中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì 'èr huí jiǎ fū rén xiān shì yáng zhōu chéng lěng zǐ xīng yǎn shuō róng guó fǔ CHAPTER II.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER II.
 贾夫人仙逝扬州城 冷子兴演说荣国府
yī jú shū yíng liào bù zhēn， xiāng xiāo chá jìn shàng qūn xún。 yù zhī mù xià xīng shuāi zhào， xū wèn bàng guān lěng yǎn rén。
què shuō fēng sù yīn tīng jiàn gōngchāi chuán huàn， máng chū lái péi xiào qǐ wèn。 nà xiē rén zhǐ rǎng： “ kuài qǐng chū zhēn yé lái！ " fēng sù máng péi xiào dào：“ xiǎo rén xìng fēng， bìng bù xìng zhēn。 zhǐ yòu dāng rì xiǎo xù xìng zhēn， jīn yǐ chū jiā yī 'èr nián liǎo， bù zhī kě shì wèn tā？ " nà xiē gōng rén dào：“ wǒ men yě bù zhī shénme‘ zhēn ’‘ jiǎ’， yīn fèng tài yé zhī mìng lái wèn， tā jì shì nǐ nǚ xù， biàn dài liǎo nǐ qù qīn jiàn tài yé miàn bǐng， shěngde luàn páo。 ” shuō zhe， bù róng fēng sù duō yán， dà jiā tuī yōng tā qù liǎo。 fēng jiā rén gè gèdōu jīng huāng， bù zhī hé zhào。
nà tiān yuē 'èr gēngshí， zhǐ jiàn fēng sù fāng huí lái， huān tiān xǐ dì。 zhòng rén máng wèn duān de。 tā nǎi shuō dào：“ yuán lái běn fǔ xīn shēng de tài yé xìng jiǎ míng huà， běn guàn hú zhōu rén shì， céng yǔ nǚ xù jiù rì xiāng jiāo。 fāng cái zài zán mén qián guò qù， yīn jiàn jiāo xìng nà yā tóu mǎi xiàn， suǒ yǐ tā zhǐ dāng nǚ xù yí zhù yú cǐ。 wǒ yī yī jiāng yuán gù huí míng， nà tài yé dǎo shāng gǎn tàn xī liǎo yī huí， yòu wèn wài sūn nǚ 'ér， wǒ shuō kàn dēng diū liǎo。 tài yé shuō：‘ bù fáng， wǒ zì shǐ fān yì wù bì tàn fǎng huí lái。’ shuō liǎo yī huí huà， lín zǒu dǎo sòng liǎo wǒ 'èr liǎng yín zǐ。” zhēn jiā niàn zǐ tīng liǎo， bù miǎn xīn zhōng shāng gǎn。 yīxiǔ wú huà。 zhì cì rì， zǎo yòu yǔ cūn qiǎn rén sòng liǎo liǎng fēng yín zǐ， sì pǐ jǐn duàn， dá xiè zhēn jiā niàn zǐ， yòu jì yī fēng mì shū yǔ fēng sù， zhuǎn tuō wèn zhēn jiā niàn zǐ yào nà jiāo xìng zuò 'èr fáng。 fēng sù xǐ de pì gǔn niào liú， bā bù dé qù fèng chéng， biàn zài nǚ 'ér qián yī lì cuānduo chéng liǎo， chéng yè zhǐ yòng yīshèng xiǎo jiào， biàn bǎ jiāo xìng sòng jìn qù liǎo。 yǔ cūn huān xǐ， zì bù bì shuō， nǎi fēng bǎi jīn zèng fēng sù， wài xiè zhēn jiā niàn zǐ xǔ duō wù shì， lìng qí hǎo shēng yǎng shàn， yǐ dài xún fǎng nǚ 'ér xià luò。 fēng sù huí jiā wú huà。
què shuō jiāo xìng zhè yā huán， biàn shì nà nián huí gù yǔ cūn zhě。 yīn 'ǒu rán yī gù， biàn nòng chū zhè duàn shì lái， yì shì zì jǐ yì liào bù dào zhī qí yuán。 shuí xiǎng tā mìng yùn liǎng jì， bù chéng wàng zì dào yǔ cūn shēn biān， zhǐ yī nián biàn shēng liǎo yī zǐ， yòu bàn zài， yǔ cūn dí qī hū rǎn jí xià shì， yǔ cūn biàn jiāng tā fú cè zuò zhèng shì fū rén liǎo。 zhèng shì：
ǒu yīn yīzhāo cuò， biàn wéi rén shàng rén。
yuán lái， yǔ cūn yīn nà nián shì yǐn zèng yín zhī hòu， tā yú shí liù rì biàn qǐ shēn rù dū， zhì dà bǐ zhī qī， bù liào tā shí fēn dé yì， yǐ huì liǎo jìn shì， xuǎn rù wài bān， jīn yǐ shēng liǎo běn fǔ zhī fǔ。 suī cáigàn yōu cháng， wèi miǎn yòu xiē tān kù zhī bì， qiě yòu shì cái wǔ shàng， nà xiē guān yuán jiē cè mù 'ér shì。 bù shàng yī nián， biàn bèi shàng sī xún liǎo gè kòngxì， zuò chéng yī běn， cān tā shēng qíng jiǎo huá， shàn zuǎn lǐ yí， dà nù， jí pī gé zhí。 gāi bù wén shū yī dào， běn fǔ guān yuán wú bù xǐ yuè。 nà yǔ cūn xīn zhōng suī shí fēn cán hèn， què miàn shàng quán wú yī diǎn yuàn sè， réng shì xī xiào zì ruò， jiāo dài guò gōng shì， jiāng lì nián zuò guān jī de xiē zī běn bìng jiā xiǎo rén shǔ sòng zhì yuán jí， ān pái tuǒ xié， què shì zì jǐ dān fēng xiù yuè， yóu lǎn tiān xià shèng jì。
nà rì， ǒu yòu yóu zhì wéi yáng dì miàn， yīn wén dé jīn suì cuó zhèng diǎn de shì lín rú hǎi。 zhè lín rú hǎi xìng lín míng hǎi， biǎo zì rú hǎi， nǎi shì qián kē de tàn huā， jīn yǐ shēng zhì lán tái sì dà fū， běn guàn gū sū rén shì， jīn qīn diǎn chū wéi xún yán yù shǐ， dào rèn fāng yī yuè yòu yú。 yuán lái zhè lín rú hǎi zhī zǔ， céng xí guò liè hóu， jīn dào rú hǎi， yè jīng wǔ shì。 qǐ chū shí， zhǐ fēng xí sān shì， yīn dāng jīn lóng 'ēn shèng dé， yuǎn mài qián dài， é wài jiā 'ēn， zhì rú hǎi zhī fù， yòu xí liǎo yī dài； zhì rú hǎi， biàn cóng kē dì chū shēn。 suī xì zhōng dǐng zhī jiā， què yì shì shū xiāng zhī zú。 zhǐ kě xī zhè lín jiā zhī shù bù shèng， zǐ sūn yòu xiàn， suī yòu jǐ mén， què yǔ rú hǎi jù shì táng zú 'ér yǐ， méi shèn qīn zhī dí pài de。 jīn rú hǎi nián yǐ sì shí， zhǐ yòu yī gè sān suì zhī zǐ， piān yòu yú qù suì sǐ liǎo。 suī yòu jǐ fáng jī qiè， nài tā mìng zhōng wú zǐ， yì wú kě rú hé zhī shì。 jīn zhǐ yòu dí qī jiǎ shì， shēng dé yī nǚ， rǔ míng dài yù， nián fāng wǔ suì。 fū qī wú zǐ， gù 'ài rú zhēn bǎo， qiě yòu jiàn tā cōng míng qīng xiù， biàn yě yù shǐ tā dú shū shí dé jǐ gè zì， bù guò jiǎ chōng yǎng zǐ zhī yì， liáo jiě xī xià huāng liáng zhī tàn。
yǔ cūn zhèng zhí 'ǒu gǎn fēng hán， bìng zài lǚ diàn， jiāng yī yuè guāng jǐng fāng jiàn yù。 yī yīn shēn tǐ láo juàn， èr yīn pán fèi bù jì， yě zhèng yù xún gè hé shì zhī chù， zàn qiě xiē xià。 xìng yòu liǎng gè jiù yǒu， yì zài cǐ jìng jū zhù， yīn wén dé cuó zhèng yù pìn yī xī bīn， yǔ cūn biàn xiāng tuō yǒu lì， móu liǎo jìn qù， qiě zuò 'ān shēn zhī jì。 miào zài zhǐ yī gè nǚ xué shēng， bìng liǎng gè bàn dú yā huán， zhè nǚ xué shēng nián yòu xiǎo， shēn tǐ yòu jí qiè ruò， gōng kè bù xiàn duō guǎ， gù shí fēn shěng lì。 kān kān yòu shì yīzǎi de guāng yīn， shuí zhī nǚ xué shēng zhī mǔ jiǎ shì fū rén yī jí 'ér zhōng。 nǚ xué shēng shì tānɡ fèng yào， shǒu sàng jìn 'āi， suì yòu jiāng cí guǎn bié tú。 lín rú hǎi yì yù lìng nǚ shǒu zhì dú shū， gù yòu jiāng tā liú xià。 jìn yīn nǚ xué shēng 'āi tòng guò shāng， běn zì qiè ruò duō bìng de， chù fàn jiù zhèng， suì lián rì bù céng shàng xué。 yǔ cūn xián jū wú liáo， měi dāng fēng rì qíng hé， fàn hòu biàn chū lái xián bù。
zhè rì， ǒu zhì guō wài， yì yù shǎng jiàn nà cūn yě fēng guāng。 hū xìn bù zhì yī shān huán shuǐ xuán， mào lín shēn zhú zhī chù， yǐn yǐn de yòu zuò miào yǔ， mén xiàng qīng tuí， qiáng yuán xiǔ bài， mén qián yòu 'é， tí zhe " zhì tōng sì " sān zì， mén bàng yòu yòu yī fù jiù pò de duì lián， yuē
shēn hòu yòu yú wàng suō shǒu， yǎn qián wú lù xiǎng huí tóu。 yǔ cūn kàn liǎo， yīn xiǎng dào：“ zhè liǎng jù huà， wén suī qiǎn jìn， qí yì zé shēn。 wǒ yě céng yóu guò xiē míng shān dà chà， dǎo bù céng jiàn guò zhè huà tóu， qí zhōng xiǎng bì yòu gè fān guò jīn dǒu lái de yì wèi kě zhī， hé bù jìn qù shì shì。” xiǎng zhe zǒu rù， zhǐ yòu yī gè lóng zhōng lǎo sēng zài nà lǐ zhǔ yù。 yǔ cūn jiàn liǎo， biàn bù zài yì。 jí zhì wèn tā liǎng jù huà， nà lǎo sēng jì lóng qiě hūn， chǐ luò shé dùn， suǒ dá fēi suǒ wèn。
yǔ cūn bù nài fán， biàn réng chū lái， yì yù dào nà cūn sì zhōng gū yǐn sān bēi， yǐ zhù yě qù， yú shì kuǎn bù xíng lái。 jiāng rù sì mén， zhǐ jiàn zuò shàng chī jiǔ zhī kè yòu yī rén qǐ shēn dà xiào， jiē liǎo chū lái， kǒu nèi shuō：“ qí yù， qí yù。” yǔ cūn máng kàn shí， cǐ rén shì dū zhōng zài gǔ dǒng xíng zhōng mào yì de hào lěng zǐ xīng zhě， jiù rì zài dū xiāng shí。 yǔ cūn zuì zàn zhè lěng zǐ xīng shì gè yòu zuò wéi dà běn lǐng de rén， zhè zǐ xīng yòu jiè yǔ cūn sī wén zhī míng， gù 'èr rén shuō huà tóu jī， zuì xiāng qì hé。 yǔ cūn máng xiào wèn dào：“ lǎo xiōng hé rì dào cǐ？ dì jìng bù zhī。 jīn rì 'ǒu yù， zhēn qí yuán yě。” zǐ xīng dào：“ qù nián suì dǐ dào jiā， jīn yīn hái yào rù dū， cóng cǐ shùn lù zhǎo gè bì yǒu shuō yī jù huà， chéng tā zhī qíng， liú wǒ duō zhù liǎng rì。 wǒ yě wú jǐn shì， qiě pán huán liǎng rì， dài yuè bàn shí yě jiù qǐ shēn liǎo。 jīn rì bì yǒu yòu shì， wǒ yīn xián bù zhì cǐ， qiě xiē xiē jiǎo， bù qī zhè yàng qiǎo yù！ " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn ràng yǔ cūn tóng xí zuò liǎo， lìng zhěng shàng jiǔ yáo lái。 èr rén xián tán màn yǐn， xù xiē bié hòu zhī shì。
yǔ cūn yīn wèn：“ jìn rì dū zhōng kě yòu xīn wén méi yòu？ " zǐ xīng dào：“ dǎo méi yòu shénme xīn wén， dǎo shì lǎo xiān shēng nǐ guì tóng zōng jiā， chū liǎo yī jiàn xiǎo xiǎo de yì shì。” yǔ cūn xiào dào：“ dì zú zhōng wú rén zài dū， hé tán jí cǐ？ " zǐ xīng xiào dào：“ nǐ men tóng xìng， qǐ fēi tóng zōng yī zú？ " yǔ cūn wèn shì shuí jiā。 zǐ xīng dào：“ róng guó fǔ jiǎ fǔ zhōng， kě yě diàn rǔ liǎo xiān shēng de mén méi me？ " yǔ cūn xiào dào：“ yuán lái shì tā jiā。 ruò lùn qǐ lái， hán zú rén dīng què bù shǎo， zì dōng hàn jiǎ fù yǐ lái， zhī pài fán shèng， gè shěng jiē yòu， shuí zhú xì kǎo chá dé lái？ ruò lùn róng guó yī zhī， què shì tóng pǔ。 dàn tā nà děng róng yào， wǒ men bù biàn qù pān chě， zhì jīn gù yuè fā shēng shū nán rèn liǎo。” zǐ xīng tàn dào：“ lǎo xiān shēng xiū rú cǐ shuō。 rú jīn de zhè níng róng liǎng mén， yědōu xiāo shū liǎo， bù bǐ xiān shí de guāng jǐng。” yǔ cūn dào：“ dāng rì níng róng liǎng zhái de rén kǒu yě jí duō， rú hé jiù xiāo shū liǎo？ " lěng zǐ xīng dào：“ zhèng shì， shuō lái yě huà cháng。” yǔ cūn dào：“ qù suì wǒ dào jīn líng dì jiè， yīn yù yóu lǎn liù cháo yí jì， nà rì jìn liǎo shí tóu chéng， cóng tā lǎo zhái mén qián jīng guò。 jiē dōng shì níng guó fǔ， jiē xī shì róng guó fǔ， èr zhái xiāng lián， jìng jiāng dà bàn tiáo jiē zhàn liǎo。 dà mén qián suī lěng luò wú rén， gé zhe wéi qiáng yī wàng， lǐ miàn tīng diàn lóu gé， yě hái dū zhēng róng xuān jùn， jiù shì hòu yī dài huā yuán zǐ lǐ miàn shù mù shān shí， yě hái dōuyòu wěng wèi yīn rùn zhī qì， nà lǐ xiàng gè shuāi bài zhī jiā？ " lěng zǐ xīng xiào dào：“ kuī nǐ shì jìn shì chū shēn， yuán lái bù tōng！ gǔ rén yòu yún：‘ bǎi zú zhī chóng， sǐ 'ér bù jiāng。’ rú jīn suī shuō bù jí xiān nián nà yàng xīng shèng， jiào zhī píng cháng shì huàn zhī jiā， dào dǐ qì xiàng bù tóng。 rú jīn shēng chǐ rì fán， shì wù rì shèng， zhù pú shàng xià， ān fù zūn róng zhě jìn duō， yùn chóu móu huà zhě wú yī， qí rì yòng pái chǎng fèi yòng， yòu bù néng jiāng jiù shěng jiǎn， rú jīn wài miàn de jià zǐ suī wèi shèn dǎo， nèi náng què yě jìn shàng lái liǎo。 zhè hái shì xiǎo shì。 gèng yòu yī jiàn dà shì： shuí zhī zhè yàng zhōng míng dǐng shí zhī jiā， hàn mò shī shū zhī zú， rú jīn de 'ér sūn， jìng yī dài bù rú yī dài liǎo！ " yǔ cūn tīng shuō， yě nà hǎn dào：“ zhè yàng shī lǐ zhī jiā， qǐ yòu bù shàn jiào yù zhī lǐ？ bié mén bù zhī， zhǐ shuō zhè níng， róng 'èr zhái， shì zuì jiào zǐ yòu fāng de。”
zǐ xīng tàn dào：“ zhèng shuō de shì zhè liǎng mén ní。 dài wǒ gào sù nǐ： dāng rì níng guó gōng yǔ róng guó gōng shì yī mǔ tóng bāo dì xiōng liǎng gè。 níng gōng jū cháng， shēng liǎo sì gè 'ér zǐ。 níng gōng sǐ hòu， jiǎ dài huà xí liǎo guān， yě yǎng liǎo liǎng gè 'ér zǐ： cháng míng jiǎ fū， zhì bā jiǔ suì shàng biàn sǐ liǎo， zhǐ shèng liǎo cì zǐ jiǎ jìng xí liǎo guān， rú jīn yī wèi hǎo dào， zhǐ 'ài shāo dān liàn gǒng， yú zhě yī gài bù zài xīn shàng。 xìng 'ér zǎo nián liú xià yī zǐ， míng huàn jiǎ zhēn， yīn tā fù qīn yī xīn xiǎng zuò shén xiān， bǎ guān dǎo ràng tā xí liǎo。 tā fù qīn yòu bù kěn huí yuán jí lái， zhǐ zài dū zhōng chéng wài hé dào shì men hú chàn。 zhè wèi zhēn yé dǎo shēng liǎo yī gè 'ér zǐ， jīn nián cái shí liù suì， míng jiào jiǎ róng。 rú jīn jìng lǎo diē yī gài bù guǎn。 zhè zhēn yé nà lǐ kěn dú shū， zhǐ yī wèi gāo lè bù liǎo， bǎ níng guó fǔ jìng fān liǎo guò lái， yě méi yòu rén gǎn lái guǎn tā。 zài shuō róng fǔ nǐ tīng， fāng cái suǒ shuō yì shì， jiù chū zài zhè lǐ。 zì róng gōng sǐ hòu， zhǎngzǐ jiǎ dài shàn xí liǎo guān， qǔ de yě shì jīn líng shì xūn shǐ hóu jiā de xiǎo jiě wéi qī， shēng liǎo liǎng gè 'ér zǐ： zhǎngzǐ jiǎ shè， cì zǐ jiǎ zhèng。 rú jīn dài shàn zǎo yǐ qù shì， tài fū rén shàng zài， zhǎngzǐ jiǎ shè xí zhe guān， cì zǐ jiǎ zhèng， zì yòu kù xǐ bǔ liáo *， zǔ fù zuì téng， yuán yù yǐ kē jiá chū shēn de， bù liào dài shàn lín zhōng shí yí běn yī shàng， huáng shàng yīn xù xiān chén， jí shí lìng zhǎngzǐ xí guān wài， wèn hái yòu jǐ zǐ， lì kè yǐn jiàn， suì 'é wài cì liǎo zhè zhèng lǎo diē yī gè zhù shì zhī xián， lìng qí rù bù xí xué， rú jīn xiàn yǐ shēng liǎo yuán wài láng liǎo。 zhè zhèng lǎo diē de fū rén wáng shì， tóu tāi shēng de gōng zǐ， míng huàn jiǎ zhū， shí sì suì jìn xué， bù dào 'èr shí suì jiù qǔ liǎo qī shēng liǎo zǐ， yī bìng sǐ liǎo。 dì 'èr tāi shēng liǎo yī wèi xiǎo jiě， shēng zài dà nián chū yī， zhè jiù qí liǎo， bù xiǎng hòu lái yòu shēng yī wèi gōng zǐ， shuō lái gèng qí， yī luò tāi bāo， zuǐ lǐ biàn xián xià yī kuài wǔ cǎi jīng yíng de yù lái， shàng miàn hái yòu xǔ duō zì jì， jiù qǔ míng jiào zuò bǎo yù。 nǐ dào shì xīn qí yì shì bù shì？”
yǔ cūn xiào dào：“ guǒ rán qí yì。 zhǐ pà zhè rén lái lì bù xiǎo。” zǐ xīng lěng xiào dào：“ wàn rén jiē rú cǐ shuō， yīn 'ér nǎi zǔ mǔ biàn xiān 'ài rú zhēn bǎo。 nà nián zhōu suì shí， zhèng lǎo diē biàn yào shì tā jiāng lái de zhì xiàng， biàn jiāng nà shì shàng suǒ yòu zhī wù bǎi liǎo wú shù， yǔ tā zhuā qǔ。 shuí zhī tā yī gài bù qǔ， shēn shǒu zhǐ bǎ xiē zhī fěn chāi huán zhuā lái。 zhèng lǎo diē biàn dà nù liǎo， shuō：“‘ jiāng lái jiǔ sè zhī tú 'ěr！’ yīn cǐ biàn dà bù xǐ yuè。 dú nà shǐ lǎo tài jūn hái shì mìng gēn yī yàng。 shuō lái yòu qí， rú jīn cháng liǎo qī bā suì， suī rán táo qì yì cháng， dàn qí cōng míng guāi jué chù， bǎi gè bù jí tā yī gè。 shuō qǐ hái zǐ huà lái yě qí guài， tā shuō：‘ nǚ 'ér shì shuǐ zuò de gǔ ròu， nán rén shì ní zuò de gǔ ròu。 wǒ jiàn liǎo nǚ 'ér， wǒ biàn qīng shuǎng， jiàn liǎo nán zǐ， biàn jué zhuó chòu bī rén。’ nǐ dào hǎo xiào bù hǎo xiào？ jiāng lái sè guǐ wú yí liǎo！ " yǔ cūn hǎn rán lì sè máng zhǐ dào：“ fēi yě！ kě xī nǐ men bù zhī dào zhè rén lái lì。 dà yuē zhèng lǎo qián bèi yě cuò yǐ yín mó sè guǐ kàn dài liǎo。 ruò fēi duō dú shū shí shì， jiā yǐ zhì zhī gé wù zhī gōng， wù dào cān xuán zhī lì， bù néng zhī yě。”
zǐ xīng jiàn tā shuō dé zhè yàng zhòng dà， máng qǐng jiào qí duān。 yǔ cūn dào：“ tiān dì shēng rén， chú dà rén dà 'è liǎng zhǒng， yú zhě jiē wú dà yì。 ruò dà rén zhě， zé yìng yùn 'ér shēng， dà 'è zhě， zé yìng jié 'ér shēng。 yùn shēng shì zhì， jié shēng shì wēi。 yáo， shùn， yǔ， tānɡ， wén， wǔ， zhōu， zhào， kǒng， mèng， dǒng， hán， zhōu， chéng， zhāng， zhū， jiē yìng yùn 'ér shēng zhě。 chī yóu， gòng gōng， jié， zhòu， shǐ huáng， wáng mǎng， cáo cāo， huán wēn， ān lù shān， qínhuì děng， jiē yìng jié 'ér shēng zhě。 dà rén zhě， xiū zhì tiān xià， dà 'è zhě， náo luàn tiān xià。 qīng míng líng xiù， tiān dì zhī zhèng qì， rén zhě zhī suǒ bǐng yě， cán rěn guāi pì， tiān dì zhī xié qì， è zhě zhī suǒ bǐng yě。 jīn dāng yùn lóng zuò yǒng zhī cháo， tài píng wú wéi zhī shì， qīng míng líng xiù zhī qì suǒ bǐng zhě， shàng zhì cháo tíng， xià jí cǎo yě， bǐ bǐ jiē shì。 suǒ yú zhī xiù qì， màn wú suǒ guī， suì wéi gān lù， wéi hé fēng， qià rán gài jí sì hǎi。 bǐ cán rěn guāi pì zhī xié qì， bù néng dàng yì yú guāng tiān huà rì zhī zhōng， suì níng jié chōng sài yú shēn gōu dà hè zhī nèi， ǒu yīn fēng dàng， huò bèi yún cuī， lüè yòu yáo dòng gǎn fā zhī yì， yī sī bàn lǚ wù 'ér xiè chū zhě， ǒu zhí líng xiù zhī qì shì guò， zhèng bù róng xié， xié fù dù zhèng， liǎng bù xiāng xià， yì rú fēng shuǐ léi diàn， dì zhōng jì yù， jì bù néng xiāo， yòu bù néng ràng， bì zhì bó jī xiān fā hòu shǐ jìn。 gù qí qì yì bì fù rén， fā xiè yī jìn shǐ sàn。 shǐ nán nǚ 'ǒu bǐng cǐ qì 'ér shēng zhě， zài shàng zé bù néng chéng rén rén jūn zǐ， xià yì bù néng wéi dà xiōng dà 'è。 zhì zhī yú wàn wàn rén zhōng， qí cōng jùn líng xiù zhī qì， zé zài wàn wàn rén zhī shàng， qí guāi pì xié miù bù jìn rén qíng zhī tài， yòu zài wàn wàn rén zhī xià。 ruò shēng yú gōng hóu fù guì zhī jiā， zé wéi qíng chī qíng zhǒng， ruò shēng yú shī shū qīng pín zhī zú， zé wéi yì shì gāo rén， zòng zài 'ǒu shēng yú bó zuò hán mén， duàn bù néng wéi zǒu zú jiàn pú， gān zāo yōng rén qū zhì jià yù， bì wéi qí yōu míng chàng。 rú qián dài zhī xǔ yóu， táo qián， ruǎn jí， jī kāng， liú líng， wáng xiè 'èr zú， gù hǔ tóu， chén hòu zhù， táng míng huáng， sòng huī zōng， liú tíng zhī， wēn fēi qīng， mǐ nán gōng， shí màn qīng， liǔ qí qīng， qín shǎo yóu， jìn rì zhī ní yún lín， táng bó hǔ， zhù zhī shān， zài rú lǐ guī nián， huáng fān chuò， jìng xīn mó， zhuó wén jūn， hóng fú， xuē tāo， cuī yīng， cháo yún zhī liú， cǐ jiē yì dì zé tóng zhī rén yě。”
zǐ xīng dào：“ yǐ nǐ shuō，‘ chéng zé wáng hóu bài zé zéi liǎo。’ " yǔ cūn dào：“ zhèng shì zhè yì。 nǐ hái bù zhī， wǒ zì gé zhí yǐ lái， zhè liǎng nián biàn yóu gè shěng， yě céng yù jiàn liǎng gè yì yàng hái zǐ。 suǒ yǐ， fāng cái nǐ yī shuō zhè bǎo yù， wǒ jiù cāizháo liǎo bā jiǔ yì shì zhè yī pài rén wù。 bù yòng yuǎn shuō， zhǐ jīn líng chéng nèi， qīnchāi jīn líng shěng tǐ rén yuàn zǒng cái zhēn jiā， nǐ kě zhī me？ " zǐ xīng dào：“ shuí rén bù zhī！ zhè zhēn fǔ hé jiǎ fǔ jiù shì lǎo qīn， yòu xì shì jiāo。 liǎng jiā lái wǎng， jí qí qīn rè de。 biàn zài xià yě hé tā jiā lái wǎng fēi zhǐ yī rì liǎo。”
yǔ cūn xiào dào：“ qù suì wǒ zài jīn líng， yě céng yòu rén jiàn wǒ dào zhēn fǔ chù guǎn。 wǒ jìn qù kàn qí guāng jǐng， shuí zhī tā jiā nà děng xiǎn guì， què shì gè fù 'ér hǎo lǐ zhī jiā， dǎo shì gè nán dé zhī guǎn。 dàn zhè yī gè xué shēng， suī shì qǐ méng， què bǐ yī gè jǔ yè de hái láo shén。 shuō qǐ lái gèng kě xiào， tā shuō：‘ bì dé liǎng gè nǚ 'ér bàn zhe wǒ dú shū， wǒ fāng néng rèn dé zì， xīn lǐ yě míng bái， bù rán wǒ zì jǐ xīn lǐ hú tú。’ yòu cháng duì gēn tā de xiǎo sī men shuō：‘ zhè nǚ 'ér liǎng gè zì， jí zūn guì， jí qīng jìng de， bǐ nà 'ēmítuófó， yuán shǐ tiān zūn de zhè liǎng gè bǎo hào hái gèng zūn róng wú duì de ní！ nǐ men zhè zhuó kǒu chòu shé， wàn bù kě táng tū liǎo zhè liǎng gè zì， yào jǐn。 dàn fán yào shuō shí， bì xū xiān yòng qīng shuǐ xiāng chá shù liǎo kǒu cái kě， shè ruò shī cuò， biàn yào záo yá chuān sāi děng shì。’ qí bào nüè fú zào， wán liè hān chī， zhǒng zhǒng yì cháng。 zhǐ yī fàng liǎo xué， jìn qù jiàn liǎo nà xiē nǚ 'ér men， qí wēn hòu hé píng， cōng mǐn wén yǎ， jìng yòu biàn liǎo yī gè。 yīn cǐ， tā lìng zūn yě céng xià sǐ chī chǔ guò jǐ cì， wú nài jìng bù néng gǎi。 měi dǎ de chī téng bù guò shí， tā biàn‘ jiě jiě’‘ mèi mèi’ luàn jiào qǐ lái。 hòu lái tīng dé lǐ miàn nǚ 'ér men ná tā qǔ xiào：‘ yīn hé dǎ jí liǎo zhǐ guǎn jiào jiě mèi zuò shèn？ mò bù shì qiú jiě mèi qù shuō qíng tǎo ráo？ nǐ qǐ bù kuì xiē！’ tā huí dá de zuì miào。 tā shuō：‘ jí téng zhī shí， zhǐ jiào‘ jiě jiě’ mèi mèi’ zì yàng， huò kě jiě téng yě wèi kě zhī， yīn jiào liǎo yī shēng， biàn guǒ jué bù téng liǎo， suì dé liǎo mì fǎ： měi téng tòng zhī jí， biàn lián jiào jiě mèi qǐ lái liǎo。’ nǐ shuō kě xiào bù kě xiào？ yě yīn zǔ mǔ nì 'ài bù míng， měi yīn sūn rǔ shī zé zǐ， yīn cǐ wǒ jiù cí liǎo guǎn chū lái。 rú jīn zài zhè xún yán yù shǐ lín jiā zuò guǎn liǎo。 nǐ kàn， zhè děng zǐ dì， bì bù néng shǒu zǔ fù zhī gēn jī， cóng shī cháng zhī guī jiàn de。 zhǐ kě xī tā jiā jǐ gè zǐ mèi dōushì shǎo yòu de。”
zǐ xīng dào：“ biàn shì jiǎ fǔ zhōng， xiàn yòu de sān gè yě bù cuò。 zhèng lǎo diē de cháng nǚ， míng yuán chūn， xiàn yīn xián xiào cái dé， xuǎn rù gōng zuò nǚ shǐ qù liǎo。 èr xiǎo jiě nǎi shè lǎo diē zhī qiè suǒ chū， míng yíng chūn， sān xiǎo jiě nǎi zhèng lǎo diē zhī shù chū， míng tàn chūn， sì xiǎo jiě nǎi níng fǔ zhēn yé zhī bāo mèi， míng huàn xī chūn。 yīn shǐ lǎo fū rén jí 'ài sūn nǚ， dū gēn zài zǔ mǔ zhè biān yī chù dú shū， tīng dé gè gè bù cuò。 yǔ cūn dào：“ gèng miào zài zhēn jiā de fēng sú， nǚ 'ér zhī míng， yì jiē cóng nán zǐ zhī míng mìng zì， bù sì bié jiā lìng wài yòng zhè xiē‘ chūn’‘ hóng’‘ xiāng’‘ yù’ děng yàn zì de。 hé dé jiǎ fǔ yì lè cǐ sú tào？ " zǐ xīng dào：“ bù rán。 zhǐ yīn xiàn jīn dà xiǎo jiě shì zhèng yuè chū yī rì suǒ shēng， gù míng yuán chūn， yú zhě fāng cóng liǎo‘ chūn’ zì。 shàng yī bèi de， què yě shì cóng xiōng dì 'ér lái de。 xiàn yòu duì zhèng： mù jīn nǐ guì dōng jiā lín gōng zhī fū rén， jí róng fǔ zhōng shè， zhèng 'èr gōng zhī bāo mèi， zài jiā shí míng huàn jiǎ mǐn。 bù xìn shí， nǐ huí qù xì fǎng kě zhī。” yǔ cūn pāi 'àn xiào dào：“ guài dào zhè nǚ xué shēng dú zhì fán shū zhōng yòu‘ mǐn’ zì， jiē niàn zuò‘ mì’ zì， měi měi rú shì， xiě zì yù zhe‘ mǐn’ zì， yòu jiǎn yī 'èr bǐ， wǒ xīn zhōng jiù yòu xiē yí huò。 jīn tīng nǐ shuō de， shì wéi cǐ wú yí yǐ。 guài dào wǒ zhè nǚ xué shēng yán yǔ jǔ zhǐ lìng shì yī yàng， bù yǔ jìn rì nǚ zǐ xiāng tóng， dù qí mǔ bì bù fán， fāng dé qí nǚ， jīn zhī wéi róng fǔ zhī sūn， yòu bù zú hǎn yǐ， kě shāng shàng yuè jìng wáng gù liǎo。” zǐ xīng tàn dào：“ lǎo zǐ mèi sì gè， zhè yī gè shì jí xiǎo de， yòu méi liǎo。 cháng yī bèi de zǐ mèi， yī gè yě méi liǎo。 zhǐ kàn zhè xiǎo yī bèi de， jiāng lái zhī dōng chuáng rú hé ní。”
yǔ cūn dào：“ zhèng shì。 fāng cái shuō zhè zhèng gōng， yǐ yòu xián yù zhī 'ér， yòu yòu zhǎngzǐ suǒ yí yī gè ruò sūn。 zhè shè lǎo jìng wú yī gè bù chéng？ " zǐ xīng dào：“ zhèng gōng jì yòu yù 'ér zhī hòu， qí qiè yòu shēng liǎo yī gè， dǎo bù zhī qí hǎo dǎi。 zhǐ yǎn qián xiàn yòu 'èr zǐ yī sūn， què bù zhī jiāng lái rú hé。 ruò wèn nà shè gōng， yě yòu 'èr zǐ， cháng míng jiǎ liǎn， jīn yǐ 'èr shí lái wǎng liǎo， qīn shàng zuò qīn， qǔ de jiù shì zhèng lǎo diē fū rén wáng shì zhī nèi zhí nǚ， jīn yǐ qǔ liǎo 'èr nián。 zhè wèi liǎn yé shēn shàng xiàn juān de shì gè tóng zhī， yě shì bù kěn dú shū， yú shì lù shàng hǎo jī biàn， yán tán qù de， suǒ yǐ rú jīn zhǐ zài nǎi shū zhèng lǎo yé jiā zhù zhe， bāng zhe liào lǐ xiē jiā wù。 shuí zhī zì qǔ liǎo tā lìng fū rén zhī hòu， dǎo shàng xià wú yī rén bù chēng sòng tā fū rén de， liǎn yé dàotuì liǎo yī shè zhī dì： shuō múyàng yòu jí biāo zhì， yán tán yòu shuǎng lì， xīn jī yòu jí shēn xì， jìng shì gè nán rén wàn bù jí yī de。”
yǔ cūn tīng liǎo， xiào dào：“ kě zhī wǒ qián yán bù miù。 nǐ wǒ fāng cái suǒ shuō de zhè jǐ gè rén， dū zhǐ pà shì nà zhèng xié liǎng fù 'ér lái yī lù zhī rén， wèi kě zhī yě。” zǐ xīng dào：“ xié yě bà， zhèng yě bà， zhǐ gù suàn bié rén jiā de zhàng， nǐ yě chī yī bēi jiǔ cái hǎo。” yǔ cūn dào：“ zhèng shì， zhǐ gù shuō huà， jìng duō chī liǎo jǐ bēi。” zǐ xīng xiào dào：“ shuō zhe bié rén jiā de xián huà， zhèng hǎo xià jiǔ， jí duō chī jǐ bēi hé fáng。” yǔ cūn xiàng chuāng wài kàn dào：“ tiān yě wǎn liǎo， zǎi xì guān liǎo chéng。 wǒ men màn màn de jìn chéng zài tán， wèi wéi bù kě。” yú shì， èr rén qǐ shēn， suàn hái jiǔ zhàng。 fāng yù zǒu shí， yòu tīng dé hòu miàn yòu rén jiào dào：“ yǔ cūn xiōng， gōng xǐ liǎo！ tè lái bào gè xǐ xìn de。” yǔ cūn máng huí tóu kàn shí -
The spirit of Mrs. Chia Shih-yin departs from the town of Yang Chou. Leng Tzu-hsing dilates upon the Jung Kuo Mansion.
To continue. Feng Su, upon hearing the shouts of the public messengers, came out in a flurry and forcing a smile, he asked them to explain (their errand); but all these people did was to continue bawling out: "Be quick, and ask Mr. Chen to come out."
"My surname is Feng," said Feng Su, as he promptly forced himself to smile; "It is'nt Chen at all: I had once a son-in-law whose surname was Chen, but he has left home, it is now already a year or two back. Is it perchance about him that you are inquiring?"
To which the public servants remarked: "We know nothing about Chen or Chia (true or false); but as he is your son-in-law, we'll take you at once along with us to make verbal answer to our master and have done with it."
And forthwith the whole bevy of public servants hustled Feng Su on, as they went on their way back; while every one in the Feng family was seized with consternation, and could not imagine what it was all about.
It was no earlier than the second watch, when Feng Su returned home; and they, one and all, pressed him with questions as to what had happened.
"The fact is," he explained, "the newly-appointed Magistrate, whose surname is Chia, whose name is Huo and who is a native of Hu-chow, has been on intimate terms, in years gone by, with our son-in-law; that at the sight of the girl Chiao Hsing, standing at the door, in the act of buying thread, he concluded that he must have shifted his quarters over here, and hence it was that his messengers came to fetch him. I gave him a clear account of the various circumstances (of his misfortunes), and the Magistrate was for a time much distressed and expressed his regret. He then went on to make inquiries about my grand-daughter, and I explained that she had been lost, while looking at the illuminations. 'No matter,' put in the Magistrate, 'I will by and by order my men to make search, and I feel certain that they will find her and bring her back.' Then ensued a short conversation, after which I was about to go, when he presented me with the sum of two taels."
The mistress of the Chen family (Mrs. Chen Shih-yin) could not but feel very much affected by what she heard, and the whole evening she uttered not a word.
The next day, at an early hour, Yue-ts'un sent some of his men to bring over to Chen's wife presents, consisting of two packets of silver, and four pieces of brocaded silk, as a token of gratitude, and to Feng Su also a confidential letter, requesting him to ask of Mrs. Chen her maid Chiao Hsing to become his second wife.
Feng Su was so intensely delighted that his eyebrows expanded, his eyes smiled, and he felt eager to toady to the Magistrate (by presenting the girl to him). He hastened to employ all his persuasive powers with his daughter (to further his purpose), and on the same evening he forthwith escorted Chiao Hsing in a small chair to the Yamen.
The joy experienced by Yue-ts'un need not be dilated upon. He also presented Feng Su with a packet containing one hundred ounces of gold; and sent numerous valuable presents to Mrs. Chen, enjoining her "to live cheerfully in the anticipation of finding out the whereabouts of her daughter."
It must be explained, however, that the maid Chi'ao Hsing was the very person, who, a few years ago, had looked round at Yue-ts'un and who, by one simple, unpremeditated glance, evolved, in fact, this extraordinary destiny which was indeed an event beyond conception.
Who would ever have foreseen that fate and fortune would both have so favoured her that she should, contrary to all anticipation, give birth to a son, after living with Yue-ts'un barely a year, that in addition to this, after the lapse of another half year, Yue-ts'un's wife should have contracted a sudden illness and departed this life, and that Yue-ts'un should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is adequately expressed by the lines:
Through but one single, casual look Soon an exalted place she took.
The fact is that after Yue-ts'un had been presented with the money by Shih-yin, he promptly started on the 16th day for the capital, and at the triennial great tripos, his wishes were gratified to the full. Having successfully carried off his degree of graduate of the third rank, his name was put by selection on the list for provincial appointments. By this time, he had been raised to the rank of Magistrate in this district; but, in spite of the excellence and sufficiency of his accomplishments and abilities, he could not escape being ambitious and overbearing. He failed besides, confident as he was in his own merits, in respect toward his superiors, with the result that these officials looked upon him scornfully with the corner of the eye.
A year had hardly elapsed, when he was readily denounced in a memorial to the Throne by the High Provincial authorities, who represented that he was of a haughty disposition, that he had taken upon himself to introduce innovations in the rites and ceremonies, that overtly, while he endeavoured to enjoy the reputation of probity and uprightness, he, secretly, combined the nature of the tiger and wolf; with the consequence that he had been the cause of much trouble in the district, and that he had made life intolerable for the people.
The Dragon countenance of the Emperor was considerably incensed. His Majesty lost no time in issuing commands, in reply to the Memorial, that he should be deprived of his official status.
On the arrival of the despatch from the Board, great was the joy felt by every officer, without exception, of the prefecture in which he had held office. Yue-ts'un, though at heart intensely mortified and incensed, betrayed not the least outward symptom of annoyance, but still preserved, as of old, a smiling and cheerful countenance.
He handed over charge of all official business and removed the savings which he had accumulated during the several years he had been in office, his family and all his chattels to his original home; where, after having put everything in proper order, he himself travelled (carried the winds and sleeved the moon) far and wide, visiting every relic of note in the whole Empire.
As luck would have it, on a certain day while making a second journey through the Wei Yang district, he heard the news that the Salt Commissioner appointed this year was Lin Ju-hai. This Lin Ju-hai's family name was Lin, his name Hai and his style Ju-hai. He had obtained the third place in the previous triennial examination, and had, by this time, already risen to the rank of Director of the Court of Censors. He was a native of Ku Su. He had been recently named by Imperial appointment a Censor attached to the Salt Inspectorate, and had arrived at his post only a short while back.
In fact, the ancestors of Lin Ju-hai had, from years back, successively inherited the title of Marquis, which rank, by its present descent to Ju-hai, had already been enjoyed by five generations. When first conferred, the hereditary right to the title had been limited to three generations; but of late years, by an act of magnanimous favour and generous beneficence, extraordinary bounty had been superadded; and on the arrival of the succession to the father of Ju-hai, the right had been extended to another degree. It had now descended to Ju-hai, who had, besides this title of nobility, begun his career as a successful graduate. But though his family had been through uninterrupted ages the recipient of imperial bounties, his kindred had all been anyhow men of culture.
The only misfortune had been that the several branches of the Lin family had not been prolific, so that the numbers of its members continued limited; and though there existed several households, they were all however to Ju-hai no closer relatives than first cousins. Neither were there any connections of the same lineage, or of the same parentage.
Ju-hai was at this date past forty; and had only had a son, who had died the previous year, in the third year of his age. Though he had several handmaids, he had not had the good fortune of having another son; but this was too a matter that could not be remedied.
By his wife, nee Chia, he had a daughter, to whom the infant name of Tai Yue was given. She was, at this time, in her fifth year. Upon her the parents doated as much as if she were a brilliant pearl in the palm of their hand. Seeing that she was endowed with natural gifts of intelligence and good looks, they also felt solicitous to bestow upon her a certain knowledge of books, with no other purpose than that of satisfying, by this illusory way, their wishes of having a son to nurture and of dispelling the anguish felt by them, on account of the desolation and void in their family circle (round their knees).
But to proceed. Yue-ts'un, while sojourning at an inn, was unexpectedly laid up with a violent chill. Finding on his recovery, that his funds were not sufficient to pay his expenses, he was thinking of looking out for some house where he could find a resting place when he suddenly came across two friends acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner. Knowing that this official was desirous to find a tutor to instruct his daughter, they lost no time in recommending Yue-ts'un, who moved into the Yamen.
His female pupil was youthful in years and delicate in physique, so that her lessons were irregular. Besides herself, there were only two waiting girls, who remained in attendance during the hours of study, so that Yue-ts'un was spared considerable trouble and had a suitable opportunity to attend to the improvement of his health.
In a twinkle, another year and more slipped by, and when least expected, the mother of his ward, nee Chia, was carried away after a short illness. His pupil (during her mother's sickness) was dutiful in her attendance, and prepared the medicines for her use. (And after her death,) she went into the deepest mourning prescribed by the rites, and gave way to such excess of grief that, naturally delicate as she was, her old complaint, on this account, broke out anew.
Being unable for a considerable time to prosecute her studies, Yue-ts'un lived at leisure and had no duties to attend to. Whenever therefore the wind was genial and the sun mild, he was wont to stroll at random, after he had done with his meals.
On this particular day, he, by some accident, extended his walk beyond the suburbs, and desirous to contemplate the nature of the rustic scenery, he, with listless step, came up to a spot encircled by hills and streaming pools, by luxuriant clumps of trees and thick groves of bamboos. Nestling in the dense foliage stood a temple. The doors and courts were in ruins. The walls, inner and outer, in disrepair. An inscription on a tablet testified that this was the temple of Spiritual Perception. On the sides of the door was also a pair of old and dilapidated scrolls with the following enigmatical verses.
Behind ample there is, yet to retract the hand, the mind heeds not, until. Before the mortal vision lies no path, when comes to turn the will.
"These two sentences," Yue-ts'un pondered after perusal, "although simple in language, are profound in signification. I have previous to this visited many a spacious temple, located on hills of note, but never have I beheld an inscription referring to anything of the kind. The meaning contained in these words must, I feel certain, owe their origin to the experiences of some person or other; but there's no saying. But why should I not go in and inquire for myself?"
Upon walking in, he at a glance caught sight of no one else, but of a very aged bonze, of unkempt appearance, cooking his rice. When Yue-ts'un perceived that he paid no notice, he went up to him and asked him one or two questions, but as the old priest was dull of hearing and a dotard, and as he had lost his teeth, and his tongue was blunt, he made most irrelevant replies.
Yue-ts'un lost all patience with him, and withdrew again from the compound with the intention of going as far as the village public house to have a drink or two, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the rustic scenery. With easy stride, he accordingly walked up to the place. Scarcely had he passed the threshold of the public house, when he perceived some one or other among the visitors who had been sitting sipping their wine on the divan, jump up and come up to greet him, with a face beaming with laughter.
"What a strange meeting! What a strange meeting!" he exclaimed aloud.
Yue-ts'un speedily looked at him, (and remembered) that this person had, in past days, carried on business in a curio establishment in the capital, and that his surname was Leng and his style Tzu-hsing.
A mutual friendship had existed between them during their sojourn, in days of yore, in the capital; and as Yue-ts'un had entertained the highest opinion of Leng Tzu-hsing, as being a man of action and of great abilities, while this Leng Tzu-hsing, on the other hand, borrowed of the reputation of refinement enjoyed by Yue-ts'un, the two had consequently all along lived in perfect harmony and companionship.
"When did you get here?" Yue-ts'un eagerly inquired also smilingly. "I wasn't in the least aware of your arrival. This unexpected meeting is positively a strange piece of good fortune."
"I went home," Tzu-hsing replied, "about the close of last year, but now as I am again bound to the capital, I passed through here on my way to look up a friend of mine and talk some matters over. He had the kindness to press me to stay with him for a couple of days longer, and as I after all have no urgent business to attend to, I am tarrying a few days, but purpose starting about the middle of the moon. My friend is busy to-day, so I roamed listlessly as far as here, never dreaming of such a fortunate meeting."
While speaking, he made Yue-ts'un sit down at the same table, and ordered a fresh supply of wine and eatables; and as the two friends chatted of one thing and another, they slowly sipped their wine.
The conversation ran on what had occurred after the separation, and Yue-ts'un inquired, "Is there any news of any kind in the capital?"
"There's nothing new whatever," answered Tzu-hsing. "There is one thing however: in the family of one of your worthy kinsmen, of the same name as yourself, a trifling, but yet remarkable, occurrence has taken place."
"None of my kindred reside in the capital," rejoined Yue-ts'un with a smile. "To what can you be alluding?"
"How can it be that you people who have the same surname do not belong to one clan?" remarked Tzu-hsing, sarcastically.
"In whose family?" inquired Yue-ts'un.
"The Chia family," replied Tzu-hsing smiling, "whose quarters are in the Jung Kuo Mansion, does not after all reflect discredit upon the lintel of your door, my venerable friend."
"What!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un, "did this affair take place in that family? Were we to begin reckoning, we would find the members of my clan to be anything but limited in number. Since the time of our ancestor Chia Fu, who lived while the Eastern Han dynasty occupied the Throne, the branches of our family have been numerous and flourishing; they are now to be found in every single province, and who could, with any accuracy, ascertain their whereabouts? As regards the Jung-kuo branch in particular, their names are in fact inscribed on the same register as our own, but rich and exalted as they are, we have never presumed to claim them as our relatives, so that we have become more and more estranged."
"Don't make any such assertions," Tzu-hsing remarked with a sigh, "the present two mansions of Jung and Ning have both alike also suffered reverses, and they cannot come up to their state of days of yore."
"Up to this day, these two households of Ning and of Jung," Yue-ts'un suggested, "still maintain a very large retinue of people, and how can it be that they have met with reverses?"
"To explain this would be indeed a long story," said Leng Tzu-hsing. "Last year," continued Yue-ts'un, "I arrived at Chin Ling, as I entertained a wish to visit the remains of interest of the six dynasties, and as I on that day entered the walled town of Shih T'ou, I passed by the entrance of that old residence. On the east side of the street, stood the Ning Kuo mansion; on the west the Jung Kuo mansion; and these two, adjoining each other as they do, cover in fact well-nigh half of the whole length of the street. Outside the front gate everything was, it is true, lonely and deserted; but at a glance into the interior over the enclosing wall, I perceived that the halls, pavilions, two-storied structures and porches presented still a majestic and lofty appearance. Even the flower garden, which extends over the whole area of the back grounds, with its trees and rockeries, also possessed to that day an air of luxuriance and freshness, which betrayed no signs of a ruined or decrepid establishment."
"You have had the good fortune of starting in life as a graduate," explained Tzu-tsing as he smiled, "and yet are not aware of the saying uttered by some one of old: that a centipede even when dead does not lie stiff. (These families) may, according to your version, not be up to the prosperity of former years, but, compared with the family of an ordinary official, their condition anyhow presents a difference. Of late the number of the inmates has, day by day, been on the increase; their affairs have become daily more numerous; of masters and servants, high and low, who live in ease and respectability very many there are; but of those who exercise any forethought, or make any provision, there is not even one. In their daily wants, their extravagances, and their expenditure, they are also unable to adapt themselves to circumstances and practise economy; (so that though) the present external framework may not have suffered any considerable collapse, their purses have anyhow begun to feel an exhausting process! But this is a mere trifle. There is another more serious matter. Would any one ever believe that in such families of official status, in a clan of education and culture, the sons and grandsons of the present age would after all be each (succeeding) generation below the standard of the former?"
Yue-ts'un, having listened to these remarks, observed: "How ever can it be possible that families of such education and refinement can observe any system of training and nurture which is not excellent? Concerning the other branches, I am not in a position to say anything; but restricting myself to the two mansions of Jung and Ning, they are those in which, above all others, the education of their children is methodical."
"I was just now alluding to none other than these two establishments," Tzu-hsing observed with a sigh; "but let me tell you all. In days of yore, the duke of Ning Kuo and the duke of Jung Kuo were two uterine brothers. The Ning duke was the elder; he had four sons. After the death of the duke of Ning Kuo, his eldest son, Chia Tai-hua, came into the title. He also had two sons; but the eldest, whose name was Hu, died at the age of eight or nine; and the only survivor, the second son, Chia Ching, inherited the title. His whole mind is at this time set upon Taoist doctrines; his sole delight is to burn the pill and refine the dual powers; while every other thought finds no place in his mind. Happily, he had, at an early age, left a son, Chia Chen, behind in the lay world, and his father, engrossed as his whole heart was with the idea of attaining spiritual life, ceded the succession of the official title to him. His parent is, besides, not willing to return to the original family seat, but lives outside the walls of the capital, foolishly hobnobbing with all the Taoist priests. This Mr. Chen had also a son, Chia Jung, who is, at this period, just in his sixteenth year. Mr. Ching gives at present no attention to anything at all, so that Mr. Chen naturally devotes no time to his studies, but being bent upon nought else but incessant high pleasure, he has subversed the order of things in the Ning Kuo mansion, and yet no one can summon the courage to come and hold him in check. But I'll now tell you about the Jung mansion for your edification. The strange occurrence, to which I alluded just now, came about in this manner. After the demise of the Jung duke, the eldest son, Chia Tai-shan, inherited the rank. He took to himself as wife, the daughter of Marquis Shih, a noble family of Chin Ling, by whom he had two sons; the elder being Chia She, the younger Chia Cheng. This Tai Shan is now dead long ago; but his wife is still alive, and the elder son, Chia She, succeeded to the degree. He is a man of amiable and genial disposition, but he likewise gives no thought to the direction of any domestic concern. The second son Chia Cheng displayed, from his early childhood, a great liking for books, and grew up to be correct and upright in character. His grandfather doated upon him, and would have had him start in life through the arena of public examinations, but, when least expected, Tai-shan, being on the point of death, bequeathed a petition, which was laid before the Emperor. His Majesty, out of regard for his former minister, issued immediate commands that the elder son should inherit the estate, and further inquired how many sons there were besides him, all of whom he at once expressed a wish to be introduced in his imperial presence. His Majesty, moreover, displayed exceptional favour, and conferred upon Mr. Cheng the brevet rank of second class Assistant Secretary (of a Board), and commanded him to enter the Board to acquire the necessary experience. He has already now been promoted to the office of second class Secretary. This Mr. Cheng's wife, nee Wang, first gave birth to a son called Chia Chu, who became a Licentiate in his fourteenth year. At barely twenty, he married, but fell ill and died soon after the birth of a son. Her (Mrs. Cheng's) second child was a daughter, who came into the world, by a strange coincidence, on the first day of the year. She had an unexpected (pleasure) in the birth, the succeeding year, of another son, who, still more remarkable to say, had, at the time of his birth, a piece of variegated and crystal-like brilliant jade in his mouth, on which were yet visible the outlines of several characters. Now, tell me, was not this a novel and strange occurrence? eh?"
"Strange indeed!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un with a smile; "but I presume the coming experiences of this being will not be mean."
Tzu-hsing gave a faint smile. "One and all," he remarked, "entertain the same idea. Hence it is that his mother doats upon him like upon a precious jewel. On the day of his first birthday, Mr. Cheng readily entertained a wish to put the bent of his inclinations to the test, and placed before the child all kinds of things, without number, for him to grasp from. Contrary to every expectation, he scorned every other object, and, stretching forth his hand, he simply took hold of rouge, powder and a few hair-pins, with which he began to play. Mr. Cheng experienced at once displeasure, as he maintained that this youth would, by and bye, grow up into a sybarite, devoted to wine and women, and for this reason it is, that he soon began to feel not much attachment for him. But his grandmother is the one who, in spite of everything, prizes him like the breath of her own life. The very mention of what happened is even strange! He is now grown up to be seven or eight years old, and, although exceptionally wilful, in intelligence and precocity, however, not one in a hundred could come up to him! And as for the utterances of this child, they are no less remarkable. The bones and flesh of woman, he argues, are made of water, while those of man of mud. 'Women to my eyes are pure and pleasing,' he says, 'while at the sight of man, I readily feel how corrupt, foul and repelling they are!' Now tell me, are not these words ridiculous? There can be no doubt whatever that he will by and bye turn out to be a licentious roue."
Yue-ts'un, whose countenance suddenly assumed a stern air, promptly interrupted the conversation. "It doesn't quite follow," he suggested. "You people don't, I regret to say, understand the destiny of this child. The fact is that even the old Hanlin scholar Mr. Cheng was erroneously looked upon as a loose rake and dissolute debauchee! But unless a person, through much study of books and knowledge of letters, so increases (in lore) as to attain the talent of discerning the nature of things, and the vigour of mind to fathom the Taoist reason as well as to comprehend the first principle, he is not in a position to form any judgment."
Tzu-hsing upon perceiving the weighty import of what he propounded, "Please explain," he asked hastily, "the drift (of your argument)." To which Yue-ts'un responded: "Of the human beings created by the operation of heaven and earth, if we exclude those who are gifted with extreme benevolence and extreme viciousness, the rest, for the most part, present no striking diversity. If they be extremely benevolent, they fall in, at the time of their birth, with an era of propitious fortune; while those extremely vicious correspond, at the time of their existence, with an era of calamity. When those who coexist with propitious fortune come into life, the world is in order; when those who coexist with unpropitious fortune come into life, the world is in danger. Yao, Shun, Yue, Ch'eng T'ang, Wen Wang, Wu Wang, Chou Kung, Chao Kung, Confucius, Mencius, T'ung Hu, Han Hsin, Chou Tzu, Ch'eng Tzu, Chu Tzu and Chang Tzu were ordained to see light in an auspicious era. Whereas Ch'i Yu, Kung Kung, Chieh Wang, Chou Wang, Shih Huang, Wang Mang, Tsao Ts'ao, Wen Wen, An Hu-shan, Ch'in Kuei and others were one and all destined to come into the world during a calamitous age. Those endowed with extreme benevolence set the world in order; those possessed of extreme maliciousness turn the world into disorder. Purity, intelligence, spirituality and subtlety constitute the vital spirit of right which pervades heaven and earth, and the persons gifted with benevolence are its natural fruit. Malignity and perversity constitute the spirit of evil, which permeates heaven and earth, and malicious persons are affected by its influence. The days of perpetual happiness and eminent good fortune, and the era of perfect peace and tranquility, which now prevail, are the offspring of the pure, intelligent, divine and subtle spirit which ascends above, to the very Emperor, and below reaches the rustic and uncultured classes. Every one is without exception under its influence. The superfluity of the subtle spirit expands far and wide, and finding nowhere to betake itself to, becomes, in due course, transformed into dew, or gentle breeze; and, by a process of diffusion, it pervades the whole world.
"The spirit of malignity and perversity, unable to expand under the brilliant sky and transmuting sun, eventually coagulates, pervades and stops up the deep gutters and extensive caverns; and when of a sudden the wind agitates it or it be impelled by the clouds, and any slight disposition, on its part, supervenes to set itself in motion, or to break its bounds, and so little as even the minutest fraction does unexpectedly find an outlet, and happens to come across any spirit of perception and subtlety which may be at the time passing by, the spirit of right does not yield to the spirit of evil, and the spirit of evil is again envious of the spirit of right, so that the two do not harmonize. Just like wind, water, thunder and lightning, which, when they meet in the bowels of the earth, must necessarily, as they are both to dissolve and are likewise unable to yield, clash and explode to the end that they may at length exhaust themselves. Hence it is that these spirits have also forcibly to diffuse themselves into the human race to find an outlet, so that they may then completely disperse, with the result that men and women are suddenly imbued with these spirits and spring into existence. At best, (these human beings) cannot be generated into philanthropists or perfect men; at worst, they cannot also embody extreme perversity or extreme wickedness. Yet placed among one million beings, the spirit of intelligence, refinement, perception and subtlety will be above these one million beings; while, on the other hand, the perverse, depraved and inhuman embodiment will likewise be below the million of men. Born in a noble and wealthy family, these men will be a salacious, lustful lot; born of literary, virtuous or poor parentage, they will turn out retired scholars or men of mark; though they may by some accident be born in a destitute and poverty-stricken home, they cannot possibly, in fact, ever sink so low as to become runners or menials, or contentedly brook to be of the common herd or to be driven and curbed like a horse in harness. They will become, for a certainty, either actors of note or courtesans of notoriety; as instanced in former years by Hsue Yu, T'ao Ch'ien, Yuan Chi, Chi Kang, Liu Ling, the two families of Wang and Hsieh, Ku Hu-t'ou, Ch'en Hou-chu, T'ang Ming-huang, Sung Hui-tsung, Liu T'ing-chih, Wen Fei-ching, Mei Nan-kung, Shih Man-ch'ing, Lui C'hih-ch'ing and Chin Shao-yu, and exemplified now-a-days by Ni Yuen-lin, T'ang Po-hu, Chu Chih-shan, and also by Li Kuei-men, Huang P'an-cho, Ching Hsin-mo, Cho Wen-chuen; and the women Hung Fu, Hsieh T'ao, Ch'ue Ying, Ch'ao Yuen and others; all of whom were and are of the same stamp, though placed in different scenes of action."
"From what you say," observed Tzu-hsing, "success makes (a man) a duke or a marquis; ruin, a thief!"
"Quite so; that's just my idea!" replied Yue-ts'un; "I've not as yet let you know that after my degradation from office, I spent the last couple of years in travelling for pleasure all over each province, and that I also myself came across two extraordinary youths. This is why, when a short while back you alluded to this Pao-yue, I at once conjectured, with a good deal of certainty, that he must be a human being of the same stamp. There's no need for me to speak of any farther than the walled city of Chin Ling. This Mr. Chen was, by imperial appointment, named Principal of the Government Public College of the Chin Ling province. Do you perhaps know him?"
"Who doesn't know him?" remarked Tzu-hsing. "This Chen family is an old connection of the Chia family. These two families were on terms of great intimacy, and I myself likewise enjoyed the pleasure of their friendship for many a day."
"Last year, when at Chin Ling," Yue-ts'un continued with a smile, "some one recommended me as resident tutor to the school in the Chen mansion; and when I moved into it I saw for myself the state of things. Who would ever think that that household was grand and luxurious to such a degree! But they are an affluent family, and withal full of propriety, so that a school like this was of course not one easy to obtain. The pupil, however, was, it is true, a young tyro, but far more troublesome to teach than a candidate for the examination of graduate of the second degree. Were I to enter into details, you would indeed have a laugh. 'I must needs,' he explained, 'have the company of two girls in my studies to enable me to read at all, and to keep likewise my brain clear. Otherwise, if left to myself, my head gets all in a muddle.' Time after time, he further expounded to his young attendants, how extremely honourable and extremely pure were the two words representing woman, that they are more valuable and precious than the auspicious animal, the felicitous bird, rare flowers and uncommon plants. 'You may not' (he was wont to say), 'on any account heedlessly utter them, you set of foul mouths and filthy tongues! these two words are of the utmost import! Whenever you have occasion to allude to them, you must, before you can do so with impunity, take pure water and scented tea and rinse your mouths. In the event of any slip of the tongue, I shall at once have your teeth extracted, and your eyes gouged out.' His obstinacy and waywardness are, in every respect, out of the common. After he was allowed to leave school, and to return home, he became, at the sight of the young ladies, so tractable, gentle, sharp, and polite, transformed, in fact, like one of them. And though, for this reason, his father has punished him on more than one occasion, by giving him a sound thrashing, such as brought him to the verge of death, he cannot however change. Whenever he was being beaten, and could no more endure the pain, he was wont to promptly break forth in promiscuous loud shouts, 'Girls! girls!' The young ladies, who heard him from the inner chambers, subsequently made fun of him. 'Why,' they said, 'when you are being thrashed, and you are in pain, your only thought is to bawl out girls! Is it perchance that you expect us young ladies to go and intercede for you? How is that you have no sense of shame?' To their taunts he gave a most plausible explanation. 'Once,' he replied, 'when in the agony of pain, I gave vent to shouting girls, in the hope, perchance, I did not then know, of its being able to alleviate the soreness. After I had, with this purpose, given one cry, I really felt the pain considerably better; and now that I have obtained this secret spell, I have recourse, at once, when I am in the height of anguish, to shouts of girls, one shout after another. Now what do you say to this? Isn't this absurd, eh?"
"The grandmother is so infatuated by her extreme tenderness for this youth, that, time after time, she has, on her grandson's account, found fault with the tutor, and called her son to task, with the result that I resigned my post and took my leave. A youth, with a disposition such as his, cannot assuredly either perpetuate intact the estate of his father and grandfather, or follow the injunctions of teacher or advice of friends. The pity is, however, that there are, in that family, several excellent female cousins, the like of all of whom it would be difficult to discover."
"Quite so!" remarked Tzu-hsing; "there are now three young ladies in the Chia family who are simply perfection itself. The eldest is a daughter of Mr. Cheng, Yuan Ch'un by name, who, on account of her excellence, filial piety, talents, and virtue, has been selected as a governess in the palace. The second is the daughter of Mr. She's handmaid, and is called Ying Ch'un; the third is T'an Ch'un, the child of Mr. Cheng's handmaid; while the fourth is the uterine sister of Mr. Chen of the Ning Mansion. Her name is Hsi Ch'un. As dowager lady Shih is so fondly attached to her granddaughters, they come, for the most part, over to their grandmother's place to prosecute their studies together, and each one of these girls is, I hear, without a fault."
"More admirable," observed Yue-ts'un, "is the regime (adhered to) in the Chen family, where the names of the female children have all been selected from the list of male names, and are unlike all those out-of-the-way names, such as Spring Blossom, Scented Gem, and the like flowery terms in vogue in other families. But how is it that the Chia family have likewise fallen into this common practice?"
"Not so!" ventured Tzu-h'sing. "It is simply because the eldest daughter was born on the first of the first moon, that the name of Yuan Ch'un was given to her; while with the rest this character Ch'un (spring) was then followed. The names of the senior generation are, in like manner, adopted from those of their brothers; and there is at present an instance in support of this. The wife of your present worthy master, Mr. Lin, is the uterine sister of Mr. Chia. She and Mr. Chia Cheng, and she went, while at home, under the name of Chia Min. Should you question the truth of what I say, you are at liberty, on your return, to make minute inquiries and you'll be convinced."
Yue-ts'un clapped his hands and said smiling, "It's so, I know! for this female pupil of mine, whose name is Tai-yue, invariably pronounces the character _min_ as _mi_, whenever she comes across it in the course of her reading; while, in writing, when she comes to the character 'min,' she likewise reduces the strokes by one, sometimes by two. Often have I speculated in my mind (as to the cause), but the remarks I've heard you mention, convince me, without doubt, that it is no other reason (than that of reverence to her mother's name). Strange enough, this pupil of mine is unique in her speech and deportment, and in no way like any ordinary young lady. But considering that her mother was no commonplace woman herself, it is natural that she should have given birth to such a child. Besides, knowing, as I do now, that she is the granddaughter of the Jung family, it is no matter of surprise to me that she is what she is. Poor girl, her mother, after all, died in the course of the last month."
Tzu-hsing heaved a sigh. "Of three elderly sisters," he explained, "this one was the youngest, and she too is gone! Of the sisters of the senior generation not one even survives! But now we'll see what the husbands of this younger generation will be like by and bye!"
"Yes," replied Yue-ts'un. "But some while back you mentioned that Mr. Cheng has had a son, born with a piece of jade in his mouth, and that he has besides a tender-aged grandson left by his eldest son; but is it likely that this Mr. She has not, himself, as yet, had any male issue?"
"After Mr. Cheng had this son with the jade," Tzu-hsing added, "his handmaid gave birth to another son, who whether he be good or bad, I don't at all know. At all events, he has by his side two sons and a grandson, but what these will grow up to be by and bye, I cannot tell. As regards Mr. Chia She, he too has had two sons; the second of whom, Chia Lien, is by this time about twenty. He took to wife a relative of his, a niece of Mr. Cheng's wife, a Miss Wang, and has now been married for the last two years. This Mr. Lien has lately obtained by purchase the rank of sub-prefect. He too takes little pleasure in books, but as far as worldly affairs go, he is so versatile and glib of tongue, that he has recently taken up his quarters with his uncle Mr. Cheng, to whom he gives a helping hand in the management of domestic matters. Who would have thought it, however, ever since his marriage with his worthy wife, not a single person, whether high or low, has there been who has not looked up to her with regard: with the result that Mr. Lien himself has, in fact, had to take a back seat (_lit_. withdrew 35 li). In looks, she is also so extremely beautiful, in speech so extremely quick and fluent, in ingenuity so deep and astute, that even a man could, in no way, come up to her mark."
After hearing these remarks Yue-ts'un smiled. "You now perceive," he said, "that my argument is no fallacy, and that the several persons about whom you and I have just been talking are, we may presume, human beings, who, one and all, have been generated by the spirit of right, and the spirit of evil, and come to life by the same royal road; but of course there's no saying."
"Enough," cried Tzu-hsing, "of right and enough of evil; we've been doing nothing but settling other people's accounts; come now, have another glass, and you'll be the better for it!"
"While bent upon talking," Yue-ts'un explained, "I've had more glasses than is good for me."
"Speaking of irrelevant matters about other people," Tzu-hsing rejoined complacently, "is quite the thing to help us swallow our wine; so come now; what harm will happen, if we do have a few glasses more."
Yue-ts'un thereupon looked out of the window.
"The day is also far advanced," he remarked, "and if we don't take care, the gates will be closing; let us leisurely enter the city, and as we go along, there will be nothing to prevent us from continuing our chat."
Forthwith the two friends rose from their seats, settled and paid their wine bill, and were just going, when they unexpectedly heard some one from behind say with a loud voice:
"Accept my congratulations, Brother Yue-ts'un; I've now come, with the express purpose of giving you the welcome news!"
Yue-ts'un lost no time in turning his head round to look at the speaker. But reader, if you wish to learn who the man was, listen to the details given in the following chapter.
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