評論
打印
Chia Jung hastily signified his assent by several yes's， and Chia Se also came forward to deliver his message. "the mission to Ku Su，" he explained， "to find tutors， to purchase servant girls， and to obtain musical instruments， and theatrical properties and the like， my uncle has confided to me； and as I'm to take along with me the two sons of a couple of majordomos， and two companions of the family， besides， Tan P'ing-jen and Pei Ku-hsiu， he has， for this reason， enjoined me to come and see you， uncle."
Upon hearing this， Chia Lien scrutinised Chia Se. "What！" he asked， "are you able to undertake these commissions？ These matters are， it's true， of no GREat moment； but there's something more hidden in them！"
Chia Se smiled. "the best thing I can do，" he remarked， "will be to execute them in my novice sort of way， that's all."
Chia Jung was standing next to lady Feng， out of the light of the lamp， and stealthily pulled the lapel of her dress. Lady Feng understood the hint， and putting on a smiling expression， "You are too full of fears！" she interposed. "Is it likely that our uncle Chen doesn't， after all， know better than we do what men to employ， that you again give way to apprehensions that he isn't up to the mark！ but who are those who are， in every respect， up to the mark？ These young fellows have grown up already to this age， and if they haven't eaten any pork， they have nevertheless seen a pig run. If Mr. Chen has deputed him to go， he is simply meant to sit under the general's standard； and do you imagine， forsooth， that he has， in real earnest， told him to go and bargain about the purchase money， and to interview the brokers himself？ My own idea is that （the choice） is a very good one."
"Of course it is！" observed Chia Lien； "but it isn't that I entertain any wish to be factious； my only object is to devise some plan or other for him. Whence will，" he therefore went on to ask， "the money required for this purpose come from？"
"A little while ago the deliberations reached this point，" rejoined Chia Se； "and Mr. Lai suggested that there was no necessity at all to take any funds from the capital， as the Chen family， in Chiang Nan， had still in their possession Tls. 50，000 of our money. That he would to-morrow write a letter of advice and a draft for us to take along， and that we should， first of all， obtain cash to the amount of Tls. 30，000， and let the balance of Tls. 20，000 remain over， for the purchase of painted lanterns， and coloured candles， as well as for the outlay for every kind of portieres， banners， curtains and streamers."
Chia Lien nodded his head. "This plan is first-rate！" he added.
"Since that be so，" observed lady Feng， as she addressed herself to Chia Se， "I've two able and reliable men； and if you would take them with you， to attend to these matters， won't it be to your convenience？"
Chia Se forced a smile. "I was just on the point，" he rejoined， "of asking you， aunt， for the loan of two men， so that this suggestion is a strange coincidence."
As he went on to ascertain what were their names， lady Feng inquired what they were of nurse Chao. But nurse Chao had， by this time， become quite dazed from listening to the conversation， and P'ing Erh had to give her a push， as she smiled， before she returned to consciousness. "The one，" she hastened to reply， "is called Chao T'ien-liang and the other Chao T'ien-tung."
"Whatever you do，" suggested lady Feng， "don't forget them； but now I'm off to look after my duties."
With these words， she left the room， and Chia Jung promptly followed her out， and with gentle voice he said to her： "Of whatever you want， aunt， issue orders that a list be drawn up， and I'll give it to my brother to take with him， and he'll carry out your commissions according to the list."
"Don't talk nonsense！" replied lady Feng laughing； "I've found no place， as yet， where I could put away all my own things； and do the stealthy practices of you people take my fancy？"
As she uttered these words she straightway went her way.
Chia Se， at this time， likewise， asked Chia Lien： "If you want anything （in the way of curtains）， I can conveniently have them woven for you， along with the rest， and bring them as a present to you."
"Don't be in such high glee！" Chia Lien urged with a grin， "you've but recently been learning how to do business， and have you come first and foremost to excel in tricks of this kind？ If I require anything， I'll of course write and tell you， but we needn't talk about it."
Having finished speaking， he dismissed the two young men； and， in quick succession， servants came to make their business reports， not limited to three and five companies， but as Chia Lien felt exhausted， he forthwith sent word to those on duty at the second gate not to allow any one at all to communicate any reports， and that the whole crowd should wait till the next day， when he would give his mind to what had to be done.
Lady Feng did not come to retire to rest till the third watch； but nothing need be said about the whole night.
the next morning， at an early hour， Chia Lien got up and called on Chia She and Chia Cheng； after which， he came over to the Ning Kuo mansion； when， in company with the old major-domos and other servants， as well as with several old family friends and companions， he inspected the grounds of the two mansions， and drew plans of the palatial buildings （for the accommodation of the Imperial consort and her escort） on her visit to her parents； deliberating at the same time， on the subject of the works and workmen.
From this day the masons and workmen of every trade were collected to the full number； and the articles of gold， silver， copper， and pewter， as well as the earth， timber， tiles， and bricks， were brought over， and carried in， in incessant supplies. In the first place， orders were issued to the workmen to demolish the wall and towers of the garden of Concentrated Fragrance， and extend a passage to connect in a straight line with the large court in the East of the Jung mansion； for the whole extent of servants' quarters on the Eastern side of the Jung mansion had previously been pulled down.
