Ximen Qing (西门庆) ventures out at night to visit the Lichun Courtyard. He meets the courtesan Zheng Aiyue (郑爱月) after being delayed by her sister Zheng Aixiang (郑爱香). The evening of drinking and games ends with a promise to return. Back at home a commotion follows. The songboy and servants are pressed for details. The household women gossip and try to piece together where he went. A more serious calamity then unfolds. Pan Jinlian (潘金莲) keeps a white cat she calls the snow lion. The cat pounces on Li Ping'er's (李瓶儿) little son who wears a red pouch. The child falls into fever and convulsions. Liu Pozi (刘婆子) treats him with warming broth and moxibustion. Physicians fail to cure him. Ximen Qing, enraged by the attack, smashes the cat to death on the steps outside Pan Jinlian's room. The act silences the household for a moment. The infant does not recover. Li Ping'er watches by the child's side and endures repeated fits. Ximen Qing consults acquaintances and even lends money to a friend while anxiety gnaws at him. Li Ping'er is haunted. She dreams of Hua Zixu (花子虚) accusing her and wakes in terror. The baby dies and a modest funeral is held. During the burial Li Ping'er stumbles and injures her head. Sun Xue'e (孙雪娥) speaks out against Pan Jinlian, but no one openly accuses her. The household arranges rites and mourns, yet suspicion and fear remain. In the following days Li Ping'er's health declines. She suffers bleeding and insomnia. Ximen Qing neglects business and feels listless. Han Daoguo (韩道国) and Wang Liu (王六) stage an entertainment to lift his spirits. They hire the blind singer Shen Erjie (申二姐). Ximen Qing pays attention and later sleeps with Wang Liu. The episode closes with the family weighed down by grief and rumor. Private guilt, public scandal and unanswered questions deepen the household's sorrow. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

西门庆夜访青楼，与郑爱月私会后回家引发风波。歌童与随从见闻被众妇人盘问，院中喧闹以至猜测纷纷。潘金莲所养白色狮子猫因玩耍抓伤李瓶儿幼子，孩子高热抽搐，众人请药师并行艾灸仍未见好转。西门庆怒将猫砸死，场面惊骇。李瓶儿日夜守护病儿，后经各方救治和祭祀仍难挽回，幼子终因惊恐与病痛亡故。出殡时李瓶儿追随灵柩跌伤，悲痛加深。丧事后家中流言暗涌，孙雪娥等人揭露潘金莲的恶行，李瓶儿既怨且惧难以对质。西门庆心神不宁，生意社交亦受影响。秋深之夜，李瓶儿屡见梦魇，怀疑冤魂相索，精神与体力日渐消耗。邻里设宴欲解闷，西门庆酒兴又与人行房，府中风波未息，人物间的猜忌与隐痛，使得家庭氛围愈发阴翳和脆弱。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/