While speaking, he made Yue-ts'un sit down at the same table, and ordered
a fresh supply of wine and eatables; and as the two friends chatted of
one thing and another, they slowly sipped their wine.

The conversation ran on what had occurred after the separation, and
Yue-ts'un inquired, "Is there any news of any kind in the capital?"

"There's nothing new whatever," answered Tzu-hsing. "There is one thing
however: in the family of one of your worthy kinsmen, of the same name
as yourself, a trifling, but yet remarkable, occurrence has taken
place."

"None of my kindred reside in the capital," rejoined Yue-ts'un with a
smile. "To what can you be alluding?"

"How can it be that you people who have the same surname do not belong
to one clan?" remarked Tzu-hsing, sarcastically.

"In whose family?" inquired Yue-ts'un.

"The Chia family," replied Tzu-hsing smiling, "whose quarters are in the
Jung Kuo Mansion, does not after all reflect discredit upon the lintel
of your door, my venerable friend."

"What!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un, "did this affair take place in that family?
Were we to begin reckoning, we would find the members of my clan to be
anything but limited in number. Since the time of our ancestor Chia Fu,
who lived while the Eastern Han dynasty occupied the Throne, the
branches of our family have been numerous and flourishing; they are now
to be found in every single province, and who could, with any accuracy,