Hongniang returned to her mistress’ room. Afraid of being taken in again, she pretended to be unaware of all that had happened. “How is Scholar Zhang? Did he take the prescription?” Yingying asked. “He’s very ill. I showed him the prescription and he read it.” “Did he say anything afterwards?” “Nothing. But he became very happy after reading it.” Yingying understood and quickly diverted the conversation. She told her maid she was tired and wanted to take a short nap. “Will you go help my mother in her room?” Hongniang nodded. “But do not tell her about the prescription.”
“My mistress, get some rest. I’m not that foolish.”
After some time had passed Hongniang began to fret. She worried that Zhang would figure out that Miss Cui was lying to him, and how he would hurt if that happened.
“I’ll wait until I hear her explanation,” she told herself to ease her fears. But as dusk was falling Yingying was still acting as if nothing was going on, causing Hongniang to grow increasingly impatient. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and asked if Yingying had a plan for the night. But Yingying simply replied that she wished to get a good night’s sleep.
“If you go to bed, what will Scholar Zhang do?”
“What are you talking about?” Yingying retorted.
“My dear, do you really want to hurt Scholar Zhang this much? If you go back on your word once more, I’ll turn you in and tell Madame that you promised Scholar Zhang a date in your letter.”
“Well, you little imp! How dare you threaten me?” Yingying blushed w ith anger, but she agreed to the meet Zhang , and admitted that she was a little bashful.
“There’s nothing to be bashful about. When you get there, all you need to do is close your eyes and wait. Hurry up. Madame is asleep.”
The two girls went to Zhang’s room together, where he was waiting anxiously. Hongniang knocked on the door and told Zhang to take the pillows and quilt.
“The mistress is coming. How are you going to thank me?”
“I will always remember your kindness!” Zhang said with a bow.
Hongniang turned to Yingying and told her to go into the room. “I’ll wait for you outside.”
“How am I so lucky to be blessed with your company?” Zhang said as Yingying entered the room. “Am I dreaming or are you really here? I am neither powerful nor talented but you are an incarnated fairy descending to the earthly world. I hope we can grow old together.”
“Scholar Zhang, you are my savior. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. I promise to be loyal,” Yingying replied shyly. They embraced, each muttering more vows of love.
Yingying went to Zhang’s room every night after that first one. But it didn’t take long for Madame Cui to notice the change in her daughter. Yingying no longer showed any signs of grief, in fact she seemed to be almost joyful. The girl had become absent- minded and lost in her own thoughts. Her manners changed, and there seemed to be different about her body as well. Madame Cui began suspect that something going on between Zhang Sheng and her daughter.
She asked Huang Lang, the page boy, for information, who reported her that Hongniang and Miss Cui had started burning incense in the garden every night. He’d wait for them to come back, but in vain. Guessing what had happened, Madame Cui asked Huang Lang to fetch Hongniang.
Huang Lang rushed to Hongniang and informed her that Madame Cui knew about the nightly incense trips, and warned her that she would most likely receive a beating for that. Hongniang was sacred and ran to Yingying in panic.
“My lady, your mother has found out about the garden trips. She has just summoned me. What do I do?”
“Good sister, you have to help me,” Yingying was visibly more scared. “Please cover for me. Just be careful when answering my mother’s questions.”
“She’s going to be angry with me—I was supposed to keep an eye on you. What am I supposed to say when she asks me? You have to help me make up something. I shouldn’t be the one to get punished for this! I’ve done nothing but help you, waiting outside with frozen feet each night, while you and Zhang are locked inside his room. Why should punishment fall upon me?” She stopped to catch her breath and realized there was nothing she could do to escape her fate. “My sister, what’s done is done. I’ll try my best to cover it up. But if trouble is inevitable, stay calm. After all, she was the one who promised the marriage and she broke the promise. Justice is on our side.” She straightened herself up and went to go see Madame Cui.
“You little imp,” The Madame yelled at the sight of her. “Kneel down! Don’t you know what awful things you did?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Of course you don’t. If you tell me everything today, I will pardon you. But if you dare to lie to me, I will beat you to death. Now speak! Who allowed you to take the Miss to the garden?”
