Gu Wangyan [Complete] - 9

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Eight: Jia Wenwu, with the help of his wealthy father-in-law, manages to obtain a top-ranking degree. Wu Bang, a sycophant, welcomes the son of a high-ranking official. The author, Dunweng

, in Chapter Eight, writes: "
The depiction of Jia Ming's paternal love and Mo Shi's indulgence fully reveals the love of an elder for his son and the pampering of a second wife, revealing the true nature of human relationships. As for Jia Wenwu's illicit affair,

it is a common occurrence among young men from official families, and is vividly portrayed. Fu Shi, a proud and violent woman, possesses the air of a woman from a wealthy family, not the stereotypical shrew from a poor household. Her actions and demeanor, imbued with the pride of a daughter of a wealthy official, are completely unlike those of Hou Shi and Tie Shi, which is why it is so compelling.

Wei Zhongxian's background—such a family background, grandfather, grandson, father, and son—yet he was able to hold a position second only to the emperor, unleashing his wickedness. Three out of ten are guilty of Wei Zhongxian, while seven out of ten are guilty of Emperor Tianqi, who appointed Wei Zhongxian. His five tigers and five leopards, as well as the adopted sons and servants of the entire court, are all Emperor Tianqi's fault. What was his intention? If Emperor Tianqi had not appointed Wei Zhongxian, how could such people have spread their poison to upright gentlemen? They could have been wiped out in one fell swoop."

Ruan Dacheng and his son committed adultery; without Jiaojiao, how could this have happened? Without Jiaojiao, how could Baogu exist? Without the mother and son, how could this family scandal have occurred? Jia's affair with the slave girl, Bao'er's affair with Ruan You, the bald servant, and the mule and horse, Ruan Zui and Ruan You's affair with Jiaojiao—though depicting the evil of adultery among many, ultimately brings retribution upon Ruan Dacheng alone. This is called "a gentleman abhors being vulgar," for the evil of the whole family is attributed to him.

This chapter is entirely filled with lewd affairs, yet it contains Yang Gong's memorial impeaching Wei Zhongxian. Compared to these lewd people, it appears all the more righteous and awe-inspiring. Many obscene words not only do not tarnish Yang Gong's memorial but also enhance its meaning; even bad people and bad deeds have their uses.

Those who hate lewd books fear that they lead people to lewdness. Whether this book can be called lewd depends on the retribution for its lewdness. In this chapter, Ruan Zui's affair with his stepmother leads Jia to have an affair with the slave girl. Jiaojiao ordered Ruan Zui to steal her maidservant to gag him so she could have relations with him. Jia Shi then ordered Ai Nu to steal her maidservant so they could do the same. Their confrontation was sharp and ruthless; was there any fault in their agreement? Even more intriguing is that Jiaojiao's love for Ruan Zui might not have reached a high level, while Jia Shi's love for Ai Nu was overwhelming. This has a deeper meaning: the crime of adultery, though singular, is insignificant. From a male perspective, Ai Nu was merely an ignorant servant; a servant's adultery with his mistress is a capital offense, but compared to Ruan Zui, a learned man's adultery with his stepmother is a far greater crime. Therefore, the portrayal of his wife's promiscuity surpasses that of Jiaojiao. Upon seeing such passages, even the most lewd person would feel a chill run down their spine; would they still dare to harbor any lustful thoughts? I believe that even a moralistic text wouldn't be as terrifying as this; would it still be considered pornography?

Ruan Zui's affair with Jiaojiao was at least based on affection and desire. Although Jiaojiao may not have willingly complied with Ruan You's actions, she still forced herself on him. Therefore, their deaths differed in severity.

Some say that the names Ruan Zui and Ruan You sound too similar to "ju you" (a homophone for "gathered deer"), making it obvious. Did Ruan Dacheng not know these two characters were inauspicious? He certainly wouldn't have named his son that way. I say: No. Wang Anshi was posthumously granted the title of Duke of Jing and the title of Prince of Shu. Did his followers not know the inauspiciousness of those two characters, and were they completely oblivious? Furthermore, Yongle used Fang La's reign title. Were all the officials at court uneducated? This is because Heaven punishes the wicked, causing those in power to be completely misled.

The story of Ruan Zui and Ruan You's rivalry must have included Zhang Jian, the witness, so that when Mao interrogated Sai Hong after Jiaojiao and Ruan Zui's deaths, he would reveal everything, making it known to everyone. Otherwise, if they did it themselves, who would know? Without such a description, how could we know the Ruan family's moral character, and how could we freely criticize Dacheng?

The novel *Jin Ping Mei* can be called the ancestor of novels, yet some utterly ignorant people claim it's merely a large account book of Ximen Qing's household. They then criticize inconsistencies in dates and events, calling them errors—truly laughable. Those who are blind to the truth are hardly worthy of discussing reading. For example, the book describes the affairs of Ruan Dacheng's family, with Dacheng flattering the rebellious eunuch for only seven years. Now, from the time of Peter and Jiaojiao's death, nearly twenty years have passed—a significant difference. This is merely an attempt to utterly humiliate Dacheng and appease public anger. Without such a depiction, the evil cannot be fully expressed. If, as Sheng Tan called them, pedantic scholars saw this, they would surely nitpick its errors. But novelists merely write about people and events, composing whatever comes to mind; why must they emulate Sima Qian's *Records of the Grand Historian* with its chronological tables? When a book is read by such ignorant people, it becomes a calamity for the book. Truly, what can be done? I have no answer.

Chapter Eight: Jia Wenwu, with the help of his wealthy father-in-law, unexpectedly obtains a top-ranking degree; Wu He, a hanger-on, welcomes the young official's son, who then invites him to wealth and status .

(Appendix: Wei Zhongxian's unusual resume; Ruan Dacheng's extraordinary family background

.) It is said that Wu He, seeing the young man beating the boy, though having heard the old man utter a few incoherent words, could not fathom the situation and did not dare to ask further, so he went to the home of Jia, the scholar who had passed the imperial examination. This Jia scholar, named Wenwu, was the son of Jia Hanlin. Jia Hanlin's name was Jia Ming, [the name is false, so the person is not real]. He had served as a chief examiner. He was old and childless, and retired to his home. His first wife, Wang, had died early, and he later married a woman named Mo. He was seventy years old when Jia Wenwu

was born, perfectly matching Su Dongpo's two lines: "The virtuous are just thirty, the stubborn are already seventy.

" Having this son at such a young age, the couple cherished him dearly, needless to say. They hired a tutor for him when he was seven or eight, and he was quite intelligent. However, he was only interested in external matters and refused to study. His parents, fearing that disciplining him would corrupt him, pretended not to know anything about it. [Fang He's surname is missing.] When Jia Wenwu was ten, he began to misbehave. Whenever he saw the women in the house, he would poke and pluck at them when no one was around. He would secretly watch the maids and servants urinate. People, seeing his young age, didn't say anything. When Madam Mo found out, she feared that some shameless woman might defile his virginity and cause him illness. Besides, Jia Wenwu was a married man in name only, eighty years old, needing help to sit up; how could he have any interest in such things? Therefore, she kept two older maids to serve him, taking only a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl named Hanxiang, and moved to the west room. She and her son slept beside him every night.

Two or three years later, Jia Wenwu was thirteen years old and had become quite knowledgeable. This girl, Hanxiang, was sixteen, beautiful and charming. Behind his mother's back, he would shamelessly tease and flirt with her. The girl was also aware of her surroundings. At first, she was afraid her mistress would find out, but gradually she became bolder and started teasing back. Jia Wenwu had long wanted to make a move; he wanted to taste the flavor of the clam, but fearing the girl's refusal, he dared not act rashly. Now, seeing him laughing and joking in response, he seized the opportunity to pull her close and kiss her. The girl didn't utter a sound, but simply turned her head away with a smile. [She probably also wanted to taste the eel.] Or she would gently pinch his hand and push it away without saying a word, always in a half-hearted manner, which made him certain in his heart. Jia Wenwu knew that his plan was about to succeed.

One evening, because his father had a bout of phlegm and fever, his mother took care of him, and he felt better around midnight before going to bed. People who have stayed up all night fall asleep as if they are dying. But he listened carefully and saw his mother sleeping soundly, quietly slipping out of bed, climbing down, and feeling his way to a low couch behind the bed. The girl, also exhausted, was fast asleep. He got into bed and had his trousers pulled down gently. He touched it. A smooth, thin slit; he probed and pinched it with his fingers. Although he loved it terribly, his heart pounded, afraid that his mother might cry out and hear him, so he pushed his fingers inside again. The girl was fast asleep and unaware. He didn't care anymore; his little penis was hard. He smeared some saliva on her vulva and on his own genitals, then gently parted her legs, climbed on top of her, and, feeling it clearly, inserted his penis. It was hot as fire inside. Although the girl was a virgin, he was three years older than Jia Wenwu and quite plump, so he easily penetrated her without any difficulty. At this moment, the girl woke up, knowing it was her master, and deliberately asked, "Who is it?" [A hurtful question, yet no one could remain silent. The intention was feigned, but the truth was real.] Jia Wenwu hurriedly whispered in her ear, "Darling, it's me." The maid said, "Why aren't you getting down? I'll scream." Jia Wenwu said, "Sweetheart, I've missed you so much, please save me." Saying this, he hurriedly began to thrust wildly. The maid was also eager for this, because her master was Jia Wenwu, and she had to pretend to be affectionate. After thrusting for a while, some clear fluid came out of the small testicles, and some sticky saliva flowed from her vulva, though she didn't know if it was blood or water. Both of them were experiencing this for the first time and didn't know the full pleasure, but they found it more delicious than other things. Jia Wenwu, having succeeded, went back to his mother's bed to sleep. The two of them had tasted this sweetness and did it whenever they had a chance. Even during the day, or when they met in a secluded place, they would pull down their pants, stand up, hug tightly, thrust a few times, and kiss a couple of times before stopping. At night, when his mother was asleep, he would quietly go and play with her, and they both gradually discovered the pleasure.

That night, he again went to play with the maid. Exhausted, they embraced and fell asleep. When Madam Mo woke up, fearing her son had kicked off the covers, [a mother's love for her son is truly evident]. She felt around, only to find an empty quilt piled beside her; her son was nowhere to be seen. Startled, she thought he had gone to relieve himself. After waiting a while and not seeing him return to bed, she guessed the reason. She quickly got out of bed, lit the lamp in the stove, and went to the back of the bed. There she found her son and the maid sleeping, mouth to mouth, arms tightly embracing. Unable to punish her son, [the truth is]. She only pinched the maid twice. The maid woke with a start, and seeing her mistress standing beside her in the lamplight, she quickly woke Jia Wenwu. Opening her eyes and seeing her mother, she was both ashamed and frightened. Naked, she jumped off the bed, climbed onto the covers, and burrowed under them. Her mother followed, turned off the lamp, and went to sleep. The next day, she wanted to scold her son and beat the maid, but fearing her father would find out and anger him, she had to hold back. Unable to prevent much, she had her son sleep in the front study.

Now, although Jia Wenwu could no longer secretly meet with the maid, he felt more unrestrained than when he slept with his mother. He secretly went to brothels and engaged in homosexual acts, doing whatever he pleased. His mother gradually found out and, fearing he might develop sores, considered arranging a marriage for him to keep him in check.

At that time, there was a Ministry of Revenue official surnamed Fu. He had collected taxes twice during his tenure and was extremely wealthy. [Having served in the Ministry of Revenue and collected taxes twice, he was naturally very rich and rightfully deserved the surname Fu.] He had been widowed for a long time. He had only one daughter, and although he had several concubines, he had no children. This daughter was ugly. (The following text is missing 308 characters) Although people admired his immense wealth and vast landholdings, they dared not send their own sons into the lion's den because of his daughter's ugliness and fierceness. Before they knew it, his daughter was already over twenty years old. The wealthy official, in a hurry, asked a matchmaker to arrange a marriage, willing to give her to anyone who agreed to marry her, regardless of their social status or wealth. Just then, Madam Mo was looking for a wife for her son and said to her father, "You're getting old, and your son is grown. Find him a wife; if she has a grandson, you can see him. It won't be in vain that you raised him. What do you think?" The old man replied, "I'm old and sick, and can't manage many things. You are his mother; how could I not love my son? You should make the decision." Madam Mo then called a matchmaker to arrange the marriage. The matchmaker described how wealthy the official's family was, how they had no sons, only a daughter. She was beautiful, gentle, virtuous, and filial. As long as a lucky and good son-in-law is found, the dowry now is a given, and in the future, the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of furniture, houses, and land will all be inherited by the son-in-law. [The matchmaker said many things, but only these two sentences are true.] This young man is a perfect match for that young lady. Madam Mo was overjoyed and asked his age. The matchmaker knew that her son was only thirteen years old, but refused to say that the rich young lady was over twenty, only saying that she was only eighteen years old, and that she was late in choosing a son-in-law. Madam Mo calculated that he was five years older, and also thought that her son was already mischievous, so an older daughter-in-law would be easier to control him. [Having married a daughter-in-law, this is the only thing that pleases the mother-in-law.] So she promised the matchmaker a generous reward and asked him to go and ask for her hand in marriage. The matchmaker had long been entrusted by the rich Minister of Revenue, and people would shake their heads and close their eyes as soon as they heard the rich young lady's name. The Minister of Revenue had urged her many times, but she always replied that there was no one willing to marry her. Today, seeing that Madam Mo was willing to ask, she knew that he would definitely agree. Upon arriving at the wealthy man's house, she recounted the marriage proposal from Jia Hanlin's son, adding, "Not only is this young gentleman handsome and refined, but he is also an only son." The wealthy official knew his son-in-law was over ten years younger and unsuitable, but his daughter was now grown up and, due to her unattractive appearance, no one else sought her hand in marriage. He was content with the family's status and a good son-in-law. He had no choice but to accept the arrangement. Knowing the family's wealth and that the future would belong to her family, Madam Mo spared no effort in arranging the betrothal and other formalities. Not long after the betrothal, an auspicious day was chosen for the marriage.

Jia Wenwu and Hanxiang were deeply in love, but their sudden separation, though he sought solace elsewhere, was both too young and penniless, and dared not ask his parents for money. How could he possibly find happiness? Now, hearing that he had been betrothed to the daughter of the wealthy official, and that not only was the matchmaker praising her beauty, but he would also become wealthy with the family's possessions, he was overjoyed. On the eve of the wedding, Jia Wenwu saw his future in-laws arrive with their dowry, incredibly wealthy and well-equipped. Mo Shi had prepared the three rooms behind his residence as their bridal chamber. The three rooms were completely filled with the rich family's belongings, and Jia Wenwu was overjoyed. Even Mo Shi secretly rejoiced, saying it was his idea to find such a good in-law family.

Jia Wenwu also saw four servants, four young boys, and four beautiful maids, all as lovely as Hanxiang. With such maids, one could imagine how beautiful the young lady must be; his heart was itching with delight. Night fell, and they spent the night together. The next day, the bride was brought home, and Jia Wenwu was eager to see what a beautiful woman she was. But when he lifted her veil, sat down for the nuptial ceremony, and looked closely, he was so shocked he almost fell off the bed. What a beautiful face she was!

Though not plump, her face was round and full; though not fat, her body was several feet tall and imposing. Her eyes were wide open like almonds, her eyebrows thick and hooked. Her fingers, though not rough, were short and thick like tiger's paws; her feet, though not long, were round and chubby like mallets. Her neck was short as a tiger's, her voice booming like an ox's. Though she wasn't angry, her face often revealed a fierce glint; even when happy, a shrewish glint remained in her heart.

Jia Wenwu secretly stamped his feet, relieved that his dowry was indeed lavish, and that he had four well-dressed maids: Yuzan, Jin Gui, Yin Xing, and Zhu Lan, all quite beautiful. He thought to himself, "Although my wife is ugly, if she were virtuous, these maids could provide some amusement." Thinking this, he was no longer angry. [Your heart is thus, his heart is not so.] That night, when they went to bed, although she was somewhat afraid of him, like a hungry hawk seeing its prey, she disregarded everything and had to undress him. The wealthy young lady was also a woman who had been waiting for a husband for many years, and besides, she wasn't afraid of people. Moreover, seeing that her husband was like a child, she let him do as he pleased. Jia Wenwu undressed him, climbed on top of him, and used saliva to penetrate him. Jia Wenwu was still young, and his manhood wasn't very large; with just a soft moan, he had penetrated completely.

The next day, the couple went to the temple to pay their respects. Jia Wenwu was still young and small. Although Fu was only in her twenties, she was a large woman, like a door panel, while Jia Wenwu was only about half his height. There are four old sayings, modified to suit the couple perfectly: "

The Jia family's groom doesn't talk about others, the Fu family's bride doesn't rely on herself."
The two stood side by side in the hall, just like bumping into a plum tree.

Although they were husband and wife, they were like mother and son. Old Jia, seeing this, secretly beat his chest and stamped his feet. From then on, although Jia Wenwu felt some resentment, he could still do things as he pleased at night, better than being timid and secretive with Hanxiang. This Miss Fu, when she was a daughter, waited until her twenties, fully expecting to marry a tall and strong man and achieve great things. Unexpectedly, she married such a young boy, and was very unhappy. Seeing that he was quite handsome, she assumed he would grow up eventually. And seeing that he diligently performed his duties every night, she let it go. However, after some time, Jia Wenwu grew tired of his mistress's new possession and wanted to try the tastes of the maids. Behind Fu's back, he would flirt and joke with these maids. Although the maids also wanted to see their young master's "strange thing," they knew their mistress's pride. If he didn't get what he wanted, he'd beat them half to death—could this jealous woman really be allowed to do such a thing? They dared not offend their young master, so they all secretly reported to their mistress. Fu thought for a moment and said, "Let him tease you, don't make a fuss. But if he tries to touch you, have one of them come and tell me."

After that, when Jia Wenwu tried to make jokes to the maids, they would just smile but not answer him. He assumed they were in love, and began using his seductive methods, gradually touching her hands and feet, kissing her, and embracing her neck, but the maids paid him no heed. Even when he occasionally reached into her crotch or dug between her buttocks, the maids would only laugh, push his hand away, and make no sound, showing no shame or anger. He thought they were already deeply in love, and he was just waiting for a chance to act.

That day, Zhulan was bending over picking flowers in the backyard when he quietly followed her, grabbing her from behind and intending to do something lewd. The girl struggled but remained silent. He kept saying, "Good sister, let's make love here on this grass while no one's around." He wouldn't let go. Just as things were getting lively, another maid informed their mistress. Madam Fu quietly came over, went to the back, and slapped her hard across the ear and cheek, shouting, "What are you doing here in broad daylight?" Jia Wenwu had never been hit on the head before. This slap made his ear ring, and he was stunned. When he turned around, he saw it was his mistress. He was both ashamed and in pain, and ran away, hiding in his mother's room. Madam Mo was startled to see her son's face turn pale, half of it red and purple, and hurriedly asked what had happened. At first, Jia Wenwu refused to speak, but under pressure, he tearfully confessed, revealing that it was his daughter-in-law who had instructed him. Mo Shi had been misled by the matchmaker, drawn by his wealth, never imagining her daughter-in-law would be so ugly. She regretted marrying him, and her father secretly complained that he hadn't properly investigated before marrying such a woman. "What a pity for my good son," she lamented, "you, his mother, have ruined him!" But the deed was done, and there was nothing she could do. Seeing her son's swollen face today, she hesitated to confront his wife, fearing her father's complaints. Besides, it was her son's fault, and she felt a pang of anxiety and pain. She could only comfort him, saying, "Who told you to do such a worthless thing, to let him hit you? If you were upright, would he dare hit you? If he bullied you without reason, I could speak to him. Go on your way."

Jia Wenwu waited until evening before finally entering the room. Unexpectedly, the slap he received terrified him; seeing him filled him with dread. Madam Fu forbade him to sleep with her, and had a maid bring a bench and place it beside his bed for him to sleep on. Jia Wenwu dared not disobey her rules and obeyed without question. Several days later, Madam Mo found out and, feeling sorry for her son, came to apologize on behalf of her daughter-in-law. She said that her son was young and didn't know any better, and that since she was older, she needed to take care of him. Why were the young husband and wife sleeping separately? For my sake, they should sleep together tonight. Although Madam Fu was fierce, since she had already hit her husband, and her mother-in-law was speaking kindly to her, she said, "Have I ever disobeyed my mother-in-law?" Sure enough, that night she still made Jia Wenwu sleep with her, and Jia Wenwu, being sensible, tried his best to apologize in bed. After many days, his old habits returned, and he had completely forgotten the slap he had received. He was back to his old ways, still fooling around with the maids. Seeing that the maids never stopped him, he assumed that they were all interested in him. He never imagined that it was his wife's faction trying to use him to gain favor. Even when Fu Shi bumped into him the other day, he claimed it was an unintentional encounter, hardly suspecting it was a divine revelation.

One hot day, Fu Shi took a bath at noon and went to bed, with her maid fanning her. Jin Gui, the maid, was also bathing there, using the leftover water from her mistress's bath. Unexpectedly, Jia Wenwu entered, peeked into the room, and saw Fu Shi asleep. He then peeked through the window of the back room and saw Jin Gui, having finished her bath, sitting on a chair with her legs crossed, wiping the water from her legs. Her white flesh was exposed, revealing a cleavage below, her vulva gleaming, her nipples budding – how could he resist? He pushed open the door, which was ajar. He rushed in, grabbed the maid by the legs, and threw her onto the chair. The maid, preoccupied with wiping herself, didn't notice him. Caught off guard, she was thrown onto the chair, her bare buttocks directly below his navel. Jia Wenwu, not even bothering to pull down his pants, thrust a hard, erect penis between his legs. The maid tried to push and shove it away. The maid wanted to cry out, but firstly, her mistress had instructed her not to make a sound, and secondly, she knew her mistress was asleep or unaware, so she wanted to take this opportunity to taste the fleshy rod. Even if her mistress knew, she had given instructions. Besides, Jia Wenwu was wearing coarse cloth trousers, so although it couldn't penetrate through the cloth, the thrusts were hitting that spot, and the rubbing of the cloth made his genitals itchy and tingling, arousing him somewhat. So, at this moment, he didn't resist too much. Jia Wenwu was in a hurry, using both arms to hold his legs, trying to free one hand to pull down his trousers, afraid that if he loosened his grip, his leg might struggle. But how could he penetrate through the trousers? The coarse cloth was hard and rough, unable to even get close. After a while, he was still a novice. Just as he was exerting force, Fu Shi walked up to the back. When Jia Wenwu entered, he didn't bother to close the door. He assumed that even if other maids came, they would only be people he was familiar with, showing him the style to arouse his interest. But instead of the maids, it was their mistresses who arrived.

Fu Shi, a shrewd woman, quietly approached him from behind, holding a door bolt. Jin Gui had already seen her and tried to struggle. Fu Shi shook her hand, raised the bolt with both hands, and struck Jia Wenwu hard on the waist and buttocks. Jia Wenwu groaned and fell to the ground. Looking up, he saw it was the tigress. Ignoring the pain, he tried to get up and run, but to no avail. Fu Shi struck him several more times on the shoulder and back. Jia Wenwu's delicate skin had never tasted such malice. Wearing only a thin shirt, he rolled on the ground in pain, screaming for help. Jin Gui, however, smiled and turned away, putting on her clothes.

His mother, Mo Shi, was enjoying the cool air under the eaves when Hanxiang hurriedly came over. [It was him after all.] "Grandma, something terrible has happened! My husband is screaming for help for some unknown reason!" Hearing this, Madam Mo dropped her fan and rushed to the back. She saw her daughter-in-law holding a door bolt, and her son crying on the ground. The floor was splattered with water from bathing, turning his snow-white gauze shirt and linen trousers into a muddy mess. The daughter-in-law was still fiercely about to hit him. Madam Mo was both angry and heartbroken. She grabbed the door bolt, her face hardening, and said, "You're a daughter of an official family, how can you be so unreasonable? Even if your husband is wrong, try to persuade him properly. If he doesn't listen, tell your parents. Is it right for you to hit him like that? I've raised him all these years and never laid a finger on him. Look at the state he's in, how can you bear it? How can a young woman be so unvirtuous?" Madam Fu, motherless since childhood and spoiled by her father, was willful and arrogant, and no one dared to raise their voice at her. Now, seeing her mother-in-law scolding her, how could she bear it? He retorted, "Your son is useless, yet you still defend him. Who told him to steal the maid? Instead of criticizing your son for being shameless, you criticize me. You say I'm not virtuous, so why did your family marry me? If you don't like me, divorce me. Since you're protecting me, I'll beat you anyway, see what you can do to me!" At this moment, Mo Shi grabbed the door bolt, and he couldn't get it back, so he threw it down and lunged at Jia Wenwu. Mo Shi, fearing that she would hurt her son, dropped the bolt and desperately held him back, hurriedly shouting at her son, "Aren't you leaving?" Seeing how fierce the situation was, Jia Wenwu didn't care about the pain anymore and struggled to run away. Just as he couldn't walk anymore, fortunately, Hanxiang had also come with Mo Shi. Seeing how badly he was beaten, she felt heartbroken and couldn't say anything. Seeing him run out, she quickly helped him up and carried him forward. Only after her son had left did Mo Shi release her daughter-in-law. Seeing Jia Wenwu leave, Madam Fu, unable to breathe, knocked herself to the ground, [depicting a lively shrew]. She cried and shouted, "Did your family marry me to suffer? My father has never said a word to me, yet you curse me!" She banged her head against the ground. Luckily, several maids caught her, preventing her from being injured. Seeing this, Madam Mo knew she wouldn't submit to reason. She also feared her in-laws would find out she was spoiled and, instead of criticizing her daughter, would accuse her mother-in-law of being a gossip. So she swallowed her anger and went back.

In the room, she saw her son lying on the bed, groaning. Hanxiang was massaging him. Madam Mo had her son take off his shirt and saw over a dozen bruises on his body. Her heart ached terribly. She sighed and said, "My dear, what did that girl do to you that you've ended up like this?" She burst into tears, and Hanxiang also couldn't help but shed tears. Hearing this, Jia Hanlin hurriedly called Mo Shi over to ask him the reason. Mo Shi couldn't hide it any longer and told him about beating her son. The old man had nothing more to say, only stomped his feet a few times, gritted his teeth and uttered a few hateful curses. [Those who didn't know would think he hated his daughter-in-law, but those who knew would think he hated Mo Shi.] He sighed twice, shed a few tears, and lay down on the bed. Fu Shi lay on the floor, and was carried to the room by the maids. [The word "carried" is quite amusing; it can't be depicted in a painting.] She cried until the lamps were lit. With a lump in her throat and nowhere to vent, she beat Jin Gui half to death before stopping. [Jin Gui was unlucky; she never tasted her son-in-law's flesh, but she experienced the girl's wooden stick countless times.] That night, Mo Shi told her son not to go to his wife's place and to stay in her room to rest. Han Xiang doted on him, staying up all night to massage him and serving him constantly.

The next day, Madam Mo sat on the edge of the bed watching Jia Wenwu. Hanxiang approached and said, "Grandma, I just went to the back and saw the eldest mistress's maids chatting and laughing. It turns out that the eldest mistress and they had set traps for us time and again. Because Jin Gui was almost beaten to death by the eldest mistress yesterday, they all complained that the eldest mistress had made the plan that day, and today she took her anger out on him again. [Thank goodness for the beating, otherwise they wouldn't have told me. Jia Wenwu is still dreaming about it.] She told me. The eldest son is still foolishly thinking they have feelings for him, jumping into the fire with his eyes wide open, suffering these two losses." Jia Wenwu suddenly realized, "I was joking with the maids, and he wasn't there. Just as I was about to make a move, that tigress found out. So there were all these traps." He was filled with regret. Madam Mo, upon hearing this, sighed, "Such a young age, so heartless, no affection between husband and wife at all. I fear that after my husband and I die, I don't know how we will suffer because of him." A few tears fell. She said to Hanxiang, "I see you still care for him. I can't see, so keep an eye out and find out what schemes and tricks they have. Tell him to be careful." Hanxiang replied, "No need for Grandmother's instructions, I will be careful." Madam Mo was very pleased to hear this. Jia Wenwu was also grateful.

A few days later, Jia Wenwu gradually recovered and was able to get up. Madam Mo thought that it wasn't normal for her son and daughter-in-law to live separately, so she put aside her anger and put on a good face. She pulled her son into her daughter-in-law's room and said, "The other day I felt sorry for our son and said a few words of advice to you, and you got angry. I brought him here today, so you two can live happily together. There's no need to bring up the past." [Madam Mo spoke kindly to her daughter-in-law twice despite her daughter-in-law's shrewishness, partly for her son's sake, and partly out of consideration for Fu's reputation.] Fu had beaten her husband too badly the other day and felt guilty afterwards. After her outburst, her parents-in-law didn't say anything, and she felt a little embarrassed. And these past few days, sleeping alone, have been quite lonely. With him in bed, though he couldn't fully express his feelings, he was still quite lively and energetic on her belly. [Later, Madam Fu also spoke kindly, which is why these two sentences are mentioned. The previous statement about feeling guilty and embarrassed may not have been genuine.] Now, seeing her mother-in-law speaking kindly, she said, "I made a mistake for a moment, please don't blame me, Madam." Madam Mo, seeing that her daughter-in-law also spoke kindly, finally felt relieved and left. It is truly a case of:

being gentle with her daughter-in-law and diligently acting as a mother.

From then on, Jia Wenwu was afraid of him, only able to see him kindly for a short time in bed, otherwise he was like a little devil seeing the King of Hell. After some time, Madam Fu happened to go back to visit her father and let him stay for more than ten days. Jia Wenwu was a restless person, and when he was alone, he wanted to do something reckless again. Madam Fu's maid dared not offend him, as this Hanxiang was both an old friend and someone she had been kind to, and she was thinking about the old grudges. That day, while her mother was in her father's room overseeing the brewing of medicine, the maid, who hadn't slept all night attending to the old master's illness, secretly took a nap on his bed. Jia Wenwu quietly entered, looking left and right but not seeing the maid. He went to his mother's room but couldn't find her there either. He looked behind the bed and saw her asleep, and was overjoyed. He quickly went over, kissed her, and woke her up, wanting to have some fun with her. The maid, who hadn't done this in a long time and was eagerly anticipating it, gladly accepted. The two, like thirsty thirst finding water, weren't willing to stop. Mo Shi asked the maid to get something, calling her twice but receiving no response, and suspected she was sleeping. She went behind the bed and saw her son playing with her. Mo Shi knew her son had a past grudge with her, and seeing how much the maid cared for her son, she wasn't angry. She just sighed and scolded, "You naughty child, aren't you afraid? What are you doing?" The two were having a good time, laughing and chatting happily, completely unaware of their mother's arrival. Upon hearing this, Jia Wenwu hurriedly dressed and went outside, with the maidservant also tightening her trousers to serve him. Jia Wenwu found his encounters with Hanxiang quite enjoyable, unlike his relationship with Fu Shi. Although they did the same thing, he was always timid. Moreover, the maidservant was prettier than Fu Shi, and her mother wasn't very strict. The two of them would sneak around and have sex whenever they

had the chance. If they didn't want anyone to know, they wouldn't do it in the first place. However, they didn't want Fu Shi's dowry servants and wives to find out, so they tried to curry favor with their daughter. When Fu Shi came home, they told her everything. Fu Shi was furious, but since she hadn't caught the thief, she couldn't make a scene. She also resented her mother-in-law for indulging her son, so she kept a close eye on him every day, and instructed her servants and maidservants to inquire carefully. One day, as if it were a matter of course, Mo Shi called Hanxiang to her room to summon Jia Wenwu. This Fu woman was extremely petty; upon seeing him, her eyes blazed with anger and jealousy. She cursed, "You little slut, have you come here looking for a man?" Hanxiang replied, "Grandma told me to come and call my husband, why are you cursing me for no reason?" Fu said, "You came here to have sex with him, and you say Grandma came to call him? I wasn't home, you two had your fun. Now that I'm here, you still come looking for me. You shameless, filthy whore, you slut who keeps men alive. If you can't stand it, take off your clothes..." "Why are you coming to my house to have sex with someone on the street?" The maid retorted, "I'm my mistress's maid, it's not your place to insult me. Have you seen how my husband and I are doing? You're so young, and you keep talking about sex, yet you say I'm shameless." Madam Fu was not one to tolerate being talked back. After a few heated words, she jumped up and pounced on him, grabbing his hair and yelling, "You're not shameless for having an affair, and you still dare to talk back!" She slapped him across the face. Hanxiang wouldn't stand for it. Although she didn't dare to fight back, she held his hands tightly. She said, "You're a young lady from an official's family, and you don't even know a little manners. It's your place to hit your mother-in-law's maid! You say I'm having an affair, and if my mother-in-law doesn't care, why should I care?" Madam Fu scolded, "Is your mother even human? She's wearing a human skin, she's not even as good as an animal. If she had any humanity, would she allow her son to have an affair with a maid? Would she allow a maid to have an affair?" The two argued. The maids dared not advise their mistress, nor did they dare help beat Hanxiang.

Just as they were at their wits' end, Jia Wenwu, who had overheard the argument between Fu Shi and the maids, rushed in and told Mo Shi, "My daughter-in-law is arguing with Hanxiang." Mo Shi hurried over. Reaching the door, she heard her daughter-in-law scolding the maid for adultery, knowing it was for her son's sake, and felt embarrassed to go in. But then she heard her daughter-in-law even scolding him, how could she bear it? She entered, shouting, "Good daughter-in-law, good daughter-in-law, you're even scolding your mother-in-law! Did you hit my maid? Let go!" She stepped forward and pushed his hand away. Fu stopped calling her "Grandma" and yelled, "You think you can hit me just because I'm a maid? This maid stole your son, and you're protecting him. If you have such a good wife, why did you marry me in the first place?" Mo was furious at his arrogance and said, "If I had known you were such an unvirtuous woman, my son would have never had a wife. I would have been blind to marry someone like you." Seeing that he was still holding onto Hanxiang's hair, she twisted his hand hard. Fu was used to feeling pain even from a small bump, and had never experienced such a sharp pain, so she had to let go. The maid ran away as fast as she could. He wailed, "So you and your mother ganged up on me! I'm not even as good as a maid. What's the point of my life?" As he was crying, he saw Jia Wenwu outside the door and lunged at him viciously. Mo was so angry that she was dizzy. Seeing him lunge at her son, she was afraid that he would catch her and make her suffer. She rushed out, grabbed her son, and ran upstairs. Once inside the room, they sat down and saw that Jia Wenwu's face was deathly pale. The maid was combing her hair, tears streaming down her face, her nose twitching, half her cheek red, several finger marks on her face, sobbing intermittently. Seeing this, Madam Mo thought of her daughter-in-law's unfilial behavior and the uncertain future of her son. It was her own doing, and she couldn't blame anyone else, so she couldn't help but weep. Though her voice wasn't loud, her resentment was palpable. The old man, hearing the unusual sounds, told the maid to invite Madam Mo over to question her. Madam Mo, still filled with resentment, recounted her daughter-in-law's ignorance. The old man could only sigh.

Now, let's talk about Madam Fu. After crying for a while, she didn't eat dinner and went to bed. That night, she cried again. She took a rope and tried to hang herself from the bed railing. Luckily, the maids had heard her crying and were still awake. Suddenly, they heard no sound and went to check, hoping she was asleep so they could get some rest. Suddenly, they saw her swinging on the swing and cried out in fright, "Miss, something terrible has happened! She's hanging herself here! Come quick!" The four maids rushed in and hurriedly untied her. While trying to save her, they sent one of them upstairs to deliver the message. Madam Fu, because she had only been upstairs for a short time, wasn't injured. After a while, she coughed up phlegm and started crying again. The maid ran to tell Madam Mo the news. Madam Mo had just fallen asleep when she heard knocking at the door, saying her daughter-in-law had hanged herself. This startled her greatly. Looking at her son, she said, "This is your nemesis from a past life; I wonder what fate awaits him." As she spoke, she hurriedly dressed, called a maidservant with a lamp, and went straight to the courtyard. Seeing that her daughter-in-law had been revived and was crying in bed, a weight lifted from her heart. She could only gently comfort her, saying, "Foolish child, how could you try to take your own life at such a young age? My mother-in-law is only giving you advice; would she scold you for a maidservant's sake? Stop thinking such nonsense." Fu Shi ignored her, only crying. Seeing him like this, Mo Shi felt both ashamed and angry. Unable to sit still, she got up and tried to comfort him a few more times before going back to her room. At this time, the old man also knew what was happening. He got up and sat leaning against the pillows, only sighing deeply. When Madam Mo returned, she sat down in her husband's room. The old man said, "My daughter-in-law's shrewishness is no small matter. Tomorrow, invite our in-laws over so I can explain. Since there were some mishaps later, I've already said this beforehand, so we can discuss it further." Madam Mo agreed. After watching her husband go to sleep, she went to sleep herself.

The next day, as expected, they invited the wealthy official. The old man, who had been harboring resentment for a long time, recounted from beginning to end how his daughter had beaten her son-in-law, conspired with her maid to harm her husband, scolded her mother-in-law, beaten her mother-in-law's maid the previous day, and even attempted suicide by hanging herself. He added, "I only have this one child in my life. I'm almost ninety years old; I don't know what will become of my child." Tears streamed down his face. The wealthy official was extremely ashamed, feeling guilty for his daughter's cruelty towards her husband and her lack of filial piety towards her parents-in-law. Seeing his elderly in-law speaking so sadly, he felt even more compassion. He could only say, "My dear in-law, you are old, please don't be upset. My daughter has been raised without a mother's guidance and doesn't know how to behave. Please don't worry about her. I have no son, so I will do my best to take care of my son-in-law and help him achieve his goals." The old man was very grateful to his in-law for his kind words.

The wealthy official then left and went to his daughter's room. He found her lying on the bed crying, not even combing her hair or washing her face. He said, "My daughter, you are now a daughter-in-law in someone else's house, unlike when you were a daughter at home. A good reputation is hard to come by. How could you possibly offend your parents-in-law? Even if your son-in-law is young and doesn't know how to explain things, you can only persuade him. How can a husband beat you?" The woman was full of resentment. When she heard that her father had come, she thought he had come to vent her anger, but instead, he started talking about her. Then she shouted, "I'm not virtuous! Who asked you to raise me in the first place? I'm living in their house now, I don't need you meddling in the Qiao family's affairs. I'm not afraid they'll cook me alive. Even if I die, I don't need you to take my life!" The wealthy official, seeing his daughter's ignorance, and knowing his married daughter couldn't scold him, cursed her again, saying, "A disgrace to the family!" and stormed out. Jia Wenwu dared not enter the room, waiting for his father-in-law in the hall. The wealthy official, seeing him, grabbed his hand and said, "My daughter is ignorant, son-in-law, don't take it to heart. Please consider my feelings. With your father-in-law here, you can rest assured." Jia Wenwu bowed and thanked his father-in-law, and the wealthy official got into his sedan chair and went home. After

this commotion, Mrs. Fu was furious and spent her days beating her maids, scolding the servants, smashing dishes and bowls. It took over a month for her anger to subside. Old Jia, seeing that his in-laws had spoken many kind words, and noticing that his son and daughter-in-law had been apart for over a month, decided to let it go. She had no choice but to order a feast prepared, call her daughter-in-law over, say some kind words, and persuade her. She then instructed Madam Mo to take her son and daughter-in-law back to their room for a drink to reconcile the matter. Although the matter was resolved, Jia Wenwu's courage was shattered, and from then on, he dared not harbor any improper thoughts at home. These days, he slept in his mother's room. Because he had been married, it was inconvenient to have him sleep in the same bed, so a makeshift bed was placed for him at the head of the bed, very close to Hanxiang, and they spent every night together. Madam Mo resented her daughter-in-law, but even knowing this, she did not forbid it. The two were deeply in love, and although they were reluctant to part, due to Madam Fu's strict rules and regulations, they had no choice but to sever their affections and abide by the rules, daring not to seek their former love again. They could only go out and fool around whenever they had free time. Seeing that he obeyed the law, Madam Fu was at peace. Since Fu, the

Minister of Revenue, had promised his daughter to his in-laws, he thought about it every day. One year, during the imperial examination, this scholar, who had been his colleague and was very close to him, took the exam. After repeated requests, the emperor asked for help to get his son-in-law into a good school, and Wenzong readily complied. The county and prefectural exams were easy, needless to say. He also passed the provincial exam, causing quite a stir. In the autumn, the chief examiner was a fellow student and classmate of the wealthy Minister of Revenue. The examiner, having prepared a generous gift—partly a bribe, partly a favor—to secure his son-in-law's success. The examiner naturally agreed. [This phrase refers not to the four characters "fellow student and classmate," but to the two characters "generous gift."] He passed the three exams, his essays seemingly effortless. On the day of the exams, he easily and effortlessly passed, becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations). Meanwhile, in the three schools of Jiangnan, there was a type of academic tyrant who didn't study himself but always secured a third-class ranking in the annual exams by paying bribes. His only business was manipulating government offices, stirring up gossip and slander, and fabricating stories to swindle money from officials. Now, seeing that Jia Wenwu had passed, he knew he was a modern-day novice, completely ignorant. Knowing his father-in-law was extremely wealthy, they spread rumors that the rich Minister of Revenue had bought his son-in-law a degree in the imperial examinations, hoping to outmaneuver him. Little did they know that the father-in-law and son-in-law had learned two ancient sayings: "

Let the storm rage, we'll sit calmly in our fishing boat." They

even held a banquet and a theatrical performance at home, celebrating and making a fuss, completely ignoring them. These few scholars, embarrassed and enraged, joined in the chorus. They claimed that so-and-so was the son of a high-ranking official, and so-and-so was the son of a wealthy man, all having bought their degrees. Though there were only a few leaders, hundreds of troublemakers followed, going to the Confucian temple to wail and then storming the gates of the examiner's residence. The examiner, upon learning this, was furious and ordered the local officials to arrest them. People in Jiangnan call this "dumb goose head," because a goose, seeing people walking by, stretches out its long neck to frighten them, only to be kicked away and run far away in fear—that's how people in Jiangnan are. When things are peaceful, one person starts a charade, and many others join in. But when trouble arises, they all flee in terror.

At first, there were several hundred scholars, wearing square caps and red shoes, carrying fans, making a noisy commotion. Later, hearing of the arrest, these people vanished without a trace, leaving only seven or eight leaders. The chief examiner handed these men over to the local official. He submitted a memorial that very night, omitting all other details, only stating that the scholars were unworthy and had bullied the chief examiner. This chief examiner was a protégé of Wei Zhongxian, and had been bribed beforehand, needless to say.

The wealthy Minister of Revenue, seeing the situation was turning sour and fearing for his own safety, sent his son-in-law to the capital. One reason was to avoid trouble, and the other was to seek connections. He prepared a gift of three thousand taels of gold and sent it to Ruan Dacheng in the capital. Ruan Dacheng was a fellow townsman and an acquaintance. Because Ruan Dacheng was Wei Zhongxian's first protégé in power, holding an official position in the capital and enjoying widespread influence, the minister sought his help. He also prepared over ten thousand taels of gold as lavish gifts and entrusted Ruan Dacheng to deliver them to Wei Zhongxian, wanting Jia Wenwu to become his grandson as a patron and seek favor.

Jia Wenwu arrived in Beijing, met Ruan Dacheng, presented the letter and gifts. Ruan Dacheng was delighted and the next day went with him to see Wei Zhongxian, presenting him with even more lavish gifts. These included golden cups, plates, and bowls; glittering brocade and gauze; scrolls of Tang and Song dynasty poems and paintings; antiques of Zhou and Shang dynasty bronzes, jade belts, rhinoceros horn cups, pearls, and gemstones. Wei Zhongxian accepted them, and Jia Wenwu again became his grandson. Wei Zhongxian, upon seeing the gifts, showed no concern. He was pleased to see Jia Wenwu accept his grandson. Ruan Dacheng then mentioned that Jia Wenwu had passed the imperial examination, and that people, seeing his family's wealth, wanted to defraud him and requested the emperor's intervention. He also recounted the story of the Jiangnan scholar crying at the temple. Wei Zhongxian angrily said, "I saw the original document the other day and deeply resented these despicable scholars. I have already issued an edict ordering them all to be dismissed and punished. What a big deal it is for Jia's grandson to pass the imperial examination, but next year we'll make sure he passes the highest level of the imperial examination, and then we'll see what happens!" Ruan Dacheng said, "This is a great favor from the Emperor, and the father-in-law and son-in-law will repay it generously." He hurriedly told Jia Wenwu to kowtow and thank him. Wei Zhongxian laughed, "With a father like us, even your grandson can't pass the highest level of the imperial examination, it's a disgrace to us." He said to Ruan Dacheng, "Ruan, you go with him and tell him to wait." The two bowed and left. Sure enough, the following spring, Jia Wenwu passed the highest level of the imperial examination again, truly:

"What use are a thousand scrolls of books in one's heart, as long as one is born with good fortune." [These two sentences are enough to make an old scholar weep.]

You ask how Wei Zhongxian, a eunuch without testicles, could rise to such a high position? What was his background and origin? Let me tell you in detail, and you will know the details. His ancestral home was in Suning County, Hejian Prefecture, Zhili Province. His father was born in the Year of the Rabbit, and his childhood nickname was Wei Mao'er, a name so familiar that no one knew his real name. Wei Mao'er was indeed handsome and worked as a gatekeeper in the county. Although he had served a county magistrate, he was never favored. All six of his clerks were close to him, and he lacked nothing in terms of clothing, food, or other necessities.

Later, a new magistrate, a man from Fujian, became obsessed with homosexuality. Because of the long journey and the inability to bring his family to his post, he began to favor Wei Mao'er, treating him like a devoted husband, obeying his every word. His six clerks were all his closest confidants, working in cahoots to solicit favors for him outside the county. Over the years, Wei Mao'er amassed two or three thousand taels of silver. The magistrate's reputation was severely damaged, and he was impeached by his superiors and dismissed from his post. At that time, Wei Mao'er was already in his twenties, not only with a thick waist but also with an unruly mustache. Moreover, since the magistrate's corruption stemmed from Wei Mao'er, he feared that if the next official found out and dismissed him, he would feel even more ashamed, so he retired and returned home. Wanting to marry, he asked a matchmaker to find him a beautiful woman. The matchmaker said, "I've seen all the daughters of these families, and they're all just average, nothing special. Only the daughter of the Bian family who sells dumplings in the stinky ditch—[there are many Bian families selling dumplings in the stinky ditch]—is truly beautiful, though I've heard she might not be a real girl. If you don't mind, she's a perfect match, you can easily find her. If you don't like her, you'll have to look elsewhere." Wei Mao'er, hearing that the girl was exceptionally beautiful, became furious. He thought, "Who cares if she's a virgin or a prostitute? If I miss this opportunity, who knows if I'll ever meet someone like her again?" So he said to the matchmaker, "I don't care about these real or fake daughters. Even if she's a genuine virgin, she might still be a prostitute the next day. What does it matter? As long as she's pretty, that's enough." The matchmaker said, "Since you say so, I guarantee you'll succeed. Just be generous with the reward." Then she left.

How could this matchmaker be so sure? It turned out that this woman, without her parents' knowledge, had become acquainted with an interesting man—a begging monk who frequently visited their house. Old Man Bian often gave him a piece of tofu, and through their constant interactions, the woman and her daughter secretly began an affair. [Old Man Bian was indeed generous in return for his generosity. He would give the monk a piece of tofu, and the monk would repay him with a meat stick.] After a year, the woman was half-pregnant and wanted to elope, but to no avail. Her parents found out and wanted to hastily arrange the marriage. Knowing they couldn't hide it, they told the matchmaker the truth beforehand, making it clear that it was a matter of mutual consent. Therefore, the matchmaker knew they would agree. Upon hearing this, the couple not only agreed but also, upon learning that the man was a retired official and wealthy, felt they had truly married into a high-ranking family and were overjoyed. The matchmaker replied, and Wei Mao'er presented tea and gifts—no further explanation needed. On the wedding day, his old acquaintances, including his clerks and colleagues from the government office, all sent gifts to congratulate him and offer wine. He was overjoyed to see that the woman was indeed beautiful. Entering the room, he found the bride already asleep. He quickly undressed, climbed into bed, and slipped under the covers. When he touched her, she was completely naked. [This bride was undressed.] Drunk and oblivious to his surroundings, he thrust his buttocks towards the bride's crotch. Bian Shi couldn't help but laugh and ask, "What are you doing?" He replied, "I'm marrying you." Bian Shi said, "How can you marry like this? You're wrong." He mumbled, "I've been like this since I was little, I've been married thousands of times, how can I be wrong?" Bian Shi laughed, "I've been married before, but it was from the opposite side, not like this." Wei Mao'er, reminded by him, remembered that he was marrying a wife, not keeping someone company in old age. She turned her face away, climbed onto his belly, and performed a martial arts scene. [It's fortunate he married this old writer who reminded him. If he had married a real daughter, wouldn't this beautiful night have been wasted?] Two days later

, he happened to see Bian Shi with a large pregnant belly and asked, "Are you suffering from some kind of illness? Why is your belly so big?" Bian Shi smiled but did not answer. Just one hundred days later, she gave birth to a plump, round-faced son. [The former Tu family's Tong Shi gave birth after seventy or eighty months; now Bian Shi gave birth after one hundred days. Why is there so much more than little?] Wei Mao'er knew this child's arrival was somewhat strange and wanted to abandon him. Bian Shi insisted, saying, "If you abandon this child, I'll also seek my own death. I've been married to you for over three months; he's your flesh and blood. Why should I abandon him?" Wei Mao'er loved Bian Shi too much and had no choice but to let him stay. This child was Wei Zhongxian. Initially, he attended school and studied. His original name was Wei Jinzhong; Zhongxian was a name bestowed upon him by the emperor. When Wei Zhongxian was seventeen, his father married him, and a year later, they had a son named Wei Liangqing. His wife, surnamed Ji, was quite beautiful. However, Wei Zhongxian didn't love her much;

instead, he frequented brothels. When Wei Mao'er was a teenager, he contracted syphilis due to the excessive number of prostitutes he hired. He was in the prime of his life, and to prevent the flare-up, he used a lot of powder and medicine to suppress it. Now, in his forties, he was again weakened by Bian's influence, and the old sores flared up, becoming a throbbing, rotting syphilis. Treatment was ineffective; first, his nose and penis were eroded away, and then his entire body gradually rotted away until he died. Bian, the wife, always kept her husband occupied in bed, not allowing him to be idle even for a single night. Since Wei Mao'er contracted the sores, he hadn't been happy for over six months, and was extremely anxious. He wanted to find a partner, but his son and daughter-in-law were in his way. Fortunately, a monk he had known in the past, pretending to be his cousin, came to visit, secretly satisfying his cravings. Now that her husband was dead, she hurriedly buried him. Just after the 14-day mourning period, she packed some of her savings and, together with the monk, agreed to elope. One dark morning, they disappeared without a trace.

Wei Zhongxian had been a gambler and womanizer since childhood, but because his parents controlled his household furniture, he couldn't get his hands on it. He could only steal small items to pawn for amusement, which wasn't enough. When his father died, he was secretly delighted to be free. He was still afraid his mother wouldn't allow it, and it still held him back. Now, seeing that his father had become a concubine and been taken away by the monk Yueming, he was overjoyed and no longer cared about the matter. He squandered the household furniture his father had earned in his youth, not only on gamblers but also on whoring, and within a few years, it was all gone. He even sold his house and rented two dilapidated rooms. Not only did people stop him from gambling because he had no money, but they also stopped eating. He had his wife, Ji, run a brothel to earn money so that after he had patronized a woman, it would be his wife's turn to patronize her.

Who knew that this Lady Ji, because her husband didn't love her much, was a womanizer and gambler, often staying out all night. Over the years, without her husband's permission, she had already made many friends. Wei Liangqing, inheriting his grandfather's business, was also lured into becoming a minor official [at this time a minor official, who knew he would later be ennobled]. He often didn't return home for ten days or half a month. Wei Zhongxian knew of her indulgence but didn't investigate her whereabouts. Lady Ji, since starting this business, was quite adept at it. After deducting the household expenses, Wei Zhongxian used the rest as gambling capital. But it was sporadic and never quite enough.

A year or two later, he happened to meet a Shandong merchant who wanted to buy a prostitute. Wei Zhongxian took him to see Lady Ji, set her price at fifty taels, and sold her to him. He happily took the money to the gambling den and gambled heavily. People only knew he was selling his wife, not her price, and everyone wanted to win big. In one day and one night, he won over a hundred taels. When it came time to pay off, he only had fifty taels. A fight broke out, three men attacking him. Wei Zhongxian, now desperate and with nothing left to lose, considered using his life to escape punishment. Just then, a knife appeared nearby, which he grabbed. The others, thinking he was about to stab someone, all moved away. Unexpectedly, he pulled down his pants, covered his groin, and viciously slashed at it. [He wanted to escape punishment, but his wife had been sold; what use was this thing?] He fainted from the blood and collapsed to the ground, blood gushing out like a fountain. The crowd tried to run, but the gambling den owner said, "Gentlemen, you can't go. This murder case is for everyone to fight; it's not my responsibility alone. Let's try to save him. If he survives, it's everyone's good fortune; if not, we'll discuss it further." Knowing they couldn't escape responsibility, the crowd had no choice but to help. They burned cotton wool to cover the wound and fed him ginger soup. After a while, he regained consciousness. After discussing it for a while, the group said to him, "You cut yourself; we didn't harm you. Even if you die, we won't have to pay with our lives. Now we'll return this fifty taels of silver to you, and we'll all chip in to support you. If you recover, that's fine. If you don't, we'll take care of your funeral. This fifty taels of silver is for your son to settle down. What do you say? If you insist on going to court, we'll keep this silver for the lawsuit." Wei Zhongxian thought to himself that he was penniless, in too much pain to move, and had no relatives. [Because of this thought, later all the court officials wanted to adopt him as their godson or grandson.] His son was also young. He had risked death, but unexpectedly survived. And now he had this fifty taels, which he could later use for gambling [but unexpectedly, he ended up going to prostitutes]. So he agreed. Seeing that he agreed and wanted to escape trouble, the group provided him with the best food and drink, and then went to find his son and told him what had happened. Among the gamblers was a beggar, who was flattered and pleased, and he stayed to serve his father during the day. At night, the man took him to his genitals.

There were many castrated children in Hejian Prefecture, and a remarkable remedy was found. Someone was invited to treat him. His skin was calcined to ash and mixed with medicine, which he took for over a month. His wounds healed, and his beard fell off, making him look like a eunuch. Such a person could not be tolerated locally, so the authorities were notified. When the officials inquired about the reason, he claimed he was willing to castrate himself, hoping for a position. The local official sent a document to the Directorate of Ceremonial in the capital for handover, and he went with his son, Wei Liangqing.

Upon arriving in the capital, Wang An was then in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial. The messenger was assigned by Wang An to serve the eldest grandson of the emperor in Tokyo, who was none other than the Tianqi Emperor. At that time, Tianqi was still a child, surrounded by eunuchs. Having grown up in the palace, he knew nothing. Wei Zhongxian, however, had lived outside for over thirty years; what did he not know? He had fifty taels of silver with him, which he used to buy all sorts of toys and trinkets sold outside to entice Tianqi. Tianqi doted on him like a precious treasure, unable to be separated from him for a moment.

Tianqi's wet nurse, Madam Ke, was the wife of Hou Er, a resident of Dingxing County. She was very beautiful and was only in her early twenties when she was selected for the palace. She nursed Tianqi until he was thirteen. Madam Ke was also a wanton woman, but had no choice but to be selected for the palace. For over ten years, she spent her time with palace maids and eunuchs. Now that Tianqi was older, she sought to satisfy her lust and consolidate her favor with the emperor, and was seduced by him, losing Tianqi's virginity. He had given Tianqi milk from a small nipple, and now he was giving him milk from a large nipple. Tianqi, having tasted this delicacy, found none of the imperial kitchen's offerings comparable, and they lived together as husband and wife. Wei Zhongxian, knowing this, saw Ke Shi as a potential great ally and swore brotherhood with her.

After Wei Zhongxian entered the palace through castration, a year or two later, he received instruction from a strange person, regularly taking pills and swallowing the brains of infants. His penis grew to four or five inches long, but it was a brainless thing. Ke Shi was delighted, and Wei Zhongxian, cunning as he was, secretly began an affair, becoming husband and wife. Tianqi was still young, and Ke Shi only wanted to win his affection; his penis was of little use. Meeting Zhongxian was truly an unexpected and miraculous encounter. Zhongxian then introduced Wei Chao to her, and Ke Shi was even more delighted; the two made countless vows of eternal love and promises. But his oath differed from those of other men and women; those spoke of affection, while his spoke of self-interest. It was simply a matter of how to provide internal support and external assistance after the grandson of the emperor ascended the throne.

In the 48th year of the Wanli reign, Emperor Shenzong died, and Emperor Taichang ascended the throne. In January, the emperor ascended the throne, and Emperor Tianqi became emperor. Wei Zhongxian was bestowed with his current name. He was appointed eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, overseeing the affairs of the Eastern Depot. Madam Ke, who was known as Ke Baba in the palace, was now titled Lady Fengsheng. When she went out, she rode in a large carriage carried by eight men, with eunuchs in brocade robes and flowered hats leading the way, her status equal to that of the Empress. Emperor Tianqi also specially granted Madam Ke to Wei Zhongxian as his wife. In September of the second year, he bestowed upon Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke each a gold seal, two inches square, with a four-clawed dragon knob and jade-like seal script. Each seal had nine characters, arranged in three lines: one read: "Seal of Wei Zhongxian, the Regent Minister"; the other read: "Seal of Wei Zhongxian, the Lady Fengsheng." Each seal cost two hundred taels of silver, manufactured by the Imperial Workshop with seal script inscriptions, and placed in a golden dragon-shaped box by the Inner Palace Bureau. For a time, those who flattered the emperor spent tens of thousands of taels of silver. These two, one inside and one outside the court, gradually seized control of the government. They abused their power, accepted bribes, and misled the emperor; their crimes were too numerous to recount. Even if all the bamboo of Mount Nan were used to record their endless sins, and the waves of the Eastern Sea were enough to wash away their evil. At that time, a loyal minister impeached them. Just reading this memorial reveals the wickedness of Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke, so I need not elaborate. The memorial stated: "

Left Vice Censor-in-Chief Yang Lian writes: These treacherous eunuchs, relying on their power, abused their authority, disrupted the government, deceived the emperor, disregarded the law, acted without regard for the law, greatly betrayed the emperor's grace, and greatly violated ancestral regulations. I beg for a swift and decisive judgment, an immediate investigation, to save the dynasty as soon as possible. People like the eunuch Wei Zhongxian of the Eastern Depot are controlled by the entire court; no one dares to directly impeach him. I truly grieve for this." If I remain silent now out of fear of disaster, I would be betraying my initial loyalty and righteousness, and failing Your Majesty's special favor in appointing me. How could I face the spirit of the late Emperor in heaven in the future? I have carefully compiled twenty-four of his most serious crimes and presented them to Your Majesty.

Zhongxian was originally a rogue from the marketplace. In middle age, he was castrated and secretly entered the interior, where he was placed in a lowly position and treated with great favor and courtesy. His original name was Jinzhong, but he changed it to his current name. Was it not because he wanted to reflect on the meaning of his name, that loyalty would prevent him from committing evil, and virtue would prevent him from committing wickedness? At first, he mistakenly acted out of petty loyalty and trustworthiness to gain favor, but later he dared to commit great treachery and evil to disrupt the order of the court. Since Zhongxian seized power, all imperial edicts have been issued by imperial decree. If he were to issue a single document in the middle of the night to kill someone, Your Majesty would not know, and the cabinet ministers would not be able to inquire. How could the harm be insignificant? He would destroy the political system established by our ancestors for two hundred years, which is a major crime.

Former cabinet minister Liu Yijing and Grand Secretary Zhou Jiamo were both ministers who received the mandate of heaven. Zhongxian, through his connections with Sun Jie, was eager to eliminate any potential rivals and could not tolerate the emperor not renouncing his father's position. This is the second major crime.

The late emperor ascended the throne in his prime and passed away within a month. The one who upheld the principles of punishing traitors according to the Spring and Autumn Annals was the minister of rites, Sun Shenxing. The one who upheld the eternal principles of social order was the minister of law, Zou Yuanbiao. Zhongxian forced him to resign due to illness and then instigated officials to impeach him. How could he befriend traitors and hate the loyal and righteous? This is the third major crime.

Wang Ji, as Minister of Justice, enforced the law with unwavering integrity. Zhong Yuzheng, as Minister of Education, was as pure and upright as a crane. Zhongxian first humiliated and forced him to resign, then framed him and had him removed from office. He could not tolerate upright and honest ministers in a prosperous era. This is the fourth major crime.

Nothing in the nation is more important than Mei Bu, yet Zhongxian held him firmly in his grasp. Did he truly intend to make his protégé a prime minister? This is the fifth major crime.

No one is more important than the court's recommendation when appointing officials. Zhongxian used his treacherous influence to cause many virtuous and talented individuals to lose their positions. The sixth major crime is the reversal of established rules in the selection of officials and the manipulation of unpredictable power.

In the early days of the new reign, loyalty and integrity were paramount. Yet, nine officials, including Man Jian, dared to speak out, and Zhongxian issued an edict ordering their demotion. Despite repeated favors, they were prevented from receiving imperial favors. It was said in Chang'an that the Emperor's anger was easily appeased, but Zhongxian's anger was unforgivable. This is the seventh major crime.

However, it is still said that these were officials of the outer court. Rumors circulated that a former noblewoman in the palace, known for her virtue and chastity, enjoyed the Emperor's favor. Zhongxian, fearing she would expose his arrogance and scheming, feigned illness and immediately murdered her. Thus, even the Emperor could not protect her favor. This is the eighth major crime.

It is still said that she was granted an unnamed title. Consort Yu received a title due to pregnancy, and the news spread joyfully throughout the court and beyond. Zhongxian, seeing her as defiant and disloyal, forged an edict ordering her suicide, preventing her from ever seeing the Emperor. Thus, the Emperor could not protect his concubines. This is the ninth major crime.

It is still said that she was a concubine. The Empress Dowager was overjoyed to have a son, whose birth was auspicious, like a rainbow after a lightning strike, but this abruptly turned into a tragic fall of a star and the moon. Rumors circulated that Zhongxian and Lady Fengsheng were indeed plotting this. It is clear the Emperor could not protect his first son. This is the tenth major crime.

During the forty years the late Emperor spent in the Green Palace, only Wang An protected him in his vulnerable state. Yet Zhongxian, driven by personal resentment, forged an imperial edict and murdered him at Nanhai Zi. His body was severed from his head, and his flesh was used to feed dogs and pigs. This shows not only hatred for Wang An, but also a blatant hatred for the late Emperor's old servant and the Emperor's old lackeys, without any scruples. The number of other eunuchs who were expelled without authorization is unknown, numbering in the hundreds or thousands. This is the eleventh major crime.

Today they demand rewards, tomorrow they demand ancestral hall plaques. Furthermore, in Hejian Prefecture, they destroyed houses to build memorial archways, carved with phoenixes and dragons, reaching into the clouds. And it's not just about using court regulations for burial grounds, but also usurping imperial mausoleum designations. This is the twelfth major crime.

Today they benefit from the influence of the Zhongshu (Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat), tomorrow from the Jinyi (Imperial Guard). The guards of the Imperial Guard are all illiterate, and the officials in charge of imperial edicts are completely ignorant. People like Wei Liangqing and his nephew Fu Yingxing, who are of noble birth and high rank, are not worthy of such treatment. What military achievements did Zhongxian have? What official career did he have? This is a gross disrespect to the imperial authority. This is the thirteenth major crime.

Using the method of cangues to demonstrate power has resulted in the deaths of several imperial relatives. Those who framed imperial relatives intended to shake the stability of the empress dowagers. If it weren't for the strong protection of the cabinet ministers and the urgent correction by the censors, the relatives of the empress would have been involved in another major case. This is the fourteenth major crime.

Zhang Shikui, a student from Liangxiang, died under the pretext of mining after damaging the tomb's veins during a dispute over a coal mine. If he were to steal even a handful of soil from the Changling Mausoleum, what would be done with him? Zhao Gao could turn a deer into a horse, and Zhongxian could turn coal into a mine. This is the fifteenth major crime.

Wang Sijing and Hu Zundao have indeed encroached on pastureland; at the very least, they should be handed over to the relevant officials, or at worst, to the provincial governor or the academy. He was directly imprisoned in a dark prison, tortured three times until his body was covered in wounds. The Emperor valued literature and morality, yet Zhongxian disregarded the lives of officials. This was the sixteenth major crime.

Furthermore, the censor Zhou Shipu was impeached for his involvement in the Textile Bureau's case. He was simply speaking out about the work, but Zhongxian halted his promotion, causing Shipu to leave in dire straits. Given the Empress's high status, this was extremely disrespectful; how could the court tolerate such behavior? This was the seventeenth major crime.

Furthermore, he was about to spread the poison of intrigue among the gentry. The Northern Garrison Commander Liu Qiao refused to kill to curry favor, speaking out against injustice, yet Zhongxian expelled him. Thus, Zhongxian's power and influence were amplified; how could the nation's lifeline be protected by such malpractice? This was the eighteenth major crime.

Furthermore, he was about to use the silk thread to obscure the sun. The censor Wei Dazhong, upon assuming office, had already received a clear imperial decree, but suddenly received another decree reprimanding him. When the censors replied, whether they manipulated the officials in the palm of their hands or remained silent and impassive, bringing the emperor down, what kind of ruler would the world and future generations think of the emperor? This is the nineteenth major crime.

Most strangely, the Eastern Depot was originally there to investigate spies, not to disturb the common people. Since Zhongxian took over, there has been constant unrest. They are quick to settle scores and carry out framing. A single dissent is met with immediate execution. For example, the recent arrest of Wang Wenyan of the Secretariat was carried out without the Grand Secretary's approval, without the Grand Secretary's knowledge, and without any attempt at the Grand Secretary's intervention. The usurpation of power by Wang Zhi of the Western Depot in the past is perhaps not even comparable. This is the twentieth major crime.

Even more alarming is the purpose of the Eastern Depot's investigations. Previously, Han Zonggong secretly entered Chang'an to make arrangements, actually frequenting Zhongxian's residence; only after his activities were exposed was he ordered to flee. If Heaven does not repent, and Zonggong's espionage succeeds, where will the people inside and outside the Nine Gates find refuge? This is the twenty-first major crime.

The ancestral rule against keeping internal troops had a profound meaning. Zhongxian conspired with spies to establish an inner power structure, and then lavishly bribed them, his true intentions unknown. This is the twenty-second major crime.

Recently, Zhongxian went to Zhuozhou to offer incense, his entourage of iron cavalry as vast as the clouds, his jade-embroidered robes gleaming in the sun. The imperial procession was loud and clear, the road dusted, everyone believing the emperor was going to Zhuozhou. Upon his return, finding the palanquin riders too slow, he was instead drawn by four horses. With feathered banners and blue canopies flanking and surrounding him, he was now clearly a royal carriage, likely harboring resentment at being under the emperor's command. This is the twenty-third major offense.

Zhongxian rode before the emperor, and the emperor once shot and killed his horse. Zhongxian, instead of fearing punishment and pleading for death, was heard to be arrogant in his advances and resentful in his retreats. Rebellious ministers and traitors have always been driven by a single thought, their recklessness leading to their uncontrollable downfall. How could he allow such a tiger and rhinoceros to lurk in his own arms? This is the twenty-fourth major offense.

All these rebellious acts were obtained from the official gazette and reported in Chang'an, not from mere speculation or guesswork. Zhongxian's twenty-four major crimes included those committed internally by receiving bribes and then externally, those externally by receiving calls and then internally responding, and those favored by the Imperial Censor who attempted to cover up his crimes. Therefore, within the inner palace, people knew of Zhongxian, but not the Emperor; within the capital, people knew of Zhongxian, but not the Emperor. Even high and low officials, influenced by accumulated power and influence, were unaware of the Emperor's existence, knowing only Zhongxian. In the palace and the government, in matters large and small, Zhongxian monopolized power. Even when imperial edicts were presented, it was as if the Emperor was merely a figurehead, while Zhongxian was the real authority. For example, when Zhongxian went to Zhuozhou, all matters required urgent requests for imperial decrees. Alas! The Emperor's face was so close, yet he was delayed in seeking a decision, while Zhongxian's will was sent from a hundred miles away. Given this situation, does the Emperor's authority still surpass that of Zhongxian? When I think of this, is there still a light in the world? Or is there no light? Zhongxian's wolfish ambitions have taken root, and today, Madam Ke has cleverly intervened. Zhongxian has deceived the emperor beyond measure; his crimes are heinous and cannot be tolerated without decisive action. I humbly beg Your Majesty to unleash a thunderous and swift punishment to appease the wrath of both gods and men. Madam Ke, the one who serves as a sage, should also be exiled, her poisonous influence within the palace never to return. Fu Yingxing and others should be questioned by the judicial authorities. Then, a public announcement should be made to expose their crimes. In this way, Heaven's will will not change, the people will not be pleased, internal order will prevail, and external peace will be restored. If this does not usher in a new era of peace, I beg to execute myself as an apology to Zhongxian. I know that once these words are spoken, Zhongxian's faction will certainly not tolerate me, but I am not afraid. As long as one Zhongxian is removed, so as not to tarnish Your Majesty's reputation as a sage ruler, I can repay the late Emperor and face the spirits of the two ancestors and ten lineages. My lifelong loyalty and righteousness, and the special favor of two dynasties, have fulfilled my wish. I will die without regret. I only ask that Your Majesty, by recognizing my sincere devotion, grant this punishment.

When he submitted this memorial, all the loyal ministers in the court thought that Emperor Tianqi would be furious, exterminate Zhongxian's entire clan, and demote Madam Ke. They all listened attentively. Unexpectedly, due to Wei Zhongxian's accumulated power, Tianqi had long since submitted. Moreover, being naturally foolish, upon seeing the memorial, Tianqi was not angry at all, but rather feared that Zhongxian would take his anger out on him. He smiled obsequiously and said, "As for what this memorial says, it's one thing if I don't know about things outside. I don't even know about things in the palace, so how could I know about things outside? I don't quite believe it." Zhongxian said, "Your Majesty is right. Just thinking about it, I know it's a lie. They see that Your Majesty has entrusted me with the management of the court, and that the officials outside cannot wield power. They want to provoke Your Majesty's anger and demote me so that they can all play tricks." Madam Ke turned her head and pinched her neck, saying, "These gossips, they've dragged me into it too. They're just afraid that I'll speak ill of them to Your Majesty, so they all want to oust me. I'll just leave." And she walked out. Emperor Tianqi hurriedly went to stop him, saying, "Don't be angry, I have my own way of dealing with this." Then, angrily, he said to Wei Zhongxian, "Severely punish these troublemakers, so that others won't dare to follow suit." Zhongxian replied, "Your Majesty doesn't know, there are many in their faction. Punishing just one or two won't faze them." Tianqi said, "No matter how many, punish them all severely." [Zhongxian's ruthlessness was not the Emperor Tianqi's doing; how could he have dared to be so audacious? Later generations only blame Zhongxian and not Tianqi, which is putting the cart before the horse. Even Qin Hui's killing of Yue Fei, without Emperor Gaozong's intention, how could he have dared to do it? Readers should understand the implied meaning.] Zhongxian and Madam Ke, hearing this, were secretly pleased and immediately issued a stern edict rebuking him. Zhongxian knew he had the emperor under his control; how could he tolerate any dissent from his ministers? Therefore, he formed the Donglin Party and launched a massive attack on loyal officials. He slaughtered and banished all upright gentlemen, leaving only his adopted sons among the civil and military officials. From the Prime Minister Wei Guangwei onwards, all the officials in the Five Ministries and Six Departments, the Nine Ministers, and even the Censors and Daoists, were nothing but his sons. At that time, a Minister of Rites, nearly eighty years old, said to Wei Zhongxian, "I originally intended to have a son with you, but I am too old to recognize you. Let my son be your grandson instead." [This Minister of Rites was indeed virtuous and worthy of the title.]

Look at the shamelessness of the scholar-officials at that time—could this world still exist? By this time, Wei Zhongxian had already built his own mansion, and Madam Ke had also established a great enterprise. Each household had thousands of servants, and every time they returned home from court, their shouts of "Your Majesty!" were deafening. Those who flattered Wei Zhongxian addressed him as "Nine Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Years Old." The two were in cahoots; when Wei Zhongxian was out, Madam Ke was inside. When Madam Ke was out, Wei Zhongxian was inside. The Tianqi Emperor was completely controlled by these two, utterly unable to exercise his own power. Because Zhongxian and Madam Ke took turns going in and out, and he couldn't always stay overnight with her, he selected four handsome and strong young servants to give to Madam Ke as concubines, saying with a smile, "I can't always accompany you, so I'm sending these young servants to serve you. I'm sure your lord won't dare to interfere, so you can keep them." Madam Ke accepted them with a smile. Madam Ke lived in the main house, and built another house next door for her husband, Hou Er, and their son, Hou Xingguo. Whenever she left the palace, she would have these four young servants sleep in the same bed with her, enjoying themselves immensely. Therefore, she became even more grateful to Zhongxian and became even closer to him, secretly colluding with him. Zhongxian held the power of life and death in his hand, and all the officials in the court were either adopted sons or servants. With a single word from him, his orders were carried out with lightning speed. If he wanted to appoint a prime minister, it would be as easy as turning his hand, let alone make someone pass the imperial examination. As for Jia Wenwu, whether he was talented or not, he only mentioned his name to the examiner, and he passed.

After Jia Wenwu passed the examination, the good news arrived home. When the old man, Jia, heard that his son had passed the imperial examination, he was overjoyed and passed away with a smile. Madam Mo immediately sent someone to the capital to announce the death. Jia Wenwu bid farewell to Wei Zhongxian and Ruan Dacheng and rushed back home overnight. His family celebrated the funeral with great fanfare, and the funeral procession was magnificent, needless to say. Unexpectedly, his mother, Madam Mo, also passed away the following year, causing another flurry of activity. After the funeral, Jia Wenwu, fearing that Madam Fu would harbor resentment and make things difficult for him, secretly told his maid that he would devise a plan to rescue her and marry her off to a single man to repay her past kindness. After discussing the plan, the maid, though reluctant, was also afraid of Madam Fu's potential harm and was very grateful, shedding a few tears. Jia Wenwu went to his father-in-law's house and, not daring to lie, told him everything about the maid, begging his father-in-law to find a way to save her. Madam Fu, the Minister of Revenue, both loved his son-in-law and feared that his daughter had indeed caused the maid's death, so he went to Jia Wenwu's house the next day. The son-in-law and daughter welcomed him in, and he wanted to visit his in-laws' coffin. He and his wife accompanied him. Minister Fu bowed before the coffin and, seeing a maid standing nearby, deliberately asked Jia Wenwu, "Whom did this girl serve?" Jia Wenwu replied, "She was my late mother's maid." Minister Fu turned to his daughter and asked, "Is this the one who argued with you that day?" His wife said, "That's him. Back then, relying on your mother's influence, he was very bold. I'll slowly expose him." Minister Fu's expression changed, and he said to Jia Wenwu, "Your family is a family of scholars and gentlemen; are your mother's maids acceptable to your son?" Jia Wenwu feigned fear and said... "This is my youthful ignorance, and I deeply regret it," said the wealthy official. "Your mother has indulged her so much; why not send her away? What's the point of keeping her at home?" Jia Wenwu replied, "My mother's flesh and blood are still warm; I can't bear to part with her." The wealthy official laughed, "You're just pretending because you can't bear to part with her. I can't tolerate it, so please blame me, my dear son-in-law." He instructed his servants, "Take this girl home and have the matchmaker sell her immediately. Do it now." The girl knew Jia Wenwu had kindly saved her, but after so many years there, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken at the thought of leaving. She packed her things, kowtowed to her master's memorial tablet, and wept bitterly. Her weeping was three parts longing for her former master and seven parts affection for the man. Fu Hubu had someone take him away. Fearing his daughter's suspicion, he looked at Fu Shi and said, "My in-laws invited me to gossip, and I was filled with resentment. Because they are old, I held back and could only say a few things to appease them. I've endured it all this time, and today my father and I finally vented our anger." Fu Shi was overjoyed to hear her father speak so lovingly of her, little knowing that her father-in-law and son-in-law had pulled a fast one. Fu Hubu returned home and instructed that a good family be found for him to marry into. His family recommended a honest merchant named Bao Xinzhi, who was about thirty years old. Fu Hubu didn't want a penny, but out of respect for his son-in-law, he gave the maid a dowry of several taels of gold, as well as some clothes and jewelry. The maid left, profusely grateful. [The reason Hanxiang married Bao Xinzhi is because of the fragrance of plum blossoms, symbolizing the arrival of spring.] Jia Wenwu knew that Hanxiang had found her perfect match and was also grateful to her father-in-law.

Two years later, the wealthy Minister of Revenue, now over sixty, contracted a plague, and his condition became critical. His daughter and son-in-law were by his side. He summoned them and said, "After I die, find good families for all my concubines and maids. The rest of the household members, houses, and valuables are all yours." He then instructed his daughter and son-in-law, "You are both grown up now, not like when you were children. Live a good and harmonious life." He repeated this several times before closing his eyes and passing away. The funeral was handled by Jia Wenwu, and it was quite a grand affair. After the funeral, he married off all the concubines and maids, and then the two families were merged into one. Jia Hanlin's family originally possessed over ten thousand taels of gold in property and furnishings; now, having acquired this share of the wealthy family's estate, it was worth approximately several hundred thousand taels. The house was lavishly furnished, with dozens of servants and many maids, making it far more lively than when Jia Hanlin was alive. Now a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and a very wealthy man, naturally many people came to befriend him. Even scholars and literati flocked to him. Although people knew his path to becoming a scholar and a graduate was somewhat ambiguous, they only discussed it behind his back; who dared to openly say he was ignorant? Knowing he was utterly incompetent, who would dare to give him a test? Besides, everyone is susceptible to opportunism. Even some hypocrites, though they verbally despise him, can't help but approach him. [This perfectly captures the essence of petty people.] The ancient saying is apt: "

When the time is right, who won't come? When the time isn't right, who will come?

" This is exactly it. Jia Wenwu, because he was a scholar, even though he was completely ignorant, still tried to imitate the manners of a scholar, always speaking with archaic language. His use of literary phrases was laughably nonsensical. After his mourning period, he was over twenty years old, and his behavior was quite different from before. While still respectful of propriety, he feared his wife's affections had grown stronger, so he held back.

Let us now recount the family history of Ruan Dacheng, whom Jia Wenwu had sought refuge with. He was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations twice, and although he held a high-ranking official position, he humbled himself to seek personal gain, becoming Wei Dang's first confidant. His birth mother, Lady Bei, was originally his father's concubine. While pregnant with Ruan Dacheng, she dreamt of an official who said to her, "I am Li Linfu of the Tang Dynasty. For ten generations I have been a cow, and for nine generations a prostitute, all struck by lightning. Now my sentence is over, and I have come to be your son." Lady Bei awoke with a start, suddenly experiencing abdominal pain, and gave birth to a son. Lady Bei did not know who Li Linfu was, and later told her husband. Her father secretly thought, "This child will surely be noble in the future, but I fear he will be wicked and unscrupulous." Therefore, he promoted Lady Bei to concubine. Later, Ruan Dacheng passed the imperial examinations, and after his stepmother passed away, his father, because of Lady Bei's dream of being addressed as "Lady," made her his principal wife. Soon after, his father died, leaving only Lady Bei in the household. After his mourning period ended, he passed the imperial examination, entered the Hanlin Academy, and became a lackey of Wei Zhongxian. At the same time, Wei Zhongxian already had five leading adopted sons among the civil officials: Cui Chengxiu, Wu Chunfu, Ni Wenhuan, Tian Ji, and Li Kuilong, known as the Five Tigers. He also had five leading adopted sons among the military officials, known as the Five Leopards: Tian Ergeng, Xu Xianchun, Cui Yingyuan, Yang Huan, and Sun Yunhe. These ten were like ruthless beasts, persecuting loyal officials like jackals, and as greedy and lewd as dogs. Ruan Dacheng was particularly wicked among them, and Wei Zhongxian was more affectionate towards him than his other sons. Why? Knowing that Wei Zhongxian was annoyed by the Donglin Party officials, he compiled a list of generals, gathering almost all the virtuous ministers of the time, like names from *Water Margin*: Gao Panlong, the Left Censor-in-Chief and Heavenly Star of Justice; Zhou Qiyuan, the Imperial Inspector of Yingtian and Heavenly Star of Jade Kirin; Wei Dazhong, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel and Heavenly Star of Wisdom; Yang Lian, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief and Heavenly Star of Courage; and thirty-six others including Zhou Shunchang, Wan Jing, Zhou Zongjian, Huang Shousu, Li Yingsheng, and Miao Changqi as the leaders; followed by seventy-two Earthly Fiends, including Zhou Jiamo, Cui Jingrong, Yu Maoheng, Chen Yuda, Zhou Xisheng, and Shen Yongmao; and finally, Wang Wenyan, the Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat and Earthly Thief Star of Drumming. This list, totaling over one hundred people, was presented to Wei Zhongxian. [Such flattery only earns him the title of a lackey. Even becoming a follower is difficult, why go to such lengths?] Wei Zhongxian was overjoyed and had them killed one by one according to their names.

At this time, he returned to Nanjing to mourn his mother's death and bought a large house in Jianzi Lane. [Jianzi Lane is a clever name, implying that someone who commits extreme evil will ultimately destroy their own son. However, his house was indeed in Jianzi Lane, not fabricated by the author.] He would stay at home or travel north, investigating matters for Wei Zhongxian, causing trouble and harming people, his whereabouts constantly changing. He had a lifelong passion for theater; he not only loved watching plays but also enjoyed writing them. When at home, he often stayed at Chengjian Hall in Niushou Zutang Temple, drinking with his patrons every evening. Around the third watch, when the patrons were tired and left, he would write plays by lamplight, staying up all night. If he saw a good female lead in a theater troupe, he would adore her and insist on getting close to her. If he saw a female lead, he would even risk his life to get his hands on her.

When he first met Yin, although he loved her deeply, he feared that she would harm him in bed, so he dared not take her; otherwise, he and his wife would not have been able to return home safely. At this time, there was a wealthy man in Nanjing surnamed Bai. His ancestral home was Suzhou, so everyone called him Bai She. [Bai She refers to Bai She Jiaojiao and Ruan Dacheng.] He kept a troupe of actors, among whom was a female actor named Jiaojiao. She was beautiful and charming, and her beauty was beyond praise. She was skilled in all eight arts, and her singing and acting were clear and precise, each word forced out from between her teeth. Her voice was melodious, like the sound of a flute, captivating all who heard it. She was only twenty years old. When Ruan Dacheng saw her, he was instantly smitten and did everything he could to bring her home. This Jiaojiao was indeed beautiful. How so: she was graceful

as jade, with a melodious voice; she was charming as a flower, and sometimes she acted flirtatiously. Her alluring eyes could easily seduce the souls of lecherous men, and her slender waist could easily melt the hearts of prodigal sons. She surpassed even the most beautiful courtesans and was more beautiful than a disguised boy. How beautiful is the Pear Garden, truly a peerless female rabbit! [The term "female rabbit" is quite novel. Like before, there is a different fragrance, perhaps only occasionally. If such a creature truly existed in the world, the likes of Longyang would surely weep bitterly and sigh deeply.]
That Jiaojiao was the best in the class; how could her master have been willing to release her in the first place? Later, a knowledgeable relative reminded him, saying, "The actress is indeed lovable, but you yourself are even more so. He is Wei Shanggong's most trusted confidant. Many high-ranking officials of the Donglin Party have been ruined by him, let alone a wealthy man like you. If you anger him, he might implicate you in the Donglin Party. At best, you'll be bankrupt and ruined; at worst, you'll be left without a burial place, unable to even protect your legitimate wife and children, and he'll still take you away for nothing. Wouldn't that be like risking your life for a mere finger? It's better to send him to him as soon as possible. Not only will you avoid disaster, but if he's pleased, you might even get a few taels of silver to buy someone else to teach." Bai She, upon hearing this, found it very reasonable and, having always known the risks involved, sent him. Ruan Dacheng, having achieved his goal, generously offered twenty-four taels for her. Bai She had spent more than half a thousand taels of gold and several years of effort teaching this one person, yet he coveted these few taels of silver, refusing to accept them and preferring to give her away for free. Ruan Dacheng simply thanked her twice and accepted the gift with a smile.

Since acquiring this beautiful woman, he had truly treasured her. He would gladly offer her his heart and liver, even if it meant cooking her into soup. He had three exquisite rooms prepared for her to live in, and a maid named Saihong was hired to serve him; she was also excellent at making clothes and jewelry. He treated not only his other concubines like dirt, but even his principal wife, Mao, like a stranger.

This beautiful woman was skilled in music, and she would point out any errors or inaccuracies in Ruan Dacheng's lyrics. Ruan Dacheng had gained a good teacher and loved her even more. At this time, Ruan Dacheng was forty years old, and as the saying goes, even Chang'e in the moon loves young men. Although Ruan Dacheng loved her very much, he had to feign joy and intimacy under the eaves of his house, while he genuinely loved his eldest son, Ruan Zui. Ruan Zui was only twenty-one years old. Firstly, he was about the same age as her, and secondly, he was handsome with delicate features, white teeth, and red lips. He was also thin and frail, with no weight to speak of, like a dashing playboy. Jiao Jiao had seen many such characters on stage, so she secretly harbored feelings for him. Little did she know that Ruan Zui had already fallen for her as well. Ruan Zui's wife, Jia Shi, although beautiful, was extremely lustful, like a clay figure, lacking any charm. Therefore, Ruan Zui often said, "Having sex with him is like killing someone; what's the fun in that?" He loved a young man named Ai Nu, who frequently penetrated his anus. Since seeing Jiao Jiao, he had lost his soul, his heart and soul consumed by thoughts of her. But since she was his father's beloved, how could he dare to make a move? He could only seduce her with half-hearted flirtatious words when no one was around, little did he know that Jiao Jiao loved him many times more than he loved her. It is very difficult for a man to steal a woman, but for a woman to steal a man is as easy as turning her hand. With just a slight flirtation in their eyes and a few words of unspoken affection, they were already one before they knew it.

Why was it so easy? Since they were deeply in love, their laughter and conversation were full of seductive banter. Ruan Zui was a master of seduction, a leader in clandestine affairs, while Jiao Jiao was a courtesan who sought out talented men from all over the land, and a wanton woman who loved many more. What shame or reputation did they have to worry about? But Jiao Jiao, being a stepmother, couldn't easily submit. Yet, their mutual affection was naturally different. Ruan Zui understood silently, but dared not act rashly. What if something suddenly happened? Therefore, whenever his father left, he would go to Jiao Jiao's room, calling her "Auntie" this and "Auntie" that, flattering her until Jiao Jiao was overjoyed. He, in turn, responded with a friendly smile, calling her "Master" this and "Master" that. Ruan was eager to make a move, but fearing that his father might come back and witness it, he had no choice but to hold back for the time being.

One day, Jiao Jiao was playing with Ruan You, the second son of Mao Shi, when Ruan Zui happened to come by. Ruan You was only five or six years old and very well-behaved. Jiao Jiao smiled at Ruan Zui and said, "Your brother is so good, I love him very much." Ruan Zui retorted, "He's just a kid, what does he know? We're both sons, why don't you love me more, Aunt? Aren't you afraid people will say you're biased?" Jiao Jiao laughed, didn't answer him, and hugged Ruan You, kissing him. Ruan Zui also kissed Ruan You's lips, their lips meeting Jiao Jiao's to form a "品" shape, and he glanced at it with a smile. Another day, Jiao Jiao was playing the flute when Ruan Zui came by and said with a smile, "Aunt, the ancients said that playing the flute attracts a phoenix, you've attracted me here." Jiao Jiao stopped and laughed, "I didn't attract a phoenix, I attracted a dog." Ruan Zui laughed, "Aunt compares me to a dog, a dog will even jump over its mother." Jiao Jiao wasn't angry, she just smiled. Ruan Zui, seeing that things were going well, was just waiting for his father to leave so he could really tease him and complete his good deed.

One day, the spring scenery was pleasant and the weather was clear. Ruan Dacheng was invited by a good friend to go to Yanziji. Knowing he had a whole day free, Ruan Zui was determined to finish his good deed that day. After breakfast, he went to Jiaojiao's room. Jiaojiao was there reading Ruan Dacheng's play "Spring Lantern Riddles." Ruan Zui smiled and said to her, "Auntie, I've looked closely at the play my father wrote. How can it compare to the romance of the ancients?" He then chuckled and imitated the lines from the play, saying, "Like in 'The Romance of the Western Chamber,' 'Soft jade and warm fragrance embraced him, Liu and Ruan entered the Heavenly Terrace.' And 'You half-heartedly resisted there, and I was suddenly surprised and delighted here.' And 'Your soft waist swayed gracefully, and my flower heart dripped lightly. Dewdrops fell on the peony, dipping into a little hemp." Even capturing those few lines from the play would be good. He said: "Under the silver lamp, we tumbled together like phoenixes, and by the gauze window, we embraced again in the musk-scented quilt." He also said: "Hearing your sweet voice, still so familiar, stirs up my usual pleasures and arouses my usual desires." That is, the seductive dialogue afterward is also good. Zhang Sanlang said: "Since Brother Gongming is an acquaintance, your sister-in-law can also be acquainted." Aunt, don't you think such dialogue is interesting?" [Because Jiaojiao is a young female role, using dialogue from the play to seduce her saves on verbal communication, brilliant.] Jiaojiao didn't reply, but smiled slightly and glanced at him sideways. [Her seductive manner is alluring.] Ruan thought to himself: "This good thing is about to happen at this moment." Taking advantage of the maid's absence, he would tease him thoroughly and then make his move. Then, with a grin, she said, "The 'aunt' in your name isn't very good." Jiao Jiao asked, "How so?" Ruan Zui said, "A student was reciting the Book of Songs. When he got to the part about 'wei she' (委蛇), he pronounced it exactly as it was. The teacher said, 'It's pronounced as "wei yi wei yi," you've mispronounced it.' So, whenever the student heard the word 'snake,' he pronounced it as 'yi.' One day, he was late for dinner, and the teacher wanted to beat him, asking where he had gone to skip school. The student cried, 'I didn't dare skip school. Just now, I saw some beggars on the street playing with a snake. They played with it for half a day until it was limp and couldn't move, and then they stopped. That's why I'm late.' Jiao Jiao couldn't help but laugh and scold, 'You short-lived devil! Since you say so, you're not allowed to call me 'aunt' tomorrow, you'll just call me 'mother.' Ruan Zui ran to close the door, knelt down in front of him, grabbed his lower body, and said, 'I'll just learn how the people of Suzhou curse, I'll be a mother-fucking thief.' He reached out and pulled down his pants." Jiaojiao said, "How dare you! I am your stepmother, and this is how you got what you deserve? Let go now, or else what will happen if I scream? If the master comes back, you'll be dead." Ruan Zui saw that although he said this, his face was full of smiles, and he knew that she was willing. [Not only did the smiles show that she was willing, but he also said that if she screamed, it was already clear that he was willing.] She said, "At this point, even if I were struck by lightning, I wouldn't care. My dear mother, please have mercy and do this for me, otherwise I will die."

Jiaojiao did not resist very strongly. She did not use her hands to defend herself, but only used her mouth. Ruan Zui pulled down her pants. When Jiaojiao pretended to cover herself with her hands, he had already touched her plump and beautiful thing. At this time, Jiaojiao had been aroused by him and let him do as he pleased. Ruan Zui then carried her to the bed, took off her red shirt, and hurriedly took off his pants. He pounced on her and thrust his erect penis wildly into her crotch. Jiaojiao, with her buttocks raised and her vulva against his penis, said, "I thought you were just playing around, but you actually took it seriously. Is this how a concubine's mother behaves?" Ruan Zui laughed, "This little girl is just someone you can mess with." He thrust in, and the two of them fondled each other for a while before stopping. Jiaojiao laughed, "You wicked robber, you've raped me! My period just ended this morning. If you get me pregnant this time, and the baby is born, will it still be considered your child, your sibling?" Ruan Zui also laughed, "As the saying goes, 'Wearing blue clothes and mourning clothes, the dead ghost knows it in his belly.'" The two chatted and laughed. Jiaojiao laughed, "You're such a greedy dog! Your wife is quite pretty, yet you refuse to eat the food at home and instead try to scheme against me. You want to take advantage of two women at once? That's heartless. For example, if your father wanted your wife right now, would you dare to give her up?" Ruan Zui said, "My wife is pretty, but she's stiff and lifeless, lacking any charm. Think about it, what's the pleasure in doing things with a dead person? If it's just about looks, would carving a wooden beauty be enough? You say my wife refuses to eat the food at home and eats the wild? Haven't you heard that wild flowers are more beautiful, and that wild flowers are more fragrant than home-grown flowers? If you want to take advantage of me, and my father wants my wife but I can't bear to part with her, that's fine. But if he's willing to exchange her, I'm willing to wash my wife clean and present her to him as a filial offering." [One day I'll fulfill your wish.] "Filial piety." "If you give yourself to me, I'll be your loving wife, sharing life and death, and I'm willing to do so. [An ancient saying goes: 'Words spoken are prophetic; both things will come to pass.'] You say I'm scheming against you? That would betray my good intentions. I see that my husband is almost fifty years old. Firstly, I fear it might harm him, and secondly, I fear it might spoil your youth. Therefore, I'm here to keep you company, simply to help him and show you filial piety." Jiaojiao laughed, "Good filial son, good filial son! You're willing to be filial to your father-in-law, help your father, and be filial to your stepmother. It's truly rare. With you added to the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, it becomes the Twenty-Five. If I continue to be filial to my father-in-law, it will be the Twenty-Sixth." The two chatted and laughed for a while. Ruan Zui touched her breasts and smacked his lips, suddenly aroused by lust. The two lingered for a while longer. Seeing that it was past noon, they got up and dressed. Jiaojiao said, "We can't hide our affair from you, lest it leak out. You must get him involved too, to shut him up, before we can see each other with peace of mind." Ruan Zui smiled and agreed.

One day, Jiaojiao went to the Mao family's place, and Ruan Zui came along. He tricked Saihong into raping him, and they did it all the way. Several months later, Jiaojiao became pregnant. The day she first met Ruan Zui, it was her menstrual period. She had sex with Ruan Zui during the day, and then with Ruan Dacheng at night. Even she herself couldn't tell whether the person she was carrying was her son or her father, or whether the child in her belly was her son or her grandson. When her period was over, she gave birth to a daughter. When she grew to four or five years old, she was a beautiful child, resembling her mother in appearance and Ruan Zui in expression. Ruan Dacheng only said that they were biological siblings, even though they were from different mothers, they were still blood relatives of their father. He never suspected that his son had been born in his place. The child was beautiful and intelligent, and everyone loved her. Ruan Dacheng doted on Jiaojiao like a precious jewel, giving her the nickname Baogu. Ruan Dacheng knew Jiaojiao was conceived before him and after her father, and that she resembled him. Knowing she was his child, though he dared not openly acknowledge it, he secretly adored this precious child

. Now, Ruan Dacheng's wife, Jia, though physically reserved, was quite free-spirited. Born into an official family, she had been disciplined from a young age, developing a dignified demeanor; she was not a blockhead. However, Ruan Dacheng himself was frivolous, accustomed to frequenting brothels and witnessing the behavior of prostitutes. Later, seeing Jiaojiao's flirtatious manner and witty words, truly captivating, he found her increasingly rigid compared to Jia, and thus they did not love each other much. Lacking love, even their occasional nightly trysts failed to ignite their passion. Even if Jia was extremely aroused, she couldn't fully engage in any of the acts, considering it merely a perfunctory performance. Besides, her husband's intercourse with her was rather superficial; if she were to display any more lewd or wanton behavior, she feared her husband would find her despicable. Therefore, she couldn't even display a tenth of her many seductive skills. Seeing that her husband was so engrossed in his affair with Jiaojiao, he no longer devoted his time to her, but instead focused on his beloved slave. This slave was fifteen or sixteen years old; though not a stunningly beautiful child, she was still fair-skinned and quite charming.

One day, he thought, "Since he has favored the boy, I can favor him too. No one dares to come here, and besides this boy, there is no one else I can favor. Since he has stolen his stepmother, it wouldn't hurt for me to favor the boy. Besides, if I favor him, I can not only have some fun but also satisfy my cravings. As the saying goes, those who spoil their children don't understand. Since his master loves this boy so much, he probably won't have any doubts, but I'm afraid he's too young to be of any use." He also thought, "People say that a short stick is better than a hand to stir a fire. I'll save him for now and raise him for another two or three years. He'll grow up eventually. It's better than this mouth down there constantly eating vegetarian food, making him thirsty and longing for something but unable to resist." Since he was paying attention to him, he naturally changed his demeanor, always smiling and showering him with favors. No matter what he did, he didn't guard against him much. That boy had been a homosexual for several years, and he wasn't the only one. Some used this place to seek profit, while others traded with others of the same kind for pleasure, but he had never met a woman. Because he often came in, and seeing that Lady Jia wasn't there, he would flirt and tease the maid. The maid, having already been with Ruan Zui, hadn't had a moment of pleasure in a month and was longing for it. She was willing to submit even to adversity, let alone resist what was offered.

One day, Ruan Zui went out, and Lady Jia went to her mother-in-law's house. The young man came in and saw only the maid in the room, so he went up and embraced her, wanting to do *this* with her. The maid said, "It's bad that you've come here, mistress. My husband isn't home, I'll go with you to the study." The two went to the study, borrowed the master's couch, and made their love affair. Fearing someone might come, they only made it quick and superficial. They did it several times, but it was always rushed and never quite right. Besides, the maid only cared about having a woman's manhood below her navel; although her face wasn't particularly ugly, she lacked charm and had no appeal whatsoever. Having gotten what he wanted, he now coveted more. Seeing that Lady Jia was exceptionally beautiful, he often fantasized about her genitals. He secretly thought, "Women find this orifice quite delightful, perhaps even more so than the 'cave' of our buttocks. [Those who are fond of male love would not think this way.] If it's a beautiful woman, it would be even better. How could I possibly taste the wonderful flavor of my lady's vulva? It would make our encounter worthwhile." Although he had this desire, he dared not act rashly because of the master-slave relationship. As the old saying goes, "The closer the day, the more intimate the night," and he went in and out of the room every day. Lady Jia would sometimes sit on the bed in the morning, binding her feet, revealing her pale legs. Because she was not careful, he would often catch a glimpse of her. Or she would be combing her hair by the window, wearing a short blouse on hot days, raising her hands to comb her hair, her sleeves rolled up, revealing glimpses of her breasts and her tender, lotus-root-like arms. Or she would be wearing gauze trousers, her breasts occasionally faintly visible in the sunlight. He was easily aroused, so he could only close his eyes and fantasize when no one was around, using this as a substitute for his desire. Later, he saw Lady Jia behaving kindly and gently when they were alone, occasionally chatting and laughing with him. Although he dared not respond, he still greeted her with a smile. This young man was shrewd and perceptive; what did he not know? He understood her intentions and deliberately paced back and forth in the room frequently.

One day, Lady Jia was taking a bath in the room and told the maid to take her clothes to the back to wash, leaving the door slightly ajar. The young man happened to come in and heard the sound of water coming from inside. Peeking through the crack in the door, he saw Lady Jia sitting naked in the basin, flawless from head to toe, like a jade maiden. Her two small, tender breasts were round and firm, quite amusing, but his manhood was submerged in the water and he couldn't see it. He quietly squatted down, intending to get a full view of her when she stood up, holding his breath in anticipation. Lady Jia first heard footsteps and suddenly stopped, thinking it was the maid. She asked who it was, but received no answer. He knew it was Ai Nu, and deliberately said, "I'm taking a bath. Who is it? Don't look out." He had finished bathing, stood up, and turned his face towards the door to wipe himself. He then crossed one leg and placed it on the rim of the basin to wipe his body, his plump, beautiful slit directly facing Ai Nu's eye. Upon seeing this, Ai Nu felt a shiver run through his body, and his manhood suddenly sprang up, which he quickly covered with his hand. Although Jia Shi was wiping himself, his eyes were fixed on the door. Seeing a figure, he suddenly opened the door, and Ai Nu, unable to dodge in time, bumped into him. Lady Jia laughed and scolded, "You audacious servant, how dare you peek at me!" The boy knelt and kowtowed, saying, "How dare I peek? I didn't mean to come in and didn't see anything." Lady Jia, not bothering to put on any clothes, covered her lower body with her hands and asked, "Where is my husband?" The servant replied, "He went out." Lady Jia thought to herself, "If I don't do it now, when will I?" She walked to the bed and sat down, saying, "Come here, I want to ask you." The servant entered and knelt down again. Lady Jia laughed and scolded, "You audacious servant, you..." "You often do those filthy and shameless things with your husband, [You're right. Why don't you do this clean thing with me instead of doing that thing with him?] I don't care about you. But today you openly peeked at me while I was bathing. What were you thinking? Tell me what crime you deserve!" Seeing that he wasn't angry and his words were gentle and playful, Ai Nu felt emboldened and said, "I really didn't mean it. Please punish me according to your grace, Madam." Jia Shi said, "If someone comes, go and close the door. I'll come back to ask you later." The boy knew he was in luck and quickly went to close the door. When he came back, Jia Shi was already lying on the bed, turning her face to him and saying, "You're so bold. I'm sleeping here now. Let's see what you dare to do to me!"

Ai Nu knew she was hiding something, so she took out her penis, jumped onto the bed, flipped over, and attacked directly below her navel. Just then, they met, one a hard penis, the other a wet vagina. He went all the way in and started pulling. Lady Jia initially thought the young man might not understand the situation and wouldn't dare to make a move. She waited for him to beg for mercy, intending to reassure him with words and then make him grateful so he would apologize. Although she was waiting to be instructed, she felt she had to put on a show. Unexpectedly, he suddenly attacked, going straight to the root, thrusting wildly and without any of those formalities. She felt that although the young man's penis wasn't as large as Ruan Zui's, it was harder and more powerful. Laughing, she scolded, "You good-for-nothing, so bold, daring to mess with me! I can't beat you. Do whatever you want. When my husband returns, see if I tell him!" The young man, having achieved his desire, thrust with all his might, laughing as he said, "Grandma's kindness, just tell my husband that I'm just a coward. I'd rather die on Grandma's belly now." Saying this, he thrust even harder. Lady Jia felt she was in a wonderful state and didn't need to say anything more. She firmly hooked her hands and thrust upwards wildly. The young man thrust once, then ejaculated once, but his penis remained erect. Having tasted the deliciousness for the first time, he was reluctant to stop. After a while, he started again, and after two rounds, he still wouldn't stop, as if he wanted a third round.

At first, Jia thought this boy was inexperienced and was just using him to satisfy her cravings temporarily, hoping for better results in the future. Unexpectedly, he was so vigorous, and she was surprised that he had lost control twice. Seeing that he still wouldn't stop, she said, "I'm afraid the maid will come. You can go now. Come in often, and when we have time, I'll discuss a long-term plan with you, then you can rest assured." The boy, having also had an unexpected and delightful encounter, stopped to rest. She cupped his face in her hands and said, "Grandma has given me a taste of her precious lower part. Please give me a taste of your precious tongue too." Jia smiled and spat out some of it. The boy took it in his mouth and smacked it a few times, then thrust hard a few more times. Jia also moved closer to him. Only then did the boy get up, pull up his pants, and hurriedly leave. Lady Jia also got up and thoroughly washed her vulva in the bathtub. [Even if the waters of the Xiang River were to run dry, they could not cleanse this body of its purity again.] Then she dressed, lay down on the bed, and pondered a long-term plan. After thinking for a while, she said, "There's nothing else to worry about, except that the maid might be an eyesore. Besides, the maid was once used by her master; if she falls for him and speaks ill of him to his master, it won't be good. I must have my beloved servant bring the maid along as well; then things will be much better."

One day, Ruan Zui went to Jiao Jiao's room to catch up. Jia Shi was in the room waiting for Ai Nu to come. Seeing him approach, she quickly embraced him and kissed him several times. [It was Jia Shi's kissing of Ai Nu's lips that revealed the extreme of her lust and love.] They discussed this. Ai Nu laughed, "If Grandma hadn't brought this up, I wouldn't have dared to say it. If I were afraid of anything else, I wouldn't be able to help it. But if I'm only afraid of this girl, to be honest, Grandma, I've been with her many times." Jia Shi smiled and gently bit his cheek, saying: [Jia Shi at this moment was extremely seductive and fluid, yet not rigid. If Ruan Zui saw this, would he be pleased or angry?] “You little rascal, I thought you were a virgin, but you’re actually a cunning old thief. That’s good, then. Master isn’t home today, and my husband is in that harlot’s room, having sex with her for a while. [She only allows herself to have sex with her servant, but gets angry when her husband has sex with her. Truly a harlot’s heart, yet she’s so different. However, Jia’s private servant is also due to Ruan Zui’s affair with his mother. Otherwise, how could she have become so lewd?] While we’re at it, you can do this and that, and I’ll break through and we can do it.” Ai Nu agreed, and Jia came out and said to the maid, “You stay here, I’m going to visit Aunt Jiao.” Just as she left, Ai Nu hugged the maid and said, “I’m always afraid of being seen in the study, and then I can’t have my way. Since you’re gone, it’ll be a while before you come back. Let’s have some fun here today.” The maid readily agreed, and the two of them took off their pants and started doing it on the chair in the main room. Lady Jia, having already discussed it, only stood at the door for a moment before gently pushing it open and entering. Seeing the two of them in the middle of it all, she feigned a scolding, "Good servant, what a fine job you've done!" Ai Nu feigned surprise, quickly abandoning the maid and kneeling down to beg. The maid, both ashamed and frightened, hadn't even had time to put on her trousers, kneeling naked with her head bowed. Lady Jia said, "I won't talk to you now. Let's wait for my husband to come and see how he handles it." She then took out two pairs of trousers, saying, "These are proof." She then went into the room. The maid was so anxious she could only cry, complaining to Ainu, "We should have gone to the study properly, but we were afraid someone would see us, so we had to do it here. I've done this so many times in the study without encountering anyone. And now, here, Grandma has caught me. It's all your fault! If my husband finds out, I'm afraid I'll be half-dead!" Ainu said, "Crying is useless, complaining is useless, the most important thing is to think of a way to save my life." The maid said, "You think about it, but I haven't. I don't want your money; I've done so many things for you for nothing. The other day, I wanted a piece of candy, but you wouldn't even buy it for me. [To be unable to exchange this for a piece of candy, how bitter is that feeling?] Now you want to drag me into this beating; do you think your conscience can bear it?" "?" Ai Nu deliberately thought for a moment and said, "Go quietly and see what he's doing." The maid went quietly and said, "He's sleeping in bed with the curtains down." The boy said, "We're in luck. Let me go see. If he's fast asleep, I'll steal a bite from him. If I succeed, good luck to both of us. If I fail, then it's fate." The maid said, "That's not good. If he refuses, it'll be even worse." The boy said, "It'll cost me my life. If I commit a crime, I'll be the one to die. You can just say I raped him, and you'll be fine." The maid said with tears in her eyes, "There's really no other way. Go quietly." The boy went in and waited for a while, but there was no movement. When the maid came back to check, she saw the curtains moving around and knew that things were going well. She was secretly pleased and no longer panicked. After looking around for a while, she saw Ai Nu get out of bed first, and then Jia Shi hung up half of the curtains and called the maid. He hurried inside, and Jia Shi, without saying anything else, simply said, "For Ai Nu's sake, I'll forgive you." She threw the trousers at him, saying, "Put them on, but next time you mustn't steal them from me." The maid's face finally showed a smile, and she quickly put on the trousers. From then on, they became like family, and Jia Shi and Ai Nu would share the spoils with him once every few times. Jia Shi also instructed Ai Nu and the maid to inquire, "If the master goes out, and if the master goes to Jiao Jiao's room for pleasure, then you should come to my room for pleasure." [Needle by needle, this is what is meant by being discreet

yet not letting anything slip through.] Now, when Bao'er was eight or nine years old, he could not only remember every word his mother sang, but also sing along perfectly. By the time he was fourteen, he had grown into a beautiful young man. He was even more charming than his mother. Although he was completely illiterate at needlework, he had memorized countless erotic songs and tunes. Ruan Dacheng's second son was named Ruan You, who was only eighteen years old, and people called him Ruan Erlang. Although he was just as frivolous as his elder brother, he was a strong and robust man, unlike the frail Ruan. His love for this younger sister was extraordinary; he would do anything for her, fulfilling her every wish, just to please her. Others saw it as him doting on his sister. Little did they know he harbored a cruel heart, plotting to win her over and take her as his concubine. Bao Gu often saw his father away, his mother and elder brother flirting and exchanging flirtatious glances, doing things that were always awkward, all of which he witnessed. He thought to himself, "My mother has my father, yet she's having an affair with my elder brother. My second brother loves me so much, why don't I become intimate with him too? I doubt my mother can stop me." Having this selfish thought, and given Ruan Er's habitually wicked nature, what was the point?

One day, Ruan Da Cheng, in a moment of high spirits, decided to have sex with Jiao Jiao. Because he was afraid his daughter would see them in their room, he took her to a secret room. Just then, Ruan Er sat down in his sister's room. Seeing that no one was around, Bao'er smiled and said to Ruan You, "Brother, you're eighteen this year. I heard Father say the other day that he's going to find you a wife this winter, and that the Hua family's daughter is very beautiful. There are still more than half a year to go, aren't you anxious?" [He was the one who started it all. As the proverb says, "If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too." His mother's promiscuity is such that it's no wonder his daughter is not virtuous!] Ruan You, with a forced smile, said, "There's nothing I can do about being anxious. Who would pity me? Sister, you'll be fifteen next year. Many families raise children at fifteen, but you don't have a brother-in-law yet, so you're probably even more anxious than I am. I don't pity you at all. Your sister-in-law is pretty, but I doubt she can compare to you. If I married someone like you, I'd cherish her for life." Bao'er smiled and glanced at him sideways, saying, "Is this how I am? You're just saying this because you care about me." Ruan You said, "We're also connected by a past life. I care about you deeply, it's indescribable. We were born into the same family; if we were from different families, I would rely on..." "I must marry you no matter what," Bao'er said. "That's what I think too. Even husband and wife don't love me like you do. I'm so grateful to you, and I wish we could be husband and wife in the next life." Ruan You saw that he was just trying to seduce her, and assumed he wouldn't change his mind. He mustered his courage, stepped forward, cupped her face, and kissed her, saying, "Since you're so affectionate, how can we wait until the next life? Although we can't be real husband and wife, let's be lovers for a while. What do you think?" Bao'er said, "Brother, since you love me, how could I refuse?" Ruan You quickly closed the door, afraid that Jiao Jiao would come back. He didn't dare to take off his shirt, only his pants, and got into bed. Although he was tender and gentle, Ruan Er's penis was very large, and Bao'er was still very young, so she was in pain. Ruan Er was very tender and wanted to stop, but Bao'er refused, saying, "Just keep going, I'll have to bear it." Ruan You didn't dare to make a big show of it, only gave a slight hint, and then stopped. The brother and sister committed adultery, behaving like beasts. A poem, "The Nightingale," was written about them: "

Clever little darling, pretty figure, beautiful face. Deeply in love, she wishes to ride the phoenix. Gently opening her jade petals, her vulva unfolds its fleshy bud." Some say: "Brother committing adultery with his own sister is truly astonishing. But alas,

how could such beasts be born? Their parents' actions are terrible." Those who blame their parents at the end say that if Ruan Dacheng hadn't forcibly taken Jiaojiao, how could they have such a disgraceful daughter? If Jiaojiao hadn't stolen Ruan Zui, she wouldn't have dared to be so bold. Isn't it the parents' fault? Afterwards, the two siblings secretly became husband and wife, having affairs several times. Ruan You also had an affair with one of Bao'er's maids, named Daiyue, to facilitate their relationship. After some time, Bao'er's eyebrows were askew and her chest high, a far cry from her former self. Jiaojiao's eyes, like glass gourds, could not be hidden. He had already noticed something amiss, so he called Bao'er into the room and touched his genitals. Bao'er was already in two pieces, so he pressed him for an explanation. Bao'er couldn't hide it any longer and finally said that his second brother had drilled a tiny hole in it with a diamond drill. Jiao Jiao was filled with anger and resentment, but dared not tell Ruan Dacheng. Instead, she secretly berated Ruan You for humiliating her daughter several times. Bao'er didn't blame herself; instead, she secretly hated her mother. She said, "You're having an affair with my eldest brother, and you still want to control me? I'll see how this goes. I'll have my second brother catch him and put him in the same trap. Let's see what he says then!" So she secretly discussed and agreed with Ruan You to stop.

One day, Ruan Dacheng was away. Taking advantage of the free time, Jiaojiao arranged to meet Ruan Zui in his room in broad daylight. Bao'er, observing this, knew that his trusted maid, Daiyue, was a matchmaker for him. [Daiyue, whose name is derived from the character "待月" in the west wing, is already used as a metaphor for a matchmaker. The term "matchmaker" is mentioned here for those who might not understand.] This maid was already quite familiar with Ruan Erchuan. Bao'er told him to quickly fetch Ruan You. She told him to wait outside his mother's room for a long time. After Ruan Zui finished, he dressed and opened the door. Upon seeing his brother, his face flushed, and he lowered his head, quickly leaving. Ruan You ran into the room and saw Jiaojiao sitting naked on the bed, just about to put on her pants. Ruan Er snatched her away, grabbed her, and said, "You and your brother are easy to deal with. I've been listening outside the door for half a day since you started. Just do it with me. Otherwise, I'll make a scene, and you, my sister, will be my witness." Jiao Jiao knew he and her daughter were plotting against her, so she said, "I tolerated you doing that kind of thing with me, but now you're trying to find fault with me." Ruan You said, "There's no proof. I've caught you red-handed. What are you still saying?" As he spoke, he reached down to his crotch. Jiao Jiao tried to push his hand away, but he stuck a finger into her vulva and hooked it. He said, "If you push again, I'll make a big hole in you." Jiao Jiao couldn't refuse, and besides, he wasn't afraid of this kind of thing, so she kept quiet. Ruan You then pushed her down, pulled down his pants, took out his penis, and started to masturbate. It turned out that Ruan You's penis was much stronger than his father's and brother's, which made Jiao Jiao dizzy and confused, displaying all sorts of wanton behavior. After masturbating for a long time, he finally stopped. Although Ruan You had always loved women, he was a virgin, completely unaware of the pleasures of the bedroom, and could only lie back with his legs spread, letting others do as they pleased. This Jiao Jiao was an experienced writer, proficient in every word and phrase, which delighted Ruan Er, who considered it a stroke of genius. As for Jiao Jiao, she had already considered Ruan Dacheng too old back then, let alone now. She loved Ruan's youthful charm, but his abilities were limited. Today, she met Ruan Er, whose virility was strong, and who knew every word and phrase, perfectly matching his own desires, satisfying him completely. [It could be said that the latecomer surpassed the former.] He deeply regretted meeting him so late. Since meeting him, Ruan Er's soul and dreams were consumed by him. He thought, "Judging from the way he acts, he's extremely lewd. My brother has long been his close friend; unless I make him extremely happy, I can win his heart." He obtained many good aphrodisiacs, ready to enjoy himself with him.

One day, Ruan Dacheng and Ruan Zui went to a friend's house to celebrate a birthday and have a feast, but Ruan You made an excuse not to go. He inquired about his father and brother's whereabouts, then quickly took an aphrodisiac, applied some to his penis, and went to Jiao Jiao's place. He met Bao Gu right away. Bao Gu, noticing her brother's sudden coldness towards him these past few days, was also looking for some excitement. She grabbed his hand and led him into the room, sitting down side by side. They snuggled close, their words unspoken, but their hearts were set on taking advantage of each other. She said, "Today, Father and Brother aren't home, and Mother is asleep. Come sit here with me, don't go anywhere." [Honest words are worse than clever talk; now that she's pulling him in, he can't refuse.] Ruan You knew this was her intention, and, preoccupied with Jiao Jiao, pretended, "I haven't played with you for several days. I wonder if your mother is asleep. I'll go check. If I have time, I'll come and keep you company." Bao Gu thought it was true and let him go. He walked into Jiao Jiao's room. Jiao Jiao assumed he and his two sons had gone out together and, having given up hope, went to sleep in bed. Ruan You quickly locked the door and lifted the bed curtains. Seeing him deep in sleep, he gently pulled down his trousers, spread his legs, and began to do it. Jiao Jiao, her eyes still half-closed, saw it was him and laughed and scolded, "You short-lived thief! I thought you'd gone out before you went to sleep, and now you're stealing in broad daylight! Look what your sister has done to you!" Ruan You lied, "I just saw my sister sleeping too. I locked the door." As he spoke, he lifted her legs and began to vigorously pound into her. The bed curtains rattled loudly, and the sound of water from her vulva was deafening. Jiao Jiao felt his penis was like a piece of red-hot iron, hot and hard, and she felt incredibly pleasurable, moaning incessantly. As

the two of them were going wild, Bao'er said Ruan You would come soon and stroked her vulva, waiting. But after waiting a while, he didn't come, so she quietly went to her mother's door to eavesdrop. The two were enjoying themselves when they heard his mother's groans, which were quite unpleasant, followed by an even louder noise. After a while, Ruan You suddenly said, "My dear, we are deeply in love. I have a question for you, and you must tell me the truth. How do I compare to Father and Brother in terms of ability?" Then his mother laughed and said, "Your father is getting old, all talk and no action. Although he can't live without me, his sexual performance is actually limited. Besides, there are many people around him, how can he possibly keep up? Others are fine, but that slut Aunt Ma Liu, she has your father completely under her thumb. She knows how to seduce many men, and your father is actually doing it with her..." "There are many. Your brother is weak and frail, his strength is meager, his heart is willing but his strength is insufficient. My darling, to be honest, I've met a few people, but few are like you. You truly touch my heart." Ruan You kissed him several times and said, "My dear, I am so grateful for your love. I have no other way to repay you but to do my best to repay you." Then she heard her mother say, "You have your sister in your heart. She is young, her face is delicate, and she is the one you have loved since childhood. Besides, it was you who deflowered her, so naturally..." "Tight. I'm more than ten years older than you, and I know I'm getting old. What I've already given birth to is naturally loose. You wouldn't love him, but you'd love me? You've just met me, so you're bound to use sweet words to coax me. After you get tired of me, you'll probably think I'm too old and change your mind. You married that Hua family lady last winter, and she's beautiful, so you'll probably ignore me. My dear, that would make me miss you terribly." Hearing him say this, Ruan You swore, "If I betray my heart and abandon you, may I be reduced to ashes." "May you die a horrible death, your bones crushed! Even if the Hua family's daughter is beautiful, I doubt she'd be as charming and witty as you. You pretend to be old, but I bet you're still as tender as a fingernail. [Not necessarily. A thumb without a nail could indeed produce fluid in that area.] As for my sister, I hadn't met you then, so I was with him. He's a virgin, completely naive. Besides, he'll eventually marry someone else; it won't last." As she spoke, another voice rang out, even fiercer than before. Bao'er, her legs wet with lust, rubbed her clitoris with her hands, her heart filled with resentment. "This heartless man, so short-lived! I gave you a beautiful flower, and besides, Mother was mine to keep from you. I originally intended to shut him up so we could have some fun. And now you've betrayed me! This ungrateful wretch has already betrayed me, but I hate that I chose the wrong person. Mother, at such an old age, still has no shame. She has a father and supports her elder brother, yet she still tries to steal my affections!"

She angrily returned to her room, lay down on the bed, and wept silently. Ruan Er, having had his fill, dressed and opened the door. Suddenly remembering his sister's promise, he felt uneasy. He glanced at her and saw her lying face inwards, then quickly left. [Truly heartless.] Afterwards, the two became inseparable, like honey and sugar, completely ignoring Bao'er. Bao'er had originally planned to seize upon her mother's weakness to have some fun with her brother, but instead, her mother took her place. Imagine a man with a great capacity for alcohol going to an extremely stingy host. Knowing that the host's wine is never enough, he sarcastically remarks, "The wine in your house never gets me drunk; you might as well learn from the ancients and not serve any special wine." This was meant to provoke a hearty drinking session, but the host, showing utmost respect, only offers food, refusing even the meager wine. Isn't that infuriating? [A very apt analogy.] Bao'er's heart is like this; a surge of jealousy rises from his dantian to his navel, blocked by the heavenly gate, and finally erupts from his mouth. He often mocks his mother with sarcastic remarks, saying, "One son passes the imperial examinations in a row; can he pass them again?" Or, "When the elder brother dies, the younger brother succeeds." Or, "Father and son pass the imperial examinations in a row; brothers study in the same school." [Bao'er doesn't blame his mother or brother; he only blames himself for his own self-inflicted downfall.] Jiaojiao, however, was not one to take his words seriously and often teased him, saying, "Duke Xiang of Qi had an affair with his sister, and was later killed by his father, who was said to be related to him. The ballad says that Emperor Yang of Sui had an affair with his sister, so he was beaten to death with a five-flowered stick; the current 'Spring Ox' is him." Because of Ruan Er's penis, mother and son became like enemies. Bao'er's affection for Ruan You also cooled, unlike her previous intimacy. But he had finally tasted this pleasure, and his sudden departure left him constantly heartbroken.

One day, Jiaojiao was not in her room, and he happened to go over and saw many yellow candles, which Ruan Dacheng had bought to make warming ointment. Touched by this, he took a piece to his room, softened it with fire, and rolled it into a round stick, the size of Ruan You's penis, which he used for amusement at night. After a few days, he felt it was too short and thin, so he gradually added more, making it extremely thick and large, until it could fit completely into the vagina, turning a tender and tight object into an incomparably wide thing. Although he found it somewhat appealing, his delicate frame made his wrists ache, preventing him from holding it for long. Waiting Moon, his trusted confidante, even invited him to sleep with her, tying the candle stub to her waist with a ribbon, and they engaged in intercourse. He did the same, playing with Waiting Moon. The two didn't act like mistress and maid, but rather like a loving couple. Ruan Er, unable to suppress his conscience, occasionally tried to rekindle their romance, but it was only through force. Bao'er showed no trace of her former affection, so Ruan Er stopped, and their relationship grew increasingly distant.

At that time, there was an Imperial Censor named Lao who served in Beijing. He was also a member of Wei Zhongxian's faction and belonged to the same ilk as Ruan Dacheng. His son, Lao Zheng, was recuperating at home in Nanjing. Because of his advanced age, he wrote a letter and asked a close friend to propose marriage to Ruan Dacheng. Jiaojiao, disliking her daughters' rivalry and eager to send him away, encouraged Ruan Dacheng in every way. After a while, the tea ceremony and gifts were lavish, needless to say. When the wedding was scheduled, Ruan Dacheng prepared a generous dowry. Firstly, it was because she was his only daughter; secondly, it was out of consideration for Jiaojiao; and thirdly, it was to flatter his future in-laws. He also brought three maids and four servants to accompany her.

Bao'er, who had become enemies with her mother because of their rivalry, saw that her brother had changed his mind and abandoned her. Hearing that she was to be married off, she made preparations and was overjoyed. Not only did she not shed a single tear, but she also showed no reluctance whatsoever, and happily got into the sedan chair and left. Lao Zheng was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He had been exposed to both floods and droughts since he was twelve or thirteen, and the excessive mourning he experienced in his youth had caused him to develop tuberculosis. His father, because of his timidity, had delayed arranging his marriage until now. Having seen many women, what did he not know? On the wedding day, Bao'er tried her best to act coy, tightly clamping her legs together to conceal her actions, but how could her already deflowered body fool the experienced man? Lao Zheng already knew she wasn't a virgin and stopped before he could fully enjoy himself. Because both families were officials, they feared public scandal and had to endure it. The following night, she feigned illness and went to sleep in the study, refusing to come in to share the bed. There's a folk song, "The Song of Pounding Silk," which describes Bao'er saying: "

Pretending to be tight, but actually loose, I'll let my beloved attack as he pleases. Such coyness is hard to fool those who know better; my virginity has long belonged to my own brother.

" Bao'er was already planning to marry her husband, and this whole affair was far better than doing the thieving things with her brother. Moreover, she heard that the groom was eleven or twelve years older than her, surely more mature and experienced. Now that she was married, not only had she never experienced pleasure, but she hadn't even tasted the groom's manhood properly, remaining as lonely and isolated as a daughter at home. She used to occasionally enjoy her brother's virility, but now she couldn't even get that. But she couldn't say these words; it was like a mute eating bitter melon, the bitterness lingering in her heart. After the full moon celebration, she returned home and secretly wept to her mother. Jiaojiao only said that her son-in-law was a sickly man, filled with regret, unaware that she thought her daughter was a broken vessel. Bao'er had endured a month of hardship, frequently engaging in passionate acts with Ruan Er. Jiaojiao, firstly, loved her daughter dearly, and secondly, he would be leaving in only a month; besides, she still had her husband and Ruan Er to enjoy themselves with, so why not let Bao'er have her for now? After staying for a while, she inevitably had to return home. At the gate, she remained alone, sighing and weeping all day long.

One day, Daiyue made a wax stick and gave it to him, saying, "Miss, you're troubled day and night, when will it end? Why not use this to relieve your boredom?" Bao'er took it, threw it on the ground, and said, "Back home, I had no choice but to use this to satisfy my cravings. Now that I'm married, I can't do this with my husband, how can I share a wax stick for life?" [Wax stick, a strange story.] Seeing that he didn't want it, Daiyue picked it up and kept it for herself. A month or so later, Daiyue said, "Miss, how can your delicate brow withstand so many frowns? Enduring this torment every day, won't you ruin your health? I heard that your husband isn't home today, why don't you go to the study for a walk and relieve your boredom for a while?" Bao'er was initially impatient to go, but Daiyue persuaded her earnestly, and the two of them finally went out. Behind his study was a small garden with a small gate leading to the main house. He entered through this gate, quietly without a sound. Several pots of lotus flowers in the garden were in full bloom, and one of them had a twin lotus in bloom. Waiting for the moon smiled and said, "Miss, look, this twin lotus is facing you. There must be good news tonight." Bao'er frowned at first, then smiled slightly and said, "It would be good if it came true." [An ancient saying goes: "Auspicious grass grows in front of the courtyard, but it's better to have nothing than nothing. I didn't expect the twin lotus to be on the bald servant."] After looking around for a while, she went into the study. It was indeed bright and clean. The front gate was bolted, and the courtyard was full of paulownia and banana trees, which blocked out the sunlight. A gentle breeze was blowing, which was really refreshing. There was a tea room in the corner of the west wall. [Waiting for the moon's west wing, so this is it.] She went to take a look. She saw that the bald servant who looked after the garden was surnamed Zhang and was in his twenties. [Unexpectedly, he was such a good young man.] It was hot and he had nothing to do. He had spread a bamboo mat on the ground, his upper body was bare, and his dark flesh was exposed. He had rolled up his cloth shirt into a ball and was lying high up as a pillow. There was a song, "Zhu Yunfei," written for him: "

A strange head, only skin, no hair. Unable to be covered by heaven and earth, unable to tie a flowing bun. Sores cover his sparse hair, yellow pus like mucus. When he walks before people, he exudes a dry, shrimp-like odor, occasionally letting his hair fall like snowflakes.

" This young servant was bald, his head covered in sores, his scalp oozing yellow pus, his two hairy legs covered in thick, chapped mud, fast asleep on his back. [This isn't a scathing description of the bald servant's wretchedness, but rather of Bao'er's utter wretchedness.] He wore tattered hemp trousers with a hole in the crotch. The little bald man, perhaps seeking shade, had just unleashed his erect, thick, and hard penis. Bao'er was secretly startled, thinking, "Such a fool, yet he possesses such a wondrous thing." A surge of lust arose within him, and he became infatuated. Having fallen for the little bald man, he no longer cared about the filth of the big bald man. Just as Daiyue was about to call the servant, Bao'er quickly grabbed him, covering her mouth with her sleeve and laughing, whispering to him, "Go check the back door, don't let anyone in." [Here we see the subtlety of first writing "the courtyard gate is bolted."] Daiyue knew he had his eye on the object, and also smiled and said to him, "Miss is about to respond to the lotus flower." She left with a smile. Bao'er was consumed by lust, caring nothing for his appearance. She quickly took off her skirt and trousers, gently straddled him, aimed, and sat down hard, penetrating halfway. She sat down twice more, completely burying the little bald man inside. The servant awoke with a start, seeing that it was his mistress, dressed delicately and beautifully, like a fairy, using him as a seat, her tender, soft, white buttocks riding on him, rising and falling. Bao'er had been separated from Ruan Er for over a month, and having been thirsty for so long, she soon lost herself. The servant said, "Grandma, this is too much for you. Please get down and lie down, and I'll take care of you." Bao'er complied and lay down on the bare mat. The bald servant took his pillow and put it under his buttocks so he could climb on top of him and have his way with him. He used all his strength, risking his life, and went at it like crazy. Bao'er lost himself again and again, feeling completely relaxed and numb all over. He didn't care about the servants and called out "my darling" and "my dear brother

" loudly. After a long while, they stopped. Bao'er put on his skirt and trousers, took the servant's hand, and went to the study. He sat down in a round-backed chair, hugged the servant, and said, "Wait for me outside the main house courtyard tonight. I'll have Daiyue come out to fetch you. Go in after dark and come out before dawn. Don't be late every night." The bald servant agreed repeatedly, overjoyed. Bao'er then said, "You should try it with that girl too, so he can be the one to lead." How could the servant boy not want to? Bao'er went to the back window and beckoned to Daiyue. He bolted the door and came over with a grin. Bao'er said, "I've arranged for him. You open the courtyard gate tonight and take him inside. I didn't expect him to be so capable. You should try it with him too." Daiyue feigned, "I don't need to. Let him save his energy for serving the young lady tonight." Bao'er gestured to the servant boy, who grabbed him and laid him down, using the open space as his bed. His trousers were torn, so there was no need to take them off; his penis was exposed quite easily. He only pulled off Daiyue's trousers, and Daiyue was still saying, "No, no," when he had already shoved it inside, thrusting and pounding wildly. Daiyue's buttocks pushed upwards, trembling, crying out, "No, no, I don't want to," making Bao'er laugh so hard she almost fell over. He kept saying "I can't anymore" for a while, then both were gone. Only after the servant pulled them out did he stop saying "I can't anymore." The mistress and maid, oblivious to their unexpected encounter, secretly rejoiced and returned to their room. The bald servant grinned from ear to ear, still thinking he had a wonderful dream. Thinking that there would be a big show that night, he decided to sleep and conserve his energy before his master returned. He went to the tea room, rolled up the shirt, and used it as a pillow. His face and neck were sticky, which he assumed was pus from the pus that had burst from his bald head during his exertion. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was semen that had been placed under his mistress's thighs. Overjoyed, he hugged the shirt tightly to his chest, calling it "my darling" a few times before falling asleep.

The maid was happy, all her worries vanished, and she also slept in her room. As soon as it got dark, she chased the maids away and quietly told Daiyue to open the courtyard gate. The bald servant was squatting under the door waiting. When Daiyue opened the door, he quickly hugged and kissed her a few times, pulled down his pants, and stood up and slapped her a few times before coming in. They took off their clothes, got into bed, and without saying a word, they lifted each other's legs and had sex. Bao'er called Daiyue to get into bed too, and the three of them rolled around in one bed. The bald servant became like a butterfly, flitting east and west, randomly picking at the flower's heart. It wasn't until dawn that they sent him out. There are a few lines about the two of them:

The big bald man took his little bald head and drilled it straight into Bao'er's crotch. This slutty Bao'er took his flat treasure and swallowed the bald man's bald head. The bald man exerted his strength, and pus flowed from the big head and pus also gushed from the little head. Bao'er was satisfied, and her upper mouth was dripping with saliva, and her lower mouth was even more gushing. After a long time, she could only exclaim, "What a happy and smug bald heart!" After the battle, she repeatedly called out, "What a slutty and wanton little darling!" How can they, who know the hierarchy between master and servant, escape the cycle of retribution?

In less than a month, the once robust, dark-skinned servant boy had become sallow-faced and sickly. He would close his eyes and drowsiness even in broad daylight, unable to stay awake any longer. His penis was no longer as erect as before, and he repeatedly begged for his life. Bao'er said, "If you want me to let you go, you'll only be spared if you find a substitute. Otherwise, you can die, and I won't care about you." The servant boy hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes, that's easy for me, I guarantee I'll send you ten times better than me." Why did this servant boy agree so readily? Firstly, he wanted his life spared; secondly, after his affair with Bao'er, she often gave him money. He dared not make clothes for himself, fearing his master's suspicion, but instead spent his days buying fatty meat and wine for enjoyment. His companion's family member, surnamed Ma, was also without a wife or children. Because of his excessively large penis, people nicknamed him "Ma'er Mule." He had witnessed this several times and wondered, "What did he get the money to spend so lavishly?"

One day, Ma'er Mule took out several dozen coins, bought three or four catties of liquor and some dried tofu, and treated the bald young servant to it. After they got drunk, Ma'er Mule tried to get information out of him. The servant, partly drunk and partly eager to show off his mistress's favor and his lucky encounter, readily recounted his story. Ma'er Mule listened with great interest, his mouth watering, and he too wanted to get involved. He discussed it with Ma'er Mule, asking him to intervene. He promised that if he could taste the mistress's delicacies and receive a reward, he would buy her more food and wine in return. The bald young servant said, "This matter cannot be handled rashly. If things go wrong, none of us will have a chance. We must wait for the right opportunity before acting." Unexpectedly, Bao'er asked him to find a substitute, who not only fulfilled Ma'er Mule's request but also saved him from the trouble of finding him fine food and wine. He then enthusiastically recommended the horse, praising its large and powerful penis, and even mentioned its nickname. This made Bao'er's lust surge from every pore, and she desperately wanted him to come and quell the fire. She grabbed the bald boy's neck and bit him twice, [depicting her urgency]. She repeatedly begged him, whispering in his ear, "Tell him to come early tomorrow morning." [This shows that among all the adulterous women in the book, none is as shameful as Bao'er.] Unable to bear it any longer, she forced the bald boy to see her off.

The next night, Bao'er asked Daiyue to bring the horse in, and she tried something new. The horse, having longed for its mistress, drank its fill of strong liquor. Fueled by the alcohol, it became more vigorous and vigorous, winning three battles in a row, satisfying Bao'er completely. She finally believed the bald boy's words were true. Having tasted this delightful creature, she became increasingly restless every night. Afterwards, his parents missed him and sent people to fetch him, but he refused to go back. They tried to fetch him twice and several times, but he would only go for a short while, refusing to stay overnight. Even when Ruan You pleaded with him to stay, he wouldn't. Jiao Jiao and Ruan You secretly speculated that he harbored old grudges, or that his son-in-law was doing very well with him and didn't care for the old things. Little did they know he had found a new

, desirable servant. Ma'er and Mule were passionately involved with Bao'er every night, and after some time, Ma'er was exhausted and listless, turning a once mighty horse into a pathetic steed, unable even to be whipped. They had no choice but to recommend another servant, begging for mercy. Bao'er, fearing he was shirking his duties, refused to grant him leave. That night, Ma'er climbed on top of him, but after only a few thrusts, Ma'er cried out in pain, falling down. Bao'er, still suspecting he was faking it, made him lie on his back, straddled him, and assumed a backward riding position. The mule's penis, initially somewhat erect, shrunk to a limp state after Bao'er's repeated attempts, revealing his inability to continue. Bao'er had no choice but to allow him to recommend a substitute.

Having experienced the mule's large and prolonged member, he felt unsatisfied with others' actions. He reasoned that quantity was better than size, and besides, having already been disgraced by three masters, he knew nothing of shame. He ordered the servant to bring in three or four strong young men each night, regardless of size, and have them take turns on him while he lay on his back, continuing until dawn. Of the twenty or thirty servants in the household, all but a few older ones were brought in for a try. Those who were satisfied received rewards to encourage others. Those who were less successful, wanting to please the mistress and also hoping for a large reward, also exerted themselves to the utmost.

After a year or so, Bao'er became sexually avaricious, burning with desire, and increasingly craving sex. When his genitals were empty, he experienced unbearable itching and heat. This was due to the poisoning of the lower body. Several stone pestles used for pounding garlic were found, soaked in cold water until icy, and placed in the genital area in rotation until the woman recovered. Every night, four or five servants took turns keeping her there until dawn, and she grew increasingly emaciated. After several months, she lost all appetite during the day, yet still refused to relax at night. Before long, she withered and died. She had been married for less than two years, and thus died in the inner chambers. This Lao Zheng, who was recuperating in her study, suddenly felt aroused and had pleasured herself with two beloved young boys. This Bao'er, whom she had abandoned, could never have imagined would be so shameless as to commit adultery with servants. These servants, having defiled their mistress, were guilty of an unforgivable crime, and they concealed it from each other. The four maids, all in the same muddy water, had all been violated by others, so for two years, the truth had been kept hidden, and their shameful reputations had not spread.

When Lao Zheng saw her dead, she was secretly pleased. After burying him, seeing his dowry maids, he thought of Bao'er, such a decent young woman, yet she was a virgin, and felt angry, so he sent them all away to marry. He secretly instructed the matchmaker that he would remarry, regardless of social status, as long as she was beautiful and a true virgin; this was a matter for the future.

Meanwhile, Daiyue married a man, a small merchant, but he had some backbone. One night, Daiyue drank a few too many cups and had a good time with her husband, and they started talking about old times. As the saying goes, "Rabbits are chased by dogs, and words are chased by wine." Without thinking, she began to tell her husband in detail about her daughter's life as a daughter and her happy days after marriage. Although he wouldn't admit that she had been the one to instigate the affair, how could the man not think that if his daughter was like that, then his maid must have been a lecherous woman as well? Thinking that this cuckold's veil was not easy to wear, she secretly sold him into prostitution. When relatives and friends saw her, they scolded her for being unfaithful and asked her why. She told them the truth. The three of them were a foot apart, so Ruan Baogu's virtues became the talk of the town, a source of amusement throughout the country. Ruan Dacheng's family also heard some rumors, but they pretended not to. Ruan Dacheng had lived a life of evil; his son had an affair with his wife, his brother with his sister, his daughter with his servant, and his mother with her slave—this was Heaven's silent retribution for him. And that wasn't all; because he had harmed so many loyal and virtuous people, his evil deeds were too great, and he eventually received his just deserts. Why didn't people learn to be good? That woman, Daiyue, acted as a go-between for the girl, revealing his filthy deeds, thus falling into promiscuity and being sold into prostitution by her husband. He

was born a wife of ten thousand men, and died a husbandless ghost.

That was enough to atone for his sins; how could those wicked and lewd servants escape the net? It was heard that year… [The word "heard" is apt; otherwise, who would have seen it?] The bald servant boy who tended the Lao family garden contracted the plague. He babbled incoherently, claiming that his mistress had led many evil spirits to attack him and take him to the underworld for judgment. He said even the horses, mules, and people would be taken away. He begged for mercy day and night, and died within a few days. However, the servants who had been with Bao'er became suspicious and fearful, and within a month, they all died from the infection. The other servants who had never been with him remained unharmed, which was quite strange.

Human whispers are heard by Heaven like thunder; secret transgressions are seen by the gods like lightning.

In this light, is Heaven's justice not to be feared? But let us leave that aside for now.

One day, in mid-May, Ruan Dacheng was invited by a friend to visit the pomegranate garden. The day was long and uneventful, and Jiaojiao was taking a nap. Ruan Zui quietly entered the room and found Jiaojiao fast asleep with the curtains drawn. He told Saihong, "Watch the door, don't let anyone in." He closed the door, lifted the curtain, and saw Jiaojiao naked from the waist up, her breasts exposed, wearing only a red gauze undergarment without ties. He got into bed, undressed himself, and then helped Jiaojiao remove her pants. She woke up and said, "I was sleeping so soundly, and you're already messing with me." Ruan Zui laughed, "You heartless bastard, you'd be lucky to have someone to mess with you every day." Jiaojiao laughed and let him undress her, and the two began to make love. Ruan You, knowing his father wasn't home, had stolen a moment to enjoy himself with Jiaojiao. Seeing no one in the courtyard, he quickly slipped into her room and was about to push open the door. Sai Hong quickly stopped him, saying, "Second Master, don't go in. Your aunt has something to do in her room." Ruan You had been with this girl many times before, so he hugged her neck and kissed her, laughing, "Silly girl, what is your aunt doing? Why did she hide from me again that day?" He pushed open the door and went in, but the girl didn't dare to stop him. Ruan You saw that the bed curtains were open, and assumed that Jiao Jiao was sleeping. He casually lifted one, only to find his brother and him naked and having sex. Ruan You, usually extremely wicked, upon seeing this, acted as if he were dealing with his father's concubine rather than his wife. He was furious, exclaiming, "What a good deed! What a good deed!" He turned to his brother and said, "Are you even human? Doing such a thing!" Ruan You was just getting into the swing of things with Jiao Jiao when his brother suddenly lifted the bed curtains. Feeling deeply ashamed, and unable to pull himself out, he could only lie down, his face turned towards the bed. Hearing his brother's words, he couldn't help but look up and say, "I don't care about you, but you're trying to control me. Haven't you done this before?" Ruan You replied, "You did it first, and I followed your example. It was all about what happened in front of the master..." "Even crimes have their order of priority and severity," Ruan Zui said angrily. "You say I was first? Let me ask you, when you committed adultery with Bao Gu, was I also there? I've been lenient enough by not saying anything. And yet you still dare to be so presumptuous." Ruan You said, "Did you see it? Why didn't you say so earlier? Now Bao Gu is dead, there's no one to testify, and you're on her belly right now." Ruan Zui became even angrier and said, "So you're clearly trying to use me against you. I'll fight you to the death!" Ruan You said, "Don't try to fool me, I'm not afraid of that. You're trying to fool me like a child with your big breasts." Ruan Zui couldn't bear it any longer, and disregarding his shame, he pulled out his penis and got up to jump off the bed. Jiaojiao, unable to move because he had pressed her down on her stomach, could only try to persuade him verbally. Seeing Ruan Zui trying to get out of bed, fearing the two would cause trouble, she quickly scrambled up, hugged Ruan Zui, and said, "You're brothers, why are you like this? If this escalates, what will become of us? All three of us will die. Just bear with it." Ruan Zui, reminded by her words, thought, "Yes, if the master finds out, will he forgive us?" His fear of death subsided somewhat, and he said, "I've always treated him very well, you know that. We've been close for so many years. Later I heard that he also..." "You're trying to extort me. I told him he's a petty person, let him be, I won't stoop to his level. But today he's trying to control me. If he were any better, he wouldn't have come in if he knew I was here. Does he have no future, so he's happy to come and cause trouble for me?" Ruan You said, "I didn't mean to come here, I didn't know you were here. You're trying to pressure me, saying I shouldn't have come. Does that mean you're allowed to do what you want, but I can't?" Ruan Zui was about to speak when Jiao Jiao pinched him and said, "Brother, you're a few years older, and the younger brother is younger, just let him have his way. Let me talk to Second Brother." Ruan Zui pulled his pants over his lower body and remained silent. Jiaojiao pulled Ruan You to sit on the edge of the bed, whispering in his ear, "Second brother, why are you so stubborn? You're an older brother, you should give in to him. What good will it do to make a scene? You're a smart man, do I need to tell you? I'll say something, don't get angry." She chuckled, putting her arm around his neck, and said, "If I had you first, and then he came along, you'd be angry. He had me for over ten years, you came later, how could you possibly win him over? Besides, you couldn't even win him over. If I were with you, and he took me, then you should naturally be angry. I'm your father's woman, neither you nor he can have me." She kissed him again, saying, "Am I right?"

Ruan You, being impulsive, softened somewhat. He thought that if things escalated, it would be bad for everyone, but he refused to back down. Hearing Jiaojiao's words, he added firmly, "Since you say so, let go of me, I'll go, let you enjoy it. As long as you enjoy it for a long time, that's fine." He was about to get up. Jiaojiao wouldn't let go, holding him tighter with one hand and clinging to him with the other, saying, "Second brother, don't I have any feelings for you? I've tried to persuade you, but you won't listen. You're so stubborn." Ruan Zui said, "No, no, I'll go. What will you two do?" He started putting on his pants. Jiaojiao wanted to pull one of them away, but was afraid the other would leave. She was afraid that Ruan Dacheng would find out, and she was also afraid that if the two of them changed their attitude today, they would be at odds and could no longer see each other. In desperation, she came up with a self-inflicted injury, saying, "I've tried to persuade you two brothers, but you won't listen. Why make your brothers enemies for my sake? I might as well die and let you go." Then she grabbed a belt, got off the bed, and, with snot and tears streaming down her face, tied it to the railing. Seeing his snow-white body, a thin slit below his navel, and two round nipples, Ruan Zui and Ruan You were filled with lust. Seeing him crying with snot and tears streaming down his face, they felt pity. Seeing him about to hang himself, they rushed forward, one of them grabbing one of his arms, saying, "Auntie, please don't do this. My brothers and I are no longer angry." Jiao Jiao said, "If you two can't bear to let me die, you'll start fighting again later." The two said in unison, "If we fight again, neither of us will die a good death." Jiao Jiao said, "Since you're no longer angry, neither of you will go." Ruan Zui said, "If you won't let us go, what are you doing sitting here?" Jiao Jiao wiped her tears, got back onto the bed, and said to Ruan Zui, "Brother, come back up." At this time, Ruan Zui was only wearing trousers, not a shirt. Jiaojiao said, "You've taken your clothes off too." She grinned at Ruan You and said, "Second brother, you should get on the bed too and take off your clothes." Ruan Er asked, "Why?" Jiaojiao laughed, "Because I made you two brothers angry, I can't bear to suffer. I'll try to reconcile you brothers. One of you will be in front, and the other in back. As long as you brothers are reconciled, I don't mind suffering a little." She then laughed at the two of them, saying, "I'm a decent guy. Even though your father has tried to take advantage of me hundreds of times, I would never give in. Today, you two short-lived fools will get to enjoy this." Saying this, she reached for Ruan Da's trousers. Ruan Zui quickly took them off, then turned and pulled Ruan Er up, helping him undress. Because of the heat, he was only wearing a shirt and trousers. Ruan Er didn't wait for her to do anything and hurriedly stripped naked himself. Jiaojiao saw that both of their penises were erect and asked, "Which of you will go first, and which will go last?" They both replied in unison, "As you command, Auntie." Jiaojiao said, "No, if I say something, it will seem like I'm biased." So she plucked the jasmine flower from her hair, removed the flower, and split the penis in two, one long and one short, holding them in her hands. She said, "You two can both use it at the same time. The one with the longer penis can use the front first, and the one with the shorter penis can use the back. After a while, switch back. Everyone can have a taste, so it won't be biased." They both laughed and reached out to use it, but Ruan You got the longer one. Jiaojiao told him to lie on his back, folded the blanket several times, and placed it under his buttocks. Then she straddled him, aimed, and inserted it. After squatting a few times, it was already fully inserted. Jiaojiao lay on Ruan You's stomach, her buttocks sticking out, and looked back at Ruan Zui, saying, "You can come too." Ruan Zui was now completely intoxicated. He quickly moistened it with his saliva, cupped his snow-white buttocks with both hands, and gently inserted it. Jiaojiao said in a trembling voice, "It's so bloated." Ruan Zui quickly tried to shrink back, not daring to move. Jiaojiao said, "Stopping like this isn't good. I guess I'll have to bear it. You two can move together." Ruan You bounced up, Jiaojiao sat down, Ruan Zui thrust downwards, and Jiaojiao lifted her buttocks to meet him. The two of them were overjoyed. Jiaojiao's pleasure was indescribable. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, Jiaojiao was panting heavily, her skin soaked with fragrant sweat. She said in a trembling voice, "Let's rest for a bit. I have no strength left. You two can switch." Ruan Zui got down, and Jiaojiao climbed on top of him. She lay on the pillow, panting and conserving her energy. Ruan You also got up, and Jiaojiao said, "It's so hot. Let's hang up the curtains to let in some air. I don't think anyone will come." The two of them quickly hung up the curtains.

Jiaojiao rested for a while and said, "Let's go again, it's Big Brother's turn to be down there." Ruan Zui quickly lay down, and Jiaojiao put her upper body on top of him. By this time, he was soaked from front to back, and he sat down all the way down. Ruan You also thrust his penis in, going straight into the depths of her anus. Jiaojiao said, "If you two use your strength together, you'll lose it, so let's take a break. I'm afraid your father will come home." Hearing this, the two of them worked hard together, and after a long time, Jiaojiao's body was so exhausted that she couldn't move. She kept moaning, and after they tossed and turned for a while, Ruan Zui couldn't help but ejaculate and couldn't move anymore. Ruan Er was experiencing this delicious treat for the first time, and he had strong energy, so he thrust harder. Jiaojiao was sore and numb in her anus that she felt extremely happy, and her limbs went weak. She collapsed onto Ruan Zui's body. Ruan You also pressed himself against Jiao Jiao's back, thrusting vigorously. Ruan Zui cried out, "I can't stand the two of you pressing down on me! Let me up so you can do what you want!" Hearing this, Ruan You grabbed Jiao Jiao's hips, thrusting forcefully to his groin, leaning back and lifting her waist. Jiao Jiao also braced herself with her hands, her chest suspended in the air. Ruan Zui was freed and struggled free. Jiao Jiao said, "Sweetheart, give me a pillow to put under my stomach." Ruan Zui quickly brought it over and placed it under his stomach. He lay on top of her, his buttocks raised high. Ruan You was uncontrollably aroused, thrusting hundreds of times from head to toe before finally ejaculating. He then thrust in hard a few more times before pulling out. Jiao Jiao thoroughly enjoyed it. She described it to him in three ways: "

Attacked from both front and back, attacked from both sides." With each downward thrust from above, her anus felt numb; with each upward thrust from the front, her vulva felt even more pleasurable. The two spears pierced the stepmother, scattering her soul; the two fleshy orifices clamped the two virtuous men, causing them to sweat profusely and ejaculate.

After catching her breath, Jiao Jiao laughed, "You two are reconciled. I've been paralyzed by you two damned devils. Let's settle things face to face today, so we don't have to argue." Ruan Er said, "I'll obey your wishes, brother." Ruan Zui asked, "What do you mean?" Ruan You said, "Let's divide it. If you want the front, give me the back. Or if you want the back, give me the front." Jiao Jiao laughed, "You short-lived fools, this is just me getting you two..." "What does 'harmony' mean? Is this something we often do?" Ruan Zui said, "Second Brother, your idea is not good. If you do this before and after, you won't see each other, and who will know? It'll just cause more trouble. Your Aunt's idea is better." Jiao Jiao said, "If you want my idea, you two take turns. When you're free, Eldest Brother comes first, and when you're free again, Second Brother comes. Would that be better? Then there won't be any arguments." Ruan You said, "This idea is even worse. Father is often home, and only occasionally has free time. When Brother comes, or sometimes he's busy for half a day or half a month, how can I..." "How can we wait?" Jiaojiao laughed, "I don't care, you two brothers can decide for yourselves." Ruan Zui said, "I've thought of a wonderful and impartial plan. Auntie has been so kind to us, it would be inhuman of us to argue any further. Let's agree today that if one of us goes far away and isn't home, and the other isn't allowed to come, how can we bear to let Auntie wait so lonely? Then we'll just come and keep her company. There's no need to discuss how many times. If we're both home, we can come together if we want, then there's no distinction between us." Ruan You said, "Wonderful! Brother is absolutely right. That's exactly how it works." Jiao Jiao laughed, "You two, it's fine if you come together, it'll make things harder for me." Ruan Er laughed, "Auntie, have some conscience, you're actually enjoying this hardship." Jiao Jiao laughed and scolded, "You're so short-lived, I've done all this for you, and you still say such silly things." The two brothers put on their clothes and smiled at Jiao Jiao, "Auntie, thank you for disturbing my liver and intestines, we're leaving now." The two brothers held hands and opened the door with smiles.

Sai Hong sat on the threshold, watching the two of them, and couldn't help but giggle. Ruan Zui said, "This crazy girl, what are you laughing at?" Sai Hong said, "Am I crazy? Seeing the three of you dancing the lion and pressing the ashes just now, you're the ones who seem crazy." Ruan You pinched her cheek and left laughing. It turned out that the two brothers had quarreled and then the three of them made up, and this girl had overheard everything at the door, and then saw this new kind of erotic scene through the window, so she couldn't help but laugh. After this public display of affection, the brothers Ruan Zui and Ruan You indeed reconciled. Ruan Zui, having learned of their free time, would go and meet his brother. Ruan Er, seeing his father leave, would then meet his brother, no longer daring to go alone.

One day, the brothers were on Jiao Jiao's bed. Jiao Jiao lay on her back, telling Ruan Zui to go first, and Ruan You to wait. Ruan Zui said, "You always make me go on top of you, it's getting tiresome. Today, you'll be on top of me, it'll be something new." Jiao Jiao then climbed on top of him, supporting herself with her hands on her buttocks, and began to rise and fall forcefully. Ruan You, watching with great arousal, climbed onto his back and said, "Auntie, I can't wait any longer. Do it to me from behind." Saying this, he thrust into her anus. Jiaojiao hurriedly said, "Oh no, I have diarrhea." Ruan You quickly pulled out and asked, "What should we do?" After thinking for a moment, he laughed and said, "I've got it! Put something in and it won't eat!" He aimed at her vulva and shoved it in, halfway in. Jiaojiao laughed and scolded, "You short-lived devil, you've torn me apart!" He pushed it in harder. Ruan Zui pushed upwards, while Ruan You thrust downwards, and the two brothers found the tight grip amusing. Jiaojiao was also filled to the brim by the two of them, feeling no gaps at all, and was overjoyed. The two penises rubbed against each other inside, and were gripped tightly by the vulva. Before long, the two of them ejaculated. Ruan You came downstairs, and Jiao Jiao also lay down. She wiped her face with her handkerchief, touched it with her hand, and laughed, "You two little devils, you've done everything to me! Look at this big hole you've made! If your father tries to find out, how will he agree?" Ruan You laughed loudly, "If you squeeze tighter, he won't be able to find out." Jiao Jiao laughed, "Is this what it means to squeeze tight?" Ruan You said, "I have a wonderful method for you. Pinch half of it from behind with your hand, and the other half will be tight." The three of them laughed heartily for a while, and then everyone dispersed.

Another day, the three of them were together again. Ruan You said to Jiao Jiao, "I've thought of a new style, one that's not in the Twenty-Four Styles. Let's try it out, and take off our clothes first." Jiao Jiao was extremely lustful, and upon hearing this, she was overjoyed and quickly stripped naked. Ruan Zui and Ruan You were also completely naked. Ruan You told Jiao Jiao to put her back against his, and he turned around, hugged Jiao Jiao's stomach, and carried her on his back, saying, "Brother, you put her legs under your ribs, and then you push forward while I carry you, okay?" Ruan Zui then put Jiao Jiao's legs under his and pushed her in. Ruan You carried her, walking around in circles in the room, making Jiao Jiao laugh uncontrollably. After a while, it was Ruan Zui's turn to carry her, and Ruan You would do it. The three of them did all sorts of things, too numerous to describe. Since the two of them came together, Jiao Jiao did whatever she pleased, sometimes having the brothers take turns stimulating her vulva, sometimes one stimulating the front and the other the back, or sometimes both of them doing it together. She was satisfied during the day, and at night Ruan Dacheng would fill in the gaps, so she also got her satisfaction. But she feared that after the pleasure ended, sorrow would come, and she might not be willing to stay in this depraved world for long. Only time would tell. As for how the eunuch, the merchant, and the boy met and formed an alliance, I will tell you in detail next time.

End of Volume Eight .

[Last edited by jay-chou2010 on 8-12 01:37]

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