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Tai-yue， after listening to what her father had to say， parted from him in a flood of tears and followed her nurse and several old matrons from the Jung mansion on board her boat， and set out on her journey.
Yue-ts'un had a boat to himself， and with two youths to wait on him， he prosecuted his voyage in the wake of Tai-yue.
By a certain day， they reached Ching Tu； and Yue-ts'un， after first adjusting his hat and clothes， came， attended by a youth， to the door of the Jung mansion， and sent in a card， which showed his lineage.
Chia Cheng had， by this time， perused his brother-in-law's letter， and he speedily asked him to walk in. When they met， he found in Yue-ts'un an imposing manner and polite address.
This Chia Cheng had， in fact， a GREat penchant above all things for men of education， men courteous to the talented， respectful to the learned， ready to lend a helping hand to the needy and to succour the distressed， and was， to a great extent， like his grandfather. As it was besides a wish intimated by his brother-in-law， he therefore treated Yue-ts'un with a consideration still more unusual， and readily strained all his resources to assist him.
On the very day on which the memorial was submitted to the Throne， he obtained by his efforts， a reinstatement to office， and before the expiry of two months， Yue-t'sun was forthwith selected to fill the appointment of prefect of Ying T'ien in Chin Ling. Taking leave of Chia Cheng， he chose a propitious day， and proceeded to his post， where we will leave him without further notice for the present.
But to return to Tai-yue. On the day on which she left the boat， and the moment she put her foot on shore， there were forthwith at her disposal chairs for her own use， and carts for the luggage， sent over from the Jung mansion.
Lin Tai-yue had often heard her mother recount how different was her grandmother's house from that of other people's； and having seen for herself how above the common run were already the attendants of the three grades， （sent to wait upon her，） in attire， in their fare， in all their articles of use， "how much more，" （she thought to herself） "now that I am going to her home， must I be careful at every step， and circumspect at every moment！ Nor must I utter one word too many， nor make one step more than is proper， for fear lest I should be ridiculed by any of them！"
From the moment she got into the chair， and they had entered within the city walls， she found， as she looked around， through the gauze window， at the bustle in the streets and public places and at the immense concourse of people， everything naturally so unlike what she had seen elsewhere.
After they had also been a considerable time on the way， she suddenly caught sight， at the northern end of the street， of two huge squatting lions of marble and of three lofty gates with （knockers representing） the heads of animals. In front of these gates， sat， in a row， about ten men in coloured hats and fine attire. The main gate was not open. It was only through the side gates， on the east and west， that people went in and came out. Above the centre gate was a tablet. On this tablet were inscribed in five large characters——"The Ning Kuo mansion erected by imperial command."
"This must be grandmother's eldest son's residence，" reflected Tai-yue.
Towards the east， again， at no GREat distance， were three more high gateways， likewise of the same kind as those she had just seen. This was the Jung Kuo mansion.
they did not however go in by the main gate； but simply made their entrance through the east side door.
With the sedans on their shoulders， （the bearers） proceeded about the distance of the throw of an arrow， when upon turning a corner， they hastily put down the chairs. The matrons， who came behind， one and all also dismounted. （The bearers） were changed for four youths of seventeen or eighteen， with hats and clothes without a blemish， and while they carried the chair， the whole bevy of matrons followed on foot.
When they reached a creeper-laden gate， the sedan was put down， and all the youths stepped back and retired. The matrons came forward， raised the screen， and supported Tai-yue to descend from the chair.
Lin Tai-yue entered the door with the creepers， resting on the hand of a matron.
On both sides was a verandah， like two outstretched arms. An Entrance Hall stood in the centre， in the middle of which was a door-screen of Ta Li marble， set in an ebony frame. On the other side of this screen were three very small halls. At the back of these came at once an extensive courtyard， belonging to the main building.
In the front part were five parlours， the frieze of the ceiling of which was all carved， and the pillars ornamented. On either side， were covered avenues， resembling passages through a rock. In the side-rooms were suspended cages， full of parrots of every colour， thrushes， and birds of every description.
