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When Chia Cheng came to scrutinise who they were， and he recognised Li Kuei， the son of Pao-yue's nurse， he addressed himself to him. "You people，" he said， "remain waiting upon him the whole day long at school， but what books has he after all read？ Books indeed！ why， he has read and filled his brains with a lot of trashy words and nonsensical phrases， and learnt some ingenious way of waywardness. Wait till I have a little leisure， and I'll set to work， first and foremost， and flay your skin off， and then settle accounts with that good-for-nothing！"
This threat so terrified Li Kuei that he hastily fell on both his knees， pulled off his hat， knocked his head on the ground， and gave vent to repeated assenting utterances： "Oh， quite so， Sir！ Our elder brother Mr. Pao has，" he continued， "already read up to the third book of the Book of Odes， up to where there's something or other like： 'Yiu， Yiu， the deer bleat； the lotus leaves and duckweed.' Your servant wouldn't presume to tell a lie！"
As he said this， the whole company burst out into a boisterous fit of laughter， and Chia Cheng himself could not also contain his countenance and had to laugh. "Were he even，" he observed， "to read thirty books of the Book of Odes， it would be as much an imposition upon people and no more， as （when the thief） who， in order to steal the bell， stops up his own ears！ You go and present my compliments to the gentleman in the schoolroom， and tell him， from my part， that the whole lot of Odes and old writings are of no use， as they are subjects for empty show； and that he should， above all things， take the Four Books， and explain them to him， from first to last， and make him know them all thoroughly by heart，——that this is the most important thing！"
Li Kuei signified his obedience with all promptitude， and perceiving that Chia Cheng had nothing more to say， he retired out of the room.
During this while， Pao-yue had been standing all alone outside in the court， waiting quietly with suppressed voice， and when they came out he at once walked away in their company.
Li Kuei and his companions observed as they shook their clothes， "Did you， worthy brother， hear what he said that he would first of all flay our skins off！ People's servants acquire some respectability from the master whom they serve， but we poor fellows fruitlessly wait upon you， and are beaten and blown up in the bargain. It would be well if we were， from henceforward， to be treated with a certain amount of regard."
Pao-yue smiled， "Dear Brother，" he added， "don't feel aggrieved； I'll invite you to come round to-morrow！"
"My young ancestor，" replied Li Kuei， "who presumes to look forward to an invitation？ all I entreat you is to listen to one or two words I have to say， that's all."
As they talked they came over once more to dowager lady Chia's on this side.
Ch'in Chung had already arrived， and the old lady was first having a chat with him. Forthwith the two of them exchanged salutations， and took leave of her ladyship； but Pao-yue， suddenly remembering that he had not said good-bye to Tai-yue， promptly betook himself again to Tai-yue's quarters to do so.
Tai-yue was， at this time， below the window， facing the mirror， and adjusting her toilette. Upon hearing Pao-yue mention that he was on his way to school， she smiled and remarked， "That's right！ you're now going to school and you'll be sure to reach the lunar palace and pluck the olea fragrans； but I can't go along with you."
"My dear cousin，" rejoined Pao-yue， "wait for me to come out from school， before you have your evening meal； wait also until I come to prepare the cosmetic of rouge."
After a protracted chat， he at length tore himself away and took his departure.
"How is it，" interposed Tai-yue， as she once again called out to him and stopped him， "that you don't go and bid farewell to your cousin Pao Ch'ai？"
Pao-yue smiled， and saying not a word by way of reply he straightway walked to school， accompanied by Ch'in Chung.
This public school， which it must be noticed was also not far from his quarters， had been originally instituted by the founder of the establishment， with the idea that should there be among the young fellows of his clan any who had not the means to engage a tutor， they should readily be able to enter this class for the prosecution of their studies； that all those of the family who held official position should all give （the institution） pecuniary assistance， with a view to meet the expenses necessary for allowances to the students； and that they were to select men advanced in years and possessed of virtue to act as tutors of the family school.
the two of them， Ch'in Chung and Pao-yue， had now entered the class， and after they and the whole number of their schoolmates had made each other's acquaintance， their studies were commenced. Ever since this time， these two were wont to come together， go together， get up together， and sit together， till they became more intimate and close. Besides， dowager lady Chia got very fond of Ch'in Chung， and would again and again keep him to stay with them for three and five days at a time， treating him as if he were one of her own GREat-grandsons. Perceiving that in Ch'in Chung's home there was not much in the way of sufficiency， she also helped him in clothes and other necessaries； and scarcely had one or two months elapsed before Ch'in Chung got on friendly terms with every one in the Jung mansion.
