The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei vol 1 by Roy David Tod

Author:Roy, David Tod [Roy, David Tod]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2013-04-24T19:00:00+00:00

Beauties Enjoy the Sights in the Lantern-viewing Belvedere

After a while, Yüeh-niang indicated that she was ready to make her departure by saying to her hostess, “I’ve had enough to drink. The Second Lady and I will go ahead home, but we’ll leave our two sisters behind to keep you company a little longer and show our appreciation for your hospitality. Our husband isn’t at home today, so there’s no one to look after the place. When only the maidservants are there, I can’t help worrying about it.”

Li P’ing-erh could hardly let them go without a protest.

“My dear First Lady,” she said, “I’ve scarcely had a chance to show my respects to you. Since your arrival today I haven’t even had the opportunity to help you to a proper serving of anything. It’s a festival occasion, after all, and yet you want to go home before the lanterns are lit or dinner is served. Even if Father Hsi-men is out today, as long as the young ladies are there, what is there to worry about? Wait until the moon rises, at least, and I’ll see you all home myself.”

“It’s not that,” said Yüeh-niang. “It’s just that I’m not accustomed to drinking so much. If I leave my two sisters behind it will be just as though I were here myself.”

“Even if you don’t want any more yourself,” said Li P’ing-erh, “that’s no reason why the Second Lady shouldn’t have another cup. The other day, at your house, I accepted cup after cup without demur, and you ladies refused to let me off. Now that you’ve been good enough to visit these cramped quarters of mine, though I have nothing to offer, you must let me do the best I can.”

Thereupon, she took a large silver goblet and handed it to Li Chiao-erh, saying, “Second Lady, you must have a cup, no matter what. I know the First Lady has had enough, so I don’t dare offer her a big one, but only a little one.”

So saying, she filled a cup to the brim and offered it to Yüeh-niang, and then did the same for Li Chiao-erh, encouraging her as she did so with the words, “Second Lady, do drain this cup.”

Yüeh-niang gave two mace of silver to each of the singing girls, and then, after waiting for Li Chiao-erh to finish her wine, got up to go.

Turning to Yü-lou and Chin-lien, she said, “The two of us will go on ahead. When we get home, I’ll send a page boy back with a lantern to fetch you. Do come home then; there’s no one to look after the place.”

Yü-lou assented to this suggestion. Li P’ing-erh then saw Yüeh-niang and Li Chiao-erh out the door and into their sedan chairs before returning upstairs to keep Yü-lou and Chin-lien company as they continued to drink wine. Gradually, as it grew late:

The jade hare rose in the east,15

and the lanterns on the second floor were lit. The singing girls entertained them with songs as they drank their wine.

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