Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1169 The Poetry Gathering at Rongguo Mansion
Right on the canal,
When Marquis Luoyun and the General's Mansion of Shuoyang County reached a secret agreement, it was past noon and approaching evening in the capital.

Inside the Pear Fragrance Garden, Xue Baochai had already changed her clothes. Today, she wore a honey-colored long gown, a rose-purple vest with gold and silver thread, and a light yellow silk cotton skirt. Although the colors were not flamboyant, they made her appear elegant, gentle, and kind. She came gracefully with Wenxing, still pondering whether things had been handled properly with her second sister-in-law. She had been given 30,000 taels of silver notes, which, although not much, still made her somewhat uneasy.

"Miss, why did Master Bao hold a poetry gathering after he returned? Could it be that things have been settled?"

Wenxing followed behind and cautiously asked, "So, Master Xue, uh, young master, has found a place to go?"

"It's easy to buy an official position, but if it's a real one, it requires approval from the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Personnel. These things depend on that Eunuch Liu's methods. If things go smoothly, this path is very rare."

In the capital's noble families, which one didn't have illegitimate sons? How did they become officials? There are many stories about it.

“Miss, if the master goes to the military headquarters, he won’t be fooled by those other businessmen. He might even look very impressive in his official robes.”

"You're all sweet-talking, it's easy for you to be a good person, but it's not so easy to be an official. Alright, get on with me."

The two exchanged a few words and then hurried on their way.

Upon arriving at the central courtyard of Rongqing Hall, Xue Baochai saw Lin Daiyu leading a group of people ahead and quickly called out to her.
"Sister Lin."

She greeted him with a smile, her voice as gentle and melodious as pearls falling onto a plate.

"Sister Bao".

Daiyu turned around, nodded slightly, and managed a faint smile at the corner of her lips. Her timing was perfect.

"No wonder today has been so lucky. It turns out I ran into my sister. She was also going to the poetry gathering at the old lady's place?"

Baochai approached and naturally walked alongside Daiyu. Looking at Daiyu's snow-white face, she felt a slight envy in her heart; she truly was a sight to behold.

"Ah."

Daiyu responded, her gaze sweeping over Baochai's slightly thinner face, and asked;

"I haven't seen my sister much these days. I suppose she's been studying hard at home?"

Baochai smiled slightly and replied evasively;
"It's just needlework and needlework, something to do in my spare time while flipping through books. But my sister, you look much healthier. It seems your efforts to take care of your health are starting to pay off. With the autumn nights getting chilly, please take good care of yourself."

He paused, glancing at the commotion coming from Rongqing Hall not far ahead, guessing that everyone had arrived, and casually asked Wenxing beside him,
"Wenxing, I heard a commotion inside just now. Is it that Master Bao and the others have all arrived?"

Wenxing froze, unsure of her mistress's meaning, but she quickly replied;
"Miss, when I passed by just now, I heard from the maids that Miss Sanchun, Miss Shi, and Master Bao had already arrived at Rongqing Hall. The old lady brought some fine tea, and the teacups were already full. Master Bao specially bought some cloud cakes from Yaoji Shop and was inviting everyone to try them. Miss Tanchun asked where to sit, and Miss Shi was clamoring to sit with Master Bao. It was quite lively!"

Wenxing's words inadvertently filled in the gaps in the situation inside Rongqing Hall. These words were spoken directly to Lin Daiyu, reminding her that there were some things she needed to be aware of.

As Daiyu listened, the faint smile on her lips slowly faded, her eyes filled with cold displeasure. She preferred quiet, and this noise made her feel irritated, unable to move. Xue Baochai noticed, walked over, took Daiyu's hand, and patted it gently.

"It may be lively, but those who are supposed to go still have to go."

And so, Lin Daiyu was pulled by Xue Baochai into the corridor. The two walked in silence, with only the sound of their footsteps. When they reached the corner gate of Rongqing Hall, their laughter and chatter could be heard clearly.

The two exchanged a glance, and sure enough, they stepped inside. Just as they passed through the passageway, they saw Wang Xifeng, supported by Ping'er, rushing out from another alleyway. She was wearing a bright red satin skirt embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers, her colorful embroidery dazzling, like a goddess or fairy. Her face was covered with her usual cheerful smile, but her eyes were as sharp as ever.

Upon seeing that the two had arrived at this late hour, he immediately called out;
"Oh my! Who do we have here? It's two beautiful young ladies! We've been waiting for you! Why are you so late? I've been looking all over the front yard."

Fengjie's voice was loud and clear. She stepped forward, took Daiyu's hand with one hand and Baochai's arm with the other, her eyes filled with joy.

"I was just wondering why I didn't see you two!"

The two were a little embarrassed and wanted to say something more intimate, but with the second sister-in-law pulling them apart, they probably wouldn't be able to talk anymore.

"Thank you for your concern, Second Sister-in-law. It's just a short walk."

Xue Baochai reacted quickly, greeting her with a smile, while Lin Daiyu withdrew her hand and nodded slightly.

Fengjie didn't care at all, her gaze swept over Daiyu and Baochai's faces, and she smiled:

"Look at them, each one of them is so delicate and sensitive! But the old lady is happy today, and Brother Bao is also in a good mood. Let's just enjoy ourselves. If you don't like it, just eat some more pastries. I brought quite a lot of the new honey-dipped pastries from Yaoji Trading Company."

"Listen to Second Sister-in-law,"

Lin Daiyu was somewhat surprised, not expecting her second sister-in-law to be so understanding, and finally spoke up.

Wang Xifeng raised an eyebrow, staring at Daiyu's beautiful face. Who wouldn't be captivated by such a fairy-like appearance? Looking around and seeing no one of importance nearby, she leaned closer, lowering her voice to a level of heartfelt intimacy:

"You two sisters have arrived just in time. I have some good news for you, Baochai. The matter from before has been resolved. The official position you donated has been decided. The fifth-rank official hat has been delivered. No, it's a sixth-rank official hat."

Wang Xifeng suddenly remembered the official robe that had been delivered, which seemed to be the hat of a sixth-rank official. When she asked the eunuch who had delivered it, he said that the vacancy had already been filled.

Lin Daiyu was a little confused. What was this about filling in the gaps? She looked at Baochai with a puzzled expression, while the latter looked delighted.
"Does Second Sister-in-law mean that the matter with the Military Command has been settled?"

If a fifth-rank official hat is sent, it means the actual position has not yet been decided; if a sixth-rank official robe is sent, it means the position has already been decided.

Wang Xifeng nodded and said;

"The message has been sent. We just need to wait for the Ministry of Personnel to change the documents. I have already instructed someone to send the official robe and hat to Pear Fragrance Garden for the concubine to receive. I think the documents should be issued in a few days. Tell Brother Xue Pan to make preparations in advance."

After all, she had heard a lot about the restaurants in the southern part of the city. Which restaurant didn't make money? Or did they send all their money to the prostitutes in brothels? The Xue family's affair with the prostitutes was all over the place.

Only then did Lin Daiyu realize that it was the Xue family member who had bought his way into the official position.
"Then congratulations, Sister Xue! This way, Brother Xue will also have a good place to go."

It wasn't flattery, but Xue Baochai didn't care much about such things. It was just a way of paving the way with money, so she praised her second sister-in-law.

“Sister, you’re too kind. If it weren’t for Second Sister-in-law’s introduction, we wouldn’t have had this opportunity. Fortunately, Baoyu and my brother went together, so we can look after each other.”

Xue Baochai originally thought that Daiyu knew about these things, so she replied with a single sentence. However, Lin Daiyu's expression was strange. Thinking of Baoyu's temperament, she wondered how long he could hold down an official position.

Seeing that the two had responded, Wang Xifeng pulled them by the sleeves and led them into the inner hall.

Just entered,
The inner room was bustling with activity. The old lady sat high on the kang (a heated brick bed), and Baoyu was seated at the head of the table on his right. Behind him sat Shi Xiangyun, and opposite her were the three maids, Sanchun. The three of them entered together, immediately quieting the room. First, they greeted the old lady.

"Greetings to the old lady."

Grandmother Jia was overjoyed and quickly waved her hand.
"Oh dear, I was just talking about you guys. Why are you so late? I even said I sent the maid to look for you. Please sit down. Someone, bring some tea."

After a brief greeting, Wang Xifeng unceremoniously sat down next to Grandmother Jia. The table was fully stocked with food, and she began peeling pine nuts. Xue Baochai and Lin Daiyu, on the other hand, sat directly below Shi Xiangyun, with Lin Daiyu at the very end. As soon as they sat down, Jia Baoyu's gaze fell on the two of them, unable to look away.

Perhaps sensing something was amiss, Tan Chun quickly coughed.
"Oh dear, you two sisters have come at the perfect time. Everything needed for the poetry gathering has already been prepared."

He beckoned, and the maidservant brought in a gilded bronze basin with a sandalwood chopstick on it, seemingly for tapping.

Perhaps it was the mention of the poetry gathering that brought Jia Baoyu back to his senses. Especially when he saw Lin Daiyu and Baochai, his eyes lit up, and he quickly rose to his feet and stood in the center of the hall, acting as if he were the host.
"Thank you for your kindness, Madam. Let's not be too formal today and have a small gathering in Rongqing Hall. How about we hold a poetry recital? The topics are up to us, and the rules of poetry don't matter. Let's just have some fun." He said "sisters," but his eager gaze kept lingering on the two beautiful figures. Today, Lin Daiyu was still dressed in a plain Taoist robe, sitting there sipping tea and snacks without raising her head at all.

Xue Baochai, on the other hand, wore a lotus-colored brocade jacket with gold trim and an apricot-yellow cotton skirt. She looked dignified and elegant, with her head held high and her gaze fixed straight ahead. Occasionally, she would whisper a few words to Xiangyun, seemingly paying little attention to the poetry gathering.

Seeing that everyone was preoccupied with their own things, Jia Baoyu was anxious and was about to go up and talk to them when he saw that the two of them were distant. The flame that had just been ignited in his heart seemed to have been doused with cold water.

Perhaps sensing Baoyu's embarrassment, Shi Xiangyun quickly clapped her hands.
"Great idea! The autumn light is just right today, why not use 'autumn' as the theme? What do you think?"

This helped Baoyu out of a tight spot, and Tanchun also smiled and said:

"It's only the beginning of autumn, and we can't feel it here yet, but in the north, it's already chilly. Writing a poem based on imagination is not bad."

Yingchun and Xichun nodded in agreement with smiles. After waiting for so long, it was bound to be fun.

Baoyu suppressed his discomfort, steadied himself, and mustered his spirits:

"Sister Yun's suggestion is great! Let's use 'Autumn' as the theme, with no restrictions on rhyme scheme, and everyone can write whatever they like at the poetry gathering."

His eyes remained fixed on the two behind him. He watched as the maids laid out writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and diligently laid out fine Xue Tao paper in front of Daiyu and Baochai, and also laid out a sheet for Shi Xiangyun. Finally, he asked a question.
"Lin Daiyu, Baochai, these are all brought from the Imperial Academy."

These are all top-quality Xuan paper, only available to the Imperial College and some other academies. Purchasing from outside is too expensive, so they are rarely used.

Daiyu slightly raised her eyelashes, glanced at the exquisite stationery, disliking such gaudy things the most. Her voice was indifferent, carrying a hint of barely perceptible aloofness:

"Thank you for your trouble, but I'm not very good at writing poetry. I can just throw together a few lines. There's no need for such fine paper and ink."

As he spoke, he took a piece of plain white bamboo paper from the table beside him and spread it out.

Seeing that Daiyu didn't use these things, Baochai's heart stirred. She smiled gently and stopped the Xue Tao note that Baoyu was offering:

"Thank you, Brother Bao. You should keep these papers for yourself."

She even spread out a sheet of plain paper beside her, leaving Jia Baoyu, who had just arrived, stunned and at a loss for what to do.

Grandmother Jia, watching from above, took in all of this. She sighed inwardly; how could she not know the thoughts of her young children? But now that the die was cast, she could only pretend not to see them and cheerfully greet them:
"Alright, alright, get to writing! Yuanyang, give them my pair of jade paperweights. Feng'er, don't just sit there. You can't write poetry, go and get them some hot tea and snacks. We bought so many treats, let them try them while they're hot."

"Yes, my ancestor."

Wang Xifeng was sitting below Grandmother Jia, laughing heartily as she directed the maids Ping'er and Feng'er to serve her. She herself did not move, and she had naturally seen the scene just now where Baoyu had been embarrassed in front of Daiyu and Baochai. She secretly laughed at Baoyu's infatuation, but did not show it on her face. Instead, she made the scene even more lively.

Seeing this, Jia Baoyu helplessly turned back to his seat, picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and stood there blankly thinking. It seemed that most of his previous talent had vanished, and he didn't know why.

The room gradually quieted down, with only the soft scratching of pens on paper and the occasional gentle clinking of fragrant tea being poured into cups.

Speaking of poetry, all three of them were masters, skilled and experienced. Tan Chun wrote quickly and swiftly, Xiang Yun bit her pen, sometimes frowning and sometimes smiling, Xi Chun carefully considered her words, and Ying Chun wrote only a few strokes, yet the artistic conception was profound.

Baoyu thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a suitable one. Although he forced himself to write a poem, his mind kept drifting to Daiyu and Baochai's desks. When he saw that the two of them hadn't started writing, his heart tightened.

While everyone else was dawdling, Daiyu was different. She took a few bites of the cloud cake, found the taste acceptable, and then picked up her teacup and drank a few sips. Watching everyone pondering the words and phrases of poetry, she felt bored and ignored the blank Xuan paper.

About half an hour later, the rest of the people put down their pens one after another. Baoyu also came up with a poem. After he finished writing it, he looked at everyone else putting down their pens and hurriedly suggested:

"Alright, now that it's finished, why don't we read it aloud and let everyone give their opinions?"

His gaze swept around, and only Shi Xiangyun nodded. Reluctantly, he could only speak to Tan Chun opposite him:
"Third sister, you read it first."

Tan Chun did not refuse and recited a poem, "Morning Steps," in a loud voice;
"The leaves of the paulownia tree before the steps turned yellow last night, and the dew dampened my autumn clothes as the morning air grew cool. The occasional cicada's song gradually faded, and the wind carried the osmanthus blossoms over the east wall."

"well."

Although Xichun didn't hear clearly, her shout of "Good!" enlivened the atmosphere in the room.

Then Xiangyun recited a poem called "Sitting by the Window";
"Sparse clouds and pale sunlight reflect on the study window, and the morning glory by the fence is half faded. Idly I wave my round fan, and a breeze carries the fragrance of osmanthus."

Next came the poems of Yingchun and Xichun, both fresh and elegant, which drew cheers from the crowd. When it was Daiyu's turn, she clapped her hands, brushing away the crumbs of pastry.

“I didn’t write any poems. Early autumn in Jiangnan isn’t important, so I didn’t have much to say about it. It was a waste of this poetry gathering.”

The room fell silent instantly.

Baoyu's face immediately darkened. Looking at the poem he had written in his hand, he lost all motivation. Just as he was about to speak, Xue Baochai interrupted him.
"That's true. In Jiangnan, it's only cold for a few days a year. No wonder the younger sisters write so well. My poem is not worthy of being presented in a refined manner. So let's just have some fun."

Without waiting for Baoyu to speak, they tore down the Xuan paper written on the table. With the two of them doing this, the so-called poetry gathering naturally came to an end without any result.

Grandmother Jia, sitting on the kang (heated brick bed), felt sorry for Baoyu when she saw him looking sad. She could only change the subject. Just then, she thought of the matter of buying an official position and turned her gaze to Wang Xifeng, who was laughing and chatting beside her.

"Feng girl,"

Grandmother Jia suddenly spoke, her tone casual, and asked;
"I heard the other day that you went to Xuanhe Gate in person. How did the matter concerning Baoyu go?"

This question was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing a moment of stillness.

All eyes were more or less on Wang Xifeng. They all knew about the matter of buying an official position, and the Meng family's wedding was just around the corner. If Baoyu obtained an official position, things would naturally be different.

Wang Xifeng's smile froze slightly, but in an instant, her shrewd and charming smile returned flawlessly, even more radiant than before.

"Oh my goodness! Your ears are so sharp! How did news of what I just did reach you?"

As he spoke, he moved closer to Grandmother Jia and personally massaged her legs.

"You've accomplished the task, yet you keep your mouth shut. What did Eunuch Liu say about filling the gap?"

"It's good news, of course. After receiving the silver, Eunuch Liu first sent over the sixth-rank official robes and seal, saying it was for filling a vacancy in the Military Affairs Department. After he sends the name card to the Imperial Household Department and registers it with the Ministry of Personnel, he will send over the transfer document, and then the matter will be settled."

Based on her probing, the matter should be resolved within the next few days. After all, other families are also looking for connections, and Liu Gonggong's old connections are the most reliable in getting things done.

Grandmother Jia hummed in agreement, picked up her teacup, and slowly sipped it. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even Baoyu temporarily put aside his own worries and looked over curiously. The three sisters and the others held their breath, knowing that if this matter succeeded, Baoyu would have a place to settle down and make a living.

"It's good that it's done. I trust Eunuch Liu to handle things. But you still need to keep an eye on things for a while. This isn't something we can do alone. There are quite a few noble families who want to pull strings."

I originally thought buying an official position would be easy, but when I sent Lai Da to inquire, I was surprised to find so many people waiting.

"Oh, don't worry, old lady. Even if some things are difficult, we are now benefiting from the two younger sisters. After Marquis Luoyun went north, the Imperial Household Department will still provide some support."

"Ah, that's good."

(End of this chapter)