红楼梦英语故事阅读.docxVIP

红楼梦英语故事阅读 This is an episode from the novel A Dream of RedMansions. Just as the whole family was busy prepasring the birthday ceremony for Jia Zheng，Jia was summoned to report to the imperial court. His family did not know why and feltuneasy about it. The family members waited for quite a while before the butler came back tosay that Jia YuangchunJia Zhengs eldest daughter was conferred the title of highest-ranking imperial concubine.The emperor had granted that Yuangchun would pay a visit to herparents at the upcoming Lantern Festival. The Jia family relaxed after hearing the news. Inorder to welcome the homecoming imperial concubine， the Jia family became busier and builta garden of grand views for the occasion. On the day of the Lantern Festival， Jia Zhengs mother led all members of her clan to wait bythe main entrance to the garden. Accompanied by a swarm of imperial maids， Yuanchuncame back on a sedan chair which was draped with an embroidery of a phoenix and tiny goldbells. Eight men carried the sedan chair on their shoulders. The imperial concubine was shownaround the garden， in which there were pavilions with gorgeouslypainted beams and pilars.There were also patches of bamboos and strangely-shaped stones. The trees in the garden weredecorated with flowers made of silk cloth while lanterns made of conches and clams were placedaside a pond. The garden was decorated so majestically that even Yuanchun thought it to betoo luxurious. After Yuanchun was seated， Jia Zhengs mother and Madam Wang Yuangchunsgrandmother and mothermet with her. Ther faced one another in silence：the mother andgrandmother couldnt speak a word; they just sobbed. Yuanchun finally said：It is not easyfor me to come back from a place where I can see no family members. But now that Im back，you just sob away and have nothing to say to me. Id better return to the palace. I dont knowwhen I will be allowed to come home again. After that，all