中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì sì shí yī huí lóng cuì 'ān chá pǐn méi huā xuě yí hóng yuàn jié yù mǔ huáng chóng CHAPTER XLI.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER XLI. huà shuō liú lǎo lǎo liǎng zhǐ shǒu bǐ zhe shuō dào: “ huā 'ér luò liǎo jié gè dà wō guā。 " zhòng rén tīng liǎo hōng táng dà xiào qǐ lái。 yú shì chī guò mén bēi, yīn yòu dòu qù xiào dào:“ shí gào sù shuō bà, wǒ de shǒu jiǎo zǐ cū bèn, yòu hē liǎo jiǔ, zǎi xì shī shǒu dǎ liǎo zhè cí bēi。 yòu mù tóu de bēi qǔ gè zǐ lái, wǒ biàn shī liǎo shǒu, diào liǎo dì xià yě wú 'ài。 ” zhòng rén tīng liǎo, yòu xiào qǐ lái。 fèng jiě 'ér tīng rú cǐ shuō, biàn máng xiào dào:“ guǒ zhēn yào mù tóu de, wǒ jiù qǔ liǎo lái。 kě yòu yī jù xiān shuō xià: zhè mù tóu de kě bǐ bù dé cí de, tādōu shì yī tào, dìng yào chī biàn yī tào fāng shǐ dé。” liú lǎo lǎo tīng liǎo xīn xià ゅ dào:“ wǒ fāng cái bù guò shì qù huà qǔ xiào 'ér, shuí zhī tā guǒ zhēn jìng yòu。 wǒ shí cháng zài cūn zhuāng xiāng shēn dà jiā yě fù guò xí, jīn bēi yín bēi dǎo dū yě jiàn guò, cóng lái méi jiàn yòu mù tóu bēi zhī shuō。 ò, shì liǎo, xiǎng bì shì xiǎo hái zǐ men shǐ de mù wǎn 'ér, bù guò kuāng wǒ duō hē liǎng wǎn。 bié guǎn tā, héng shù zhè jiǔ mì shuǐ 'ér shìde, duō hē diǎn zǐ yě wú fáng。” xiǎng bì, biàn shuō:“ qǔ lái zài shāng liàng。” fèng jiě nǎi mìng fēng 'ér:“ dào qián miàn lǐ jiān wū, shū jià zǐ shàng yòu shí gè zhú gēn tào bēi qǔ lái。 " fēng 'ér tīng liǎo, dāyìng cái yào qù, yuān yāng xiào dào:“ wǒ zhī dào nǐ zhè shí gè bēi hái xiǎo。 kuàng qiě nǐ cái shuō shì mù tóu de, zhè huì zǐ yòu ná liǎo zhú gēn zǐ de lái, dǎo bù hǎo kàn。 bù rú bǎ wǒ men nà lǐ de huáng yáng gēn zhěng kōu de shí gè dà tào bēi ná lái, guàn tā shí xià zǐ。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ gèng hǎo liǎo。” yuān yāng guǒ mìng rén qǔ lái。 liú lǎo lǎo yī kàn, yòu jīng yòu xǐ: jīng de shì yī lián shí gè, āi cì dà xiǎo fēn xià lái, nà dà de zú sì gè xiǎo pén zǐ, dì shí gè jí xiǎo de hái yòu shǒu lǐ de bēi zǐ liǎng gè dà, xǐ de shì diāo lòu qí jué, yī sè shān shuǐ shù mù rén wù, bìng yòu cǎo zì yǐ jí tú yìn。 yīn máng shuō dào:“ ná liǎo nà xiǎo de lái jiù shì liǎo, zěn me zhè yàng duō? " fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ zhè gè bēi méi yòu hē yī gè de lǐ。 wǒ men jiā yīn méi yòu zhè dà liàng de, suǒ yǐ méi rén gǎn shǐ tā。 lǎo lǎo jì yào, hǎo róng yì xún liǎo chū lái, bì dìng yào 'āi cì chī yī biàn cái shǐ dé。 " liú lǎo lǎo hǔ de máng dào:“ zhè gè bù gǎn。 hǎo gū nǎi nǎi, ráo liǎo wǒ bà。” jiǎ mǔ, xuē yí mā, wáng fū rén zhī dào tā shàng liǎo nián jì de rén, jìn bù qǐ, máng xiào dào:“ shuō shì shuō, xiào shì xiào, bù kě duō chī liǎo, zhǐ chī zhè tóu yī bēi bà。 " liú lǎo lǎo dào:“ ēmítuófó! wǒ hái shì xiǎo bēi chī bà。 bǎ zhè dà bēi shōu zhe, wǒ dài liǎo jiā qù màn màn de chī bà。 " shuō de zhòng rén yòu xiào qǐ lái。 yuān yāng wú fǎ, zhǐ dé mìng rén mǎn zhēn liǎo yī dà bēi, liú lǎo lǎo liǎng shǒu pěng zhe hē。 jiǎ mǔ xuē yí mā dū dào:“ màn xiē, bù yào qiàng liǎo。” xuē yí mā yòu mìng fèng jiě 'ér bù liǎo cài。 fèng jiě xiào dào:“ lǎo lǎo yào chī shénme, shuō chū míng 'ér lái, wǒ jiān liǎo wèi nǐ。” liú lǎo lǎo dào:“ wǒ zhī shénme míng 'ér, yàng yàng dōushì hǎo de。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ nǐ bǎ qié xiǎng jiān xiē wèi tā。” fèng jiě 'ér tīng shuō, yǐ yán jiān xiē qié xiǎng sòng rù liú lǎo lǎo kǒu zhōng, yīn xiào dào:“ nǐ men tiān tiān chī qié zǐ, yě cháng cháng wǒ men de qié zǐ nòng de kě kǒu bù kě kǒu。” liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào:“ bié hǒngwǒ liǎo, qié zǐ páo chū zhè gè wèi 'ér lái liǎo, wǒ men yě bù yòng zhǒng liáng shí, zhǐ zhǒng qié zǐ liǎo。” zhòng rén xiào dào:“ zhēn shì qié zǐ, wǒ men zài bù hǒngnǐ。 " liú lǎo lǎo chà yì dào:“ zhēn shì qié zǐ? wǒ bái chī liǎo bàn rì。 gū nǎi nǎi zài wèi wǒ xiē, zhè yī kǒu xì juéjué。 " fèng jiě 'ér guǒ yòu jiān liǎo xiē fàng rù kǒu nèi。 liú lǎo lǎo xì jiáo liǎo bàn rì, xiào dào:“ suī yòu yī diǎn qié zǐ xiāng, zhǐ shì hái bù xiàng shì qié zǐ。 gào sù wǒ shì gè shénme fǎ zǐ nòng de, wǒ yě nòng zhe chī qù。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ zhè yě bù nán。 nǐ bǎ cái xià lái de qié zǐ bǎ pí liǎo, zhǐ yào jìng ròu, qiē chéng suì dīng zǐ, yòng jī yóu zhà liǎo, zài yòng jī fǔ zǐ ròu bìng xiāngjùn, xīn sǔn, mó gū, wǔ xiāng fǔ gān, gè sè gān guǒ zǐ, jù qiē chéng dīng zǐ, yòng jī tānɡ wēi gān, jiāng xiāng yóu yī shōu, wài jiā zāo yóu yī bàn, shèng zài cí guàn zǐ lǐ fēng yán, yào chī shí ná chū lái, yòng chǎo de jī guā yī bàn jiù shì。” liú lǎo lǎo tīng liǎo, yáo tóu tù shé shuō dào:“ wǒ de fó zǔ! dǎo dé shí lái zhǐ jī lái pèi tā, guài dào zhè gè wèi 'ér! " yī miàn shuō xiào, yī miàn màn màn de chī wán liǎo jiǔ, hái zhǐ guǎn xì wán nà bēi。 fèng jiě xiào dào:“ hái shì bù zú xīng, zài chī yī bēi bà。” liú lǎo lǎo máng dào:“ liǎo bù dé, nà jiù zuì sǐ liǎo。 wǒ yīn wéi 'ài zhè yàng fàn, kuī tā zěn me zuò liǎo。” yuān yāng xiào dào:“ jiǔ chī wán liǎo, dào dǐ zhè bēi zǐ shì shénme mù de? " liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào:“ yuàn bù dé gū niàn bù rèn dé, nǐ men zài zhè jīn mén xiù hù de, rú hé rèn dé mù tóu! wǒ men chéng rì jiā hé shù lín zǐ zuò jiē fāng, kùn liǎo zhěn zhe tā shuì, fá liǎo kào zhe tā zuò, huāng nián jiān 'è liǎo hái chī tā, yǎn jīng lǐ tiān tiān jiàn tā, ěr duǒ lǐ tiān tiān tīng tā, kǒu 'ér lǐ tiān tiān jiǎng tā, suǒ yǐ hǎo dǎi zhēn jiǎ, wǒ shì rèn dé de。 ràng wǒ rèn yī rèn。 " yī miàn shuō, yī miàn xì xì duān xiáng liǎo bàn rì, dào:“ nǐ men zhè yàng rén jiā duàn méi yòu nà jiàn dōng xī, nà róng yì dé de mù tóu, nǐ men yě bù shōu zhe liǎo。 wǒ diān zhe zhè bēi tǐ zhòng, duàn hū bù shì yáng mù, zhè yī dìng shì huáng sōng de。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo, hōng táng dà xiào qǐ lái。
zhǐ jiàn yī gè pó zǐ zǒu lái qǐng wèn jiǎ mǔ, shuō:“ gū niàn mendōu dào liǎo 'ǒu xiāng xiè, qǐng shì xià, jiù yǎn bà hái shì zài děng yī huì zǐ? " jiǎ mǔ máng xiào dào:“ kě shì dǎo wàng liǎo tā men, jiù jiào tā men yǎn bà。” nà gè pó zǐ dāyìng qù liǎo。 bù yī shí, zhǐ tīng dé xiāo guǎn yōu yáng, shēng dí bìng fā。 zhèng zhí fēng qīng qì shuǎng zhī shí, nà lè shēng chuān lín dù shuǐ 'ér lái, zì rán shǐ rén shén yí xīn kuàng。 bǎo yù xiān jìn bù zhù, ná qǐ hú lái zhēn liǎo yī bēi, yī kǒu yǐn jìn。 fù yòu zhēn shàng, cái yào yǐn, zhǐ jiàn wáng fū rén yě yào yǐn, mìng rén huàn nuǎn jiǔ, bǎo yù lián máng jiāng zì jǐ de bēi pěng liǎo guò lái, sòng dào wáng fū rén kǒu biān, wáng fū rén biàn jiù tā shǒu nèi chī liǎo liǎng kǒu。 yī shí nuǎn jiǔ lái liǎo, bǎo yù réng guī jiù zuò, wáng fū rén tí liǎo nuǎn hú xià xí lái, zhòng rén jiē dū chū liǎo xí, xuē yí mā yě lì qǐ lái, jiǎ mǔ máng mìng lǐ, fèng 'èr rén jiē guò hú lái:“ ràng nǐ yí mā zuò liǎo, dà jiā cái biàn。” wáng fū rén jiàn rú cǐ shuō, fāng jiāng hú dì yǔ fèng jiě, zì jǐ guī zuò。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ dà jiā chī shàng liǎng bēi, jīn rì zhuóshí yòu qù。 " shuō zhe qíng bēi ràng xuē yí mā, yòu xiàng xiāng yún bǎo chāi dào:“ nǐ jiě mèi liǎng gè yě chī yī bēi。 nǐ mèi mèi suī bù dà huì chī, yě bié ráo tā。 " shuō zhe zì jǐ yǐ gān liǎo。 xiāng yún, bǎo chāi, dài yù yědōu gān liǎo。 dāng xià liú lǎo lǎo tīng jiàn zhè bān yīnyuè, qiě yòu yòu liǎo jiǔ, yuè fā xǐ de shǒu wǔ zú dǎo qǐ lái。 bǎo yù yīn xià xí guò lái xiàng dài yù xiào dào:“ nǐ qiáo liú lǎo lǎo de yàng zǐ。” dài yù xiào dào:“ dāng rì shèng lè yī zòu, bǎi shòu shuài wǔ, rú jīn cái yī niú 'ěr。” zhòng jiě mèi dū xiào liǎo。
xū yú lè zhǐ, xuē yí mā chū xí xiào dào:“ dà jiā de jiǔ xiǎng yědōu yòu liǎo, qiě chū qù sǎnsǎn zài zuò bà。” jiǎ mǔ yě zhèng yào sǎnsǎn, yú shì dà jiā chū xí, dū suí zhe jiǎ mǔ yóu wán。 jiǎ mǔ yīn yào dài zhe liú lǎo lǎo sàn mèn, suì xié liǎo liú lǎo lǎo zhì shān qián shù xià pán huán liǎo bàn shǎng, yòu shuō yǔ tā zhè shì shénme shù, zhè shì shénme shí, zhè shì shénme huā。 liú lǎo lǎo yī yī de lǐng huì, yòu xiàng jiǎ mǔ dào:“ shuí zhī chéng lǐ bù dàn rén zūn guì, lián què 'ér yě shì zūn guì de。 piān zhè què 'ér dào liǎo nǐ men zhè lǐ, tā yě biàn jùn liǎo, yě huì shuō huà liǎo。” zhòng rén bù jiě, yīn wèn shénme què 'ér biàn jùn liǎo, huì jiǎng huà。 liú lǎo lǎo dào:“ nà láng xià jīn jià zǐ shàng zhàn de lǜ máo hóng zuǐ shì yīng gē 'ér, wǒ shì rèn dé de。 nà lóng zǐ lǐ hēi lǎo guā zǐ zěn me yòu cháng chū fèng tóu lái, yě huì shuō huà ní。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo dū xiào jiāng qǐ lái。
yī shí zhǐ jiàn yā huán men lái qǐng yòng diǎn xīn。 jiǎ mǔ dào:“ chī liǎo liǎng bēi jiǔ, dǎo yě bù 'è。 yě bà, jiù ná liǎo zhè lǐ lái, dà jiā suí biàn chī xiē bà。” yā huán biàn qù tái liǎo liǎng zhāng jǐ lái, yòu duān liǎo liǎng gè xiǎo pěng hé。 jiē kāi kàn shí lǎo dān“ dān”, yòu zuò“ ”。 xiāng chuán jí lǎo zǐ。, měi gè hé nèi liǎng yàng: zhè hé nèi yī yàng shì 'ǒu fěn guì táng gāo, yī yàng shì sōng ráng 'é yóu juàn, nà hé nèi yī yàng shì yī cùn lái dà de xiǎo jiǎo 'ér, …… jiǎ mǔ yīn wèn shénme xiàn 'ér, pó zǐ men máng huí shì páng xiè de。 jiǎ mǔ tīng liǎo, zhòu méi shuō:“ zhè yóu nì nì de, shuí chī zhè gè! " nà yī yàng shì nǎi yóu zhà de gè sè xiǎo miàn guǒ, yě bù xǐ huān。 yīn ràng xuē yí mā chī, xuē yí mā zhǐ jiǎn liǎo yī kuài gāo, jiǎ mǔ jiǎn liǎo yī gè juǎnzǐ, zhǐ cháng liǎo yī cháng, shèng de bàn gè dì yǔ yā huán liǎo。 liú lǎo lǎo yīn jiàn nà xiǎo miàn guǒ zǐ dū líng lóng tī tòu, biàn jiǎn liǎo yī duǒ mǔ dān huā yàng de xiào dào:“ wǒ men nà lǐ zuì qiǎo de jiě 'ér men, yě bù néng jiǎo chū zhè me gè zhǐ de lái。 wǒ yòu 'ài chī, yòu shěbùdé chī, bāo xiē jiā qù gěi tā men zuò huā yàng zǐ qù dǎo hǎo。” zhòng réndōu xiào liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ dào:“ jiā qù wǒ sòng nǐ yī tán zǐ。 nǐ xiān chèn rè chī zhè gè bà。” bié rén bù guò jiǎn gè rén 'ài chī de yī liǎng diǎn jiù bà liǎo, liú lǎo lǎo yuán bù céng chī guò zhè xiē dōng xī, qiě dū zuò de xiǎo qiǎo, bù xiǎn pán duī de, tā hé bǎn 'ér měi yàng chī liǎo xiē, jiù qù liǎo bàn pán zǐ。 shèng de, fèng jiě yòu mìng cuán liǎo liǎng pán bìng yī gè cuán pán, yǔ wén guān děng chī qù。 hū jiàn nǎi zǐ bào liǎo dà jiě 'ér lái, dà jiā hǒngtā wán liǎo yī huì。 nà dà jiě 'ér yīn bào zhe yī gè dà yóu zǐ wán de, hū jiàn bǎn 'ér bào zhe yī gè fó shǒu, biàn yě yào fó shǒu。 yā huán hǒngtā qǔ qù, dà jiě 'ér děng bù dé, biàn kū liǎo。 zhòng rén máng bǎ yóu zǐ yǔ liǎo bǎn 'ér, jiāng bǎn 'ér de fó shǒu hōng guò lái yǔ tā cái bà。 nà bǎn 'ér yīn wán liǎo bàn rì fó shǒu, cǐ kè yòu liǎng shǒu zhuā zhe xiē guǒ zǐ chī, yòu hū jiàn zhè yóu zǐ yòu xiāng yòu yuán, gèng jué hǎo wán, qiě dāng qiú tī zhe wán qù, yě jiù bù yào fó shǒu liǎo。
dāng xià jiǎ mǔ děng chī guò chá, yòu dài liǎo liú lǎo lǎo zhì lóng cuì 'ān lái。 miào yù máng jiē liǎo jìn qù。 zhì yuàn zhōng jiàn huā mù fán shèng, jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ dào dǐ shì tā men xiū xíng de rén, méi shì cháng cháng xiū lǐ, bǐ bié chù yuè fā hǎo kàn。” yī miàn shuō, yī miàn biàn wǎng dōng chán táng lái。 miào yù xiào wǎng lǐ ràng, jiǎ mǔ dào:“ wǒ men cái dū chī liǎo jiǔ ròu, nǐ zhè lǐ tóu yòu pú sà, chōng liǎo zuì guò。 wǒ men zhè lǐ zuò zuò, bǎ nǐ de hǎo chá ná lái, wǒ men chī yī bēi jiù qù liǎo。” miào yù tīng liǎo, máng qù pēng liǎo chá lái。 bǎo yù liú shén kàn tā shì zěn me xíng shì。 zhǐ jiàn miào yù qīn zì pěng liǎo yī gè hǎi táng huā shì diāo qī tián jīn yún lóng xiàn shòu de xiǎo chá pán, lǐ miàn fàng yī gè chéng yáo wǔ cǎi xiǎo gài zhōng, pěng yǔ jiǎ mǔ。 jiǎ mǔ dào:“ wǒ bù chī liù 'ān chá。” miào yù xiào shuō:“ zhī dào。 zhè shì lǎo jūn méi。” jiǎ mǔ jiē liǎo, yòu wèn shì shénme shuǐ。 miào yù xiào huí " shì jiù nián juān de yǔ shuǐ。” jiǎ mǔ biàn chī liǎo bàn zhǎn, biàn xiào zhe dì yǔ liú lǎo lǎo shuō:“ nǐ cháng cháng zhè gè chá。” liú lǎo lǎo biàn yī kǒu chī jìn, xiào dào:“ hǎo shì hǎo, jiù shì dàn xiē, zài 'áo nóng xiē gèng hǎo liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ zhòng réndōu xiào qǐ lái。 rán hòu zhòng réndōu shì yī sè guān yáo tuō tāi tián bái gài wǎn。
nà miào yù biàn bǎ bǎo chāi hé dài yù de yī jīn yī lā, èr rén suí tā chū qù, bǎo yù qiāoqiāo de suí hòu gēn liǎo lái。 zhǐ jiàn miào yù ràng tā 'èr rén zài 'ěr fáng nèi, bǎo chāi zuò zài tà shàng, dài yù biàn zuò zài miào yù de pú tuán shàng。 miào yù zì xiàng fēng lú shàng shàn gǔn liǎo shuǐ, lìng pào yī hú chá。 bǎo yù biàn zǒu liǎo jìn lái, xiào dào:“ piān nǐ men chī tī jǐ chá ní。” èr réndōu xiào dào:“ nǐ yòu gǎn liǎo lái chá chī。 zhè lǐ bìng méi nǐ de。” miào yù gāng yào qù qǔ bēi, zhǐ jiàn dào pó shōu liǎo shàng miàn de chá zhǎn lái。 miào yù máng mìng:“ jiāng nà chéng yáo de chá bēi bié shōu liǎo, gē zài wài tóu qù bà。” bǎo yù huì yì, zhī wéi liú lǎo lǎo chī liǎo, tā xián zàng bù yào liǎo。 yòu jiàn miào yù lìng ná chū liǎng zhǐ bēi lái。 yī gè bàng biān yòu yī 'ěr, bēi shàng juān zhe " べ " sān gè lì zì, hòu yòu yīháng xiǎo zhēn zì shì " jìn wáng kǎi zhēn wán ", yòu yòu " sòng yuán fēng wǔ nián sì yuè méi shān sū shì jiàn yú mì fǔ " yīháng xiǎo zì。 miào yù biàn zhēn liǎo yī , dì yǔ bǎo chāi。 nà yī zhǐ xíng sì bō 'ér xiǎo, yě yòu sān gè chuí zhū zhuàn zì, juān zhe " diǎn xī "。 miào yù zhēn liǎo yī yǔ dài yù。 réng jiāng qián fān zì jǐ cháng rì chī chá de nà zhǐ lǜ yù dǒu lái zhēn yǔ bǎo yù。 bǎo yù xiào dào:“ cháng yán ‘ shì fǎ píng děng ’, tā liǎng gè jiù yòng nà yàng gǔ wán qí zhēn, wǒ jiù shì gè sú qì liǎo。” miào yù dào:“ zhè shì sú qì? bù shì wǒ shuō kuáng huà, zhǐ pà nǐ jiā lǐ wèi bì zhǎo de chū zhè me yī gè sú qì lái ní。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ sú shuō‘ suí xiāng rù xiāng’, dào liǎo nǐ zhè lǐ, zì rán bǎ nà jīn yù zhū bǎo yī gài biǎn wéi sú qì liǎo。” miào yù tīng rú cǐ shuō, shí fēn huān xǐ, suì yòu xún chū yī zhǐ jiǔ qū shí huán yī bǎi 'èr shí jié pán qiú zhěng diāo zhú gēn de yī gè dà ニ chū lái, xiào dào:“ jiù shèng liǎo zhè yī gè, nǐ kě chī de liǎo zhè yī hǎi? " bǎo yù xǐ de máng dào:“ chī de liǎo。” miào yù xiào dào:“ nǐ suī chī de liǎo, yě méi zhè xiē chá zāo tà。 qǐ bù wén‘ yī bēi wéi pǐn, èr bēi jí shì jiě kě de chǔn wù, sān bēi biàn shì yǐn niú yǐn luó liǎo’。 nǐ chī zhè yī hǎi biàn chéng shénme? " shuō de bǎo chāi, dài yù, bǎo yù dū xiào liǎo。 miào yù zhí hú, zhǐ xiàng hǎi nèi zhēn liǎo yuē yòu yī bēi。 bǎo yù xì xì chī liǎo, guǒ jué qīng fú wú bǐ, shǎng zàn bù jué。 miào yù zhèng sè dào:“ nǐ zhè zāo chī de chá shì tuō tā liǎng gè fú, dú nǐ lái liǎo, wǒ shì bù gěi nǐ chī de。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ wǒ shēn zhī dào de, wǒ yě bù lǐng nǐ de qíng, zhǐ xiè tā 'èr rén biàn shì liǎo。 " miào yù tīng liǎo, fāng shuō:“ zhè huà míng bái。” dài yù yīn wèn:“ zhè yě shì jiù nián de yǔ shuǐ? " miào yù lěng xiào dào:“ nǐ zhè me gè rén, jìng shì dà sú rén, lián shuǐ yě cháng bù chū lái。 zhè shì wǔ nián qián wǒ zài xuán mù pán xiāng sì zhù zhe, shōu de méi huā shàng de xuě, gòng dé liǎo nà yī guǐ liǎn qīng de huā wèng yī wèng, zǒng shěbùdé chī, mái zài dì xià, jīn nián xià tiān cái kāi liǎo。 wǒ zhǐ chī guò yī huí, zhè shì dì 'èr huí liǎo。 nǐ zěn me cháng bù chū lái? gé nián juān de yǔ shuǐ nà yòu zhè yàng qīng fú, rú hé chīde。” dài yù zhī tā tiān xìng guài pì, bù hǎo duō huà, yì bù hǎo duō zuò, chī wán chá, biàn yuē zhe bǎo chāi zǒu liǎo chū lái。
bǎo yù hé miào yù péi xiào dào:“ nà chá bēi suī rán zàng liǎo, bái liào liǎo qǐ bù kě xī? yǐ wǒ shuō, bù rú jiù gěi nà pín pó zǐ bà, tā mài liǎo yě kě yǐ dù rì。 nǐ dào kě shǐ dé。” miào yù tīng liǎo, xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng děngdōu nà rù“ rén” de fàn chóu zhī zhōng。 mèng zǐ yǐ“ qīn qīn” shì rén, bìng jiāng zhī, diǎn tóu shuō dào:“ zhè yě bà liǎo。 xìng 'ér nà bēi zǐ shì wǒ méi chī guò de, ruò wǒ shǐ guò, wǒ jiù zá suì liǎo yě bù néng gěi tā。 nǐ yào gěi tā, wǒ yě bù guǎn nǐ, zhǐ jiāo gěi nǐ, kuài ná liǎo qù bà。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ zì rán rú cǐ, nǐ nà lǐ hé tā shuō huà shòu shòu qù, yuè fā lián nǐ yě zàng liǎo。 zhǐ jiāo yǔ wǒ jiù shì liǎo。” miào yù biàn mìng rén ná lái dì yǔ bǎo yù。 bǎo yù jiē liǎo, yòu dào:“ děng wǒ men chū qù liǎo, wǒ jiào jǐ gè xiǎo yāo 'ér lái hé lǐ dǎ jǐ tǒng shuǐ lái xǐ dì rú hé? " miào yù xiào dào:“ zhè gèng hǎo liǎo, zhǐ shì nǐ zhǔ fù tā men, tái liǎo shuǐ zhǐ gē zài shān mén wài tóu qiáng gēn xià, bié jìn mén lái。” bǎo yù dào:“ zhè shì zì rán de。” shuō zhe, biàn xiù zhe nà bēi, dì yǔ jiǎ mǔ fáng zhōng xiǎo yā tóu ná zhe, shuō:“ míng rì liú lǎo lǎo jiā qù, gěi tā dài qù bà。” jiāo dài míng bái, jiǎ mǔ yǐ jīng chū lái yào huí qù。 miào yù yì bù shèn liú, sòng chū shān mén, huí shēn biàn jiāng mén bì liǎo。 bù zài huà xià。
qiě shuō jiǎ mǔ yīn jué shēn shàng fá juàn, biàn mìng wáng fū rén hé yíng chūn zǐ mèi péi liǎo xuē yí mā qù chī jiǔ, zì jǐ biàn wǎng dào xiāng cūn lái xiē xī。 fèng jiě máng mìng rén jiāng xiǎo zhú yǐ tái lái, jiǎ mǔ zuò shàng, liǎng gè pó zǐ tái qǐ, fèng jiě lǐ wán hé zhòng yā huán pó zǐ wéi suí qù liǎo, bù zài huà xià。 zhè lǐ xuē yí mā yě jiù cí chū。 wáng fū rén dǎ fā wén guān děng chū qù, jiāng cuán hé sàn yǔ zhòng yā huán men chī qù, zì jǐ biàn yě chéng kōng xiē zhe, suí biàn wāi zài fāng cái jiǎ mǔ zuò de tà shàng, mìng yī gè xiǎo yā tóu fàng xià lián zǐ lái, yòu mìng tā chuí zhe tuǐ, fēn fù tā:“ lǎo tài tài nà lǐ yòu xìn, nǐ jiù jiào wǒ。” shuō zhe yě wāi zhe shuì zhe liǎo。
bǎo yù xiāng yún děng kàn zhe yā huán men jiāng cuán hé gē zài shān shí shàng, yě yòu zuò zài shān shí shàng de, yě yòu zuò zài cǎo dì xià de, yě yòu kào zhe shù de, yě yòu bàng zhe shuǐ de, dǎo yě shí fēn rè nào。 yī shí yòu jiàn yuān yāng lái liǎo, yào dài zhe liú lǎo lǎo gè chù qù guàng, zhòng rén yědōu gǎn zhe qǔ xiào。 yī shí lái zhì " xǐngqīn bié shù " de pái fāng dǐ xià, liú lǎo lǎo dào:“ ài yā! zhè lǐ hái yòu gè dà miào ní。” shuō zhe, biàn pá xià kē tóu。 zhòng rén xiào wān liǎo yāo。 liú lǎo lǎo dào:“ xiào shénme? zhè pái lóu shàng zì wǒdōu rèn dé。 wǒ men nà lǐ zhè yàng de miào yǔ zuì duō, dōushì zhè yàng de pái fāng, nà zì jiù shì miào de míng zì。” zhòng rén xiào dào:“ nǐ rèn dé zhè shì shénme miào? " liú lǎo lǎo biàn tái tóu zhǐ nà zì dào:“ zhè bù shì‘ yù huáng bǎo diàn’ sì zì? " zhòng rén xiào de pāi shǒu dǎ jiǎo, hái yào ná tā qǔ xiào。 liú lǎo lǎo jué dé fù nèi yī zhèn luàn xiǎng, máng de lā zhe yī gè xiǎo yā tóu, yào liǎo liǎng zhāng zhǐ jiù jiě yī。 zhòng rén yòu shì xiào, yòu máng hē tā " zhè lǐ shǐ bù dé! " máng mìng yī gè pó zǐ dài liǎo dōng běi shàng qù liǎo。 nà pó zǐ zhǐ yǔ dì fāng, biàn lè dé zǒu kāi qù xiē xī。
nà liú lǎo lǎo yīn hē liǎo xiē jiǔ, tā pí qì bù yǔ huáng jiǔ xiāng yí, qiě chī liǎo xǔ duō yóu nì yǐn shí, fā kě duō hē liǎo jǐ wǎn chá, bù miǎn tōng xiè qǐ lái chí“ xīn wài wú wù”, fǎn duì yǐ“ lǐ”、“ tài jí” wéi wàn wù běn yuán。 rèn wéi rén, dūn liǎo bàn rì fāng wán。 jí chū cè lái, jiǔ bèi fēng jìn, qiě nián mài zhī rén, dūn liǎo bàn tiān, hū yī qǐ shēn, zhǐ jué dé yǎn huā tóu huàn, biàn bù chū lù jìng。 sì gù yī wàng, jiē shì shù mù shān shí lóu tái fáng shè, què bù zhī nà yī chù shì wǎng nà lǐ qù de liǎo, zhǐ dé rèn zhe yī tiáo shí zǐ lù màn màn de zǒu lái。 jí zhì dào liǎo fáng shè gēn qián, yòu zhǎo bù zhe mén, zài zhǎo liǎo bàn rì, hū jiàn yī dài zhú lí, liú lǎo lǎo xīn zhōng zì cǔn dào:“ zhè lǐ yě yòu biǎn dòu jià zǐ。” yī miàn xiǎng, yī miàn shùn zhe huā zhàng zǒu liǎo lái, dé liǎo yī gè yuè dòng mén jìn qù。 zhǐ jiàn yíng miàn hū yòu yī dài shuǐ chí, zhǐ yòu qī bā chǐ kuān, shí tóu qì 'àn, lǐ miàn bì liú qīng shuǐ liú wǎng nà biān qù liǎo, shàng miàn yòu yī kuài bái shí héng jià zài shàng miàn。 liú lǎo lǎo biàn dù shí guò qù, shùn zhe shí zǐ yǒng lù zǒu qù, zhuǎn liǎo liǎng gè wān zǐ, zhǐ jiàn yòu yī fáng mén。 yú shì jìn liǎo fáng mén, zhǐ jiàn yíng miàn yī gè nǚ hái 'ér, mǎn miàn hán xiào yíng liǎo chū lái。 liú lǎo lǎo máng xiào dào:“ gū niàn men bǎ wǒ diū xià lái liǎo, yào wǒ pèng tóu pèng dào zhè lǐ lái。” shuō liǎo, zhǐ jué nà nǚ hái 'ér bù dá。 liú lǎo lǎo biàn gǎn lái lā tā de shǒu, " gū dōng " yī shēng, biàn zhuàng dào bǎn bì shàng, bǎ tóu pèng de shēng téng。 xì qiáo liǎo yī qiáo, yuán lái shì yī fú huà 'ér。 liú lǎo lǎo zì cǔn dào:“ yuán lái huà 'ér yòu zhè yàng huó tū chū lái de。 " yī miàn xiǎng, yī miàn kàn, yī miàn yòu yòng shǒu mō qù, què shì yī sè píng de, diǎn tóu tàn liǎo liǎng shēng。 yī zhuǎn shēn fāng dé liǎo yī gè xiǎo mén, mén shàng guà zhe cōng lǜ sǎ huā ruǎn lián。 liú lǎo lǎo xiān lián jìn qù, tái tóu yī kàn, zhǐ jiàn sì miàn qiáng bì líng lóng tī tòu, qín jiàn píng lú jiē tiē zài qiáng shàng, jǐn lóng shā zhào, jīn cǎi zhū guāng, lián dì xià cǎi de zhuān, jiē shì bì lǜ záo huā, jìng yuè fā bǎ yǎn huā liǎo, zhǎo mén chū qù, nà lǐ yòu mén? zuǒ yī jià shū, yòu yī jià píng。 gāng cóng píng hòu dé liǎo yī mén zhuǎn qù, zhǐ jiàn tā qìngjiā mǔ yě cóng wài miàn yíng liǎo jìn lái。 liú lǎo lǎo chà yì, máng wèn dào:“ nǐ xiǎng shì jiàn wǒ zhè jǐ rì méi jiā qù, kuī nǐ zhǎo wǒ lái。 nà yī wèi gū niàn dài nǐ jìn lái de? " tā qìngjiā zhǐ shì xiào, bù hái yán。 liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào:“ nǐ hǎo méi jiàn shì miàn, jiàn zhè yuán lǐ de huā hǎo, nǐ jiù méi sǐ huó dài liǎo yī tóu。” tā qìngjiā yě bù dá。 biàn xīn xià hū rán xiǎng qǐ:“ cháng tīng dà fù guì rén jiā yòu yī zhǒng chuān yī jìng, zhè bié shì wǒ zài jìng zǐ lǐ tóu ní bà。” shuō bì shēn shǒu yī mō, zài xì yī kàn, kě bù shì, sì miàn diāo kōng zǐ tán bǎn bì jiāng jìng zǐ qiàn zài zhōng jiān。 yīn shuō:“ zhè yǐ jīng lán zhù, rú hé zǒu chū qù ní? " yī miàn shuō, yī miàn zhǐ guǎn yòng shǒu mō。 zhè jìng zǐ yuán shì xī yáng jī kuò, kě yǐ kāi hé。 bù yì liú lǎo lǎo luàn mō zhī jiān, qí lì qiǎo hé, biàn zhuàng kāi xiāo xī, yǎn guò jìng zǐ, lù chū mén lái。 liú lǎo lǎo yòu jīng yòu xǐ, mài bù chū lái, hū jiàn yòu yī fù zuì jīng zhì de chuáng zhàng。 tā cǐ shí yòu dài liǎo qī bā fēn zuì, yòu zǒu fá liǎo, biàn yī pì gǔ zuò zài chuáng shàng, zhǐ shuō xiē xiē, bù chéng wàng shēn bù yóu jǐ, qián yǎng hòu hé de, méng lóng zhe liǎng yǎn, yī wāi shēn jiù shuì shú zài chuáng shàng。
qiě shuō zhòng rén děng tā bù jiàn, bǎn 'ér jiàn méi liǎo tā lǎo lǎo, jí de kū liǎo。 zhòng réndōu xiào dào:“ bié shì diào zài máo cè lǐ liǎo? kuài jiào rén qù qiáo qiáo。” yīn mìng liǎng gè pó zǐ qù zhǎo, huí lái shuō méi yòu。 zhòng rén gè chù sōu xún bù jiàn。 xí rén qí dào lù:“ shì tā zuì liǎo mí liǎo lù, shùn zhe zhè yī tiáo lù wǎng wǒ men hòu yuàn zǐ lǐ qù liǎo。 ruò jìn liǎo huā zhàng zǐ dào hòu fáng mén jìn qù, suī rán pèng tóu, hái yòu xiǎo yā tóu men zhī dào, ruò bù jìn huā zhàng zǐ zài wǎng xī nán shàng qù, ruò rào chū qù hái hǎo, ruò rào bù chū qù, kě gòu tā rào huí zǐ hǎo de。 wǒ qiě qiáo qiáo qù。” yī miàn xiǎng, yī miàn huí lái, jìn liǎo yí hóng yuàn biàn jiào rén, shuí zhī nà jǐ gè fáng zǐ lǐ xiǎo yā tóu yǐ tōu kōng wán qù liǎo。
xí rén yī zhí jìn liǎo fáng mén, zhuǎn guò jí jǐn К zǐ, jiù tīng de hān rú léi。 máng jìn lái, zhǐ wén jiàn jiǔ pì chòu qì, mǎn wū yī qiáo, zhǐ jiàn liú lǎo lǎo zhā shǒu wǔ jiǎo de yǎng wò zài chuáng shàng。 xí rén zhè yī jīng bù xiǎo, huāng máng gǎn shàng lái jiāng tā méi sǐ huó de tuī xǐng。 nà liú lǎo lǎo jīng xǐng, zhēng yǎn jiàn liǎo xí rén, lián máng pá qǐ lái dào:“ gū niàn, wǒ shī cuò liǎo! bìng méi nòng zàng liǎo chuáng zhàng。” yī miàn shuō yī miàn yòng shǒu qù dǎn。 xí rén kǒng jīng dòng liǎo rén, bèi bǎo yù zhī dào liǎo, zhǐ xiàng tā yáo shǒu, bù jiào tā shuō huà。 máng jiāng dǐng nèi zhù liǎo sān sì bǎ bǎi hé xiāng, réng yòng zhào zǐ zhào shàng。 xiē xū shōu shí shōu shí, suǒ xǐ bù céng 'ǒu tù, máng qiāoqiāo de xiào dào:“ bù xiāng gān, yòu wǒ ní。 nǐ suí wǒ chū lái。” liú lǎo lǎo gēn liǎo xí rén, chū zhì xiǎo yā tóu men fáng zhōng, mìng tā zuò liǎo, xiàng tā shuō dào:“ nǐ jiù shuō zuì dǎo zài shān zǐ shí shàng dǎ liǎo gè dǔn 'ér。” liú lǎo lǎo dāyìng zhī dào。 yòu yǔ tā liǎng wǎn chá chī, fāng jué jiǔ xǐng liǎo, yīn wèn dào:“ zhè shì nà gè xiǎo jiě de xiù fáng, zhè yàng jīng zhì? wǒ jiù xiàng dào liǎo tiān gōng lǐ de yī yàng。” xí rén wēi wēi xiào dào:“ zhè gè me, shì bǎo 'èr yé de wò shì。” nà liú lǎo lǎo xià de bù gǎn zuò shēng。 xí rén dài tā cóng qián miàn chū qù, jiàn liǎo zhòng rén, zhǐ shuō tā zài cǎo dì xià shuì zhe liǎo, dài liǎo tā lái de。 zhòng réndōu bù lǐ huì, yě jiù bà liǎo。
yī shí jiǎ mǔ xǐng liǎo, jiù zài dào xiāng cūn bǎi wǎn fàn。 jiǎ mǔ yīn jué lǎn lǎn de, yě bù chī fàn, biàn zuò liǎo zhú yǐ xiǎo chǎng jiào, huí zhì fáng zhōng xiē xī xué pài · tuán tǐ, mìng fèng jiě 'ér děng qù chī fàn。 tā zǐ mèi fāng fù jìn yuán lái。 yào zhī duān de héng héng
Chia Pao-yue tastes tea in the Lung Ts'ui monastery. Old goody Liu gets drunk and falls asleep in the I Hung court.
Old goody Liu, so the story goes, exclaimed, while making signs with both hands,
"The flower dropped and a huge melon formed;"
to the intense amusement of all the inmates, who burst into a boisterous fit of laughter. In due course, however, she drank the closing cup. Then she made another effort to evoke merriment. "To speak the truth to-day," she smilingly observed, "my hands and my feet are so rough, and I've had so much wine that I must be careful; or else I might, by a slip of the hand, break the porcelain cups. If you have got any wooden cups, you'd better produce them. It wouldn't matter then if even they were to slip out of my hands and drop on the ground!"
This joke excited some more mirth. But lady Feng, upon hearing this speedily put on a smile. "Well," she said, "if you really want a wooden one, I'll fetch you one at once! But there's just one word I'd like to tell you beforehand. Wooden cups are not like porcelain ones. They go in sets; so you'll have to do the right thing and drink from every cup of the set."
"I just now simply spoke in jest about those cups in order to induce them to laugh," old goody Liu at these words, mused within herself, "but, who would have thought that she actually has some of the kind. I've often been to the large households of village gentry on a visit, and even been to banquets there and seen both gold cups and silver cups; but never have I beheld any wooden ones about! Ah, of course! They must, I expect, be the wooden bowls used by the young children. Their object must be to inveigle me to have a couple of bowlfuls more than is good for me! But I don't mind it. This wine is, verily, like honey, so if I drink a little more, it won't do me any harm."
Bringing this train of thought to a close, "Fetch them!" she said aloud. "We'll talk about them by and bye."
Lady Feng then directed Feng Erh to go and bring the set of ten cups, made of bamboo roots, from the book-case in the front inner room. Upon hearing her orders, Feng Erh was about to go and execute them, when Yuean Yang smilingly interposed. "I know those ten cups of yours," she remarked, "they're small. What's more, a while back you mentioned wooden ones, and if you have bamboo ones brought now, it won't look well; so we'd better get from our place that set of ten large cups, scooped out of whole blocks of aspen roots, and pour the contents of all ten of them down her throat?"
"Yes, that would be much better," lady Feng smiled.
The cups were then actually brought by a servant, at the direction of Yuean Yang. At the sight of them, old goody Liu was filled with surprise as well as with admiration. Surprise, as the ten formed one set going in gradation from large to small; the largest being amply of the size of a small basin, the smallest even measuring two of those she held in her hand. Admiration, as they were all alike, engraved, in perfect style, with scenery, trees, and human beings, and bore inscriptions in the 'grass' character as well as the seal of the writer.
"It will be enough," she consequently shouted with alacrity, "if you give me that small one."
"There's no one," lady Feng laughingly insinuated, "with the capacity to tackle these! Hence it is that not a soul can pluck up courage enough to use them! But as you, old dame, asked for them, and they were fished out, after ever so much trouble, you're bound to do the proper thing and drink out of each, one after the other."
Old goody Liu was quite taken aback. "I daren't!" she promptly demurred. "My dear lady, do let me off!"
Dowager lady Chia, Mrs. Hsueeh and Madame Wang were quite alive to the fact that a person advanced in years as she was could not be gifted with such powers of endurance, and they hastened to smilingly expostulate. "To speak is to speak, and a joke is a joke, but she mayn't take too much," they said; "let her just empty this first cup, and have done."
"O-mi-to-fu!" ejaculated old goody Liu. "I'll only have a small cupful, and put this huge fellow away, and take it home and drink at my leisure."
At this remark, the whole company once more gave way to laughter. Yuean Yang had no alternative but to give in and she had to bid a servant fill a large cup full of wine. Old goody Liu laid hold of it with both hands and raised it to her mouth.
"Gently a bit!" old lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueeh shouted. "Mind you don't choke!"
Mrs. Hsueeh then told lady Feng to put some viands before her. "Goody Liu!" smiled lady Feng, "tell me the name of anything you fancy, and I'll bring it and feed you."
"What names can I know?" old goody Liu rejoined. "Everything is good!"
"Bring some egg-plant and salt-fish for her!" dowager lady Chia suggested with a smile.
Lady Feng, upon hearing this suggestion, complied with it by catching some egg-plant and salt-fish with two chopsticks and putting them into old goody Liu's mouth. "You people," she smiled, "daily feed on egg-plants; so taste these of ours and see whether they've been nicely prepared or not."
"Don't be making a fool of me!" old goody Liu answered smilingly. "If egg-plants can have such flavour, we ourselves needn't sow any cereals, but confine ourselves to growing nothing but egg-plants!"
"They're really egg-plants!" one and all protested. "She's not pulling your leg!"
Old goody Liu was amazed. "If these be actually egg-plants," she said, "I've uselessly eaten them so long! But, my lady, do give me a few more; I'd like to taste the next mouthful carefully!"
Lady Feng brought her, in very deed, another lot, and put it in her mouth. Old goody Liu munched for long with particular care. "There is, it's true, something about them of the flavour of egg-plant," she laughingly remarked, "yet they don't quite taste like egg-plants. But tell me how they're cooked, so that I may prepare them in the same way for myself."
"There's nothing hard about it!" lady Feng answered smiling. "You take the newly cut egg-plants and pare the skin off. All you want then is some fresh meat. You hash it into fine mince, and fry it in chicken fat. Then you take some dry chicken meat, and mix it with mushrooms, new bamboo shoots, sweet mushrooms, dry beancurd paste, flavoured with five spices, and every kind of dry fruits, and you chop the whole lot into fine pieces. You then bake all these things in chicken broth, until it's absorbed, when you fry them, to finish, in sweet oil, and adding some oil, made of the grains of wine, you place them in a porcelain jar, and close it hermetically. At any time that you want any to eat, all you have to do is to take out some, and mix it with some roasted chicken, and there it is all ready."
Old goody Liu a shook her head and put out her tongue. "My Buddha's ancestor!" she shouted. "One wants about ten chickens to prepare this dish! It isn't strange then that it has this flavour!"
Saying this, she quietly finished her wine. But still she kept on minutely scrutinizing the cup.
"Haven't you yet had enough to satisfy you?" lady Feng smiled. "If you haven't, well, then drink another cup."
"Dreadful!" eagerly exclaimed old goody Liu. "I shall be soon getting so drunk that it will be the very death of me. I was only looking at it as I admire pretty things like this! But what a trouble it must have cost to turn out!"
"Have you done with your wine?" Yuan Yang laughingly inquired. "But, after all, what kind of wood is this cup made of?"
"It isn't to be wondered at," old goody Liu smiled, "that you can't make it out Miss! How ever could you people, who live inside golden doors and embroidered apartments, know anything of wood! We have the whole day long the trees in the woods as our neighbours. When weary, we use them as our pillows and go to sleep on them. When exhausted, we sit with our backs leaning against them. When, in years of dearth, we feel the pangs of hunger, we also feed on them. Day after day, we see them with our eyes; day after day we listen to them with our ears; day after day, we talk of them with our mouths. I am therefore well able to tell whether any wood be good or bad, genuine or false. Do let me then see what it is!"
As she spoke, she intently scanned the cup for a considerable length of time. "Such a family as yours," she then said, "could on no account own mean things! Any wood that is easily procured, wouldn't even find a place in here. This feels so heavy, as I weigh it in my hands, that if it isn't aspen, it must, for a certainty, be yellow cedar."
Her rejoinder amused every one in the room. But they then perceived an old matron come up. After asking permission of dowager lady Chia to speak: "The young ladies," she said, "have got to the Lotus Fragrance pavilion, and they request your commands, as to whether they should start with the rehearsal at once or tarry a while."
"I forgot all about them!" old lady Chia promptly cried with a smile. "Tell them to begin rehearsing at once!"
The matron expressed her obedience and walked away. Presently, became audible the notes of the pan-pipe and double flute, now soft, now loud, and the blended accents of the pipe and fife. So balmy did the breeze happen to be and the weather so fine that the strains of music came wafted across the arbours and over the stream, and, needless to say, conduced to exhilarate their spirits and to cheer their hearts. Unable to resist the temptation, Pao-yue was the first to snatch a decanter and to fill a cup for himself. He quaffed it with one breath. Then pouring another cup, he was about to drain it, when he noticed that Madame Wang too was anxious for a drink, and that she bade a servant bring a warm supply of wine. "With alacrity, Pao-yue crossed over to her, and, presenting his own cup, he applied it to Madame Wang's lips. His mother drank two sips while he held it in his hands, but on the arrival of the warm wine, Pao-yue resumed his seat. Madame Wang laid hold of the warm decanter, and left the table, while the whole party quitted their places at the banquet; and Mrs. Hsueeh too rose to her feet.
"Take over that decanter from her," dowager lady Chia promptly shouted to Li Wan and lady Feng, "and press your aunt into a seat. We shall all then feel at ease!"
Hearing this, Madame Wang surrendered the decanter to lady Feng and returned to her seat.
"Let's all have a couple of cups of wine!" old lady Chia laughingly cried. "It's capital fun to-day!"
With this proposal, she laid hold of a cup and offered it to Mrs. Hsueeh. Turning also towards Hsiang-yuen and Pao-ch'ai: "You two cousins!" she added, "must also have a cup. Your cousin Lin can't take much wine, but even she mustn't be let off."
While pressing them, she drained her cup. Hsiang-yuen, Pao-ch'ai and Tai-y ue then had their drink. But about this time old goody Liu caught the strains of music, and, being already under the influence of liquor, her spirits became more and more exuberant, and she began to gesticulate and skip about. Her pranks amused Pao-yue to such a degree that leaving the table, he crossed over to where Tai-yue was seated and observed laughingly: "Just you look at the way old goody Liu is going on!"
"In days of yore," Tai-yue smiled, "every species of animal commenced to dance the moment the sounds of music broke forth. She's like a buffalo now."
This simile made her cousins laugh. But shortly the music ceased. "We've all had our wine," Mrs. Hsueeh smilingly proposed, "so let's go and stroll about for a time; we can after that sit down again!"
Dowager lady Chia herself was at the moment feeling a strong inclination to have a ramble. In due course, therefore, they all left the banquet and went with their old senior, for a walk. Dowager lady Chia, however, longed to take goody Liu along with her to help her dispel her ennui, so promptly seizing the old dame's hand in hers, they threaded their way as far as the trees, which stood facing the hill. After lolling about with her for a few minutes, "What kind of tree is this?" she went on to inquire of her. "What kind of stone is this? What species of flower is that?"
Old goody Liu gave suitable reply to each of her questions. "Who'd ever have imagined it," she proceeded to tell dowager lady Chia; "not only are the human beings in the city grand, but even the birds are grand. Why, the moment these birds fly into your mansion, they also become beautiful things, and acquire the gift of speech as well!"
The company could not make out the drift of her observations. "What birds get transformed into beautiful things and become able to speak?" they felt impelled to ask.
"Those perched on those gold stands, under the verandah, with green plumage and red beaks are parrots. I know them well enough!" Goody Liu replied. "But those old black crows in the cages there have crests like phoenixes! They can talk too!"
One and all laughed. But not long elapsed before they caught sight of several waiting-maids, who came to invite them to a collation.
"After the number of cups of wine I've had," old lady Chia said, "I don't feel hungry. But never mind, bring the things here. We can nibble something at our leisure."
The maids speedily went off and fetched two teapoys; but they also brought a couple of small boxes with partitions. When they came to be opened and to be examined, the contents of each were found to consist of two kinds of viands. In the one, were two sorts of steamed eatables. One of these was a sweet cake, made of lotus powder, scented with sun-flower. The other being rolls with goose fat and fir cone seeds. The second box contained two kinds of fried eatables; one of which was small dumplings, about an inch in size.
"What stuffing have they put in them?" dowager lady Chia asked.
"They're with crabs inside," 'hastily rejoined the matrons.
Their old mistress, at this reply, knitted her eyebrows. "These fat, greasy viands for such a time!" she observed. "Who'll ever eat these things?"
But finding, when she came to inspect the other kind, that it consisted of small fruits of flour, fashioned in every shape, and fried in butter, she did not fancy these either. She then however pressed Mrs. Hsueeh to have something to eat, but Mrs. Hsueeh merely took a piece of cake, while dowager lady Chia helped herself to a roll; but after tasting a bit, she gave the remaining half to a servant girl.
Goody Liu saw how beautifully worked those small flour fruits were, made as they were in various colours and designs, and she took, after picking and choosing, one which looked like a peony. "The most ingenious girls in our village could not, even with a pair of scissors, cut out anything like this in paper!" she exclaimed. "I would like to eat it, but I can't make up my mind to! I had better pack up a few and take them home and give them to them as specimens!"
Her remarks amused every one.
"When you start for home," dowager lady Chia said, "I'll give you a whole porcelain jar full of them; so you may as well eat these first, while they are hot!"
The rest of the inmates selected such of the fruits as took their fancy, but after they had helped themselves to one or two, they felt satisfied. Goody Liu, however, had never before touched such delicacies. These were, in addition, made small, dainty, and without the least semblance of clumsiness, so when she and Pan Erh had served themselves to a few of each sort, half the contents of the dish vanished. But what remained of them were then, at the instance of lady Feng, put into two plates, and sent, together with a partition-box, to Wen Kuan and the other singing girls as their share.
At an unexpected moment, they perceived the nurse come in with Ta Chieh-erh in her arms, and they all induced her to have a romp with them for a time. But while Ta Chieh-erh was holding a large pumelo and amusing herself with it, she casually caught sight of Pan Erh with a 'Buddha's hand.' Ta Chieh would have it. A servant-girl endeavoured to coax (Pan-Erh) to surrender it to her, but Ta Chieh-erh, unable to curb her impatience, burst out crying. It was only after the pumelo had been given to Pan-Erh, and that the 'Buddha's hand' had, by dint of much humouring, been got from Pan Erh and given to her, that she stopped crying.
Pan Erh had played quite long enough with the 'Buddha's hand,' and had, at the moment, his two hands laden with fruits, which he was in the course of eating. When he suddenly besides saw how scented and round the pumelo was, the idea dawned on him that it was more handy for play, and, using it as a ball, he kicked it along and went off to have some fun, relinquishing at once every thought of the 'Buddha's hand.'
By this time dowager lady Chia and the other members had had tea, so leading off again goody Liu, they threaded their way to the Lung Ts'ui monastery. Miao Yue hastened to usher them in. On their arrival in the interior of the court, they saw the flowers and trees in luxuriant blossom.
"Really," smiled old lady Chia, "it's those people, who devote themselves to an ascetic life and have nothing to do, who manage, by constant repairs, to make their places much nicer than those of others!"
As she spoke, she wended her steps towards the Eastern hall. Miao Yue, with a face beaming with smiles, made way for her to walk in. "We've just been filling ourselves with wines and meats," dowager lady Chia observed, "and with the josses you've got in here, we shall be guilty of profanity. We'd better therefore sit here! But give us some of that good tea of yours; and we'll get off so soon as we have had a cup of it."
Pao-yue watched Miao Yue's movements intently, when he noticed her lay hold of a small tea-tray, fashioned in the shape of a peony, made of red carved lacquer, and inlaid with designs in gold representing a dragon ensconced in the clouds with the character 'longevity' clasped in its jaws, a tray, which contained a small multicoloured cup with cover, fabricated at the 'Ch'eng' Kiln, and present it to his grandmother.
"I don't care for 'Liu An' tea!" old lady Chia exclaimed.
"I know it; but this is old 'Chuen Mei,'" Miao Yue answered with a smile.
Dowager lady Chia received the cup. "What water is this?" she went on to inquire.
"It's rain water collected last year;" Miao Yue added by way of reply.
Old lady Chia readily drank half a cup of the tea; and smiling, she proffered it to goody Liu. "Just you taste this tea!" she said.
Goody Liu drained the remainder with one draught. "It's good, of course," she remarked laughingly, "but it's rather weak! It would be far better were it brewed a little stronger!"
Dowager lady Chia and all the inmates laughed. But subsequently, each of them was handed a thin, pure white covered cup, all of the same make, originating from the 'Kuan' kiln. Miao Yue, however, soon gave a tug at Pao-ch'ai's and Tai-yue's lapels, and both quitted the apartment along with her. But Pao-yue too quietly followed at their heels. Spying Miao Yue show his two cousins into a side-room, Pao-ch'ai take a seat in the court, Tai-yue seat herself on Miao Yue's rush mat, and Miao Yue herself approach a stove, fan the fire and boil some water, with which she brewed another pot of tea, Pao-yue walked in. "Are you bent upon drinking your own private tea?" he smiled.
"Here you rush again to steal our tea," the two girls laughed with one accord. "There's none for you!"
But just as Miao Yue was going to fetch a cup, she perceived an old taoist matron bring away the tea things, which had been used in the upper rooms. "Don't put that 'Ch'eng' kiln tea-cup by!" Miao Yue hastily shouted. "Go and put it outside!"
Pao-yue understood that it must be because old goody Liu had drunk out of it that she considered it too dirty to keep. He then saw Miao Yue produce two other cups. The one had an ear on the side. On the bowl itself were engraved in three characters: 'calabash cup,' in the plain 'square' writing. After these, followed a row of small characters in the 'true' style, to the effect that the cup had been an article much treasured by Wang K'ai. Next came a second row of small characters stating: 'that in the course of the fourth moon of the fifth year of Yuan Feng, of the Sung dynasty, Su Shih of Mei Shan had seen it in the 'Secret' palace.
This cup, Miao Yue filled, and handed to Pao-ch'ai.
The other cup was, in appearance, as clumsy as it was small; yet on it figured an engraved inscription, consisting of 'spotted rhinoceros cup,' in three 'seal' characters, which bore the semblance of pendent pearls. Miao Yue replenished this cup and gave it to Tai-yue; and taking the green jade cup, which she had, on previous occasions, often used for her own tea, she filled it and presented it to Pao-yue.
"'The rules observed in the world,' the adage says, 'must be impartial,'" Pao-yue smiled. "But while my two cousins are handling those antique and rare gems, here am I with this coarse object!"
"Is this a coarse thing?" Miao Yue exclaimed. "Why, I'm making no outrageous statement when I say that I'm inclined to think that it is by no means certain that you could lay your hand upon any such coarse thing as this in your home!"
"'Do in the country as country people do,' the proverb says," Pao-yue laughingly rejoined. "So when one gets in a place like this of yours, one must naturally look down upon every thing in the way of gold, pearls, jade and precious stones, as coarse rubbish!"
This sentiment highly delighted Miao Yue. So much so, that producing another capacious cup, carved out of a whole bamboo root, which with its nine curves and ten rings, with twenty knots in each ring, resembled a coiled dragon, "Here," she said with a face beaming with smiles, "there only remains this one! Can you manage this large cup?"
"I can!" Pao-yue vehemently replied, with high glee.
"Albeit you have the stomach to tackle all it holds," Miao Yue laughed, "I haven't got so much tea for you to waste! Have you not heard how that the first cup is the 'taste'-cup; the second 'the stupid-thing-for- quenching-one's-thirst,' and the third 'the drink-mule' cup? But were you now to go in for this huge cup, why what more wouldn't that be?"
At these words, Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue and Pao-yue simultaneously indulged in laughter. But Miao-yue seized the teapot, and poured well-nigh a whole cupful of tea into the big cup. Pao-yue tasted some carefully, and found it, in real truth, so exceptionally soft and pure that he extolled it with incessant praise.
"If you've had any tea this time," Miao-Yue pursued with a serious expression about her face, "it's thanks to these two young ladies; for had you come alone, I wouldn't have given you any."
"I'm well aware of this," Pao-yue laughingly rejoined, "so I too will receive no favour from your hands, but simply express my thanks to these two cousins of mine, and have done!"
"What you say makes your meaning clear enough!" Miao-yue said, when she heard his reply.
"Is this rain water from last year?" Tai-yue then inquired.
"How is it," smiled Miao Yue sardonically, "that a person like you can be such a boor as not to be able to discriminate water, when you taste it? This is snow collected from the plum blossom, five years back, when I was in the P'an Hsiang temple at Hsuean Mu. All I got was that flower jar, green as the devil's face, full, and as I couldn't make up my mind to part with it and drink it, I interred it in the ground, and only opened it this summer. I've had some of it once before, and this is the second time. But how is it you didn't detect it, when you put it to your lips? Has rain water, obtained a year back, ever got such a soft and pure flavour? and how possibly could it be drunk at all?"
Tai-yue knew perfectly what a curious disposition she naturally had, and she did not think it advisable to start any lengthy discussion with her. Nor did she feel justified to protract her stay, so after sipping her tea, she intimated to Pao-ch'ai her intention to go, and they quitted the apartment.
Pao-yue gave a forced smile to Miao Yue. "That cup," he said, "is, of course, dirty; but is it not a pity to put it away for no valid reason? To my idea it would be preferable, wouldn't it? to give it to that poor old woman; for were she to sell it, she could have the means of subsistence! What do you say, will it do?"
Miao Yue listened to his suggestion, and then nodded her head, after some reflection. "Yes, that will be all right!" she answered. "Lucky for her I've never drunk a drop out of that cup, for had I, I would rather have smashed it to atoms than have let her have it! If you want to give it to her, I don't mind a bit about it; but you yourself must hand it to her! Now, be quick and clear it away at once!"
"Of course; quite so!" Pao-yue continued. "How could you ever go and speak to her? Things would then come to a worse pass. You too would be contaminated! If you give it to me, it will be all right."
Miao Yue there and then directed some one to fetch it and to give it to Pao-yue. When it was brought, Pao-yue took charge of it. "Wait until we've gone out," he proceeded, "and I'll call a few servant-boys and bid them carry several buckets of water from the stream and wash the floors; eh, shall I?"
"Yes, that would be better!" Miao Yue smiled. "The only thing is that you must tell them to bring the water, and place it outside the entrance door by the foot of the wall; for they mustn't come in."
"This goes without saying!" Pao-yue said; and, while replying, he produced the cup from inside his sleeve, and handed it to a young waiting-maid from dowager lady Chia's apartments to hold. "To-morrow," he told her, "give this to goody Liu to take with her, when she starts on her way homewards!"
By the time he made (the girl) understand the charge he entrusted her with, his old grandmother issued out and was anxious to return home. Miao Yue did not exert herself very much to induce her to prolong her visit; but seeing her as far the main gate, she turned round and bolted the doors. But without devoting any further attention to her, we will now allude to dowager lady Chia.
She felt thoroughly tired and exhausted. To such a degree, that she desired Madame Wang, Ying Ch'un and her sisters to see that Mrs. Hsueeh had some wine, while she herself retired to the Tao Hsiang village to rest. Lady Feng immediately bade some servants fetch a bamboo chair. On its arrival, dowager lady Chia seated herself in it, and two matrons carried her off hemmed in by lady Feng, Li Wan and a bevy of servant-girls, and matrons. But let us now leave her to herself, without any additional explanations.
During this while, Mrs. Hsueeh too said good bye and departed. Madame Wang then dismissed Wen Kuan and the other girls, and, distributing the eatables, that had been collected in the partition-boxes, to the servant-maids to go and feast on, she availed herself of the leisure moments to lie off; so reclining as she was, on the couch, which had been occupied by her old relative a few minutes back, she bade a young maid lower the portiere; after which, she asked her to massage her legs.
"Should our old lady yonder send any message, mind you call me at once," she proceeded to impress on her mind, and, laying herself down, she went to sleep.
Pao-yue, Hsiang-yuen and the rest watched the servant-girls take the partition-boxes and place them among the rocks, and seat themselves some on boulders, others on the turf-covered ground, some lean against the trees, others squat down besides the pool, and thoroughly enjoy themselves. But in a little time, they also perceived Yuean Yang arrive. Her object in coming was to carry off goody Liu for a stroll, so in a body they followed in their track, with a view of deriving some fun. Shortly, they got under the honorary gateway put up in the additional grounds, reserved for the imperial consort's visits to her parents, and old goody Liu shouted aloud: "Ai-yoh! What! Is there another big temple here!"
While speaking, she prostrated herself and knocked her head, to the intense amusement of the company, who were quite doubled up with laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" goody Liu inquired. "I can decipher the characters on this honorary gateway. Over at our place temples of this kind are exceedingly plentiful; and they've all got archways like this! These characters give the name of the temple."
"Can you make out from those characters what temple this is?" they laughingly asked.
Goody Liu quickly raised her head, and, pointing at the inscription, "Are'nt these," she said, "the four characters 'Pearly Emperor's Precious Hall?'"
Everybody laughed. They clapped their hands and applauded. But when about to chaff her again, goody Liu experienced a rumbling noise in her stomach, and vehemently pulling a young servant-girl, and asking her for a couple of sheets of paper, she began immediately to loosen her garments. "It won't do in here!" one and all laughingly shouted out to her, and quickly they directed a matron to lead her away. When they got at the north-east corner, the matron pointed the proper place out to her, and in high spirits she walked off and went to have some rest.
Goody Liu had taken plenty of wine; she could not too touch yellow wine; she had, what is more, drunk and eaten so many fat things that in the thirst, which supervened, she had emptied several cups of tea; the result was that she unavoidably got looseness of the bowels. She therefore squatted for ever so long before she felt any relief. But on her exit from the private chamber, the wind blew the wine to her head. Besides, being a woman well up in years, she felt, upon suddenly rising from a long squatting position, her eyes grow so dim and her head so giddy that she could not make out the way. She gazed on all four quarters, but the whole place being covered with trees, rockeries, towers, terraces, and houses, she was quite at a loss how to determine her whereabouts, and where each road led to. She had no alternative but to follow a stone road, and to toddle on her way with leisurely step. But when she drew near a building, she could not make out where the door could be. After searching and searching, she accidentally caught sight of a bamboo fence. "Here's another trellis with flat bean plants creeping on it!" Goody Liu communed within herself. While giving way to reflection, she skirted the flower-laden hedge, and discovering a moonlike, cavelike, entrance, she stepped in. Here she discerned, stretching before her eyes a sheet of water, forming a pond, which measured no more than seven or eight feet in breadth. Its banks were paved with slabs of stone. Its jadelike waves flowed in a limpid stream towards the opposite direction. At the upper end, figured a slab of white marble, laid horizontally over the surface. Goody Liu wended her steps over the slab and followed the raised stone-road; then turning two bends, in the lake, an entrance into a house struck her gaze. Forthwith, she crossed the doorway, but her eyes were soon attracted by a young girl, who advanced to greet her with a smile playing upon her lips.
"The young ladies," goody Liu speedily remarked laughing, "have cast me adrift; they made me knock about, until I found my way in here."
But seeing, after addressing her, that the girl said nothing by way of reply, goody Liu approached her and seized her by the hand, when, with a crash, she fell against the wooden partition wall and bumped her head so that it felt quite sore. Upon close examination, she discovered that it was a picture. "Do pictures really so bulge out!" Goody Liu mused within herself, and, as she exercised her mind with these cogitations, she scanned it and rubbed her hand over it. It was perfectly even all over. She nodded her head, and heaved a couple of sighs. But the moment she turned round, she espied a small door over which hung a soft portiere, of leek-green colour, bestrewn with embroidered flowers. Goody Liu lifted the portiere and walked in. Upon raising her head, and casting a glance round, she saw the walls, artistically carved in fretwork. On all four sides, lutes, double-edged swords, vases and censers were stuck everywhere over the walls; and embroidered covers and gauze nets, glistened as brightly as gold, and shed a lustre vying with that of pearls. Even the bricks, on the ground, on which she trod, were jadelike green, inlaid with designs, so that her eyes got more and more dazzled. She tried to discover an exit, but where could she find a doorway? On the left, was a bookcase. On the right, a screen. As soon as she repaired behind the screen, she faced a door; but, she then caught sight of another old dame stepping in from outside, and advancing towards her. Goody Liu was wonderstruck. Her mind was full of uncertainty as to whether it might not be her son-in-law's mother. "I expect," she felt prompted to ask with vehemence, "you went to the trouble of coming to hunt for me, as you didn't see me turn up at home for several days, eh? But what young lady introduced you in here?" Then noticing that her whole head was bedecked with flowers, old goody Liu laughed. "How ignorant of the ways of the world you are!" she said. "Seeing the nice flowers in this garden, you at once set to work, forgetful of all consequences, and loaded your pate with them!"
However, while she derided her, the other old dame simply laughed, without making any rejoinder. But the recollection suddenly flashed to her memory that she had often heard of some kind of cheval-glasses, found in wealthy and well-to-do families, and, "May it not be," (she wondered), "my own self reflected in this glass!" After concluding this train of thoughts, she put out her hands, and feeling it and then minutely scrutinising it, she realised that the four wooden partition walls were made of carved blackwood, into which mirrors had been inserted. "These have so far impeded my progress," she consequently exclaimed, "and how am I to manage to get out?"
As she soliloquised, she kept on rubbing the mirror. This mirror was, in fact, provided with some western mechanism, which enabled it to open and shut, so while goody Liu inadvertently passed her hands, quite at random over its surface, the pressure happily fell on the right spot, and opening the contrivance, the mirror flung round, exposing a door to view. Old goody Liu was full of amazement as well as of admiration. With hasty step, she egressed. Her eyes unexpectedly fell on a most handsome set of bed-curtains. But being at the time still seven or eight tenths in the wind, and quite tired out from her tramp, she with one jump squatted down on the bed, saying to herself: "I'll just have a little rest." So little, however, did she, contrary to her expectations, have any control over herself, that, as she reeled backwards and forwards, her eyes got quite drowsy, and then the moment she threw herself in a recumbent position, she dropped into a sound sleep.
But let us now see what the others were up to. They waited for her and waited; but they saw nothing of her. Pan Erh got, in the absence of his grandmother, so distressed that he melted into tears. "May she not have fallen into the place?" one and all laughingly observed. "Be quick and tell some one to go and have a look!"
Two matrons were directed to go in search of her; but they returned and reported that she was not to be found. The whole party instituted a search in every nook and corner, but nothing could be seen of her.
"She was so drunk," Hsi Jen suggested, "that she's sure to have lost her way, and following this road, got into our back-rooms. Should she have crossed to the inner side of the hedge, she must have come to the door of the backhouse and got in. Nevertheless, the young maids, she must have come across, must know something about her. If she did not get inside the hedge, but continued in a south westerly direction, she's all right, if she made a detour and walked out. But if she hasn't done so, why, she'll have enough of roaming for a good long while! I had better therefore go and see what she's up to."
With these words still on her lips, she retraced her footsteps and repaired into the I Hung court. She called out to the servants, but, who would have thought it, the whole bevy of young maids, attached to those rooms, had seized the opportunity to go and have a romp, so Hsi Jen straightway entered the door of the house. As soon as she turned the multicoloured embroidered screen, the sound of snoring as loud as peals of thunder, fell on her ear. Hastily she betook herself inside, but her nostrils were overpowered by the foul air of wine and w..d, which infected the apartment. At a glance, she discovered old goody Liu lying on the bed, face downwards, with hands sprawled out and feet knocking about all over the place. Hsi Jen sustained no small shock. With precipitate hurry, she rushed up to her, and, laying hold of her, lying as she was more dead than alive, she pushed her about until she succeeded in rousing her to her senses. Old goody Liu was startled out of her sleep. She opened wide her eyes, and, realising that Hsi Jen stood before her, she speedily crawled up. "Miss!" she pleaded. "I do deserve death! I have done what I shouldn't; but I haven't in any way soiled the bed."
So saying, she swept her hands over it. But Hsi Jen was in fear and trembling lest the suspicions of any inmate should be aroused, and lest Pao-yue should come to know of it, so all she did was to wave her hand towards her, bidding her not utter a word. Then with alacrity grasping three or four handfuls of 'Pai Ho' incense, she heaped it on the large tripod, which stood in the centre of the room, and put the lid back again; delighted at the idea that she had not been so upset as to be sick.
"It doesn't matter!" she quickly rejoined in a low tone of voice with a smile, "I'm here to answer for this. Come along with me!"
While old goody Liu expressed her readiness to comply with her wishes, she followed Hsi Jen out into the quarters occupied by the young maids. Here (Hsi Jen) desired her to take a seat. "Mind you say," she enjoined her, "that you were so drunk that you stretched on a boulder and had a snooze!"
"All right! I will!" old goody Liu promised.
Hsi Jen afterwards helped her to two cups of tea, when she, at length, got over the effects of the wine. "What young lady's room is this that it is so beautiful?" she then inquired. "It seemed to me just as if I had gone to the very heavenly palace."
Hsi Jen gave a faint smile. "This one?" she asked. "Why, it's our master Secundus', Mr. Pao's bedroom."
Old goody Liu was quite taken aback, and could not even presume to utter a sound. But Hsi Jen led her out across the front compound; and, when they met the inmates of the family, she simply explained to them that she had found her fast asleep on the grass, and brought her along. No one paid any heed to the excuse she gave, and the subject was dropped.
Presently, dowager lady Chia awoke, and the evening meal was at once served in the Tao Hsiang Ts'un. Dowager lady Chia was however quite listless, and felt so little inclined to eat anything that she forthwith got into a small open chair, with bamboo seat, and returned to her suite of rooms to rest. But she insisted that lady Feng and her companions should go and have their repast, so the young ladies eventually adjourned once more into the garden.
But, reader, you do not know the sequel, so peruse the circumstances given in detail in the next chapter.
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