\"Myyounglady，\"saidthewoman，\"isthedaughterofMr。King，whowasavice-presidentofalowercourt。Herfatherandmotherhavingbothvisitedthe’YellowSprings’[Hades]，sheisnowlivingwithanaunt，whohasbeenblessedbytheGodofWealth，andwhosemainobjectinlifeistofindahusbandwhomherniecemaybewillingtomarry。Theyounggentleman，myyounglady’scousin，isoneoftherichestmeninCh’engtu。Allthelargerinnsbelongtohim，andhisprofitsareasboundlessasthefourseas。Heisasanxiousashismothertofindasuitablematchfortheyounglady，andhaspromisedthatsosoonasshecanmakeachoicehewillarrangethewedding。\"
\"Ishouldhavethought，\"saidJasmine，\"that，beingtheownerofsomuchwealthandbeauty，theyoungladywouldhavebeenbesiegedbysuitorsfromallpartsoftheempire。\"
\"Sosheis，\"saidthewoman，\"andfromherwindowyondersheespiesthem，fortheyallputupatthisinn。Hithertoshehasmadefunofthemall，anddescribestheirappearanceandhabitsinthemostamusingway。’Seethisone，’saysshe，’withhisbachelorcaponandhisnewofficialclothesandawkwardgait，lookingforalltheworldlikeabarn-doorfowldressedupasastork;orthatone，withhisroundshoulders，monkey-face，andcrookedlegs;’andsoshetellsthemoff。\"
\"Whatdoesshesayofme，Iwonder？\"saidJasmine，amused。
\"OfyourExcellencyshesaysthathercomparisonsfailher，andthatshecanonlyhopethattheFateswhoguidedyourjewelledchariothitherwardwillnottantaliseherbyanemptyvision，butwillbindyouranklestoherswiththeredmatrimonialcords。\"