This poem is beautifully written! It means that fine wine is worth its weight in gold, but it's even better to drink in the company of flowers. How can I possibly put this wine cup down? I want to dance in gratitude to the flowers, though the flowers may not speak, they seem to understand human emotions. I won't leave until I'm drunk. Look at the flower branches; a petal has already fallen, and the moon has lost some of its luster because of it. The flowers will bloom again next year, but it's a pity for the fleeting beauty of youth.
It is said that Wang Po, Li Ping'er, and Wu Yu Niang discussed going to Guanyin Temple to make offerings tomorrow. Yu Niang took some offerings to Wang Po and asked Chen Jingji to tell her, "Your mother-in-law will go to Guanyin Temple tomorrow to pray for the master's blessings, so go early to pray." Jingji declined, saying, "My father is going to the suburban garden to drink tomorrow, and he wants me to look after the shop; let someone else go." Actually, Jingji had heard that Ying Bo Jue invited Ximen Qing, and he wanted to seize the chance to meet Pan Jinlian in private, so he made excuses to decline. Yu Niang saw that he said he had to take care of the business, so she let him go without pressing him, and then let Shu Tong go to pray. With everything arranged, they were just waiting to go to the temple the next day to make offerings.
Ximen Qing, Ying Bo Jue, and Chang Zhijie chatted for quite a while. Qin Tong came back and said, "All the performers have been called; Wu Yiner is sick and can't come, but Han Jinchuan has agreed to come early tomorrow." Ximen Qing said, "Wu Yiner is sick, then call Dong Jiaoer." Chang Zhijie said, "One person is enough for drinking in the suburbs; no need to call anyone else." After that, everyone went their separate ways.
Early the next morning, after Ximen Qing finished washing up and Yu Niang arranged breakfast, he took a sedan chair to Guanyin Temple to make offerings. Shu Tong and Dai An followed along. Wang Po greeted them at the temple entrance, and after Ximen Qing entered the temple, he bowed to the Buddha in the north. Inside the temple, they saw:
The Golden Immortal establishes transformation, awakening the true path of the first; Yuge performs the sounds, gathering the subtle benefits of three thousand. On the treasured lotus seat, a solemn world is adorned; in the light of the kind sun, joy and compassion manifest. Incense smoke swirls, piercing through the nine heavens; celestial cranes circle, flying towards the Zhi tree. The reason for the visit is indeed rare; yet when considering the blessings, how valuable is money! It is precisely: with the utmost sincerity, how could the Emperor of Heaven remain unresponsive? I wish to dedicate the great Buddha affairs, to protect and pray for the departed child, Peng Tan.
After Wang Po finished reciting the scriptures, Ximen Qing got up and changed his clothes. Wang Po brought tea and also took out some snacks and biscuits to place on the table. Ximen Qing did not eat the snacks, only took a sip of tea, then took a palankeen back, leaving the young acolyte to continue worshipping Buddha. The poem says: May the heart repay joy hurriedly, grateful for the spiritual protection of merit. More willing to take refuge under the lotus seat, may it ensure eternal smoothness in the face of calamity.
Upon returning home, the sun was now halfway up in the sky when Earl Ying and Chang Zhijie came to invite him out. Ximen Qing smiled and said, “Who invites someone for breakfast? Although I have nothing to do today, I can only go later in the afternoon.” Earl Ying said, “It turns out brother doesn’t know, there’s a magnificent and secluded garden twenty miles outside the city; it would take two or three days to fully explore! So we should go early to enjoy it thoroughly.” Chang Zhijie said, “Since brother has nothing to do today, and Ying Ge came early to invite, let’s go.” Ximen Qing said, “In that case, Brother Chang and Brother Ying go ahead, I will take a palankeen and follow shortly.” Earl Ying said, “We are waiting for you, brother!” After speaking, the two went out, called the bearers to go first, then returned to the courtyard to wait for Han Jinchuan to take the palankeen together. Earl Ying had already sent someone to the garden the day before to prepare, preparing a feast by slaughtering chickens and geese, setting up the banquet, and also inviting two actors to go along.
Ximen Qing watched as the three of them left for a while before he took the palankeen out, slowly approaching the garden. Looking up, he saw:
A thousand trees cast thick shadows, a bend of flowing water. The pink walls hide flowers that do not wither, and the splendid houses conceal the landscape of everlasting spring. The peach blossoms of Wuling bloom; where does the fisherman find the enchanting crossing? The plums of Yuling open; the poet searches for beautiful verses here. Truly, it is the Penglai of heaven, the Langyuan of the human world.
Ximen Qing marveled, "What a beautiful sight!" He got off the sedan chair and walked into the garden. Count Ying and Chang Zhijie came out to greet him, sitting in the garden pavilion. Han Jinchuan first bowed, followed by two actors who also bowed. After drinking tea, the count wanted to serve wine, but Ximen Qing said, "Wait a moment, you all accompany me to see the scenery first." Saying this, he stood up and took Han Jinchuan's hand, walking together. The count led them, slowly walking through the corridor, around a trellis of wisteria by the weeping willow, passing through Taihu rocks and the Pine Phoenix Pavilion, arriving at the Qizi Pavilion. Behind the pavilion were thirty plum trees planted around the house, with the Plum Viewing Pavilion in the middle. The pavilion featured many inscriptions by famous figures, which Ximen Qing studied intently. They then passed by the Peony Terrace, where dozens of rare peonies bloomed. Further north was the Bamboo Garden, with the Listening Bamboo Pavilion and Phoenix Coming Pavilion on the left, their plaques all bearing the handwriting of renowned masters; on the right was the Goldfish Pond, with the Le Shui Pavilion above it. Standing by the bright red railing and gazing down at the goldfish, it resembled a piece of satin floating on the water's surface. Ximen Qing was in high spirits, but the count urged him to ascend a tall building, marked with the inscription "Tingyue Tower." The upper floor also had couplets and poems from famous figures, all inlaid with precious materials. After descending, to the east was a great mountain, featuring the deep and expansive Eight Immortals Cave. Inside the cave were stone chessboards, and on the walls hung iron flutes and bronze pipes, evoking a fairyland. Exiting the cave and climbing to the mountain top, the entire beauty of the garden unfolded before them.
Ximen Qing had been walking for half a day when Chang Zhi Jie said, "I’m worried that my brother is tired. Let’s take a break in the pavilion first; we can continue later." Ximen Qing replied, "No matter how far I walk, it’s never enough, but I really can’t walk anymore. Thanks to those who carried the sedan chair, we can cover more than a hundred miles in a day." Everyone laughed and settled down in the pavilion. Ximen Qing took the seat of honor, Chang Zhi Jie sat to the east, Ying Bo Jue sat to the west, and Han Jinchuan sat next to Ximen Qing. Everyone poured drinks and raised their glasses. Ximen Qing said, "I really appreciate the hospitality today!" Bo Jue responded, "It’s just a cup of wine; what are you talking about, big brother?" The three of them drank a few cups, and then two actors came on stage to perform. Ximen Qing looked at the actress and was captivated by her:
Her face was powdered to a flawless white, with rouge accentuating her vermilion lips. A few inches of green silk cascaded down, exuding a fragrant aura, adorned in colorful garments. With a turn of her eyes, she could soften even the hardest of hearts. The gentle rhythm of the sandalwood clappers echoed with a sound as rich as gold and as delicate as jade. She is a beauty capable of enchanting both city and countryside, transcending north and south.
Two young men who were singing opera came over, holding a drum and a clapper, and sang a popular song titled "The Blossoming Flowers." They sang really well, with a melodious and pleasant voice, almost like a heavenly sound. Ximen Qing couldn't stop praising them. Chang Zhijie remarked, "I never expected he was a man; if he were a woman, she would be worth even more." Ximen Qing replied, "If he were a woman, I would have let her sit down long ago; why make her stand and sing?" The Count said, "Brother, I am a talker by nature; I am better at speaking." Everyone laughed. The three of them had a few more drinks, and the Count took the wine basin, filled a large cup of wine, and asked Ximen Qing to give a command. Ximen Qing said, "Let’s skip this one." The Count insisted that he give a command, and Ximen Qing said, "I want to play a drinking game called 'Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon'; first is me, second is Brother Chang, third is the host, fourth is Chuanjie. Whoever gets it right drinks this cup; if not, they will be punished with another cup, and they have to tell ten jokes. If the jokes are good, they are forgiven; if not, they have to start over. Now it's my turn." He raised his cup and downed it in one go, saying, "The clouds are light and the wind is light near noon." - It's Brother Chang's turn." Chang Zhijie took the wine and drank it, saying, "Accompanying the flowers and following the willows past the former river." - It's the host's turn." Ying Bojie drank the wine but couldn't say a word for a long time. Ximen Qing said, "Brother Ying, you should be punished." The Count said, "Let me think." After hesitating for a while, he was urged by Ximen Qing and finally said, "Letting out a bit of spring light." Ximen Qing burst out laughing, "Good one, you said the wrong word! If you can't speak, you should be punished with a cup; if you say the wrong word, you should be punished with another cup, a total of two cups!" The Count laughed, "I don’t buy that; just because there are two 'snow' words, I should drink two cups?" Everyone laughed and urged him to tell a joke. The Count said, "A scholar traveled to the capital, and his boat stopped at the banks of the Yangtze River. In the evening, he told the boatman, 'Find another place to stop; there are thieves here.' The boatman said, 'How do you know there are thieves?' The scholar said, 'That monument says 'Thieves in the River'?' The boatman laughed, 'That's 'Ode in the River'; are you mistaken?' The scholar said, 'Even if it's an ode, it looks like a thief.'" Ximen Qing laughed, "This scholar knows characters too?" Chang Zhijie said, "Brother Ying should be punished with ten cups!" The Count was startled, "Why should I be punished with ten cups?" Chang Zhijie said, "Think about it yourself." Originally, Ximen Qing was the richest man in Shandong, but the Count called him a "thief"; how could he not be angry? Ximen Qing didn't pay attention at first, but after Chang Zhijie pointed it out, he finally realized. The Count realized he had said the wrong thing, made himself drink two cups of wine, hoping to downplay the mistake. Ximen Qing laughed, "You shouldn't be punished; I won’t make you drink if you don’t deserve it; but when you do, I won’t let you off the hook." The Count looked uneasy.
After drinking a few more cups, the count looked at Chang Zhi Jie and said, "You talk too much!" Ximen Qing urged, "Come on, say one more!" The count replied, "I don’t dare to say anything now." Ximen Qing said, "Just say something, don’t hold back, let’s hear it." Only then did the count feel at ease and said, "Confucius went hunting in the west and thought he had caught a unicorn, but he didn’t see it and cried at home without stopping. The disciples were afraid he would cry himself sick, so they brought a cow, adorned with copper coins, to cheer him up. Confucius saw through it immediately and said, 'This is clearly a wealthy cow; how could it be a unicorn!'" After saying this, he quickly covered his mouth and knelt down, saying, "I’m such a fool; it was totally unintentional." Ximen Qing laughed and said, "You fool, get up." Jin Chuan Er chimed in with a laugh and said, "Ying Hua Zi, you often offend people with your words, and today you’ve made another mistake. Uncle, don’t mind him." This got the count riled up; he stood and slapped Jin Chuan Er, saying, "You little imp, dare to interrupt!" To his surprise, he slapped her harder than intended, and Jin Chuan Er felt a lot of pain but didn’t dare to cry, furrowing her brows in frustration, wanting to throw a tantrum. Ximen Qing laughed and scolded, "You idiot, do you look like a person? Mocking me and hitting people, how should you be punished?" The count laughed while holding Jin Chuan Er and said, "My dear, who spoiled you to be so sensitive? Just a light touch and you want to cry; it’s a wonder you can handle those tough men!" Jin Chuan Er rubbed her head, glared at him, and scolded, "You bad thing, what do you understand? Don’t talk nonsense! Is it that your mother was also bullied by those tough men?" The count laughed and said, "How could I not understand? Uncle is famously known as 'Pan Lu Dan Xiao Xian,' not a single one missing; you can’t pull a fast one on him!" He added, "Brother, I have another joke to lighten everyone’s mood: there was a young lady who, because things were too loose down there, was told by someone, 'Just put a piece of alum in, and it’ll tighten up.' The young lady really did as told. Unexpectedly, the alum was both astringent and painful, leaving her extremely uncomfortable, standing at the door looking miserable. A passerby saw her and said, 'This little imp seems to be imitating Farewell My Concubine!' The young lady, already fuming, heard this and scolded, 'You fool, I can’t even imitate Fan Kuan; who here is imitating Farewell My Concubine!'" After finishing, everyone burst into laughter, even Jin Chuan Er couldn’t help but laugh.
After a while, the count finished his drink and raised a toast to Ximen Qing, asking him to continue the game. Ximen Qing said, "It's Jin Chuan'er's turn." Jin Chuan'er hesitated. Chang Zhijie said, "Of course, it's Ge's turn." After drinking, Ximen Qing said, "In the Moon Palace, the Cloud Ladder bows to the Immortal." After finishing the game, Ximen Qing changed his clothes and went for a walk. The count had the staff refill the drinks and bring more dishes, but when he turned around, he couldn't see Han Jin Chuan'er. He looked around and saw her squatting under the rose trellis on the hillside, taking a leak. Seeing this, the count quickly picked a flower branch, walked over gently, squatted behind her, and reached out to playfully poke her. Han Jin Chuan'er was startled, stood up before finishing, and soaked her pants. Out of nowhere, Chang Zhijie came up from behind, pushed the count hard, sending him tumbling forward, nearly getting splashed in the face with urine. The count got up, playfully scolded and chased after him, while Ximen Qing stood under the pine tree shade, laughing so hard he said. Even Han Jin Chuan'er was laughing so hard she said, "Ying Huazi, this is some serious karma!" So everyone returned to the table to drink. Ximen Qing said, "You fool, you were mocking us just now, now spill your embarrassing story." The count hastily replied, "Yes, yes, there was a wealthy man who farted, and his servant said, 'It doesn't smell.' The wealthy man panicked and said, 'If the fart doesn't smell, that's not good, quickly call the doctor!' The servant said, 'Let me smell it and see what it smells like.' He pretended to smell it, licked his lips, and said, 'It has a bit of a stinky aftertaste, but it’s not too bad.'" Everyone laughed. Chang Zhijie said, "You offended your brother yourself, why are you telling my embarrassing story?" Everyone laughed again. The count then had Chang Zhijie and Ximen Qing play rock-paper-scissors and drink. Han Jin Chuan'er played the piano and sang to toast. They were all in high spirits and having a blast.
Chen Jingji heard that Ximen Qing had left, so he quickly dressed to the nines and wanted to sneak around with Pan Jinlian, but he didn't dare to act rashly. He secretly watched in the snowy hideout, hoping to see Pan Jinlian in the backyard. After waiting for a long time and not seeing anyone, he couldn't help but rush directly to Jinlian's room; thankfully, no one spotted him. When he reached the door, he caught Jinlian softly humming, "Maybe you have forgotten about me." He knew that Jinlian had him in her heart, so he quickly replied, "Forget you? Never!" He rushed in and hugged Jinlian, saying, "My dear, yesterday my mother-in-law asked me to go to the Guanyin Temple to worship Buddha, but I was too busy thinking about you to go. Today, my father went out to drink, so I waited for you early in the snowy hideout, but I didn't see you. So, I took a risk and slipped in." Jinlian said, "Shh, keep it down! We can't talk freely here." Before she could finish speaking, she saw Xiaoyu holding a piece of white silk, slowly walking towards the room, and then suddenly turning back. Jinlian thought, "What's up with her? Why did she come in and then run back? She must have forgotten something." She knew Xiaoyu would come back, so she urgently whispered to Chen Jingji, "You better leave, this is a disaster waiting to happen." Chen Jingji had to make a run for it. It turned out that Yueniang asked Jinlian to embroider a skirt to give to someone else, but Xiaoyu forgot to bring the pattern, so she went back. This turned out to be a stroke of luck for Jinlian, as it didn't make her look bad. By the time Xiaoyu came back with the pattern, Chen Jingji had already run far away. Jinlian took the silk, her hands were still shaking.
As for Ximen Qing, he, Count Ying, and Chang Zhijie were all drunk and only then did they get up. The Count insisted on keeping him, kneeling and begging, “Big brother, you’re not still angry with me, are you? I really can’t keep you!” Ximen Qing chuckled and replied, “What nonsense! Who remembers what you said?” The Count took a large bowl, filled it with wine, and handed it to Ximen Qing, who drank it. Chang Zhijie then brought some fruit, which Ximen Qing also ate, and after thanking the Count, he got up. He gave Jin Chuan'er a tael of silver and asked Dai An to give the singing boy three silver coins, instructing, “After I finish drinking, have someone call you over.” After saying this, he got into the sedan chair and left, with two young servants following him. The Count had someone clean up, sent the singing boy away, and rode into the city along with Jin Chuan'er’s sedan chair, and we won't go into that part any further.
When Ximen Qing returned home, it was already dark outside, and he went straight to Li Ping'er’s room to rest. The next day, Li Ping'er said to Ximen Qing, “Ever since I had the baby, I've been feeling really unwell. This morning when I looked in the mirror, my face looked pale, I can’t eat anything, and it feels like my legs aren’t working properly when I walk. What if something happens and I lose the baby? Who will take care of it?” Seeing her cry, Ximen Qing said, “I’ll go invite Doctor Ren to come and check your pulse, and you can take some medicine; I guarantee you’ll be fine.” So he had the scholar write a note to invite Doctor Ren. The scholar took the order and left.
When Ximen Qing returned to the living room, he saw that Count Ying had already arrived. After expressing thanks and exchanging pleasantries, the two sat down together to chat. Before long, the scholar came to report that Doctor Ren had arrived, and Ximen Qing hurried out to welcome him. After introducing each other with Count Ying, the three of them sat down in turn. After having tea, Doctor Ren asked, “Which member of the household is unwell?” Ximen Qing said, “It’s my sixth concubine; she’s feeling a bit unwell. I’d appreciate it if you could take a good look at her, old sir.” Doctor Ren asked, “Is it the one who just had a baby a few days ago?” Ximen Qing confirmed it was. Doctor Ren said, “Let me go in and take a look.”
Ximen Qing went with Physician Ren to Li Ping'er's room and sat at the edge of the bed. He asked the maid to gently pull back a corner of the curtain, took out Li Ping'er's right hand, wrapped it in a cloth, and placed it on the table. Physician Ren said, "Let me check her pulse first." After checking her pulse, he carefully checked the pulse with three fingers for a moment before pulling away. Li Ping'er slowly drew back into the curtain. After a while, the maid brought out Li Ping'er's left hand, wrapped it in a cloth, and placed it on the table. Physician Ren also carefully checked the pulse. Once he was done checking the pulse, Physician Ren said to Ximen Qing, "I've checked the old lady's pulse. I’d like to check her complexion." Ximen Qing said, "We're all friends here, so go ahead." He then asked the maid to lift the curtain. When he saw her, Physician Ren noticed that Li Ping'er's complexion was rosy, with a slight frown that made her look even more beautiful.
The physician only took a glance and said to Ximen Qing, "I can see the lady's complexion; it doesn't appear to be serious, but I still need to understand the cause of the illness to conduct a complete diagnosis through observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking." Ximen Qing then called for the wet nurse, Ruyi. Dressed flamboyantly, Ruyi came over, saluted the physician, and then described in detail the symptoms of Li Ping'er: dry mouth and tongue, and restless sleep. The physician stood up and said, "Old sir, if it's just this, I assure you, there's nothing to worry about. Generally, common people are robust and have strong qi, so medication can be a bit more lenient; even if it’s slightly off, it doesn’t matter. But for a prominent family like yours, with a lady so delicate, we can't afford even a small mistake! A small error in medication could have serious consequences. Thus, observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking—none can be omitted. A few days ago, the wife of the Minister of Personnel had similar symptoms. I took her pulse, inquired about her illness, and observed her complexion, and I understood it quite well. When I returned home, I consulted ancient prescriptions and combined them with my own experience to treat her accordingly: tonifying when there’s deficiency, purging when there’s excess. Within three or four doses, she was cured. The Minister of Personnel was very grateful and rewarded me with quite a bit of money; the lady also gave me an additional token of thanks, and the Minister presented me with a plaque, with much fanfare. The plaque has the words 'Divine Skills of Confucian Medicine' inscribed on it. Recently, several friends came to see it, saying it was written in Yan style, and each character was beautifully crafted. I also read some books when I was young, but due to family matters, I turned to studying medicine. I truly live up to the title of 'Confucian Physician!'"
Ximen Qing said, "Since there is no problem, that's great. You may not know that although there are several concubines in my family, only this one truly has my affection. I'm getting old, and I recently had a son, all thanks to her care. I can't afford any slip-ups! Thanks to your miraculous medical skills, taking care of her with all your heart and helping her recover as soon as possible, I will definitely repay you. Even though we in the military aren't as high-ranking as the officials in the Ministry of Personnel, we will never dare to be negligent." Ren Yiguan said, "Sir, I really cannot accept your generous thanks, and I cannot charge for the medicine either." Ximen Qing laughed and said, "I'm not asking you to treat her for free. There's a funny joke going around: someone said, 'If a cat has mange, just give it some black medicine.' Then someone asked, 'What about a sick dog?' and the reply was, 'Give it white medicine!' You know, white medicine is for dogs!" Ren Yiguan burst out laughing and clapped, "I wonder who came up with this joke about white medicine?" After a good laugh, he got up, and everyone headed back to the living room together.
It is:
A divine prescription from the Penglai Prison,
Pulse techniques passed down from the Shao Shi Jun.
Riding a white crane to gather herbs,
Fate brings us to visit the noble house.
