Even as a carp escapes the metal hook,
Flirts its tail and shakes its head
And returns not.
In front of the door La Chia said to his mistress:
"Wait a moment! I will call a little palankeen to take you to the house of Liu."
She answered:
"In this very court are my friends, my sisters, who have always been in sympathy with me.
"I must take leave of them; and I cannot neglect to thank them for the money they have lent me."
Accompanied by her Lord, she went to each pavilion to greet her friends. Now, one of them, Yuch-lang, was a very close friend of Shih-niang, so, seeing that she had not done her hair, she led her to her own toilet-table, and ran to call another friend, Hsu Su-Su. Then she took from her coffers many ornaments of king-fisher leather and bracelets and jasper pins, even embroidered robes and girdles ornamented with phoenix. She gave them to Shih-niang, over-coming her with gratitude.
She also ordered a feast of congratulation, to which all their friends were invited, and finally, at the end of day, offered the pair a bed for the night.