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"the question，" explained Tai Ch'uean， "comes up at an opportune moment； for there is just at present a good vacancy. Of the three hundred officers who at present constitute the Imperial Body Guard， there are two wanting. Yesterday marquis Hsiang Yang's third brother came to appeal to me with one thousand five hundred taels of ready money， which he brought over to my house. You know the friendship of old standing which exists between him and me， so that， placing other considerations aside， I without a second thought， assented for his father's sake. But there still remains another vacancy， which， who would have thought it， fat general Feng， of Yung Hsing， asked to purchase for his son； but I have had no time to give him an answer. Besides， as our child wants to purchase it， you had better at once write a statement of his antecedents."
Chia Chen lost no time in bidding some one write the statement on red paper， which Tai Ch'uean found， on perusal， to record that Chia Jung was a graduate， by purchase， of the District of Chiang Ning， of the Ying T'ien Prefecture， in Chiang Nan； that Chia Tai-hua， his GREat grandfather， had been Commander-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Camp， and an hereditary general of the first class， with the prefix of Spiritual Majesty； that his grandfather Chia Ching was a metropolitan graduate of the tripos in the Ping Ch'en year； and that his father Chia Chen had inherited a rank of nobility of the third degree， and was a general， with the prefix of Majestic Intrepidity.
Tai Ch'uean， after perusal， turned his hand behind him and passed （the statement） to a constant attendant of his， to put away： "Go back，" he enjoined him， "and give it to His Excellency Mr. Chao， at the head of the Board of Revenue， and tell him， that I present him my compliments， and would like him to draw up a warrant for subaltern of the Imperial Body Guard of the fifth grade， and to also issue a commission； that he should take the particulars from this statement and fill them up； and that to-morrow I'll come and have the money weighed and sent over."
the young attendant signified his obedience， and Tai Ch'uean thereupon took his leave. Chia Chen did all he could to detain him， but with no success； so that he had no alternative but to escort him as far as the entrance of the Mansion. As he was about to mount into his chair， Chia Chen inquired， "As regards the money， shall I go and pay it into the Board， or am I to send it to the Board of Eunuchs？"
"If you were to go and pay it at the Board，" observed Tai Ch'uean； "you are sure to suffer loss； so that it would be better if you just weighed exactly one thousand taels and sent them over to my place； for then an end will be put to all trouble."
Chia Chen was incessant in his expression of gratitude. "When the period of mourning has expired，" he consequently added， "I shall lead in person， my despicable eldest son to your mansion， to pay our obeisance， and express our thanks."
they then parted company， but close upon this， were heard again the voices of runners. It was， in fact， the spouse of Shih Ting， the marquis of Chung Ching， who was just arriving. Shih Hsiang-yun， mesdames Wang， and Hsing， lady Feng and the rest came out at once， to GREet her， and lead her into the Main Building； when they further saw the sacrificial presents of the three families， of the marquis of Chin Hsiang， the marquis of Ch'uan Ning， and the earl of Shou Shan， likewise spread out in front of the tablet.
In a short while， these three noblemen descended from their chairs， and Chia Chen received them in the Large Hall. In like manner all the relatives and friends arrived in such quick succession， one coming， another going， that it is impossible to remember even so much as their number. One thing need be said that during these forty-nine days the street on which the Ning Kuo mansion stood， was covered with a sheet of white， formed by the people， coming and going； and thronged with clusters of flowers， as the officials came and went.
At the instance of Chia Chen， Chia Jung， the next day donned his gala dress and went over for his papers； and on his return the articles in use in front of the coffin， as well as those belonging to the cortege and other such things， were all regulated by the rules prescribed for an official status of the fifth deGREe； while， on the tablet and notice alike the inscription consisted of： Spirit of lady Ch'in， （by marriage） of the Chia mansion， and by patent a lady of the fifth rank （of the titles of honour）。
