As for him, in the freshness of his still maiden youth he spoke to her of everlasting vows, of a love higher than the mountain and vaster than the sea, and of a marriage shaped from a boundless happiness.  Her betrothed, her parents and her shame were all forgotten.  She covered her face with her hand and resisted no longer.

When the cloud and the rain of their intoxication had been dispelled, they clasped each other close and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, the nurse, being in the secret of this disguise, had been much disturbed at seeing Prudence share the young man’s bed.  From the adjoining room she had heard their laughter, and then their sighs, and had no further doubt of what had happened.  And inwardly she cried:  “Woe!  Woe!”

In the morning, after Prudence had returned to her parents’ house to perform her toilet, the woman came in to wait upon Yu-lang, and said to him in a low voice: 

“O practitioner!  You have done a fine thing!  What will happen if people come to know of it?”

“I did not search her out.  Her mother led her to my bed.  How could I have avoided this?”

“You ought to have resisted with all your might.”

“With such an adorably beautiful girl?  Even a man of iron and stone could not have resisted.  Also, if you say nothing, who will know of it?”

When the process of disguise was again completed, he went to salute the wife of Liu.  Then all the women of the house and the cousins came to see him.  Finally Prudence came in, and they two laughed together.  For that day, as was the custom, Liu and his wife had invited their relations and friends, and there was a great feast, with music and a dinner lasting until the evening.  Then, when the house was quiet again, the girl went, as on the previous night, to keep young Yu-lang company.  That night, even more so than the preceding one, the butterflies beat their wings, and the passionate phoenixes were convulsed.

In the morning, they kept together.  Therefore the scandalized nurse ran out and told everything to Sun said his wife, and they reeled with surprise and emotion.

“Alas, misfortune will certainly come of it!  We must bring him back as soon as possible.”

They summoned the go-between and told her that, according to custom, on the third day after the marriage they wished to see their daughter at their house.  She therefore went to the home of Liu, and the two lovers trembled when they heard of this request.  But the wife of Liu had not forgotten the difficulties which Sun had made with regard to the marriage; and she was afraid of not seeing her daughter-in-law again.  So she said: 

“But my son is still suffering, and the marriage has not been altogether accomplished.  We will speak of this again at some later time.”

This answer had to be sufficient.  The nurse was in terror, and watched the approaches of the room all night for fear lest anybody should hear the rapturous exclamation of the lovers.