But after another short stay, Lin Tai-yue repaired back to her quarters.

The next day Pao-yue saw dowager lady Chia. But in spite of his
confession that he himself was responsible for the scalding of his face,
his grandmother could not refrain from reading another lecture to the
servants who had been in attendance.

A day after, Ma, a Taoist matron, whose name was recorded as Pao-yue's
godmother, came on a visit to the mansion. Upon perceiving Pao-yue, she
was very much taken aback, and asked all about the circumstances of the
accident. When he explained that he had been scalded, she forthwith
shook her head and heaved a sigh; then while making with her fingers a
few passes over Pao-yue's face, she went on to mutter incantations for
several minutes. "I can guarantee that he'll get all right," she added,
"for this is simply a sadden and fleeting accident!"

Turning towards dowager lady Chia: "Venerable ancestor," she observed,
"Venerable Buddha! how could you ever be aware of the existence of the
portentous passage in that Buddhistic classic, 'to the effect that a son
of every person, who holds the dignity of prince, duke or high
functionary, has no sooner come into the world and reached a certain age
than numerous evil spirits at once secretly haunt him, and pinch him,
when they find an opportunity; or dig their nails into him; or knock his
bowl of rice down, during, meal-time; or give him a shove and send him
over, while he is quietly seated.' So this is the reason why the
majority of the sons and grandsons of those distinguished families do
not grow up to attain manhood."

Dowager lady Chia, upon hearing her speak in this wise, eagerly asked: