The poem goes:
Plum blossoms, like snow, adorn the year's end anew. At the month's end, pure flowers dance with colors, light petals flutter in the wind, half embracing the fragrance, not as unruly as the willow blossoms.
The shadows of two sparrows can be likened to a snow-clad maiden. Once, in the light of six flurries, they were companions, seeking fragrance atop a hundred flowers, competing like two lovebirds.
Scholar Wen visited Ximen Qing but was unsuccessful; he felt quite embarrassed and quietly moved back to his old residence. Meanwhile, Ximen Qing became a guest of honor at ten academies; let’s put that aside for now.
One day, Scholar Shang came to bid farewell to Ximen Qing, as he was heading to the capital for the imperial examination and wanted to borrow a suitcase and a wool coat. Ximen Qing invited him for tea and casually brought up Qiao the wealthy and Yun Lishou: “Both are my old friends; one has become a righteous official, and the other has inherited his ancestral position, and now both are in charge of their respective affairs. I’d like to write them a couple of congratulatory notes. Do you know anyone skilled in this? If you could help me write them, I’d be sure to reward you generously!” Scholar Shang smiled and replied, “No need to be formal. I have an old classmate named Nie Lianghu, who now works at the arsenal, teaching and nurturing talent; he is particularly good at this. Just have him write it directly, and I’ll help you get in touch.” Ximen Qing quickly thanked him. After finishing tea, Scholar Shang left. Ximen Qing immediately prepared two pouches, placed five taels of silver inside, and asked the qin boy to deliver the congratulatory phrases, felt coat, and suitcase to Scholar Shang. Two days later, the congratulatory phrases were written and delivered. Ximen Qing hung them on the wall and, upon seeing the beautiful calligraphy and flowing prose, was absolutely delighted.
At this time, Count Yu arrived and asked Ximen Qing, "When will the matter of Qiao the Rich and Yun Ergo be done? Is the congratulatory message ready? Why haven't we seen Mr. Wen in the past few days?" Ximen Qing said, "Don't even get me started on Mr. Wen; he's nothing but a scoundrel!" Then he told Count Yu the whole story. Count Yu said, "I knew he was a braggart, too hypocritical. You should have seen through him sooner; otherwise, he would have led our children astray." He then asked Ximen Qing, "Who wrote the two congratulatory messages?" Ximen Qing said, "Yesterday, Shang Jurén came to me, saying his friend Nie Lianghu is a good calligrapher, so I had him write it. The articles have already been delivered. Take a look!" Then he took Count Yu to see them, and Count Yu praised them enthusiastically, saying, "All the messages have been sent, so send them over right away and get everything ready." Ximen Qing said, "Let's pick a good day to send them out tomorrow."
As they were talking, someone came to report: "Old Xia has come to say goodbye, saying he’ll be leaving on the sixth." He is not at home, so he asked me to let Old He know to send someone over to keep an eye on things." Ximen Qing noticed the invitation said, "The late-born Xia Cheng'en bows and thanks." Ximen Qing said, "Let’s send two gifts of cash and silk, one for Scholar Shang too." He instructed the qin boy, "Hurry and buy it, have your brother-in-law wrap it nicely, and write the invitation to send over." Ximen Qing kept the count in the study for dinner, when suddenly Ping’an’er hurriedly brought three invitations: "Councilor Old man Wang, Military Preparations Old man Lei, and Doctor Old man An have arrived." Ximen Qing looked at the invitations: "Wang Boyan, Lei Qiyuan, An Chen bow." He quickly dressed up. The count commented, "Brother, you have matters to attend to, I’ll take my leave first." Ximen Qing said, "I’ll catch up with you tomorrow." While getting dressed, he went to greet them. The three officials entered, each one politely stepping back for the others. Once in the main hall, after some pleasantries and chatting for a while, Doctor An said, "Lei Donggu, Wang Shaohua, and I have come to disturb you again: the new Dali Temple Chief Zhao Dayin from the Zhejiang government, we’d like to use your place to throw a banquet in celebration. The invitations have already gone out, scheduled for the ninth, with five tables of wine and dishes; we have already contacted the opera troupe. We wonder if you will agree?" Ximen Qing said, "The old gentleman has instructed, I will certainly do my best." Doctor An had the servants bring out a couple of taels of silver, which Ximen Qing had the servants accept, then he saw them out. Lei Donggu told Ximen Qing, "A few days ago, Qian Yunye wrote saying that Sun Wenxiang is your associate; I’ve already taken him off the list, but I hadn’t mentioned it to you before." Ximen Qing said, "Yes, thank you for your trouble; I’ll definitely swing by to thank you another day." Lei Bingbei said, "There is no need for formality between us." After saying this, he got into the sedan chair and left. It turned out that since Pan Jinlian took charge of the finances, she set up her own accounts. Every day when the little servant came back from getting groceries, he had to show them to her before he could pay. She didn't count the money herself, only letting Chunmei count it and keep the accounts. The little servants were scolded harshly by Chunmei; if they made even the tiniest mistake, they’d get reported and face Ximen Qing’s wrath. So the little servants all grumbled that spending money with the Third Mistress was the toughest.
The next day, after the yamen session, Ximen Qing said to He Qianhu, "The Xia family has already left. Has the governor sent someone to keep an eye on their house?" He Qianhu replied, "Yes, someone had been sent there yesterday, and I have already dispatched someone." Ximen Qing said, "Let's go take a look together today." So the two of them rode to the Xia family. There was already no one at home, only a servant waiting at the door. The two officials dismounted and entered the main hall. Ximen Qing took He Qianhu on a tour, then they came to the front pavilion and saw a bare patch of land with no flowers or plants. Ximen Qing said, "Governor, let’s hire a few gardeners tomorrow to plant some flowers, plants, and trees, and renovate this pavilion." He Qianhu replied, "It’s already been decided. In the spring, I will renovate it and construct three covered rooms, and then invite the governor to relax." After looking around, he told the household staff to clean up and close the doors properly. In a few days, he would write a letter to the master in Tokyo to arrange for the family to join him before the New Year. Ximen Qing bid farewell and returned home. He Qianhu went back to the court. He moved in several days later, but I won't elaborate on that part.
As soon as Ximen Qing got home, he dismounted and saw He Jiu delivering a bolt of cloth, some side dishes, and a jar of wine, saying it was a gesture of thanks. Then, someone from Liu Neixiang sent over a box of candles, twenty tablecloths, eighty incense sticks, a box of high-quality spices, a jar of homemade wine, and a fresh pig. Upon entering, the staff from Liu Gonggong's household knelt and bowed, saying, "Master, please come by more often; these are just small gifts, please accept them graciously." Ximen Qing said, "A few days ago, I visited the old gentleman recently without any reason; why send such valuable gifts again?" He instructed his servants, "Quickly accept them and thank the steward properly." After a while, a young servant brought a cup of tea; Ximen Qing drank it and rewarded the servant with five coins, returned the calling card, and sent them away. He then invited He Jiu inside. When he saw He Jiu, Ximen Qing took his hand, and He Jiu quickly knelt down and bowed, saying, "Thanks to your great kindness, my brother and I are able to survive; I am truly grateful!" He wanted to bow again to show respect, but Ximen Qing wouldn't allow it and pulled him up, saying, "Old Jiu, we are old friends, no need to be so polite." He let He Jiu sit down, but He Jiu said, "I'm just a lowly person; how could I possibly sit?" and stood to the side. Ximen Qing also stood, shared a cup of tea with him, and said, "Old Jiu, why do you go through the trouble of sending gifts again? I really can't accept them. If anyone gives you trouble, just come to me, and I'll sort it out for you. If the county sends you on any errands, I can speak to Old Li for you." He Jiu replied, "Thanks to your grace, I understand. I am older now, and I've handed over the errands to He Qin." Ximen Qing said, "That's good, that's good; it's nice to have some free time." He then said, "Since you insist so much, I will accept this wine, but you should take the cloth back; I won't keep you for dinner." He Jiu expressed endless gratitude and took his leave.
Ximen Qing sat in the hall, looking at the gifts: fruit boxes, red packets, wine, calligraphy and paintings, as well as the money everyone sent. He first sent Dai An to deliver the gifts to Qiao Dahuzi, and then let Wang Jing send them to Yun Lishou. Dai An came back and said that the Qiao family had given five coins. Wang Jing came back from Yun Lishou's house, saying that Yun Lishou had treated him to tea, and also gave him a piece of fine blue cloth and a pair of silk shoes, and brought back a pair of visiting cards, which read "I apologize for the intrusion," meaning "I have rudely disturbed you; I will visit again another day." Ximen Qing was very pleased, went to eat in Lady Moon's room, and said to Lady Moon, "Ben Si has left, Wu Er uncle is selling goods on Lion Street, I have some free time today, so I'm going to pay him a visit." Lady Moon said, "You can go; if there’s food and drink, have the servants let us know." Ximen Qing said, "I understand." He had a horse saddled, put on his felt hat, wore sable ear muffs, a green velvet coat, and soap boots, took Qin Tong and Dai An, and went straight to Lion Street. When he arrived at Wu Er uncle's shop, he saw Wu Er uncle and Lai Zhao busy selling satin, wool thread, and cotton; the shop was packed. Ximen Qing dismounted, looked around, and walked to the back room to sit down in the warm room. Wu Er uncle came over and bowed, saying, "I make about two or three taels of silver a day." Ximen Qing also instructed Lai Zhao's wife, "Don't neglect Uncle Er's daily meals." Lai Zhao's wife said, "I make sure to serve meals and drinks every day; I wouldn’t dream of neglecting it."
Ximen Qing noticed the sky was overcast, with dark clouds gathering and a bone-chilling wind, as if it was about to snow. He suddenly remembered he needed to go to Zheng Yue'er’s house, so he said to the qin boy, "Ride home and get my fur coat, and by the way, ask your aunt if she has some food and drink to bring back for my second uncle." The boy agreed. After a while, he returned with a mink fur coat and a box of food and drink. Ximen Qing and his second uncle drank three glasses of wine in the house and instructed, "Second uncle, you can stay here tonight and eat slowly. I’ll head home first." Then he put on his blindfold, rode his horse, and, accompanied by Dai An and the boy, went directly to Zheng Yue'er’s house. When they reached the east street corner, heavy snow began to fall.
The snow fell softly in the harsh cold, just right. Fluffy and soft, it fell in pieces, as big as a palm. He saw bamboo shoots in the woods getting crushed beneath it. But someone remarked, "There are still too few disasters and obstacles." Gathering around the red stove with animal charcoal, he wore a mink fur embroidered coat. Holding a plum blossom, he sang that it was a national auspice, not worrying about the common people's troubles. High up lived a recluse, writing many poems.
Ximen Qing stepped on the snow and arrived at Zheng Ai Yue'er’s house, dismounting at the door. The maid quickly went in to report, "Sir has arrived!" Zheng Mama came out to greet him, bowing in the hall, and said, "Thank you for your generous gift a few days ago; Yue'er is still bothering you at the mansion, and both Aunt and Third Sister sent her flowers and a handkerchief." Ximen Qing replied, "It was a wasted trip that day." After sitting down, Ximen Qing instructed Dai An, "Take the horse to the back courtyard." Zheng Mama said, "Please, sir, sit in the bright room at the back. Yue'er just got up to comb her hair; she said you came yesterday and served you all day, so today she feels a bit unwell and got up late." Ximen Qing went to the bright room at the back and noticed the curtain was half-drawn, with a large brass basin on the floor filled with burning charcoal. He sat on a chair. Zheng Ai Xiang'er came out first to greet him and served tea. Then Ai Yue'er came out, dressed to the nines. She smiled and bowed to Ximen Qing, saying, "Father, I came late that day; I played too long in front, and then Aunt invited me to dinner, so I got home after midnight." Ximen Qing laughed and said, "Little smooth-talker, you and Sister Li Gui were quite the loud card players." Zheng Ai Yue'er replied, "What can I say? He just loves to chat! He even spoke ill of me at the banquet! That day, Zhu Mazi got drunk and tried to take me home. I said, 'My dad didn’t send a lantern; Jiang Pangzi is hanging out in the gutter—what a stench!'" Ximen Qing said, "Yesterday I heard Hong Si'er say that Zhu Mazi was with Wang Sanguan again, inviting Rong Jiaor to the street." Zheng Yue'er said, "He only stayed one night at Rong Jiaor's house, burned a stick of incense, and then left. He’s still at Qin Yuzhi’s place now." After a bit of chatting, she said, "Dad, don’t stay out in the cold; come on inside and sit down."
Ximen Qing returned to the room, took off his mink coat, and sat around the stove with the two girls, the room filled with a delicious aroma. After a while, the maid brought in three bowls of steamed buns filled with yellow chives and meat along with some small dumplings. The two sisters accompanied Ximen Qing, each eating a bowl of buns. Ai Yue'er served Ximen Qing half a bowl more. Ximen Qing said, "I had planned to come by and sit with you, but I didn't expect it to start snowing." Ai Yue'er said, "Why didn't you come see me a couple of days ago? I waited all day yesterday but didn't see you." Ximen Qing replied, "Two guests came to the house yesterday, and I was too busy to come over." Ai Yue'er said, "I want you to buy me some mink fur so I can make a scarf." Ximen Qing said, "No problem, yesterday, a guy named Han returned from Liaodong and brought me some good mink fur. Neither of you has a scarf, so we can make one for each of you tomorrow." Ai Xiang and Ai Yue'er quickly got up to bow. Ximen Qing instructed, "Don't mention this to Sister Gui or Sister Yin." Zheng Yue'er said, "I understand." Then she added, "The day before yesterday, Sister Li Gui saw Wu Yin'er spending the night at my place and asked me when she came. I didn't keep it from her; I said, 'Yesterday we invited Lord Zhou, and the four of us sang here all day. Dad said Wang Sanguan was here, so it wasn't appropriate to invite you.' She didn't say a word." Ximen Qing said, "That was a good response to her. The day before yesterday, Li Ming, I didn't want him to come and sing either, but he insisted several times, begging your dad. Later, for your third aunt's birthday celebration, Sister Gui sent a gift to apologize, and your mother mentioned it, but I ignored her. Yesterday, I even kept Sister Yin here to let her know." Ai Yue'er said, "I didn't know it was my third aunt's birthday; I must have seemed rude." Ximen Qing said, "Tomorrow, your old dad will host a banquet, so you and Sister Yin can come and sing for the day." Ai Yue'er said, "As you command, Dad, I'll go."
After finishing their conversation, the young women brought out the ivory 牌 and played cards with Ximen Qing on the heated bed. Aixiang joined them at the table. After a while, the food and drinks arrived. Aixiang and Aiyue took turns pouring wine for Ximen Qing, and the sisters performed a song together. After singing, the sisters brought out the dice and played a game of chance with Ximen Qing. After a few rounds of drinks, Ximen Qing spotted a painting called "The Beauty of Aiyue" hanging on the screen beside the bed in Zheng Aiyue's room, which featured an inscribed poem:
There is a beauty who stands apart from the rest, a gentle breeze lightly brushes her pomegranate skirt. Flowers bloom in the golden valley come March, the moon moves through the flower shadows at ten at night.
The jade snow spirit connects with Zhong Yan, Qiong Lin's talent and beauty surpass Wen Jun. Young love deserves admiration; don’t let your heart wander and entrust it to the clouds.
After Ximen Qing finished reading the poem, he asked, "Is the Sanquan Master Wang Sanguan's pseudonym?" Zheng Aiyue quickly replied, "That was his old name. He doesn't go by Sanquan anymore; he decided to change it to Xiaoxuan. He said, since he learned from his father 'Siquan', how could he still be called 'Sanquan'? He was afraid his father would be angry, so he changed his name to Xiaoxuan." As she spoke, she took a pen and crossed out the character "San." Ximen Qing was very happy and said, "I didn't know he changed his name." The girl said, "I heard him tell someone else, and that's how I found out. He said his deceased father was named Yixuan, so he changed his name to Xiaoxuan." Aixiang left, leaving only Aiyue to accompany Ximen Qing. The two sat together, drank and played dice, chatting about Mrs. Lin and how charming she was: "I was drinking at her house, and that day Wang Sanguan asked me to meet her in the backyard. It was her idea to have Wang Sanguan acknowledge me as his adoptive father, to have me take him on as my adopted son, and to have me educate him into adulthood." The girl clapped and laughed, "I’ve paved the way for you; tomorrow, even Wang Sanguan's wife might not dare to defy you." Ximen Qing said, "Tomorrow I will first burn incense for him. In the first month, I will invite him and Wang Sanguan's wife to my house to see the lanterns and drink; let's see if he comes." The girl said, "Dad, you have no idea how beautiful Wang Sanguan's wife is; even a lantern beauty can't compare to her charm. She's only nineteen, widowed at home, and Wang Sanguan never comes home. Dad, if you make an effort, she will definitely be yours." As they talked, they held each other close. The maid brought in many fruits, and the girl personally served Ximen Qing wine, even playfully feeding him honey cakes with her tongue... The two were deeply in love, burning with desire, and about to make love. The girl went to the back, Ximen Qing went to change clothes, and found that the snow was coming down even harder. Returning to the room, the maid helped him out of his shoes and socks, and he got into bed first. When the girl finished bathing and came back, she closed the door, and the two got into bed together. The charming spring scene is so captivating, stirring deep desires in tender hearts. As proof, here is a poem:
How captivating is the charming spring scene, still incredibly enchanting,
Stirring up butterflies, with fragrant hearts soft and full of desire.
The gathering and parting are untrustworthy, existing only in dreams, rising with the remnant candle illuminating the red gauze. Throughout history, many have been brought together by love; who says the path to the balcony is blocked? The two enjoyed each other's company for a while and only got up late at night. After grooming and dressing, the maid brought wine and dishes, and they had a few more drinks. Ximen Qing asked Dai An, "Do you have a lantern and an umbrella?" Dai An replied, "The boy with the qin has gone to get them." Only then did Ximen Qing take his leave, with the madam and the girls seeing him off and watching him mount his horse. Zheng Yue'er shouted, "If father wants to call me, come early." Ximen Qing replied, "I understand." He rode out with an umbrella, riding home through the snow. He only mentioned to Wu Yueniang that he had been drinking with Wu Erjiu on Lion Street, without bringing up anything else.
The next day was the eighth, and Ximen Qing heard that He Qianhu's luggage had all been moved to the Xia family, so he sent over four boxes of pastries and a gift of five taels of silver. At that time, Ying Bojue arrived. Seeing that the snow had stopped and it was very cold, Ximen Qing invited him to warm himself by the fire in the study, asking a servant to bring food to cook porridge for him, then said, "Yesterday, the gifts and silver from Qiao's family and Yun Erge were sent over. I also included two taels of silver as your courtesy gift. Don't worry about it; just wait for the invite to come and have a drink." Ying Bojue thanked him and then asked, "What did Lord An and the others come for yesterday? Who were those two?" Ximen Qing replied, "Those two are Lei Bingbei and Wang Shensi, both from Zhejiang, wanting to host a banquet here. Tomorrow, we will invite Governor Zhao Ting from Hangzhou, who has just been promoted to Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple; he is their superior, so we cannot neglect to invite him. The total gift money is just three taels." The earl said, "Civil officials are all very particular; what can three taels do! Brother, you will inevitably need to supplement some." Ximen Qing said, "Lei Bingbei asked about Huang Si's uncle, Sun Wenxiang, and even inquired about his exoneration yesterday." The earl remarked, "You say he's not careful, but he still remembers and insists on throwing this banquet."
The Earl told Yingbao: "Go and call that person to see your father." Ximen Qing asked: "Who?" The Earl said: "A young man, also from a wealthy family background; his parents have both passed away, and he has worked for the imperial family since he was a child. He is already married, but because he couldn't get along with others on the farm, he left and is now looking for work. He and Yingbao are friends, and he asked Yingbao to help him find a job. This morning, Yingbao told me that he wanted me to recommend him to you, father. I told him I wasn't sure if your father would be interested." Then the Earl asked Yingbao: "What's his name? Let him in." Yingbao said: "His surname is Lai, called Lai You'er." Lai You'er came in, bowed on the ground, and stood outside the curtain. The Earl said: "Just look at his build and strength; he should have no problem with lifting and moving tasks." He asked: "How old are you?" Lai You'er said: "I am twenty years old." The Earl asked again: "Do you have any children with your wife?" Lai You'er said: "Just the two of us." Yingbao said: "Honestly, his wife is only nineteen and is skilled at cooking, sewing, and making clothes; she can do it all." Ximen Qing noticed Lai You'er with his head bowed, appearing honest and respectful, and said: "Since you were recommended by Yingbao, you can work for me." Then he instructed, "Choose a good day, draft a contract, and let them move in." Lai You'er bowed again. Ximen Qing asked Qintong to take Lai You'er to the backyard to meet with Lady Yue and the others. Lady Yue gave Lai You'er the room that used to belong to Lai Wang. The Earl sat for a bit before heading home. Yingbao and Lai You'er wrote a contract of indenture, handed it to Ximen Qing, and Ximen Qing changed his name to Lai Jue.
Since the day Madam Ben's daughter married into the Xia family, she has been shopping for various things every day, sending Ping An and Lai An, the painter's child, on errands. The stewards at Ximen Qing's house often drink with Ping An in Ximen Qing's room. Madam Ben has a good temper; whatever dish or tea she wants is prepared immediately. Even when Madam Ben returns from the shop and sees them, she remains unfazed. So today, with her not at home, who would help her with the work? Dai An and Ping An spend the most time in his room.
On the ninth day, Ximen Qing invited Doctor An, Councilor Wang, Military Commissioner Lei, and Governor Zhao for drinks; the details of that day need not be elaborated. Early that morning, the Jia couple moved in. His wife bowed to Yue Niang and the others in the yard. Yue Niang saw that she wore a purple silk jacket, a blue cloth vest, and a green skirt. She was petite, had an oval face, wore makeup, and had bound feet. After a few questions, Yue Niang discovered that she was skilled in various needlework techniques. Yue Niang named her Hui Yuan and assigned her to take turns cooking with Hui Xiu and Hui Xiang.
One day, Miss Yang passed away. An Tong'er came to deliver the news of her passing. Ximen Qing prepared a ritual table, offerings, and a meal, and also set aside five taels of silver for funeral expenses. Wu Yueniang, Li Jiaojiao, Meng Yulou, and Pan Jinlian all took a sedan chair to the north to burn joss paper and pay their respects. Qin Tong'er, Qi Tong'er, Lai Jue'er, and Lai An'er followed the sedan chair, leaving the house empty. Ximen Qing was in the study of the shop across the street, watching the furrier and Yueniang work on a mink collar. They first made one and sent it to Zheng Yue'er in the courtyard, and also gave her ten taels of silver as a festival gift. The Zheng family treated Dai An to a banquet and gave him three taels of silver. After Dai An returned, he told Ximen Qing, "Aunt Yue asked me to thank you. She was concerned when you didn't visit a few days ago. She gave me three taels of silver." Ximen Qing said, "You keep it." He then asked him, "Ben Si is not at home; what were you doing just now coming out of her room?" Dai An replied, "After Ben Si's daughter got married, there was no one to help her, so she often asks me to buy things for her." Ximen Qing said, "Since there's no one to help her, you should lend her a hand more often." Then Ximen Qing quietly whispered to Dai An, "Take your time telling her, just say... Dad wants to see you, how would you feel about that? See how she responds. If she agrees, ask her for a handkerchief for me." Dai An said, "Got it." He agreed to Ximen Qing. When Ximen Qing returned home, he saw Wang Jing bringing a golden red tiger and four pairs of golden-headed silver hairpins from the silver shop, handing them to Ximen Qing. Ximen Qing set aside two pairs in the study and took the rest into Li Ping'er’s room, giving the red tiger to Ruyi and also giving her a pair of hairpins, and another pair to Yingchun. The two accepted the gifts and hurriedly bowed. Ximen Qing asked Yingchun to serve the rice. After a while, the rice was served, and once they finished eating, Ximen Qing returned to the study. Dai An approached him slowly, and seeing Wang Jing beside him, he said nothing. Ximen Qing asked Wang Jing to go back and pour tea. It was only then that Dai An spoke up, "I have already followed your instructions and told her. She smiled and said she would serve you tonight and asked me to bring this handkerchief to you." Ximen Qing saw a square handkerchief made of red silk brocade, wrapped in red cotton paper, and catching a whiff of its fragrance, he felt delighted and quickly tucked it away. Just then, Wang Jing entered with tea. Ximen Qing drank the tea and then headed over to check on the craftsmen at work.
Suddenly someone came to announce, "Uncle Hua has arrived." Ximen Qing said, "Please ask him to come in." Hua Ziyao entered the study, bowed, and then sat down to express his gratitude for Ximen Qing's past kindness. After a brief chat, Huatong brought in tea. Hua Ziyao said, "There’s a guest outside with five hundred bags of Wuxi rice. The river has frozen, and he is eager to sell it and return home. I thought of you, brother-in-law; maybe you could buy it and offer him a fair price." Ximen Qing replied, "What would I want that for? The river is frozen now, and no one wants it. When spring comes and the boats return, the price will be even lower. Besides, I don’t have any cash on hand right now." He then told Dai An, "Clear the table and see what dishes we have." Then he told Huatong, "Go invite your second father to keep your flower father company." After a while, the count arrived. The three of them gathered around the stove for drinks, and they made some pancakes to munch on. After some time, a disciple of Wu Daoguan, Yingchun, came to deliver festival gifts. Ximen Qing invited him to drink together. He also gave him Li Ping'er’s hundred-day offerings and some silver. They drank until sunset, and Hua Ziyao and Yingchun left first. After Gan the assistant closed the shop, he also came over to drink, playing dice and guessing coins with the count until the lanterns were lit up. Wu Yueniang and the others' sedan chairs returned, bringing news. The count asked, "Where did the ladies go today?" Ximen Qing said, "Miss Yang has passed away; today marks the third day of mourning, and I've set up a memorial table and offerings. They all went to pay their respects." The count said, "She lived to a ripe old age." Ximen Qing replied, "About seventy-five or seventy-six years old. Without sons or daughters, she relies on her nephew for support. For the past few years, I have been helping her prepare her necessities." The count said, "Good, good, the old lady managed to save some money; that’s a good thing. Brother, you are accumulating virtue and doing good deeds." After a few rounds of drinks, the count and Gan the assistant took their leave. Ximen Qing got up and told young Wang Xian, "Keep an eye on the candles." Wang Xian replied, "Understood," as he closed the door.
Ximen Qing saw that there was no one around, so he sneaked over to Ben Si's house. Ben Si's wife was standing at the door, and when she heard the door creak across the way, Ximen Qing came out of the darkness. The woman quickly opened the door, Ximen Qing went in, and the woman quickly closed the door and said, "Please, come in and have a seat." There was a small compartment in the inner room, with a small kang bed that was warm with a fire, a lit lamp, and the edge of the kang was brushed snow white. The woman wore a turquoise hairpin, a purple silk jacket, a blue silk shawl, and a jade-colored silk skirt. She greeted Ximen Qing and quickly poured tea for him to drink, whispering, "Don't let the neighbor Han's wife know." Ximen Qing replied, "It's fine; it's dark, and she won't see a thing." Then, he hugged the woman, kissed her, pulled over a pillow, took off his clothes, and on the edge of the kang... Once they had straightened their clothes, Ximen Qing pulled out five or six taels of silver coins and two pairs of gold hairpins from his sleeve to buy her flowers. After the woman thanked him, she quietly saw Ximen Qing out. Dai An was waiting in the shop, and when he heard the door open, he opened it, let Ximen Qing in, and no one was the wiser. Later, Ximen Qing went there often. As the saying goes, "If you don’t want anyone to know, don’t do it yourself." Unfortunately, Han’s wife caught sight of them, and later, Jinlian found out too, but she kept quiet. On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, Qiao Dahuzi invited guests to drink, and Ximen Qing went with Ying Bojue and Wu Dajiu. That night, many people gathered to drink and watch the show, and they didn't disperse until late. The next day, families hosted banquets, but let's not get into the details.
Cui Ben set off with two thousand taels of Huzhou silk early in the twelfth month, hired a boat to load the goods, and hurried to the Linqing dock. He asked his assistant Rong Hai to guard the cargo while he went home to get money, disembarking at his doorstep. The young musician said, "Big Brother Cui is here, please come to the hall and sit. My father is in the room across the hall; I'll go fetch him." The young musician went to the other room but didn't see Ximen Qing, so he asked Ping An, who said, "My father might have gone to the backyard." The young musician went to the upper room to ask Yue Niang, who said, "Goodness, your father left early this morning and hasn't come back yet!" The young musician searched all the rooms, the garden, and the study but couldn't find him. The young musician shouted from the front door, "Help! I can’t find my dad anywhere! It’s broad daylight and there’s no one around! Big Brother Cui has been waiting for so long." Dai An clearly knew the truth but pretended not to. When Ximen Qing unexpectedly walked into the hall and saw Cui Ben, he bowed and handed him the account book, saying, "The boat has arrived at the dock; we paid a little less tax silver. I set off on the first day of the twelfth month and separated from them in Yangzhou. They went to Hangzhou, while I stayed at Miao Qing's house for two days." He then said, "Miao Qing spent ten taels of silver to help me marry a girl from a Qianhu family in Yangzhou, sixteen years old, named Chu Yun. She's stunningly beautiful and can sing and dance beautifully. Miao Qing is raising her at home, preparing her dowry and making clothes. In spring, let Han and the others bring her on the boat to keep me company." Upon hearing this, Ximen Qing was overjoyed and said, "Just bring her over on your boat. Why go through the trouble of preparing clothes and dowry? Does my family lack these?" He couldn't wait to fly to Yangzhou immediately to bring this beauty back. Indeed, it's hard to tell the deer apart in Zheng, and the butterfly dream of Zhuang Zhou is a mystery. There is a poem to prove it:
I heard there's a cloud over Yangzhou; I casually rely on the green bird's words for the truth. Little did I know that good things are all kept apart; I try to ask the owner about the plum blossoms.
Ximen Qing had dinner with Cui Ben, gave him fifty taels of silver as tax money, and wrote a letter to the treasurer asking for help. After Cui Ben took his leave, he went to report back to the Qiao household. Ping An saw that Ximen Qing did not cause trouble for the young musician and said, "My son, you don't know how lucky you are. Your father is in a good mood today; otherwise, he would have given you a beating." The young musician laughed and said, "Only you understand my father's temper."
After the goods were unloaded, it was already the end of the month. Ximen Qing was busy at home preparing holiday gifts when suddenly the Jing supervisor sent a messenger with a note, asking, "The memorial from Song Daxun has been in the capital for several days; I wonder if the decree has been issued yet? Please send someone to check at the inspection office." Ximen Qing immediately sent someone, giving them five taels of silver to check at the inspection office. Indeed, the official report from the capital arrived yesterday, and a copy was made for Ximen Qing. It was written on it:
Censor Song Qiaonian of Shandong submitted a report, stating that his impeachment of certain local officials, in line with tradition, aims to inspire the populace and strengthen the emperor's authority. He believed civil officials should pacify the people, while military officers should fend off rebellions, which is essential for maintaining local peace and protecting the people's lives. If officials are unsuitable, it can lead to governance chaos, suffering for the people, and unrest in the country. Song Qiaonian was tasked with inspecting Shandong and other regions, carefully assessing local officials' performance, the people's grievances, and the status of supervisory and defense officials. He then reported his findings to the court, providing a detailed analysis of each official's strengths and weaknesses, and gaining a clear understanding of the overall situation. As his term comes to an end, he is now relaying these findings one by one. He found that the Left Governor of Shandong, Chen Sizhen, is loyal and dependable, skilled at calming the people; the Intendant, Zhao Ne, is strict and well-respected by the community; the Deputy Military Commander, Lei Qiyuan, enjoys strong support from both the military and civilians, and his subordinates acknowledge his capabilities; the Prefect of Jinan, Zhang Shuye, is quite capable and well-suited for a local leadership role; the Prefect of Dongping, Master Hu, is known for his integrity in office and genuine concern for the people. All of these officials deserve promotion and should be utilized effectively.
He also found that Feng Tinghu, the Left Assistant Minister, was old and in poor health, yet still greedy; Xu Song, the Prefect of Dongchang Prefecture, turned a blind eye to his concubine's embezzlement and bribery, spreading rumors and slandering throughout the government, plundering the people's resources, and having a very bad reputation. These two individuals should be immediately dismissed. He also found that Zhou Xiu, the Commander of the Left Army, was broad-minded, experienced, and well-respected by soldiers, and that criminal activity had diminished; Jing Zhong, the Commander of the Jizhou Army, was young and talented, excelling in both civil and military affairs, strong in combat and commanding with strict discipline, and able to resist foreign invasions. These two individuals should be promoted and utilized. Wu Kai, the Thousand Households of Qinghe County, was very talented, understood the strategy of defense, won many battles in leading troops, had sufficient food and supplies, and was well-respected by soldiers, serving as the protector of the region and a bulwark for the nation. He should be especially promoted to motivate other officials. If the Emperor adopts my suggestions and implements these measures, then there will be no vacant official positions, the people will be motivated to work hard, local governance will be proper, and wise governance will endure. After the memorial was submitted, both the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War expressed their agreement and reported it to the court. The court also approved this proposal.
Ximen Qing was very happy after reading the official notice. He took the official notice and walked to the backyard, saying to Pan Jinlian, "The memorial from Song Yushi has arrived; your brother Wu Dajiu has been promoted to the position of Deputy Commander, responsible for managing the garrison. Zhou Shoubei and Jing Daren have also been promoted. Hurry and send someone to invite Wu Dajiu to share the good news." Pan Jinlian said, "You go invite him; I will have someone prepare food and drinks. I'm worried he might need some money once he takes office." Ximen Qing said, "No worries, I can lend him a few taels of silver." Soon, Wu Dajiu was invited. Ximen Qing showed him the official notice. Wu Dajiu expressed his gratitude to Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian, saying, "Thanks to my brother-in-law and sister's help, I will never forget your kindness." Ximen Qing said, "Dajiu, if you need any funds for the banquet once you’re in office, just let me know." Wu Dajiu thanked him again. So, they held a celebration in Pan Jinlian's room, with Pan Jinlian also present. Ximen Qing asked Chen Jingji to make a copy of the official notice for Wu Dajiu, and then sent Dai'an to deliver the official notice to Jing Zhong and Zhou Xiu to share the good news. I advise you not to waste time studying stones; travelers on the road are like carved inscriptions.
