At the Qingming festival Wu Yueniang (吴月娘) meets Pang Chunmei (庞春梅) at Yongfu Temple (永福寺). Pang speaks warmly and avoids old scandals about Pan Jinlian (潘金莲). Meng Yulou (孟玉楼) slips aside to the rear of the temple. She finds fresh offerings under a small poplar and breaks into grief. The companions move on to a picnic on a high slope by Xinghua Village (杏花村). They eat and laugh while watching spring visitors. A young clerk named Li Gongbi (李拱璧) rides by from the tavern. He is struck by Meng and quietly forms the intention to marry her. Laiwang (来旺) returns after years away and tells of learning jewelry craft as an apprentice. He learns that his former wife died and that Ximen Qing (西门庆) is dead. Laiwang and Sun Xue'e (孙雪娥) renew a private understanding. They plan a night meeting and decide to flee together. Laiwang carries a bundle of stolen silver and ornaments. At a crossroads a night patrol stops them. Laiwang claims they are a married couple going to a temple. They are allowed to pass. The lovers hide at the house of Aunt Qu (屈老太太). Qu Dang steals the bundle to gamble. He is caught by patrols. The stolen goods are traced to Ximen Qing's household. Laiwang and Qu Dang are tried and sentenced to five years of exile. Sun Xue'e is whipped and taken into custody and is to be sold by the authorities. Pang Chunmei pays to buy Sun back. She strips the girl of jewelry and tears her clothes. Sun is forced into kitchen servitude and daily humiliations. Wu Yueniang refuses to reclaim the girl. Meng and others attempt to intercede without success. Meanwhile Chen Jingji (陈敬济) returns to squander money. He pressures his mother Zhang (张氏) for funds and wastes them on gambling and feasts. Zhang falls ill and dies of sorrow. Chen buys a courtesan and brings disorder into the family. Meng is later formally married into another household and leaves with her dowry. The old maid Yuzan (玉簪) becomes jealous. She damages property and even injures Meng with a hairpin. Chen Jingji covets the dowry and a hairpin he once found. He resolves to press a claim or use force to recover Meng and her wealth. He prepares to travel and to pursue his designs. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

清明时节，吴月娘在永福寺偶遇庞春梅。庞春梅言辞恳切，既掩潘金莲旧事，又主动拉近与西门府的关系以取人脉。孟玉楼悄往庙后寻访潘之墓，见小白杨下的近时供品，悲痛盈眶。席间众人到杏花村高坡野炊，赏春游人，气氛热闹。李拱璧自杏花村酒楼出现，举止俊朗，对孟玉楼生情。来旺归来，述及被发配学徒制首饰的经历，并与孙雪娥私约重逢。二人夜会私定私奔之计。来旺背赃物翻墙出走。夜巡在十字路口盘问，来旺以夫妻出城上香为辞侥幸通过。二人潜避屈老太太家。屈铛见财生意，暗窃包裹去赌，途中被擒，赃物查出来自西门庆家。来旺与屈铛被定盗窃罪发配充军五年，孙雪娥受刑拷打并将经官卖。庞春梅又在守备府出资买回孙雪娥，夺其首饰撕毁衣衫，贬入后厨受辱。吴月娘推辞不领，孟玉楼等人代为周旋。陈敬济见乱局乘机滋事，回家后挥霍无度，向母张氏逼取巨款开店并用赌赌光。张氏忧伤病故。陈又纳青楼冯金宝为妻，家室动荡。孟玉楼后来被小衙内李衙内迎娶，带走重嫁妆后西门府式微。新房中旧婢玉簪忌妒成性，多次为难并用簪子伤人。陈敬济怀有旧情簪，贪恋孟玉楼嫁妆，遂策划远赴严州索回旧情与财物，预备以威胁或强夺的手段取回心中所欲。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/