Ximen Qing (西门庆) is summoned home by his steward Daian (玳安) and finds his household in chaos. Trunks and chests crowd the yard. Relatives report a court purge that has implicated Chen Hong (陈洪). Chen Jingji (陈敬济) arrives pleading for help and offers five hundred taels to secure assistance. Alarmed, Ximen Qing hides valuables in the cellar and restricts his household. He sends retainers Lai Bao (来保) and Lai Wang (来旺) to the capital to solicit favors from officials with promised payments. Li Ping'er (李瓶儿) waits anxiously on Lion Street and falls into sickness from worry. Her maid Feng Ma (冯妈) seeks news and finally summons Jiang Zhushan (蒋竹山), a practitioner who professes training at the Imperial Hospital. Jiang studies Li's pulse, attributes her nightmares to malignant spirits, prescribes medicines, and courts her with flattery. After a period of treatment Li's appetite and sleep improve. Feng Ma acts as matchmaker and Li agrees to marry Jiang. They wed quickly. Li invests savings to renovate her front rooms into an apothecary and supports Jiang as he begins practicing. Their household becomes prosperous for a time. Meanwhile Ximen Qing fears official reprisal. He bribes the minister Li Bangyan (李邦彦) to intervene. The minister accepts payment and alters the records so Ximen Qing's name is obscured. Relieved, Ximen Qing relaxes and indulges himself. He favors Chen Jingji for his aid. But news of Li Ping'er's remarriage enrages him and unsettles domestic order. Domestic tensions escalate. Wu Yueniang (吴月娘) reproaches the women for hasty remarriage and hosts Chen Jingji at a midday gathering. Chen appears humble but reveals a rakish nature. Pan Jinlian (潘金莲) and Chen exchange furtive glances. When Ximen Qing returns in anger he strikes Pan and withdraws into coldness. Pan sees Chen as more refined and invites him to her room. He seizes the chance and the two begin a clandestine flirtation. Across these events bribery, fear, desire, and social maneuvering entangle family life and unsettle the household. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

西门庆因牵连陈洪等案夜被玳安急召回，院中箱笼堆积，众人惶恐。他令家人藏匿财物，闭门不出，派来保来旺星夜入京托人求情，并以五百两银子打点官场。李瓶儿在狮子街独守空闺，多日盼不到消息，身心消瘦，常做噩梦。冯妈屡次出门探听，请来自称曾在太医院进修的蒋竹山看病。蒋诊脉称为梦魇与邪物所致，既安抚又献殷勤，终使李瓶儿身心好转。蒋借机求婚，经冯妈作媒二人速成婚礼。婚后李瓶儿取出积蓄整修门面，开药铺助蒋行医，生活一时红火。朝中为保，西门庆以重金贿赂李邦彦，名字被改，风波得以平息。松懈之后他放纵府中生活，却为李瓶儿再嫁而愤怒。吴月娘训斥媳妇守寡，设宴招待陈敬济。陈表面谦恭，实则风流，潘金莲与其往来频繁，暗生情愫。西门庆归府大发雷霆，打潘金莲，夫妻冷淡。潘乘隙与陈私通，府中因权钱与情欲交织，人心不稳，波谲云诡，日益紧张。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/