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"Were a tablet，" argued the whole company smilingly， "put up high in a spot like this， to be filled up by and by， the rustic aspect of a farm would in that case be completely done away with； and it will be better， yea far better to erect this slab on the ground， as it will further make manifest many points of beauty. But unless a motto could be composed of the same excellence as that in Fan Shih-hu's song on farms， it will not be adequate to express its charms！"
"Gentlemen，" observed Chia Cheng， "please suggest something."
"A short while back，" replied the whole company， "your son， venerable brother， remarked that devising a new motto was not equal to quoting an old one， and as sites of this kind have been already exhausted by writers of days of old， wouldn't it be as well that we should straightway call it the 'apricot blossom village？' and this will do splendidly."
When Chia Cheng heard this remark， he smiled and said， addressing himself to Chia Chen： "This just reminds me that although this place is perfect in every respect， there's still one thing wanting in the shape of a wine board； and you had better then have one made to-morrow on the very same pattern as those used outside in villages； and it needn't be anything gaudy， but hung above the top of a tree by means of bamboos."
Chia Chen assented. "there's no necessity，" he went on to explain， "to keep any other birds in here， but only to rear a few geese， ducks， fowls and such like； as in that case they will be in perfect keeping with the place."
"A splendid idea！" Chia Cheng rejoined， along with all the party.
"'Apricot blossom village' is really first-rate，" continued Chia Cheng as he again addressed himself to the company； "but the only thing is that it encroaches on the real designation of the village； and it will be as well to wait （until her highness comes）， when we can request her to give it a name."
"Certainly！" answered the visitors with one voice； "but now as far as a name goes， for mere form， let us all consider what expressions will be suitable to employ."
Pao-yue did not however give them time to think； nor did he wait for Chia Cheng's permission， but suggested there and then： "In old poetical works there's this passage： 'At the top of the red apricot tree hangs the flag of an inn，' and wouldn't it be advisable， on this occasion， to temporarily adopt the four words： 'the sign on the apricot tree is visible'？"
"'Is visible' is excellent，" suggested the whole number of them， "and what's more it secretly accords with the meaning implied by 'apricot blossom village.'"
"Were the two words 'apricot blossom' used for the name of the village， they would be too commonplace and unsuitable；" added Pao-yue with a sardonic grin， "but there's another passage in the works of a poet of the T'ang era： 'By the wooden gate near the water the corn-flower emits its fragrance；' and why not make use of the motto 'corn fragrance village，' which will be excellent？"
When the company heard his proposal， they， with still GREater vigour， unanimously combined in crying out "Capital！" as they clapped their hands.
Chia Cheng， with one shout， interrupted their cries， "You ignorant child of wrath！" he ejaculated； "how many old writers can you know， and how many stanzas of ancient poetical works can you remember， that you will have the boldness to show off in the presence of all these experienced gentlemen？ （In allowing you to give vent to） all the nonsense you uttered my object was no other than to see whether your brain was clear or muddled； and all for fun's sake， that's all； and lo， you've taken things in real earnest！"
Saying this， he led the company into the interior of the hall with the mallows. The windows were pasted with paper， and the bedsteads made of wood， and all appearance of finery had been expunged， and Chia Cheng's heart was naturally much gratified； but nevertheless， scowling angrily at Pao-yue， "What do you think of this place？" he asked.
When the party heard this question， they all hastened to stealthily give a nudge to Pao-yue， with the express purpose of inducing him to say it was nice； but Pao-yue gave no ear to what they all urged. "It's by far below the spot，" he readily replied， "designated 'a phoenix comes with dignified air.'"
"You ignorant stupid thing！" exclaimed Chia Cheng at these words； "what you simply fancy as exquisite， with that despicable reliance of yours upon luxury and display， are two-storied buildings and painted pillars！ But how can you know anything about this aspect so pure and unobtrusive， and this is all because of that failing of not studying your books！"
"Sir，" hastily answered Pao-yue， "your injunctions are certainly correct； but men of old have often made allusion to 'natural；' and what is， I wonder， the import of these two characters？"
the company had perceived what a perverse mind Pao yue possessed， and they one and all were much surprised that he should be so silly beyond the possibility of any change； and when now they heard the question he asked， about the two characters representing "natural，" they， with one accord， speedily remarked， "Everything else you understand， and how is it that on the contrary you don't know what 'natural' implies？ The word 'natural' means effected by heaven itself and not made by human labour."
"Well， just so，" rejoined Pao-yue； "but the farm， which is laid out in this locality， is distinctly the handiwork of human labour； in the distance， there are no neighbouring hamlets； near it， adjoin no wastes； though it bears a hill， the hill is destitute of streaks； though it be close to water， this water has no spring； above， there is no pagoda nestling in a temple； below， there is no bridge leading to a market； it rises abrupt and solitary， and presents no grand sight！ The palm would seem to be carried by the former spot， which is imbued with the natural principle， and possesses the charms of nature； for， though bamboos have been planted in it， and streams introduced， they nevertheless do no violence to the works executed. 'A natural landscape，' says， an ancient author in four words； and why？ Simply because he apprehended that what was not land， would， by forcible ways， be converted into land； and that what was no hill would， by unnatural means， be raised into a hill. And ingenious though these works might be in a hundred and one ways， they cannot， after all， be in harmony."……
