Ximen Qing (西门庆) is drawn into a local scandal when Mrs Lin (林太太) invites him under the pretext of asking aid for her son Wang Sanguan (王三官). After a private encounter the night of the banquet, Ximen Qing returns to the yamen to investigate who has implicated Wang Sanguan. He obtains a roll of names. He spares some acquaintances and orders the arrest of others. Xiao Zhangxian (小张闲), Xiang San (向三), and Yu Kuan (于宽) are seized and confined overnight in the hearing chamber. The three are publicly flogged with twenty strokes. Humiliated, they go to the gate of the Wang Zhao Xuan mansion (王招宣府) to demand redress. They find Wang Sanguan hidden and the household alarmed. Wen Sao (文嫂) urges the Wang family to petition Ximen Qing again. Ximen Qing intervenes. He dispatches officers to question the matter. He rebukes the troublemakers and shows leniency to those he favors. Back home he discusses the episode with Wu Yueniang (吴月娘) and Ying Bojie (应伯爵). Ying suspects Ximen of selecting who should be punished. Ximen takes pleasure in having managed the affair and joins a celebratory banquet. Soon he is promoted to zheng qianhu and obliged to travel to the capital to offer thanks. He goes with Xia Tixing (夏提刑) and lodges at Cui Zhongshu's (崔中书) house. In the capital they rehearse the elaborate kneels and kowtows at the Ministry of Rites. At the Taishi mansion Zhai the steward (翟管家) warns them that Xia's past bribery has made officials cautious. Ximen befriends Eunuch He (何太监). The eunuch entertains him lavishly and gives him an imperial robe as favor. He asks Ximen to provide for his nephew He Yongshou (何永寿). Ximen purchases the house of Xia Longxi for eleven hundred taels to settle He Yongshou. He attends court and feels both proud and diminished by the ceremony. Returning to Qinghe County, he finds domestic turbulence. Matron Wu manages the household under strain. Li Jiao'er (李娇儿) is indulgent. Meng Yulou (孟玉楼) remains steady. Sun Xue'e (孙雪娥) runs the kitchen. Pan Jinlian (潘金莲) seeks intimacy with Chen Jingji (陈敬济). Their closeness is reported by the nanny Ruyi (如意). Wu orders surveillance of the garden. Pan is repeatedly restrained. Minor disputes over trinkets and chores escalate. Pan grows resentful and bitter at her confinement. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

林太太为替儿子王三官求情设宴，引西门庆入府私会。席散后二人同房，次晨约定再见。西门庆回衙调查王三官被牵累之事。衙门得名单若干。为护旧识并顾及情分，他划去与己有关者，命人逮捕小张闲、向三与于宽等三人押到提刑衙门。三人次日受鞭二十大板，羞愤之下去王招宣府讨说法。文嫂见状，劝王家再求西门庆相救。西门庆出面差节级查明情由，责斥滋事者并宽待与己有旧情之人。事后府内宴庆。他与应伯爵及吴月娘论此，众人有猜疑亦有私得。随后西门庆升为正千户，匆往京城谢恩。随行有夏提刑及随从，暂寓崔中书府。京中在礼部排练朝见礼仪，感礼制庄重且自觉渺小。太师府翟管家告知夏之贿赂往事并嘱防。又与何太监结交，何太监设宴授蟒衣，托付侄子何永寿于他。为安置何永寿，西门庆撮合以一千一百两购下夏龙溪宅第。朝罢归来，家中事多纷扰。吴月娘操持家务劳心。李娇儿放纵懒散。孟玉楼持重持家有方。孙雪娥掌厨有序。潘金莲与小女婿陈敬济私通被奶妈如意告发，吴月娘命人看守园中，潘屡受约束。数日间因借衣槌等琐事与人争执，潘心中怨愤日深。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/