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When she had done speaking， she went on to give orders that tea， oil， candles， feather dusters， brooms and other necessaries should be issued， according to the fixed quantities. She also had furniture， such as table-covers， antimacassars， cushions， rugs， cuspidors， stools and the like brought over and distributed； while， at the same time， she took up the pencil and made a note of the names of the persons in charge of the various departments， and of the articles taken over by the respective servants， in entries remarkable for the utmost perspicacity.
the whole body of servants received their charge and left； but they all had work to go and attend to； not as in former times， when they were at liberty to select for themselves what was convenient to do， while the arduous work， which remained over， no one could be found to take in hand. Neither was it possible for them in the various establishments to any longer avail themselves of the confusion to carelessly mislay things. In fact， visitors came and guests left， but everything after all went off quietly， unlike the disorderly way which prevailed hitherto， when there was no clue to the ravel； and all such abuses as indolence， and losses， and the like were completely eradicated.
Lady Feng， on her part， （perceiving） the weight her influence had in enjoining the observance of her directions， was in her heart exceedingly delighted. But as she saw， that Chia Chen was， in consequence of Mrs. Yu's indisposition， even so much the more grieved as to take very little to drink or to eat， she daily， with her own hands， prepared， in the other mansion， every kind of fine congee and luscious small dishes， which she sent over， in order that he might be tempted to eat.
And Chia Lien had likewise given additional directions that every day the finest delicacies should be taken into the ante-chamber， for the exclusive use of lady Feng.
Lady Feng was not one to shirk exertion and fatigue， so that， day after day， she came over at the proper time， called the roll， and managed business， sitting all alone in the ante-chamber， and not conGREgating with the whole bevy of sisters-in-law. Indeed， even when relatives or visitors came or went， she did not go to receive them， or see them off.
This day was the thirty-fifth day， the very day of the fifth seven， and the whole company of bonzes had just （commenced the services） for unclosing the earth， and breaking Hell open； for sending a light to show the way to the departed spirit； for its being admitted to an audience by the king of Hell； for arresting all the malicious devils， as well as for soliciting the soul-saving Buddha to open the golden bridge and to lead the way with streamers. The Taoist priests were engaged in reverently reading the prayers； in worshipping the Three Pure Ones and in prostrating themselves before the Gemmy Lord. The disciples of abstraction were burning incense， in order to release the hungered spirits， and were reading the water reGREts manual. There was also a company of twelve nuns of tender years， got up in embroidered dresses， and wearing red shoes， who stood before the coffin， silently reading all the incantations for the reception of the spirit （from the lower regions，） with the result that the utmost bustle and stir prevailed.
Lady Feng， well aware that not a few guests would call on this day， was quick to get out of bed at four sharp， to dress her hair and perform her ablutions. After having completed every arrangement for the day， she changed her costume， washed her hands， and swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of milk. By the time she had rinsed her mouth， it was exactly 6.30； and Lai Wang's wife， at the head of a company of servants， had been waiting a good long while， when lady Feng appeared in front of the Entrance Hall， mounted her carriage and betook herself， preceded by a pair of transparent horn lanterns， on which were written， in large type， the three characters， Jung Kuo mansion， to the main entrance gate of the Ning Household. The door lanterns shed brilliant rays from where they were suspended； while on either side the lanterns， of uniform colours， propped upright， emitted a lustrous light as bright as day.
the servants of the family， got up in their mourning clothes， covered the ground far and wide like a white sheet. They stood drawn in two rows， and requested that the carriage should drive up to the main entrance. The youths retired， and all the married women came forward， and raising the curtain of the carriage， lady Feng alighted； and as with one arm she supported herself on Feng Erh， two married women， with lanterns in their hands， lighted the way. Pressed round by the servants， lady Feng made her entry. The married women of the Ning mansion advanced to GREet her， and to pay their respects； and this over， lady Feng， with graceful bearing， entered the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance. Ascending the Spirit Hall， where the tablet was laid， the tears， as soon as she caught sight of the coffin， trickled down her eyes like pearls whose string had snapped； while the youths in the court， and their number was not small， stood in a reverent posture， with their arms against their sides， waiting to burn the paper. Lady Feng uttered one remark， by way of command： "Offer the tea and burn the paper！" when the sound of two blows on the gong was heard and the whole band struck up together. A servant had at an early period placed a large armchair in front of the tablet， and lady Feng sat down， and gave way to loud lamentations. Promptly all those， who stood inside or outside， whether high or low， male or female， took up the note， and kept on wailing and weeping until Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu， after a time， sent a message to advise her to withhold her tears； when at length lady Feng desisted.
