After the death of Ximen Qing (西门庆) the household fractures under grief and opportunism. Pan Jinlian (潘金莲) seizes the disorder to carry on a clandestine affair with Chen Jingji (陈敬济). They drug and silence maids. They use the garden, storage rooms and upstairs benches for trysts. A maid named Yuanxiao (元宵) and another named Qiuju (秋菊) become entangled in schemes to cover the couple. Rumor spreads as Pan coerces servants to keep watch and occasionally to participate in the deceit. Meanwhile Li Jiao'er (李娇儿) conspires with her nephew Li Ming (李铭) to steal family silver. The theft is exposed and causes a public scene at the ancestral tablet. Ying Bojue (应伯爵) brokers a marriage sale and persuades Zhang Erguan (张二官) to purchase Li Jiao'er. Ying profits handsomely and withdraws his loyalty from the household. The transaction deepens the sense of commodification inside the estate. In another strand Han Daoguo (韩道国) returns from a southern silk-buying mission and takes a large sum of money for himself. Lai Bao (来保), who assisted the trade, conceals part of the merchandise and then sells it at a loss to raise cash. Lai Bao pockets proceeds and celebrates with his wife. He later colludes with Zhai the steward (翟管家) to deliver young maidservants to Zhai's household in the capital. On the road the girls are abused and handed over. Wu Yue-niang (吴月娘) learns the truth from Lai Bao but is warned that legal action could be dangerous because of the steward's connections. She is trapped between seeking justice and fearing reprisal. The combined threads reveal a household unraveling under lust, greed and patronage. Private liaisons, thefts and betrayals proceed amid ceremonies and mourning. Those who should protect the family are compromised. The narrative shows how power and self-interest convert mourning into opportunity, leaving the Ximen household vulnerable and morally exhausted. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

西门庆去世后，丧礼与守灵成为府中乱象的导火索。潘金莲与陈敬济乘机在府内私会，手段挑弄丫环并轮流放哨，使私情愈发放肆。李娇儿与侄子勾结搬窃，消息败露后在灵前闹剧被驱逐，后被撮合卖给张二官，营利者有应伯爵从中得利。与此同时，韩道国与来保南行采买绸缎，韩见机私吞银两逃回。来保暗中低价变卖余货以取利，之后又与翟管家勾结，强索府中丫鬟两人出京，途中对她们施暴，致使吴月娘进退两难。府内流言蜚语四起，潘金莲为遮掩与谋利更设计将丫鬟灌醉并利用假装守夜的名义策划幽会。秋菊梦见怪异后在雷夜目睹可疑身影，李瓶儿楼上与宴席中的言行又加剧猜忌。丧事进入后期，亲友往返奔走，吴月娘本欲申告却被门路与权势所慑，只得忍气吞声。整个故事以情欲、贪婪与权势交织为主线，揭示了很多人在丧乱中借势敛财和肆意伤人的丑陋行径。人人自保与互相利用，使西门家由内而外逐步败落，悲喜交织且无力回天。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/