The poem says:
Graceful and playful young girls, resembling enchanting courtesans.
Singing while playing the zither, flaunting their enchanting dance.
Nobleman's bewitchment, flying horsemen chasing after.
Gentle and inviting favor, displaying various postures.
Ximen Qing went to the court, first spoke to Xia Tiexing: "Those few have been asking others to plead for them, hoping to set them free." Xia Tiexing said: "I also have people pleading, can't directly speak to the superiors. Since that's the case, bring them out, scold them, then release them." Ximen Qing said: "The official is right." Then he went to the court, had his men bring out those few to kneel. Afraid of being beaten, they kept kowtowing. Ximen Qing didn't wait for Xia Tiexing to speak; he said: "You lot, actually getting so many people to plead for you! You should be severely punished, but I'll let it go this time. If you ever offend again and end up in my hands, you'll all be locked up until death! Get lost!" Terrified, Han Er bolted out, looking like he'd lost his mind. This matter was settled this way.
Ying Bojue took five taels of silver, secretly gave it to the boy, asking him to help plead. Ping An was watching at the door. The boy said: "Yesterday I spoke for his father; today I went to the court to handle it." Bojue said: "His brothers have been pleading constantly, afraid he will be punished again." The boy said: "Don't worry, he won't be beaten for sure." Bojue hurried back to tell them. At breakfast, the four families returned home, crying in the arms of their parents. Each family spent over a hundred taels of silver and ended up suffering from leg ulcers, never daring to act recklessly again.
Disasters come from forced actions, and troubles stem from an inability to endure.
That day, Ximen Qing did not return home. The book boy was in the study and asked An'er to sweep the floor, also giving him some candy from the table. For some reason, An'er said, "Book boy, I need to tell you something. Yesterday, Ping'an was carrying the sedan chair for Wuliang and kept badmouthing you on the way." The book boy asked, "What did he say about me?" An'er replied, "He said you took several taels of silver to buy wine and meat and spent half the day eating in Liu Niang's room. He also said you were eating in the shop outside and didn't let him have any. He said you were messing around with the master in the study." The book boy remembered this but said nothing. The next day, Ximen Qing had plans, did not go to the government office, and went to Yongfu Temple to drink and see off some friends, only returning home in the afternoon. After getting off his horse, he instructed Ping'an, "If anyone comes, just say I'm not home." He then entered the hall, and the book boy took his clothes. Ximen Qing asked, "Did anyone come today?" The book boy replied, "No. Old Xu from the village brought two bags of crabs and ten pounds of fish; I sent him a reply and gave him a coin. Uncle Wu sent six invitations, asking the ladies to eat for three days tomorrow." It turned out that Uncle Wu, Wu Shunchen, had married the niece of Qiao Dahu, Zheng Sanjie, and since Ximen Qing had sent tea before, he came to invite them.
Ximen Qing went to the backyard, where Yue Niang showed him the invitations. Ximen Qing said, "You all keep them for tomorrow." After saying this, he went out to the study and sat down. He quickly whipped up some sweet pastries and served him tea. Ximen Qing took the tea, and he crept closer. Ximen Qing motioned for him to shut the door, embraced him, and held his face. Ximen Qing poked his tongue out, and the book boy handed him the sweet pastry and prepared some jade stems for him. Ximen Qing asked, "Child, is anyone bullying you outside?" The book boy said, "I have something to say, but I wouldn't have dared if you hadn't asked." Ximen Qing said, "Go ahead." The book boy then recounted what Ping'an had said: "A few days ago, the master called me into the room, and he and the painter were eavesdropping outside the window. When I came out to fetch water for the master to wash his hands, I saw it with my own eyes. He was out there cursing at me, calling me a bad servant and picking on me all the time." Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing was furious: "If I don't break his legs, this isn't over!" The conversation in the study ended there.
Ping'an is inquiring about this, so quickly go tell Jin Lian. Jin Lian then sends Chun Mei to invite Xi Menqing. As Chun Mei turns around the pine tree wall, she sees Hua Tong playing with a squirrel and asks, "Sister, what are you doing here? Father is in the study." Chun Mei gives her a sharp slap on the head. Xi Menqing, hearing the rustle of a skirt in the study, knows someone is coming and quickly pushes away the servant, pretending to sleep. The book boy is fiddling with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on the table. Chun Mei pushes the door open, sees Xi Menqing, and pouts, saying, "You two are sneaking around with the door closed, what are you doing? My mother wants you to go talk to her." Xi Menqing lies back on the pillow and says, "What does that little brat want me to say? You go first; I'll take a moment before going!" Chun Mei won't let him procrastinate and says, "If you don't go, I'll drag you there!" Xi Menqing can't stop her and is forcibly pulled to Jin Lian's room. Jin Lian asks, "What is he doing in the study?" Chun Mei says, "He's in there with a little servant, the door is locked, acting all sneaky like they're secretly meeting. When I went in, the servant was writing, and he was lying in bed, refusing to come over no matter how much I pulled." Pan Jin Lian says, "If he thinks he can come into my room, just wait and see what I’ll do! That shameless thing, if he had any shame, why would he be locking the door with that little servant in broad daylight? It must be that little servant who is shameless, sneaking in at night to sleep with me, so dirty!" Xi Menqing says, "You believe this little girl’s nonsense, I have nothing to do with this! I was watching him write invitations, and I was just resting on the bed." Jin Lian says, "Writing invitations behind closed doors? What are you writing, some secret about three-legged kings and two ivory elephants, afraid of being seen? Tomorrow, Mrs. Wu is holding a celebration, and we need to send invitations, with gifts to prepare. If you don’t give me anything, am I supposed to ask some random guy for it? The eldest sister sent a set of clothes and five taels of silver, others have hairpins and flowers, but I have nothing, I'm not going!" Xi Menqing says, "Get a piece of red gauze from the cabinet in the kitchen for you as a gift." Jin Lian says, "If I’m not going, I’m not going. That ragged piece of red gauze will just make me a laughingstock!" Xi Menqing says, "Stop making a fuss, I'll go upstairs to find something for you. To send gifts to Tokyo now, it takes several pieces of fabric, let me see what I can find." So he goes upstairs to Li Ping'er’s place and finds two pieces of black brocade with golden qilin patterns, two pieces of Nanjing satin, one piece of bright red bull silk, and one piece of emerald blue cloud satin. He tells Li Ping'er, "I'm looking for a cloud brocade shirt for Jin Lian as a gift; if there isn't one, no need to go to the fabric store, I'll just buy it." Li Ping'er says, "I have a piece of golden brocade clothing! A bright red shirt and a blue skirt, they’re of no use to me, let’s each take one as a gift, it’ll be easier." Saying this, she takes it out of the box. Li Ping'er personally shows it to Jin Lian: "Sister, pick whichever you like, the shirt is fine, the skirt is fine, it’s great for both of us to have one as a gift, saves trouble." Jin Lian says, "Yours, how can I take it?" Li Ping'er says, "Good sister, why do you say that!" After a lot of back and forth, Jin Lian finally agrees to take it. Then she goes out and has Chen Jingji change the waistband, writing their names on it without signing.
Ping An is at the front door, and when he sees Bai Laiguang coming, he asks, "Is the master at home?" Ping An replies, "My father is away." Bai Laiguang, not believing him, walks straight into the hall. Noticing the partition is closed, he says, "Indeed, he is not at home. Where did he go?" Ping An says, "He went out of town to see someone off today and hasn't returned yet." Bai Laiguang says, "Seeing someone off, he should have been back by now." Ping An says, "Uncle Bai, if you have any business, wait for my father to come back, and I will tell him." Bai Laiguang says, "There's nothing urgent; I just haven't seen him in a long time and came to visit. Since he's not here, I'll wait." Ping An says, "I'm afraid he'll be back late, and you won't be able to wait." Bai Laiguang stays, pushes open the partition, enters the hall, and takes a seat. The servants ignore him and let him sit. Just then, Ximen Qing sends Yingchun to carry the fabric from behind and, just as he turns past the screen, sees Bai Laiguang sitting in the hall. Yingchun drops the fabric and quickly steps back. Bai Laiguang says, "Isn't Brother at home!" as he walks down to bow. Ximen Qing sees him, can't decline, and can only let him sit. Ximen Qing notices Bai Laiguang's worn-out attire, which includes a faded old hat that has lost its color from washing, a worn-out white shirt, worn-out black boots, and worn-out socks inside. After sitting down, he doesn't even bother to ask for tea. Seeing Qin Tong serving on the side, he instructs, "Take the fabric to the guest room and have your brother-in-law seal it." Qin Tong agrees and carries the fabric to the side room. Bai Laiguang says, "I haven't visited for a long time, and it's really impolite." Ximen Qing says, "Thank you for your concern. I'm often not at home either; there's always something going on at the yamen." Bai Laiguang asks, "Do you go to the yamen every day?" Ximen Qing says, "I go twice a day to handle cases in the hall. On the first and fifteenth of every month, I have to make sacrifices, draw lots, distribute salaries, and assign local militia duties. There are many trivial matters to attend to at home, not a moment of free time. Today, I went out to see off the newly promoted camp officer Nanxi, who just arrived home. Tomorrow, I have to go to Lord Xue's house for a drink, and the journey is too far. The day after tomorrow, I have to inquire about the newly appointed censor's affairs. Also, the fourth son of the imperial tutor in Tokyo has chosen a son-in-law, and the nephew of the Grand Commandant Tong has been promoted to commandant, and I need to bring gifts for all of them. I've been swamped lately." After talking for a while, Lai An finally brings in the tea. Just as Bai Laiguang took a sip, Da'an came running in with a big red note, shouting, "The magistrate, Mr. Xia, has arrived!" Ximen Qing hurriedly went to change clothes in the back. Bai Laiguang quickly ducked into the west wing and peered outside.
After some time, Xia Tixing finally arrived in the hall, and Ximen Qing, dressed in official attire, went to welcome him. After the two exchanged greetings, they took their seats, with Xia Tixing as the host and Ximen Qing as the guest. Soon after, a servant brought in some tea. Xia Tixing said, "Regarding the big inspection we discussed yesterday, I sent someone to inquire today. It’s a scholar named Zeng, who was a successful candidate in the imperial exam in the Year of Yiyou, and the appointment papers have already been sent to Dongchang. You all should head out early tomorrow morning to welcome him. Although we're military officials, we're in charge of the criminal justice office, which is different from regular military guards. We'll leave the day after tomorrow, find a spot about ten miles outside the city, and get a meal ready to welcome him there!" Ximen Qing said, "You've thought of everything, Your Excellency. Don't worry about it; I'll have someone find a temple or a manor for us, and I'll have the cook get there early to prepare." Xia Tixing thanked him, saying, "Thanks again for your help." After he finished his tea, Xia Tixing stood up and left.
Ximen Qing sent off Xia Tixing and took off his official robes. Bai Laiguang had not yet left and sat down again in the hall. He said to Ximen Qing, "Brother, you haven't attended our meeting for the past two months, and it's all gone to pieces. Old Sun is too old to manage things; Ying Erge doesn't take charge either. Yesterday, during the Ghost Festival at the Jade Emperor Temple, only the three or four of us went, and no one contributed any money; everyone just gave up. Fortunately, Wu Daoguan hosted a banquet in the evening and even invited a storyteller, which was really kind of him. Although he didn't say anything, everyone felt uncomfortable. It's not like when you were the leader; there was still some leadership. Before long, we’ll have to ask you to come back to the meeting." Ximen Qing replied, "If it's fallen apart, then let it be; who has the time to manage this? When I'm free, I can just do a ritual at Mr. Wu's once a year to pay my respects. Do what you like; I don’t need to hear about it." With just a few words, Bai Laiguang was left speechless. After sitting for a while, Ximen Qing noticed he was still sitting there, so he had to call for the young musician to set up a table in the side room, bringing out four small dishes, both meat and vegetables, including fried gluten and braised meat. Ximen Qing dined with him. After the wine was served, Ximen Qing took a silver-inlaid large cup and poured wine for him. After a few cups, Bai Laiguang finally got up. Ximen Qing accompanied him to the second gate and said, "Don’t hold it against me for not seeing you off; I'm wearing this hat, so it's not proper for me to go out." Bai Laiguang said his goodbyes and took his leave.
Ximen Qing returned to the hall, pulled out a chair and sat down, then loudly called for Ping'an. When Ping'an came over, Ximen Qing scolded, "You thieving servant, why are you still standing?" There were three or four other servants standing nearby. Ping'an didn't know what was going on. His face turned pale with fear, and he knelt down. Ximen Qing said, "I told you when I came in that if someone came looking for you, you needed to listen!" Ping'an said, "Uncle Bai came when I said father had gone out to see off a guest and hadn't returned yet. He didn't believe me and barged in. I told him, 'Leave a message and wait for father to come back; I will report to him.' He didn't say anything, just pushed the hall door open and sat down. Later, when he came out, he happened to see me." Ximen Qing scolded, "You worthless servant, stop making excuses! You are really timid! When someone comes, you're just drinking and eating instead of guarding the main gate!" He told the servants, "Smell his breath for alcohol." The other servant smelled and reported, "No smell of alcohol." Ximen Qing ordered, "Call two men who know how to use torture, and properly interrogate this servant!" Immediately, two men held Ping'an down and put the torture device on him, pulling it upwards with force. Ping'an couldn't bear the pain and screamed, "I did say father wasn't here; he forced his way in." The other servant tied the ropes tightly and knelt down to report, "Torture has been applied." Ximen Qing said, "Give him another fifty lashes!" Someone counted and stopped after fifty lashes. Ximen Qing ordered, "Give him twenty cane strikes!" After a while, twenty cane strikes were delivered, causing his skin to tear and blood to pour. Ximen Qing commanded, "Release him!" The two servants came forward to untie the torture device, and when they did, Ping'an screamed in pain. Ximen Qing scolded, "You thieving servant! You said you were guarding the main gate, but you were actually trying to deceive people for money and ruin my reputation outside. Don't let me hear about it again, or I'll break your legs!" Ping'an got up, pulled up his pants, and left. Ximen Qing saw a young servant nearby and said, "Take this young servant and torture him too!" Each young servant screamed like a pig being slaughtered. We won't go into the details of Ximen Qing torturing the servants in the hall right now.
Pan Jinlian came out of the house, walked to the hall entrance, and saw Meng Yulou hiding behind the wall eavesdropping. Jinlian asked, "What are you listening to?" Yulou said, "I'm listening to her father scolding Ping'an. Even the young servant got beaten; I have no idea why." At this time, a boy playing chess walked over, and Yulou stopped him and asked, "Why did they beat Ping'an?" The boy said, "The old man was angry because he allowed Bailaiguang in." Jinlian interjected, "It's not because he let in Bailaiguang; it's definitely because Ping'an messed up the ivory! If he didn't damage the ivory, why would he go so hard on the boy for no reason? That old man has no shame at all; he's in charge of everything, and he has no integrity at all! It's really unreasonable!" The boy left. Yulou asked Jinlian, "How did he damage the ivory?" Jinlian said, "I was just about to tell you. A few days ago, I went to my mother's house for her birthday, and while I was away, that servant sneakily took a few taels of silver from someone, bought food and wine, took it to Li Ping'er's room, and drank with the boy for a while before coming out. That shameless jerk didn't say a word when he came back, and he locked himself in the garden study with the boy; the door was locked, and the two were acting all sneaky. Who knows what they were up to? When Ping'an took the person's invitation in, he saw the door was closed, so he waited under the window. The boy saw him when he opened the door, probably learning from that shameless jerk, and retaliated against him today, beating him until he was bruised and swollen. Even if he locks up the whole family tomorrow, it’s got nothing to do with me!" Yulou smiled and said, "You're right; even in a family, there are good folks and bad folks." Jinlian said, "It's not like that; let me tell you slowly. In this house now, he likes two people the most, one at home and one outside; he's been all over the place, like he's lost his mind over them, and he smiles as soon as he sees them. We have no luck; we're just here taking all the hits. That heartless guy! Totally under the spell of that vixen; now he's flattering her! Sanjie, listen, who knows what kind of trouble will happen tomorrow! Today, for the New Year, they patched things up again as soon as they got home. They went straight to the study. Today I had Chunmei call him, but who would’ve thought they were locking the door with that servant in broad daylight! Chunmei pushed the door open and startled them; their eyes widened. After entering the room, I gave him a good scolding. He just dodged left and right. He tried to sweeten me up with a piece of red silk first, but I refused. Later, he ran to Li Ping'er's room upstairs. That guy is cowardly; he knows he's wrong, so he took a set of embroidered clothes from his box to please me, but I still refused. He got anxious and said, 'Sister, why are you so stubborn! Sister, you can pick clothes or skirts. Once you've picked, take them to the front and have Master Chen write a letter.' After dawdling for a while, I finally calmed down. He asked me to take a piece of clothing." Yulou said, "That's okay; at least he tried his best." Jinlian said, "You don't understand; you can't just let him slide. In this world today, it's the bad people with their eyes open that you need to fear, not the Buddha with his eyes closed! Between husband and wife, if you're too tolerant of him, those officials and soldiers will just see you as a pushover!" Yulou joked, "Liu Yatou, you've really got a stubborn streak; you're quite fierce." With that, the two of them laughed. Just then, Xiaoyu popped in to say, "Third Sister, Fifth Sister, we've got crabs in the backyard! I'll go invite Sixth Sister and Eldest Sister."
Empty
The two of them walked in hand in hand. Yue Niang and Li Jiao Er were sitting in the hallway of the main house and asked, "What are you two laughing at?" Jin Lian replied, "I'm laughing because his father hit Ping An." Yue Niang said, "Because he was shouting and yelling, I thought he was hitting someone. Turns out it was him. Why did he hit him?" Jin Lian said, "Because he broke the ivory piece." Yue Niang asked directly, "Where was the ivory kept, and how did it break?" Pan Jin Lian and Meng Yu Lou giggled together. Yue Niang said, "I don’t know what you’re laughing at, and you won’t tell me, will you?" Yu Lou said, "Sister, you don’t know, the master hit Ping An because he let in the white light." Yue Niang said, "Letting in the white light is one thing, but how does that lead to breaking the ivory? It's really careless; he should just stay home and not stir up trouble!" Lai An said, "He came to see the master." Yue Niang asked, "Who fell off the bed? Look, stop talking nonsense; if you’re not going to say anything, let’s just eat already." After a while, Li Ping Er and the eldest sister arrived, and everyone gathered to feast on crabs. Yue Niang instructed Xiao Yu, "There’s some grape wine left in the house; bring it out for everyone." Quick-witted Jin Lian said, "Eating crabs needs to be paired with some Jinhua wine!" Then she said, "Just eating crabs with wine, and if we add some roasted duck, it’d be even better!" Yue Niang said, "Where are we supposed to buy roasted duck at this hour?" Li Ping Er turned red hearing this. It was just: **The conversation is loaded with meaning, and the topic suggests we should pay attention.** Yue Niang was honest and didn’t realize there was more to the conversation. We won’t go into details about eating crabs here.
Ping An had been beaten by Ximen Qing and ran outside in a hurry, where Ben Si, Lai Xing, and others quickly surrounded him and asked what happened. "Why did my dad beat me? I know why!" Ping An cried. Lai Xing replied, "Your dad's mad because you let that Bai Lai Guang guy in." Ping An said, "Earlier, you were all watching; I stopped him, but he insisted on coming in. I didn't expect my dad to come out and catch him. He didn’t say a word, just sipped his tea and stayed seated for ages. Later, when Xia Laopai showed up, I told him Xia Laopai was here, but he still hid in the side room and wouldn’t budge until he had a drink. In the end, he ended up beating me. Can you believe my luck? Saying I didn’t stop him, like it’s my fault! All because of that damn thief, eating our stuff, and still has the nerve!" Lai Xing said, "It’d serve him right if someone broke his spine!" Ping An said, "Best case, he chokes on something and his throat rots! How can there be such shameless people out there? Unlike this scum, shamelessly coming to my house, not even chased off by a dog! A total freeloader—he deserves to get what’s coming to him!" Everyone laughed. Ping An continued, "His house is probably out of rice to cook, and his wife’s probably starving. With nothing better to do, he just shows up at my place to mooch off us. Saving a meal isn’t going to cut it long-term. Maybe his wife should just keep a gigolo, let him be a scoundrel; maybe he’ll be tougher and not get cursed at."
Dai An was combing the customers' hair in the shop, collected the money, and said, "Ping An, I'm feeling restless and I can't hold it in any longer. You know what you promised the master and how he can be, right? Who are you going to point fingers at? You know, they say raising kids isn’t just about money; it’s about teaching them to be responsible. Unlike Uncle Ying Er and Uncle Xie, whether they're home or not, they know the score. The servants, the master instructed you to say he’s not home; how can you let someone in? If it’s not you, then who else should take the heat?" Ben Si joked, "Ping An has turned back into a child, playing all day and kicking a ball." Everyone laughed again. Ben Si continued, "Even if you let someone in, why did the painting boy get in trouble too? Is there any good food to share? There's always someone to share a drink and a meal with; even if you're stuck in a tough spot, there's always someone to back you up, right?" The painting boy was crying non-stop, rubbing his hands. Dai An said, "Quit crying; your mom's spoiled you too much. She ties up the fried dough twists for you, and you won’t even eat them." The other young servants in the shop were in a chaotic stir, but that’s a whole other story.
Ximen Qing watched Chen Jingji wrap gifts and a letter in the side room. The next morning, he sent someone to deliver them to Prince Cai and Tong Tang in Tokyo, but that matter can be set aside for now. The following day, Ximen Qing went to the government office. Wu Yueniang and the other concubines, a total of five sedan chairs adorned with pearls and jewels, dressed in brocade, went to stay at Aunt Wu's house for three days, with the bride also following in a small sedan. Only Sun Xue'e and Sister Ximen stayed at home to look after the house. In the morning, Han Daoguo sent gifts to thank him: a jar of Jinhua wine, a crystal goose, a pair of pig trotters, four roast ducks, and four shad fish. The note read, "Your humble servant Han Daoguo bows in gratitude." The young servant, seeing no one at home, dared not accept the gifts and left them at the door, waiting for Ximen Qing to return to show him. Ximen Qing sent a servant to the shop to call Han Daoguo, angrily saying, "What were you thinking? Why did you buy these things? I can't accept these!" Han Daoguo bowed and said, "I am deeply grateful for your great kindness, sir. This small token of appreciation is nothing significant; I hope you will graciously accept it." Ximen Qing replied, "That's not right. You are my partner, like family to me; how can I accept your gifts! Take these things back." Han Daoguo panicked and begged him repeatedly. Ximen Qing instructed his subordinates to only accept the goose and wine, sending them back. He had a servant take the note to invite Uncle Ying Er and Uncle Xie, then told Han Daoguo, "Have Bao watch the shop this afternoon, and come over to my house for a visit." Han Daoguo said, "Since you won't accept the gifts, I don’t want to bother you, sir." He nodded in agreement and left.
Ximen Qing bought a lot of vegetables again, and in the afternoon, he set up an Eight Immortals table in the pavilion at Feixuixuan. Ying Baojue and Xie Xida arrived first. Ximen Qing said to them, "Han Huaji went through a lot of trouble to send me a gift as a thank you. I repeatedly refused, but he insisted on sending it, leaving only the goose and wine. I can't enjoy it by myself, so please join him." Baojue said, "He told me about this, wanting to thank you with a gift. I told him you’re such a big shot, you don’t need his gift. Let him send it, and you definitely won't accept it. How about that? It's like I crawled out of your belly, and indeed you didn't accept it." After that, they drank tea and began playing Backgammon. After a while, Han Daoguo arrived, and they sat down after exchanging greetings. Ying Baojue and Xie Xida sat at the top, Ximen Qing sat on the side, and Han Daoguo sat opposite. Soon, four plates and four bowls were served, the table was piled high with dishes, and Jinhua wine was poured for Lai'an. He warmed the wine in a bronze pot and had the servant pour. Baojue instructed the servant, "Go to your mother's room and ask why there aren’t any crabs for Uncle Ying to eat? Tell her I want to eat crabs!" Ximen Qing said, "Silly boy, there aren’t any crabs! I'll tell you the truth, the manager Xu sent me two bags of crabs, and the women have finished them all, only a few were pickled." He ordered the servant, "Bring a few preserved crabs. Today, the women are all staying at Wu Jiezi's house for three days." After a while, Huatong brought two plates of preserved crabs. Ying Baojue and Xie Xida fought over them and devoured them. Seeing the servant pouring wine, Baojue said, "Uncle Ying has never drunk alone in his life. I heard you can sing Nanqu; I haven't heard it yet. Sing a song today, and then I'll drink." The servant was about to sing, but Baojue said, "Even if you sang it a thousand times, it wouldn't cut it. You’ve got to be like a dragon and a tiger, dress up like a female character." The servant sat at the table, only keeping an eye on Ximen Qing's face. Ximen Qing laughed and scolded Baojue, "You troublemaker, always making things difficult for everyone!" He told the servant, "Since he asked you, let Daian head to your sister’s place to borrow some clothes and get dolled up." Daian first went to Jinlian's room to ask Chunmei for it, but Chunmei wasn’t having it. Then he went to the upper room and asked Yuxiao for four silver hairpins, a back comb, a fairy dress, a pair of gold-inlaid fake turquoise pendants, a big red double-breasted silk shirt, a green heavy silk skirt, and a purple gold hoop. He also brought some makeup, dressed up in the study, and looked like a stunning woman.
As he approached the table, he first handed a glass of wine to Count Ying, then began to sing "Yufurong."
The withered petals float on the water, the plum blossoms are still budding on the branches. Lately, my eyebrows have faded; who will help me shape them? It's all the melancholy brought by spring; spring has passed, yet the sorrow lingers on. After parting ways, the mountains are steep and the waters deep. I counted the days until your return, yet I ended up ruining my little fan.
The count kept boasting, saying, "Like these officials, they don't care whether they can have enough to eat. Just listen to his voice; it's like that of a xiao, a traditional Chinese flute. He’s familiar with all the songs sung by the young girls in the courtyard. None can sing as beautifully as he does! Brother, I'm not exaggerating; you must surely appreciate having him around!" Ximen Qing laughed. The count said, "Brother, what are you laughing at? I'm speaking the truth. You mustn't neglect the boy; pay special attention to his attire. Lord Li took the trouble to send him here out of goodwill." Ximen Qing replied, "Exactly. Now that I'm not at home, all the matters in the study are handled by him and my son-in-law. My son-in-law also has to manage the shop." After finishing his drink, the count poured two more cups. He said, "Drink a bit for me." The young servant replied, "I can't drink, sir." The count said, "If you don’t drink, I might get upset. I'm rewarding you, and you're not happy?" The young servant glanced at Ximen Qing. Ximen Qing said, "Alright, since it's a reward from Father Yi, you can drink." The young servant bowed, slowly lowered his head, and took a sip. He held the remaining half cup in his hand and drank with the count. Then he turned around, thanked Xie Dada, and sang a song. Xie Dada asked Ximen Qing, "Brother, how old is the young servant?" Ximen Qing replied, "He just turned sixteen this year." Xie Dada then asked, "Can you sing Southern tunes?" The young servant said, "I only know a few songs, just enough to entertain you gentlemen." Xie Dada said, "What a smart lad!" He passed the wine again, just like before. Next, it was Han Daoguo's turn. Daoguo said, "Old sir, how could I dare to be presumptuous?" Ximen Qing replied, "You're a guest today." Han Daoguo replied, "That's not how we do things! First, we should toast the old sir, then the common man can drink." The young servant stood up to toast Ximen Qing before singing another song. After Ximen Qing finished his drink, he walked in front of Han Daoguo. Han Daoguo hurriedly stood up to take the wine. The count said, "Sit down; let him sing properly." Only then did Han Daoguo sit down. The young servant sang another song. Before the song had ended, Han Daoguo quickly finished his drink.
While drinking, Dai'an said, "Uncle Ben Si is here, please have him come speak to you." Ximen Qing said, "Tell him to come in and speak here." After a while, Ben Si came in, bowed, and sat down beside us. Dai'an brought a pair of chopsticks and set them down. Ximen Qing asked him, "How is the harvest on the farm?" Ben Si said, "The front yard has just been roofed, the foundation for the back yard canopy was laid yesterday, and the materials for the side rooms and back yard living quarters are not yet complete. The canopy needs twelve hundred square bricks, but we only have five hundred left; the old ones can't be used anymore. We're also short on large bricks for the walls. We need twenty taels of silver for the lime." Ximen Qing said, "The lime is not a problem; I'll let the lime supplier at the yamen know tomorrow to deliver it. Yesterday, the brick factory owner Liu said he would send me some bricks. You figure out how much, and set aside a few taels of silver to give him, and return half the favor. We're just short on wood." Ben Si said, "Yesterday, sir ordered me to go see that farm. This morning, Zhang An and I checked it out. It turns out it's the estate of an Imperial Consort. The Grand Imperial Consort has passed away, and now the Fifth Master is looking to sell it. We don't need all of it; negotiate with him to only dismantle three main halls, six side rooms, and a layer of servant quarters. He initially asked for five hundred taels. When the time comes, take the silver to negotiate with him; three hundred and fifty taels should be enough to dismantle it. Not to mention the wood, just the bricks, tiles, and soil alone are worth one to two hundred taels of silver." Bao Yu said, "I was wondering who it was! It's the Fifth Master's estate. The Fifth Master had a land dispute, reported it to the military and defense office, and spent a lot on the lawsuit. He even hired a fortune teller in the yard. He is now out of money. If you're interested, offer him three hundred taels of silver, and he'll likely agree. You can't catch a wolf with empty hands, after all." Ximen Qing told Ben Si, "Tomorrow, take two ingots of silver and go negotiate with him with Zhang An. If he agrees to sell for three hundred taels, then go ahead and dismantle it." Ben Si replied, "Got it." After a while, they brought up a bowl of soup and a plate of steamed cakes, and Ben Si ate. He poured some wine and joined everyone in drinking. Shu Tong sang a song and then took off.
The count said, "Drinking like this is boring. Bring a die; it's more fun to drink while playing." Ximen Qing told Dai An, "Go to Liu Niang's room and get a die." After a while, Dai An brought it back and placed it in front of the count, then quietly leaned over to Ximen Qing's ear and said, "In Liu Niang's room, he's crying. Sister Yingchun asked the master to send someone to see how Liu Niang is doing." Ximen Qing said, "Put down the wine pot, quickly call a servant to take a lantern to fetch her!" He then asked, "Where are those two servants?" Dai An replied, "Qin Tong and Qi Tong took the lantern and went first." The count saw six dice in the basin, picked one up and said, "The number I roll, everyone has to say a sentence using a domino term. If the numbers don't match, the penalty is a big drink. The next person has to sing a song; if they can't, they tell a joke. If they can't do either, they get a big drink as a penalty." Ximen Qing said, "You really know how to have fun; that's impressive!" The count replied, "If the master lets one rip, we have to follow suit. Why do you care about me?" He called Dai An, "You pour a cup first, punish the master, then we can play." Ximen Qing laughed and drank. The count said, "Everyone listen, I'll go first! If I say it wrong, I also have to drink a cup." He announced, "Zhang Sheng got wasted in the West Chamber. How much did he drink? One big jug and two small ones," and it matched perfectly. Ximen Qing called over the scholar to pour the wine, and it was Xie Xi Da's turn to sing. Xi Da clapped his hands and said, "I'll sing 'Zhe Gui Ling' for you all." He sang:
But people's hearts are like delicate youth flowers, a hundred charming affairs, all swayed by the breeze. With brows like spring mountains, and eyes like autumn waters, hair twisted like crows. Suffering from longing, unable to let go for even a moment; even when close, it feels like we're worlds apart. Thin because of him, sick because of him. Whoever achieves the marriage is like the Bodhisattva who saves the suffering.
The earl and the others drank wine and played dice games. Xie Xida rolled a four, and the earl said he had to drink four cups of wine. Xie Xida said two cups would be enough; he couldn't drink that much. The servant filled two cups for him, and Xie Xida drank one cup first, then it was his turn to sing. The earl and Xie Xida finished a plate of water chestnuts. Ximen Qing said he couldn't sing, so he told a joke: "A man went to buy pine nuts, asking questions while eating. The fruit seller said, 'If you're not buying, what are you eating for?' The man replied, 'I'm moistening my lungs.' The fruit seller said, 'You're moistening your lungs, and I'm the one who's heartbroken!'" Everyone laughed. The earl then said, "You're heartbroken? Bring two more plates! My matchmaker's horse manure—it's getting worse and worse!" Xie Xida continued to drink.
It was Ximen Qing's turn to roll the dice; he rolled a five, and the servant poured him some wine. Xie Xida said, "Brother, you should drink two cups too, don't be so stingy, drink four cups, and think of it as our way of showing respect." It was Han's turn to sing, and Han Daoguo said it was Ben Sige's turn since he was older. Ben Sige said he couldn't sing, either, and told a joke: "An official asked a criminal about his affair, asking, 'How did you do it?' The criminal said, 'Head facing east, feet also facing east.' The official said, 'Nonsense, where is there such a method?' Someone nearby knelt down and said, 'My lord, whatever is lacking, I'll make up for it!'" The earl said, "Ben Sige, you're really something! You're not that old; other things can be said, but even about the bedroom stuff, you can make up for it?" Ben Sige's face turned red, saying it was just a careless remark. The earl then said, "What are you talking about? A sandalwood target—just the sheath left, no blade!" Ben Sige fidgeted, wanting to leave but unsure how to.
Ximen Qing finished his drink, and it was time for Ben Si to roll the dice. Just as Ben Si was about to take the dice, An Er came to call him, saying that someone from the brothel was looking for him. As soon as Ben Si heard this, he quickly slipped away. Ximen Qing said, "He’s gone, Han, you roll." Han Daoguo rolled an eight or nine and said it was the baron's turn to sing. The baron said he wouldn’t sing but would tell a joke: a Taoist and his apprentice were delivering a talisman, and the apprentice's string came loose. The Taoist said, "What does that look like? Like someone with no backside!" The apprentice replied, "I have no backside; Master, you won't become one in a day!" Ximen Qing scolded, "You crooked mutt, a dog can’t produce ivory!" Then he continued drinking.
Dai An went to get Li Ping'er and called the painter boy to bring a lantern. When Ping'er heard her child was crying at home, she hurried back, leaving some money behind. Wu Dajinzi and Er Jinzizi tried to persuade her to stay, but Yue Niang said no one was home, and the child was crying for her, so she let Ping'er go home first. That’s when Li Ping'er finally left. Dai An and the qin boy returned home first, followed by the painter boy. After the wedding, Yue Niang and the others took the sedan chair home. On the way, there was only one lantern. Yue Niang asked where the lantern was, and the qin boy said Dai An took one to Liu Niang's house. Pan Jinlian asked the qin boy and learned that Dai An had taken two lanterns.
Jin Lian said that Dai An was too fawning and that they would have it out with him later. Yue Niang said to let it slide since the kid was waiting at home. Jin Lian insisted it was outrageous that there was only one lantern for four sedan chairs. When they got home, Yue Niang and Li Jiao'er got off first, while Jin Lian and Meng Yu Lou climbed down from their sedan and asked where Dai An was. Ping An said he was waiting at the back. Dai An stepped out, and Jin Lian let him have it, saying he was too fawning, that one lantern was not enough, and that he even swiped someone else's. He used two lanterns for his sedan, while they only had one for four, as if he thought they were outsiders. Dai An explained that it was the master who asked him to pick up Liu Niang first, fearing the child would cry badly. Jin Lian called him out for being evasive and said he only sought out the prosperous places, butting into both hot and cold situations, while they were born without fortune. Dai An said he was doing his best, and Jin Lian said she'd see if he'd have the guts to do it again. Then Jin Lian and Yu Lou left, while Dai An grumbled about his bad luck, saying that no good deed goes unpunished.
Yu Lou and Jin Lian got to the ceremonial gate and ran into Lai An, and asked where his dad was. Lai An said his father was still in the shed drinking with Count Ying, Xie Xi Da, and Uncle Han, and that a scholar was putting on a show over there while his mom was watching.
Two people walked outside the shed and looked in, only to see Count Ying sitting at the head of the table, his hat askew, dead drunk. Xie Xi was also so drunk he couldn't open his eyes. The flamboyantly dressed young scholar was pouring wine and singing southern tunes beside him. Ximen Qing secretly had the qin boy put powder on the Count's face and quietly placed a grass ring on his head to have some fun with him. Jin Lian and Yu Lou outside couldn't hold back their laughter, cursing, "This old fool, even if he were to die tomorrow, he wouldn’t feel guilty; he's made a complete fool of himself!" When Ximen Qing heard laughter outside, he asked a servant to go out and see who it was, and the two hurriedly left. The banquet had wrapped up, and it was already past midnight. That night, Ximen Qing went to bed in Li Ping'er’s room. After Jin Lian returned to her room, she asked Chun Mei what Li Ping'er had said when she came over. Chun Mei said she hadn't said much. Jin Lian asked again, "That shameless woman, did Ximen Qing go into her room?" Chun Mei replied, "When Liu Niang came, the master went into her room a couple of times." Jin Lian said, "Was it really because the child was crying that he brought her over?" Chun Mei said, "The child cried fiercely in the afternoon, holding on and crying, and when put down, still crying; there was no choice. I told the master, and only then did he have a servant go pick her up." Jin Lian said, "If that's the case, then it's fine. I thought that shameless woman had used all sorts of tricks to get the master to bring her over." She asked again, "That young scholar, whose clothes is he wearing?" Chun Mei said, "He came to ask me to borrow some; I scolded him and told him to ask Dai An. Later, he borrowed from Yu Xiao." Jin Lian said, "Next time he asks, don’t let that little brat borrow them." After saying this, seeing that Ximen Qing had not yet returned, she slammed the door shut and went to bed.
Viscount Ying saw Ben Si making money at the Zhuangzi village the day before, and the next day he took the money to buy the Fifth Prince's estate, earning at least a few taels of silver. During the banquet, when the toasts were being made, Ben Si accidentally let slip about this matter. The Viscount pretended not to know on purpose, wanting to see Ben Si's reaction. Ben Si was indeed frightened, so the next day he sent three taels of silver and personally went to the Viscount's house to apologize. The Viscount pretended to be surprised and said, "I have always been good to you; what are you doing?" Ben Si said, "I have never been good with manners and have always hoped that Uncle Two could help me more in front of the master. I really appreciate it!" The Viscount accepted the silver, let him drink tea for a while, and then sent him away. The Viscount returned to the house with the silver and said to his wife, "If I don't act tough, you can't even afford a new skirt. This kid Ben Si, I helped him once, and now he’s making money on his own and doesn’t need me anymore. The big official let him manage the estate at Zhuangzi, and tomorrow he will go to buy the estate of the Fifth Family; he’s already making enough money. Yesterday at the banquet, I tested him on purpose, and he got flustered, so I knew he would come to me today. He sent me three taels of silver, so I will buy some fabric and make winter clothes for the children." I just regret that my idle worries have turned into annoyances, not realizing that being clever isn’t as good as being foolish.
