中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì wǔ shí sì huí shǐ tài jūn pò chén fǔ jiù tào wáng xī fèng xiào xì cǎi bān yī CHAPTER LIV.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER LIV. què shuō jiǎ zhēn jiǎ liǎn 'àn 'àn yù bèi xià dà bǒ luó de qián, tīng jiàn jiǎ mǔ shuō " shǎng ", tā men yě máng mìng xiǎo sī men kuài sǎ qián。 zhǐ tīng mǎn tái qián xiǎng, jiǎ mǔ dà yuè。
èr rén suì qǐ shēn, xiǎo sī men máng jiāng yī bǎ xīn nuǎn yín hú pěng zài jiǎ liǎn shǒu nèi, suí liǎo jiǎ zhēn qū zhì lǐ miàn。 jiǎ zhēn xiān zhì lǐ shěn xí shàng, gōng shēn qǔ xià bēi lái, huí shēn, jiǎ liǎn máng zhēn liǎo yī zhǎn, rán hòu biàn zhì xuē yí mā xí shàng, yě zhēn liǎo。 èr rén máng qǐ shēn xiào shuō: “ èr wèi yé qǐng zuò zhe bà liǎo, hé bì duō lǐ。 ” yú shì chú xíng wáng 'èr fū rén, mǎn xí dū lí liǎo xí, jù chuí shǒu bàng shì。 jiǎ zhēn děng zhì jiǎ mǔ tà qián, yīn tà 'ǎi, èr rén biàn qū xī guì liǎo。 jiǎ zhēn zài xiān pěng bēi, jiǎ liǎn zài hòu pěng hú。 suī zhǐ 'èr rén fèng jiǔ, nà jiǎ huán dì xiōng děng, què yě shì pái bān 'àn xù, yī liù suí zhe tā 'èr rén jìn lái, jiàn tā 'èr rén guì xià, yědōu yī liù guì xià。 bǎo yù yě máng guì xià liǎo。 shǐ xiāng yún qiǎo tuī tā xiào dào:“ nǐ zhè huì yòu bāng zhe guì xià zuò shénme? yòu zhè yàng, nǐ yě qù zhēn yī xún jiǔ qǐ bù hǎo? " bǎo yù qiǎo xiào dào:“ zài děng yī huì zǐ zài zhēn qù。” shuō zhe, děng tā 'èr rén zhēn wán qǐ lái, fāng qǐ lái。 yòu yǔ xíng fū rén wáng fū rén zhēn guò lái。 jiǎ zhēn xiào dào:“ mèi mèi men zěn me yàng ní? " jiǎ mǔ děngdōu shuō:“ nǐ men qù bà, tā men dǎo piányí xiē。” shuō liǎo, jiǎ zhēn děng fāng tuì chū。
dāng xià tiān wèi 'èr gǔ, xì yǎn de shì《 bā yì》 zhōng《 guān dēng》 bā chū。 zhèng zài rè nào zhī jì, bǎo yù yīn xià xí wǎng wài zǒu。 jiǎ mǔ yīn shuō:“ nǐ wǎng nà lǐ qù! wài tóu bào zhú lì hài, zǎi xì tiān shàng diào xià huǒ zhǐ lái shāo liǎo。” bǎo yù huí shuō:“ bù wǎng yuǎn qù, zhǐ chū qù jiù lái。” jiǎ mǔ mìng pó zǐ men hǎo shēng gēn zhe。 yú shì bǎo yù chū lái, zhǐ yòu shè yuè qiū wén bìng jǐ gè xiǎo yā tóu suí zhe。 jiǎ mǔ yīn shuō:“ xí rén zěn me bù jiàn? tā rú jīn yě yòu xiē ná dà liǎo, dān zhī shǐ xiǎo nǚ hái zǐ chū lái。” wáng fū rén máng qǐ shēn xiào huí dào:“ tā mā qián rì méi liǎo, yīn yòu rè xiào, bù biàn qián tóu lái。” jiǎ mǔ tīng liǎo diǎn tóu, yòu xiào dào:“ gēn zhù zǐ què jiǎng bù qǐ zhè xiào yǔ bù xiào。 ruò shì tā hái gēn wǒ, nán dào zhè huì zǐ yě bù zài zhè lǐ bù chéng? jiē yīn wǒ men tài kuān liǎo, yòu rén shǐ, bù chá zhè xiē, jìng chéng liǎo lì liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér máng guò lái xiào huí dào:“ jīn 'ér wǎn shàng tā biàn méi xiào, nà yuán zǐ lǐ yě xū dé tā kàn zhe, dēng zhú huā pào zuì shì dān xiǎn de。 zhè lǐ yī chàng xì, yuán zǐ lǐ de rén shuí bù tōu lái qiáo qiáo。 tā hái xì xīn, gè chù zhào kàn zhào kàn。 kuàng qiě zhè yī sàn hòu bǎo xiōng dì huí qù shuì jué, gè sè dōushì qí quán de。 ruò tā zài lái liǎo, zhòng rén yòu bù jīng xīn, sàn liǎo huí qù, pū gài yě shì lěng de, chá shuǐ yě bù qí bèi, gè sè dōubù piányí, suǒ yǐ wǒ jiào tā bù yòng lái, zhǐ kàn wū zǐ。 sàn liǎo yòu qí bèi, wǒ men zhè lǐ yě bù dān xīn, yòu kě yǐ quán tā de lǐ, qǐ bù sān chù yòu yì。 lǎo zǔ zōng yào jiào tā, wǒ jiào tā lái jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ tīng liǎo zhè huà, máng shuō:“ nǐ zhè huà hěn shì, bǐ wǒ xiǎng de zhōu dào, kuài bié jiào tā liǎo。 dàn zhǐ tā mā jǐ shí méi liǎo, wǒ zěn me bù zhī dào。” fèng jiě xiào dào:“ qián 'ér xí rén qù qīn zì huí lǎo tài tài de, zěn me dǎo wàng liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng xiào shuō:“ xiǎng qǐ lái liǎo。 wǒ de jì xìng jìng píng cháng liǎo。 " zhòng réndōu xiào shuō:“ lǎo tài tài nà lǐ jì dé zhè xiē shì。” jiǎ mǔ yīn yòu tàn dào:“ wǒ xiǎng zhe, tā cóng xiǎo 'ér fú shì liǎo wǒ yīcháng, yòu fú shì liǎo yún 'ér yīcháng, mò hòu gěi liǎo yī gè mó wáng bǎo yù, kuī tā mó liǎo zhè jǐ nián。 tā yòu bù shì zán men jiā de gēn shēng tǔ cháng de nú cái, méi shòu guò zán men shénme dà 'ēn diǎn。 tā mā méi liǎo, wǒ xiǎng zhe yào gěi tā jǐ liǎng yín zǐ fā sòng, yě jiù wàng liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér dào:“ qián 'ér tài tài shǎng liǎo tā sì shí liǎng yín zǐ, yě jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ tīng shuō, diǎn tóu dào:“ zhè hái bà liǎo。 zhèng hǎo yuān yāng de niàn qián 'ér yě sǐ liǎo, wǒ xiǎng tā lǎo zǐ niàn dōuzài nán biān, wǒ yě méi jiào tā jiā qù zǒu zǒu shǒu xiào, rú jīn jiào tā liǎng gè yī chù zuò bàn 'ér qù。” yòu mìng pó zǐ jiāng xiē guǒ zǐ cài zhuàn diǎn xīn zhī lèi yǔ tā liǎng gè chī qù。 hǔ pò xiào shuō:“ hái děng zhè huì zǐ ní, tā zǎo jiù qù liǎo。” shuō zhe, dà jiā yòu chī jiǔ kàn xì。
qiě shuō bǎo yù yī jìng lái zhì yuán zhōng, zhòng pó zǐ jiàn tā huí fáng, biàn bù gēn qù, zhǐ zuò zài yuán mén lǐ chá fáng lǐ kǎo huǒ, hé guǎn chá de nǚ rén tōu kōng yǐn jiǔ dǒu pái。 bǎo yù zhì yuàn zhōng zì shí wéi yáo、 shùn、 yǔ xīn xīn xiāng chuán de gè rén xiū yǎng hé zhì lǐ guó jiā de jī běn yuán, suī shì dēng guāng càn làn, què wú rén shēng。 shè yuè dào:“ tā mendōu shuì liǎo bù chéng? zán men qiāoqiāo de jìn qù hǔ tā men yī tiào。” yú shì dà jiā niè zú qián zōng de jìn liǎo jìng bì yī kàn, zhǐ jiàn xí rén hé yī rén 'èr rén duì miàn dū wāi zài dì kàng shàng, nà yī tóu yòu liǎng sān gè lǎo mó mó dǎ dǔn。 bǎo yù zhǐ dāng tā liǎng gè shuì zhe liǎo, cái yào jìn qù, hū tīng yuān yāng tàn liǎo yī shēng, shuō dào:“ kě zhī tiān xià shì nán dìng。 lùn lǐ nǐ dān shēn zài zhè lǐ, fù mǔ zài wài tóu, měi nián tā men dōng qù xī lái, méi gè dìng zhǔn, xiǎng lái nǐ shì bù néng sòng zhōng de liǎo, piān shēng jīn nián jiù sǐ zài zhè lǐ, nǐ dǎo chū qù sòng liǎo zhōng。” xí rén dào:“ zhèng shì。 wǒ yě xiǎng bù dào néng gòu kàn fù mǔ huí shǒu。 tài tài yòu shǎng liǎo sì shí liǎng yín zǐ, zhè dǎo yě suàn yǎng wǒ yīcháng, wǒ yě bù gǎn wàng xiǎng liǎo。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo, máng zhuǎn shēn qiǎo xiàng shè yuè děng què *:“ shuí zhī tā yě lái liǎo。 wǒ zhè yī jìn qù, tā yòu dǔ qì zǒu liǎo, bù rú zán men huí qù bà, ràng tā liǎng gè qīng qīng jìng jìng de shuō yī huí。 xí rén zhèng yī gè mèn zhe, tā xìng 'ér lái de hǎo。” shuō zhe, réng qiāoqiāo de chū lái。
bǎo yù biàn zǒu guò shān shí zhī hòu qù zhàn zhe liáo yī, shè yuè qiū wén jiē zhàn zhù bèi guò liǎn qù, kǒu nèi xiào shuō:“ dūn xià zài jiě xiǎo yī, zǎi xì fēng chuī liǎo dù zǐ。” hòu miàn liǎng gè xiǎo yā tóu zǐ zhī shì xiǎo jiě, máng xiān chū qù chá fáng yù bèi qù liǎo。 zhè lǐ bǎo yù gāng zhuǎn guò lái, zhǐ jiàn liǎng gè xí fù zǐ yíng miàn lái liǎo, wèn shì shuí, qiū wén dào:“ bǎo yù zài zhè lǐ, nǐ dà hū xiǎo jiào, zǎi xì hǔ zhe bà。” nà xí fù men máng xiào dào:“ wǒ men bù zhī dào, dà jié xià lái rě huò liǎo。 gū niàn men kě lián rì xīn kǔ liǎo。 " shuō zhe, yǐ dào liǎo gēn qián。 shè yuè děng wèn:“ shǒu lǐ ná de shì shénme? " xí fù men dào:“ shì lǎo tài tài shǎng jīn, huā 'èr wèi gū niàn chī de。 " qiū wén xiào dào:“ wài tóu chàng de shì《 bā yì》, méi chàng《 hùn yuán hé》, nà lǐ yòu páo chū ’ jīn huā niàn niàn’ lái liǎo。” bǎo yù xiào mìng:“ jiē qǐ lái wǒ qiáo qiáo。” qiū wén shè yuè máng shàng qù jiāng liǎng gè hé zǐ jiē kāi。 liǎng gè xí fù máng dūn xià shēn zǐ, bǎo yù kàn liǎo liǎng hé nèi dū shì xí shàng suǒ yòu de shàng děng guǒ pǐn cài zhuàn, diǎn liǎo yī diǎn tóu, mài bù jiù zǒu。 shè yuè 'èr rén máng hú luàn zhì liǎo hé gài, gēn shàng lái。 bǎo yù xiào dào:“ zhè liǎng gè nǚ rén dǎo hé qì, huì shuō huà, tā men tiān tiān fá liǎo, dǎo shuō nǐ men lián rì xīn kǔ, dǎo bù shì nà jīn gōng zì fá de。” shè yuè dào:“ zhè hǎo de yě hěn hǎo, nà bù zhī lǐ de yě tài bù zhī lǐ。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ nǐ men shì míng bái rén, dān dài tā men shì cū bèn kě lián de rén jiù wán liǎo。” yī miàn shuō, yī miàn lái zhì yuán mén。 nà jǐ gè pó zǐ suī chī jiǔ dǒu pái, què bù zhù chū lái dǎ tàn, jiàn bǎo yù lái liǎo, yědōu gēn shàng liǎo。 lái zhì huā tīng hòu láng shàng, zhǐ jiàn nà liǎng gè xiǎo yā tóu yī gè pěng zhe xiǎo mù pén, yī gè dā zhuóshǒu jīn, yòu ná zhe 'òu zǐ hú zài nà lǐ jiǔ děng。 qiū wén xiān máng shēn shǒu xiàng pén nèi shì liǎo yī shì, shuō dào:“ nǐ yuè dà yuè cū xīn liǎo, nà lǐlòng de zhè lěng shuǐ。” xiǎo yā tóu xiào dào:“ gū niàn qiáo qiáo zhè gè tiān, wǒ pà shuǐ lěng, bā bā de dǎo de shì gǔn shuǐ, zhè hái lěng liǎo。” zhèng shuō zhe, kě qiǎo jiàn yī gè lǎo pó zǐ tí zhe yī hú gǔn shuǐ zǒu lái。 xiǎo yā tóu biàn shuō:“ hǎo nǎi nǎi, guò lái gěi wǒ dǎo shàng xiē。 " nà pó zǐ dào:“ gē gē 'ér, zhè shì lǎo tài tài pào chá de, quàn nǐ zǒu liǎo yǎo qù bà, nà lǐ jiù zǒu dà liǎo jiǎo。” qiū wén dào:“ píng nǐ shì shuí de, nǐ bù gěi? wǒ guǎn bǎ lǎo tài tài chá diào zǐ dǎo liǎo xǐ shǒu。” nà pó zǐ huí tóu jiàn shì qiū wén, máng tí qǐ hú lái jiù dǎo。 qiū wén dào:“ gòu liǎo。 nǐ zhè me dà nián jì yě méi gè jiàn shí, shuí bù zhī shì lǎo tài tài de shuǐ! yào bù zhe de rén jiù gǎn yào liǎo。” pó zǐ xiào dào:“ wǒ yǎn huā liǎo, méi rèn chū zhè gū niàn lái。” bǎo yù xǐ liǎo shǒu, nà xiǎo yā tóu zǐ ná xiǎo hú dǎo liǎo xiē 'òu zǐ zài tā shǒu nèi, bǎo yù 'òu liǎo。 qiū wén shè yuè yě chèn rè shuǐ xǐ liǎo yī huí, òu liǎo, gēn jìn bǎo yù lái。
bǎo yù biàn yào liǎo yī hú nuǎn jiǔ, yě cóng lǐ shěn xuē yí mā zhēn qǐ, èr rén yě ràng zuò。 jiǎ mǔ biàn shuō:“ tā xiǎo, ràng tā zhēn qù, dà jiā dǎo yào gān guò zhè bēi。” shuō zhe, biàn zì jǐ gān liǎo。 xíng wáng 'èr fū rén yě máng gān liǎo, ràng tā 'èr rén。 xuē lǐ yě zhǐ dé gān liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ yòu mìng bǎo yù dào:“ lián nǐ jiě jiě mèi mèi yī qí zhēn shàng, bù xǔ luàn zhēn, dōuyào jiào tā gān liǎo。” bǎo yù tīng shuō, dāyìng zhe, yī yī 'àn cì zhēn liǎo。 zhì dài yù qián, piān tā bù yǐn, ná qǐ bēi lái, fàng zài bǎo yù chún shàng biān, bǎo yù yī qì yǐn gān。 dài yù xiào shuō:“ duō xiè。” bǎo yù tì tā zhēn shàng yī bēi。 fèng jiě 'ér biàn xiào dào:“ bǎo yù, bié hē lěng jiǔ, zǎi xì shǒu chàn, míng 'ér xiě bù dé zì, lā bù dé gōng。” bǎo yù máng dào:“ méi yòu chī lěng jiǔ。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ wǒ zhī dào méi yòu, bù guò bái zhǔ fù nǐ。” rán hòu bǎo yù jiāng lǐ miàn zhēn wán, zhǐ chú jiǎ róng zhī qī shì yā tóu men zhēn de。 fù chū zhì láng shàng, yòu yǔ jiǎ zhēn děng zhēn liǎo。 zuò liǎo yī huí, fāng jìn lái réng guī jiù zuò。
yī shí shàng tānɡ hòu, yòu jiē xiàn yuán xiāo lái。 jiǎ mǔ biàn mìng jiāng xì zàn xiē xiē:“ xiǎo hái zǐ men kě lián jiàn de, yě gěi tā men xiē gǔn tānɡ gǔn cài de chī liǎo zài chàng。” yòu mìng jiāng gè sè guǒ zǐ yuán xiāo děng wù ná xiē yǔ tā men chī qù。 yī shí xiē liǎo xì, biàn yòu pó zǐ dài liǎo liǎng gè mén xià cháng zǒu de nǚ xiān shēng 'ér jìn lái, fàng liǎng zhāng wù zǐ zài nà yī biān mìng tā zuò liǎo de shì jiè guān, jiù yòu shénme yàng de fāng fǎ lùn。 yòng biàn zhèng wéi wù zhù yì de shì jiè guān, jiāng xián zǐ pí pá dì guò qù。 jiǎ mǔ biàn wèn lǐ xuē tīng hé shū, tā 'èr réndōu huí shuō:“ bù jū shénme dōuhǎo。” jiǎ mǔ biàn wèn:“ jìn lái kě yòu tiān xiē shénme xīn shū? " nà liǎng gè nǚ xiān 'ér huí shuō dào:“ dǎo yòu yī duàn xīn shū, shì cán táng wǔ dài de gù shì。” jiǎ mǔ wèn shì hé míng, nǚ xiān 'ér dào:“ jiào zuò《 fèng qiú luán》。” jiǎ mǔ dào:“ zhè yī gè míng zì dǎo hǎo, bù zhī yīn shénme qǐ de, xiān dà gài shuō shuō yuán gù, ruò hǎo zài shuō。” nǚ xiān 'ér dào:“ zhè shū shàng nǎi shuō cán táng zhī shí, yòu yī wèi xiāng shēn, běn shì jīn líng rén shì, míng huàn wáng zhōng, céng zuò guò liǎng cháo zǎi fǔ。 rú jīn gào lǎo hái jiā, xī xià zhǐ yòu yī wèi gōng zǐ, míng huàn wáng xī fèng。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo, xiào jiāng qǐ lái。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhè zhòng liǎo wǒ men fèng yā tóu liǎo。” xí fù máng shàng qù tuī tā, " zhè shì 'èr nǎi nǎi de míng zì, shǎo húnshuō。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ nǐ shuō, nǐ shuō。” nǚ xiān shēng máng xiào zhe zhàn qǐ lái, shuō:“ wǒ men gāi sǐ liǎo, bù zhī shì nǎi nǎi de huì。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ pà shénme, nǐ men zhǐ guǎn shuō bà, zhòng míng zhòng xìng de duō ní。” nǚ xiān shēng yòu shuō dào:“ zhè nián wáng lǎo yé dǎ fā liǎo wáng gōng zǐ shàng jīng gǎn kǎo, nà rì yù jiàn dà yǔ, jìn dào yī gè zhuāng shàng bì yǔ。 shuí zhī zhè zhuāng shàng yě yòu gè xiāng shēn, xìng lǐ, yǔ wáng lǎo yé shì shì jiāo, biàn liú xià zhè gōng zǐ zhù zài shū fáng lǐ。 zhè lǐ xiāng shēn xī xià wú 'ér, zhǐ yòu yī wèi qiān jīn xiǎo jiě。 zhè xiǎo jiě fāng míng jiào zuò chú luán, qín qí shū huà, wú suǒ bù tōng。” jiǎ mǔ máng dào:“ guài dào jiào zuò《 fèng qiú luán》。 bù yòng shuō, wǒ cāizháo liǎo, zì rán shì zhè wáng xī fèng yào qiú zhè chú luán xiǎo jiě wéi qī。” nǚ xiān 'ér xiào dào:“ lǎo zǔ zōng yuán lái tīng guò zhè yī huí shū。” zhòng rén dū dào:“ lǎo tài tài shénme méi tīng guò! biàn méi tīng guò, yě cāizháo liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhè xiē shū dū shì yī gè tào zǐ, zuǒ bù guò shì xiē jiā rén cái zǐ, zuì méi qù 'ér。 bǎ rén jiā nǚ 'ér shuō de nà yàng huài, hái shuō shì jiā rén, biān de lián yǐng 'ér yě méi yòu liǎo。 kāi kǒu dōushì shū xiāng mén dì, fù qīn bù shì shàng shū jiù shì zǎixiàng, shēng yī gè xiǎo jiě bì shì 'ài rú zhēn bǎo。 zhè xiǎo jiě bì shì tōng wén zhī lǐ, wú suǒ bù xiǎo, jìng shì gè jué dài jiā rén。 zhǐ yī jiàn liǎo yī gè qīng jùn de nán rén, bù guǎn shì qīn shì yǒu, biàn xiǎng qǐ zhōng shēn dà shì lái, fù mǔ yě wàng liǎo, shū lǐ yě wàng liǎo, guǐ bù chéng guǐ, zéi bù chéng zéi, nà yī diǎn 'ér shì jiā rén? biàn shì mǎn fù wén zhāng, zuò chū zhè xiē shì lái, yě suàn bù dé shì jiā rén liǎo。 bǐ rú nán rén mǎn fù wén zhāng qù zuò zéi, nán dào nà wáng fǎ jiù shuō tā shì cái zǐ, jiù bù rù zéi qíng yī 'àn bù chéng? kě zhī nà biān shū de shì zì jǐ sài liǎo zì jǐ de zuǐ。 zài zhě, jì shuō shì shì huàn shū xiāng dà jiā xiǎo jiě dōuzhī lǐ dú shū, lián fū réndōu zhī shū shí lǐ, biàn shì gào lǎo hái jiā, zì rán zhè yàng dà jiā rén kǒu bù shǎo, nǎi mǔ yā huán fú shì xiǎo jiě de rén yě bù shǎo, zěn me zhè xiē shū shàng, fán yòu zhè yàng de shì, jiù zhǐ xiǎo jiě hé jǐn gēn de yī gè yā huán? nǐ men bái xiǎng xiǎng, nà xiē réndōu shì guǎn shénme de, kě shì qián yán bù dá hòu yǔ? " zhòng rén tīng liǎo, dū xiào shuō:“ lǎo tài tài zhè yī shuō, shì huǎng dū pī chū lái liǎo。 " jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhè yòu gè yuán gù: biān zhè yàng shū de, yòu yī děng dù rén jiā fù guì, huò yòu qiú bù suì xīn, suǒ yǐ biān chū lái wū huì rén jiā。 zài yī děng, tā zì jǐ kàn liǎo zhè xiē shū kàn mó liǎo, tā yě xiǎng yī gè jiā rén, suǒ yǐ biān liǎo chū lái qǔ lè。 hé cháng tā zhī dào nà shì huàn dú shū jiā de dào lǐ! bié shuō tā nà shū shàng nà xiē shì huàn shū lǐ dà jiā, rú jīn yǎn xià zhēn de, ná wǒ men zhè zhōng děng rén jiā shuō qǐ, yě méi yòu zhè yàng de shì, bié shuō shì nà xiē dà jiā zǐ。 kě zhī shì zhōu diào liǎo xià bā de huà。 suǒ yǐ wǒ men cóng bù xǔ shuō zhè xiē shū, yā tóu men yě bù dǒng zhè xiē huà。 zhè jǐ nián wǒ lǎo liǎo, tā men zǐ mèi men zhù de yuǎn, wǒ 'ǒu rán mèn liǎo, shuō jǐ jù tīng tīng, tā men yī lái, jiù máng xiē liǎo。” lǐ xuē 'èr réndōu xiào shuō:“ zhè zhèng shì dà jiā de guīju, lián wǒ men jiā yě méi zhè xiē zá huà gěi hái zǐ men tīng jiàn。”
fèng jiě 'ér zǒu shàng lái zhēn jiǔ, xiào dào:“ bà, bà, jiǔ lěng liǎo, lǎo zǔ zōng hē yī kǒu rùn rùn sǎng zǐ zài bāi huǎng。 zhè yī huí jiù jiào zuò《 bāi huǎng jì》, jiù chū zài běn cháo běn dì běn nián běn yuè běn rì běn shí, lǎo zǔ zōng yī zhāng kǒu nán shuō liǎng jiā huà, huā kāi liǎng duǒ, gè biǎo yī zhī, shì zhēn shì huǎng qiě bù biǎo, zài zhěng nà guān dēng kàn xì de rén。 lǎo zǔ zōng qiě ràng zhè 'èr wèi qīn qī chī yī bēi jiǔ kàn liǎng chū xì zhī hòu, zài cóng zuó cháo huà yán bāi qǐ rú hé? " tā yī miàn zhēn jiǔ, yī miàn xiào shuō, wèi céng shuō wán, zhòng rén jù yǐ xiào dǎo。 liǎng gè nǚ xiān shēng yě xiào gè bù zhù, dōushuō:“ nǎi nǎi hǎo gāng kǒu。 nǎi nǎi yào yī shuō shū, zhēn lián wǒ men chī fàn de dì fāng yě méi liǎo。” xuē yí mā xiào dào:“ nǐ shǎo xīng tóu xiē, wài tóu yòu rén, bǐ bù dé wǎng cháng。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ wài tóu de zhǐ yòu yī wèi zhēn dà yé。 wǒ men hái shì lùn gē gē mèi mèi, cóng xiǎo 'ér yī chù táo qì liǎo zhè me dà。 zhè jǐ nián yīn zuò liǎo qīn, wǒ rú jīn lì liǎo duō shǎo guīju liǎo。 biàn bù shì cóng xiǎo 'ér de xiōng mèi, biàn yǐ bó shū lùn, nà《 èr shí sì xiào》 shàng’ bān yī xì cǎi’, tā men bù néng lái’ xì cǎi’ yǐn lǎo zǔ zōng xiào yī xiào, wǒ zhè lǐ hǎo róng yì yǐn de lǎo zǔ zōng xiào liǎo yī xiào, duō chī liǎo yī diǎn 'ér dōng xī, dà jiā xǐ huān, dū gāi xiè wǒ cái shì, nán dào fǎn xiào huà wǒ bù chéng? " jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ kě shì zhè liǎng rì wǒ jìng méi yòu tòng tòng de xiào yīcháng, dǎo shì kuī tā cái yī lù xiào de wǒ xīn lǐ tòng kuài liǎo xiē, wǒ zài chī yī zhōng jiǔ。” chī zhe jiǔ, yòu mìng bǎo yù:“ yě jìng nǐ jiě jiě yī bēi。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ bù yòng tā jìng, wǒ tǎo lǎo zǔ zōng de shòu bà。” shuō zhe, biàn jiāng jiǎ mǔ de bēi ná qǐ lái, jiāng bàn bēi shèng jiǔ chī liǎo, jiāng bēi dì yǔ yā huán, lìng jiāng wēn shuǐ jìn de bēi huàn liǎo yī gè shàng lái。 yú shì gè xí shàng de bēi dū chè qù, lìng jiāng wēn shuǐ jìn zhe dài huàn de bēi zhēn liǎo xīn jiǔ shàng lái, rán hòu guī zuò。
nǚ xiān shēng huí shuō:“ lǎo zǔ zōng bù tīng zhè shū, huò zhě dàn yī tào qǔzǐ tīng tīng bà。” jiǎ mǔ biàn shuō dào:“ nǐ men liǎng gè duì yī tào《 jiāng jūn lìng》 bà。” èr rén tīng shuō, máng hé xián 'àn tiáobō nòng qǐ lái。 jiǎ mǔ yīn wèn:“ tiān yòu jǐ gèng liǎo。” zhòng pó zǐ máng huí:“ sān gèng liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ dào:“ guài dào hán jìn jìn de qǐ lái。” zǎo yòu zhòng yā huán ná liǎo tiān huàn de yī cháng sòng lái。 wáng fū rén qǐ shēn xiào shuō dào:“ lǎo tài tài bù rú nuó jìn nuǎn gé lǐ dì kàng shàng dǎo yě bà liǎo。 zhè 'èr wèi qīn qī yě bù shì wài rén, wǒ men péi zhe jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ tīng shuō, xiào dào:“ jì zhè yàng shuō, bù rú dà jiādōu nuó jìn qù, qǐ bù nuǎnhuo? " wáng fū rén dào:“ kǒng lǐ jiān zuò bù xià。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ wǒ yòu dào lǐ。 rú jīn yě bù yòng zhè xiē zhuō zǐ, zhǐ yòng liǎng sān zhāng bìng qǐ lái, dà jiā zuò zài yī chù jǐ zhe, yòu qīn xiāng, yòu nuǎnhuo。” zhòng rén dū dào:“ zhè cái yòu qù。” shuō zhe, biàn qǐ liǎo xí。 zhòng xí fù máng chè qù cán xí, lǐ miàn zhí shùn bìng liǎo sān zhāng dà zhuō, lìng yòu tiān huàn liǎo guǒ zhuàn bǎi hǎo。 jiǎ mǔ biàn shuō:“ zhè dū bù yào jū lǐ, zhǐ tīng wǒ fēn pài nǐ men jiù zuò cái hǎo。” shuō zhe biàn ràng xuē lǐ zhèng miàn shàng zuò, zì jǐ xī xiàng zuò liǎo, jiào bǎo qín, dài yù, xiāng yún sān rén jiē jǐn yǐ zuǒ yòu zuò xià, xiàng bǎo yù shuō:“ nǐ 'āi zhe nǐ tài tài。” yú shì xíng fū rén wáng fū rén zhī zhōng jiā zhe bǎo yù, bǎo chāi děng zǐ mèi zài xī biān, āi cì xià qù biàn shì lóu shì dài zhe jiǎ jūn, yóu shì lǐ wán jiā zhe jiǎ lán, xià miàn héng tóu biàn shì jiǎ róng zhī qī。 jiǎ mǔ biàn shuō:“ zhēn gē 'ér dài zhe nǐ xiōng dì men qù bà, wǒ yě jiù shuì liǎo。”
jiǎ zhēn máng dāyìng, yòu dū jìn lái。 jiǎ mǔ dào:“ kuài qù bà! bù yòng jìn lái, cái zuò hǎo liǎo, yòu dū qǐ lái。 nǐ kuài xiē zhe, míng rì hái yòu dà shì ní。” jiǎ zhēn máng dāyìng liǎo wén yú qí, rén chēng xián shī。, yòu xiào shuō:“ liú xià róng 'ér zhēn jiǔ cái shì。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhèng shì wàng liǎo tā。 " jiǎ zhēn dāyìng liǎo yī gè " shì ", biàn zhuǎn shēn dài lǐng jiǎ liǎn děng chū lái。 èr rén zì shì huān xǐ, biàn mìng rén jiāng jiǎ cóng jiǎ huáng gè zì sòng huí jiā qù, biàn yāo liǎo jiǎ liǎn qù zhuī huān mǎi xiào, bù zài huà xià。
zhè lǐ jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ wǒ zhèng xiǎng zhe suī rán zhè xiē rén qǔ lè, jìng méi yī duì shuāng quán de, jiù wàng liǎo róng 'ér。 zhè kě quán liǎo, róng 'ér jiù hé nǐ xí fù zuò zài yī chù, dǎo yě tuán yuán liǎo。” yīn yòu xí fù huí shuō kāi xì, jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ wǒ men niàn 'ér men zhèng shuō de xīng tóu, yòu yào chǎo qǐ lái。 kuàng qiě nà hái zǐ men 'áo yè guài lěng de, yě bà, jiào tā men qiě xiē xiē, bǎ zán men de nǚ hái zǐ men jiào liǎo lái, jiù zài zhè tái shàng chàng liǎng chū gěi tā men qiáo qiáo。” xí fù tīng liǎo, dāyìng liǎo chū lái, máng de yī miàn zhe rén wǎng dà guān yuán qù chuán rén, yī miàn 'èr mén kǒu qù chuán xiǎo sī men cìhou。 xiǎo sī men máng zhì xì fáng jiāng bān zhōng suǒ yòu de dà rén yī gài dài chū, zhǐ liú xià xiǎo hái zǐ men。
yī shí, lí xiāng yuàn de jiào xí dài liǎo wén guān děng shí 'èr gè rén, cóng yóu láng jiǎo mén chū lái。 pó zǐ men bào zhe jǐ gè ruǎn bāo, yīn bù jí tái xiāng, gū liào zhe jiǎ mǔ 'ài tīng de sān wǔ chū xì de cǎi yī bāo liǎo lái。 pó zǐ men dài liǎo wén guān děng jìn qù jiàn guò, zhǐ chuí shǒu zhàn zhe。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ dà zhèng yuè lǐ, nǐ shī fù yě bù fàng nǐ men chū lái guàng guàng。 nǐ děng chàng shénme? gāng cái bā chū << bā yì》 nào dé wǒ tóu téng, zán men qīng dàn xiē hǎo。 nǐ qiáo qiáo, xuē yí tài tài zhè lǐ qìngjiā tài tài dōushì yòu xì de rén jiā, bù zhī tīng guò duō shàohǎo xì de。 zhè xiē gū niàn dū bǐ zán men jiā gū niàn jiàn guò hǎo xì, tīng guò hǎo qǔzǐ。 rú jīn zhè xiǎo xì zǐ yòu shì nà yòu míng wán xì jiā de bān zǐ, suī shì xiǎo hái zǐ men, què bǐ dà bān hái qiáng。 zán men hǎo dǎi bié luò liǎo bāo biǎn, shǎo bù dé nòng gè xīn yàng 'ér de。 jiào fāng guān chàng yī chū《 xún mèng》, zhǐ tí qín zhì guǎn xiāo hé, shēng dí yī gài bù yòng。” wén guān xiào dào:“ zhè yě shì de, wǒ men de xì zì rán bù néng rù yí tài tài hé qìngjiā tài tài gū niàn men de yǎn, bù guò tīng wǒ men yī gè fā tuō kǒu chǐ, zài tīng yī gè hóu lóng bà liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhèng shì zhè huà liǎo。” lǐ shěn xuē yí mā xǐ dedōu xiào dào:“ hǎo gè líng tòu hái zǐ, tā yě gēn zhe lǎo tài tài dǎ qù wǒ men。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ wǒ men zhè yuán shì suí biàn de wán yì 'ér, yòu bù chū qù zuò mǎi mài, suǒ yǐ jìng bù dà hé shí。” shuō zhe yòu dào:“ jiào kuí guān chàng yī chū《 huì míng xià shū》, yě bù yòng mǒ liǎn。 zhǐ yòng zhè liǎng chū jiào tā men tīng gè shū yì bà liǎo。 ruò shěng yī diǎn lì, wǒ kě bù yǐ。” wén guān děng tīng liǎo chū lái, máng qù bàn yǎn shàng tái, xiān shì《 xún mèng》, cì shì《 xià shū》。 zhòng réndōu yā què wú wén, xuē yí mā yīn xiào dào:“ shí zài kuī tā, xì yě kàn guò jǐ bǎi bān, cóng méi jiàn yòng xiāo guǎn de。” jiǎ mǔ dào:“ yě yòu, zhǐ shì xiàng fāng cái《 xī lóu。 chǔ jiāng qíng》 yī zhī, duō yòu xiǎo shēng chuī xiāo hé de。 zhè dà tào de shí zài shǎo, zhè yě zài zhù rén jiǎng jiū bù jiǎng jiū bà liǎo。 zhè suàn shénme chū qí? " zhǐ xiāng yún dào:“ wǒ xiàng tā zhè me dà de shí jié, tā yé yé yòu yī bān xiǎo xì, piān yòu yī gè tánqín de còu liǎo lái, jí rú《 xī xiāng jì》 de《 tīng qín》,《 yù zān jì》 de《 qín tiǎo》,《 xù pí pá》 de《 hú qié shí bā pāi》, jìng chéng liǎo zhēn de liǎo, bǐ zhè gè gèng rú hé? " zhòng rén dū dào:“ zhè gèng nán dé liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ biàn mìng gè xí fù lái, fēn fù wén guān děng jiào tā men chuī yī tào《 dēng yuè yuán》。 xí fù lǐng mìng 'ér qù。
dāng xià jiǎ róng fū qī 'èr rén pěng jiǔ yī xún, fèng jiě 'ér yīn jiàn jiǎ mǔ shí fēn gāo xīng, biàn xiào dào:“ chèn zhe nǚ xiān 'ér men zài zhè lǐ, bù rú jiào tā men jī gǔ, zán men chuán méi lú suō( JeanJacquesRousseau, 1712 héng 1778) fǎ guó qǐ méng sī, xíng yī gè’ chūn xǐ shàng méi shāo’ de lìng rú hé? " jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhè shì gè hǎo lìng, zhèng duì shí duì jǐng。” máng mìng rén qǔ liǎo yī miàn hēi qī tóng dīng huā qiāng lìng gǔ lái, yǔ nǚ xiān 'ér men jī zhe, xí shàng qǔ liǎo yī zhī hóng méi。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ ruò dào shuí shǒu lǐ zhù liǎo, chī yī bēi, yě yào shuō gè shénme cái hǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ yǐ wǒ shuō, shuí xiàng lǎo zǔ zōng yào shénme yòu shénme ní。 wǒ men zhè bù huì de, qǐ bù méi yì sī。 yǐ wǒ shuō yě yào yǎ sú gòng shǎng, bù rú shuí shū liǎo shuí shuō gè xiào huà bà。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo, dōuzhī dào tā sù rì shàn shuō xiào huà, zuì shì tā dù nèi yòu wú xiàn de xīn xiān qù tán。 jīn 'ér rú cǐ shuō, bù dàn zài xí de zhū rén xǐ huān, lián dì xià fú shì de lǎo xiǎo rén děng wú bù xǐ huān。 nà xiǎo yā tóu zǐ mendōu máng chū qù, zhǎo jiě huàn mèi de gào sù tā men:“ kuài lái tīng, èr nǎi nǎi yòu shuō xiào huà 'ér liǎo。 " zhòng yā tóu zǐ men biàn jǐ liǎo yī wū zǐ。 yú shì xì wán lè bà。 jiǎ mǔ mìng jiāng xiē tānɡ diǎn guǒ cài yǔ wén guān děng chī qù, biàn mìng xiǎng gǔ。 nà nǚ xiān 'ér men jiē shì guàn de, huò jǐn huò màn, huò rú cán lòu zhī dī, huò rú bèng dòu zhī jí, huò rú jīng mǎ zhī luàn chí, huò rú jí diàn zhī guāng 'ér hū 'àn。 qí gǔ shēng màn, chuán méi yì màn, gǔ shēng jí, chuán méi yì jí。 qià qià zhì jiǎ mǔ shǒu zhōng, gǔ shēng hū zhù。 dà jiā hē hē yī xiào, jiǎ róng máng shàng lái zhēn liǎo yī bēi。 zhòng réndōu xiào dào:“ zì rán lǎo tài tài xiān xǐ liǎo, wǒ men cái tuō lài xiē xǐ。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhè jiǔ yě bà liǎo, zhǐ shì zhè xiào huà dǎo yòu xiē gè nán shuō。” zhòng réndōu shuō:“ lǎo tài tài de bǐ fèng jiě 'ér de hái hǎo hái duō, shǎng yī gè wǒ men yě xiào yī xiào 'ér。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ bìng méi shénme xīn xiān fā xiào de, shǎo bù dé lǎo liǎn pí zǐ hòu de shuō yī gè bà liǎo。” yīn shuō dào:“ yī jiā zǐ yǎng liǎo shí gè 'ér zǐ, qǔ liǎo shí fáng xí fù。 wéi yòu dì shí gè xí fù líng lì, xīn qiǎo zuǐ guāi, gōng pó zuì téng, chéng rì jiā shuō nà jiǔ gè bù xiào shùn。 zhè jiǔ gè xí fù wěi qū, biàn shāng yì shuō: ‘ zán men jiǔ gè xīn lǐ xiào shùn, zhǐ shì bù xiàng nà xiǎo tí zǐ zuǐ qiǎo, suǒ yǐ gōng gōng pó pó lǎo liǎo, zhǐ shuō tā hǎo, zhè wěi qū xiàng shuí sù qù?’ dà xí fù yòu zhù yì, biàn shuō dào:’ zán men míng 'ér dào yán wáng miào qù shāo xiāng, hé yán wáng yé shuō qù, wèn tā yī wèn, jiào wǒ men tuō shēng rén, wèishénme dān dān de gěi nà xiǎo tí zǐ yī zhāng guāi zuǐ, wǒ mendōu shì bèn de。’ zhòng rén tīng liǎo dū xǐ huān, shuō zhè zhù yì bù cuò。 dì 'èr rì biàn dū dào yán wáng miào lǐ lái shāo liǎo xiāng, jiǔ gè réndōu zài gòngzhuō dǐ xià shuì zhe liǎo。 jiǔ gè hún zhuān děng yán wáng jià dào, zuǒ děng bù lái, yòu děng yě bù dào。 zhèng zhe jí, zhǐ jiàn sūn xíng zhě jià zhe jīn dǒu yún lái liǎo, kàn jiàn jiǔ gè hún biàn yào ná jīn gū bàng dǎ, hǔ dé jiǔ gè hún máng guì xià yāng qiú。 sūn xíng zhě wèn yuán gù, jiǔ gè rén máng xì xì de gào sù liǎo tā。 sūn xíng zhě tīng liǎo, bǎ jiǎo yī duǒ, tàn liǎo yī kǒu qì dào:’ zhè yuán gù xìng kuī yù jiàn wǒ, děng zhe yán wáng lái liǎo, tā yě bù dé zhī dào de。’ jiǔ gè rén tīng liǎo, jiù qiú shuō:’ dà shèng fā gè cí bēi, wǒ men jiù hǎo liǎo。’ sūn xíng zhě xiào dào:’ zhè què bù nán。 nà rì nǐ men zhóu lǐ shí gè tuō shēng shí, kě qiǎo wǒ dào yán wáng nà lǐ qù de, yīn wéi sǎ liǎo pào niào zài dì xià, nǐ nà xiǎo shěn zǐ biàn chī liǎo。 nǐ men rú jīn yào líng lì zuǐ guāi, yòu de shì niào, zài sǎ pào nǐ men chī liǎo jiù shì liǎo。” shuō bì, dà jiādōu xiào qǐ lái。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ hǎo de, xìng 'ér wǒ mendōu bèn zuǐ bèn sāi de, bù rán yě jiù chī liǎo hóu 'ér niào liǎo。 " yóu shì lóu shì dū xiào xiàng lǐ wán dào:“ zán men zhè lǐ shuí shì chī guò hóu 'ér niào de, bié zhuāng méi shì rén 'ér。” xuē yí mā xiào dào:“ xiào huà 'ér bù zài hǎo dǎi, zhǐ yào duì jǐng jiù fā xiào。” shuō zhe yòu jī qǐ gǔ lái。 xiǎo yā tóu zǐ men zhǐ yào tīng fèng jiě 'ér de xiào huà, biàn qiāoqiāo de hé nǚ xiān 'ér shuō míng, yǐ ké sòu wéi jì。 xū yú chuán zhì liǎng biàn, gāng dào liǎo fèng jiě 'ér shǒu lǐ, xiǎo yā tóu zǐ men gù yì ké sòu, nǚ xiān 'ér biàn zhù liǎo。 zhòng rén qí xiào dào:“ zhè kě ná zhù tā liǎo。 kuài chī liǎo jiǔ shuō yī gè hǎo de, bié tài dòu de rén xiào de cháng zǐ téng。” fèng jiě 'ér xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng, xiào dào:“ yī jiā zǐ yě shì guò zhèng yuè bàn, hé jiā shǎng dēng chī jiǔ, zhēn zhēn de rè nào fēi cháng, zǔ pó pó, tài pó pó, pó pó, xí fù, sūn zǐ xí fù, chóngsūn zǐ xí fù, qīn sūn zǐ, zhí sūn zǐ, chóngsūn zǐ, huī sūn zǐ, dī dī dā dā de sūn zǐ, sūn nǚ 'ér, wài sūn nǚ 'ér, yí biǎo sūn nǚ 'ér, gū biǎo sūn nǚ 'ér, …… ài yō yō, zhēn hǎo rè nào! " zhòng rén tīng tā shuō zhe, yǐ jīng xiào liǎo, dōushuō:“ tīng shǔpínzuǐ, yòu bù zhī biān pài nà yī gè ní。” yóu shì xiào dào:“ nǐ yào zhāo wǒ, wǒ kě sī nǐ de zuǐ。” fèng jiě 'ér qǐ shēn pāi shǒu xiào dào:“ rén jiā fèi lì shuō, nǐ men hùn, wǒ jiù bù shuō liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ nǐ shuō nǐ shuō, dǐ xià zěn me yàng? " fèng jiě 'ér xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng, xiào dào:“ dǐ xià jiù tuán tuán de zuò liǎo yī wū zǐ, chī liǎo yī yè jiǔ jiù sàn liǎo。” zhòng rén jiàn tā zhèng yán lì sè de shuō liǎo, bié wú tā huà, dū zhèng zhèng de hái děng xià huà, zhǐ jué bīng lěng wú wèi。 shǐ xiāng yún kàn liǎo tā bàn rì。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ zài shuō yī gè guò zhèng yuè bàn de。 jǐ gè rén tái zhe gè fáng zǐ dà de pào zhàng wǎng chéng wài fàng qù, yǐn liǎo shàng wàn de rén gēn zhe qiáo qù。 yòu yī gè xìng jí de rén děng bù dé, biàn tōu zhe ná xiāng diǎn zhe liǎo。 zhǐ tīng’ pū chī’ yī shēng, zhòng rén hōng rán yī xiào dū sàn liǎo。 zhè tái pào zhàng de rén bào yuàn mài pào zhàng de П de bù jié shí, méi děng fàng jiù sàn liǎo。” xiāng yún dào:“ nán dào tā běn rén méi tīng jiàn xiǎng? " fèng jiě 'ér dào:“ zhè běn rén yuán shì lóng zǐ。” zhòng rén tīng shuō, yī huí xiǎng, bù jué yī qí shī shēng dōudà xiào qǐ lái。 yòu xiǎng zhe xiān qián nà yī gè méi wán de, wèn tā:“ xiān yī gè zěn me yàng? yě gāi shuō wán。” fèng jiě 'ér jiāng zhuō zǐ yī pāi, shuō dào:“ hǎo luó suō, dào liǎo dì 'èr rì shì shí liù rì, nián yě wán liǎo, jié yě wán liǎo, wǒ kàn zhe rén máng zhe shōu dōng xī hái nào bù qīng, nà lǐ hái zhī dào dǐ xià de shì liǎo。” zhòng rén tīng shuō, fù yòu xiào jiāng qǐ lái。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ wài tóu yǐ jīng sì gèng, yǐ wǒ shuō, lǎo zǔ zōng yě fá liǎo, zán men yě gāi’ lóng zǐ fàng pào zhàng héng héng sàn liǎo’ bà。” yóu shì děng yòng shǒu pà zǐ wò zhe zuǐ, xiào de qián yǎng hòu hé, zhǐ tā shuō dào:“ zhè gè dōng xī zhēn huì shǔpínzuǐ。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ zhēn zhēn zhè fèng yā tóu yuè fā pín zuǐ liǎo。” yī miàn shuō, yī miàn fēn fù dào:“ tā tí pào zhàng lái, zán men yě bǎ yān huǒ fàng liǎo jiě jiě jiǔ。”
jiǎ róng tīng liǎo, máng chū qù dài zhe xiǎo sī men jiù zài yuàn nèi 'ān xià píng jià, jiāng yān huǒ shè diào qí bèi。 zhè yān huǒ jiē xì gè chù jìn gòng zhī wù, suī bù shèn dà, què jí jīng qiǎo, gè sè gù shì jù quán, jiā zhe gè sè huā pào。 lín dài yù bǐng qì róu ruò, bù jìn bì bó zhī shēng, jiǎ mǔ biàn lǒu tā zài huái zhōng。 xuē yí mā lǒu zhe xiāng yún。 xiāng yún xiào dào:“ wǒ bù pà。” bǎo chāi děng xiào dào:“ tā zhuān 'ài zì jǐ fàng dà pào zhàng, hái pà zhè gè ní。” wáng fū rén biàn jiāng bǎo yù lǒu rù huái nèi。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ wǒ men shì méi yòu rén téng de liǎo。” yóu shì xiào dào:“ yòu wǒ ní, wǒ lǒu zhe nǐ。 yě bù pà sào, nǐ zhè hái zǐ yòu sǎ jiāo liǎo, tīng jiàn fàng pào zhàng, chī liǎo mì fēng 'ér shǐ de, jīn 'ér yòu qīng guàng qǐ lái。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ děng sàn liǎo, zán men yuán zǐ lǐ fàng qù。 wǒ bǐ xiǎo sī men hái fàng de hǎo ní。” shuō huà zhī jiān, wài miàn yī sè yī sè de fàng liǎo yòu fàng, yòu yòu xǔ duō de mǎn tiān xīng, jiǔ lóng rù yún, yī shēng léi, fēi tiān shí xiǎng zhī lèi de líng suì xiǎo bào zhú。 fàng bà, rán hòu yòu mìng xiǎo xì zǐ dǎ liǎo yī huí " liánhuālào ", sǎ liǎo mǎn tái qián, mìng nà hái zǐ men mǎn tái qiǎng qián qǔ lè。 yòu shàng tānɡ shí, jiǎ mǔ shuō dào:“ yè cháng, jué de yòu xiē 'è liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér máng huí shuō:“ yòu yù bèi de yā zǐ ròu yù。” jiǎ mǔ dào:“ wǒ chī xiē qīng dàn de bà。” fèng jiě 'ér máng dào:“ yě yòu zǎo 'ér 'áo de jīng mǐ yù, yù bèi tài tài men chī zhāi de。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào:“ bù shì yóu nì nì de jiù shì tián de。” fèng jiě 'ér yòu máng dào:“ hái yòu xìng rén chá, zhǐ pà yě tián。” jiǎ mǔ dào:“ dǎo shì zhè gè hái bà liǎo。” shuō zhe, yòu mìng rén chè qù cán xí, wài miàn lìng shè shàng gè zhǒng jīng zhì xiǎo cài。 dà jiā suí biàn suí yì chī liǎo xiē, yòng guò shù kǒu chá, fāng sàn。
shí qī rì yī zǎo, yòu guò níng fǔ xíng lǐ, cìhou yǎn liǎo zōng cí, shōu guò yǐng xiàng, fāng huí lái。 cǐ rì biàn shì xuē yí mā jiā qǐng chī nián jiǔ。 shí bā rì biàn shì lài dà jiā, shí jiǔ rì biàn shì níng fǔ lài shēng jiā, èr shí rì biàn shì lín zhī xiào jiā, èr shí yī rì biàn shì dān dà liáng jiā, èr shí 'èr rì biàn shì wú xīn dēng jiā。 zhè jǐ jiā, jiǎ mǔ yě yòu qù de, yě yòu bù qù de, yě yòu gāo xīng zhí dài zhòng rén sàn liǎo fāng huí de, yě yòu xīng jìn bàn rì yī shí jiù lái de。 fán zhū qīn yǒu lái qǐng huò lái fù xí de, jiǎ mǔ yī gài pà jū shù bù huì, zì yòu xíng fū rén, wáng fū rén, fèng jiě 'ér sān rén liào lǐ。 lián bǎo yù zhǐ chú wáng zǐ téng jiā qù liǎo, yú zhě yì jiē bù huì, zhǐ shuō jiǎ mǔ liú xià jiě mèn。 suǒ yǐ dǎo shì jiā xià rén jiā lái qǐng, jiǎ mǔ kě yǐ zì biàn zhī chù, fāng gāo xīng qù guàng guàng。 xián yán bù tí, qiě shuō dāng xià yuán xiāo yǐ guò ___
Dowager lady Chia, nee Shih, does away with rotten old customs. Wang Hsi-feng imitates in jest (the dutiful son), by getting herself up in gaudy theatrical clothes.
Chia Chen and Chia Lien had, we will now explain, secretly got ready large baskets of cash, so the moment they heard old lady Chia utter the word 'tip,' they promptly bade the pages be quick and fling the money. The noise of the cash, running on every side of the stage, was all that fell on the ear. Dowager lady Chia thoroughly enjoyed it.
The two men then rose to their feet. The pages hastened to lay hold of a silver kettle, newly brought in with fresh wine, and to deposit it in Chia Lien's hands, who followed Chia Chen with quick step into the inner rooms. Chia Chen advanced first up to 'sister-in-law' Li's table, and curtseying, he raised her cup, and turned round, whereupon Chia Lien quickly filled it to the brim. Next they approached Mrs. Hsueeh's table, and they also replenished her cup.
These two ladies lost no time in standing up, and smilingly expostulating. "Gentlemen," they said, "please take your seats. What's the use of standing on such ceremonies?"
But presently every one, with the exception of the two ladies Mesdames Hsing and Wang, quitted the banquet and dropping their arms against their bodies they stood on one side. Chia Chen and his companion then drew near dowager lady Chia's couch. But the couch was so low that they had to stoop on their knees. Chia Chen was in front, and presented the cup. Chia Lien was behind, and held the kettle up to her. But notwithstanding that only these two offered her wine, Chia Tsung and the other young men followed them closely in the order of their age and grade; so the moment they saw them kneel, they immediately threw themselves on their knees. Pao-yue too prostrated himself at once.
Hsiang-yuen stealthily gave him a push. "What's the use of your now following their lead again and falling on your knees?" she said. "But since you behave like this, wouldn't it be well if you also went and poured wine all round?"
Pao-yue laughed. "Hold on a bit," he rejoined in a low tone, "and I'll go and do so."
So speaking, he waited until his two relatives had finished pouring the wine and risen to their feet, when he also went and replenished the cups of Mesdames Wang and Hsing.
"What about the young ladies?" Chia Chen smilingly asked.
"You people had better be going," old lady Chia and the other ladies unanimously observed. "They'll, then, be more at their ease."
At this hint Chia Chen and his companions eventually withdrew. The second watch had not, at the time, yet gone. The play that was being sung was: 'The eight worthies look at the lanterns,' consisting of eight acts; and had now reached a sensational part.
Pao-yue at this stage left the feast and was going out. "Where are you off to?" inquired his grandmother Chia. "The crackers outside are dreadful. Mind, the lighted pieces of paper falling from above might burn you."
Pao-yue smiled. "I'm not going far," he answered. "I'm merely going out of the room, and will be back at once."
Dowager lady Chia directed the matrons to "be careful and escort him."
Pao-yue forthwith sallied out; with no other attendants however than She Yueeh, Ch'iu Wen and several youthful maids.
"How is it," his grandmother Chia felt obliged so ask, "that I don't see anything of Hsi Jen? Is she too now putting on high and mighty airs that she only sends these juvenile girls here?"
Madame Wang rose to her feet with all haste. "Her mother," she explained, "died the other day; so being in deep mourning, she couldn't very well present herself."
Dowager lady Chia nodded her head assentingly. "When one is in service," she smilingly remarked, "there should be no question of mourning or no mourning. Is it likely that, if she were still in my pay, she wouldn't at present be here? All these practices have quite become precedents!"
Lady Feng crossed over to her. "Had she even not been in mourning to-night," she chimed in with a laugh, "she would have had to be in the garden and keep an eye over that pile of lanterns, candles, and fireworks, as they're most dangerous things. For as soon as any theatricals are set on foot in here, who doesn't surreptitiously sneak out from the garden to have a look? But as far as she goes, she's diligent, and careful of every place. Moreover, when the company disperses and brother Pao-yue retires to sleep, everything will be in perfect readiness. But, had she also come, that bevy of servants wouldn't again have cared a straw for anything; and on his return, after the party, the bedding would have been cold, the tea-water wouldn't have been ready, and he would have had to put up with every sort of discomfort. That's why I told her that there was no need for her to come. But should you, dear senior, wish her here, I'll send for her straightway and have done."
Old lady Chia lent an ear to her arguments. "What you say," she promptly put in, "is perfectly right. You've made better arrangements than I could. Quick, don't send for her! But when did her mother die? How is it I know nothing about it?"
"Some time ago," lady Feng laughed, "Hsi Jen came in person and told you, worthy ancestor, and how is it you've forgotten it?"
"Yes," resumed dowager lady Chia smiling, after some reflection, "I remember now. My memory is really not of the best."
At this, everybody gave way to laughter. "How could your venerable ladyship," they said, "recollect so many matters?"
Dowager lady Chia thereupon heaved a sigh. "How I remember," she added, "the way she served me ever since her youth up; and how she waited upon Yuen Erh also; how at last she was given to that prince of devils, and how she has slaved away with that imp for the last few years. She is, besides, not a slave-girl, born or bred in the place. Nor has she ever received any great benefits from our hands. When her mother died, I meant to have given her several taels for her burial; but it quite slipped from my mind."
"The other day," lady Feng remarked, "Madame Wang presented her with forty taels; so that was all right."
At these words, old lady Chia nodded assent. "Yes, never mind about that," she observed. "Yuan Yang's mother also died, as it happens, the other day; but taking into consideration that both her parents lived in the south, I didn't let her return home to observe a period of mourning. But as both these girls are now in mourning, why not allow them to live together? They'll thus be able to keep each other company. Take a few fruits, eatables, and other such things," continuing she bade a matron, "and give them to those two girls to eat."
"Would she likely wait until now?" Hu Po laughingly interposed. "Why, she joined (Hsi Jen) long ago."
In the course of this conversation, the various inmates partook of some more wine, and watched the theatricals.
But we will now turn our attention to Pao-yue. He made his way straight into the garden. The matrons saw well enough that he was returning to his rooms, but instead of following him in, they ensconced themselves near the fire in the tea-room situated by the garden-gate, and made the best of the time by drinking and playing cards with the girls in charge of the tea. Pao-yue entered the court. The lanterns burnt brightly, yet not a human voice was audible. "Have they all, forsooth, gone to sleep?" She Yueeh ventured. "Let's walk in gently, and give them a fright!"
Presently, they stepped, on tiptoe, past the mirrored partition-wall. At a glance, they discerned Hsi Jen lying on the stove-couch, face to face with some other girl. On the opposite side sat two or three old nurses nodding, half asleep. Pao-yue conjectured that both the girls were plunged in sleep, and was just about to enter, when of a sudden some one was heard to heave a sigh and to say: "How evident it is that worldly matters are very uncertain! Here you lived all alone in here, while your father and mother tarried abroad, and roamed year after year from east to west, without any fixed place of abode. I ever thought that you wouldn't have been able to be with them at their last moments; but, as it happened, (your mother) died in this place this year, and you could, after all, stand by her to the end."
"Quite so!" rejoined Hsi Jen. "Even I little expected to be able to see any of my parents' funeral. When I broke the news to our Madame Wang, she also gave me forty taels. This was really a kind attention on her part. I hadn't nevertheless presumed to indulge in any vain hopes."
Pao-yue overheard what was said. Hastily twisting himself round, he remarked in a low voice, addressing himself to She Yueeh and her companions: "Who would have fancied her also in here? But were I to enter, she'll bolt away in another tantrum! Better then that we should retrace our steps, and let them quietly have a chat together, eh? Hsi Jen was alone, and down in the mouth, so it's a fortunate thing that she joined her in such good time."
As he spoke, they once more walked out of the court with gentle tread. Pao-yue went to the back of the rockery, and stopping short, he raised his clothes. She Yueeh and Ch'iu Wen stood still, and turned their faces away. "Stoop," they smiled, "and then loosen your clothes! Be careful that the wind doesn't blow on your stomach!"
The two young maids, who followed behind, surmised that he was bent upon satisfying a natural want, and they hurried ahead to the tea-room to prepare the water.
Just, however, as Pao-yue was crossing over, two married women came in sight, advancing from the opposite direction. "Who's there?" they inquired.
"Pao-yue is here," Ch'ing Wen answered. "But mind, if you bawl and shout like that, you'll give him a start."
The women promptly laughed. "We had no idea," they said, "that we were coming, at a great festive time like this, to bring trouble upon ourselves! What a lot of hard work must day after day fall to your share, young ladies."
Speaking the while, they drew near. She Yueeh and her friends then asked them what they were holding in their hands.
"We're taking over," they replied, "some things to the two girls: Miss Chin and Miss Hua."
"They're still singing the 'Eight Worthies' outside," She Yueeh went on to observe laughingly, "and how is it you're running again to Miss Chin's and Miss Hua's before the 'Trouble-first moon-box' has been gone through?"
"Take the lid off," Pao-yue cried, "and let me see what there's inside."
Ch'in Wen and She Yueeh at once approached and uncovered the boxes. The two women promptly stooped, which enabled Pao-yue to see that the contents of the two boxes consisted alike of some of the finest fruits and tea-cakes, which had figured at the banquet, and, nodding his head, he walked off, while She Yueeh and her friend speedily threw the lids down anyhow, and followed in his track.
"Those two dames are pleasant enough," Pao-yue smiled, "and they know how to speak decently; but it's they who get quite worn out every day, and they contrariwise say that you've got ample to do daily. Now, doesn't this amount to bragging and boasting?"
"Those two women," She Yueeh chimed in, "are not bad. But such of them as don't know what good manners mean are ignorant to a degree of all propriety."
"You, who know what's what," Pao-yue added, "should make allowances for that kind of rustic people. You should pity them; that's all."
Speaking, he made his exit out of the garden gate. The matrons had, though engaged in drinking and gambling, kept incessantly stepping out of doors to furtively keep an eye on his movements, so that the moment they perceived Pao-yue appear, they followed him in a body. On their arrival in the covered passage of the reception-hall, they espied two young waiting-maids; the one with a small basin in her hand; the other with a towel thrown over her arm. They also held a bowl and small kettle, and had been waiting in that passage for ever so long.
Ch'iu Wen was the first to hastily stretch out her hand and test the water. "The older you grow," she cried, "the denser you get! How could one ever use this icy-cold water?"
"Miss, look at the weather!" the young maid replied. "I was afraid the water would get cold. It was really scalding; is it cold now?"
While she made this rejoinder, an old matron was, by a strange coincidence, seen coming along, carrying a jug of hot water. "Dear dame," shouted the young maid, "come over and pour some for me in here!"
"My dear girl," the matron responded, "this is for our old mistress to brew tea with. I'll tell you what; you'd better go and fetch some yourself. Are you perchance afraid lest your feet might grow bigger by walking?"
"I don't care whose it is," Ch'iu Wen put in. "If you don't give me any, I shall certainly empty our old lady's teapot and wash my hands."
The old matron turned her head; and, catching sight of Ch'iu Wen, she there and then raised the jug and poured some of the water.
"That will do!" exclaimed Ch'iu Wen. "With all your years, don't you yet know what's what? Who isn't aware that it's for our old mistress? But would one presume to ask for what shouldn't be asked for?"
"My eyes are so dim," the matron rejoined with a smile, "that I didn't recognise this young lady."
When Pao-yue had washed his hands, the young maid took the small jug and filled the bowl; and, as she held it in her hand, Pao-yue rinsed his mouth. But Ch'iu Wen and She Yueeh availed themselves likewise of the warm water to have a wash; after which, they followed Pao-yue in.
Pao-yue at once asked for a kettle of warm wine, and, starting from sister-in-law Li, he began to replenish their cups. (Sister-in-law Li and his aunt Hsueeh) pressed him, however, with smiling faces, to take a seat; but his grandmother Chia remonstrated. "He's only a youngster," she said, "so let him pour the wine! We must all drain this cup!"
With these words, she quaffed her own cup, leaving no heel-taps. Mesdames Hsing and Wang also lost no time in emptying theirs; so Mrs. Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li had no alternative but to drain their share.
"Fill the cups too of your female cousins, senior or junior," dowager lady Chia went on to tell Pao-yue. "And you mayn't pour the wine anyhow. Each of you must swallow every drop of your drinks."
Pao-yue upon hearing her wishes, set to work, while signifying his assent, to replenish the cups of the several young ladies in their proper gradation. But when he got to Tai-yue, she raised the cup, for she would not drink any wine herself, and applied it to Pao-yue's lips. Pao-yue drained the contents with one breath; upon which Tai-yue gave him a smile, and said to him: "I am much obliged to you."
Pao-yue next poured a cup for her. But lady Feng immediately laughed and expostulated. "Pao-yue!" she cried, "you mustn't take any cold wine. Mind, your hand will tremble, and you won't be able to-morrow to write your characters or to draw the bow."
"I'm not having any cold wine," Pao-yue replied.
"I know you're not," lady Feng smiled, "but I simply warn you."
After this, Pao-yue finished helping the rest of the inmates inside, with the exception of Chia Jung's wife, for whom he bade a maid fill a cup. Then emerging again into the covered passage, he replenished the cups of Chia Chen and his companions; after which, he tarried with them for a while, and at last walked in and resumed his former seat.
Presently, the soup was brought, and soon after that the 'feast of lanterns' cakes were handed round.
Dowager lady Chia gave orders that the play should be interrupted for a time. "Those young people," (she said) "are be to pitied! Let them too have some hot soup and warm viands. They then can go on again. Take of every kind of fruit," she continued, "'feast of lanterns' cakes, and other such dainties and give them a few."
The play was shortly stopped. The matrons ushered in a couple of blind singing-girls, who often came to the house, and put two benches, on the opposite side, for them. Old lady Chia desired them to take a seat, and banjos and guitars were then handed to them.
"What stories would you like to hear?" old lady Chia inquired of 'sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh.
"We don't care what they are;" both of them rejoined with one voice. "Any will do!"
"Have you of late added any new stories to your stock?" old lady Chia asked.
"We've got a new story," the two girls explained. "It's about an old affair of the time of the Five Dynasties, which trod down the T'ang dynasty."
"What's its title?" old lady Chia inquired.
"It's called: 'A Feng seeks a Luan in marriage': (the male phoenix asks the female phoenix in marriage)," one of the girls answered.
"The title is all very well," dowager lady Chia proceeded, "but why I wonder was it ever given to it. First tell us its general purport, and if it's interesting, you can continue."
"This story," the girl explained, "treats of the time when the T'ang dynasty was extinguished. There lived then one of the gentry, who had originally been a denizen of Chin Ling. His name was Wang Chun. He had been minister under two reigns. He had, about this time, pleaded old age and returned to his home. He had about his knees only one son, called Wang Hsi-feng."
When the company heard so far, they began to laugh.
"Now isn't this a duplicate of our girl Feng's name?" old lady Chia laughingly exclaimed.
A married woman hurried up and pushed (the girl). "That's the name of your lady Secunda," she said, "so don't use it quite so heedlessly!"
"Go on with your story!" dowager lady Chia shouted.
The girl speedily stood up, smiling the while. "We do deserve death!" she observed. "We weren't aware that it was our lady's worthy name."
"Why should you be in such fear and trembling?" lady Feng laughed. "Go on! There are many duplicate names and duplicate surnames."
The girl then proceeded with her story. "In a certain year," she resumed, "his honour old Mr. Wang saw his son Mr. Wang off for the capital to be in time for the examinations. One day, he was overtaken by a heavy shower of rain and he betook himself into a village for shelter. Who'd have thought it, there lived in this village, one of the gentry, of the name of Li, who had been an old friend of his honour old Mr. Wang, and he kept Mr. Wang junior to put up in his library. This Mr. Li had no son, but only a daughter. This young daughter's worthy name was Ch'u Luan. She could perform on the lute; she could play chess; and she had a knowledge of books and of painting. There was nothing that she did not understand."
Old lady Chia eagerly chimed in. "It's no wonder," she said, "that the story has been called: 'A Feng seeks a Luan in marriage,' '(a male phoenix seeks a female phoenix in marriage).' But you needn't proceed. I've already guessed the denouement. There's no doubt that Wang Hsi-feng asks for the hand of this Miss Ch'u Luan."
"Your venerable ladyship must really have heard the story before," the singing-girl smiled.
"What hasn't our worthy senior heard?" they all exclaimed. "But she's quick enough in guessing even unheard of things."
"All these stories run invariably in one line," old lady Chia laughingly rejoined. "They're all about pretty girls and scholars. There's no fun in them. They abuse people's daughters in every possible way, and then they still term them nice pretty girls. They're so concocted that there's not even a semblance of truth in them. From the very first, they canvass the families of the gentry. If the paterfamilias isn't a president of a board; then he's made a minister. The heroine is bound to be as lovable as a gem. This young lady is sure to understand all about letters, and propriety. She knows every thing and is, in a word, a peerless beauty. At the sight of a handsome young man, she pays no heed as to whether he be relation or friend, but begins to entertain thoughts of the primary affair of her life, and forgets her parents and sets her books on one side. She behaves as neither devil nor thief would: so in what respect does she resemble a nice pretty girl? Were even her brain full of learning, she couldn't be accounted a nice pretty girl, after behaving in this manner! Just like a young fellow, whose mind is well stored with book-lore, and who goes and plays the robber! Now is it likely that the imperial laws would look upon him as a man of parts, and that they wouldn't bring against him some charge of robbery? From this it's evident that those, who fabricate these stories, contradict themselves. Besides, they may, it's true, say that the heroines belong to great families of official and literary status, that they're conversant with propriety and learning and that their honourable mothers too understand books and good manners, but great households like theirs must, in spite of the parents having pleaded old age and returned to their natives places, contain a great number of inmates; and the nurses, maids and attendants on these young ladies must also be many; and how is it then that, whenever these stories make reference to such matters, one only hears of young ladies with but a single close attendant? What can, think for yourselves, all the other people be up to? Indeed, what is said before doesn't accord with what comes afterwards. Isn't it so, eh?"
The party listened to her with much glee. "These criticisms of yours, venerable ancestor," they said, "have laid bare every single discrepancy."
"They have however their reasons," old lady Chia smilingly resumed. "Among the writers of these stories, there are some, who begrudge people's wealth and honours, or possibly those, who having solicited a favour (of the wealthy and honorable), and not obtained the object, upon which their wishes were set, have fabricated lies in order to disparage people. There is moreover a certain class of persons, who become so corrupted by the perusal of such tales that they are not satisfied until they themselves pounce upon some nice pretty girl. Hence is it that, for fun's sake, they devise all these yarns. But how could such as they ever know the principle which prevails in official and literary families? Not to speak of the various official and literary families spoken about in these anecdotes, take now our own immediate case as an instance. We're only such a middle class household, and yet we've got none of those occurrences; so don't let her go on spinning these endless yarns. We must on no account have any of these stories told us! Why, even the maids themselves don't understand any of this sort of language. I've been getting so old the last few years, that I felt unawares quite melancholy whenever the girls went to live far off, so my wont has been to have a few passages recounted to me; but as soon as they got back, I at once put a stop to these things."
'Sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh both laughed. "This is just the rule," they said, "which should exist in great families. Not even in our homes is any of this confused talk allowed to reach the ears of the young people."
Lady Feng came forward and poured some wine. "Enough, that will do!" she laughed. "The wine has got quite cold. My dear ancestor, do take a sip and moisten your throat with, before you begin again to dilate on falsehoods. What we've been having now can well be termed 'Record of a discussion on falsehoods.' It has had its origin in this reign, in this place, in this year, in this moon, on this day and at this very season. But, venerable senior, you've only got one mouth, so you couldn't very well simultaneously speak of two families. 'When two flowers open together,' the proverb says, 'one person can only speak of one.' But whether the stones be true or fictitious, don't let us say anything more about them. Let's have the footlights put in order, and look at the players. Dear senior, do let these two relatives have a glass of wine and see a couple of plays; and you can then start arguing about one dynasty after another. Eh, what do you say?"
Saying this, she poured the wine, laughing the while. But she had scarcely done speaking before the whole company were convulsed with laughter. The two singing girls were themselves unable to keep their countenance.
"Lady Secunda," they both exclaimed, "what a sharp tongue you have! Were your ladyship to take to story-telling, we really would have nowhere to earn our rice."
"Don't be in such overflowing spirits," Mrs. Hsueeh laughed. "There are people outside; this isn't like any ordinary occasion."
"There's only my senior brother-in-law Chen outside," lady Feng smiled. "And we've been like brother and sister from our youth up. We've romped and been up to every mischief to this age together. But all on account of my marriage, I've had of late years to stand on ever so many ceremonies. Why besides being like brother and sister from the time we were small kids, he's anyhow my senior brother-in-law, and I his junior sister-in-law. (One among) those twenty four dutiful sons, travestied himself in theatrical costume (to amuse his parents), but those fellows haven't sufficient spirit to come in some stage togs and try and make you have a laugh, dear ancestor. I've however succeeded, after ever so much exertion, in so diverting you as to induce you to eat a little more than you would, and in putting everybody in good humour; and I should be thanked by one and all of you; it's only right that I should. But can it be that you will, on the contrary, poke fun at me?"
"I've truly not had a hearty laugh the last few days," old lady Chia smiled, "but thanks to the funny things she recounted just now, I've managed to get in somewhat better spirits in here. So I'll have another cup of wine." Then having drunk her wine, "Pao-yue," she went on to say, "come and present a cup to your sister-in-law!"
Lady Feng gave a smile. "There's no use for him to give me any wine," she ventured. "(I'll drink out of your cup,) so as to bring upon myself your longevity, venerable ancestor."
While uttering this response, she raised dowager lady Chia's cup to her lips, and drained the remaining half of the contents; after which, she handed the cup to a waiting-maid, who took one from those which had been rinsed with tepid water, and brought it to her. But in due course, the cups from the various tables were cleared, and clean ones, washed in warm water, were substituted; and when fresh wine had been served round, (lady Feng and the maid) resumed their seats.
"Venerable lady," a singing-girl put in, "you don't like the stories we tell; but may we thrum a song for you?"
"You two," remarked old lady Chia, "had better play a duet of the 'Chiang Chuen ling' song: 'the general's command.'"
Hearing her wishes, the two girls promptly tuned their cords, to suit the pitch of the song, and struck up on their guitars.
"What watch of the night is it?" old lady Chia at this point inquired.
"It's the third watch," the matrons replied with alacrity.
"No wonder it has got so chilly and damp!" old lady Chia added.
Extra clothes were accordingly soon fetched by the servants and maids.
Madame Wang speedily rose to her feet and forced a smile. "Venerable senior," she said, "wouldn't it be prudent for you to move on to the stove couch in the winter apartments? It would be as well. These two relatives are no strangers. And if we entertain them, it will he all right."
"Well, in that case," dowager lady Chia smilingly rejoined, "why shouldn't the whole company adjourn inside? Wouldn't it be warmer for us all?"
"I'm afraid there isn't enough sitting room for every one of us," Madame Wang explained.
"I've got a plan," old lady Chia added. "We can now dispense with these tables. All we need are two or three, placed side by side; we can then sit in a group, and by bundling together it will be both sociable as well as warm."
"Yes, this will be nice!" one and all cried.
Assenting, they forthwith rose from table. The married women hastened to remove the debandade of the banquet. Then placing three large tables lengthways side by side in the inner rooms, they went on to properly arrange the fruits and viands, some of which had been replenished, others changed.
"You must none of you stand on any ceremonies!" dowager lady Chia observed. "If you just listen while I allot you your places, and sit down accordingly, it will be all right!"
Continuing, she motioned to Mrs. Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li to take the upper seats on the side of honour, and, making herself comfortable on the west, she bade the three cousins Pao-ch'in, Tai-yue and Hsian-yuen sit close to her on the left and on the right. "Pao-yue," she proceeded "you must go next to your mother." So presently she put Pao-yue, and Pao-ch'ai and the rest of the young ladies between Mesdames Hsing and Wang. On the west, she placed, in proper gradation, dame Lou, along with Chia Lan, and Mrs. Yu and Li Wan, with Chia Lan, (number two,) between them. While she assigned a chair to Chia Jung's wife among the lower seats, put crosswise. "Brother Chen," old lady Chia cried, "take your cousins and be off! I'm also going to sleep in a little time."
Chia Chen and his associates speedily expressed their obedience, and made, in a body, their appearance inside again to listen to any injunctions she might have to give them.
"Bundle yourself away at once!" shouted dowager lady Chia. "You needn't come in. We've just sat down, and you'll make us get up again. Go and rest; be quick! To-morrow, there are to be some more grand doings!" Chia Chen assented with alacrity. "But Jung Erh should remain to replenish the cups," he smiled; "it's only fair that he should."
"Quite so!" answered old lady Chia laughingly. "I forgot all about him."
"Yes!" acquiesced Chia Chen. Then twisting himself round, he led Chia Lien and his companions out of the apartment.
(Chia Chen and Chia Lien) were, of course, both pleased at being able to get away. So bidding the servants see Chia Tsung and Chia Huang to their respective homes, (Chia Chen) arranged with Chia Lien to go in pursuit of pleasure and in quest of fun. But we will now leave them to their own devices without another word.
"I was just thinking," meanwhile dowager lady Chia laughed, "that it would be well, although you people are numerous enough to enjoy yourselves, to have a couple of great-grandchildren present at this banquet, so Jung Erh now makes the full complement. But Jung Erh sit near your wife, for she and you will then make the pair complete."
The wife of a domestic thereupon presented a play-bill.
"We, ladies," old lady Chia demurred, "are now chatting in high glee, and are about to start a romp. Those young folks have, also, been sitting up so far into the night that they must be quite cold, so let the plays alone. Tell them then to have a rest. Yet call our own girls to come and sing a couple of plays on this stage. They too will thus have a chance of watching us a bit."
After lending an ear to her, the married women assented and quitted the room. And immediately finding some servant to go to the garden of Broad Vista and summon the girls, they betook themselves, at the same time, as far as the second gate and called a few pages to wait on them.
The pages went with hurried step to the rooms reserved for the players, and taking with them the various grown-up members of the company, they only left the more youthful behind. Then fetching, in a little time, Wen Kuan and a few other girls, twelve in all, from among the novices in the Pear Fragrance court, they egressed by the corner gate leading out of the covered passage. The matrons took soft bundles in their arms, as their strength was not equal to carrying boxes. And under the conviction that their old mistress would prefer plays of three or five acts, they had put together the necessary theatrical costumes.
After Wen Kuan and the rest of the girls had been introduced into the room by the matrons, they paid their obeisance, and, dropping their arms against their sides, they stood reverentially.
"In this propitious first moon," old lady Chia smiled, "won't your teacher let you come out for a stroll? What are you singing now? The eight acts of the 'Eight worthies' recently sung here were so noisy, that they made my head ache; so you'd better let us have something more quiet. You must however bear in mind that Mrs. Hsueeh and Mrs. Li are both people, who give theatricals, and have heard I don't know how many fine plays. The young ladies here have seen better plays than our own girls; and they have heard more beautiful songs than they. These actresses, you see here now, formed once, despite their youth, part of a company belonging to renowned families, fond of plays; and though mere children, they excel any troupe composed of grown-up persons. So whatever we do, don't let us say anything disparaging about them. But we must now have something new. Tell Fang Kuan to sing us the 'Hsuen Meng' ballad; and let only flutes and Pandean pipes be used. The other instruments can be dispensed with."
"Your venerable ladyship is quite right," Wen Kuan smiled. "Our acting couldn't, certainly, suit the taste of such people as Mrs. Hsueeh, Mrs. Li and the young ladies. Nevertheless, let them merely heed our enunciation, and listen to our voices; that's all."
"Well said!" dowager lady Chia laughed.
'Sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh were filled with delight. "What a sharp girl!" they remarked smilingly. "But do you also try to imitate our old lady by pulling our leg?"
"They're intended to afford us some ready-at-hand recreation," old lady Chia smiled. "Besides, they don't go out to earn money. That's how it is they are not so much up to the times." At the close of this remark, she also desired K'uei Kuan to sing the play: 'Hui Ming sends a letter.' "You needn't," she added, "make your face up. Just sing this couple of plays so as to merely let both those ladies hear a kind of parody of them. But if you spare yourselves the least exertion, I shall be unhappy."
When they heard this, Wen Kuan and her companions left the apartment and promptly apparelled themselves and mounted the stage. First in order, was sung the 'Hsuen Meng;' next, '(Hui Ming) sends a letter;' during which, everybody observed such perfect silence that not so much as the caw of a crow fell on the ear.
"I've verily seen several hundreds of companies," Mrs. Hsueeh smiled, "but never have I come across any that confined themselves to flutes."
"There are some," dowager lady Chia answered. "In fact, in that play acted just now called: 'Love in the western tower at Ch'u Ch'iang,' there's a good deal sung by young actors in unison with the flutes. But lengthy unison pieces of this description are indeed few. This too, however, is purely a matter of taste; there's nothing out of the way about it. When I was of her age," resuming, she pointed at Hsiang-yuen, "her grandfather kept a troupe of young actresses. There was among them one, who played the lute so efficiently that she performed the part when the lute is heard in the 'Hsi Hsiang Chi,' the piece on the lute in the 'Yue Ts'an Chi,' and that in the supplementary 'P'i Pa Chi,' on the Mongol flageolet with the eighteen notes, in every way as if she had been placed in the real circumstances herself. Yea, far better than this!"
"This is still rarer a thing!" the inmates exclaimed.
Old lady Chia then shortly called the married women, and bade them tell Wen Kuan and the other girls to use both wind and string instruments and render the piece; 'At the feast of lanterns, the moon is round.'
The women servants received her orders and went to execute them. Chia Jung and his wife meanwhile passed the wine round.
When lady Feng saw dowager lady Chia in most exuberant spirits, she smiled. "Won't it be nice," she said, "to avail ourselves of the presence of the singing girls to pass plum blossom round and have the game of forfeits: 'Spring-happy eyebrow-corners-go-up,' eh?"
"That's a fine game of forfeits!" Old lady Chia cried, with a smile. "It just suits the time of the year."
Orders were therefore given at once to fetch a forfeit drum, varnished black, and ornamented with designs executed with copper tacks. When brought, it was handed to the singing girls to put on the table and rap on it. A twig of red plum blossom was then obtained. "The one in whose hand it is when the drum stops," dowager lady Chia laughingly proposed, "will have to drink a cup of wine, and to say something or other as well."
"I'll tell you what," lady Feng interposed with a smile. "Who of us can pit herself against you, dear ancestor, who have ever ready at hand whatever you want to say? With the little use we are in this line, won't there be an absolute lack of fun in our contributions? My idea is that it would be nicer were something said that could be appreciated both by the refined as well as the unrefined. So won't it be preferable that the person, in whose hands the twig remains, when the drum stops, should crack some joke or other?"
Every one, who heard her, was fully aware what a good hand she had always been at witty things, and how she, more than any other, had an inexhaustible supply of novel and amusing rules of forfeits, ever stocked in her mind, so her suggestion not only gratified the various inmates of the family seated at the banquet, but even filled the whole posse of servants, both old and young, who stood in attendance below, with intense delight. The young waiting-maids rushed with eagerness in search of the young ladies and told them to come and listen to their lady Secunda, who was on the point again of saying funny things. A whole crowd of servant-girls anxiously pressed inside and crammed the room. In a little time, the theatricals were brought to a close, and the music was stopped. Dowager lady Chia had some soup, fine cakes and fruits handed to Wen Kuan and her companions to regale themselves with, and then gave orders to sound the drum. The singing-girls were both experts, so now they beat fast; and now slow. Either slow like the dripping of the remnants of water in a clepsydra. Or quick, as when beans are being sown. Or with the velocity of the pace of a scared horse, or that of the flash of a swift lightning. The sound of the drum came to a standstill abruptly. The twig of plum blossom had just reached old lady Chia, when by a strange coincidence, the rattle ceased. Every one blurted out into a boisterous fit of laughter. Chia Jung hastily approached and filled a cup. "It's only natural," they laughingly cried, "that you venerable senior, should be the first to get exhilarated; for then, thanks to you, we shall also come in for some measure of good cheer."
"To gulp down this wine is an easy job," dowager lady smiled, "but to crack jokes is somewhat difficult."
"Your jokes, dear ancestor, are even wittier than those of lady Feng," the party shouted, "so favour us with one, and let's have a laugh!"
"I've nothing out of the way to evoke laughter with," old lady Chia smilingly answered. "Yet all that remains for me to do is to thicken the skin of my antiquated phiz and come out with some joke. In a certain family," she consequently went on to narrate, "there were ten sons; these married ten wives. The tenth of these wives was, however, so intelligent, sharp, quick of mind, and glib of tongue, that her father and mother-in-law loved her best of all, and maintained from morning to night that the other nine were not filial. These nine felt much aggrieved and they accordingly took counsel together. 'We nine,' they said, 'are filial enough at heart; the only thing is that that shrew has the gift of the gab. That's why our father and mother-in-law think her so perfect. But to whom can we go and confide our grievance?' One of them was struck with an idea. 'Let's go to-morrow,' she proposed, 'to the temple of the King of Hell and burn incense. We can then tell the King our grudge and ask him how it was that, when he bade us receive life and become human beings, he only conferred a glib tongue on that vixen and that we were only allotted such blunt mouths?' The eight listened to her plan, and were quite enraptured with it. 'This proposal is faultless!' they assented. On the next day, they sped in a body to the temple of the God of Hell, and after burning incense, the nine sisters-in-law slept under the altar, on which their offerings were laid. Their nine spirits waited with the special purpose of seeing the carriage of the King of Hell arrive; but they waited and waited, and yet he did not come. They were just giving way to despair when they espied Sun Hsing-che, (the god of monkeys), advancing on a rolling cloud. He espied the nine spirits, and felt inclined to take a golden rod and beat them. The nine spirits were plunged in terror. Hastily they fell on their knees, and pleaded for mercy."
"'What are you up to?' Sun Hsing-che inquired."
"The nine women, with alacrity, told him all."
"After Sun Hsing-che had listened to their confidences, he stamped his foot and heaved a sigh. 'Is that the case?' he asked. 'Well, it's lucky enough you came across me, for had you waited for the God of Hell, he wouldn't have known anything about it.'"
"At these assurances, the nine women gave way to entreaties. 'Great saint,' they pleaded, 'if you were to display some commiseration, we would be all right.'"
"Sun Hsing-che smiled. 'There's no difficulty in the way,' he observed. 'On the day on which you ten sisters-in-law came to life, I was, as luck would have it, on a visit to the King of Hell's place. So I (saw) him do something on the ground, and the junior sister-of-law of yours lap it up. But if you now wish to become smart and sharp-tongued, the remedy lies in water. If I too were therefore to do something, and you to drink it, the desired effect will be attained.'"
At the close of her story, the company roared with laughter.
"Splendid!" shouted lady Feng. "But luckily we're all slow of tongue and dull of intellect, otherwise, we too must have had the water of monkeys to drink."
"Who among us here," Mrs. Yu and dame Lou smilingly remarked, addressing themselves to Li Wan, "has tasted any monkey's water. So don't sham ignorance of things!"
"A joke must hit the point to be amusing," Mrs. Hsueeh ventured.
But while she spoke, (the girls) began again to beat the drum. The young maids were keen to hear lady Feng's jokes. They therefore explained to the singing girls, in a confidential tone, that a cough would be the given signal (for them to desist). In no time (the blossom) was handed round on both sides. As soon as it came to lady Feng, the young maids purposely gave a cough. The singing-girl at once stopped short. "Now we've caught her!" shouted the party laughingly; "drink your wine, be quick! And mind you tell something nice! But don't make us laugh so heartily as to get stomachaches."
Lady Feng was lost in thought. Presently, she began with a smile. "A certain household," she said, "was celebrating the first moon festival. The entire family was enjoying the sight of the lanterns, and drinking their wine. In real truth unusual excitement prevailed. There were great grandmothers, grandmothers, daughters-in-law, grandsons' wives, great grandsons, granddaughters, granddaughters-in-law, aunts' granddaughters, cousins' granddaughters; and ai-yo-yo, there was verily such a bustle and confusion!"
While minding her story, they laughed. "Listen to all this mean mouth says!" they cried. "We wonder what other ramifications she won't introduce!"
"If you want to bully me," Mrs. Yu smiled, "I'll tear that mouth of yours to pieces."
Lady Feng rose to her feet and clapped her hands.
"One does all one can to rack one's brain," she smiled, "and here you combine to do your utmost to confuse me! Well, if it is so, I won't go on."
"Proceed with your story," old lady Chia exclaimed with a smile. "What comes afterwards?"
Lady Feng thought for a while. "Well, after that," she continued laughingly, "they all sat together and crammed the whole room. They primed themselves with wine throughout the hours of night and then they broke up."
The various inmates noticed in what a serious and sedate manner she narrated her story, and none ventured to pass any further remarks, but waited anxiously for her to go on, when they became aware that she coldly and drily came to a stop.
Shih Hsiang-yuen stared at her for ever so long.
"I'll tell you another," lady Feng laughingly remarked. "At the first moon festival, several persons carried a cracker as large as a room and went out of town to let it off. Over and above ten thousand persons were attracted, and they followed to see the sight. One among them was of an impatient disposition. He could not reconcile himself to wait; so stealthily he snatched a joss-stick and set fire to it. A sound of 'pu-ch'ih' was heard. The whole number of spectators laughed boisterously and withdrew. The persons, who carried the cracker, felt a grudge against the cracker-seller for not having made it tight, (and wondered) how it was that every one had left without hearing it go off."
"Is it likely that the men themselves didn't hear the report?" Hsiang-yuen insinuated.
"Why, the men themselves were deaf," lady Feng rejoined.
After listening to her, they pondered for a while, and then suddenly they laughed aloud in chorus. But remembering that her first story had been left unfinished, they inquired of her: "What was, after all, the issue of the first story? You should conclude that too."
Lady Feng gave a rap on the table with her hand. "How vexatious you are!" she exclaimed. "Well, the next day was the sixteenth; so the festivities of the year were over, and the feast itself was past and gone. I see people busy putting things away, and fussing about still, so how can I make out what will be the end of it all?"
At this, one and all indulged in renewed merriment.
"The fourth watch has long ago been struck outside," lady Feng smilingly said. "From what I can see, our worthy senior is also tired out; and we should, like when the cracker was let off in that story of the deaf people, be bundling ourselves off and finish!"
Mrs. Yu and the rest covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs and laughed. Now they stooped forward; and now they bent backward. And pointing at her, "This thing," they cried, "has really a mean tongue."
Old lady Chia laughed. "Yes," she said, "this vixen Feng has, in real truth, developed a meaner tongue than ever! But she alluded to crackers," she added, "so let's also let off a few fireworks so as to counteract the fumes of the wine."
Chia Jung overheard the suggestion. Hurriedly leaving the room, he took the pages with him, and having a scaffolding erected in the court, they hung up the fireworks, and got everything in perfect readiness. These fireworks were articles of tribute, sent from different states, and were, albeit not large in size, contrived with extreme ingenuity. The representations of various kinds of events of antiquity were perfect, and in them were inserted all sorts of crackers.
Lin Tai-yue was naturally of a weak disposition, so she could not stand the report of any loud intonation. Her grandmother Chia therefore clasped her immediately in her embrace. Mrs. Hsueeh, meanwhile, took Hsiang-yuen in her arms.
"I'm not afraid," smiled Hsiang-yuen.
"Nothing she likes so much as letting off huge crackers," Pao-ch'ai smilingly interposed, "and could she fear this sort of thing?"
Madame Wang, thereupon, laid hold of Pao-yue, and pulled him in her lap.
"We've got no one to care a rap for us," lady Feng laughed.
"I'm here for you," Mrs. Yu rejoined with a laugh. "I'll embrace you. There you're again behaving like a spoilt child. You've heard about crackers, and you comport yourself as if you'd had honey to eat! You're quite frivolous again to-day!"
"Wait till we break up," lady Feng answered laughing, "and we'll go and let some off in our garden. I can fire them far better than any of the young lads!"
While they bandied words, one kind of firework after another was lighted outside, and then later on some more again. Among these figured 'fill-heaven-stars;' 'nine dragons-enter-clouds;' 'over-whole-land-a- crack-of-thunder;' 'fly-up-heavens;' 'sound-ten shots,' and other such small crackers.
The fireworks over, the young actresses were again asked to render the 'Lotus-flowers-fall,' and cash were strewn upon the stage. The young girls bustled all over the boards, snatching cash and capering about.
The soup was next brought. "The night is long," old lady Chia said, "and somehow or other I feel peckish."
"There's some congee," lady Feng promptly remarked, "prepared with duck's meat."
"I'd rather have plain things," dowager lady Chia answered.
"There's also some congee made with non-glutinous rice and powder of dates. It's been cooked for the ladies who fast."
"If there's any of this, it will do very well," old lady Chia replied.
While she spoke, orders were given to remove the remnants of the banquet, and inside as well as outside; were served every kind of _recherche_ small dishes. One and all then partook of some of these refreshments, at their pleasure, and rinsing their mouths with tea, they afterwards parted.
On the seventeenth, they also repaired, at an early hour, to the Ning mansion to present their compliments; and remaining in attendance, while the doors of the ancestral hall were closed and the images put away, they, at length, returned to their quarters.
Invitations had been issued on this occasion to drink the new year wine at Mrs. Hsueeh's residence. But dowager lady Chia had been out on several consecutive days, and so tired out did she feel that she withdrew to her rooms, after only a short stay.
After the eighteenth, relatives and friends arrived and made their formal invitations; or else they came as guests to the banquets given. But so little was old lady Chia in a fit state to turn her mind to anything that the two ladies, Madame Hsing and lady Feng, had to attend between them to everything that cropped up. But Pao-yue as well did not go anywhere else than to Wang Tzu-t'eng's, and the excuse he gave out was that his grandmother kept him at home to dispel her ennui.
We need not, however, dilate on irrelevant details. In due course, the festival of the fifteenth of the first moon passed. But, reader, if you have any curiosity to learn any subsequent events, listen to those given in the chapter below.
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