Ever since her arrival at the temple, Madam Cui would spend her days burning incense and reciting Buddhist ures in the honor of her deceased husband. Wishing for the abbot to arrange for a Buddhist funeral ser vice, she sent Hongniang to meet with him and plan out the details.
Upon arriving at the abbot’s room, she saw him conversing with a handsome and refined young scholar, discussing the renting of a room in the temple. After announcing her presence, Hongniang questioned the abbot about the possibilities for the funeral service.
The abbot said, “The fifteenth day of the second lunar month is a befitting day. Please tell Madam Cui that we are honored to perform the service and everything needed for it is already prepared.”
Hongniang replied, “Excellent. Would you mind if I take a look at the Buddha Hall so that I may relate it to my mistress?”
The abbot stood up and said to Zhang Sheng, “Sir, kindly wait here a moment. I’ll go show the hall to this young lady and be back shortly.”
Zhang Sheng, having nothing to do, asked if he could go along with the pair, and the three of them set off for the Buddha Hall. Zhang Sheng politely allowed Hongniang to go first, and she made a note to herself of his good manners.
Once inside the hall, Hongniang asked many questions about the service’s preparations, looking around to ensure that everything was properly laid out. Zhang Sheng wanted to strike up a conversation with the girl but she barely paid him any attention. Satisfied with the meticulous preparations, she expressed her gratitude to the abbot on behalf of Madam Cui. The abbot told her that everything would be ready, and Madam and Miss Cui need only come to offer some incense. Finally, he remarked how moved he was by Miss Cui’s filial piety for her father, and that he would personally see to it that the service be ready before the end of her mourning period, so that she might repay her father’s love and care on the anniversary of his death. As he spoke this, he suddenly noticed that Zhang Sheng was quietly crying. The abbot asked him what was wrong, and he replied, “A young woman such as Miss Cui has shown so much devotion to her parents. Myself, I’ve wandering around these years, away from home town and haven’t even offered my parents one single piece of ritual money since their passing. I’m so ashamed! I hope you can have mercy on me and allow me to offer some incense and joss paper in honor of my parents. I believe Madam will not object, as she will understand my filial duties.”
The abbot was sympathetic to his request and gave him permission to perform the memorial rites. The abbot then invited Hongniang to return with him to his room for a cup of tea, but she worried that Madam Cui might need her right now, so she thanked the abbot and was about to go back to her quarters. Once outside the hall, she ran into Zhang Sheng in the hallway, apparently waiting for her. He came forward and bowed.
“You must be Hongniang, Miss Yingying’s maid.”
Glancing at him, she forced a slight bow and replied, “Yes, I am. How may I help you, sir?”
“My name is Zhang Sheng. I am 23 years old and a native of Luoyang. I was born at midnight on the 17th day of the first lunar month. I’m not yet married…”
Hearing these words, Hongniang felt that the young man spoke too boldly, and she became annoyed.
“Who asked you about these things?”
Noticing her impatience, he approached a little closer. “Does Miss Cui often take walks outside of her chamber?”
This question really set Hongniang off. Her reply was dripping with irritation.
“You must’ve read many books, how is it that you don’t know even the basic etiquette? What you said is beyond the pale! You must know Mencius’ teaching that ‘a safe distance should be kept between men and women’. As the old saying goes, a gentleman will neither adjust his shoe in a watermelon patch, nor his hat under a plum tree. Or as Confucius said, a man of letters should ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, and do no evil’. Madam is very strict with regards to Miss Cui’s upbringing. The young lady is not so imprudent as to willfully show her face in public. If she sneaked out of her room, she would never hear the end of it from her mother. Regardless, Miss Cui has nothing to do with you, and you should take this to heart. You’re lucky it’s me telling you this and not Madam Cui, as she would not let you off so easily. She’s very strict with others when it comes to etiquette, not to mention with her own daughter. From here on, you should know when to speak out and when to keep your mouth shut.”
With that, Hongniang turned abruptly and went off to see her mistress. Her words had left Zhang Sheng speechless, and he slowly shuffled back to his room, sulking the whole way.
Hongniang returned to the Western Chamber and reported to Madam Cui on the arrangements for the memorial service, then went to see Yingying, to whom she repeated what she had just told Madam. While speaking about the service, she suddenly recalled the silly look on Zhang Sheng’s face and burst out laughing.
Bewildered, Yingying asked, “What are you laughing at, you silly girl?”
Hongniang giggled and began to imitate Zhang Sheng’s opening speech, bowing forward and stating, “My name is Zhang Sheng. I am 23 years old and a native of Luoyang. I was born at midnight on the 17th day of the first lunar month. I’m not yet married…”
Even more confused, Yingying also laughed and asked, “What’s wrong with you today? What’s this nonsense?”
Hongniang then described the whole encounter to Yingying, including her scolding of Zhang Sheng.
“Sister, I really wonder what’s going through this young scholar’s mind. It’s unbelievable that such a simpleton should really exist!”
Yingying thought back to the young man she had seen in the Buddha Hall the day before. He looked refined, not like some disreputable lecher. What’s more, he had looked at her with obvious admiration. Yingying’s heart began to beat a little faster as she recalled his bright eyes. She asked Hongniang if her mother had heard any of this.
