Chen Jingji (陈敬济) sinks into begging after losing his goods. He confronts Yang Dalang (杨大郎) and is humiliated. A fellow named Hou Liner (侯林儿) pretends to help but pockets the money and forces Chen to work in the kitchen of the Water Moon Temple (水月寺). Chen endures hard labor and nightly abuse. A monk called Ye Toutuo (叶头陀) reads his face and predicts hardship and strange fortunes in later life. Zhang Sheng (张胜) later discovers Chen is the nephew of Pang Chunmei (庞春梅). Pang receives him into the garrison household and treats him as kin. Commander Zhou Shoubei (周守备) gives Chen shelter and favors. Pang secretly becomes Chen's lover. Chen seeks to recover the property taken by Yang. With the help of steward Zhou Zhong (周忠) and local officials the stolen goods are traced, property is sold and part of the funds recovered. Yang and his brother are punished and exiled. Pang supplies secret funds that allow Chen to renovate and take charge of the Xie family restaurant (谢家酒楼). Chen gains social standing and control of the business. At the renovated inn Chen meets Han Aijie (韩爱姐) and they fall in love. Chen grows reckless. He violates servants and provokes anger in the household. His wife Ge Cuiping (葛翠屏) at times confines him. Political movements recall Zhang Sheng to duty and accusations mount. Zhang learns of plots against him. He returns in fury and murders Chen. Zhang is captured. Commander Zhou presides over a harsh trial. Zhang and his accomplices are flogged to death. The courtesan Sun Xue'e (孙雪娥) hangs herself in terror. Chen is buried near Yongfu Temple (永福寺) beside Pan Jinlian (潘金莲)'s grave. Han Aijie keeps faith and mourns. War and disorder follow. Zhou is sent to battle and dies. Pang grows lonely and takes a lover in the young servant Zhou Yi (周义) and then falls ill. She dies suddenly in midsummer. Wu Yueniang (吴月娘) flees with her household to Yongfu Temple and meets the monk Pujing (普静). Under his counsel her youngest son is tonsured and becomes Ximen An (西门安). The narrative traces how desire and power produce ruin and how eventual retribution and moral lessons conclude the tale. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

陈敬济流落街头乞讨。早年货物被杨大郎夺去，再遇时遭当街羞辱。侯林儿假意援手却吞去银两，将陈强送至水月寺做苦役。寺中日夜劳苦，工匠戏弄，叶头陀看相预言其多劫难。张胜后来认出陈为庞春梅的表弟。庞春梅以姊弟相待收留他，周守备宽待安置，庞暗中与陈通奸。陈联手周忠等告发杨氏旧案，经查抄变卖追回部分赃款，杨氏被发配。庞又暗助银两，陈得以重修并掌理谢家酒楼。酒楼兴盛之际，陈与韩爱姐相恋。陈放纵恣意，多次凌辱丫鬟，被葛娘子看守。张胜因事被揭发愤而报复，潜回持刃先杀陈，继欲害庞幸被遏止，张及同党被捕审判。周守备断案严厉，张与刘二等被杖至死，孙雪娥自缢。陈葬于永福寺旁，韩爱姐守节随行。随后战乱起，周守备出征阵亡，张叔夜等调兵，春梅终因纵欲成疾，与周义私通时暴卒。吴月娘携家避难入永福寺，普静禅师以因果教化，劝其幼子出家为僧名西门安终身侍母。全卷描写因情欲与权力纷争引发的人命浮沉。因果报应贯穿始终。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/