Li Ping'er (李瓶儿) dies and the household mounts a large wake. The funeral is ostentatious. A stage is set and guests watch while mourners keep vigil. During the wake the maid Yu Xiao (玉箫) is discovered in an affair with the bookboy. Pan Jinlian (潘金莲) catches them and forces Yu Xiao to swear silence. She imposes harsh conditions and then expels the maid. The bookboy takes advantage of the confusion. He gathers keys and account books and flees after tricking Fu Er (傅二) out of money. The loss of keys and ledgers throws the household into alarm. Ximen Qing (西门庆) grows gloomy. He spends long hours in Li Ping'er's chamber and in his study. Ying Bojue (应伯爵) and others try to comfort him. Pan Jinlian grows jealous because Ximen Qing pays attention to the wet nurse Ruyi (如意) and to Li Ping'er's room. Ximen Qing then turns to influence and seduction to extend his power. He pays Wensao (文嫂) five taels to arrange a private meeting with Lin Taitai (林太太), the mother of Wang Sanguan (王三官). Wensao bribes and schemes and tells Ximen Qing to enter by the back approach. She dresses as a flower seller and gains access to the household. Ximen Qing follows through a narrow passage and is led into a spacious hall. Lin Taitai hides behind a curtain and then speaks to him of her troubles. She complains about her son and the corrupt companions who lead him astray. Ximen Qing promises to intervene and to punish those idle men. A banquet follows. The wine and food loosen restraint. In private conversation political requests turn to personal intimacy. Wensao times her absence to leave Lin Taitai and Ximen Qing alone. The two grow closer. Elsewhere the servants gossip and judge their masters. The boy's escape, the maid's secret, Pan Jinlian's blackmail and the matchmaker's bribery expose how grief, desire and rivalry weave together. The household becomes a theater of power, money and passion. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

李瓶儿辞世后，府中为她守灵设宴，排场宏大，花棺队伍绵延，戏台唱戏，宾客或坐堂内或帘外观赏。守灵期间发生数起波澜。丫鬟玉箫与书童偷情，被潘金莲当场撞见。潘金莲厉声逼问，逼其守口并提出三项苛刻条件，随即将她遣出。书童见局势危急，趁乱收拾钥匙与账册，骗取傅二钱财后携款潜逃，令府中一时惊乱。李瓶儿出殡后，西门庆郁郁寡欢，常守李房与书房。应伯爵等人轮番劝慰。潘金莲因西门庆偏向如意而忿忿不平，暗生猜忌与算计。为图报复并扩张势力，西门庆暗托文嫂出面撮合他与外家林太太见面。文嫂受五两银子乔装卖花入宅，暗中从后门引西门庆潜入厅上。林太太借机诉苦，请西门庆查处败学之徒并重罚其子王三官。席间酒食珍馐，二人谈话由理及情，渐生亲近。偏僻夹道与虾须帘后，文嫂周旋安排离席时机，使二人单独相处。西门庆许诺办事并留下赏钱。府中因丧事而人心不定，妻妾间猜忌更深，下人偷盗与私情交织，权势与情欲的纠葛愈加复杂。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/