話說子玉得了琴言和詞之後，悲楚了好幾日。又想起那個夢，見琴言十分憔悴，不知是何吉凶，只是鬱悶不解，終日精神渙散，涕淚沾巾。
一日，梅學士的家書回來，與顏夫人說在任上很好，也取了多少真才實學的士子。現今有個進士，保薦博學宏詞進京，托他帶了三千金回來。說子玉年已十九，可以完婚，若要等我任滿回來，要到明年冬天，適或又有調動。更覺遲了。況王質夫又係至親至好，一切可托仲清料理，不豐不儉，叫顏夫辦了這件親事。又與子玉一個諭帖，說近日寄來詩文頗有些進境。今秋有宏詞之試，你要自己明白，如可以自信去得，即求人保薦。如果不能自信，也不必好此虛名。顏夫人問子玉道：「你父親問你信得過再去，信不過就不用去，你是怎樣？」子玉道：「自信呢，也拿不穩必定可取。但如我這樣的也多，就考不上，也沒有什麼不是處。」顏夫人請文輝來商量，將家信與他看了。文輝道：「方才親家與我的信，也是這些話。我去年就來問過的，我那裡是早已預備停妥，不論遲早，總在八九兩月之內罷。至於考是必要去的，這有什麼自信不自信，這事也在我，表妹不必費心。劍潭、恂哥也都要去的，一同求人保薦就是了。」顏夫人道：「至於子玉的姻事，妹子實在不在行，也沒有一個料理的人。總求表兄事事說明，應該怎樣，我們這裡就遵著辦，倒不要含糊才好。」文輝道：「這事也沒有一定的辦法。我們這樣局面，太省也省不來，外面的排場是必要的。劍潭倒還明白，表妹一切吩咐他就是了。」坐一坐，別了顏夫人回去，將子玉、仲清、王恂托了劉尚書保了。
考期三日前就忙亂起來，各士子投印結，買卷子，海內文人紛紛擁擠，自致仕先達以及布衣，共有七八百人。子雲托人保了次賢，次賢忽然的抱病起來，不能赴考，子雲甚為太息。
初九日派了幾位閱卷大臣，蘇候又做了總裁，華公子派了搜撿官，徐子雲派了收卷官，劉文澤派了彌封官，張仲雨派了巡羅官。初十日一早入場，首試題目是《擬漢詔》、《擬唐疏》、《五經條解》、《五代南北朝年號考》、《治河策》、《問酌六科則例》《增損鹽法利弊》、《正本清源論》八題。二試是《大禮賦》、《大樂賦》、《大蒐賦》。三試《擬杜少陵北征詩》、《韓昌黎南山詩》，皆依元韻。這三場子玉甚是得意，第一試共有八百人，就貼去了五百，第二場止三百名了，第三場出榜時，只取了六十名。王恂已被落，高品取在四十九，仲清取在二十七，子玉取在第二。另期殿試，子玉文星照命，也占鼇頭，共取了三十二名。仲清、高品才高運蹇，皆被落。此科最年輕者就是子玉一人，授了編修之職，顏夫人好不喜歡。正是身經三試，壓倒群英，比中狀元難得多了。子玉見仲清、高品、王恂等落第，心甚不安，並不以此自得，反謙謹了許多。拜了保薦老師劉尚書，是熟極的，及謁閱卷老師，蘇侯見了子玉，就想起子雲之言，真是吉星鸞鳳，喜不可言。王文輝與陸夫人心中半喜半悶，喜的是子玉考中，悶的是王恂、仲清不中，但接著要辦女兒的喜事，也就喜多悶少。
一日，王恂的妻子孫佩秋與仲清的妻子蓉華，到瓊華房裡來賀喜，蓉華道：「妹夫恭喜，壓倒了天下英才。如今是玉堂金馬，才子神仙，比今科鼎甲還要體面了好些，這是妹妹的福氣，我如何比得上來？」佩秋講道：「二姑爺真是天下第一個才子，我聽這些赴考宏詞，從前中過鼎甲，點過翰林的也有在內，也考不過二姑爺。二姑爺不是名聞天下麼？狀元三年出一個，這宏詞科是十年考一回，不比中狀元強得多了？」你一句，我一言，把個瓊華說得臉紅，又不好回答。心上雖是喜歡，但未過門，如何可以公然領謝？只得手拈衣帶，低頭不語。姑嫂二人見他不好意思，就不說了。
蓉華見他妝臺上擺設得甚是精雅，見桌上有一本詩集，蓉華翻看時，是南海杜軍門浣白夫人的詩草，蓉華道：「這浣白夫人詩怎樣？」瓊華道：「詩也做得好，就是不脫閨門氣，無甚體裁。」蓉華道：「你看那些題詞呢，要算誰的好？」瓊華道：「那瑤因女史十首七絕，就做得好。還有那浣香、浣蘭這幾首七律，真是繡口錦心，香因慧果，這兩人不知是那裡人？」
蓉華道：「這兩人我七月內都曾會過，有他們的詩麼？我前日倒沒有細看。」瓊華翻了出來，蓉華看了道：「果然。這浣香、浣蘭是蘇年伯蘇侯的女兒，浣香嫁與華家，浣蘭就是田春帆新娶的夫人。這兩姊妹真是才貌雙全，世間少有的。」瓊華道：「就是他們麼？怪不得母親回來這麼誇獎他們。」佩秋道：「他們姊妹倒像雙生似的，一模一樣，比二位姑娘生得還要像些。」蓉華道：「我們雖是親姊妹，其實不很像。你看二姑娘的秀豔風韻，倒像隱在肌膚眉目裡面，像個碧紗籠罩著牡丹花，那花情、花韻，隱隱的要透在外面，然卻不露出來。我近來已是老乾橫斜，絕無姿態。你不見我面上，顴骨也要顯出來了。」佩秋道：「這是你近來瘦了些，終是有個外甥，自然累得慌了。我看蘇氏姊妹，浣香華妍，像朵白牡丹。浣蘭清豔，像是粉芍藥。袁綺香像蓮花，香能及遠，覺有瀟灑出塵之致。」
蓉華道：「劉大嫂呢？」佩秋道：「劉大嫂倒像碧桃花兒似的。」瓊華笑道：「劉大嫂小小巧巧，絕像櫻桃花。他又會笑，又像含笑花。這個人最有趣的。」又問蓉華道：「那浣白夫人詩你題沒有？我打算也要題一首。」蓉華道：「我實在心緒不佳，做出來也是不好，不如藏拙為妙。你是題的什麼？你的歌行最好，自然是長古了？」瓊華笑道：「我昨日胡亂做了一篇，要哥哥改改，他倒說好，就這麼樣。我細看實在不好，要重做了，還得姐姐潤色潤色。」蓉華笑道：「要我潤色，那就請著了鐵匠，點金成鐵了。」佩秋道：「我看學做詩也不容易。人說『熟讀《唐詩三百首》，不會吟詩也會吟』。若說《唐詩三百首》，我就很熟的，就是不會做詩。」
蓉華道：「你是不肯做，做了又不肯給人看。前日你的《七夕》詩，我就看得很好。為何有這樣詩才，要秘不示人呢？」佩秋笑道：「我何曾做什麼《七夕》詩？你從何處看來？」蓉華道：「我聽哥哥念的，還贊得了不得，這是誰做的呢？」佩秋笑道：「或者就是你哥哥做的，做得不好，就說是我做的了。」瓊華笑道：「嫂嫂，你說三百首很熟，你得意是那幾首？」佩秋笑道：「我最愛念的是七絕杜牧之的幾首，『折戟沉沙鐵未銷』，『煙籠寒水月籠沙』，『青山隱隱水迢迢』，『落魄江湖載酒行』，『銀燭秋光冷畫屏』，李義山之『君問歸期未有期』，溫飛卿之『冰□銀牀夢不成』。七律是李義山的《無題》六首，與沈佺期的『盧家少婦鬱金堂』，元微之的『謝公最小偏憐女』。五律喜歡的甚多。七古我只愛《長恨歌》、《琵琶行》。五古我只愛李太白之『長安一片月』與『妾髮初覆額』兩首。」
蓉華道：「你喜歡，我也喜歡些。五古如孟郊之『慈母手中線，游子身上衣』，杜工部之『侍婢賣珠回，牽蘿補茅屋』，寫得這般沉痛。七古如李太白之《長相思》、《行路難》、《金陵酒肆》，岑參之《走馬行》，杜少陵之《古柏行》、《公孫大娘舞劍器》，韓昌黎之《石鼓歌》，李義山之《韓碑》。五律如『山中一夜雨，樹杪百重泉』，『星隨平野闊，月湧大江流』，『時有落花至，遠隨春水香』，『承恩不在貌，教妾若為容』。七律如崔顥之『□蕘太華俯咸京』，崔曙之『漢文皇帝有高臺』，李白之『鳳凰臺上鳳凰游』，你倒不得意麼？」佩秋道：「我也有得意的，譬如那大家的詩力量大，我就不能學他。若小巧些的，意遠情長，還容易領略些。」瓊華道：「《唐詩三百首》，真是全唐詩中的精液，而溫李七古止載義山《韓碑》一篇，便於初學津梁。若以的看去，一詩有一詩的好處，亦不可以優劣論。但我看時人多好做七律，以其格局工整，可以寫景，又可以傳情，無如詩中最難學的就是他，我倒怕做，只好做七古。
唐詩中的七古佳者亦難盡述，即如《三百首》中，如岑參之《白雪歌》內云：
北風捲地白草折，胡天八月即飛雪。
忽如一夜春風來，千樹萬樹梨花開。
散入珠簾濕羅幕，狐裘不暖錦衾薄。
將軍角弓不得控，都護鐵衣冷猶著。
寫塞外胡天，偏用梨花、珠簾、羅幕、狐裘、錦衾、角弓、鐵衣等字相間成文，便成了清清冷冷的世界，妙在言語之外。
高適之《燕歌行》云：
戰士窮邊半死生，美人帳下猶歌舞。
寫得軍中苦者自苦，樂者自樂。王維《洛陽女兒行》云：
畫閣珠樓盡相望，紅桃綠柳垂簷向。
羅幃送上七香車，寶扇迎歸九華帳。
春窗曙滅九微火，九微片片飛花瑣。
戲罷曾無理曲時，妝成只是薰香坐。
寫女兒之嬌豔自然，不同年年金錢代人作嫁的光景。若沉痛悲涼，則莫如老杜之《兵車行》、《哀江頭》、《哀王孫》等篇。
人說李、杜詩格不同，我說杜詩也有似太白處，其《寄韓諫議》云：
今我不樂思岳陽，身欲奮飛病在牀。
美人娟娟隔秋水，濯足洞庭望八荒。
鴻飛冥冥日月白，青楓葉赤天雨霜。
玉京群帝集北斗，或騎麒麟翳鳳凰。
芙蓉旌旗煙霧落，影動倒景搖瀟湘。
星宮之君醉瓊漿，羽人稀少不在旁。
似問昨日赤松子，恐是漢代韓張良。
不絕似太白麼？還有韓昌黎《謁衡岳廟》與《八月十五夜贈張功曹》詩，絕似少陵。不知二公當日有意摹仿，還是無心相像的。」
蓉華道：「你真論詩真切，將這些議論倒可以做一本詩話出來。」佩秋道：「我也看得出，卻論不出來，說不真，說不透，倒教人駁起來。」瓊華道：「五律自然以真摯為貴，其餘寫景寫情總也容易，如杜少陵之：
國破山河在，城春草木深。
感時花濺淚，恨別鳥驚心。
烽火連三月，家書抵萬金。
白頭搔更短，渾欲不勝簪。
四十字至情至語，為五律之冠。七律格律甚多，似以浩氣流轉為上。以我的見解，首舉一首為格，我想如祖詠《望薊門》云：
燕臺一去客心驚，笳鼓喧喧漢將營。
萬里寒光生積雪，三邊曙色動危旌。
沙場烽火侵胡月，海畔雲山擁薊城。
少小雖非投筆吏，論功還欲請長纓。
這個格律最妙，後來仿者甚多。如杜工部之『風急天高猿嘯哀』，『花近高樓傷客心』，『歲幕天涯催短景』，『群山萬壑赴荊門』，柳子厚之『城上樓高接大荒』，劉禹錫之『王濬樓船下益州』，李義山之『猿鳥猶疑畏簡書』，皆是此格。
此數首為一律，亦像一手。七律中亦有最真切者，如白香山之《望月有感》云：
時難年荒世業空，弟兄羈旅各西東。
田園寥落干戈後，骨肉流離道路中。
弔影分為千里雁，辭根散作九秋蓬。
共看明月應垂淚，一夜鄉心五處同。
這純是血性語，幾於天籟。香山詩當以此為第一。」蓉華道：「此是遭遇使然，所以人說窮而後工。」瓊華道：「窮而後工也是有的。然後人未嘗無此流離之苦，他卻不能如此寫，倒不寫真情，要寫虛景，將些淒風苦雨，和在裡面，雖也動人，究竟是虛話，何能如此篇字字真切。」佩秋笑道：「我就不喜歡這等詩，若學了他，不是成了白話麼？」瓊華道：「詩只要好，就是白話也一樣好看。若極意雕琢，不能穩當，也不好看，倒反不如那白話呢。你看岑參《逢入京使》那一首：
故園東望路漫漫，雙袖龍鍾淚不乾。
馬上相逢無紙筆，憑君傳語報平安。
再如王維的：
獨在異鄉為異客，每逢佳節倍思親。
遙知兄弟登高處，遍插茱萸少一人。
何嘗不是白話，卻比雕琢的還要好。不然，就要造意深遠，措詞香豔，字字是露光花氣，方能醒眼，如王昌齡《春宮曲》、《閨怨》是人人說好的。其餘如溫飛卿之：
冰□銀牀夢不成，碧天如水夜雲輕。
雁聲遠過瀟湘去，十二樓中月自明。
顧況的：
玉樓天半起笙歌，風送宮嬪笑語和。
月殿影開聞夜漏，水晶簾捲近秋河。
字字如花瓣露珠一樣，你說可愛不可愛？」蓉華道：「被你批了出來，真覺得醒眼些。你看那些詩，首首是好的，也有可議處沒有呢？」瓊華道：「那我不敢。我是什麼人，敢議唐賢，不要教人笑我罵我麼？」蓉華道：「這是我們的私見，有誰知道？」瓊華道：「若說可議處也有呢，我就要議那詩祖宗那一首，少陵《夢太白》詩云：
死別已吞聲，生別常惻惻。
江南瘴癘地，逐客無消息。
故人入我夢，明我長相憶。
恐非平生魂，路遠不可測。
此寫得絕妙，並恐夢的不是真太白。以下接那『魂來楓林青，魂去關塞黑』這兩句，夢的是死太白，不像是活太白了。
何不刪了這兩句，直接：
君今在羅網，何以有羽翼。
落月滿屋樑，猶疑照顏色。
如此徑住。那『水深波浪闊，無使蛟龍得』也不要，倒覺含蓄不盡。」蓉華、佩秋都笑道：「真的，刪了倒好。那個楓林青、關塞黑，真有些鬼氣。這是你的卓見。還有什麼可議的麼？」瓊華道：「還有僧皎然《訪陸鴻漸》那一首，古不像古，律不像律，不知選家何意。其詩云：
移家雖帶郭，野徑入桑麻。
近種籬邊菊，秋來未著花。
扣門無犬吠，欲去問酒家。
報導山中去，歸來每日斜。
毫無意味。若講律，現重了來去兩字，真已失律之至。此種詩，似是而非，斷不可以學。至於五絕小詩，另有別意，可入樂府。然尤難及者，如金昌緒之：
打起黃鶯兒，莫教枝上啼。
啼時驚妾夢，不得到遼西。
白香山之：
綠蟻新醅酒，紅泥小火爐。
晚來天欲雪，能飲一杯無？
此皆信手拈來，都成妙諦。」佩秋道：「姑娘論詩，深得三昧，若去考博學宏詞，怕不是狀元？又是當初的黃崇嘏了。」
瓊華笑道：「單靠幾句詩中用麼？」佩秋道：「二姑娘從前那些詩，我見你還要叫你哥哥改。不是我說，你哥倒未必做得出來。若做得出來，不至三場就被貼了。」蓉華笑道：「這句話給哥哥聽見，他是要不依你的。」佩秋笑道：「我是沒有學過做詩，但我前日聽他們說杜少陵的《北征》、韓昌黎的《南山》，我將他翻出來看時，用的都是險韻。二位姑娘，我倒考你一考罷，你們說《北征》多少韻？」蓉華笑道：「這倒被你考倒了，你是數了來難人的，我卻沒有數過，而且我也記不全。」
瓊華道：「《北征》好像七十韻。」佩秋道：「你記得他有幾個重韻在裡頭？」瓊華道：「若說重韻，也只有一個日字，第三韻『朝野少暇日』，與二十七韻『嘔泄臥數日』，這是的的確確是重的。」佩秋笑道：「還有『往者散何卒』與『幾日休練卒』，與後『佳氣上金闕』，下又是『灑掃數不闕』，雖是一字兩用，也要算重的。」
瓊華道：「這不好算重，一個是闕門的闕，一個是闕略的闕，不過音同罷了，如何算得重韻？至於卒字韻更不是重。『至尊尚蒙塵，幾日休練卒』之『卒』，乃是兵卒。『潼關百萬師，往者散何卒』，此『卒』字，讀促音，乃散何卒然之速也，韻本兩收。」蓉華道：「妹妹實在好記性。我只記得幾句，最佳的是『瘦妻面復光，癡女髮自櫛』，還『不聞夏殷衰，中自誅褒妲』，歸美明皇，其意正大，不高於劉禹錫之『官軍誅佞幸，天子捨妖姬』，白樂天之『六師不發無奈何，宛轉蛾眉馬前死』麼？至於《南山》詩，我雖看過，但一句也不記得，佶屈聱牙的，如何念得？且字又難認，嫂嫂你倒記得清麼？」佩秋道：「我原是查了來，故意考你們的。若要念熟他，如何念得熟呢？且有一百韻之多，而字又難認。」
瓊華道：「你數錯了。《南山》詩一百零二韻，內中一個重韻也沒有，真與《子虛》、《上林》一樣，非大力量不能。」佩秋道：「你說沒有重韻，我說也有一韻，『嘗升棠丘望，戢戢見相湊。』又云：『或散若瓦解，或赴若輻湊。』不是兩個湊字？」瓊華笑道：「你又論錯了。『或赴若輻湊』的湊字，雖刻的是三點水，其意是輻湊之輳，是車字旁。我要請問嫂嫂，鳥獸的獸字去了犬旁，是讀什麼字？」佩秋笑道：「有這個字，相還是獸字。」瓊華笑道：「不是，是畜字，音嗅字。你不記得『因緣窺其湫，凝湛閟陰獸。』注：獸，畜產也。大約也是蛟龍所生的子，如蟲的子為蝦一樣的光景。」蓉華道：「可惜你不能去考，你若去考時，倒是必取的。這些詩都能這麼爛熟，真是虧你。」瓊華笑道：「我卻倒是因出了這兩個題目，新近才看熟的。」蓉華道：「你拿那《南山》詩來給我瞧瞧。」
瓊華找了出來，蓉華看了兩句，數了一數，問瓊華道：「第七韻是什麼字？」瓊華笑道：「那裡有這種問法？就算熟極的，也不能記得第幾韻是什麼字。等我數下去。」即一韻一韻的念出來，笑道：「是瘦字。」佩秋道：「這實在難為他了，背得這麼熟，想姑娘和韻是必定和得出來的。」瓊華道：「這一百二韻，字雖難些，倒容易用。那《北征》詩，方才姐姐說的『不聞夏殷衰，中自誅褒妲。』這個『妲』字就難用得很，不知他們考上的是怎樣用。姐夫、哥哥的也是用妲姬的妲字，大概除了這個，也無二用了。」佩秋笑道：「只要問二姑爺，就知用法了。」瓊華臉上一紅，不言語。佩秋道：「將來二姑爺過門第一天，就教二姑爺要背清了詩韻進房，不然關了房門，教他跪在門外，別要理他，好叫他知道咱們女人中也有個博學的呢。」
蓉華笑起來。瓊華更覺含羞，停了一停，說道：「想是我哥哥跪過的。」佩秋笑道：「可惜我不配，若配時，你哥哥自然也要跪了。」蓉華道：「日子快了，我們姐妹也不能常在一處了。妹妹是個有福氣的，不比我們。」又說道：「看看你外甥再來。」便出去了，佩秋也同了出去。瓊華暗想道：「姐姐一肚子的牢騷，這也難怪他。但姐夫這樣才學，終要高發的，不過遲早些罷了。」又想：「自己的郎君才得十九歲，已能如此，真是難得。但聽得從前有個什麼琴言，害他病過幾場，如今不知這琴言又怎樣了。」卻說王文輝定了九月十九日吉期，顏夫人寫了家信，說子玉已中宏詞，又即完姻，一切交與仲清辦理。
仲清打起精神，幸他本來曠達，也不將這些得失放在心裡，便照常一樣。過了幾日，吉期已到，兩邊各請喜酒，還有那些名旦夾在裡頭，送戲送席的，鬧了好幾天。洞房花燭之夜，子玉一見，頗覺心花開放。說也奇怪，倒不是做書人說謊，也是前定姻緣，皇天可憐子玉這一片苦心，因琴言是個男子，雖與子玉有些情分，究竟不能配偶，故將此模樣，又生個瓊華小姐出來，與琴言上妝時一樣，豈不是個奇事？此事顏夫人久知，當日見了琴言即說像他媳婦。這麼看起來，就是兩家的像貌也是五百年前就定下的了。一見之後，又未免有些感觸起來，忽又暗暗的解釋，遂成就了良緣愛果，自然也不像那夢中措大的光景。若像那夢中光景，豈不要將個瓊華小姐氣死了麼？明日也請了袁綺香、蘇浣香、浣蘭、吳紫煙、王蓉華、孫佩秋來陪新人，群仙高會，又敘了一日。華夫人因是父親得意門生，又是年伯母來請他，所以欣然而來。至排場熱鬧，與田家一樣，不能細述。以後子玉閨房之樂，真是樂不可言。一個仕女班頭，一個才人魁首，或早起看花，或遲眠玩月，或分題拈韻，或論古辨疑，成了個閨房良友，自然想念琴言之心也減了幾分。
一日，子玉在房中與瓊華談心，值館中有事請他，即便穿衣出門。不意將個小錦囊落在地下。瓊華拾起解開時，見折著兩張字：一張認得是子玉筆跡，一首《金縷曲》，反覆吟哦，甚覺悲楚，知是送別詞。再看那一張，也是《金縷曲》，想是那人和的。又看了信箋寫著琴言的名字，不覺心中甚喜，想道：「我幾次問他那琴言，他總不肯告訴我實話，倒取笑我，說我與他生得一樣，如今教我拿著了憑據，看他回來怎樣抵賴。原來他們有這樣深情，彼此魂夢相喚，又說腸已斷了幾回，這個情倒是人間少有的。」又想：「我在家時，常聽得哥哥與姐夫議論這個琴言，說他這段情來得很奇，令人想不出來的。今看了這兩首詞，果然非有情有恨人說不出來。」便將那詞稿收起，將那錦囊掛在一邊。
少頃，子玉回來，一時倒想不起錦囊，忽見掛在那邊，便吃了一驚。瓊華故作不見，只見子玉欲取不取，如有所思，頗為可笑。子玉忍不住把錦囊取了下來，捏了一捏，空空的，心甚著忙，知道瓊華取了去了。別樣倒還可以辯，惟有那信上有琴言的名字，如何辯得來？欲要問時，又不好徑問，只時時偷望瓊華一眼。瓊華忍不住笑了一笑，子玉借此進言，便問：「為何好笑？」瓊華道：「我笑麼，我其實也不要笑，偏無故的笑起來。」子玉也笑道：「那裡有既不願笑，而偏要笑的，正是：人世難逢開口笑。」瓊華又笑道：「人生有幾斷腸時？」子玉聽了這句，已打到心坎裡來，便不敢再問，心上想：「走開了就算了，省得講這一番糊塗帳。」瓊華已瞧出他要走，若走了，這話就說不成，便要將話兜住他，對子玉道：「我今日見了兩首好詞，我念給你聽。」便念將出來。子玉笑道：「你不必論什麼，單論這兩首詞好不好？」瓊華道：「好。若不好，我還念熟他？但我不甚懂得詞中之意，你講給我聽。」子玉笑道：「但凡詩詞的意也不能講的，一時要湊成那一句，隨便什麼都會拉上來。只可說以指喻指之非指，以馬喻馬之非馬。若要認真講起來，那《離騷》美人、香草之言，也去鑿鑿的指明他嗎？」瓊華笑道：「寓言是寓言，實話是實話，我也會講。」子玉聽了想走，瓊華拉他坐了，便念那詞道：「『何事雲輕散。問今番、果然真到，海枯石爛』，第一句就講得這樣沉痛，若教我要接一句，就接不下了。好在一句推開，說：『離別尋常隨處有，偏我魂消無算。』人說『黯然而魂消者，惟別而已矣』，你便說魂消還不算，也不曉得消了多少了。『又過了、幾迴腸斷』，這腸也斷了幾回。」說到此，想了一想，又道：「『只道今生常廝守，盼銀塘、不隔秋河漢，誰又想，境更換。』又是一開一合，這上半闕已轉了三層，這片情誰人道得出來？
若算常常廝守，毫無間隔，成了一家眷屬不好嗎，偏偏的又要分離起來。」又念道：「『明朝送別長亭畔。忍牽衣、道聲珍重，此心更亂』。我讀到此，也覺心酸，況身親其際，不知要怎樣呢。以後就去得遠了，望又望他不見，也不知他到底在什麼地方，所以說『門外天涯何處是，但見江湖浩漫。』然江湖雖只浩漫，要說我的愁腸，只怕一半還浣不盡呢，所以說『也難浣、愁腸一半』。底下真是奇想，難道身雖離開了，不許我們魂夢相會麼？但隔得老遠，魂夢也未必能來，或者心動神知，且呼他的名字，或者倒呼喚得來。於是非但我這邊呼他，他那裡也呼喚我，兩邊湊合，竟能湊著也未可知。所以又說：『若慮魂夢飛不到，試宵宵、彼此將名喚。墨和淚，請君玩。』這句也不消解，不過和墨和淚，請你看就是了。是這麼解的不是？」子玉笑道：「解得一點不錯。」瓊華道：「我且問你，這人與你常相廝守，你卻怎樣位置他？」子玉道：「不過侍書捧研。」瓊華道「侍書捧研，何用魂夢相喚？」子玉著了一分急，說道：「我說你是我的知己了，自然是洞見肺腑。誰道你也不能知我，何況他人？」瓊華笑道：「我講得這麼透澈，怎說還不能知你呢？」子玉道：「別人講些糊塗話，也由他，你是不應該講的。現在相貌還有些……」便住了口，瓊華道：「口惡，那你就應該……」住了口，不說下去。子玉看了瓊華，瓊華也看了子玉。子玉只得陪笑道：「這事也不用講他，橫豎久後自知，也不須分辯的。我今日見著度香，說他夫人要請你去賞菊花，還請庸庵與劍潭的夫人，並眾相好的夫人。你去不去呢？」瓊華道：「我不去罷。」子玉道：「為什麼不願去？」瓊華道：「一來我也才過來，還沒有滿月。二來也要等太太吩咐，如太太去，我就跟了去。」子玉道：「他們不請太太，單請你們一輩人。度香並說他夫人講的，日子還沒有定，要一家一家去問明了，都高興來，要全到，不准少一個，還要沒有大風的日子。若有一個不高興，再改期，所以預先要問定了。」瓊華道：「且看我們姐姐、嫂嫂怎樣，他們若都去，我也去，如有不去的，我也就不去了。」子玉恐他再問琴言的事，盡找些閒話與他談。瓊華明知子玉心事，也不忍再問，教他難為情了。正是：魚水深情，風凰良匹；曾經滄海難為水，願作鴛鴦不羨仙。下卷要詳敘琴言在路景況，且俟細細分解。
After receiving the letter from Qinyan, Ziyu was overcome with sorrow for several days. He also recalled the dream where Qinyan appeared deeply distressed, unsure whether it was a good or bad omen. The melancholy lingered, leaving him in a state of despondency, unable to focus, and frequently wiping tears from his face with his handkerchief.
One day, a letter from Scholar Mei arrived, addressed to Madam Yan. It mentioned that he was doing well in his official duties and had recruited many talented scholars. Currently, a scholar had been recommended to go to the capital for the imperial examination, and he entrusted Mei with three thousand taels of silver to bring home. Mei also mentioned that Ziyu was now nineteen and could get married. If they waited for his return after his term was over, it would be next winter, and there might be another transfer, which would delay things further. Given that Wang Zhifu was a close relative and trusted friend, everything could be entrusted to Zhongqing to arrange a suitable but not extravagant wedding. He also sent a note to Ziyu, praising the recent improvements in his poetry and essays. There would be an imperial examination in the autumn, and if Ziyu felt confident, he should seek sponsorship. However, if he didn’t feel ready, there was no need to chase empty fame.
Madam Yan asked Ziyu, “Your father asked if you feel confident, you should go; if not, then don’t. What do you think?” Ziyu replied, “I am confident, but I can’t be certain I will definitely succeed. However, many others are like me, and if I don’t pass, there’s nothing particularly wrong with that.” Madam Yan then called Wenhui to discuss it and showed him the letter. Wenhui said, “The letter I received from my in-laws said the same thing. I had already prepared everything last year, whether it happens sooner or later, it will be within the next two months. As for the exam, it is necessary to go. There’s no issue of confidence or not. I will handle it, so cousin doesn’t need to worry. Jiantan and Brother Xun will also be going, and we can all seek recommendations together.”
Madam Yan then said, “As for Ziyu’s marriage, I really don’t have the experience to handle it, nor anyone to manage the details. I would ask that cousin explain everything clearly so we can follow through properly and not make any mistakes.” Wenhui replied, “There’s no set way to handle this. Given our situation, we can’t be too frugal, but the external formalities are necessary. Jiantan understands, and cousin can just instruct him on what to do.” After staying for a while, Wenhui bid farewell to Madam Yan and left, having already entrusted Ziyu, Zhongqing, and Wang Xun to Minister Liu for their recommendations.
Three days before the exam period, things became chaotic. Scholars from all over submitted their seals, bought their exam papers, and literary figures from across the country crowded the area. There were over seven or eight hundred people, including retired officials and commoners. Ziyun arranged for Cixian’s sponsorship, but Cixian suddenly fell ill and could not attend the exam, causing Ziyun great frustration.
On the ninth day, several ministers were appointed as examiners. Marquis Su was made the chief examiner, Lord Hua was assigned as the search officer, Ziyun was assigned as the paper collector, Liu Wenze was in charge of sealing the papers, and Zhang Zhongyu was responsible for patrolling the examination hall. On the morning of the tenth day, they entered the examination hall. The first session’s topics included “Drafting an Imperial Edict in the Style of the Han Dynasty,” “Drafting a Memorial in the Style of the Tang Dynasty,” “Annotations on the Five Classics,” “A Study on the Reigns of the Five Dynasties and the Northern and Southern Dynasties,” “Strategies for River Management,” “Examination of the Six Divisions of Government,” “Advantages and Disadvantages of Adjusting the Salt Laws,” and “A Discourse on Restoring Order to the Origins.”
The second session focused on three assigned topics: “Rhapsody on the Grand Ritual,” “Rhapsody on Grand Music,” and “Rhapsody on the Grand Hunt.” The third session’s topics were two poems: “In the Style of Du Fu’s Northern Expedition” and “Han Yu’s Southern Mountain,” both following original rhyme schemes. Ziyu performed exceptionally well in these three sessions. Out of the 800 candidates in the first session, 500 were eliminated. Only 300 remained after the second session, and when the final list was posted after the third session, only 60 names remained. Wang Xun had failed, while Gao Pin ranked 49th, Zhongqing 27th, and Ziyu was second.
Another imperial exam was scheduled, and with Ziyu’s literary talent shining, he ranked first, earning the top spot among the 32 who passed. Zhongqing and Gao Pin, despite their talents, were unlucky and did not pass. Ziyu was the youngest among them and was appointed to the position of editor. Madam Yan was overjoyed. It was said that passing these three rounds was much harder than becoming a top scholar. Ziyu, seeing that Zhongqing, Gao Pin, and Wang Xun had failed, did not feel proud of his success but instead became much more humble. He paid respects to his recommending mentor, Minister Liu, with whom he was already familiar, and also visited the examiners. When Marquis Su saw Ziyu, he recalled Ziyun’s words, feeling that Ziyu was truly a gifted and noble individual, and was delighted beyond words. Wang Wenhui and Madam Lu had mixed feelings—happy that Ziyu had passed, but disappointed that Wang Xun and Zhongqing had not. However, they soon had to focus on preparing for their daughter’s wedding, which brought them more joy than sorrow.
One day, Wang Xun’s wife, Sun Peiqiu, and Zhongqing’s wife, Ronghua, came to Qionghua’s room to offer their congratulations. Ronghua said, “Congratulations, brother-in-law, for surpassing all the talented scholars of the world. Now you are among the elite, with wealth and prestige, far more glamorous than just passing the imperial exam. This is a blessing for my sister, and I could never compare.” Peiqiu added, “Second brother-in-law is truly the most talented scholar in the world. I heard that even those who previously passed the imperial examination and were appointed to the Hanlin Academy were outshined by second brother-in-law. Isn’t he now famous across the land? The top scholar is chosen every three years, but this imperial literary exam is only held once every ten years, and isn’t it far more prestigious than being the top scholar?”
One comment after another made Qionghua blush, unsure how to respond. Though she was happy, she hadn’t yet married Ziyu, so how could she openly accept the compliments? She could only fidget with her belt, keeping her head down in silence. Seeing her embarrassment, the two women stopped teasing her.
Ronghua noticed the exquisite decorations on Qionghua’s dressing table and saw a book of poetry on the desk. When she opened it, she realized it was a collection of poems by Lady Huanbai, the wife of General Du from Nanhai. Ronghua asked, “What do you think of Lady Huanbai’s poems?” Qionghua replied, “Her poems are well-written, but they still carry the air of a woman’s private world and lack depth.” Ronghua then asked, “What about the inscriptions? Whose do you think are the best?” Qionghua answered, “Lady Yao Yin’s ten quatrains are the best. Then there are the seven-character regulated verses by Huanxiang and Huanlan, which are truly refined and exquisite. I wonder where these two women are from.”
Ronghua said, “I met both of those women back in July. Do they have any poems here? I didn’t look at them carefully the other day.” Qionghua flipped through the pages and found them. Ronghua read them and said, “Indeed, they are. Huanxiang and Huanlan are the daughters of Uncle Su and Marquis Su. Huanxiang married into the Hua family, and Huanlan is the new wife of Tian Chunfan. These two sisters are truly talented and beautiful, a rare combination in the world.” Qionghua replied, “So, it’s them? No wonder Mother came back praising them so much.” Peiqiu added, “The two sisters look almost like twins, they’re so alike, even more so than you two.” Ronghua said, “Although we are biological sisters, we don’t really look that much alike. Look at the elegance and charm of Second Sister; it seems as if it’s hidden within her features, like a peony flower wrapped in a veil of green gauze, with the grace and beauty just faintly revealing itself but not fully exposed. As for me, lately, I’ve aged and withered, with no beauty left. Don’t you see that my cheekbones are beginning to show?”
Peiqiu said, “That’s because you’ve lost some weight recently. It must be tiring to look after your nephew. I think the Su sisters are like two flowers: Huanxiang is like a white peony, full of delicate beauty, while Huanlan is like a pink peony, elegant and refined. Yuan Qixiang is like a lotus, whose fragrance can be smelled from afar, exuding a sense of purity and elegance.”
Ronghua asked, “What about Sister-in-law Liu?” Peiqiu replied, “Sister-in-law Liu is like a peach blossom.” Qionghua laughed and said, “Sister-in-law Liu is small and delicate, more like a cherry blossom. And with her constant smile, she’s also like the flower that laughs. She’s such an interesting person.” Then she asked Ronghua, “Have you written a poem for Lady Huanbai? I’m thinking of writing one myself.” Ronghua replied, “I haven’t been in the right mood lately. Even if I wrote one, it wouldn’t be any good, so it’s better to hide my flaws. What have you written? Your narrative poems are always the best, surely you’ve written a long ancient style poem?” Qionghua smiled and said, “I hastily wrote something yesterday and asked my brother to revise it. He said it was good as it was. But upon closer inspection, I realize it’s not very good, so I’ll rewrite it. I’ll still need your help to polish it.” Ronghua laughed and said, “If I were to help, it would be like hiring a blacksmith who turns gold into iron!”
Peiqiu said, “I think writing poetry isn’t easy. People say, ‘If you thoroughly read the Three Hundred Tang Poems, even if you can’t compose a poem, you’ll know how to appreciate one.’ I’m very familiar with the Three Hundred Tang Poems, but I still don’t know how to write poetry.”
Ronghua said, “It’s not that you can’t, it’s that you’re not willing to show your work. The other day, I saw your Qixi poem, and it was very good. Why do you have such talent but keep it hidden from others?” Peiqiu laughed and said, “When did I ever write a Qixi poem? Where did you see it?” Ronghua said, “I heard Brother reciting it, praising it to no end. So who wrote it if not you?” Peiqiu laughed and said, “Maybe it was your brother who wrote it, and because he wasn’t satisfied, he said I wrote it.”
Qionghua laughed and said, “Sister-in-law, you said you are very familiar with the Three Hundred Tang Poems. Which ones are your favorites?” Peiqiu smiled and replied, “The ones I love to recite the most are a few quatrains by Du Mu: ‘A broken spear buried deep in the sand, its iron not yet decayed,’ ‘Smoke blankets the cold water, the moon blankets the sand,’ ‘The green hills are faint, the waters far and wide,’ ‘Wandering through the rivers and lakes with wine in hand,’ ‘Silver candles cast autumn light on the cold painted screen.’ Also, Li Yi’s When You Ask About My Return, Wen Tingyun’s Dreams Fail on an Icy Silver Bed. As for seven-character regulated verse, I like Li Yi’s six untitled poems and Shen Quanqi’s The Young Wife of the Lu Family in the Yu Jin Hall, as well as Yuan Zhen’s The Youngest Daughter of the Xie Family. I love many five-character regulated poems. For seven-character ancient verse, I only love The Song of Everlasting Sorrow and The Song of the Pipa. For five-character ancient verse, my favorites are Li Bai’s A Moon Over Chang’an and Her Hair First Covered Her Forehead.”
Ronghua said, “I like some of those too. For five-character ancient verse, I enjoy Meng Jiao’s The Thread in the Hands of a Loving Mother, and Du Fu’s The Maid Sells Pearls and Mends the Thatch. Such deeply moving works. As for seven-character ancient verse, I love Li Bai’s Endless Longing, The Hard Road, and At a Tavern in Jinling, Cen Shen’s Galloping Horse Song, Du Fu’s The Ancient Cypress and Lady Gongsun’s Sword Dance, Han Yu’s The Song of the Stone Drums, and Li Yi’s The Inscription on Han’s Stele. For five-character regulated verse, I love ‘One night of rain in the mountains, a hundred springs from the treetops,’ ‘The stars scatter wide over the plains, the moon surges as the river flows,’ ‘At times fallen flowers arrive, drifting far with the spring waters’ fragrance,’ ‘Favor does not depend on beauty, how should I make myself up?’ For seven-character regulated verse, I enjoy Cui Hao’s ‘Looking Down on the Capital from Mount Taihua,’ Cui Shu’s The Han Emperor Built a High Terrace, and Li Bai’s The Phoenix Visits Phoenix Terrace. Don’t you find them delightful?”
Peiqiu said, “I also have favorites. When it comes to powerful poems by great masters, I can’t imitate them. But for those with subtlety and deep emotion, I find them easier to appreciate.” Qionghua said, “The Three Hundred Tang Poems truly distills the essence of all Tang poetry. For seven-character ancient verse, it only includes Li Yi’s The Inscription on Han’s Stele, which serves as a gateway for beginners. Each poem has its own merit, so it’s hard to judge their value. However, I notice that most people today prefer writing seven-character regulated verse because its structure is precise, allowing both scenery and emotion to be expressed. But it’s the most difficult form of poetry to master. I, too, am afraid of writing it, so I stick to seven-character ancient verse.”
In Tang poetry, many excellent seven-character ancient verses are difficult to fully enumerate. Take for example Cen Shen’s poem A Song of White Snow from The Three Hundred Tang Poems:
“The north wind sweeps the earth, bending the white grasses,
In the barbarian skies, snow flies in August.
Suddenly, as if spring arrived overnight,
Thousands upon thousands of pear blossoms bloom.
It scatters into the pearl curtains, dampening the silk screen,
Fox-fur coats no longer warm, silk quilts feel thin.
The general cannot pull his horned bow,
The governor’s iron armor remains cold on his body.”
This depicts the northern frontier, using words like “pear blossoms,” “pearl curtains,” “silk screens,” “fox-fur coats,” “silk quilts,” “horned bows,” and “iron armor” interwoven throughout the poem, creating a clear and cold world. The beauty lies in what is expressed beyond the words themselves.
In Gao Shi’s Song of Yan:
“The soldiers on the desolate frontier live on the edge of life and death,
While under the tent, the beautiful women still sing and dance.”
This poem captures the hardship felt by those suffering in the military and the carefree joy of those who are not. Wang Wei’s The Song of the Daughters of Luoyang says:
“The painted pavilions and pearl-studded towers gaze at each other,
Red peach blossoms and green willows hang over the eaves.
The gauze curtains are lifted to send off the fragrant carriage,
A jeweled fan greets them, returning to the nine-flower bedchamber.
In the spring windows, the faint morning light extinguishes the lamps,
Petals of flowers drift like pieces of the fire.
Once the play is over, without even tidying her hair,
She only sits in her scented makeup.”
This poem naturally depicts the delicate beauty of the daughter, unlike the image of women marrying off for money year after year. When it comes to deep sorrow and melancholy, none can compare to Du Fu’s The Song of the War Chariots, Lament at the River’s Edge, and Lament for Prince Wang.
People often say that the poetic styles of Li Bai and Du Fu are different. But I say that Du Fu sometimes writes in a style similar to Li Bai. In his A Letter to Han the Advisor, he writes:
“Now I am unhappy, thinking of Yueyang,
I long to soar, but illness keeps me in bed.
The beauty, so graceful, is across the autumn waters,
Washing her feet in Dongting, gazing at the vast wilderness.
The wild geese fly endlessly through the day and night,
While the green maple leaves turn red as the sky fills with frost.
The Jade Capital’s emperors gather around the Northern Dipper,
Some ride on unicorns, shading themselves with phoenix wings.
Lotus banners wave in the mist and smoke,
Their shadows move, and the reflection trembles over the Xiao and Xiang rivers.
The lords of the stars are drunk on celestial nectar,
The feathered immortals are rare and not beside me.
It seems I ask the immortal Chisongzi,
But perhaps it is the Han dynasty’s Zhang Liang.”
Doesn’t this seem exactly like Li Bai’s style? Also, Han Yu’s At the Temple of Mount Heng and On the Night of the Fifteenth of August, A Gift to Zhang Gongcao are very similar to Du Fu’s works. I wonder if the two poets intentionally imitated each other, or if the resemblance was unintentional.”
Ronghua said, “You analyze poetry so clearly and thoughtfully; you could compile all these insights into a book of poetry discussions.” Peiqiu added, “I can see the meaning behind it, but I can’t articulate it as well, and I can’t fully explain it. Others might easily find fault with my arguments.”
Qionghua said, “In five-character regulated verse, sincerity is naturally valued. As for other types of poetry that describe scenery and emotions, they’re relatively easy to compose. Take, for example, Du Fu’s Spring View:
“The nation is broken, yet the mountains and rivers remain,
In the city, spring deepens, and the plants and trees flourish.
Moved by the times, the flowers shed tears,
Grieving for parting, the birds startle the heart.
The beacon fires have burned for three months straight,
A letter from home is worth ten thousand in gold.
I scratch my white hair even shorter,
It grows so thin that it won’t hold a hairpin.”
“These forty characters express the deepest emotions and stand as the pinnacle of five-character regulated verse. The seven-character regulated verse has many variations, but those that convey a flowing sense of grandeur are considered superior. In my view, the poem that exemplifies this structure is Zu Yong’s Gazing at Jimen:
‘From Yan Terrace, I depart, startled as a guest,
The sound of horns and drums fill the camp of the Han general.
A thousand miles of cold light shine on the accumulated snow,
The dawn on three borders stirs the war banners.
The beacon fires on the battlefield invade the barbarian moon,
Clouds and mountains by the sea surround Jimen City.
Though young, I wasn’t one to abandon my pen for military service,
Now I desire to prove myself and request a long sword for glory.’
This form is the most remarkable, and many later poets imitated it. For example, Du Fu’s ‘The wind blows fiercely, the sky is high, the apes wail mournfully,’ ‘The flowers near the high tower stir a homesick heart,’ ‘At year’s end, the short days are hastened in this distant land,’ and ‘Countless mountains and valleys rush towards Jingmen.’ Similarly, Liu Zongyuan’s ‘From the city’s high towers, one can gaze at the vast wilderness,’ Liu Yuxi’s ‘Wang Jun’s ships descend from Sichuan,’ and Li Yi’s ‘The apes and birds still seem to fear the imperial edict’ all follow this structure.
These few poems can be considered a single form, almost like a unified piece. Among seven-character regulated verses, there are also those that convey the truest feelings. For instance, Bai Juyi’s Moved by the Moon says:
‘Times are hard, the years barren, and the family’s legacy is gone,
Brothers, wandering exiles, are scattered east and west.
Our fields and gardens lay desolate after the war,
Relatives and kin are displaced along the roads.
My shadow is like a lone goose, separated by a thousand miles,
My roots are torn, scattered like autumn tumbleweeds.
We all gaze at the same bright moon and surely shed tears,
In one night, five hearts long for home.’
These are words born from true blood and soul, almost a sound of nature itself. This poem should be considered Bai Juyi’s best.” Ronghua commented, “This comes from his personal experiences, which is why people say that hardship leads to mastery.”
Qionghua said, “There is some truth to the idea that hardship leads to mastery. However, many later poets also experienced similar suffering and displacement, yet they were unable to write with such authenticity. Instead of expressing genuine emotions, they write about imaginary scenes, weaving in things like cold winds and bitter rain. Though these poems may move people, they remain hollow in comparison and lack the same heartfelt truth.” Peiqiu laughed and said, “I don’t care for such poems. If we all start writing like that, wouldn’t it turn into plain speech?”
Qionghua replied, “As long as a poem is good, even if it’s written in plain speech, it’s still beautiful. If you embellish it too much without a solid foundation, it becomes unpleasant to read. In that case, plain speech might be better. Take, for example, Cen Shen’s Meeting the Messenger Entering the Capital:
‘Looking east towards my homeland, the road is long and endless,
My sleeves are soaked with tears, still not dry.
On horseback, we meet with no paper or brush,
I ask you to pass on my message that I’m safe.’
Or Wang Wei’s famous lines:
‘Far from home, I am a lonely guest in a foreign land,
Every time the festival comes, my longing for family deepens.
I know that my brothers, climbing the heights,
Are placing dogwood branches everywhere, but one is missing.’”
“Isn’t that plain language, yet it’s better than overly polished verses? Otherwise, if you’re aiming for something more profound, the wording needs to be exquisite, with every word like shining dew or the scent of flowers, only then does it catch the eye. For example, Wang Changling’s The Song of the Palace in Spring and Lament of the Boudoir are universally praised. Similarly, Wen Tingyun’s lines:
‘The icy bed and silver curtains, dreams remain unfulfilled,
The sky is as clear as water, and the night clouds are light.
The sound of wild geese fades as they fly past the Xiaoxiang,
While the moon shines by itself in the Twelve Towers.’
Or Gu Kuang’s lines:
‘From the Jade Tower halfway to the sky, the music of flutes and songs rises,
Carried by the wind, mingled with the laughter of palace maids.
In the moonlit palace, shadows shift as the night clock sounds,
Crystal curtains are lifted, revealing the autumn river below.’
Each word is like a petal of a flower or a drop of dew. Tell me, isn’t that lovely?” Ronghua responded, “Now that you’ve pointed it out, it really does catch the eye more. Do you think any of those poems, which are all excellent, have anything worth critiquing?”
Qionghua replied, “I wouldn’t dare. Who am I to criticize the great poets of the Tang Dynasty? I wouldn’t want to be laughed at or scolded.” Ronghua said, “These are just our private opinions, who would know?” Qionghua replied, “Well, if we’re talking about something worth critiquing, I would point out one part in a poem by the master, Du Fu. In his poem Dreaming of Li Bai, he writes:
‘We’ve already swallowed the sorrow of parting through death,
But the sorrow of living separation lingers, ever painful.
In the disease-ridden land of the south,
There’s no news from my exiled friend.
An old friend appeared in my dream,
Telling me how much he misses me.
I fear it wasn’t truly his soul,
For the distance between us is immeasurable.’
This part is written exquisitely, expressing the fear that the Li Bai in his dream might not be the real Li Bai. However, when the poem continues with the lines ‘His soul comes where the maple trees are green, and departs where the frontier is dark,’ it gives the impression that the Li Bai in the dream is already dead, rather than alive.
Wouldn’t it be better to cut these two lines and go directly to:
‘Now you are trapped in the nets of the state,
How could you have wings to fly?
The setting moon fills the beams of my house,
And I still wonder if it’s shining on your face.’
It could have ended there. The lines ‘The waters are deep, the waves wide,
May no dragon catch you’ could also be removed, making the meaning more subtle.”
Ronghua and Peiqiu both laughed and said, “You’re right, cutting those lines would be better. The part about the green maple trees and the dark frontier does have a ghostly feeling. This is a sharp insight of yours. Do you have any other critiques?”
Qionghua said, “Yes, there’s another one: Monk Jiaoran’s Visiting Lu Hongjian. It neither feels like an ancient verse nor a regulated one. I don’t know why it was selected. The poem goes:
‘Though I moved my family outside the city,
The wild paths lead through mulberry and hemp.
Near the hedge, I’ve recently planted chrysanthemums,
But with autumn here, they have yet to bloom.
Knocking at the door, no dogs bark,
I want to ask where the winehouse is.
They tell me he’s gone to the mountains,
Returning home each day as the sun sets.’”
“There is absolutely no meaning in it. As for the regulated verse, it repeats the words ‘come’ and ‘go,’ which is a severe violation of the poetic rules. This kind of poem, though it appears to follow the rules, is actually incorrect and should not be imitated. Regarding five-character quatrains, they have a unique charm and could even fit into Yuefu music, but they are especially difficult to master. For instance, consider these lines by Jin Changxu:
‘Strike the yellow oriole,
Don’t let it cry on the branch.
Its cries disturb my dreams,
Preventing them from reaching Liaoxi.’
Or Bai Juyi’s:
‘Green ants float in the new wine,
A small red clay stove.
At evening, snow is about to fall,
Would you like to drink a cup?’
These are casually written but become profound truths.” Peiqiu said, “Sister, your discussion of poetry shows deep understanding of its essence. If you were to take the exam for ‘erudition and macro rhetoric,’ wouldn’t you win the first place? You’d be like Huang Chonggu in the past.”
Qionghua laughed and said, “Can you rely on just a few lines of poetry for that?” Peiqiu replied, “Second sister, I’ve seen you ask your brother to revise your poems before. Honestly, I doubt your brother could even write as well as you. If he could, he wouldn’t have been eliminated after the third round of exams.” Ronghua laughed and said, “If Brother hears that, he won’t be happy with you.”
Peiqiu laughed and said, “I’ve never studied poetry formally, but I recently heard people discussing Du Fu’s Northern Expedition and Han Yu’s Mountains of the South. When I looked at them, I noticed they use difficult rhyme schemes. So, let me test the two of you: how many rhymes are there in Northern Expedition?” Ronghua laughed and said, “You’ve stumped me. You must have counted to make it tricky. I haven’t counted, nor can I remember the whole thing.”
Qionghua said, “I think Northern Expedition has about seventy rhymes.” Peiqiu said, “Do you remember how many repeated rhymes there are?” Qionghua replied, “As for repeated rhymes, there’s only one: the character ‘ri’ (day). In the third rhyme, ‘The court has no leisure days’ and the twenty-seventh rhyme, ‘Lying sick for several days,’ this repetition is definite.”
Peiqiu laughed and said, “But there’s also ‘the scattered soldiers of the past’ and ‘how many days without training the soldiers,’ as well as ‘auspicious air rises to the golden palace’ and ‘the palace sweeps clean without neglect.’ Even though it’s the same character used twice, it should count as a repetition.”
Qionghua said, “That doesn’t count as repetition. One ‘que’ refers to the palace gate, and the other ‘que’ means neglect; it’s just a homophone, not a repeated rhyme. As for the rhyme ‘zu,’ it’s also not repeated. In the line ‘The Emperor is still in the dust, and there’s been no training for several days,’ ‘zu’ refers to soldiers, while in ‘Millions of troops at Tongguan, scattered soldiers of the past,’ ‘zu’ is pronounced with a shorter sound, meaning sudden or quick, so it’s technically a different rhyme.”
Ronghua said, “Sister, your memory is impressive. I can only remember a few lines, the best being, ‘My thin wife’s face regains its glow, my foolish daughter combs her hair herself,’ and, ‘We don’t hear about the decline of Xia and Yin, yet we know of the execution of Baosi and Daji.’ The poem praises Emperor Xuanzong, and its message is grand. Is it not superior to Liu Yuxi’s ‘The imperial army destroys the traitor, and the emperor abandons the wicked consort’ or Bai Juyi’s ‘The six armies could not march, and the delicate beauty died before the horse’?”
“As for the Mountains of the South poem, I’ve read it, but I can’t remember a single line. It’s so convoluted and hard to recite. The characters are also difficult to recognize. Sister-in-law, do you remember it clearly?”
Peiqiu said, “I deliberately looked it up to test you two. But how could I memorize it? There are over a hundred rhymes, and the characters are hard to remember.”
Qionghua said, “You counted wrong. Mountains of the South has 102 rhymes, and not a single repeated rhyme. It’s like Zixu and Shanglin—only someone with great skill could accomplish such a feat.”
Peiqiu said, “You say there are no repeated rhymes, but I found one: ‘I once ascended Tang Hill, gathering like clouds.’ Then, ‘Some scattered like broken tiles, some gathered like spokes in a wheel.’ Aren’t those two rhymes repeated?”
Qionghua laughed and said, “You’ve misunderstood. Although the character ‘cou’ is written with the water radical in the second line, it actually refers to the gathering of spokes, written with the cart radical. Let me ask you, when the ‘beast’ radical is removed from the character ‘shou’ (beast), what is it read as?”
Peiqiu answered, “There is such a character, but it’s still read as ‘shou,’ right?”
Qionghua laughed and said, “No, it’s actually read as ‘chu,’ with the meaning of livestock. Don’t you remember the phrase ‘Gazing into its depths, I saw no livestock, only quiet creatures’? The annotation says that ‘shou’ refers to livestock. It’s probably the offspring of a dragon, just like how the offspring of insects are shrimp.”
Ronghua said, “It’s a pity you can’t take the exam. If you did, you’d surely pass. You’ve memorized all these poems so thoroughly, it’s truly remarkable.”
Qionghua laughed and said, “It’s only because I recently studied these two topics that I’ve become familiar with them.”
Ronghua said, “Bring me the Mountains of the South poem so I can take a look.”Qionghua found the poem and handed it to Ronghua, who read a couple of lines and counted the rhymes. She then asked Qionghua, “What is the seventh rhyme?” Qionghua laughed and said, “Is there such a way to ask? Even if someone is very familiar with the poem, it’s impossible to remember which rhyme is the seventh. Let me count them.” She then recited each rhyme one by one and laughed, “It’s the word ‘shou’ (thin).” Peiqiu said, “You’re really impressive for memorizing it so well! If you were to match the rhymes, you’d definitely succeed.” Qionghua replied, “Even though these 102 rhymes are somewhat difficult, they are easier to use compared to the rhymes in Northern Expedition. As Sister mentioned earlier, the rhyme ‘妲’ (Da), from ‘No one heard of the decline of Xia and Yin, only that Baosi and Daji were executed,’ is particularly challenging. I wonder how they managed to use it in their exams. My brother and brother-in-law also used the same character ‘妲,’ and apart from that, there really aren’t many other options.”
Peiqiu laughed and said, “You only need to ask Second Brother-in-law, and you’ll know how it’s used.” Qionghua blushed and said nothing. Peiqiu continued, “On the first day that Second Brother-in-law comes home after the wedding, make sure he memorizes all the poetic rhymes before entering the room. If not, lock the door and make him kneel outside. Let him know that we women can be just as scholarly.”
Ronghua laughed, and Qionghua, feeling even more embarrassed, paused for a moment before saying, “I bet my brother has already knelt outside a few times.” Peiqiu laughed and said, “Unfortunately, I’m not qualified. If I were, your brother would definitely have had to kneel too.” Ronghua added, “The wedding day is fast approaching, and soon we sisters won’t be able to spend time together as we do now. You, my dear sister, are truly fortunate, unlike us.” Then she said, “Let’s check on your nephew.” She left, and Peiqiu went with her.
Qionghua thought to herself, “Sister has a lot of grievances, and it’s understandable. But Brother-in-law, with his talent, is sure to achieve great success someday—it’s just a matter of time.” She also thought, “My own husband is only nineteen and already so accomplished—what a rare gem! But I’ve heard that there was once someone named Qinyan, who caused him to fall ill several times. I wonder what has become of this Qinyan.”
Meanwhile, Wang Wenhui had set the auspicious wedding date for the nineteenth of September. Madam Yan wrote a letter home, saying that Ziyu had passed the imperial examination and that the marriage was now completed, with all arrangements entrusted to Zhongqing.
Zhongqing gathered his spirits, and, being naturally broad-minded, didn’t dwell on success or failure. He carried on as usual. A few days passed, and the wedding day arrived. Both sides hosted celebratory banquets, with famous opera singers entertaining the guests. The festivities lasted several days. On the night of the wedding, when Ziyu first saw Qionghua, his heart bloomed with joy. Strangely enough, it wasn’t a case of the scholars’ exaggerations—it truly seemed like a predestined match. Heaven had shown mercy on Ziyu’s devoted heart, as Qinyan, though emotionally connected to Ziyu, was a man and could never be his spouse. So, fate had created Miss Qionghua, who looked just like Qinyan when dressed up. Wasn’t this a marvel? Madam Yan had long known about this; when she first saw Qinyan, she remarked that he resembled her future daughter-in-law. It seemed that the resemblances between the two families had been decided five hundred years ago.
After seeing Qionghua, Ziyu couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion, recalling past memories. However, he soon consoled himself, realizing that a happy union was now his destiny. Naturally, this didn’t resemble the confusion of his dreams. If it had, wouldn’t Miss Qionghua have been angered to death? The next day, they invited Yuan Qixiang, Su Huanxiang, Huanlan, Wu Ziyan, Wang Ronghua, and Sun Peiqiu to celebrate with the bride. It was a gathering of talented women, and they spent the day together. Madam Hua, since her father had been a proud mentor and her aunt had invited her, came joyfully. The grand scale of the celebration was on par with the Tian family’s, and the details cannot be fully described. From then on, Ziyu and Qionghua enjoyed an indescribable happiness in their married life. One was a leader of talented women, and the other a foremost scholar. Whether they admired flowers in the morning, gazed at the moon at night, composed poems, or discussed historical mysteries, they became true companions in their marriage. Naturally, Ziyu’s thoughts of Qinyan gradually lessened.
One day, Ziyu was chatting with Qionghua in their room when he was called away to handle something at the academy. As he hurried out, he accidentally dropped a small embroidered pouch on the floor. Qionghua picked it up and opened it, finding two folded letters inside. One was written in Ziyu’s handwriting—a poem titled Golden Thread Song. She read it repeatedly and found it deeply sorrowful, realizing it was a farewell poem. She looked at the second letter, which was also a Golden Thread Song, likely a response. Glancing at the signature, she saw the name “Qinyan” and couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy. She thought to herself, “I’ve asked him about this Qinyan several times, but he always evades the question, even teasing me by saying I look just like Qinyan. Now I have proof. Let’s see how he denies it when he comes back. It turns out they shared such deep feelings, calling out to each other in their dreams, with Ziyu saying his heart had broken several times. This kind of love is rare in the world.” She also thought, “When I was at home, I often heard my brother and brother-in-law discussing this Qinyan. They said his story was quite unusual and hard to fathom. Now that I’ve read these two poems, it’s clear that only someone with deep love and sorrow could have written them.” She put the poems away and hung the pouch to the side.
After a while, Ziyu returned. He didn’t immediately notice the missing pouch, but when he saw it hanging there, he was startled. Qionghua pretended not to notice, watching as Ziyu hesitated to retrieve the pouch, clearly lost in thought, which amused her. Unable to resist, Ziyu finally took down the pouch and squeezed it, finding it empty. He became anxious, knowing that Qionghua must have found the letters. Anything else he could explain, but how could he explain the letter with Qinyan’s name on it? He wanted to ask her directly, but didn’t know how, so he kept glancing at Qionghua. Qionghua couldn’t help but smile, and Ziyu, seizing the opportunity, asked, “Why are you smiling?” Qionghua replied, “Am I smiling? I didn’t mean to smile, but somehow I just did.”
Ziyu laughed and said, “How could someone not want to smile, yet end up smiling anyway? Truly, ‘It’s rare to find a reason to laugh in this world.’”
Qionghua laughed again and said, “And how many times in life does one truly have a heartbroken moment?”
Hearing this line, Ziyu felt it strike deep in his heart and dared not press further. He thought to himself, “I’ll just let this go. No need to dig up this tangled mess.” Qionghua, noticing that he was about to leave, knew that if he walked away now, the conversation would end. She decided to hold him back and said, “I came across two wonderful poems today. Let me recite them for you.” She then began to recite the poems. Ziyu laughed and said, “Never mind the discussion—just tell me if you think these two poems are good or not.”
Qionghua said, “They’re very good. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t have memorized them. But I don’t fully understand the meaning. Can you explain it to me?”
Ziyu laughed and said, “The meaning of poetry is hard to explain. Sometimes, to complete a line, you just pull in whatever comes to mind. It’s like saying, ‘This finger represents something other than a finger,’ or ‘This horse is not really a horse.’ If we take it too literally, do we have to clarify every metaphor in The Lament as referring to a beautiful woman or fragrant herbs?”
Qionghua smiled and said, “Allegories are allegories, but truth is truth. I can tell the difference.”
Ziyu, feeling uncomfortable, wanted to leave, but Qionghua pulled him back to sit down. She then recited from the poem, “‘Why has the light cloud scattered? I ask again—this time, will the sea and the rocks truly wear away?’ The first line already expresses such deep sorrow. If I were asked
to continue from there, I wouldn’t know how. Fortunately, the next line smoothly follows: ‘Partings are common, but for me, the sorrow is beyond measure.’ People say, ‘Nothing makes the soul fade like parting,’ but even that doesn’t seem enough. Who knows how many times the soul has faded? ‘And again, several times my heart has been broken.’ The heart has been broken several times.”
After pausing for a moment, Qionghua continued, “‘I thought we would always be together in this life, watching the silver pond, never separated by the River of Stars. But who could have imagined that our fates would change?’ Once again, the poem opens and closes, shifting three times in just this first stanza. Who could express such deep emotions?”
“If it were possible to always stay together without any separation, wouldn’t it be wonderful to become a family? But why is it that separation must occur?” Qionghua continued reading aloud: “‘Tomorrow morning we part by the roadside pavilion. Reluctantly pulling at your sleeve, I say ‘take care,’ and this only worsens the turmoil in my heart.’ When I read this, my heart also aches. Imagine how it must feel to actually experience such a moment. Afterward, they go far away, and no matter how much they search, they can no longer see the other person. Who knows where they are? That’s why the poem says, ‘Beyond the gates, where in the world could you be? All I see is the vastness of rivers and lakes.’ Yet, though the rivers and lakes are endless, my sorrow still lingers. Even if half of it could be washed away, it wouldn’t be enough, which is why it says, ‘Even half of my sorrow cannot be cleansed.’ Then comes the truly remarkable thought: even though our bodies are apart, can’t our souls meet in dreams? But with such a great distance between us, our souls might not be able to reach each other. Perhaps if I call out your name, heart to heart, it will bring your soul to me. And not only do I call for you, but you also call for me. Maybe, through these mutual cries, we might actually connect. That’s why it says, ‘If you fear our souls cannot meet, try calling my name each night. Ink mixed with tears—please, take a look.’ This part doesn’t need much explanation—just that ink and tears are intertwined, and I ask you to read it. Isn’t this the interpretation?”
Ziyu smiled and said, “Your interpretation is exactly right.”
Qionghua then asked, “Now tell me, if this person was always with you, how did you treat them?”
Ziyu replied, “They only served me by holding my writing brush and inkstone.”
Qionghua said, “If they were just holding your brush and inkstone, why would you need to call out to them in dreams?”
Ziyu became a bit anxious and said, “I always thought you were my confidante, someone who understood me deeply. But it turns out you don’t know me as well as I thought, let alone others.”
Qionghua smiled and said, “I’ve explained everything so thoroughly, how can you say I don’t understand you?”
Ziyu said, “Others might say foolish things, but you shouldn’t. Even now, there’s still something…” He trailed off.
Qionghua said, “Speaking badly, well then, you should…”
She stopped herself before finishing the sentence. Ziyu looked at Qionghua, and Qionghua looked back at Ziyu. Finally, Ziyu forced a smile and said, “There’s no need to discuss this any further. Eventually, you’ll understand everything, so there’s no need to explain it now. Today, I ran into Du Xiang, and he mentioned that his wife is inviting you to come and admire the chrysanthemums. They’ve also invited Madam Yong’an, Madam Jiantan, and several other close friends. Will you go?”
Qionghua replied, “I don’t think I’ll go.”
Ziyu asked, “Why don’t you want to go?”
Qionghua said, “First, I’ve only recently moved here and haven’t yet completed a full month. Second, I’ll need to wait for instructions from Mother. If she decides to go, I’ll go with her.”
Ziyu said, “They haven’t invited Mother, just you and the other women of your generation. Du Xiang’s wife also mentioned that they haven’t set a specific date yet. They want to ask each family to confirm when they’re available, so that everyone can attend and no one is left out. They also want to choose a day when there isn’t a strong wind. If even one person can’t make it, they’ll reschedule, which is why they’re asking in advance.”
Qionghua said, “I’ll wait to see what our sisters and sisters-in-law decide. If they all go, I’ll go. But if any of them don’t go, I won’t go either.”
Ziyu, fearing that Qionghua might ask more about Qinyan, continued to find unrelated topics to distract her. Qionghua, knowing Ziyu’s true thoughts, didn’t press the matter, not wanting to embarrass him further.
As the saying goes: “Their love is as deep as the bond between fish and water, a perfect match like phoenixes.” Just as in the old verse, “Having seen the vast ocean, no other water compares; wishing to be mandarin ducks, not envying immortals.”
The next chapter will detail Qinyan’s journey, and we’ll take our time to carefully explore those events.