Jinpingmei

Chapter 41
The word says: a chic beauty, a romantic talent, naturally ordered to form a pair.Lantang Qixi seats, candle shadows shine brightly.

There are several pieces of brocade brocade, treasured makeup and seal script, and golden ducks burning incense.It's clearly a pair of mandarin ducks in the waves of flowers.

It is said that Ximen Qing was at home, and the tailor made clothes, and it would be over in two days.On the twelfth, Qiao's family invited people.In the morning, Ximen Qing sent the gift first.On that day, Yueniang, all the sisters, the elder concubine, and six sedan chairs got up together.Sun Xue'e was left to look after the house.The grandma Ruyi'er hugged Brother Guan, and ordered Laixing's daughter-in-law Huixiu to wait and fold the clothes, and there were two small sedan chairs.

Ximen Qing was at home, watching Ben Si call a florist to tie up the fireworks, hang lamps in the hall and rolling shed, and make the young servants take posts to order actors in the royal residence, needless to say.In the afternoon, I walked into the Golden Lotus Room.Jinlian is not at home, Chunmei is by the side serving tea and rice, and setting the table for wine.Ximen Qingyin said to Chunmei: "On the fourteenth, please invite all the officials and ladies, you four will all dress up, and it will be good for you to serve wine with your mother."

After hearing this, Chunmei leaned against the table and said, "If you call, just tell the three of them to go out, and I won't go out."

Ximen Qing said, "Why don't you go out?"

Chunmei said: "The ladies have all made new clothes, so it will look good to accompany the ladies of the official households. One by one, we are just like burnt papers, and we go out for nothing to make people laugh."

Ximen Qing said: "You all have your own clothes, jewellery, jewels and flowers."

Chunmei said: "Just wear it on your head. You have those two old clothes on your body. How can you wear them to meet people? It's embarrassing."

Ximen Qing smiled and said: "I know you, you little glib, you see your girls making clothes, but you get aroused. It doesn't matter, call Zhao Tai, and even the eldest sister will bring you four, and each will cut three pieces." : A satin dress, a brocade all over the place."

Chunmei said: "I don't compare with him. I also ask you for a white silk jacket to match the bright red brocade that you can wear."

Ximen Qing said: "It doesn't matter if you don't mind, I will also cut one with your eldest sister."

Chunmei said: "It's just that the eldest girl has one, but I don't have one, and he can't say no."

Ximenqing took the key to open the door of the building, picked out five sets of satin clothes, two sets of brocade bijias all over the place, and cut two pairs of white satin jackets from a piece of white silk.But the elder sister and Chunmei are red all over the place, and the Yingchun, Yuxiao, and Lanxiang are all blue and green; the clothes are red satin woven gold jackets, emerald blue skirts, a total of seventeen pieces.On the one hand, Zhao Tai was called, and the cutting was stopped.I also want a piece of yellow yarn to make the waist of the skirt, and the inside is all Hangzhou silk.Chunmei just fell in love with her, so she had a day of drinking in the house with her attendant Ximen Qing, talking and playing.

Let's say that Wu Yueniang's sisters have arrived at Qiao Dahu's house.It turned out that Mrs. Qiao Dahu invited Mrs. Shang Juren that day, and she was next to Zhu Taiguan's wife, Cui's mother-in-law, and two nephews and nephews, Sister Duan and Wu Shunchen's daughter-in-law, Third Sister Zheng.Called two prostitutes, played and sang in front of the banquet.Hearing that the sisters of Yueniang and Wu Dajin had arrived, they hurriedly went out to greet them at the door of the ceremony, and made a ceremony in the back hall.Chasing Yueniang to call Miss, everyone in Li Jiaoer's line was called Second Miss, Third Miss... They all followed the etiquette of Mrs. Wu's address.After the rites with Shang Juren and Zhu Taiguan's wife, Sister Duan and Sister Zheng went forward to meet.Each sat down in turn.The maid passed the tea, Qiao Dahu came out to meet and thanked him.His wife asked everyone to go into the room to loosen their clothes, put tea on the table, and invited all the guests to sit down and have tea.The grandma Ruyier and Huixiu are in the room to watch the official brother, and they take care of themselves.After a while, after eating tea, I went to the hall, screened the peacock, hid the hibiscus under the mattress, and set up four tables and seats in front.Let Yueniang take the first place, followed by Mrs. Shang Juren, Mrs. Wu Dajin, Mrs. Zhu Taiguan, Li Jiaoer, Meng Yulou, Pan Jinlian, Li Ping'er, Mrs. Qiao Dahu. Elder Sister Duan and Third Sister Zheng, there are eleven in total.Two whores sang alongside.After the soup and rice were served, the cook came up and presented the first dish of crystal goose, and Yueniang rewarded her with two silver coins; Duck, Yueniang rewarded another penny.Mrs. Qiao Dahu came down to pass the wine, passed it to Yueniang, and then passed it to Mrs. Shangjuren.Yueniang went down to the back room to change clothes and even her face.

Meng Yulou also followed, and when they arrived at the bedroom of Mrs. Qiao's family, she saw Ruyi, the grandma, guarding the official brother, lying on the kang with a small mattress.His newborn elder sister was also lying beside her.Two you hit me, I hit you to play.When I met Yueniang and Yulou, I liked it very much, and said, "The two of them seem to be married."

Only concubine Wu came in and said, "Come on, concubine, you two look like a young couple."

The eldest concubine smiled and said, "That's right. Every time the child is on the kang, he stretches his hands and kicks his feet. You hit me, and I hit you. The little marriage is a pair of children."

Mrs. Qiao and all the guests came into the room.Wu Dajinzi said so and so.Mrs. Qiao Dahu said: "Listen, my relatives, how dare you climb into the house of a big girl like me?"

Yueniang said: "It's easy for my in-laws to talk about. Who is my sister-in-law? Who is Third Sister Zheng? I love you as a relative, and even my youngest son can't insult your young lady. How can you say such a thing?"

Yulou pushed Li Ping'er and said, "Sister Li, what do you say?"

Then Li Ping'er just laughed.Wu Jinzi said: "I'm annoyed that Qiao's family doesn't follow me."

Both Mrs. Shang Juren and Mrs. Zhu Taiguan said, "It's hard to show kindness to Wu's family. Qiao's family, please resign modestly."

Yin asked: "Your elder sister was born in November last year?"

Yueniang said: "My little one was born on June [-]rd. He was originally five months old. We are exactly the couple."

Everyone couldn't help but drag Mrs. Qiao Dahu, Yueniang, and Li Ping'er to the front hall, and the two cut off their shirts.Two whores played and sang.Xuan told Qiao Dahu, and took out the fruit box and Sanduanhong to pass the wine.Yueniang told Dai'an and Qintong to go home and tell Ximen Qing.Two jars of wine, three bolts of satin, red and green velvet gold silk flowers, and four large fruit boxes of Luodian were carried.In front of the two banquets, hang red and eat wine.On the one hand, the painted candles in the hall are held high, the lanterns are bright, the musk is fragrant, and the joy and laughter are hurried.Two prostitutes, with vermilion lips and bright teeth, plucked Yu Ruan lightly, and sang with their pipas in their arms.

All the guests, Wu Yueniang, Mrs. Qiao Dahu, and Li Ping'er all put flowers on hairpins, hung red flowers, and handed wine, and everyone bowed.People drink from Xinfuan seats.The cook served a stuffed birthday ice cream cake, filled with chi jiao and head lotus soup.Yueniang sat at the table, full of joy, and called Dai'an to come over and reward a big red horse with the cook.Each of the two whores is a horse.All kowtow thanks.Mrs. Qiao, a big family, didn't let her get up, and stayed in the back hall, setting out many persuasive dishes and boxes of fine fruits.About one o'clock in the meal, Yue Niang waited to bid farewell and came back, saying: "Dear family, at least come down to the humble house tomorrow and sit down."

Mrs. Qiao Dahu said: "My in-laws are very kind. My old man said that I'm afraid it's not easy to sit at the banquet. Let's go see my in-laws some other day."

Yue Niang said: "Good in-laws, there is no one else. The in-laws are just seeing outsiders."

Because he left his eldest sister-in-law: "If you don't go today, come tomorrow with Qiao's family."

The eldest concubine said: "Qiao's family, you don't want to go on other days, but on the fifteenth, it's your in-law's birthday, why don't you go too?"

Mrs. Qiao Dahu said: "My in-laws have a happy fifteenth day, how dare I not go!"

Yueniang said: "If the in-laws don't go, eldest sister-in-law, I will entrust it to you, only on you."

Therefore, life and death left the eldest concubine behind, and then made his resignation and boarded the sedan chair.

There are two platoons at the head with two red lanterns; behind are two young servants with two lanterns.Wu Yueniang is in the head, Li Jiaoer, Meng Yulou, Pan Jinlian, and Li Pinger are in the middle, followed by Ruyi'er and Huixiu.The grandma's sedan chair was wrapped up with a small red quilt, fearing the cold, and there was a copper stove under her feet.The young fellows on both sides follow suit.When they got off the sedan chair at the door of the house, Ximenqing was eating wine in the upper room. Yueniang and others came in, said all blessings, and sat down.All the maids came and kowtowed.Yueniang first told the story of getting married at today's banquet.After hearing this, Ximen Qing asked, "How many guests are there at the banquet today?"

Yue Niang said: "There are Shang Juren's wife, Zhu Xuban's wife, Cui's mother, and two nieces."

Ximen Qing said: "It's fine to be a relative, but some people don't want to be with you."

Yueniang said: "It's my sister-in-law. She saw his new elder sister and our child sleeping on the kang, all covered with the quilt. If you hit me, I'll hit you. It's the young couple." It's just like that, so I called us to go, and said that when I got up, I couldn't help being this relative at the banquet. I just sent the boy to tell you that I brought you the red fruit box."

Ximen Qing said: "It's fine to be a relative, but some people don't want to move in with them. Although Qiao's family has this family business, he is just a white-clothed man from a big family in the county. You and I see this official now, and he is in charge of things in the yamen. At the banquet tomorrow, he was wearing a small cap. How could he get along with me, an official? It was very indecent. The day before yesterday, Jingnan Gangyang and Zhang's relatives in the camp rushed to marry me again and again, saying that he Miss Jia is only five months old today, and she is also the same age as our child. I think he has no mother and child, and was born in the house, so I didn't agree to him. I didn't expect to be married to his family."

Pan Jinlian took it from the side and said: "I suspect that someone was raised in the house, who was raised outside the house? Even the child of Qiao's family was also born in the house. It is the old man who hit the birthday boy──you Don't say I'm tall, and don't think you're short."

Ximen Qing was furious when he heard this, and cursed: "You thief and whore, don't go there! When people talk here, they also interrupt. What do you say!"

Jin Lian blushed with embarrassment, walked out and said, "Who said there is something for me to say here? You know I have nothing to say!"

The judge heard: Pan Jinlian was at the banquet today and saw Yueniang married Qiao Dahu's family, and Li Ping'er was wearing red hairpin flowers to pass wine. Sentence, getting more and more anxious, went to Yueniang's room and cried.Ximen Qingyin asked, "Why doesn't the eldest concubine come?"

Yueniang said: "Qiao's mother will see all the officials and ladies tomorrow, so she won't be able to come. I will leave him there and teach him to come with him tomorrow."

Ximen Qing said: "I said it's not easy to get along with each other during the banquet, how can we meet tomorrow?"

After speaking back, Meng Yulou also came into the room, saw Jinlian crying, and said, "Why are you only annoyed? Just let him say a few words."

Jin Lian said: "You were listening by the side earlier, what did I say about him? He said that the other family was raised in the house, and I said that the Qiao family was raised outside the house? It was also born in the house. The paper bag wrapped Hey, can you hide it from others? A thief does not meet a strong man who wants to die, so he opened his eyes and scolded me. The person who scolded was so heartless and righteous. Why didn’t I say anything? I changed my mind and taught him to report to me tomorrow. In my eyes! How big a child, a urinal seed in my arms, pulling in-laws for nothing, those who have money and have nowhere to use, fighting to break the bed sheet-no cover, the dog bites the urinal-empty joy! It's okay to be a wet in-law now, Tomorrow, it will be difficult for Hugh to become an in-law. Blowing off the lights and winking—you can’t see what happened later. When you are in-laws, you are good, and after three or five years, there is only one child!"

Yulou said: "Nowadays people are thieves and don't do this business. It's too early to talk about it. What kind of clothes do you cut off a newly raised child? It's nothing but trying to get along and play with children."

Jin Lian said: "You just plan to play tricks on your in-laws, and teach the thieves to scold me for no reason."

Yulou said: "Who taught you to speak out when you don't have a head? Doesn't he scold you for scolding a dog?"

Jin Lian said: "I can't tell. He is not the house, but the eldest wife? It is the child of Qiao's family, who was born in the house, and old man Qiao is a bit angry. Your family lost its hometown. I don't know whose family it is. Seed it!"

After hearing this, Yulou was speechless.After sitting for a while, Jinlian went back to her room.

Seeing Ximen Qing came out, Li Ping'er kowtowed to Yueniang from Xinhuazhi, and said: "I'm tired of my sister's troubles about the child today."

That Yueniang smiled, turned around and bowed, and said, "Are you happy?"

Li Ping'er said: "Happy with my sister."

After kowtowing, he got up and sat and talked with Yueniang and Li Jiaoer.I saw Sun Xue'e and the eldest sister come to kowtow to Yueniang, and say good luck to Li Jiaoer and Li Ping'er.Xiaoyu brought tea and was eating tea when she saw Xiuchun, a maid in Li Ping'er's room, come to invite her, and said, "I'm looking for you in my brother's room. Father asked me to invite mother."

Li Ping'er said: "The grandma was so flustered that she carried her to the house. It's fine to go as soon as possible, I'm afraid the child doesn't have a light."

Yue Niang said: "Go through the door and go to the room I told him to hold. I'm afraid it's too late."

Xiaoyu said: "Ruyi'er hugged him in the head, and Lai'an sent him here with a lantern."

Li Ping'er said: "That's all."

So, bid farewell to Yueniang and go back to the room.I saw Ximen Qing in the room, and Guan Geer fell asleep in the arms of the grandma.Yin said, "Why did you hug him without telling me?"

Ruyi'er said: "My aunt saw that Lai An'er was holding a lantern, so she came here while the light was on. Brother cried a little before patting him and falling asleep."

Ximen Qing said: "He went to sleep after looking for it this time."

After Li Ping'er finished speaking, she looked at him and said with a smile: "Today we are engaged to be married, I am tired of you, I will kowtow for you."

As a result, the candle seems to be knocked down.Ximen Qing, who liked it, was all smiles, and quickly pulled him up to sit together.On the one hand, Yingchun is ordered to set up wine, and the two eat wine.

Let's say that Pan Jinlian came into the room to show her temper and was not in a good mood. She knew Ximenqing was on Li Ping'er's side, but because Qiuju opened the door late, she slapped her ears twice when she entered, and scolded loudly: "Thief, whore, slave! ! Why did you ask Nye not to open for a day? What are you doing here? I won’t answer you.”

So he went inside and sat down.Chunmei came and kowtowed and handed tea.The woman asked him: "The thief slave, what is he doing in the house?"

Chunmei said, "Sit down in the yard. I'm urging him, but I still ignore him."

The woman said: "I know he and I are angry. Taiwei Dang eats food, and he bullies me like others."

When he was about to beat him, he was afraid that Ximenqing would hear him; he didn't speak, but he was angry.While removing her heavy makeup, Chunmei made a bed with him, went to bed and fell asleep.

On the next day, Ximenqing went to the yamen.The woman told Qiu Ju to kneel in the courtyard against a large pillar.Kneeling, he combed his hair, told Chunmei to pull his pants, and beat him with a big wooden board.Chunmei said: "What a clean servant, you told me to tear my pants, and it made my hands dirty!"

Walking to the front, he called Hua Tong'er to take off Qiu Ju's clothes.The woman beat him and scolded: "You thief, slave, whore, since when have you been so big? Others like you, but I don't like you. Sister, you know what I saw, it's just a little pus. Why are you trying to be brave? Sister, don’t lean on me, I’ll look at you with both eyes tomorrow!”

While cursing and beating, beating and cursing, the beating Qiu Ju seemed to be killing a pig.Li Ping'er just got up, watching the grandma send Guan'er to fall asleep, then woke up again.He clearly heard Jin Lian beating the servant girl, scolding for a reason, but she didn't say a word, she just held Brother Guan's ear to frighten her.While making Xiuchun: "Go and tell your fifth mother not to beat Qiuju. My brother fell asleep after eating some milk."

After Jin Lian heard this, Qiu Ju beat her harder and scolded: "You slave, you have [-] knives on your body. You're being forgiven. I'm a bitch. The more you scream, the more I beat you. Why don't you do it for you?" Breaking the passers-by? If someone beats a girl, she will also come to watch you. Good sister, tell the man, don’t change me!"

Li Ping'er clearly heard that he was the one criticizing and scolding, so he swallowed his anger with cold hands, and dared to be angry but did not dare to speak.He didn't eat any tea in the morning, and fell asleep on the kang with his brother Guan in his arms.

When Ximenqing came home from the Yamen, he entered the room to see the official brother, and saw Li Ping'er crying, red-eyed, sleeping on the kang, and asked, "Why don't you comb your hair? Please talk to me in the room. Why do you rub your eyes so red?"

Li Ping'er didn't mention Jin Lian's accusation, only said: "I feel uncomfortable."

Ximen Qing said: "Qiao's family is here to send you a birthday gift. A piece of chitou, two jars of southern wine, a plate of birthday peaches, a plate of birthday noodles, and four kinds of rice. It's another two plates for the festival. Lantern Festival, four plates of preserved food, four plates of fine fruits, two bead chandeliers, two sheepskin screen lamps, two red official satin, one golden eight auspicious hats of green satin [扌城], two pairs of men’s shoes, six A pair of women's shoes. Our house hasn't gone to him yet, and he has already brought our child for the festival. Now you are in the room, please don't worry about it. He sent Mrs. Kong and Qiao Tong to guard Li Li. The eldest concubine came first, explaining that Ri Qiao's mother-in-law was not allowed to come until the day after tomorrow. Mrs. Qiao Wu, who has a son in his family who is a royal relative, really liked it when she heard that we were getting married! On the [-]th, she will also come for a walk, We have to make up a post, please go."

Li Ping'er listened, Fang slowly got up and combed his hair, walked behind, and paid homage to the eldest concubine.Sister-in-law Kong is waiting for tea in Yueniang's room, and the presents are placed in the open room, all of them have been read.While sending back the box, I got up, gave Kong Sao'er and Qiao Tong two handkerchiefs and five coins each, and wrote a reply.It's exactly: But drum up the bells to please and love, so as to shame the dogs and sheep for the country.There are poems to prove it: Ximen Dufu is too arrogant, and the baby is married.Not only wealth is like dung, but also those who come later should be lamented.

(End of this chapter)