Chen Jingji (陈敬济) sells his family's silver and travels toward Yanzhou to recover Meng Yulou (孟玉楼). He gains entrance to Li Tongpan's (李通判) household by claiming kinship. He uses Meng Yulou's hairpin as leverage to arrange a night escape. A parcel is lowered over the garden wall. Patrols who have been bribed spring a trap. The parcel contains official silver and Chen is arrested and taken to the subprefect's office. Magistrate Xu (徐崶) orders a careful inquiry. He examines the evidence and uncovers the plot. Chen is declared innocent and Li Tongpan is rebuked. Humiliation and loss however follow. Chen's ship and cargo are taken by Yang Dalang (杨大郎). He returns ruined. Domestic quarrels erupt. Ximen Dajie (西门大姐) is savagely beaten and hangs herself. Chen and Feng Jinbao (冯金宝) are punished and suffer public disgrace. The family sells property to bribe officials and lessen the sentence. Even after release Chen is reduced to pawning clothes and begging. He becomes a night watchman and a flower worker. He sleeps on cold bunks and endures assaults. He dreams of former luxury at Ximen Qing's (西门庆) mansion and of intimacy with Pan Jinlian (潘金莲). These memories deepen his despair. Wang Xuan (王宣) later finds him and offers aid. He urges Chen to learn a trade and brings him to Yan Gong Temple (晏公庙). The Taoist abbot Ren Daozhang (任道长) accepts him as a disciple. Chen meets his senior brothers Jin Zongming (金宗明) and Xu Zongshun (徐宗顺). Jin takes advantage of Chen. He plies him with drink and attempts molestation. Chen resists and feigns a desperate act to win trust. He gains control of the granary keys and uses them to slip out for money and pleasures. He reunites briefly with Feng Jinbao and stays at a riverside inn near the Linqing Wharf and the Xie family restaurant. A fight draws local enforcers and he is seized and brought before the garrison commander Zhang Sheng (张胜). During questioning a child in the crowd recognizes Chen. That recognition sends the case in an unexpected direction. Throughout these events Chen drifts between schemes and humiliation. His fate remains unsettled and precarious. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

陈敬济为夺回孟玉楼，先将家中金银变卖抵押，带着随从南行探严州。他到通判府前自称亲属，倚旧情以玉楼金簪胁迫策动私奔。夜半包裹下墙之计却是圈套。通判与巡街受贿，将包中官银作为凭证。陈敬济被发觉并押解府衙。幸遇徐知府明察，拆穿陷害而宣判无罪。但此番波折使其家道破落，船货被夺，身无分文。家中纷争升级，西门大姐惨遭毒打自缢身亡。陈与冯金宝受刑入狱，虽脱罪仍被羞辱与债务缠身。出狱后他卖屋卖人换得糊口，乃至以看更花子为生，夜宿冷铺，常被人欺凌。偶有梦中重回阔贵长夜，与潘金莲同室的幻觉增其痛楚。王宣偶然相遇施以接济，劝其自立并引介入晏公庙为道士。庙中任道长收留，结识师兄金宗明与徐宗顺。金宗明心术不正，多次灌醉并试图逼迫陈。陈机警以假自尽赢得信任，得以掌米仓钥匙并借机外出。重逢冯金宝后因招惹地方纠纷被押守备府。官衙押讯时忽有童子认出陈敬济，令案件方向再起波澜。陈的一生遂在欲望与屈辱之间颠簸，命运多舛，未有归处。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/