While they were bandying words， a servant-girl Ch'ing Erh， lost sight of her fan and laughingly remarked to Pao-ch'ai： "It must be you， Miss Pao， who have put my fan away somewhere or other； dear mistress， do let me have it！"
"You'd better be mindful！" rejoined Pao-ch'ai， shaking her finger at her. "With whom have I ever been up to jokes， that you come and suspect me？ Have I hitherto laughed and smirked with you？ There's that whole lot of girls， go and ask them about it！"
At this suggestion， Ch'ing Erh made her escape.
the consciousness then burst upon Pao-yue， that he had again been inconsiderate in his speech， in the presence of so many persons， and he was overcome by a GREater sense of shame than when， a short while back， he had been speaking with Lin Tai-yue. Precipitately turning himself round， he went， therefore， and talked to the others as well.
the sight of Pao-yue poking fun at Pao-ch'ai gratified Tai-yue immensely. She was just about to put in her word and also seize the opportunity of chaffing her， but as Ch'ing Erh unawares asked for her fan and Pao-ch'ai added a few more remarks， she at once changed her purpose. "Cousin Pao-ch'ai，" she inquired， "what two plays did you hear？"
Pao-ch'ai caught the expression of gratification in Tai-yue's countenance， and concluded that she had for a certainty heard the raillery recently indulged in by Pao-yue and that it had fallen in with her own wishes； and hearing her also suddenly ask the question she did， she answered with a significant laugh： "What I saw was： 'Li Kuei blows up Sung Chiang and subsequently again tenders his apologies'."
Pao-yue smiled. "How is it，" he said， "that with such wide knowledge of things new as well as old； and such general information as you possess， you aren't even up to the name of a play， and that you've come out with such a whole string of words. Why， the real name of the play is： 'Carrying a birch and begging for punishment'".
"Is it truly called： 'Carrying a birch and begging for punishment'"？ Pao-ch'ai asked with laugh. "But you people know all things new and old so are able to understand the import of 'carrying a birch and begging for punishment.' As for me I've no idea whatever what 'carrying a birch and begging for punishment' implies."
One sentence was scarcely ended when Pao-yue and Tai-yue felt guilty in their consciences； and by the time they heard all she said， they were quite flushed from shame. Lady Feng did not， it is true， fathom the gist of what had been said， but at the sight of the expression betrayed on the faces of the three cousins， she readily got an inkling of it. "On this broiling hot day，" she inquired laughing also； "who still eats raw ginger？"
None of the party could make out the import of her insinuation. "There's no one eating raw ginger，" they said.
Lady Feng intentionally then brought her hands to her cheeks， and rubbing them， she remarked with an air of utter astonishment， "Since there's no one eating raw ginger， how is it that you are all so fiery in the face？"
Hearing this， Pao-yue and Tai-yue waxed more uncomfortable than ever. So much so， that Pao-ch'ai， who meant to continue the conversation， did not think it nice to say anything more when she saw how utterly abashed Pao-yue was and how changed his manner. Her only course was therefore to smile and hold her peace. And as the rest of the inmates had not the faintest notion of the drift of the remarks exchanged between the four of them， they consequently followed her lead and put on a smile.
In a short while， however， Pao-ch'ai and lady Feng took their leave.
"You've also tried your strength with them，" Tai-yue said to Pao-yue laughingly. "But they're far worse than I. Is every one as simple in mind and dull of tongue as I am as to allow people to say whatever they like."
Pao-yue was inwardly giving way to that unhappiness， which had been occasioned by Pao-ch'ai's touchiness， so when he also saw Tai-yue approach him and taunt him， displeasure keener than ever was aroused in him. A desire then asserted itself to speak out his mind to her， but dreading lest Tai-yue should he in one of her sensitive moods， he， needless to say， stifled his anger and straightway left the apartment in a state of mental depression.
