As Xi Ren, the leading service girl who had taken care of Baoyu was away to visit her home, the duties, and the charge of Yihongyuan Court, fell on Qing Wen. A girl anxious to excel¹ in（胜过，擅长） everything, Qing Wen did everything personally.

宝玉的大丫头袭人回娘家,怡红院诸事交丫鬟晴雯料理。晴雯事事要强,带重病操持宝玉的一切。

For the special occasion of his uncle's birthday party, Baoyu put on a very unique Russian-made cloak² woven with threads from peacock³ feather, a gift from his grandmother. That evening, he returned with a sad look: the cloak had a hold burnt in it. Fortunately it was evening and the grandmother and the ladies in the house failed to notice.

宝玉为舅舅过生日,特穿上贾母送他的一件俄罗斯人用孔雀毛线织成的毛氅去赴宴。但晚上回来后,只见宝玉唉声叹气,一问才知毛氅烧了一个洞,幸好天黑,家母和太太们都没有看到。

One servant hurriedly brought the cloak out to professionals to be mended over night, for Baoyu had to wear the cloak the next morning. But the servant returned to report that no craftsman⁴ dared to take the job, as none of them was able to identify what material the cloak was made of.

丫头连夜叫嬷嬷拿了出去补,让天亮前补好,因为明天还得穿。嬷嬷们去了半天回来说:"工匠们不认识这是什么,不敢揽这活。"大家都很着急。

While everyone was upset, Qing Wen managed to sit up from her sick bed, and after a look she claimed the material was peacock gold threads," she said, "the cloak will look as good as new." Even with the proper thread, no one dared to take the job.

因病卧床的晴雯,听说此事,忙硬挺着身子坐起来,拿过来一瞧说:"这是孔雀金线,咱们用孔雀金线织密点,就能混过去。"虽有孔雀金线,大家都说不会织。

Therefore, Qing Wen, with a coat draped over her shoulders, began to mend. Due to sickness, she felt dizzy and saw stars. She bit her lips and continued. She had to stop for a bread every few stitches⁵. It was in the small hours of the morning when she finally finished the job. People marveled at the mending she had done-the damage was almost invisible.

晴雯只好披衣,但因身子虚,刚要动手,觉得头重脚轻,眼前冒金星,又怕宝玉着急,只好咬牙拼命撑着,逢几针,歇一会,一直到后半夜才补完。大家拿过来一看,简直和原来的一模一样。