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"It's of course so！" interposed lady Feng smiling， "and I shall now have an opportunity of seeing something GREat of the world. My misfortune is that I'm young by several years； for had I been born twenty or thirty years sooner， all these old people wouldn't really be now treating me contemptuously for not having seen the world！ To begin with， the Emperor Tai Tsu， in years gone by， imitated the old policy of Shun， and went on a tour， giving rise to more stir than any book could have ever produced； but I happen to be devoid of that good fortune which could have enabled me to come in time."
"Ai ya， ya！" ejaculated dame Chao， "such a thing is rarely met with in a thousand years！ I was old enough at that time to remember the occurrence！ Our Chia family was then at Ku Su， Yangchow and all along that line， superintending the construction of ocean vessels， and the repairs to the seaboard. This was the only time in which preparations were made for the reception of the Emperor， and money was lavished in quantities as GREat as the billowing waters of the sea！"
This subject once introduced， lady Feng took up the thread of the conversation with vehemence. "Our Wang family，" she said， "did also make preparations on one occasion. At that time my grandfather was in sole charge of all matters connected with tribute from various states， as well as with general levees， so that whenever any foreigners arrived， they all came to our house to be entertained， while the whole of the goods， brought by foreign vessels from the two Kuang provinces， from Fukien， Yunnan and Chekiang， were the property of our family."
"Who isn't aware of these facts？" ventured dame Chao； "there is up to this day a saying that， 'in the eastern sea， there was a white jade bed required， and the dragon prince came to request Mr. Wang of Chin Ling （to give it to him）！' This saying relates to your family， my lady， and remains even now in vogue. The Chen family of Chiang Nan has recently held， oh such a fine old standing！ it alone has entertained the Emperor on four occasions！ Had we not seen these things with our own eyes， were we to tell no matter whom， they wouldn't surely ever believe them！ Not to speak of the money， which was as plentiful as mud， all things， whether they were to be found in the world or not， were they not heaped up like hills， and collected like the waters of the sea？ But with the four characters representing sin and pity they didn't however trouble their minds."
"I've often heard，" continued lady Feng， "my eldest uncle say that things were in such a state， and how couldn't I believe？ but what surprises me is how it ever happened that this family attained such opulence and honour！"
"I'll tell your ladyship and all in one sentence，" replied nurse Chao. "Why they simply took the Emperor's money and spent it for the Emperor's person， that's all！ for what family has such a lot of money as to indulge in this useless extravagance？"
While they were engaged in this conversation， a servant came a second time， at the instance of madame Wang， to see whether lady Feng had finished her meal or not； and lady Feng forthwith concluding that there must be something waiting for her to attend to， hurriedly rushed through her repast. She had just rinsed her mouth and was about to start when the youths， on duty at the second gate， also reported that the two gentlemen， Mr. Chia Jung and Mr. Chia Se， belonging to the Eastern mansion， had arrived.
Chia Lien had， at length， rinsed his mouth； but while P'ing Erh presented a basin for him to wash his hands， he perceived the two young men walk in， and readily inquired of them what they had to say.
Lady Feng was， on account （of their arrival）， likewise compelled to stay， and she heard Chia Jung take the lead and observe： "My father has sent me to tell you， uncle， that the gentlemen， have already decided that the whole extent of ground， starting from the East side， borrowing （for the occasion） the flower garden of the Eastern mansion， straight up to the North West， had been measured and found to amount in all to three and a half li； that it will be suitable for the erection of extra accommodation for the visiting party； that they have already commissioned an architect to draw a plan， which will be ready by to-morrow； that as you， uncle， have just returned home， and must unavoidably feel fatigued， you need not go over to our house， but that if you have anything to say you should please come tomorrow morning， as early as you can， and consult verbally with him."
"Thank uncle warmly，" Chia Lien rejoined smilingly， "for the trouble he has taken in thinking of me； I shall， in that case， comply with his wishes and not go over. This plan is certainly the proper one， for while trouble will thus be saved， the erection of the quarters will likewise be an easy matter； for had a distinct plot to be selected and to be purchased， it would involve far GREater difficulties. What's more， things wouldn't， after all， be what they properly should be. When you get back， tell your father that this decision is the right one， and that should the gentlemen have any further wish to introduce any change in their proposals， it will rest entirely with my uncle to prevent them， as it's on no account advisable to go and cast one's choice on some other plot； that to-morrow as soon as it's daylight， I'll come and pay my respects to uncle， when we can enter into further details in our deliberations！"
