話說柳洪便袖了書信來到後面，憂容滿面。馮氏問道：「員外為著何事如此的煩悶？」柳洪便將顏生投親的原由，說了一遍。馮氏初時聽了也是一怔。後來便假意歡喜，給員外道喜，說道：「此乃一件好事，員外該當做的。」柳洪聞聽，不由得怒道：「什麼好事！你往日明白，今日胡塗了。你且看書信。他上面寫著叫他在此讀書，等到明年考試。這個用度須耗費多少。再者若中了，還有許多的應酬；若不中，就叫我這裡完婚。過一個月後，叫我這裡將他小兩口送往武進縣去。你自打算打算，這注財要耗費多少銀子？歸根我落個人財兩空。你如何還說做得呢？這不豈有此理麼？」
话说柳洪便袖了书信来到后面，忧容满面。冯氏问道：「员外为着何事如此的烦闷？」柳洪便将颜生投亲的原由，说了一遍。冯氏初时听了也是一怔。后来便假意欢喜，给员外道喜，说道：「此乃一件好事，员外该当做的。」柳洪闻听，不由得怒道：「什么好事！你往日明白，今日胡涂了。你且看书信。他上面写着叫他在此读书，等到明年考试。这个用度须耗费多少。再者若中了，还有许多的应酬；若不中，就叫我这里完婚。过一个月后，叫我这里将他小两口送往武进县去。你自打算打算，这注财要耗费多少银子？归根我落个人财两空。你如何还说做得呢？这不岂有此理么？」
Now, Liu Hong tucked the letter into his sleeve and went through to the back of the house, his face clouded with worry. “What is troubling you so, Squire?” asked Madam Feng. Liu Hong told her the whole story of why Yan had come to throw himself on his relatives. At first Madam Feng, too, was taken aback. Then she put on a show of delight and wished him joy. “Why, this is a fine thing,” she said. “It’s only right that you should do it.” Liu Hong flared up in spite of himself. “A fine thing? You’ve always had good sense, but today you’ve gone soft in the head. Just read the letter. It says he’s to study here and wait for next year’s examinations. Think what his keep will cost! What’s more, if he passes, there’ll be no end of calls and banquets to pay for; and if he fails, I’m to hold the wedding here, and a month later I’m to send the young couple off to Wujin County. Work it out for yourself: how much silver is this business going to cost me? In the end I’ll be left with neither my daughter nor my money. And you say I should do it? The very idea!”
馮氏趁機，便探柳洪的口氣，道：「若依員外，此事便怎麼辦呢？」柳洪道：「也沒有甚麼主意。不過是想把婚姻退了，另找個財主女婿，省得女兒過去受罪，也免得我將來受累。」馮氏見柳洪吐出退婚的話來，他便隨機應變，冒出壞包來了。對柳洪道：「員外既有此心，暫且將顏生在幽齋冷落幾天。我保不出十日，管叫他自己退婚、叫他自去之計。」柳洪聽了，喜道：「安人果能如此，方去我心頭大病。」
冯氏趁机，便探柳洪的口气，道：「若依员外，此事便怎么办呢？」柳洪道：「也没有甚么主意。不过是想把婚姻退了，另找个财主女婿，省得女儿过去受罪，也免得我将来受累。」冯氏见柳洪吐出退婚的话来，他便随机应变，冒出坏包来了。对柳洪道：「员外既有此心，暂且将颜生在幽斋冷落几天。我保不出十日，管叫他自己退婚、叫他自去之计。」柳洪听了，喜道：「安人果能如此，方去我心头大病。」
Madam Feng seized her chance to sound him out. “If it were up to you, then, what would you do about it?” “I haven’t really got a plan,” said Liu Hong. “I only thought I might call off the marriage and find a rich son-in-law instead. That would spare my daughter a life of hardship over there, and spare me the burden later on.” When Madam Feng heard Liu Hong come out with talk of breaking off the match, she rose to the occasion, and out came her bag of dirty tricks. “If that’s what you have in mind, Squire,” she said, “then for now just leave Yan out in the secluded study and give him the cold shoulder for a few days. I promise you, within ten days I’ll have a plan that makes him break off the match himself and take himself off.” Liu Hong was delighted. “If you can really manage that, madam, you’ll have cured the great ache in my heart.”
兩個人在屋中計議，不防被跟小姐的乳母田氏從窗外經過，將這些話一一俱各聽去。他急急的奔到後樓，來到香閣，見了小姐，一五一十俱各說了。便道：「小姐不可為俗禮所拘，仍作閨門之態。一來解救顏姑爺，二來並救顏老母。此事關係非淺，不可因小節而壞大事。小姐早早拿個主意。」小姐道：「總是我那親娘去世，叫我向誰申訴呢？」田氏道：「我倒有個主意。他們商議原不出十天。咱們就在這三五日內，小姐與顏相公不論夫妻，仍論兄妹，寫一字柬叫繡紅約他在內書房夜間相會。將原委告訴明白了顏相公，小姐將私蓄贈些與他，叫他另尋安身之處。俟科考後功成名就，那時再來就親，大約員外無有不允之理。」小姐聞聽，尚然不肯。還是田氏與繡紅百般開導解勸。小姐無奈，才應允了。
两个人在屋中计议，不防被跟小姐的乳母田氏从窗外经过，将这些话一一俱各听去。他急急的奔到后楼，来到香阁，见了小姐，一五一十俱各说了。便道：「小姐不可为俗礼所拘，仍作闺门之态。一来解救颜姑爷，二来并救颜老母。此事关系非浅，不可因小节而坏大事。小姐早早拿个主意。」小姐道：「总是我那亲娘去世，叫我向谁申诉呢？」田氏道：「我倒有个主意。他们商议原不出十天。咱们就在这三五日内，小姐与颜相公不论夫妻，仍论兄妹，写一字柬叫绣红约他在内书房夜间相会。将原委告诉明白了颜相公，小姐将私蓄赠些与他，叫他另寻安身之处。俟科考后功成名就，那时再来就亲，大约员外无有不允之理。」小姐闻听，尚然不肯。还是田氏与绣红百般开导解劝。小姐无奈，才应允了。
While the two of them were laying their plans in the room, they never guessed that Nurse Tian, the young lady’s wet nurse, was passing outside the window and heard every word. She hurried off to the rear building, came to the young lady’s chamber and told her everything, chapter and verse. “Miss,” she said, “you mustn’t let common proprieties tie your hands and go on behaving like a sheltered maiden. For one thing you’ll be rescuing Master Yan, your betrothed, and for another you’ll be saving his old mother as well. This is no small matter. Don’t let some little scruple ruin something so important. Make up your mind, miss, and quickly.” “It all comes of my own mother being dead,” said the young lady. “Who is there for me to turn to?” “I have an idea,” said Nurse Tian. “What they’ve agreed on is to be done inside ten days, so we’ll act within the next three or five. Leave aside that you and Mr. Yan are to be husband and wife, and treat him as the cousin he is. Write him a note, and we’ll have Xiuhong ask him to meet you one night in the inner study. Tell Mr. Yan the whole story, give him some of your own savings and tell him to find somewhere else to stay. Then, when the examinations are over and he has made his name, he can come back to claim his bride, and I don’t suppose the squire will have any reason to refuse.” The young lady heard her out but still would not agree. It took Nurse Tian and Xiuhong coaxing and persuading her every way they knew before at last, seeing no help for it, she consented.