 王熙凤 — laid up ill, which is why the question reaches Tanchun at all.

Others of the same kind · servant's wife / senior serving-woman Zhou Rui jia de 周瑞家的 · Lin Zhixiao jia de 林之孝家的 · Lai Da jia de 赖大家的 · Wang Shanbao jia de 王善保家的 · Wang'er xifu 旺儿媳妇 · Zhang Cai jia de 张材家的 · Zheng Hua jia de 郑华家的 · Wu Xing jia de 吴兴家的 · Laixi jia de 来喜家的 · Qin Xian jia de 秦显家的 · Bao Er jia de 鲍二家的 · Liu jia de 柳家的 · Shan Daniang 单大娘 · Jin Wenxiang xifu 金文翔媳妇 and 10 more

Dream of the Red Chamber
Xiang Li painted all 413 characters of the novel between 1975 and 1985, the first person to complete the entire cast. See the whole collection · Chinese Empresses