中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì sān huí jiǎ yǔ cūn yín yuán fù jiù zhí lín dài yù pāo fù jìn jīng dū CHAPTER III.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER III.
 贾雨村夤缘复旧职 林黛玉抛父进京都 第三回 贾雨村夤缘复旧职 林黛玉抛父进京都
cì rì， miàn móu zhī rú hǎi。 rú hǎi dào： “ tiān yuán còu qiǎo， yīn jiàn jīng qù shì， dū zhōng jiā yuè mǔ niàn jí xiǎo nǚ wú rén yǐ bàng jiào yù， qián yǐ qiǎn liǎo nán nǚ chuán zhǐ lái jiē， yīn xiǎo nǚ wèi céng dà quán， gù wèi jí xíng。 cǐ kè zhèng sī xiàng méng xùn jiào zhī 'ēn wèi jīng chóu bào， yù cǐ jī huì， qǐ yòu bù jìn xīn tú bào zhī lǐ。 dàn qǐng fàng xīn。 dì yǐ yù wéi chóu huà zhì cǐ， yǐ xiū xià jiàn shū yī fēng， zhuǎn tuō nèi xiōng wù wéi zhōu quán xié zuǒ， fāng kě shāo jìn dì zhī bǐ chéng， jí yòu suǒ fèi yòng zhī lì， dì yú nèi xiōng xìn zhōng yǐ zhù míng bái， yì bù láo zūn xiōng duō lǜ yǐ。 ” yǔ cūn yī miàn dǎ gōng， xiè bù shì kǒu， yī miàn yòu wèn：“ bù zhī lìng qīn dà rén xiàn jū hé zhí？ zhǐ pà wǎn shēng cǎo shuài， bù gǎn zhòu rán rù dū gān dòu。” rú hǎi xiào dào：“ ruò lùn shè qīn， yǔ zūn xiōng yóu xì tóng pǔ， nǎi róng gōng zhī sūn： dà nèi xiōng xiàn xí yī děng jiāng jūn， míng shè， zì 'ēn hóu， èr nèi xiōng míng zhèng， zì cún zhōu， xiàn rèn gōng bù yuán wài láng， qí wéi rén qiān gōng hòu dào， dà yòu zǔ fù yí fēng， fēi gāo liáng qīng bó shì huàn zhī liú， gù dì fāng zhì shū fán tuō。 fǒu zé bù dàn yòu wū zūn xiōng zhī qīng cāo， jí dì yì bù xiè wéi yǐ。” yǔ cūn tīng liǎo， xīn xià fāng xìn liǎo zuó rì zǐ xīng zhī yán， yú shì yòu xiè liǎo lín rú hǎi。 rú hǎi nǎi shuō：“ yǐ zé liǎo chū yuè chū 'èr rì xiǎo nǚ rù dū， zūn xiōng jí tóng lù 'ér wǎng， qǐ bù liǎng biàn？ " yǔ cūn wéi wéi tīng mìng， xīn zhōng shí fēn dé yì。 rú hǎi suì dǎ diǎn lǐ wù bìng jiàn xíng zhī shì， yǔ cūn yī yī lǐng liǎo。
nà nǚ xué shēng dài yù， shēn tǐ fāng yù， yuán bù rěn qì fù 'ér wǎng， wú nài tā wài zǔ mǔ zhì yì wù qù， qiě jiān rú hǎi shuō：“ rǔ fù nián jiāng bàn bǎi， zài wú xù shì zhī yì， qiě rǔ duō bìng， nián yòu jí xiǎo， shàng wú qīn mǔ jiào yǎng， xià wú zǐ mèi xiōng dì fú chí， jīn yǐ bàng wài zǔ mǔ jí jiù shì zǐ mèi qù， zhèng hǎo jiǎn wǒ gù pàn zhī yōu， hé fǎn yún bù wǎng？ " dài yù tīng liǎo， fāng sǎ lèi bài bié， suí liǎo nǎi niàn jí róng fǔ jǐ gè lǎo fù rén dēng zhōu 'ér qù。 yǔ cūn lìng yòu yī zhǐ chuán， dài liǎng gè xiǎo tóng， yǐ fù dài yù 'ér xíng。
yòu rì dào liǎo dū zhōng， jìn rù shén jīng， yǔ cūn xiān zhěng liǎo yī guān， dài liǎo xiǎo tóng， ná zhe zōng zhí de míngtiě， zhì róng fǔ de mén qián tóu liǎo。 bǐ shí jiǎ zhèng yǐ kàn liǎo mèi zhàng zhī shū， jí máng qǐng rù xiāng huì。 jiàn yǔ cūn xiàngmào kuí wěi， yán yǔ bù sú， qiě zhè jiǎ zhèng zuì xǐ dú shū rén， lǐ xián xià shì， jì ruò fú wēi， dà yòu zǔ fēng， kuàng yòu xì mèi zhàng zhì yì， yīn cǐ yōu dài yǔ cūn， gèng yòu bù tóng， biàn jié lì nèi zhōng xié zhù， tí zòu zhī rì， qīng qīng móu liǎo yī gè fù zhí hòu quē， bù shàng liǎng gè yuè， jīn líng yìng tiān fǔ quē chū， biàn móu bǔ liǎo cǐ quē， bài cí liǎo jiǎ zhèng， zé rì shàng rèn qù liǎo。 bù zài huà xià。
qiě shuō dài yù zì nà rì qì zhōu dēng 'àn shí， biàn yòu róng guó fǔ dǎ fā liǎo jiào zǐ bìng lā xíng lǐ de chē liàng jiǔ hòu liǎo。 zhè lín dài yù cháng tīng dé mǔ qīn shuō guò， tā wài zǔ mǔ jiā yǔ bié jiā bù tóng。 tā jìn rì suǒ jiàn de zhè jǐ gè sān děng pú fù， chī chuān yòng dù， yǐ shì bù fán liǎo， hé kuàng jīn zhì qí jiā。 yīn cǐ bù bù liú xīn， shí shí zài yì， bù kěn qīng yì duō shuō yī jù huà， duō xíng yī bù lù， wéi kǒng bèi rén chǐ xiào liǎo tā qù。 zì shàng liǎo jiào， jìn rù chéng zhōng cóng shā chuāng xiàng wài qiáo liǎo yī qiáo， qí jiē shì zhī fán huá， rén yān zhī fù shèng， zì yǔ bié chù bù tóng。 yòu xíng liǎo bàn rì， hū jiàn jiē běi dūn zhe liǎng gè dà shí shī zǐ， sān jiān shòu tóu dà mén， mén qián liè zuò zhe shí lái gè huá guān lì fú zhī rén。 zhèng mén què bù kāi， zhǐ yòu dōng xī liǎng jiǎo mén yòu rén chū rù。 zhèng mén zhī shàng yòu yī biǎn， biǎn shàng dà shū " chì zào níng guó fǔ " wǔ gè dà zì。 dài yù xiǎng dào： zhè bì shì wài zǔ zhī cháng fáng liǎo。 xiǎng zhe， yòu wǎng xī xíng， bù duō yuǎn， zhào yàng yě shì sān jiān dà mén， fāng shì róng guó fǔ liǎo。 què bù jìn zhèng mén， zhǐ jìn liǎo xī biān jiǎo mén。 nà jiào fū tái jìn qù， zǒu liǎo yī shè zhī dì， jiāng zhuǎn wān shí， biàn xiē xià tuì chū qù liǎo。 hòu miàn de pó zǐ men yǐ dū xià liǎo jiào， gǎn shàng qián lái。 lìng huàn liǎo sān sì gè yī mào zhōu quán shí qī bā suì de xiǎo sī shàng lái， fù tái qǐ jiào zǐ。 zhòng pó zǐ bù xià wéi suí zhì yī chuí huā mén qián làxià。 zhòng xiǎo sī tuì chū， zhòng pó zǐ shàng lái dǎ qǐ jiào lián， fú dài yù xià jiào。 lín dài yù fú zhe pó zǐ de shǒu， jìn liǎo chuí huā mén， liǎng biān shì chāo shǒu yóu láng， dāng zhōng shì chuān táng， dāng dì fàng zhe yī gè zǐ tán jià zǐ dà lǐ shí de dà chā píng。 zhuǎn guò chā píng， xiǎo xiǎo de sān jiān tīng， tīng hòu jiù shì hòu miàn de zhèng fáng dà yuàn。 zhèng miàn wǔ jiān shàng fáng， jiē diāo liáng huà dòng， liǎng biān chuān shān yóu láng xiāng fáng， guà zhe gè sè yīng wǔ， huà méi děng niǎo què。 tái jī zhī shàng， zuò zhe jǐ gè chuān hóng zhe lǜ de yā tóu， yī jiàn tā men lái liǎo， biàn máng dū xiào yíng shàng lái， shuō：“ gāng cái lǎo tài tài hái niàn ní， kě qiǎo jiù lái liǎo。” yú shì sān sì rén zhēng zhe dǎ qǐ lián lóng， yī miàn tīng dé rén huí huà：“ lín gū niàn dào liǎo。”
dài yù fāng jìn rù fáng shí， zhǐ jiàn liǎng gè rén chān zhe yī wèi bìnfà rú yín de lǎo mǔ yíng shàng lái， dài yù biàn zhī shì tā wài zǔ mǔ。 fāng yù bài jiàn shí， zǎo bèi tā wài zǔ mǔ yī bǎ lǒu rù huái zhōng， xīn gān 'ér ròu jiào zhe dà kū qǐ lái。 dāng xià dì xià shì lì zhī rén， wú bù yǎn miàn tì qì， dài yù yě kū gè bù zhù。 yī shí zhòng rén màn màn jiě quàn zhù liǎo， dài yù fāng bài jiàn liǎo wài zǔ mǔ。 héng héng cǐ jí lěng zǐ xīng suǒ yún zhī shǐ shì tài jūn， jiǎ shè jiǎ zhèng zhī mǔ yě。 dāng xià jiǎ mǔ yī yī zhǐ yǔ dài yù：“ zhè shì nǐ dà jiù mǔ， zhè shì nǐ 'èr jiù mǔ， zhè shì nǐ xiān zhū dà gē de xí fù zhū dà sǎo zǐ。” dài yù yī yī bài jiàn guò。 jiǎ mǔ yòu shuō：“ qǐng gū niàn men lái。 jīn rì yuǎn kè cái lái， kě yǐ bù bì shàng xué qù liǎo。” zhòng rén dāyìng liǎo yī shēng， biàn qù liǎo liǎng gè。
bù yī shí， zhǐ jiàn sān gè nǎi mó mó bìng wǔ liù gè yā huán， cù yōng zhe sān gè zǐ mèi lái liǎo。 dì yī gè jī fū wēi fēng， hé zhōng shēn cái， sāi níng xīn lì， bí nì 'é zhī， wēn róu chén mò， guān zhī kě qīn。 dì 'èr gè xuē jiān xì yāo， cháng tiǎo shēn cái， yā dàn liǎn miàn， jùn yǎn xiū méi， gù pàn shén fēi， wén cǎi jīng huá， jiàn zhī wàng sú。 dì sān gè shēn liàng wèi zú， xíng róng shàng xiǎo。 qí chāi huán qún 'ǎo， sān rén jiē shì yī yàng de zhuāng shì。 dài yù máng qǐ shēn yíng shàng lái jiàn lǐ， hù xiāng sī rèn guò， dà jiā guī liǎo zuò。 yā huán men zhēn shàng chá lái。 bù guò shuō xiē dài yù zhī mǔ rú hé dé bìng， rú hé qǐng yī fú yào， rú hé sòng sǐ fā sàng。 bù miǎn jiǎ mǔ yòu shāng gǎn qǐ lái， yīn shuō：“ wǒ zhè xiē 'ér nǚ， suǒ téng zhě dú yòu nǐ mǔ， jīn rì yī dàn xiān shěwǒ 'ér qù， lián miàn yě bù néng yī jiàn， jīn jiàn liǎo nǐ， wǒ zěn bù shāng xīn！ " shuō zhe， lǒu liǎo dài yù zài huái， yòu wūyè qǐ lái。 zhòng rén máng dū kuān wèi jiě shì， fāng lüè lüè zhǐ zhù。
zhòng rén jiàn dài yù nián mào suī xiǎo， qí jǔ zhǐ yán tán bù sú， shēn tǐ miàn páng suī qiè ruò bù shèng， què yòu yī duàn zì rán de fēng liú tài dù， biàn zhī tā yòu bù zú zhī zhèng。 yīn wèn：“ cháng fú hé yào， rú hé bù jí wéi liáo zhì？ " dài yù dào：“ wǒ zì lái shì rú cǐ， cóng huì chī yǐn shí shí biàn chī yào， dào jīn rì wèi duàn， qǐng liǎo duō shǎo míng yī xiū fāng pèi yào， jiē bù jiàn xiào。 nà yī nián wǒ sān suì shí， tīng dé shuō lái liǎo yī gè là tóu hé shàng， shuō yào huà wǒ qù chū jiā， wǒ fù mǔ gù shì bù cóng。 tā yòu shuō： jì shěbùdé tā， zhǐ pà tā de bìng yī shēng yě bù néng hǎo de liǎo。 ruò yào hǎo shí， chú fēi cóng cǐ yǐ hòu zǒng bù xǔ jiàn kū shēng， chú fù mǔ zhī wài， fán yòu wài xìng qīn yǒu zhī rén， yī gài bù jiàn， fāng kě píng 'ān liǎo cǐ yī shì。 ’ fēng fēng diān diān， shuō liǎo zhè xiē bù jīng zhī tán， yě méi rén lǐ tā。 rú jīn hái shì chī rénshēn yǎng róng wán。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ zhèng hǎo， wǒ zhè lǐ zhèng pèi wán yào ní。 jiào tā men duō pèi yī liào jiù shì liǎo。
yī yǔ wèi liǎo， zhǐ tīng hòu yuàn zhōng yòu rén xiào shēng， shuō：“ wǒ lái chí liǎo， bù céng yíng jiē yuǎn kè！ " dài yù nà hǎn dào：“ zhè xiē rén gè gè jiē liǎn shēng píng qì， gōng sù yán zhěng rú cǐ， zhè lái zhě xì shuí， zhè yàng fàng dàn wú lǐ？ " xīn xià xiǎng shí， zhǐ jiàn yī qún xí fù yā huán wéi yōng zhe yī gè rén cóng hòu fáng mén jìn lái。 zhè gè rén dǎ bàn yǔ zhòng gū niàn bù tóng， cǎi xiù huī huáng， huǎng ruò shén fēi xiān zǐ： tóu shàng dài zhe jīn sī bā bǎo cuán zhū jì， wǎn zhe cháo yáng wǔ fèng guà zhū chāi， xiàng shàng dài zhe chì jīn pán chī yīng luò juàn， qún biān xì zhe dòu lǜ gōng tāo， shuāng héng bǐ mù méi guī pèi， shēn shàng chuānzhuó lǚ jīn bǎi dié chuān huā dà hóng yáng duàn zhǎi kèn 'ǎo， wài zhào wǔ cǎi kè sī shí qīng yín shǔ guà， xià zhe fěi cuì sǎ huā yáng zhòu qún。 yī shuāng dān fèng sān jiǎo yǎn， liǎng wān liǔ yè diào shāo méi， shēn liàng miáo tiáo， tǐ gé fēng sāo， fěn miàn hán chūn wēi bù lù， dān chún wèi qǐ xiào xiān wén。 dài yù lián máng qǐ shēn jiē jiàn。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào， " nǐ bù rèn dé tā， tā shì wǒ men zhè lǐ yòu míng de yī gè pō pí pò luò hù 'ér， nán shěng sú wèi zuò ‘ là zǐ’， nǐ zhǐ jiào tā‘ fèng là zǐ’ jiù shì liǎo。” dài yù zhèng bù zhī yǐ hé chēng hū， zhǐ jiàn zhòng zǐ mèi dū máng gào sù tā dào：“ zhè shì liǎn sǎo zǐ。” dài yù suī bù shí， yě céng tīng jiàn mǔ qīn shuō guò， dà jiù jiǎ shè zhī zǐ jiǎ liǎn， qǔ de jiù shì 'èr jiù mǔ wáng shì zhī nèi zhí nǚ， zì yòu jiǎ chōng nán 'ér jiào yǎng de， xué míng wáng xī fèng。 dài yù máng péi xiào jiàn lǐ， yǐ " sǎo " hū zhī。 zhè xī fèng xié zhe dài yù de shǒu， shàng xià xì xì dǎ liàng liǎo yī huí， réng sòng zhì jiǎ mǔ shēn biān zuò xià， yīn xiào dào：“ tiān xià zhēn yòu zhè yàng biāo zhì de rén wù， wǒ jīn 'ér cái suàn jiàn liǎo！ kuàng qiě zhè tōng shēn de qì pài， jìng bù xiàng lǎo zǔ zōng de wài sūn nǚ 'ér， jìng shì gè dí qīn de sūn nǚ， yuàn bù dé lǎo zǔ zōng tiān tiān kǒu tóu xīn tóu yī shí bù wàng。 zhǐ kě lián wǒ zhè mèi mèi zhè yàng mìng kǔ， zěn me gū mā piān jiù qù shì liǎo！ " shuō zhe， biàn yòng pà shì lèi。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ wǒ cái hǎo liǎo， nǐ dǎo lái zhāo wǒ。 nǐ mèi mèi yuǎn lù cái lái， shēn zǐ yòu ruò， yě cái quàn zhù liǎo， kuài zài xiū tí qián huà。” zhè xī fèng tīng liǎo， máng zhuǎn bēi wéi xǐ dào：“ zhèng shì ní！ wǒ yī jiàn liǎo mèi mèi， yī xīn dōuzài tā shēn shàng liǎo， yòu shì xǐ huān， yòu shì shāng xīn， jìng wàng jì liǎo lǎo zǔ zōng。 gāi dǎ， gāi dǎ！ " yòu máng xié dài yù zhī shǒu， wèn：“ mèi mèi jǐ suì liǎo？ kě yě shàng guò xué？ xiàn chī shénme yào？ zài zhè lǐ bù yào xiǎng jiā， xiǎng yào shénme chī de， shénme wán de， zhǐ guǎn gào sù wǒ， yā tóu lǎo pó men bù hǎo liǎo， yě zhǐ guǎn gào sù wǒ。” yī miàn yòu wèn pó zǐ men：“ lín gū niàn de xíng lǐ dōng xī kě bān jìn lái liǎo？ dài liǎo jǐ gè rén lái？ nǐ men gǎn zǎo dǎ sǎo liǎng jiān xià fáng， ràng tā men qù xiē xiē。”
shuō huà shí， yǐ bǎi liǎo chá guǒ shàng lái。 xī fèng qīn wéi pěng chá pěng guǒ。 yòu jiàn 'èr jiù mǔ wèn tā：“ yuè qián fàng guò liǎo bù céng？ " xī fèng dào：“ yuè qián yǐ fàng wán liǎo。 cái gāng dài zhe rén dào hòu lóu shàng zhǎo duàn zǐ， zhǎo liǎo zhè bàn rì， yě bìng méi yòu jiàn zuó rì tài tài shuō de nà yàng de， xiǎng shì tài tài jì cuò liǎo？ " wáng fū rén dào：“ yòu méi yòu， shénme yào jǐn。” yīn yòu shuō dào：“ gāi suí shǒu ná chū liǎng gè lái gěi nǐ zhè mèi mèi qù cái yī cháng de， děng wǎn shàng xiǎng zhe jiào rén zài qù ná bà， kě bié wàng liǎo。” xī fèng dào：“ zhè dǎo shì wǒ xiān liào zhe liǎo， zhī dào mèi mèi bù guò zhè liǎng rì dào de， wǒ yǐ yù bèi xià liǎo， děng tài tài huí qù guò liǎo mù hǎo sòng lái。” wáng fū rén yī xiào， diǎn tóu bù yǔ。
dāng xià chá guǒ yǐ chè， jiǎ mǔ mìng liǎng gè lǎo mó mó dài liǎo dài yù qù jiàn liǎng gè mǔ jiù。 shí jiǎ shè zhī qī xíng shì máng yì qǐ shēn， xiào huí dào：“ wǒ dài liǎo wài shēng nǚ guò qù， dǎo yě piányí。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ zhèng shì ní， nǐ yě qù bà， bù bì guò lái liǎo。” xíng fū rén dāyìng liǎo yī shēng " shì " zì， suì dài liǎo dài yù yǔ wáng fū rén zuò cí， dà jiā sòng zhì chuān táng qián。 chū liǎo chuí huā mén， zǎo yòu zhòng xiǎo sī men lā guò yī liàng cuì wò qīng chóu chē， xíng fū rén xié liǎo dài yù， zuò zài shàng miàn， zhòng pó zǐ men fàng xià chē lián， fāng mìng xiǎo sī men tái qǐ， lā zhì kuān chù， fāng jià shàng xùn luó， yì chū liǎo xī jiǎo mén， wǎng dōng guò róng fǔ zhèng mén， biàn rù yī hēi yóu dà mén zhōng， zhì yí mén qián fāng xià lái。 zhòng xiǎo sī tuì chū， fāng dǎ qǐ chē lián， xíng fū rén chān zhe dài yù de shǒu， jìn rù yuàn zhōng。 dài yù dù qí fáng wū yuàn yǔ， bì shì róng fǔ zhōng huā yuán gé duàn guò lái de。 jìn rù sān céng yí mén， guǒ jiàn zhèng fáng xiāng wǔ yóu láng， xī jiē xiǎo qiǎo bié zhì， bù sì fāng cái nà biān xuān jùn zhuàng lì， qiě yuàn zhōng suí chù zhī shù mù shān shí jiē zài。 yī shí jìn rù zhèng shì， zǎo yòu xǔ duō shèng zhuāng lì fú zhī jī qiè yā huán yíng zhe， xíng fū rén ràng dài yù zuò liǎo， yī miàn mìng rén dào wài miàn shū fáng qù qǐng jiǎ shè。 yī shí rén lái huí huà shuō：“ lǎo yé shuō liǎo： ~ lián rì shēn shàng bù hǎo， jiàn liǎo gū niàn bǐ cǐ dǎo shāng xīn， zàn qiě bù rěn xiāng jiàn。 quàn gū niàn bù yào shāng xīn xiǎng jiā， gēn zhe lǎo tài tài hé jiù mǔ， jí tóng jiā lǐ yī yàng。 zǐ mèi men suī zhuō， dà jiā yī chù bàn zhe， yì kě yǐ jiě xiē fán mèn。 huò yòu wěi qū zhī chù， zhǐ guǎn shuō dé， bù yào wài dào cái shì。’ " dài yù máng zhàn qǐ lái， yī yī tīng liǎo。 zài zuò yī kè， biàn gào cí。 xíng fū rén kǔ liú chī guò wǎn fàn qù， dài yù xiào huí dào：“ jiù mǔ 'ài xī cì fàn， yuán bù yìng cí， zhǐ shì hái yào guò qù bài jiàn 'èr jiù jiù， kǒng lǐng liǎo cì qù bù gōng， yì rì zài lǐng， wèi wéi bù kě。 wàng jiù mǔ róng liàng。” xíng fū rén tīng shuō， xiào dào：“ zhè dǎo shì liǎo。” suì lìng liǎng sān gè mó mó yòng fāng cái de chē hǎo shēng sòng liǎo gū niàn guò qù， yú shì dài yù gào cí。 xíng fū rén sòng zhì yí mén qián， yòu zhǔ fù liǎo zhòng rén jǐ jù， yǎn kàn zhe chē qù liǎo fāng huí lái。
yī shí dài yù jìn liǎo róng fǔ， xià liǎo chē。 zhòng mó mó yǐn zhe， biàn wǎng dōng zhuǎn wān， chuān guò yī gè dōng xī de chuān táng， xiàng nán dà tīng zhī hòu， yí mén nèi dà yuàn luò， shàng miàn wǔ jiān dà zhèng fáng， liǎng biān xiāng fáng lù dǐng 'ěr fáng zuānshān， sì tōng bā dá， xuān 'áng zhuàng lì， bǐ jiǎ mǔ chù bù tóng。 dài yù biàn zhī zhè fāng shì zhèng jīng zhèng nèi shì， yī tiáo dà yǒng lù， zhí jiē chū dà mén de。 jìn rù táng wū zhōng， tái tóu yíng miàn xiān kàn jiàn yī gè chì jīn jiǔ lóng qīng dì dà biǎn， biǎn shàng xiě zhe dǒu dà de sān gè dà zì， shì " róng xǐ táng "， hòu yòu yīháng xiǎo zì：“ mǒu nián yuè rì， shū cì róng guó gōng jiǎ yuán "， yòu yòu " wàn jǐ chén hàn zhī bǎo "。 dà zǐ tán diāo chī 'àn shàng， shè zhe sān chǐ lái gāo qīng lǜ gǔ tóng dǐng， xuán zhe dài lòu suí cháo mò lóng dà huà， yī biān shì jīn wèi yí， yī biān shì bō lí ????。 dì xià liǎng liù shí liù zhāng nán mù jiāo yǐ， yòu yòu yī fù duì lián， nǎi wū mù lián pái， xiāng zhe zàn yín de zì jì， dào shì：
zuò shàng zhū jī zhāo rì yuè， táng qián fǔ fú huàn yān xiá。 xià miàn yīháng xiǎo zì， dào shì：“ tóng xiāng shì jiào dì xūn xí dōng 'ān jùn wáng mù shí bài shǒu shū "。
yuán lái wáng fū rén shí cháng jū zuò yàn xī， yì bù zài zhè zhèng shì， zhǐ zài zhè zhèng shì dōng biān de sān jiān 'ěr fáng nèi。 yú shì lǎo mó mó yǐn dài yù jìn dōng fáng mén lái。 lín chuāng dà kàng shàng pū zhe xīng hóng yáng jì， zhèng miàn shè zhe dà hóng jīn qián mǎng kào bèi， shí qīng jīn qián mǎng yǐn zhěn， qiū xiāng sè jīn qián mǎng dà tiáo rù。 liǎng biān shè yī duì méi huā shì yáng qī xiǎo jǐ。 zuǒ biān jǐ shàng wén wáng dǐng chí zhù xiāng hé， yòu biān jǐ shàng rǔ yáo měi rén gū héng héng gū nèi chā zhe shí xiān huā huì， bìng míng wǎn tán hé děng wù。 dì xià miàn xī yī liù sì zhāng yǐ shàng， dū dā zhe yín hóng sǎ huā yǐ dā， dǐ xià sì fù jiǎo tà。 yǐ zhī liǎng biān， yě yòu yī duì gāo jǐ， jǐ shàng míng wǎn píng huā jù bèi。 qí yú chén shè， zì bù bì xì shuō。 lǎo mó mó men ràng dài yù kàng shàng zuò， kàng yán shàng què yòu liǎng gè jǐn rù duì shè， dài yù dù qí wèi cì， biàn bù shàng kàng， zhǐ xiàng dōng biān yǐ zǐ shàng zuò liǎo。 běn fáng nèi de yā huán máng pěng shàng chá lái。 dài yù yī miàn chī chá， yī miàn dǎ liàng zhè xiē yā huán men， zhuāng shì yī qún， jǔ zhǐ xíng dòng， guǒ yì yǔ bié jiā bù tóng。
chá wèi chī liǎo， zhǐ jiàn yī gè chuān hóng líng 'ǎo qīng duàn qiā yá bèi xīn de yā huán zǒu lái xiào shuō dào：“ tài tài shuō， qǐng lín gū niàn dào nà biān zuò bà。” lǎo mó mó tīng liǎo， yú shì yòu yǐn dài yù chū lái， dào liǎo dōng láng sān jiān xiǎo zhèng fáng nèi。 zhèng fáng kàng shàng héng shè yī zhāng kàng zhuō， zhuō shàng lěi zhe shū jí chá jù， kào dōng bì miàn xī shè zhe bàn jiù de qīng duàn kào bèi yǐn zhěn。 wáng fū rén què zuò zài xī biān xià shǒu， yì shì bàn jiù de qīng duàn kào bèi zuò rù。 jiàn dài yù lái liǎo， biàn wǎng dōng ràng。 dài yù xīn zhōng liào dìng zhè shì jiǎ zhèng zhī wèi。 yīn jiàn 'āi kàng yī liù sān zhāng yǐ zǐ shàng， yě dā zhe bàn jiù de dàn mò yǐ fú， dài yù biàn xiàng yǐ shàng zuò liǎo。 wáng fū rén zài sì xié tā shàng kàng， tā fāng 'āi wáng fū rén zuò liǎo。 wáng fū rén yīn shuō：“ nǐ jiù jiù jīn rì zhāi jiè qù liǎo， zài jiàn bà。 zhǐ shì yòu yī jù huà zhǔ fù nǐ： nǐ sān gè zǐ mèi dǎo dū jí hǎo， yǐ hòu yī chù niàn shū rèn zì xué zhēn xiàn， huò shì 'ǒu yī wán xiào， dōuyòu jìn ràng de。 dàn wǒ bù fàng xīn de zuì shì yī jiàn： wǒ yòu yī gè niè gēn huò tāi， shì jiā lǐ de‘ hùn shì mó wáng’， jīn rì yīn miào lǐ hái yuàn qù liǎo， shàng wèi huí lái， wǎn jiān nǐ kàn jiàn biàn zhī liǎo。 nǐ zhǐ yǐ hòu bù yào cǎi tā， nǐ zhè xiē zǐ mèi dōubù gǎn zhān rě tā de。”
dài yù yì cháng tīng dé mǔ qīn shuō guò， èr jiù mǔ shēng de yòu gè biǎo xiōng， nǎi xián yù 'ér dàn， wán liè yì cháng， jí 'è dú shū， zuì xǐ zài nèi wéi sī hùn， wài zǔ mǔ yòu jí nì 'ài， wú rén gǎn guǎn。 jīn jiàn wáng fū rén rú cǐ shuō， biàn zhī shuō de shì zhè biǎo xiōng liǎo。 yīn péi xiào dào：“ jiù mǔ shuō de， kě shì xián yù suǒ shēng de zhè wèi gē gē？ zài jiā shí yì céng tīng jiàn mǔ qīn cháng shuō， zhè wèi gē gē bǐ wǒ dà yī suì， xiǎo míng jiù huàn bǎo yù， suī jí hān wán， shuō zài zǐ mèi qíng zhōng jí hǎo de。 kuàng wǒ lái liǎo， zì rán zhǐ hé zǐ mèi tóng chù， xiōng dì men zì shì bié yuàn lìng shì de， qǐ dé qù zhān rě zhī lǐ？ " wáng fū rén xiào dào：“ nǐ bù zhī dào yuán gù： tā yǔ bié rén bù tóng， zì yòu yīn lǎo tài tài téng 'ài， yuán xì tóng zǐ mèi men yī chù jiāo yǎng guàn liǎo de。 ruò zǐ mèi men yòu rì bù lǐ tā， tā dǎo hái 'ān jìng xiē， zòng rán tā méi qù， bù guò chū liǎo 'èr mén， bèi dì lǐ ná zhe tā liǎng gè xiǎo yāo 'ér chū qì， gū jī yī huì zǐ jiù wán liǎo。 ruò zhè yī rì zǐ mèi men hé tā duō shuō yī jù huà， tā xīn lǐ yī lè， biàn shēng chū duō shǎo shì lái。 suǒ yǐ zhǔ fù nǐ bié cǎi tā。 tā zuǐ lǐ yī shí tián yán mì yǔ， yī shí yòu tiān wú rì， yī shí yòu fēng fēng shǎ shǎ， zhǐ xiū xìn tā。”
dài yù yī yī dedōu dāyìng zhe。 zhǐ jiàn yī gè yā huán lái huí：“ lǎo tài tài nà lǐ chuán wǎn fàn liǎo。” wáng fū rén máng xié dài yù cóng hòu fáng mén yóu hòu láng wǎng xī， chū liǎo jiǎo mén， shì yī tiáo nán běi kuān jiā dào。 nán biān shì dǎo zuò sān jiān xiǎo xiǎo de bào shà tīng， běi biān lì zhe yī gè fěn yóu dà yǐng bì， hòu yòu yī bàn dà mén， xiǎo xiǎo yī suǒ fáng shì。 wáng fū rén xiào zhǐ xiàng dài yù dào：“ zhè shì nǐ fèng jiě jiě de wū zǐ， huí lái nǐ hǎo wǎng zhè lǐ zhǎo tā lái， shǎo shénme dōng xī， nǐ zhǐ guǎn hé tā shuō jiù shì liǎo。” zhè yuàn mén shàng yě yòu sì wǔ gè cái zǒng jiǎo de xiǎo sī， dū chuí shǒu shì lì。 wáng fū rén suì xié dài yù chuān guò yī gè dōng xī chuān táng， biàn shì jiǎ mǔ de hòu yuàn liǎo。 yú shì， jìn rù hòu fáng mén， yǐ yòu duō rén zài cǐ cìhou， jiàn wáng fū rén lái liǎo， fāng 'ān shè zhuō yǐ。 jiǎ zhū zhī qī lǐ shì pěng fàn， xī fèng 'ān zhù， wáng fū rén jìn gēng。 jiǎ mǔ zhèng miàn tà shàng dú zuò， liǎng biān sì zhāng kōng yǐ， xī fèng máng lā liǎo dài yù zài zuǒ biān dì yī zhāng yǐ shàng zuò liǎo， dài yù shí fēn tuī ràng。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ nǐ jiù mǔ nǐ sǎo zǐ men bù zài zhè lǐ chī fàn。 nǐ shì kè， yuán yìng rú cǐ zuò de。” dài yù fāng gào liǎo zuò， zuò liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ mìng wáng fū rén zuò liǎo。 yíng chūn zǐ mèi sān gè gào liǎo zuò fāng shàng lái。 yíng chūn biàn zuò yòu shǒu dì yī， tàn chūn zuǒ dì 'èr， xī chūn yòu dì 'èr。 bàng biān yā huán zhí zhe fú chén， shù yú， jīn pà。 lǐ， fèng 'èr rén lì yú 'àn bàng bù ràng。 wài jiān cìhou zhī xí fù yā huán suī duō， què lián yī shēng ké sòu bù wén。 jì rán fàn bì， gè yòu yā huán yòng xiǎo chá pán pěng shàng chá lái。 dāng rì lín rú hǎi jiào nǚ yǐ xī fú yǎng shēn， yún fàn hòu wù dài fàn lì yān jìn， guò yī shí zài chī chá， fāng bù shāng pí wèi。 jīn dài yù jiàn liǎo zhè lǐ xǔ duō shì qíng bù hé jiā zhōng zhī shì， bù dé bù suí de， shǎo bù dé yī yī gǎi guò lái， yīn 'ér jiē liǎo chá。 zǎo jiàn rén yòu pěng guò shù yú lái， dài yù yě zhào yàng shù liǎo kǒu。 guàn shǒu bì， yòu pěng shàng chá lái， zhè fāng shì chī de chá。 jiǎ mǔ biàn shuō：“ nǐ men qù bà， ràng wǒ men zì zài shuō huà 'ér。” wáng fū rén tīng liǎo， máng qǐ shēn， yòu shuō liǎo liǎng jù xián huà， fāng yǐn fèng， lǐ 'èr rén qù liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ yīn wèn dài yù niàn hé shū。 dài yù dào：“ zhǐ gāng niàn liǎo《 sì shū》。” dài yù yòu wèn zǐ mèi men dú hé shū。 jiǎ mǔ dào：“ dú de shì shénme shū， bù guò shì rèn dé liǎng gè zì， bù shì zhēng yǎn de xiā zǐ bà liǎo！”
yī yǔ wèi liǎo， zhǐ tīng wài miàn yī zhèn jiǎo bù xiǎng， yā huán jìn lái xiào dào：“ bǎo yù lái liǎo！ " dài yù xīn zhōng zhèng yí huò zhe：“ zhè gè bǎo yù， bù zhī shì zěn shēng gè bèi lǎn rén wù， měng dǒng wán tóng？ " héng héng dǎo bù jiàn nà chǔn wù yě bà liǎo。 xīn zhōng xiǎng zhe， hū jiàn yā huán huà wèi bào wán， yǐ jìn lái liǎo yī wèi nián qīng de gōng zǐ： tóu shàng dài zhe shùfà qiàn bǎo zǐ jīn guān， qí méi lè zhe 'èr lóng qiǎng zhū jīn mǒ 'é， chuān yī jiàn 'èr sè jīn bǎi dié chuān huā dà hóng jiàn xiù， shù zhe wǔ cǎi sī cuán huā jié cháng suì gōng tāo， wài zhào shí qīng qǐ huā bā tuán wō duàn pái suì guà， dēng zhe qīng duàn fěn dǐ xiǎo cháo xuē。 miàn ruò zhōng qiū zhī yuè， sè rú chūn xiǎo zhī huā， bìn ruò dāo cái， méi rú mò huà， miàn rú táo bàn， mù ruò qiū bō。 suī nù shí 'ér ruò xiào， jí chēn shì 'ér yòu qíng。 xiàng shàng jīn chī yīng luò， yòu yòu yī gēn wǔ sè sī tāo， xì zhe yī kuài měi yù。 dài yù yī jiàn， biàn chī yī dà jīng， xīn xià xiǎng dào：“ hǎo shēng qí guài， dǎo xiàng zài nà lǐ jiàn guò yī bān， hé děng yǎn shú dào rú cǐ！ " zhǐ jiàn zhè bǎo yù xiàng jiǎ mǔ qǐng liǎo 'ān， jiǎ mǔ biàn mìng：“ qù jiàn nǐ niàn lái。” bǎo yù jí zhuǎn shēn qù liǎo。 yī shí huí lái， zài kàn， yǐ huàn liǎo guàndài： tóu shàng zhōu wéi yī zhuǎn de duǎn fā， dū jié chéng xiǎo biàn， hóng sī jié shù， gòng cuán zhì dǐng zhōng tāi fā， zǒng biān yī gēn dà biàn， hēi liàng rú qī， cóng dǐng zhì shāo， yī chuàn sì kē dà zhū， yòng jīn bā bǎo zhuì jiǎo， shēn shàng chuānzhuó yín hóng sǎ huā bàn jiù dà 'ǎo， réng jiù dài zhe xiàng juàn， bǎo yù， jì míng suǒ， hù shēn fú děng wù， xià miàn bàn lù sōng huā sǎ huā líng kù tuǐ， jǐn biān dàn mò wà， hòu dǐ dà hóng xié。 yuè xiǎn dé miàn rú fū fěn， chún ruò shī zhī， zhuǎn pàn duō qíng， yǔ yán cháng xiào。 tiān rán yī duàn fēng sāo， quán zài méi shāo， píng shēng wàn zhǒng qíng sī， xī duī yǎn jiǎo。 kàn qí wài mào zuì shì jí hǎo， què nán zhī qí dǐ xì。 hòu rén yòu《 xī jiāng yuè》 èr cí， pī bǎo yù jí qià， qí cí yuē：
wú gù xún chóu mì hèn， yòu shí sì shǎ rú kuáng。 zòng rán shēng dé hǎo pí náng， fù nèi
yuán lái cǎo mǎng。 liáo dǎo bù tōng shì wù， yú wán pà dú wén zhāng。 xíng wéi piān pì
xìng guāi zhāng， nà guǎn shì rén fěi bàng！
fù guì bù zhī lè yè， pín qióng nán nài qī liáng。 kě lián gū fù hǎo sháo guāng， yú guó yú jiā wú wàng。 tiān xià wú néng dì yī， gǔ jīn bù xiào wú shuāng。 jì yán wán kù yǔ gāo liáng： mò xiào cǐ 'ér xíng zhuàng！
jiǎ mǔ yīn xiào dào：“ wài kè wèi jiàn， jiù tuō liǎo yī cháng， hái bù qù jiàn nǐ mèi mèi！ " bǎo yù zǎo yǐ kàn jiàn duō liǎo yī gè zǐ mèi， biàn liào dìng shì lín gū mā zhī nǚ， máng lái zuò yī。 sī jiàn bì guī zuò， xì kàn xíng róng， yǔ zhòng gè bié： liǎng wān sì cù fēi cù juàn yān méi， yī shuāng sì xǐ fēi xǐ hán qíng mù。 tài shēng liǎng yè zhī chóu， jiāo xí yī shēn zhī bìng。 lèi guāng diǎn diǎn， jiāo chuǎn wēi wēi。 xián jìng shí rú jiāo huā zhào shuǐ， xíng dòng chù sì ruò liǔ fú fēng。 xīn jiào bǐ gān duō yī qiào， bìng rú xī zǐ shèng sān fēn。 bǎo yù kàn bà， yīn xiào dào：“ zhè gè mèi mèi wǒ céng jiàn guò de。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ kě yòu shì hú shuō， nǐ yòu hé céng jiàn guò tā？ " bǎo yù xiào dào：“ suī rán wèi céng jiàn guò tā， rán wǒ kàn zhe miàn shàn， xīn lǐ jiù suàn shì jiù xiāng shí， jīn rì zhǐ zuò yuǎn bié chóngféng， yì wèi wéi bù kě。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ gèng hǎo， gèng hǎo， ruò rú cǐ， gēngxiāng hé mù liǎo。” bǎo yù biàn zǒu jìn dài yù shēn biān zuò xià， yòu xì xì dǎliang yī fān， yīn wèn：“ mèi mèi kě céng dú shū？ " dài yù dào：“ bù céng dú， zhǐ shàng liǎo yī nián xué， xiē xū rèn dé jǐ gè zì。” bǎo yù yòu dào：“ mèi mèi zūn míng shì nà liǎng gè zì？ " dài yù biàn shuō liǎo míng。 bǎo yù yòu wèn biǎo zì。 dài yù dào：“ wú zì。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ wǒ sòng mèi mèi yī miào zì， mò ruò‘ pín pín’ èr zì jí miào。” tàn chūn biàn wèn hé chū。 bǎo yù dào：“《 gǔ jīn rén wù tōng kǎo》 shàng shuō：‘ xī fāng yòu shí míng dài， kě dài huà méi zhī mò。’ kuàng zhè lín mèi mèi méi jiān ruò cù， yòng qǔ zhè liǎng gè zì， qǐ bù liǎng miào！ " tàn chūn xiào dào：“ zhǐ kǒng yòu shì nǐ de dù zhuàn。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ chú《 sì shū》 wài， dù zhuàn de tài duō， piān zhǐ wǒ shì dù zhuàn bù chéng？ " yòu wèn dài yù：“ kě yě yòu yù méi yòu？ " zhòng rén bù jiě qí yǔ， dài yù biàn cǔnduó zhe yīn tā yòu yù， gù wèn wǒ yòu yě wú， yīn dá dào：“ wǒ méi yòu nà gè。 xiǎng lái nà yù shì yī jiàn hǎn wù， qǐ néng rén rén yòu de。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo， dēng shí fā zuò qǐ chī kuáng bìng lái， zhāi xià nà yù， jiù hěn mìng shuāi qù， mà dào：“ shénme hǎn wù， lián rén zhī gāo dī bù zé， hái shuō‘ tōng líng’ bù‘ tōng líng’ ní！ wǒ yě bù yào zhè láo shí zǐ liǎo！ " xià de zhòng rén yī yōng zhēng qù shí yù。 jiǎ mǔ jí de lǒu liǎo bǎo yù dào：“ niè zhàng！ nǐ shēng qì， yào dǎ mà rén róng yì， hé kǔ shuāi nà mìng gēn zǐ！ " bǎo yù mǎn miàn lèi hén qì dào：“ jiā lǐ jiě jiě mèi mèi dōuméi yòu， dān wǒ yòu， wǒ shuō méi qù， rú jīn lái liǎo zhè men yī gè shén xiān shìde mèi mèi yě méi yòu， kě zhī zhè bù shì gè hǎo dōng xī。” jiǎ mǔ máng hǒngtā dào：“ nǐ zhè mèi mèi yuán yòu zhè gè lái de， yīn nǐ gū mā qù shì shí， shěbùdé nǐ mèi mèi， wú fǎ chù， suì jiāng tā de yù dài liǎo qù liǎo： yī zé quán xùn zàng zhī lǐ， jìn nǐ mèi mèi zhī xiào xīn， èr zé nǐ gū mā zhī líng， yì kě quán zuò jiàn liǎo nǚ 'ér zhī yì。 yīn cǐ tā zhǐ shuō méi yòu zhè gè， bù biàn zì jǐ kuā zhāng zhī yì。 nǐ rú jīn zěn bǐ dé tā？ hái bù hǎo shēng shèn zhòng dài shàng， zǎi xì nǐ niàn zhī dào liǎo。” shuō zhe， biàn xiàng yā huán shǒu zhōng jiē lái， qīn yǔ tā dài shàng。 bǎo yù tīng rú cǐ shuō， xiǎng yī xiǎng dà yòu qíng lǐ， yě jiù bù shēng bié lùn liǎo。
dāng xià， nǎi niàn lái qǐng wèn dài yù zhī fáng shè。 jiǎ mǔ shuō：“ jīn jiāng bǎo yù nuó chū lái， tóng wǒ zài tào jiān nuǎn gé 'ér lǐ， bǎ nǐ lín gū niàn zàn 'ān zhì bì shā chú lǐ。 děng guò liǎo cán dōng， chūn tiān zài yǔ tā men shōu shí fáng wū， lìng zuò yī fān 'ān zhì bà。” bǎo yù dào：“ hǎo zǔ zōng， wǒ jiù zài bì shā chú wài de chuáng shàng hěn tuǒdàng， hé bì yòu chū lái nào de lǎo zǔ zōng bù dé 'ān jìng。” jiǎ mǔ xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng shuō：“ yě bà liǎo。” měi rén yī gè nǎi niàn bìng yī gè yā tóu zhào guǎn， yú zhě zài wài jiān shàng yè tīng huàn。 yī miàn zǎo yòu xī fèng mìng rén sòng liǎo yī dǐng 'ǒu hé sè huā zhàng， bìng jǐ jiàn jǐn bèi duàn rù zhī lèi。
dài yù zhǐ dài liǎo liǎng gè rén lái： yī gè shì zì yòu nǎi niàn wáng mó mó， yī gè shì shí suì de xiǎo yā tóu， yì shì zì yòu suí shēn de， míng huàn zuò xuě yàn。 jiǎ mǔ jiàn xuě yàn shèn xiǎo， yī tuán hái qì， wáng mó mó yòu jí lǎo， liào dài yù jiē bù suì xīn shěng lì de， biàn jiāng zì jǐ shēn biān de yī gè 'èr děng yā tóu， míng huàn yīng gē zhě yǔ liǎo dài yù。 wài yì rú yíng chūn děng lì， měi rén chú zì yòu rǔ mǔ wài， lìng yòu sì gè jiào yǐn mó mó， chú tiē shēn zhǎng guǎn chāi chuàn guàn mù liǎng gè yā huán wài， lìng yòu wǔ liù gè sǎ sǎo fáng wū lái wǎng shǐ yì de xiǎo yā huán。 dāng xià， wáng mó mó yǔ yīng gē péi shì dài yù zài bì shā chú nèi。 bǎo yù zhī rǔ mǔ lǐ mó mó， bìng dà yā huán míng huàn xí rén zhě， péi shì zài wài miàn dà chuáng shàng。
yuán lái zhè xí rén yì shì jiǎ mǔ zhī bì， běn míng zhēn zhū。 jiǎ mǔ yīn nì 'ài bǎo yù， shēng kǒng bǎo yù zhī bì wú jié lì jìn zhōng zhī rén， sù xǐ xí rén xīn dì chún liáng， kè jìn zhí rèn， suì yǔ liǎo bǎo yù。 bǎo yù yīn zhī tā běn xìng huā， yòu céng jiàn jiù rén shī jù shàng yòu " huā qì xí rén " zhī jù， suì huí míng jiǎ mǔ， gēngmíng xí rén。 zhè xí rén yì yòu xiē chī chù： fú shì jiǎ mǔ shí， xīn zhōng yǎn zhōng zhǐ yòu yī gè jiǎ mǔ， rú jīn fú shì bǎo yù， xīn zhōng yǎn zhōng yòu zhǐ yòu yī gè bǎo yù。 zhǐ yīn bǎo yù xìng qíng guāi pì， měi měi guī jiàn bǎo yù， xīn zhōng zhuóshí yōu yù。
shì wǎn， bǎo yù lǐ mó mó yǐ shuì liǎo， tā jiàn lǐ miàn dài yù hé yīng gē yóu wèi 'ān xī， tā zì xiè liǎo zhuāng， qiāoqiāo jìn lái， xiào wèn：“ gū niàn zěn me hái bù 'ān xī？ " dài yù máng ràng：“ jiě jiě qǐng zuò。” xí rén zài chuáng yán shàng zuò liǎo。 yīng gē xiào dào：“ lín gū niàn zhèng zài zhè lǐ shāng xīn， zì jǐ tǎng yǎn mǒ lèi de shuō：‘ jīn 'ér cái lái， jiù rě chū nǐ jiā gē 'ér de kuáng bìng， cháng huò shuāi huài liǎo nà yù， qǐ bù shì yīn wǒ zhī guò！’ yīn cǐ biàn shāng xīn， wǒ hǎo róng yì quàn hǎo liǎo "。 xí rén dào：“ gū niàn kuài xiū rú cǐ， jiāng lái zhǐ pà bǐ zhè gè gèng qí guài de xiào huà 'ér hái yòu ní！ ruò wéi tā zhè zhǒng xíng zhǐ， nǐ duō xīn shāng gǎn， zhǐ pà nǐ shāng gǎn bù liǎo ní。 kuài bié duō xīn！ " dài yù dào：“ jiě jiě men shuō de， wǒ jì zhe jiù shì liǎo。 jiū jìng nà yù bù zhī shì zěn me gè lái lì？ shàng miàn hái yòu zì jì？ " xí rén dào：“ lián yī jiā zǐ yě bù zhī lái lì， shàng tóu hái yòu xiàn chéng de yǎn 'ér， tīng dé shuō， luò cǎo shí shì cóng tā kǒu lǐ tāo chū lái de。 děng wǒ ná lái nǐ kàn biàn zhī。” dài yù máng zhǐ dào：“ bà liǎo， cǐ kè yè shēn， míng rì zài kàn yě bù chí。” dà jiā yòu xù liǎo yī huí， fāng cái 'ān xiē。
cì rì qǐ lái， shěng guò jiǎ mǔ， yīn wǎng wáng fū rén chù lái， zhèng zhí wáng fū rén yǔ xī fèng zài yī chù chāi jīn líng lái de shū xìn kàn， yòu yòu wáng fū rén zhī xiōng sǎo chù qiǎn liǎo liǎng gè xí fù lái shuō huà de。 dài yù suī bù zhī yuán wěi， tàn chūn děng què dū xiǎo dé shì yì lùn jīn líng chéng zhōng suǒ jū de xuē jiā yí mǔ zhī zǐ yí biǎo xiōng xuē pán， yǐ cái zhàng shì， dǎ sǐ rén mìng， xiàn zài yìng tiān fǔ 'àn xià shěn lǐ。 rú jīn mǔ jiù wáng zǐ téng dé liǎo xìn xī， gù qiǎn tā jiā nèi de rén lái gào sù zhè biān， yì yù huàn qǔ jìn jīng zhī yì。
Lin Ju-hai appeals to his brother-in-law, Chia Cheng, recommending Yue-ts'un, his daughter's tutor, to his consideration. Dowager lady Chia sends to fetch her granddaughter, out of commiseration for her being a motherless child.
But to proceed with our narrative.
Yue-ts'un, on speedily turning round, perceived that the speaker was no other than a certain Chang Ju-kuei, an old colleague of his, who had been denounced and deprived of office, on account of some case or other; a native of that district, who had, since his degradation, resided in his family home.
Having lately come to hear the news that a memorial, presented in the capital, that the former officers (who had been cashiered) should be reinstated, had received the imperial consent, he had promptly done all he could, in every nook and corner, to obtain influence, and to find the means (of righting his position,) when he, unexpectedly, came across Yue-ts'un, to whom he therefore lost no time in offering his congratulations. The two friends exchanged the conventional salutations, and Chang Ju-kuei forthwith communicated the tidings to Yue-ts'un.
Yue-ts'un was delighted, but after he had made a few remarks, in a great hurry, each took his leave and sped on his own way homewards.
Leng Tzu-hsing, upon hearing this conversation, hastened at once to propose a plan, advising Yue-ts'un to request Lin Ju-hai, in his turn, to appeal in the capital to Mr. Chia Cheng for support.
Yue-ts'un accepted the suggestion, and parted from his companion.
On his return to his quarters, he made all haste to lay his hand on the Metropolitan Gazette, and having ascertained that the news was authentic, he had on the next day a personal consultation with Ju-hai.
"Providence and good fortune are both alike propitious!" exclaimed Ju-hai. "After the death of my wife, my mother-in-law, whose residence is in the capital, was so very solicitous on my daughter's account, for having no one to depend upon, that she despatched, at an early period, boats with men and women servants to come and fetch her. But my child was at the time not quite over her illness, and that is why she has not yet started. I was, this very moment, cogitating to send my daughter to the capital. And in view of the obligation, under which I am to you for the instruction you have heretofore conferred upon her, remaining as yet unrequited, there is no reason why, when such an opportunity as this presents itself, I should not do my utmost to find means to make proper acknowledgment. I have already, in anticipation, given the matter my attention, and written a letter of recommendation to my brother-in-law, urging him to put everything right for you, in order that I may, to a certain extent, be able to give effect to my modest wishes. As for any outlay that may prove necessary, I have given proper explanation, in the letter to my brother-in-law, so that you, my brother, need not trouble yourself by giving way to much anxiety."
As Yue-ts'un bowed and expressed his appreciation in most profuse language,--
"Pray," he asked, "where does your honoured brother-in-law reside? and what is his official capacity? But I fear I'm too coarse in my manner, and could not presume to obtrude myself in his presence."
Ju-hai smiled. "And yet," he remarked, "this brother-in-law of mine is after all of one and the same family as your worthy self, for he is the grandson of the Duke Jung. My elder brother-in-law has now inherited the status of Captain-General of the first grade. His name is She, his style Ngen-hou. My second brother-in-law's name is Cheng, his style is Tzu-chou. His present post is that of a Second class Secretary in the Board of Works. He is modest and kindhearted, and has much in him of the habits of his grandfather; not one of that purse-proud and haughty kind of men. That is why I have written to him and made the request on your behalf. Were he different to what he really is, not only would he cast a slur upon your honest purpose, honourable brother, but I myself likewise would not have been as prompt in taking action."
When Yue-ts'un heard these remarks, he at length credited what had been told him by Tzu-hsing the day before, and he lost no time in again expressing his sense of gratitude to Lin Ju-hai.
Ju-hai resumed the conversation.
"I have fixed," (he explained,) "upon the second of next month, for my young daughter's departure for the capital, and, if you, brother mine, were to travel along with her, would it not be an advantage to herself, as well as to yourself?"
Yue-ts'un signified his acquiescence as he listened to his proposal; feeling in his inner self extremely elated.
Ju-hai availed himself of the earliest opportunity to get ready the presents (for the capital) and all the requirements for the journey, which (when completed,) Yue-ts'un took over one by one. His pupil could not, at first, brook the idea, of a separation from her father, but the pressing wishes of her grandmother left her no course (but to comply).
"Your father," Ju-hai furthermore argued with her, "is already fifty; and I entertain no wish to marry again; and then you are always ailing; besides, with your extreme youth, you have, above, no mother of your own to take care of you, and below, no sisters to attend to you. If you now go and have your maternal grandmother, as well as your mother's brothers and your cousins to depend upon, you will be doing the best thing to reduce the anxiety which I feel in my heart on your behalf. Why then should you not go?"
Tai-yue, after listening to what her father had to say, parted from him in a flood of tears and followed her nurse and several old matrons from the Jung mansion on board her boat, and set out on her journey.
Yue-ts'un had a boat to himself, and with two youths to wait on him, he prosecuted his voyage in the wake of Tai-yue.
By a certain day, they reached Ching Tu; and Yue-ts'un, after first adjusting his hat and clothes, came, attended by a youth, to the door of the Jung mansion, and sent in a card, which showed his lineage.
Chia Cheng had, by this time, perused his brother-in-law's letter, and he speedily asked him to walk in. When they met, he found in Yue-ts'un an imposing manner and polite address.
This Chia Cheng had, in fact, a great penchant above all things for men of education, men courteous to the talented, respectful to the learned, ready to lend a helping hand to the needy and to succour the distressed, and was, to a great extent, like his grandfather. As it was besides a wish intimated by his brother-in-law, he therefore treated Yue-ts'un with a consideration still more unusual, and readily strained all his resources to assist him.
On the very day on which the memorial was submitted to the Throne, he obtained by his efforts, a reinstatement to office, and before the expiry of two months, Yue-t'sun was forthwith selected to fill the appointment of prefect of Ying T'ien in Chin Ling. Taking leave of Chia Cheng, he chose a propitious day, and proceeded to his post, where we will leave him without further notice for the present.
But to return to Tai-yue. On the day on which she left the boat, and the moment she put her foot on shore, there were forthwith at her disposal chairs for her own use, and carts for the luggage, sent over from the Jung mansion.
Lin Tai-yue had often heard her mother recount how different was her grandmother's house from that of other people's; and having seen for herself how above the common run were already the attendants of the three grades, (sent to wait upon her,) in attire, in their fare, in all their articles of use, "how much more," (she thought to herself) "now that I am going to her home, must I be careful at every step, and circumspect at every moment! Nor must I utter one word too many, nor make one step more than is proper, for fear lest I should be ridiculed by any of them!"
From the moment she got into the chair, and they had entered within the city walls, she found, as she looked around, through the gauze window, at the bustle in the streets and public places and at the immense concourse of people, everything naturally so unlike what she had seen elsewhere.
After they had also been a considerable time on the way, she suddenly caught sight, at the northern end of the street, of two huge squatting lions of marble and of three lofty gates with (knockers representing) the heads of animals. In front of these gates, sat, in a row, about ten men in coloured hats and fine attire. The main gate was not open. It was only through the side gates, on the east and west, that people went in and came out. Above the centre gate was a tablet. On this tablet were inscribed in five large characters--"The Ning Kuo mansion erected by imperial command."
"This must be grandmother's eldest son's residence," reflected Tai-yue.
Towards the east, again, at no great distance, were three more high gateways, likewise of the same kind as those she had just seen. This was the Jung Kuo mansion.
They did not however go in by the main gate; but simply made their entrance through the east side door.
With the sedans on their shoulders, (the bearers) proceeded about the distance of the throw of an arrow, when upon turning a corner, they hastily put down the chairs. The matrons, who came behind, one and all also dismounted. (The bearers) were changed for four youths of seventeen or eighteen, with hats and clothes without a blemish, and while they carried the chair, the whole bevy of matrons followed on foot.
When they reached a creeper-laden gate, the sedan was put down, and all the youths stepped back and retired. The matrons came forward, raised the screen, and supported Tai-yue to descend from the chair.
Lin Tai-yue entered the door with the creepers, resting on the hand of a matron.
On both sides was a verandah, like two outstretched arms. An Entrance Hall stood in the centre, in the middle of which was a door-screen of Ta Li marble, set in an ebony frame. On the other side of this screen were three very small halls. At the back of these came at once an extensive courtyard, belonging to the main building.
In the front part were five parlours, the frieze of the ceiling of which was all carved, and the pillars ornamented. On either side, were covered avenues, resembling passages through a rock. In the side-rooms were suspended cages, full of parrots of every colour, thrushes, and birds of every description.
On the terrace-steps, sat several waiting maids, dressed in red and green, and the whole company of them advanced, with beaming faces, to greet them, when they saw the party approach. "Her venerable ladyship," they said, "was at this very moment thinking of you, miss, and, by a strange coincidence, here you are."
Three or four of them forthwith vied with each other in raising the door curtain, while at the same time was heard some one announce: "Miss Lin has arrived."
No sooner had she entered the room, than she espied two servants supporting a venerable lady, with silver-white hair, coming forward to greet her. Convinced that this lady must be her grandmother, she was about to prostrate herself and pay her obeisance, when she was quickly clasped in the arms of her grandmother, who held her close against her bosom; and as she called her "my liver! my flesh!" (my love! my darling!) she began to sob aloud.
The bystanders too, at once, without one exception, melted into tears; and Tai-yue herself found some difficulty in restraining her sobs. Little by little the whole party succeeded in consoling her, and Tai-yue at length paid her obeisance to her grandmother. Her ladyship thereupon pointed them out one by one to Tai-yue. "This," she said, "is the wife of your uncle, your mother's elder brother; this is the wife of your uncle, her second brother; and this is your eldest sister-in-law Chu, the wife of your senior cousin Chu."
Tai-yue bowed to each one of them (with folded arms).
"Ask the young ladies in," dowager lady Chia went on to say; "tell them a guest from afar has just arrived, one who comes for the first time; and that they may not go to their lessons."
The servants with one voice signified their obedience, and two of them speedily went to carry out her orders.
Not long after three nurses and five or six waiting-maids were seen ushering in three young ladies. The first was somewhat plump in figure and of medium height; her cheeks had a congealed appearance, like a fresh lichee; her nose was glossy like goose fat. She was gracious, demure, and lovable to look at.
The second had sloping shoulders, and a slim waist. Tall and slender was she in stature, with a face like the egg of a goose. Her eyes so beautiful, with their well-curved eyebrows, possessed in their gaze a bewitching flash. At the very sight of her refined and elegant manners all idea of vulgarity was forgotten.
The third was below the medium size, and her mien was, as yet, childlike.
In their head ornaments, jewelry, and dress, the get-up of the three young ladies was identical.
Tai-yue speedily rose to greet them and to exchange salutations. After they had made each other's acquaintance, they all took a seat, whereupon the servants brought the tea. Their conversation was confined to Tai-yue's mother,--how she had fallen ill, what doctors had attended her, what medicines had been given her, and how she had been buried and mourned; and dowager lady Chia was naturally again in great anguish.
"Of all my daughters," she remarked, "your mother was the one I loved best, and now in a twinkle, she has passed away, before me too, and I've not been able to so much as see her face. How can this not make my heart sore-stricken?"
And as she gave vent to these feelings, she took Tai-yue's hand in hers, and again gave way to sobs; and it was only after the members of the family had quickly made use of much exhortation and coaxing, that they succeeded, little by little, in stopping her tears.
They all perceived that Tai-yue, despite her youthful years and appearance, was lady-like in her deportment and address, and that though with her delicate figure and countenance, (she seemed as if) unable to bear the very weight of her clothes, she possessed, however, a certain captivating air. And as they readily noticed the symptoms of a weak constitution, they went on in consequence to make inquiries as to what medicines she ordinarily took, and how it was that her complaint had not been cured.
"I have," explained Tai-yue, "been in this state ever since I was born; though I've taken medicines from the very time I was able to eat rice, up to the present, and have been treated by ever so many doctors of note, I've not derived any benefit. In the year when I was yet only three, I remember a mangy-headed bonze coming to our house, and saying that he would take me along, and make a nun of me; but my father and mother would, on no account, give their consent. 'As you cannot bear to part from her and to give her up,' he then remarked, 'her ailment will, I fear, never, throughout her life, be cured. If you wish to see her all right, it is only to be done by not letting her, from this day forward, on any account, listen to the sound of weeping, or see, with the exception of her parents, any relatives outside the family circle. Then alone will she be able to go through this existence in peace and in quiet.' No one heeded the nonsensical talk of this raving priest; but here am I, up to this very day, dosing myself with ginseng pills as a tonic."
"What a lucky coincidence!" interposed dowager lady Chia; "some of these pills are being compounded here, and I'll simply tell them to have an extra supply made; that's all."
Hardly had she finished these words, when a sound of laughter was heard from the back courtyard. "Here I am too late!" the voice said, "and not in time to receive the distant visitor!"
"Every one of all these people," reflected Tai-yue, "holds her peace and suppresses the very breath of her mouth; and who, I wonder, is this coming in this reckless and rude manner?"
While, as yet, preoccupied with these thoughts, she caught sight of a crowd of married women and waiting-maids enter from the back room, pressing round a regular beauty.
The attire of this person bore no similarity to that of the young ladies. In all her splendour and lustre, she looked like a fairy or a goddess. In her coiffure, she had a band of gold filigree work, representing the eight precious things, inlaid with pearls; and wore pins, at the head of each of which were five phoenixes in a rampant position, with pendants of pearls. On her neck, she had a reddish gold necklet, like coiled dragons, with a fringe of tassels. On her person, she wore a tight-sleeved jacket, of dark red flowered satin, covered with hundreds of butterflies, embroidered in gold, interspersed with flowers. Over all, she had a variegated stiff-silk pelisse, lined with slate-blue ermine; while her nether garments consisted of a jupe of kingfisher-colour foreign crepe, brocaded with flowers.
She had a pair of eyes, triangular in shape like those of the red phoenix, two eyebrows, curved upwards at each temple, like willow leaves. Her stature was elegant; her figure graceful; her powdered face like dawning spring, majestic, yet not haughty. Her carnation lips, long before they parted, betrayed a smile.
Tai-yue eagerly rose and greeted her.
Old lady Chia then smiled. "You don't know her," she observed. "This is a cunning vixen, who has made quite a name in this establishment! In Nanking, she went by the appellation of vixen, and if you simply call her Feng Vixen, it will do."
Tai-yue was just at a loss how to address her, when all her cousins informed Tai-yue, that this was her sister-in-law Lien.
Tai-yue had not, it is true, made her acquaintance before, but she had heard her mother mention that her eldest maternal uncle Chia She's son, Chia Lien, had married the niece of Madame Wang, her second brother's wife, a girl who had, from her infancy, purposely been nurtured to supply the place of a son, and to whom the school name of Wang Hsi-feng had been given.
Tai-yue lost no time in returning her smile and saluting her with all propriety, addressing her as my sister-in-law. This Hsi-feng laid hold of Tai-yue's hand, and minutely scrutinised her, for a while, from head to foot; after which she led her back next to dowager lady Chia, where they both took a seat.
"If really there be a being of such beauty in the world," she consequently observed with a smile, "I may well consider as having set eyes upon it to-day! Besides, in the air of her whole person, she doesn't in fact look like your granddaughter-in-law, our worthy ancestor, but in every way like your ladyship's own kindred- granddaughter! It's no wonder then that your venerable ladyship should have, day after day, had her unforgotten, even for a second, in your lips and heart. It's a pity, however, that this cousin of mine should have such a hard lot! How did it happen that our aunt died at such an early period?"
As she uttered these words, she hastily took her handkerchief and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I've only just recovered from a fit of crying," dowager lady Chia observed, as she smiled, "and have you again come to start me? Your cousin has only now arrived from a distant journey, and she is so delicate to boot! Besides, we have a few minutes back succeeded in coaxing her to restrain her sobs, so drop at once making any allusion to your former remarks!"
This Hsi-feng, upon hearing these words, lost no time in converting her sorrow into joy.
"Quite right," she remarked. "But at the sight of my cousin, my whole heart was absorbed in her, and I felt happy, and yet wounded at heart: but having disregarded my venerable ancestor's presence, I deserve to be beaten, I do indeed!"
And hastily taking once more Tai-yue's hand in her own: "How old are you, cousin?" she inquired; "Have you been to school? What medicines are you taking? while you live here, you mustn't feel homesick; and if there's anything you would like to eat, or to play with, mind you come and tell me! or should the waiting maids or the matrons fail in their duties, don't forget also to report them to me."
Addressing at the same time the matrons, she went on to ask, "Have Miss Lin's luggage and effects been brought in? How many servants has she brought along with her? Go, as soon as you can, and sweep two lower rooms and ask them to go and rest."
As she spake, tea and refreshments had already been served, and Hsi-feng herself handed round the cups and offered the fruits.
Upon hearing the question further put by her maternal aunt Secunda, "Whether the issue of the monthly allowances of money had been finished or not yet?" Hsi-feng replied: "The issue of the money has also been completed; but a few moments back, when I went along with several servants to the back upper-loft, in search of the satins, we looked for ever so long, but we saw nothing of the kind of satins alluded to by you, madame, yesterday; so may it not be that your memory misgives you?"
"Whether there be any or not, of that special kind, is of no consequence," observed madame Wang. "You should take out," she therefore went on to add, "any two pieces which first come under your hand, for this cousin of yours to make herself dresses with; and in the evening, if I don't forget, I'll send some one to fetch them."
"I've in fact already made every provision," rejoined Hsi-feng; "knowing very well that my cousin would be arriving within these two days, I have had everything got ready for her. And when you, madame, go back, if you will pass an eye over everything, I shall be able to send them round."
Madame Wang gave a smile, nodded her head assentingly, but uttered not a word by way of reply.
The tea and fruit had by this time been cleared, and dowager lady Chia directed two old nurses to take Tai-yue to go and see her two maternal uncles; whereupon Chia She's wife, madame Hsing, hastily stood up and with a smiling face suggested, "I'll take my niece over; for it will after all be considerably better if I go!"
"Quite so!" answered dowager lady Chia, smiling; "you can go home too, and there will be no need for you to come over again!"
Madame Hsing expressed her assent, and forthwith led Tai-yue to take leave of madame Wang. The whole party escorted them as far as the door of the Entrance Hall, hung with creepers, where several youths had drawn a carriage, painted light blue, with a kingfisher-coloured hood.
Madame Hsing led Tai-yue by the hand and they got up into their seats. The whole company of matrons put the curtain down, and then bade the youths raise the carriage; who dragged it along, until they came to an open space, where they at length put the mules into harness.
Going out again by the eastern side gate, they proceeded in an easterly direction, passed the main entrance of the Jung mansion, and entered a lofty doorway painted black. On the arrival in front of the ceremonial gate, they at once dismounted from the curricle, and madame Hsing, hand-in-hand with Tai-yue, walked into the court.
"These grounds," surmised Tai-yue to herself, "must have been originally converted from a piece partitioned from the garden of the Jung mansion."
Having entered three rows of ceremonial gates they actually caught sight of the main structure, with its vestibules and porches, all of which, though on a small scale, were full of artistic and unique beauty. They were nothing like the lofty, imposing, massive and luxurious style of architecture on the other side, yet the avenues and rockeries, in the various places in the court, were all in perfect taste.
When they reached the interior of the principal pavilion, a large concourse of handmaids and waiting maids, got up in gala dress, were already there to greet them. Madame Hsing pressed Tai-yue into a seat, while she bade some one go into the outer library and request Mr. Chia She to come over.
In a few minutes the servant returned. "Master," she explained, "says: 'that he has not felt quite well for several days, that as the meeting with Miss Lin will affect both her as well as himself, he does not for the present feel equal to seeing each other, that he advises Miss Lin not to feel despondent or homesick; that she ought to feel quite at home with her venerable ladyship, (her grandmother,) as well as her maternal aunts; that her cousins are, it is true, blunt, but that if all the young ladies associated together in one place, they may also perchance dispel some dulness; that if ever (Miss Lin) has any grievance, she should at once speak out, and on no account feel a stranger; and everything will then be right."
Tai-yue lost no time in respectfully standing up, resuming her seat after she had listened to every sentence of the message to her. After a while, she said goodbye, and though madame Hsing used every argument to induce her to stay for the repast and then leave, Tai-yue smiled and said, "I shouldn't under ordinary circumstances refuse the invitation to dinner, which you, aunt, in your love kindly extend to me, but I have still to cross over and pay my respects to my maternal uncle Secundus; if I went too late, it would, I fear, be a lack of respect on my part; but I shall accept on another occasion. I hope therefore that you will, dear aunt, kindly excuse me."
"If such be the case," madame Hsing replied, "it's all right." And presently directing two nurses to take her niece over, in the carriage, in which they had come a while back, Tai-yue thereupon took her leave; madame Hsing escorting her as far as the ceremonial gate, where she gave some further directions to all the company of servants. She followed the curricle with her eyes so long as it remained in sight, and at length retraced her footsteps.
Tai-yue shortly entered the Jung Mansion, descended from the carriage, and preceded by all the nurses, she at once proceeded towards the east, turned a corner, passed through an Entrance Hall, running east and west, and walked in a southern direction, at the back of the Large Hall. On the inner side of a ceremonial gate, and at the upper end of a spacious court, stood a large main building, with five apartments, flanked on both sides by out-houses (stretching out) like the antlers on the head of deer; side-gates, resembling passages through a hill, establishing a thorough communication all round; (a main building) lofty, majestic, solid and grand, and unlike those in the compound of dowager lady Chia.
Tai-yue readily concluded that this at last was the main inner suite of apartments. A raised broad road led in a straight line to the large gate. Upon entering the Hall, and raising her head, she first of all perceived before her a large tablet with blue ground, upon which figured nine dragons of reddish gold. The inscription on this tablet consisted of three characters as large as a peck-measure, and declared that this was the Hall of Glorious Felicity.
At the end, was a row of characters of minute size, denoting the year, month and day, upon which His Majesty had been pleased to confer the tablet upon Chia Yuan, Duke of Jung Kuo. Besides this tablet, were numberless costly articles bearing the autograph of the Emperor. On the large black ebony table, engraved with dragons, were placed three antique blue and green bronze tripods, about three feet in height. On the wall hung a large picture representing black dragons, such as were seen in waiting chambers of the Sui dynasty. On one side stood a gold cup of chased work, while on the other, a crystal casket. On the ground were placed, in two rows, sixteen chairs, made of hard-grained cedar.
There was also a pair of scrolls consisting of black-wood antithetical tablets, inlaid with the strokes of words in chased gold. Their burden was this:
On the platform shine resplendent pearls like sun or moon, And the sheen of the Hall facade gleams like russet sky.
Below, was a row of small characters, denoting that the scroll had been written by the hand of Mu Shih, a fellow-countryman and old friend of the family, who, for his meritorious services, had the hereditary title of Prince of Tung Ngan conferred upon him.
The fact is that madame Wang was also not in the habit of sitting and resting, in this main apartment, but in three side-rooms on the east, so that the nurses at once led Tai-yue through the door of the eastern wing.
On a stove-couch, near the window, was spread a foreign red carpet. On the side of honour, were laid deep red reclining-cushions, with dragons, with gold cash (for scales), and an oblong brown-coloured sitting-cushion with gold-cash-spotted dragons. On the two sides, stood one of a pair of small teapoys of foreign lacquer of peach-blossom pattern. On the teapoy on the left, were spread out Wen Wang tripods, spoons, chopsticks and scent-bottles. On the teapoy on the right, were vases from the Ju Kiln, painted with girls of great beauty, in which were placed seasonable flowers; (on it were) also teacups, a tea service and the like articles.
On the floor on the west side of the room, were four chairs in a row, all of which were covered with antimacassars, embroidered with silverish-red flowers, while below, at the feet of these chairs, stood four footstools. On either side, was also one of a pair of high teapoys, and these teapoys were covered with teacups and flower vases.
The other nick-nacks need not be minutely described.
The old nurses pressed Tai-yue to sit down on the stove-couch; but, on perceiving near the edge of the couch two embroidered cushions, placed one opposite the other, she thought of the gradation of seats, and did not therefore place herself on the couch, but on a chair on the eastern side of the room; whereupon the waiting maids, in attendance in these quarters, hastened to serve the tea.
While Tai-yue was sipping her tea, she observed the headgear, dress, deportment and manners of the several waiting maids, which she really found so unlike what she had seen in other households. She had hardly finished her tea, when she noticed a waiting maid approach, dressed in a red satin jacket, and a waistcoat of blue satin with scollops.
"My lady requests Miss Lin to come over and sit with her," she remarked as she put on a smile.
The old nurses, upon hearing this message, speedily ushered Tai-yue again out of this apartment, into the three-roomed small main building by the eastern porch.
On the stove-couch, situated at the principal part of the room, was placed, in a transverse position, a low couch-table, at the upper end of which were laid out, in a heap, books and a tea service. Against the partition-wall, on the east side, facing the west, was a reclining pillow, made of blue satin, neither old nor new.
Madame Wang, however, occupied the lower seat, on the west side, on which was likewise placed a rather shabby blue satin sitting-rug, with a back-cushion; and upon perceiving Tai-yue come in she urged her at once to sit on the east side.
Tai-yue concluded, in her mind, that this seat must certainly belong to Chia Cheng, and espying, next to the couch, a row of three chairs, covered with antimacassars, strewn with embroidered flowers, somewhat also the worse for use, Tai-yue sat down on one of these chairs.
But as madame Wang pressed her again and again to sit on the couch, Tai-yue had at length to take a seat next to her.
"Your uncle," madame Wang explained, "is gone to observe this day as a fast day, but you'll see him by and bye. There's, however, one thing I want to talk to you about. Your three female cousins are all, it is true, everything that is nice; and you will, when later on you come together for study, or to learn how to do needlework, or whenever, at any time, you romp and laugh together, find them all most obliging; but there's one thing that causes me very much concern. I have here one, who is the very root of retribution, the incarnation of all mischief, one who is a ne'er-do-well, a prince of malignant spirits in this family. He is gone to-day to pay his vows in the temple, and is not back yet, but you will see him in the evening, when you will readily be able to judge for yourself. One thing you must do, and that is, from this time forth, not to pay any notice to him. All these cousins of yours don't venture to bring any taint upon themselves by provoking him."
Tai-yue had in days gone by heard her mother explain that she had a nephew, born into the world, holding a piece of jade in his mouth, who was perverse beyond measure, who took no pleasure in his books, and whose sole great delight was to play the giddy dog in the inner apartments; that her maternal grandmother, on the other hand, loved him so fondly that no one ever presumed to call him to account, so that when, in this instance, she heard madame Wang's advice, she at once felt certain that it must be this very cousin.
"Isn't it to the cousin born with jade in his mouth, that you are alluding to, aunt?" she inquired as she returned her smile. "When I was at home, I remember my mother telling me more than once of this very cousin, who (she said) was a year older than I, and whose infant name was Pao-yue. She added that his disposition was really wayward, but that he treats all his cousins with the utmost consideration. Besides, now that I have come here, I shall, of course, be always together with my female cousins, while the boys will have their own court, and separate quarters; and how ever will there be any cause of bringing any slur upon myself by provoking him?"
"You don't know the reasons (that prompt me to warn you)," replied madame Wang laughingly. "He is so unlike all the rest, all because he has, since his youth up, been doated upon by our old lady! The fact is that he has been spoilt, through over-indulgence, by being always in the company of his female cousins! If his female cousins pay no heed to him, he is, at any rate, somewhat orderly, but the day his cousins say one word more to him than usual, much trouble forthwith arises, at the outburst of delight in his heart. That's why I enjoin upon you not to heed him. From his mouth, at one time, issue sugared words and mellifluous phrases; and at another, like the heavens devoid of the sun, he becomes a raving fool; so whatever you do, don't believe all he says."
Tai-yue was assenting to every bit of advice as it was uttered, when unexpectedly she beheld a waiting-maid walk in. "Her venerable ladyship over there," she said, "has sent word about the evening meal."
Madame Wang hastily took Tai-yue by the hand, and emerging by the door of the back-room, they went eastwards by the verandah at the back. Past the side gate, was a roadway, running north and south. On the southern side were a pavilion with three divisions and a Reception Hall with a colonnade. On the north, stood a large screen wall, painted white; behind it was a very small building, with a door of half the ordinary size.
"These are your cousin Feng's rooms," explained madame Wang to Tai-yue, as she pointed to them smiling. "You'll know in future your way to come and find her; and if you ever lack anything, mind you mention it to her, and she'll make it all right."
At the door of this court, were also several youths, who had recently had the tufts of their hair tied together, who all dropped their hands against their sides, and stood in a respectful posture. Madame Wang then led Tai-yue by the hand through a corridor, running east and west, into what was dowager lady Chia's back-court. Forthwith they entered the door of the back suite of rooms, where stood, already in attendance, a large number of servants, who, when they saw madame Wang arrive, set to work setting the tables and chairs in order.
Chia Chu's wife, nee Li, served the eatables, while Hsi-feng placed the chopsticks, and madame Wang brought the soup in. Dowager lady Chia was seated all alone on the divan, in the main part of the apartment, on the two sides of which stood four vacant chairs.
Hsi-feng at once drew Tai-yue, meaning to make her sit in the foremost chair on the left side, but Tai-yue steadily and concedingly declined.
"Your aunts and sisters-in-law, standing on the right and left," dowager lady Chia smilingly explained, "won't have their repast in here, and as you're a guest, it's but proper that you should take that seat."
Then alone it was that Tai-yue asked for permission to sit down, seating herself on the chair.
Madame Wang likewise took a seat at old lady Chia's instance; and the three cousins, Ying Ch'un and the others, having craved for leave to sit down, at length came forward, and Ying Ch'un took the first chair on the right, T'an Ch'un the second, and Hsi Ch'un the second on the left. Waiting maids stood by holding in their hands, flips and finger-bowls and napkins, while Mrs. Li and lady Feng, the two of them, kept near the table advising them what to eat, and pressing them to help themselves.
In the outer apartments, the married women and waiting-maids in attendance, were, it is true, very numerous; but not even so much as the sound of the cawing of a crow could be heard.
The repast over, each one was presented by a waiting-maid, with tea in a small tea tray; but the Lin family had all along impressed upon the mind of their daughter that in order to show due regard to happiness, and to preserve good health, it was essential, after every meal, to wait a while, before drinking any tea, so that it should not do any harm to the intestines. When, therefore, Tai-yue perceived how many habits there were in this establishment unlike those which prevailed in her home, she too had no alternative but to conform herself to a certain extent with them. Upon taking over the cup of tea, servants came once more and presented finger-bowls for them to rinse their mouths, and Tai-yue also rinsed hers; and after they had all again finished washing their hands, tea was eventually served a second time, and this was, at length, the tea that was intended to be drunk.
"You can all go," observed dowager lady Chia, "and let us alone to have a chat."
Madame Wang rose as soon as she heard these words, and having made a few irrelevant remarks, she led the way and left the room along with the two ladies, Mrs. Li and lady Feng.
Dowager lady Chia, having inquired of Tai-yue what books she was reading, "I have just begun reading the Four Books," Tai-yue replied. "What books are my cousins reading?" Tai-yue went on to ask.
"Books, you say!" exclaimed dowager lady Chia; "why all they know are a few characters, that's all."
The sentence was barely out of her lips, when a continuous sounding of footsteps was heard outside, and a waiting maid entered and announced that Pao-yue was coming. Tai-yue was speculating in her mind how it was that this Pao-yue had turned out such a good-for-nothing fellow, when he happened to walk in.
He was, in fact, a young man of tender years, wearing on his head, to hold his hair together, a cap of gold of purplish tinge, inlaid with precious gems. Parallel with his eyebrows was attached a circlet, embroidered with gold, and representing two dragons snatching a pearl. He wore an archery-sleeved deep red jacket, with hundreds of butterflies worked in gold of two different shades, interspersed with flowers; and was girded with a sash of variegated silk, with clusters of designs, to which was attached long tassels; a kind of sash worn in the palace. Over all, he had a slate-blue fringed coat of Japanese brocaded satin, with eight bunches of flowers in relief; and wore a pair of light blue satin white-soled, half-dress court-shoes.
His face was like the full moon at mid-autumn; his complexion, like morning flowers in spring; the hair along his temples, as if chiselled with a knife; his eyebrows, as if pencilled with ink; his nose like a suspended gallbladder (a well-cut and shapely nose); his eyes like vernal waves; his angry look even resembled a smile; his glance, even when stern, was full of sentiment.
Round his neck he had a gold dragon necklet with a fringe; also a cord of variegated silk, to which was attached a piece of beautiful jade.
As soon as Tai-yue became conscious of his presence, she was quite taken aback. "How very strange!" she was reflecting in her mind; "it would seem as if I had seen him somewhere or other, for his face appears extremely familiar to my eyes;" when she noticed Pao-yue face dowager lady Chia and make his obeisance. "Go and see your mother and then come back," remarked her venerable ladyship; and at once he turned round and quitted the room.
On his return, he had already changed his hat and suit. All round his head, he had a fringe of short hair, plaited into small queues, and bound with red silk. The queues were gathered up at the crown, and all the hair, which had been allowed to grow since his birth, was plaited into a thick queue, which looked as black and as glossy as lacquer. Between the crown of the head and the extremity of the queue, hung a string of four large pearls, with pendants of gold, representing the eight precious things. On his person, he wore a long silvery-red coat, more or less old, bestrewn with embroidery of flowers. He had still round his neck the necklet, precious gem, amulet of Recorded Name, philacteries, and other ornaments. Below were partly visible a fir-cone coloured brocaded silk pair of trousers, socks spotted with black designs, with ornamented edges, and a pair of deep red, thick-soled shoes.
(Got up as he was now,) his face displayed a still whiter appearance, as if painted, and his eyes as if they were set off with carnation. As he rolled his eyes, they brimmed with love. When he gave utterance to speech, he seemed to smile. But the chief natural pleasing feature was mainly centred in the curve of his eyebrows. The ten thousand and one fond sentiments, fostered by him during the whole of his existence, were all amassed in the corner of his eyes.
His outward appearance may have been pleasing to the highest degree, but yet it was no easy matter to fathom what lay beneath it.
There are a couple of roundelays, composed by a later poet, (after the excellent rhythm of the) Hsi Chiang Yueh, which depict Pao-yue in a most adequate manner.
The roundelays run as follows:
To gloom and passion prone, without a rhyme, Inane and madlike was he many a time, His outer self, forsooth, fine may have been, But one wild, howling waste his mind within: Addled his brain that nothing he could see; A dunce! to read essays so loth to be! Perverse in bearing, in temper wayward; For human censure he had no regard. When rich, wealth to enjoy he knew not how; When poor, to poverty he could not bow. Alas! what utter waste of lustrous grace! To state, to family what a disgrace! Of ne'er-do-wells below he was the prime, Unfilial like him none up to this time. Ye lads, pampered with sumptuous fare and dress, Beware! In this youth's footsteps do not press!
But to proceed with our story.
"You have gone and changed your clothes," observed dowager lady Chia, "before being introduced to the distant guest. Why don't you yet salute your cousin?"
Pao-yue had long ago become aware of the presence of a most beautiful young lady, who, he readily concluded, must be no other than the daughter of his aunt Lin. He hastened to advance up to her, and make his bow; and after their introduction, he resumed his seat, whence he minutely scrutinised her features, (which he thought) so unlike those of all other girls.
Her two arched eyebrows, thick as clustered smoke, bore a certain not very pronounced frowning wrinkle. She had a pair of eyes, which possessed a cheerful, and yet one would say, a sad expression, overflowing with sentiment. Her face showed the prints of sorrow stamped on her two dimpled cheeks. She was beautiful, but her whole frame was the prey of a hereditary disease. The tears in her eyes glistened like small specks. Her balmy breath was so gentle. She was as demure as a lovely flower reflected in the water. Her gait resembled a frail willow, agitated by the wind. Her heart, compared with that of Pi Kan, had one more aperture of intelligence; while her ailment exceeded (in intensity) by three degrees the ailment of Hsi-Tzu.
Pao-yue, having concluded his scrutiny of her, put on a smile and said, "This cousin I have already seen in days gone by."
"There you are again with your nonsense," exclaimed lady Chia, sneeringly; "how could you have seen her before?"
"Though I may not have seen her, ere this," observed Pao-yue with a smirk, "yet when I look at her face, it seems so familiar, and to my mind, it would appear as if we had been old acquaintances; just as if, in fact, we were now meeting after a long separation."
"That will do! that will do!" remarked dowager lady Chia; "such being the case, you will be the more intimate."
Pao-yue, thereupon, went up to Tai-yue, and taking a seat next to her, continued to look at her again with all intentness for a good long while.
"Have you read any books, cousin?" he asked.
"I haven't as yet," replied Tai-yue, "read any books, as I have only been to school for a year; all I know are simply a few characters."
"What is your worthy name, cousin?" Pao-yue went on to ask; whereupon Tai-yue speedily told him her name.
"Your style?" inquired Pao-yue; to which question Tai-yue replied, "I have no style."
"I'll give you a style," suggested Pao-yue smilingly; "won't the double style 'P'in P'in,' 'knitting brows,' do very well?"
"From what part of the standard books does that come?" T'an Ch'un hastily interposed.
"It is stated in the Thorough Research into the state of Creation from remote ages to the present day," Pao-yue went on to explain, "that, in the western quarter, there exists a stone, called Tai, (black,) which can be used, in lieu of ink, to blacken the eyebrows with. Besides the eyebrows of this cousin taper in a way, as if they were contracted, so that the selection of these two characters is most appropriate, isn't it?"
"This is just another plagiarism, I fear," observed T'an Ch'un, with an ironic smirk.
"Exclusive of the Four Books," Pao-yue remarked smilingly, "the majority of works are plagiarised; and is it only I, perchance, who plagiarise? Have you got any jade or not?" he went on to inquire, addressing Tai-yue, (to the discomfiture) of all who could not make out what he meant.
"It's because he has a jade himself," Tai-yue forthwith reasoned within her mind, "that he asks me whether I have one or not.--No; I haven't one," she replied. "That jade of yours is besides a rare object, and how could every one have one?"
As soon as Pao-yue heard this remark, he at once burst out in a fit of his raving complaint, and unclasping the gem, he dashed it disdainfully on the floor. "Rare object, indeed!" he shouted, as he heaped invective on it; "it has no idea how to discriminate the excellent from the mean, among human beings; and do tell me, has it any perception or not? I too can do without this rubbish!"
All those, who stood below, were startled; and in a body they pressed forward, vying with each other as to who should pick up the gem.
Dowager lady Chia was so distressed that she clasped Pao-yue in her embrace. "You child of wrath," she exclaimed. "When you get into a passion, it's easy enough for you to beat and abuse people; but what makes you fling away that stem of life?"
Pao-yue's face was covered with the traces of tears. "All my cousins here, senior as well as junior," he rejoined, as he sobbed, "have no gem, and if it's only I to have one, there's no fun in it, I maintain! and now comes this angelic sort of cousin, and she too has none, so that it's clear enough that it is no profitable thing."
Dowager lady Chia hastened to coax him. "This cousin of yours," she explained, "would, under former circumstances, have come here with a jade; and it's because your aunt felt unable, as she lay on her death-bed, to reconcile herself to the separation from your cousin, that in the absence of any remedy, she forthwith took the gem belonging to her (daughter), along with her (in the grave); so that, in the first place, by the fulfilment of the rites of burying the living with the dead might be accomplished the filial piety of your cousin; and in the second place, that the spirit of your aunt might also, for the time being, use it to gratify the wish of gazing on your cousin. That's why she simply told you that she had no jade; for she couldn't very well have had any desire to give vent to self-praise. Now, how can you ever compare yourself with her? and don't you yet carefully and circumspectly put it on? Mind, your mother may come to know what you have done!"
As she uttered these words, she speedily took the jade over from the hand of the waiting-maid, and she herself fastened it on for him.
When Pao-yue heard this explanation, he indulged in reflection, but could not even then advance any further arguments.
A nurse came at the moment and inquired about Tai-yue's quarters, and dowager lady Chia at once added, "Shift Pao-yue along with me, into the warm room of my suite of apartments, and put your mistress, Miss Lin, temporarily in the green gauze house; and when the rest of the winter is over, and repairs are taken in hand in spring in their rooms, an additional wing can be put up for her to take up her quarters in."
"My dear ancestor," ventured Pao-yue; "the bed I occupy outside the green gauze house is very comfortable; and what need is there again for me to leave it and come and disturb your old ladyship's peace and quiet?"
"Well, all right," observed dowager lady Chia, after some consideration; "but let each one of you have a nurse, as well as a waiting-maid to attend on you; the other servants can remain in the outside rooms and keep night watch and be ready to answer any call."
At an early hour, besides, Hsi-feng had sent a servant round with a grey flowered curtain, embroidered coverlets and satin quilts and other such articles.
Tai-yue had brought along with her only two servants; the one was her own nurse, dame Wang, and the other was a young waiting-maid of sixteen, whose name was called Hsueeh Yen. Dowager lady Chia, perceiving that Hsueeh Yen was too youthful and quite a child in her manner, while nurse Wang was, on the other hand, too aged, conjectured that Tai-yue would, in all her wants, not have things as she liked, so she detached two waiting-maids, who were her own personal attendants, named Tzu Chuean and Ying Ko, and attached them to Tai-yue's service. Just as had Ying Ch'un and the other girls, each one of whom had besides the wet nurses of their youth, four other nurses to advise and direct them, and exclusive of two personal maids to look after their dress and toilette, four or five additional young maids to do the washing and sweeping of the rooms and the running about backwards and forwards on errands.
Nurse Wang, Tzu Chuean and other girls entered at once upon their attendance on Tai-yue in the green gauze rooms, while Pao-yue's wet-nurse, dame Li, together with an elderly waiting-maid, called Hsi Jen, were on duty in the room with the large bed.
This Hsi Jen had also been, originally, one of dowager lady Chia's servant-girls. Her name was in days gone by, Chen Chu. As her venerable ladyship, in her tender love for Pao-yue, had feared that Pao-yue's servant girls were not equal to their duties, she readily handed her to Pao-yue, as she had hitherto had experience of how sincere and considerate she was at heart.
Pao-yue, knowing that her surname was at one time Hua, and having once seen in some verses of an ancient poet, the line "the fragrance of flowers wafts itself into man," lost no time in explaining the fact to dowager lady Chia, who at once changed her name into Hsi Jen.
This Hsi Jen had several simple traits. While in attendance upon dowager lady Chia, in her heart and her eyes there was no one but her venerable ladyship, and her alone; and now in her attendance upon Pao-yue, her heart and her eyes were again full of Pao-yue, and him alone. But as Pao-yue was of a perverse temperament and did not heed her repeated injunctions, she felt at heart exceedingly grieved.
At night, after nurse Li had fallen asleep, seeing that in the inner chambers, Tai-yue, Ying Ko and the others had not as yet retired to rest, she disrobed herself, and with gentle step walked in.
"How is it, miss," she inquired smiling, "that you have not turned in as yet?"
Tai-yue at once put on a smile. "Sit down, sister," she rejoined, pressing her to take a seat. Hsi Jen sat on the edge of the bed.
"Miss Lin," interposed Ying Ko smirkingly, "has been here in an awful state of mind! She has cried so to herself, that her eyes were flooded, as soon as she dried her tears. 'It's only to-day that I've come,' she said, 'and I've already been the cause of the outbreak of your young master's failing. Now had he broken that jade, as he hurled it on the ground, wouldn't it have been my fault? Hence it was that she was so wounded at heart, that I had all the trouble in the world, before I could appease her."
"Desist at once, Miss! Don't go on like this," Hsi Jen advised her; "there will, I fear, in the future, happen things far more strange and ridiculous than this; and if you allow yourself to be wounded and affected to such a degree by a conduct such as his, you will, I apprehend, suffer endless wounds and anguish; so be quick and dispel this over-sensitive nature!"
"What you sisters advise me," replied Tai-yue, "I shall bear in mind, and it will be all right."
They had another chat, which lasted for some time, before they at length retired to rest for the night.
The next day, (she and her cousins) got up at an early hour and went over to pay their respects to dowager lady Chia, after which upon coming to madame Wang's apartments, they happened to find madame Wang and Hsi-feng together, opening the letters which had arrived from Chin Ling. There were also in the room two married women, who had been sent from madame Wang's elder brother's wife's house to deliver a message.
Tai-yue was, it is true, not aware of what was up, but T'an Ch'un and the others knew that they were discussing the son of her mother's sister, married in the Hsueeh family, in the city of Chin Ling, a cousin of theirs, Hsueeh P'an, who relying upon his wealth and influence had, by assaulting a man, committed homicide, and who was now to be tried in the court of the Ying T'ien Prefecture.
Her maternal uncle, Wang Tzu-t'eng, had now, on the receipt of the tidings, despatched messengers to bring over the news to the Chia family. But the next chapter will explain what was the ultimate issue of the wish entertained in this mansion to send for the Hsueeh family to come to the capital.
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