After Xi Menqing finished dealing with the matters concerning the Qiao family, he returned to the upper room to discuss with Yue Niang, Da Jinzhi, and Li Ping'er. Yue Niang said, "Others have already come to deliver festival gifts to our child, so we can't be negligent; we must also buy gifts to return to the Qiao family's eldest daughter. It's to express our intention of engagement and avoid any rudeness." Da Jinzhi said, "For this matter, we must find a go-between; it will be more convenient." Yue Niang asked, "Their family is Sister Kong; who should we send from our side?" Xi Menqing said, "For this matter, we shouldn't involve two people; let's just send Old Feng." So, he quickly wrote eight invitations and asked Old Feng and Dai An to take the invitation box. On the fifteenth, they were to invite Qiao's mother-in-law, Madam Qiao Wu, Madam Shang Ju, Madam Zhu Xu, Qiao's mother-in-law, Sister Duan, and Sister Zheng San to the banquet, to celebrate Li Ping'er's birthday and also to enjoy the lanterns together. At the same time, he instructed Lai Xing to quickly order pastries, sweet dumplings, and other food, and to prepare two sets of brocade satin clothing, a large red robe, a golden gauze crown, two Yunnan lanterns, a box of accessories, a pair of gold bracelets, and four gemstone rings. All these items needed to be packed early on the fourteenth, and the son-in-law Chen Jingji and Ben Si would wear blue clothing to escort them over. On the Qiao family's side, the banquet would be lavish, and they would express their gratitude generously. In return gifts, they also sent a variety of daily necessities, but that need not be detailed here.
Just as they were busy with this, the Count came to discuss the money matters of Li Zhi and Huang Si. Seeing the preparations, he asked what was going on. Xi Menqing informed him about the engagement with the Qiao family, saying, "On the fifteenth, we must invite Ling Zheng to accompany our in-laws." The Count said, "If Sister Kong calls him, he will surely come." Xi Menqing said, "Today we are inviting all the official ladies to dinner; after we finish eating, let's go to the house on Lion Street to see the lanterns." The Count agreed and left.
On that day, Wu Yiner first sent four boxes of gifts, two embroidered sweat towels, and a pair of women's shoes to celebrate Li Ping'er’s birthday and also acknowledged her as a goddaughter. Yue Niang received the gifts and had someone send her back. Li Guijie came the next day and, seeing Wu Yiner there, quietly asked Yue Niang, “How long has she been here?” Yue Niang told her everything that had happened the day before: “She came to deliver gifts yesterday and recognized your sixth sister as her goddaughter.” Li Guijie said nothing in response. After that, she and Wu Yiner were at odds, and neither spoke to the other.
In the front hall, Wang Huang's in-laws sent twenty young servants, led by two attendants, carrying boxes, who bowed to Ximen Qing first. Ximen Qing instructed them to tidy up the west wing to set up a stage and take care of the food and drinks. After a while, Zhou Shoubei's wife, Madam Jing, the mother of Jing Dujian, and Madam Zhang all arrived. They came in lavish palanquins, lined up, with their maidservants in tow. Yue Niang and her sisters, all dressed in robes, came out to greet them, and after paying their respects in the back hall, they let them sit down for tea, waiting for Madam Xia to arrive before setting up a formal tea table. Unexpectedly, by noon, she had still not arrived. The young servants invited her several times, and she likely wouldn't arrive until the afternoon, carrying a clothing box, followed by her maidservants, with a throng of servants surrounding her. The sound of drums and music echoed through the hall as they entered the back hall, greeted all the guests, and sat down in order. They first served tea in the tent, then proceeded to the main hall for the feast. The four women, Chunmei, Yuxiao, Yingchun, and Lanxiang, were all dressed neatly, serving tea and pouring wine at the banquet. That day, they performed *The West Chamber*.
Without mentioning the grandeur of the painting hall, the luster of jewels, the lively atmosphere of singing and dancing, and the joy of feasting and revelry, just note that Ximen Qing sent away the guests and rode out to meet Ying Bojue and Xie Xida, heading to the house on Lion Street. He ordered four sets of fireworks to be set off—one set there, and two more in front of the guests in the evening. Then he called for a cook to bring two food boxes and two jars of Jinhua wine from his home. He also called for two opera singers, Dong Jiaoer and Han Yuchuan. Ximen Qing had previously arranged for a sedan chair for Wang Luer to go to the house on Lion Street. Dai An told Wang Luer, "Master said to invite Han Dashen to watch the fireworks together tonight." Wang Luer replied, "I'm embarrassed to go. Do you think Han Dashu will be upset if he finds out?" Dai An said, "Master has already told Han Dashu to ask you to come quickly because two opera singers have been invited, and there is no one to accompany them." Wang Luer still hesitated to go. After a while, Han Daoguo returned. Dai An said, "Han Dashu is here, Han Dashen, see, I told you I wasn't lying!" Wang Luer asked Han Daoguo, "Is it really necessary for me to go?" Han Daoguo replied, "Master has repeatedly said that the two opera singers have no one to accompany them and asked you to go to watch the fireworks together tonight. You really shouldn’t turn it down! Master also asked me to close the shop so we can sit together this evening. Bao Guaner has also returned home, and it's his turn to be on duty at night." Wang Luer said, "I don't know what time it will end. You go there to sit for a while and come back. There is no one at home, and you shouldn't be on duty." After saying that, she got dressed, followed by Dai An, and they went straight to the house on Lion Street. Xiangqing, Lai Zhao’s wife, had already tidied up the bed, curtains, and bedding in the room, filling the air with a rich aroma from the incense she had lit. There was a pair of gauze lanterns hanging in the room, and a brazier nearby. Wang Luer stepped into the room and sat down on the kang. Xiangqing came out, saluted, and served tea. Ximen Qing and Ying Bojue finished watching the lanterns before returning to the house. They played a game of double chess upstairs. Except for the six windows upstairs, all were hung with curtains, and below, the lantern market bustled with activity. After finishing their game of double chess, cleaning up, and having a meal, they watched the lantern market from behind the curtain.
Look:
A myriad of lights and a bustling crowd, with fragrant carriages and horses creating a thunderous din. Aoshan Mountain towers above the azure clouds; where is there a traveler who doesn’t come to see? Ximen Qing suddenly saw Xie Xida, Zhu Shinian, and a man in a square scarf watching the lanterns under the lantern stand. He pointed them out to Ying Bojue, asking if he recognized the man in the square scarf. Bojue said he looked familiar but did not recognize him. Ximen Qing then had Dai'an quietly invite Xie Xida over, so that Zhu Shinian and the man in the square scarf would not see them. Dai'an was quick-witted and waited until Zhu Shinian and the others had walked far away before pulling Xie Xida aside. Xie Xida was initially startled but relaxed upon seeing it was Dai'an. Dai'an said Ximen Qing and Ying Bojue wanted him upstairs. Xie Xida said he knew and would first join the other two at the plum blossom display before coming up.
Dai An quickly went upstairs to report. Xie Xida arrived at the place with the sticky plum blossoms, intentionally bypassing Zhu Shinian and his group, and then went upstairs to see Ximen Qing and Ying Bojue. He asked Ximen Qing why he didn't invite him to see the lanterns in the morning. Ximen Qing explained that it was not good to invite him alone with so many people present, and he had already asked Ying Bojue to invite him to his house, saying that he was not at home. Then he asked Xie Xida who the man in the headscarf was. Xie Xida said it was Wang Sanguan from the Wang family mansion, who came to his house today with Zhu Shinian to borrow three hundred taels of silver to study at a martial arts school, and asked him, Sun Lao, and Zhu Shinian to act as guarantors. Xie Xida replied that he didn't care about such trivial matters. He had just been wandering around the Lantern Market with Wang Sanguan, and when he heard Ximen Qing calling him, he sent him to the place with the sticky plum blossoms and came over on his own. Ximen Qing asked how long Ying Bojue had been there, and Bojue said he had gone to Xie Xida's house first, but didn't find anyone, so he came over on his own to play backgammon with Ximen Qing. Ximen Qing asked if Xie Xida had eaten, and Xie Xida replied that he had been with those two since leaving Ximen Qing's house and hadn't had time to eat. Ximen Qing asked Dai An to prepare a meal for Xie Xida. Soon, a plate of spring appetizers, two bowls of porridge, a bowl of meat soup, and two bowls of rice were brought up. Xie Xida polished off all the food by himself, even drinking the last of the soup.
After a while, the two opera singers stepped down from the sedan chair, and the sedan bearers carried their bundles of clothes, smiling as they walked into the courtyard. Ying Earl saw this from the window and said, "These two little fairies are just arriving." He asked Dai'an not to let them go to the backyard for now, but to call them upstairs to see him first. Xie Xida asked who the two singers were, and Dai'an said they were Dong Jiao’er and Han Yu Chuan’er. Dai'an went downstairs to invite them, but they were reluctant to come up and went directly to the backyard. They met Wang Lier, bowed to her before being led into the room. They saw Wang Lier dressed up with a trendy hair bun on her head, wearing a purple silk jacket, a black cloak, a white silk skirt, revealing her delicate golden lotuses, with her long sideburns cascading down, exquisitely made up, dressed like a noble lady. They bowed to Wang Lier as soon as they entered, and then sat down by the kang. Xiao Tiegan brought tea, and Wang Lier joined them for tea. The two opera singers looked Wang Lier up and down, giggling from time to time, unsure of what she was thinking. Later, Dai'an came in, and they quietly asked him who the lady in the room was. Dai'an said she was the aunt of Ximen Qing, who had come to see the lanterns. The two singers then understood and apologized to Wang Lier once more, and Wang Lier returned the gesture. Then, the food was served, and everyone gathered to eat together. The two singers even brought out their musical instruments and sang for Wang Lier.
Count Ying finished playing dou shou, went downstairs to freshen up, and heard singing from the backyard, so he called Dai'an to ask who was performing. Dai'an laughed and didn't answer, only saying, "You're the military commissioner of Caozhou, why do you care so much? Whether they sing or not, what's it to you?" The Count replied, "You little rascal, if you don't tell me, how would I know?" Dai'an laughed and said, "As long as you know, why bother asking?" After saying that, he left. After the Count went upstairs, Ximen Qing and Xie Xida played a few more rounds of dou shou. At this time, Li Ming and Wu Hui suddenly came upstairs to greet you. The Count said, "Great! You came at the right time, how did you know we were here?" Li Ming knelt down and said, "Wu Hui and I arrived at the place first, and they said you were hosting a banquet here, so we thought we’d come help out." Ximen Qing said, "Alright, you can get up and serve. Dai'an, go grab Uncle Han from next door." After a while, Han Daoguo arrived, greeted everyone, and sat down. Everyone set out food and drinks, and the young musician poured wine beside them. Count Ying and Xie Xida sat at the top, Ximen Qing sat in the main seat, and Han Daoguo sat beside them, drinking and asking Dai'an to bring the performers from the backyard over.
After a while, Han Yuchuan and Dong Jiaor slowly went upstairs and respectfully bowed to the count. The count scolded, "I thought it was someone else, but it's just you two little demons! I called you, why didn't you hurry over? You've got some nerve! If I don't teach you a lesson tomorrow, you really won't be afraid!" Dong Jiaor laughed and said, "Bro, you made a face at me through the wall and almost scared me to death!" Han Yuchuan said, "You know, I was throwing things around from Beast Head City—what a naughty child!" The count said, "Bro, you're talking too much today. Li Ming and Wu Hui are singing here; what do we need these two little demons for? Hurry and send them away. It's New Year's Eve, and you're still trying to make a quick buck; if it gets late, no one will want you." Han Yuchuan said, "Bro, how can you be so shameless? Dad sent us to serve you, and you won't let us serve, why are you throwing a fit?" The count said, "You silly girl, if you're here, who are you going to serve if not me?" Han Yuchuan said, "Tang the Fatty fell into a vat of vinegar—made you all sour!" The count said, "You little demon, you've really made me sour. After we dismiss the crowd, I'll settle the score with you! I have two tricks to deal with you, and you won't escape my grasp!" Dong Jiaor asked, "Bro, what are the two tricks? Tell me!" The count said, "First, I'll report to the authorities, saying you two are out at night, and have them arrest you for a good beating. Even if you're unlucky, just spend three or two silver coins on some strong liquor, get the bearers drunk, and let you little demons run around. When it gets dark and you go home without money, you won't have to worry about the madam giving you a beating." Han Yuchuan said, "It's too late, we're not going; we'll sleep in Dad's room. If not, let Dad send us; Mama Wang will spot us a hundred wen, you don't need to worry about that. A stubborn woman has ten ways to handle things." The count said, "I'm a servant too; this year, the tables have turned, and I have three tricks as well." They laughed, while the two performers nearby played and sang a tune about springtime.
Everyone had just started eating when Daian ran in to report, "Lord Zhu has arrived." Everyone fell silent. Soon after, Zhu Shinian went upstairs and saw the Count and Xie Xida, saying, "You two are eating happily, like proper folks." Then he said, "Xie Zhichun, I invited you here, but you didn't even say a word to me, you just left without a word, which made me search for you at Nian Meihua's for half the day." Xie Xida said, "It was an accident. I accidentally bumped into my brother upstairs and saw Ying Erge playing chess downstairs. I went up to pay my respects, and my brother insisted I stay." Ximen Qing ordered Daian, "Bring chairs, Zhu and I will sit downstairs." So they set the table and sat down. The kitchen brought out the food, and everyone ate together. Ximen Qing had just one bun and a sip of soup, and when he saw Li Ming nearby, he offered the rest to Li Ming. Ying Bojue, Xie Xida, Zhu Shinian, and Han Daoguo each ate a large bowl of Eight Treasure Soup, three large buns, and four peach blossom dumplings, leaving only one bun on the plate. The servants cleared the bowls, poured the wine, and everyone raised their glasses. Xie Xida asked Zhu Shinian, "Where did you part ways with him? How did you know I was here?" Zhu Shinian explained in detail the course of events: "I couldn't find you after looking for you, so I went to Lao Sun's house with Wang Sanguan, then went to Mr. Xu's place to borrow three hundred taels of silver, but Mrs. Sun, that old fox, wrote the promissory note wrong." Xie Xida said, "Don't drag me into this; it's not my problem. Anyway, it's you and Lao Sun who guaranteed it, you two sort out the guarantee fee on your own." He then asked, "How did you write it wrong?" Zhu Shinian said, "I originally instructed him this way, but the document was somewhat unclear, and I gave him three deadlines to repay the money. He didn't listen to me and asked me to rewrite the document." Xie Xida asked, "What three deadlines did you set?" Zhu Shinian said, "The first deadline, the wind blows the axle and hits the lonely goose; the second deadline, the fish at the bottom of the water jumps onto the shore; the third deadline, the stone in the water rots. Repay the money within these three deadlines." Xie Xida said, "You wrote it like this and still say it's not vague?" Zhu Shinian said, "You make a good point, what if there's a drought one day and they open the river, and the stone is chiseled into pieces, what then? You’d still have to pay it back by then." Everyone shared a laugh and joked around for a bit.
As the sky grew dark, Ximen Qing instructed to have the lamps lit upstairs and hung a delicate sheep's horn lantern on the eaves in front of each. Inside the house, Yue Niang sent Qitong and the servants to bring four boxes of exquisite candies and fruits. Ximen Qing asked Qitong, "Have the ladies in the house left? Who asked you to bring these?" Qitong replied, "Madam asked me to bring them, to accompany the wine for father. The ladies have not left yet. After four acts of the play, Madam is drinking at the main entrance and watching the fireworks." Ximen Qing asked, "Is anyone watching?" Qitong replied, "The streets are packed with people." Ximen Qing said, "I instructed to leave four servants in blue clothes to hold sticks and keep the peace." Qitong said, "I watched the fireworks with Ping'an and the other servants, and there were no troublemakers." Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing instructed to remove the wine and dishes from the table, replace them with the boxes of candies, and brought out a plate of sweet rice dumplings (yuanxiao) from the kitchen. The two opera singers poured wine at the table. Ximen Qing instructed Qitong to go home and check. Then he sieved fine wine, laid out delicacies, and had Li Ming and Wu Hui play and sing a set of lantern lyrics before the table. After singing, they ate yuanxiao, and Han Daoguo left first. After a while, Ximen Qing instructed Lai Zhao to clear out two rooms downstairs, hang curtains, and bring out the fireworks rack. Ximen Qing and everyone watched from upstairs, with Wang Luer accompanying two prostitutes and a male performer to watch from downstairs. Da'an and Lai Zhao placed the fireworks rack on the street. After a while, it was lit. The crowd on both sides, shoulder to shoulder, filled the streets, and the number of people was countless. They all said that Master Ximen was setting off fireworks here, who wouldn't want to come see? The fireworks were really beautiful. They only saw:
A fifteen-meter-high flower stand, surrounded by stands, was alive with excitement. At the highest point, a crane suddenly whooshed, holding a red letter in its beak, and then a giant watermelon cannon erupted, causing onlookers to gasp in astonishment. The crackling of firecrackers was deafening, colorful lotus lanterns shot into the sky like golden lanterns, and purple grapevines dangled like pearls from a crystal curtain. The sound of firecrackers was everywhere, and field mice darted around. Exquisite wine glasses and tables spun in a dazzling display, a riot of colors creating a spectacular scene. The scene of the Eight Immortals celebrating a birthday came to life, while the image of the Seven Saints battling demons blazed with fiery intensity. Yellow smoke and green smoke filled the air in a colorful haze; the lotus lanterns flickered, vying for attention. A meter-high chrysanthemum and orchid stood opposite each other, while fiery red pear blossoms and pink peach blossoms competed for attention. Tall buildings vanished in an instant; the sounds of village drums and gongs faded away. The peddler's burden sparkled all around; Old Bao's cart crumbled to dust. The scene of the Five Ghosts wreaking havoc was chilling and terrifying; the ambush from all sides, with cavalry and infantry locked in fierce combat, blurred the lines between victory and defeat. In the end, everything faded away, leaving only ashes behind.
Count Ying noticed Ximen Qing drinking and went downstairs after watching the fireworks. When he saw Wang Liuer here, he called over Xie Xida and Zhu Shinian, leaving without saying hello to Ximen Qing. Dai An asked, "Where did Second Master go?" Count Ying whispered in his ear, "Silly child, if I don't take care of the account I mentioned earlier, others would just sit around, making it seem dull. If your father asks, just tell him we all left." Later, after Ximen Qing finished watching the fireworks, he asked where Count Ying and Xie Xida had gone. Dai An said, "Count Ying and Xie Xida left together. I couldn't stop them, so I'm reporting to you." Ximen Qing didn’t press for more details. He then called Li Ming and Wu Hui, and each gave them a generous cup of wine. He instructed, "I won’t be counting today’s work for pay. Come back to report on the 16th. Count Ying and the others will manage the business together with the clerks, and drink at the door in the evening." Li Ming knelt down and said, "I inform Master: on the 16th, Wu Hui, Zuo Shun, and Zheng Feng, we three need to go to Dongping Prefecture to check in with the newly appointed Hu Lao Ye regarding official matters, and will only be able to return in the afternoon." Ximen Qing replied, "Well, we won’t be drinking until the evening anyway. Just don't delay." The two replied, "We wouldn’t dream of delaying." The two opera singers also came to say goodbye before leaving. Ximen Qing told Lai Zhao, Dai An, and Qin Tong to tidy up. After turning off the lights, he headed to the back room.
Zhao's son, Xiao Tiegun, after watching the fireworks outside and seeing Ximen Qing enter, went back upstairs. Seeing his father carrying a plate of assorted meat dishes, a bowl of wine, and some sweet rice balls back to the room, he went to ask his mother, Yi Zhengqing, for some, but his mother scolded him and gave him a slap. He ran to the backyard to play and heard laughter coming from inside, thinking the opera singer was still there. Seeing the door closed, he peeked through the door crack and saw the light inside. It turned out that Ximen Qing and Wang Liu'er were in bed together. Ximen Qing, after drinking wine, pressed his wife on the edge of the bed, undressed, and they were caught up in passion. The child peeking didn't expect his mother, Yi Zhengqing, to show up; she yanked him by the hair and dragged him forward, slapped him a few times and scolded him: "You little brat, do you want to get in trouble again? Sneaking around again, are you?" Then, she gave him some sweet rice balls to eat, kept him inside, and coaxed him to sleep. Ximen Qing and his wife finished after a couple of hours. Dai'an sent the sedan bearers off to eat and drink before sending them home, and then headed to Ximen Qing's house with Qin Tong, who was carrying lanterns. Don't worry about the moonlight fading; there will always be night pearls to shine.
