Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1149 What is the Rongguo Mansion planning?
It was nearing noon.

In front of the Marquis's mansion,

Zhang Jinyu stepped down from the carriage, looked up at the clouds on the horizon. It had been several days, but not a drop of rain had fallen, and the weather was unbearably muggy.

"Ningbian, take the brothers back and get some rest. Leave the carriage here; we might need it later."

"Yes, my lord, I understand."

Then, a group of people led the horses into the gate of the Marquis's mansion. When they reached the East Garden, Zhang Jinyu unbuttoned her clothes to cool off. She first went to the East Room, drank some tea, and then changed into a pair of layered shoes before heading to the main room.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, I saw Baozhu rushing out of the main room, followed by several maids carrying several basins of water. I didn't know what she was doing, so I called out to her casually.
"Baozhu, why are you in such a panic?"

As soon as the little maid saw that it was the Marquis returning, she hurriedly ran over.
"My lord, you're back. Miss has just finished her meal. I wiped her body, and she was a little sleepy, so she went to sleep. Ruizhu is inside fanning the madam."

"Yes, that's true. People tend to get sleepy on hot days. Here's what I'll do: have someone set out the meal in the east room. I'll rest for a while after I finish my meal. I don't want to bother my wife."

Zhang Jinyu stopped. It was midday, and although the sky was overcast, the rain had not yet fallen. The place was sweltering, and both he and his horse were exhausted.

"Yes, my lord, I will prepare the meal for you right away."

Baozhu's face lit up with joy, and she turned and ran to the backyard, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Zhang Jinyu was stunned for a moment, and before he could finish speaking, he didn't even fetch a basin of water to wipe his sweat. This girl.

She turned and went to the east room, sat down at the table, poured herself a bowl of tea, and sipped it slowly. A moment later, she heard a noise at the door. She assumed it was Baozhu returning so quickly, but instead, she only heard the curtain rustle, without hearing any footsteps. Zhang Jinyu looked up and saw a face that resembled Qin Keqing's, but judging from the figure, it was clearly not Qin Keqing herself. She entered, carrying a basin of water, her face flushed.
"My lord, let me wipe your sweat."

Watching Xiangling take small steps towards him, Zhang Jinyu smiled.

"Alright, put the basin down. I'll wash my face and wait a bit. You can stay and have some too."

Xiangling, her face filled with timidity, carefully handed over the brocade cloth in her hand.

"My lord, I have already eaten. How can I sit at the table with you?"

Zhang Jinyu took the brocade cloth, dampened it, wrung it out, and quickly wiped away the sweat from her body. Then she found a table, pulled over a chair, and arranged for someone to sit down.

"You've already eaten, but when the food comes later, why not have another meal with me?"

Looking at Xiangling's beautiful face, he liked her more and more and had the idea of ​​teasing her. He saw her shy face blushing in the room, like a lotus flower in its first bloom, making her even more lovable. Xiangling lowered her head and stood there motionless with her cheeks red.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. Baozhu, with a carefree demeanor and several maids, carrying a food box, walked into the room. Seeing Xiangling already standing there, she was somewhat puzzled.
"Come in, set out the food, and then leave."

He turned around and gave instructions to the maids behind him.
"Yes, Miss Bao."

Several maids nodded and quickly went to the table. In no time, they had laid out the food, from roast duck and steamed pork belly to a variety of Jiangnan dishes, filling the table to the brim with color, aroma, and flavor.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Jinyu simply waved his hand and said;

"You two, come, sit down, and have a drink with me to relieve your fatigue."

The two women exchanged a shy glance, unable to move. Seeing this, Zhang Jinyu stood up, reached out, and pulled their wrists to sit down. Xiangling sat close by and added a bowl of porridge for the Marquis, while Baozhu added two sets of chopsticks and bowls to the table. Just as Zhang Jinyu sat down, Baozhu picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, then noticed the curtain outside and moved slightly.

He frowned slightly, then casually swallowed the meat on his chopsticks, placed the chopsticks on the table, and looked up towards the door. He saw a graceful figure enter the room. Her clothes clearly indicated she was not a woman from the household. Although she was not a stranger, he couldn't immediately remember who she was.

Upon closer inspection, the newcomer was not tall, but wore a light green silk skirt commonly seen in the Rongguo Mansion, and her hair was styled in a way that left her face exposed. Seeing that the person was already approaching, Baozhu became alert and quickly got up to stop her.
"Who are you, and how did you get into the east garden of the Marquis's residence?"

Xiangling was also pondering. The person who came looked somewhat familiar. Xiangling was the slowest to react. She only got up now, blushed, took two steps back, and stood respectfully with her head bowed.

"Oh, it's Miss Baozhu."

A clear, melodious voice rang out, and the person who came was Wenxing, a maid in Xue Baochai's room at the Rongguo Mansion. Wenxing was only sixteen years old this year, with a pretty face and clever eyes, yet she did not lack the composure of a maid from a prominent family.

As soon as she entered the main hall, she saw the Marquis dining. She hesitated for a moment, but remembering her mistress's instructions, she had no choice but to go in. As soon as she entered, she bowed and greeted him, her voice clear and melodious like pearls falling on a jade plate.
"This servant, Wenxing, is here on my mistress's orders to pay my respects to the Marquis."

After speaking, he took out a red letter from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

“When I came, I brought something important with me. Miss instructed me to inform the Marquis immediately.”

Zhang Jinyu didn't get up, only letting out a faint "Eh." No wonder the unfamiliar face seemed familiar; it was Wenxing, Xue Baochai's personal maid. She reached out and took the letter, feeling a little puzzled. Could it be something important that the bank had run into trouble?

It was stuffy outside, but thankfully a window was open and a wisp of breeze blew in, making it slightly cooler.
"How is your young lady doing now? How is the money exchange doing?"

As he spoke, he unfolded the letter, his eyes scanning the words. With just a few words, he felt somewhat relieved.

It turned out that Jia Baoyu and Xue Pan of the Rongguo Mansion had the idea of ​​buying official positions. They wanted to use money to bribe officials and obtain a nominal title, and then try to get a real position in the Hanlin Academy or the Military Command. This kind of buying official positions was not a new thing in the capital. It was nothing more than rich kids or illegitimate sons of noble families who had no other way to make a living. They would spend money to buy a title in order to gain some face in the officialdom. If they took more money, they could get a real position.

Zhang Jinyu closed the envelope, her eyes filled with a strange look. But Jia Baoyu? That phoenix egg of the Rongguo Mansion, raised in luxury since childhood, was known for his carefree life, able to walk among flowers without a single petal touching him. Xue Pan was even more outrageous, relying on his family background to act recklessly in his early years, and now he was actually trying to "plan his future"? She sneered inwardly, but her face remained calm.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, Miss is doing well in the Rongguo Mansion. The bank sends out accounts every five days for Miss to check, and there are no omissions. However, today, the Second Mistress of the Rongguo Mansion came to see Miss to discuss the matter of donating an official position to Master Xue, so Miss asked me to come and deliver a message to Your Excellency."

Seeing that the Marquis remained silent, Wenxing thought she had said something wrong and bowed again:

"My lord, forgive my indiscretion, but this matter has caused quite a stir. Miss Baochai said that it was Lan-ge'er from the Ningguo Mansion who brought the news from the Imperial Academy, saying that it was the idea of ​​the Academy's Academic Commissioner, Lord Guo. The Old Madam heard this and that's when she started thinking about it. As for Young Master Xue Pan..." She paused, her voice slightly lowered.
“Master Xue is currently managing a restaurant in the south of the city, and the staff are all elderly members of the Xue family. But every time Miss checks the accounts, the expenses are more than the income. Although it's not to the point of losing money, it's not making any profit either. Master Xue must be squandering it.”

Zhang Jinyu tossed the letter aside, leaving it on the corner of the table. Xiangling obediently picked it up and placed it on the bookshelf beside her. Only then did he speak, his tone slightly teasing:

"What were you thinking, sending your master to manage the restaurant? As for the Rongguo Mansion also needing to donate official positions? Is it because of Guo Xuezheng of the Imperial Academy? That makes sense, it's a way to curry favor with the Jia family. As for Baoyu, his poetry and painting are fine, but he could never write an eight-legged essay for the imperial examinations. But Xue Pan—"

He narrowed his eyes, recalling old news. It seemed that Xue Pan never entered officialdom in the end, only holding a nominal official position through donation, and was still engaged in the business of running a business. If he really bought a real position today, perhaps with the Wang family's background, he could get a minor official post. After all, Jia Lian is doing quite well now, and they can't be biased towards each other.

"Then tell me, where does your young lady think would be suitable? Although the Hanlin Academy is a leisurely place, it is the territory of civil officials. The Military Command is not bad. As for the position, are there any that catch your eye?"

As they were talking, Baozhu approached, carrying a tray with steaming teacups inside. She carefully took them out and placed them in front of the Marquis.

When Zhang Jinyu asked, Wen Xing became even more reserved:
"My lord, please forgive me. Miss knows best that Master Xue's heart is elsewhere. Although Master Xue lives in the Rongguo Mansion and has done some remarkable things, the Duke's Mansion is still a high-ranking family. Fortunately, with the Marquis's support, the Xue family's business is secure."
However, the family's traditional pharmacy business has become increasingly difficult, with income failing to cover expenses. Therefore, Miss Xue wondered if things would be better if she went to court. Following Second Madam's suggestion, it would be better for a noble family like the Military Command. Miss Xue said that the position of Inspector General would allow Master Xue to relax and relieve his boredom.

After much talk about separation and reunion, I finally chose the position of Military Commander. The Military Commander was a government office in the capital that was known for its unfair treatment, but it was also the most secure.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Jinyu tapped the table with her fingertips. The stuffy air in the room seemed to freeze. The fragrance emanating from Xiangling mingled with the aroma of the food, rising and falling. Feeling a little hungry, she picked up the soup bowl and took a few sips.

Then, Xiangling deftly wrung out a wet wipe and handed it to him to wipe his sweat. Zhang Jinyu took it, but didn't use it right away. He just beckoned to Baozhu:
"Alright, let's eat. We can talk while we eat. You all, sit down together."

Baozhu responded and pulled Xiangling to sit down. Looking at Wenxing, who was still a little dazed, she also tugged at her sleeve and pulled her to her side. She also served her a bowl of rice. Zhang Jinyu first scooped a spoonful of chicken soup, poured it into the bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

The other three women carefully accompanied her, holding chopsticks and seemingly casually stirring the rice in their bowls. After a while, Xiangling put down her chopsticks and served her, occasionally handing her a towel and pouring tea. Her movements were light, but she couldn't hide a hint of nervousness. Wenxing was timid and held her breath, not daring to look directly at her. Baozhu, on the other hand, was carefree, her eyes darting back and forth on the table, occasionally picking up a few bites of food, her ears perked up, clearly very curious about the news from the Xue family.

Zhang Jinyu wasn't in a hurry. She slowly chewed the braised meat, and looked at the three of them looking restrained. She smiled and shook her head.

"You all, eat together, don't waste food. I don't care about these things. But Wenxing, I heard that the Xue family's old mansion has been renovated and Xue Pan has gone back to stay there a few times. Do you know where he went?"

Upon hearing this, Wenxing quickly replied:
"Yes, Your Excellency, I understand, Master Xue."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Jinyu snorted.
"What kind of master is Xue?"

Wenxing trembled with fright, her eyes reddening.
"Reporting to the Marquis, it was Young Master Xue. These days, he has taken money from the restaurant and gone to the brothel several times, saying he was going to see the Hu girls. When the lady sent someone to check the accounts, she had someone follow behind him."

"Hu Ji? Where did this Hu Ji come from?"

Zhang Jinyu found it strange. Chunlou was a property of Prince Zhongshun's mansion, so why would they openly transport Hu women to the capital? There must be a reason.

"My lord, I'm right, she's a Hu woman. I heard the head manager of a brothel bought her from the Western Regions. Many people even say she was a gift from those Hu envoys."

"Oh, and also today, Miss asked about the matter of buying an official position. She asked who she went through, and the Second Mistress of the Rongguo Mansion said it was through Chief Eunuch Xia in the palace. The money was also given to Eunuch Liu in the laundry department, because Eunuch Liu is extremely greedy and specializes in these kinds of idle positions. He said that as long as the money is enough, you can get a real post."

Seeing that the little girl didn't seem to be lying, Zhang Jinyu immediately became interested. Of the twenty prisons in the palace, the most tiring was the laundry department, which was where the palace people washed clothes. It was next to the Cold Palace, and some people from the Cold Palace were punished in the laundry department. But where did this Eunuch Liu come from? Interesting.

"It's easy to buy an official position, and it's not difficult to secure a real post. But to get a real post in the capital, not only do you need connections, but you also need considerable power and influence behind the scenes. Since Baochai thinks the Military Command is a good option, I agree. A seventh-rank patrol inspector needs to buy a sixth-rank insignia. In that case, you can go back and report today. But I don't know if the Rongguo Mansion is in a hurry."

Zhang Jinyu picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea was slightly cool, but it refreshed him. Watching the three clever and mischievous maids, he noticed the atmosphere of the meal, which, though intended for private conversation, had suddenly become somewhat ambiguous due to Wenxing's arrival. Xiangling, seeing the Marquis deep in thought, dared not speak, only gently fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan. Baozhu brought over a cup of wine, which Zhang Jinyu waved away.

"My lord, the Second Madam came over to discuss things. She seemed a bit anxious. It looks like she's in a hurry. She also said that the money for the embroidered robes donated to Master Bao this time was all paid for by the Old Madam."

Upon hearing that it was Grandmother Jia who had provided the money, Zhang Jinyu suddenly realized why Wang Xifeng was in such a hurry. She was spending other people's money; if she hadn't used the household's money, she would have been able to get away with it without any delay.

Thinking about the speculations about the Rongguo Mansion, Zhang Jinyu's eyes were somewhat amused. Even if Jia Baoyu bought his official position, becoming the chief clerk of the military command would not be an easy job. After all, they all came from military backgrounds, and the brothers under him only cared about money and women. Jia Baoyu was delicate and tender; could he handle it? It would be better for him to go to the Hanlin Academy and become a leisurely editor. As long as the Jia and Wang families did not fall, what official position could he not hold?

Only Xue Pan, once he joined the Military Command, might be able to thrive like a fish in water.

Zhang Jinyu gave a soft hum, picked up her chopsticks again, took a piece of green vegetable, and put it in her mouth to cleanse her palate.
"Alright, go back and tell your young lady that I know about this matter. The Rongguo Mansion is a murky place, and Jia Baoyu is a troublesome character, so just stay away from him. As for buying an official position... just do it according to your young lady's wishes. Since you've already bought an official position, don't be afraid to spend money. A seventh-rank patrol officer is too low-ranking, but a sixth-rank official can still be bought. It's best to get it right the first time."

It seems that one can only buy a fifth-rank official position by donating money. Even if one fills a substantive post, one will be appointed with a lower rank. Since it's all bought with money, it's better to buy a higher position. That way, it will save a lot of trouble. Lord He of the Military Command is considered an elder among the nobles. He doesn't care about the difference between a first-rank or second-rank official position. It seems that with the Rongguo Mansion's influence, it's not difficult to get a substantive post.

"Yes, my lord, I will definitely remember to tell Miss."

Wenxing squinted, clearly overjoyed. She hadn't forgotten any of her mistress's instructions. Just then, Xiangling took a bite of the chilled rice cake and, seeing that Wenxing hadn't touched her chopsticks, handed her a piece. Wenxing hurriedly took it, but as she held the rice cake, she noticed Xiangling's clothes and appearance and saw a strange look in her eyes. How could she be so similar to the Lady of the Marquis's Mansion?

Although the meal scene was only held at one table, it seemed to encapsulate the activities within the Rongguo Mansion. The atmosphere was layered and complex. Wenxing dared not linger. After taking a couple of bites, she took her leave.

As soon as the person left, Baozhu puffed out her cheeks and spoke, muttering:

"My lord, the food here is terrible. Wenxing's arrival was too untimely. I've heard that the Second Master Bao of the Rongguo Mansion is a womanizer."

With a look of disgust, Zhang Jinyu simply hummed in response, then turned her gaze back and asked;
"Where did you hear this from? Who told you it?"

"My lord, I heard this from the servants of the Rongguo Mansion. They said that when Master Bao went to the Iron Threshold Temple to offer incense, he went to the Water Moon Nunnery and had sex with two nuns. He was caught in the act by the Second Mistress."

Baozhu pouted, her face full of disgust. If it were just about going to a brothel, that would be one thing, but how could she bring a nun into the mansion? Zhang Jinyu was taken aback, suddenly remembering something written in a book from her past life—it seemed there was such a thing. Jia Baoyu was so impulsive, even thinking about these things while offering incense! Truly, appearances can be deceiving. Shuiyue Nunnery…thinking of this, she asked again…
"Where are Miaoyu and her masters in the manor now?"

After all, she still had a group of Buddhist monks and nuns living in her household. Apart from Master Miaoyu, it would be best to send the rest away as soon as possible. Baozhu put down her chopsticks, her eyes looking somewhat strange.
"My lord, the Taoist temple on the back mountain outside the city has been converted into a Buddhist temple. Many of the masters have already gone there. However, Master Miaoyu has set up a Buddhist hall in the old lady's backyard and recites scriptures for her every day. My young lady has also gone to listen a few times. Master Miaoyu knows a lot."

With her small eyes narrowed, it was unclear what good things she was thinking. Zhang Jinyu, upon hearing this, was somewhat surprised. So many things had changed in the manor, and Miaoyu had actually stayed? It was truly unbelievable; wasn't she supposed to be aloof and cold?
(End of this chapter)