Vernacular Jin Ping Mei.

Summary

The passage describes Xi Men Qing's romantic entanglement with Gui Jie, causing tension in his household. Pan Jinlian, feeling lonely, develops feelings for a young servant. As Xi Men Qing's birthday approaches, his wife sends Dai An to fetch him home, but he remains with courtesans. A letter from Pan Jinlian stirs jealousy, leading to dramatic interactions. The group of men engage in drinking, joke-telling, and feasting, demonstrating their freeloading lifestyle and complex social dynamics in a vivid, satirical narrative about desire, social relationships, and opportunistic behavior.

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