During the New Year period Ximen Qing (西门庆) keeps the household busy with banquets and lantern festivities. The outward merriment masks a network of illicit liaisons and mounting tension. Ben Si Sao (贲四嫂) follows Dai'an's (玳安) suggestion to bring New Year gifts to Wu Yueniang (吴月娘). Dai'an scouts and reports that Wang Sanguan (王三官) is away, and the news prompts Ximen Qing to visit the Zhaoxuan Mansion (招宣府). There he meets Lin Madam (林太太) for wine and an intimate night after taking medicine. At home the family stages a birthday feast for Pan Jinlian (潘金莲). Mrs Lan (蓝氏) arrives and her beauty unsettles Ximen Qing. He later seizes a brief opportunity with Huiyuan (惠元) the wife of Lai Jue (来爵) but still pines for Mrs Lan. That night he slips to Wang Liu (王六) and the two hide behind curtains for an hour of passion. On the way home a startled horse bolts under a stone bridge. Qintong (琴童) and Dai'an flee with the animal. Shaken, Ximen Qing returns in a disturbed state. Pan Jinlian finds him weak and gives him pills from a small box. She swallows one herself and forces the rest into him with wine. He convulses in bed and bleeds from his lower body. Chunmei (春梅) and others rush to help. Wu Yueniang and Sun Xue'e (孙雪娥) press for a doctor. Household members suspect Pan Jinlian of foul play, and she insists that Ximen Qing came to her drunk and that she only tried to revive him. The accusations create discord. Meanwhile Ying Bojue (应伯爵) reports an imperial call for antiques and Song Qiaonian (宋乔年) might take the task. The internal disorder grows as family business and erotic pursuits collide. Zhang Zhupo (张竹坡) comments that excessive lust harms the body and urges proper medical attention rather than concealment. The festival gaiety covers up illness and suspicion. Ties among servants and relatives fray as secrets and resentments deepen. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

正月间，西门庆家中灯会与寿庆交织，外表热闹内里暗涌情欲与纷争。贲四嫂奉玳安主意上门拜年，吴月娘宽待回礼，玳安又去探虚实，消息传回触动西门庆。西门庆借机进招宣府与林太太饮药缠绵。府中为潘金莲设寿席，宾客云集。席间何千户之妻蓝氏到场，姿容惊艳，西门庆暗生情愫。宴散后他又与来爵之妻惠元短会，以她为替代。夜里西门庆偷到王六处，二人帘内缠绵。归途马惊狂奔，西门庆受惊归府，潘金莲见状取药先服一粒又强灌数粒，遂引起西门庆昏厥下体出血。吴月娘与孙雪娥等人急促相询，众人怀疑潘金莲动手，潘金莲则辩称西门庆酒醉自行至她房内。家中诸人争执是否请医或揭发。初八贲四嫂与叶五送寿礼至潘家，潘金莲见玳安与琴童挂灯搭花架起疑，逼问其与贲四嫂来往，玳安惊慌辩解。潘姥姥索轿钱一事亦使潘金莲与娘家裂痕显露。应伯爵传言朝廷征集古玩，宋乔年或可承差，家中事务与风月乱象交织。张竹坡评点色欲伤身，主张医治不可掩饰。节日的喧嚣掩盖不了家庭内部的病痛与猜忌，人与情的裂隙逐渐显现。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/