Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1191 The Order from the Military Command
Beijing,

The front courtyard of Rongguo Mansion was still bustling with activity.

Wang Xifeng, accompanied by Ping'er, inspected the construction site gate again. Seeing that the walls on both sides were already connected to the courtyard wall between the two mansions, she instructed Lai Da to keep an eye on things and prepare to leave a gate in the middle.

"Lai Da, you need to keep a close eye on the gate tower. After the gate tower is built, bring more people to watch over it, so that there are no oversights."

"Don't worry, Second Madam, this servant will definitely send people to keep an eye on things. Now, when people come and go in the mansion, this servant, the gatekeeper, and the steward are all taking turns to watch them. If anyone is unfamiliar, we will stop them. Those who are in charge of purchasing also go out at the same time now."

Lai Xiaoxiao waited patiently by his side, his face now showing a more humble expression, completely unlike his previous domineering self.

"Okay, that's good. Also, is there anything you need to help your sister-in-law with? I asked you to send her some fresh fruits and vegetables, did you send them?"

Fengjie walked to the dining area in the front yard, found a shed, had Ping'er wipe her down, and sat down. The servants around her immediately stood there obediently, their heads bowed and eyes lowered.

"Don't worry, Second Madam. This servant has already arranged for people to deliver the items. It will not cause you any trouble."

Lai Da quickly responded. He didn't know when it started, but now the affairs of the two mansions were decided by the Second Mistress and the First Mistress. Not to mention the affairs of the East Mansion, even the affairs of the clan, the First Mistress's prestige is growing day by day. Even Madam You rarely shows her face now.

"That's good. The people in your household should know better now."

Sister Feng curled her lips, clearly not taking the "sensible" words seriously. Those gossipy old women in the mansion were all old servants who had served their masters their whole lives, and they were still given the respect due to them. Thinking of some unpleasant things that happened to the old lady, she changed the subject and started talking about the "trivial matters" in the mansion.

"Also, I've heard that there's been some trouble in the manor these past few days, and the nights are noisy. It seems like someone is gambling."

Seeing that Second Madam was absent-minded and seemed lost in thought, Ping'er wanted to offer a word of advice, but when the words came to her lips, she didn't know how to say them.

Lai Da, listening intently, was also somewhat confused. Things had been peaceful at home these past few days; could it be something going on with the kitchen?

"Second Madam, these days the servants in the manor have been much more well-behaved. Those serving the masters' courtyards are taking turns. But the Liu family in the kitchen said that this month, the rice and grain expenses in the inner courtyard have increased by 30% compared to last month! After questioning them carefully, I found out that those lawless people dared to take good rice out to exchange for old rice at a price difference. In a fit of anger, I sent them to the estate."

Wang Xifeng frowned suddenly and asked sharply:

"Who has the audacity to steal here? Which courtyard are they from?"

Since he was doing these things, he must have someone behind him. After getting involved in the household's procurement, he finally realized the intricacies involved. The household's expenses could amount to a lot of money over a year.

Lai Da opened his mouth, looking troubled, but Ping'er beside him had a sudden thought, leaned down and whispered in his ear;
"Grandma, I heard it was a servant boy from the Second Madam's courtyard who went to the grain store on Qian Hua's behalf, but he bought low-grade rice at the price of high-grade rice and sent it back."

"From the second wife's courtyard?"

Wang Xifeng raised an eyebrow. Qian Hua hadn't been disciplined for quite some time, yet he was so lax. Or was someone making him slack off?

“She’s from the Second Madam’s courtyard. She used to work as Zhou Rui’s assistant. She’s been involved in many things in the household. Just last month, there was that old woman Wang from the back courtyard who, in order to get her monthly wages early, secretly pawned her daughter’s fairly decent silver hairpin to a loan shark! When I heard about it, I immediately had someone get it back.”

Ping'er was also quite helpless. The monthly allowance in the manor was always paid a month later and was never withdrawn in advance. These were all rules set by her grandmother. But some people got into trouble when they lost money gambling.

Wang Xifeng sat in the shed in the front yard, listening to Ping'er talk about the old women in Yingchun Courtyard. Her brows furrowed, but a cold smile appeared on her face. She picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip. The tea was cold, but it suited her mood perfectly—an overwhelming sense of irritation. One or two of them didn't take her words to heart, and it had been a while since she had dealt with them.

Thinking of the group of people who came from the East Prefecture before, I wonder how well they were used.

“You handled it well. Such lawless people should be sent away as soon as possible to prevent them from corrupting the atmosphere of the household.”

He put down his teacup, nodded to Ping'er, and glanced at the submissive old women around him. He thought to himself: These old women, just because they've served their master their whole lives, dare to gamble and talk nonsense. Do they really think they're something special? It seems the rules in this mansion need to be tightened up.

"Yes, grandma."

Ping'er responded with a "Yes," but her face showed worry as she whispered:

"Grandma, it's getting late. The old lady at Rongqing Hall is still waiting to pay her respects. We should set off now so that she won't worry."

Wang Xifeng suddenly realized, looked up at the sky, the sun was setting in the west, and on the construction site in the front yard, the craftsmen were still busy finishing the gate tower, and several managers were directing the servants to move bricks and stones, all in an orderly manner. She hummed softly, helped Ping'er to her feet, and the old women in the shed immediately bowed and stepped aside to make way for her.

"Let's go, don't keep the old lady waiting. Oh, by the way, there are some things I'll ask you later."

Wang Xifeng straightened her clothes, her crimson satin gown shimmering in the setting sun, making her appear even more shrewd and capable. She took a light step forward, her skirt swaying gently, with Ping'er following closely behind. Ping'er was still pondering whether, if she asked some questions that evening, the young maids and servants of the East Mansion could replace the servants in the mansion. But then she thought that if she moved too quickly, it would be difficult to explain to the Second Madam.

She had only taken a few steps out of the shed when she heard a commotion at the front gate. It turned out that people from the estate had delivered fresh vegetables to the manor and were preparing to bring them inside. Seeing the Second Mistress there, the head steward hurried forward, his face plastered with a subservient smile.

"Second Madam, this servant greets you."

Wang Xifeng nodded, and was about to instruct these people to send some more to her sister-in-law's side when a gatekeeper came running up breathlessly, knelt on one knee, and reported, shouting:

"Second Madam, Second Madam, something terrible has happened! An eunuch has come outside. He says he is Eunuch Tian from the Laundry Bureau, and he has documents from the Ministry of Personnel. He wants to see the head of the household."

The person who came was in a hurry and looked flustered. He knelt down before he could stand properly, and his legs went weak, so he collapsed to the ground and couldn't get up.

Upon hearing this, Lai Da's expression tightened, and he quickly rebuked him:

"What's the panic? Can't you see Second Madam is here? You good-for-nothing, come with me and welcome her in."

Lai Da called to the two men beside him, preparing to pull the person on the ground up and head to the main gate of Rongguo Mansion.

But after walking a few steps, they saw a eunuch dressed in a blue satin official robe slowly enter, followed by two junior eunuchs carrying a brocade box.

That eunuch Tian was sent by eunuch Liu. Although young, he was fair-skinned and beardless, with a hint of worldly wisdom in his eyes. He entered the front courtyard with a smile, looked around, and upon seeing Wang Xifeng in front of him, he cupped his hands and smiled, saying:

"Oh my, isn't this Second Madam Lian from the Rongguo Mansion? We've come at just the right time, just as you're managing affairs in the front courtyard. What a joyous occasion!"

Wang Xifeng's heart skipped a beat, but she put on a warm smile and quickly went to greet him:

"Who is it? The magpies just left today. I didn't expect Eunuch Tian to grace us with his presence. I'm so sorry for not welcoming you properly! Please come into the shed and have a cup of hot tea."

He gestured for Ping'er to prepare tea, then called for the old women to bring out pastries. He then led Eunuch Tian inside. Lai Da was quick-witted and had already instructed the old women to rearrange the shed, add cushions, and even bring out chairs from inside the house.

After Eunuch Tian sat down, he took the teacup, took a sip slowly, and then took out a document from his sleeve and handed it over.

“Second Madam Lian, we are here on the orders of our godfather to deliver the transfer documents. The positions of Jia Baoyu and the Xue family’s son in the military command that your family previously reported have been decided by the higher-ups.”

He paused, then lowered his voice.
"These past few days, my godfather went to the Imperial Household Department to get the document signed. You may not know, but when he went there, quite a few people inquired about it. In order to avoid any unforeseen complications, my godfather took the document on the spot and filed it with the Ministry of Personnel. He only got the document yesterday. I made this trip because of your family's influence."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng was overjoyed, but remained outwardly calm. Only a glint of light flashed in her eyes as she smiled and took the document. After a careful look, she saw that it read:

Jia Baoyu was appointed as the registrar of the Military Affairs Office, while Xue Pan became the patrol captain. Both were sixth-rank officials. Although the north city was quiet, the trade routes to the north had been opened. Merchants who couldn't find shipping would naturally use the north gate, which was quite lucrative and a respectable job. With this, Baoyu found a job, got married, and had children. The Second Madam's side should have calmed down. As for Xue Pan, he was related to the family, so the household would have another person to rely on.

"Oh my, Eunuch Tian, ​​this is wonderful news!"

Wang Xifeng smiled broadly and responded quickly, taking out a silver note from her sleeve, weighing about a hundred taels, and quietly slipping it into Eunuch Tian's hand.

"Please don't think this is too little for tea, sir. It's hard for you to make this trip in this hot weather. When you return to the palace, please put in a good word for us with the nobles. There will be plenty of time in the future."

Eunuch Tian took the silver note and slipped it into his sleeve, beaming with joy.

"Second Madam Lian, you're too kind! There's plenty of time in the future. We will certainly convey your gratitude. Please keep these two documents safe. You must report to the Military Command within five days. If you need official robes and light armor, just tell the Laundry Bureau, and we'll send someone to fetch them that same day." Eunuch Tian smiled slightly. Official matters weren't one-off deals. After accepting the silver notes, he rose to take his leave. Wang Xifeng rose and personally saw him to the courtyard gate, then instructed Lai Da:

"Prepare some loose silver for your father-in-law's attendants as well, don't neglect them."

Lai Da responded and left.

As soon as Eunuch Tian left, Wang Xifeng hurriedly returned and said to Ping'er:
"Quickly, put this document away. We'll go to Rongqing Hall right away. The old lady will be overjoyed to hear this news!"

Ping'er hurriedly put the documents into a brocade pouch, and the two of them, mistress and servant, got into a sedan chair. The sedan chair bearers carried them all the way through the back courtyard corridor and headed straight for Rongqing Hall.

With the Second Madam gone, the front yard bustled with activity again. The stewards breathed a sigh of relief, and even the servants had beads of sweat on their faces. One of them, having stood for so long, had numb legs.
"Oh dear, Second Madam has so many connections. She got that official position so easily."

"That's right, Second Madam is quite powerful now. Those people outside are more loyal to Second Madam than they are to the master of the East Garden."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Hurry up and go wash the vegetables."

"Yes Yes Yes."

The old women quickly agreed, knowing that what they had just said, if it got out, would cause them a lot of trouble.

Intermediate Court

Inside Rongqing Hall,

The air was filled with a warm, fragrant scent. Grandmother Jia was reclining on the daybed, with Yuanyang massaging her legs. Lady Wang and Lady Xing sat on either side of her, while the three sisters, Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun, sat below her, chatting.

Incense burned with lilies in the burner in the hall, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the carved window lattice, scattering golden fragments on the floor. As the curtain rustled, Grandmother Jia saw Wang Xifeng enter and smiled, saying:
"Feng'er is here? Have you finished with the work in the front yard? Please sit down and rest."

Wang Xifeng bowed, her face beaming with joy. She stepped forward, approached Grandmother Jia, and said with a smile:

"Greetings, madam! I have some wonderful news to share today."

Reaching back, Ping'er immediately took out the document and presented it with both hands.

"Eunuch Tian from the Laundry Bureau just arrived, bringing with him the transfer documents from the Ministry of Personnel. Baoyu and Xue Pan's positions in the Military Command have been finalized. Baoyu will be the Registrar of the Yamen, and Xue Pan will be the Patrol Officer. These are real appointments. Report to the Military Command in the North City within five days."

Grandmother Jia took the document, squinted and examined it closely. It was indeed the official seal of the Ministry of Personnel, and her face immediately lit up with a smile.

"Good! Good! Baoyu has finally made something of himself. This position in the Military Command is very respectable, and he will be able to make a living here in the future."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang was overjoyed and uttered a Buddhist prayer:

"Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva protect you! Baoyu is able to get this position thanks to the old lady."

Although Madam Xing smiled, a hint of bitterness flashed in her eyes—after all, Baoyu was the legitimate son of the second branch of the family. Although her eldest son, Jia Lian, worked in the Beijing Garrison, he was only risking his life for it. Now, the people of the second branch of the family had successively obtained the East Mansion and still had dignity. When would it be her turn? After all, she still had Jia Zong by her side.

Tan Chun, quick-witted, stood up to offer her congratulations:
"Congratulations, Madam! Congratulations, Second Madam! Brother Bao's position will surely bring glory to the family."

Xichun and Yingchun echoed, but Yingchun, being gentle and sweet, only smiled faintly with her head down. Xichun, however, said:
“Brother Bao doesn’t study hard in his daily life. Even after going to the Imperial Academy, he didn’t make any progress. This time, he’s hit the jackpot.”

Grandmother Jia said angrily:

"Children shouldn't talk nonsense! This is a favor from the imperial court."

Only the second wife was displeased upon hearing this, but considering that Xichun was a member of the Marquis's household and would eventually have to follow Lin Daiyu, she endured it.

Taking advantage of the situation, Wang Xifeng sat down, accepted the tea offered by Yuanyang, took a sip, and then said:

"Grandma, now that the job is settled, Baoyu must hurry up and make preparations so as not to miss the deadline. It's said to be five days, so it's better to go a day earlier. By the way..."

She changed the subject, her brows furrowing slightly as she looked around, but she couldn't see Baoyu anywhere.

“Baoyu went to the Second Princess’s banquet outside the city today. Why hasn’t he returned yet? The sun is already setting. I hope nothing goes wrong.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang immediately became nervous:

"Yes! They should have gone back long ago. Feng'er, why don't you send someone to ask?"

Madam Xing, however, remained unhurried. There was no set time for banquets and drinking; she interjected:
"At the Second Princess's banquet, there were many wealthy families. Baoyu, being young and impetuous, was prone to overindulging in wine."

Only Tan Chun seemed a little strange;
"That's not right. I heard that Sister Bao went too. She's always been steady and reliable, so she should be fine."

Just then, they heard hurried footsteps outside, and an old woman rushed in to report:
"Grandma, ladies, something terrible has happened! Master Bao is back, completely drunk. Miss Xue sent someone to bring him back."

Everyone was startled and could no longer sit still. Grandmother Jia quickly said:
"Quick! Help him in!"

Two servants carried Jia Baoyu in, who staggered in, followed by a large number of attendants. Mingyan walked at the front, lifting the curtain. This time, Baoyu's clothes were disheveled, his face was flushed, and he was muttering "Lin Daiyu, Lin Daiyu." He reeked of alcohol, and half of his clothes smelled strongly of alcohol, clearly indicating that wine had been poured in.

Xue Baochai followed closely behind, dressed in a light blue dress, her expression composed. As soon as she entered the room, she bowed to Grandmother Jia and the others.
"Grandma, Aunt, and First Madam are all well. Brother Bao drank a few too many cups at the banquet. When the banquet ended, I saw that it was getting late, so I took someone to escort him back to his residence."

When Lady Wang saw Baoyu like this, she felt heartbroken and burst into tears. She stepped forward to support him.
"My son! How did you get so drunk?"

Baochai gently advised:

"Aunt, don't worry. The Second Princess was in high spirits at the banquet and offered him a few more drinks. Brother Bao is young and can't hold his liquor."

Then he turned to Wang Xifeng.
"Second Sister-in-law Lian, I just heard in the front yard that the Ministry of Personnel's transfer documents have arrived? My brother Xue Pan's position has also been finalized. I thank you for your help in this matter."

Wang Xifeng was delighted; it was rare to receive thanks from Xue Baochai. She quickly handed over the document.

"Miss Bao, you're too kind. You've gone to so much trouble for us! We owe Baoyu all this thanks to your help."

Baochai took the document, glanced at it briefly, and after confirming that it was correct, she put it into her sleeve.

"In that case, madam, I shall take my leave now. My brother is still waiting for news at home."

"Alright, Bao'er, you can go ahead."

As Xue Baochai bowed and took her leave, she glanced at Baoyu one last time before leaving, a complex look flashing in her eyes, but she said nothing more.

Only Grandmother Jia sat on the kang (heated brick bed) and sighed:
“Bao’er is so sensible. Feng’er, send someone to deliver it.”

Wang Xifeng agreed and told Ping'er to escort Baochai out of the room. The hall fell silent for a moment, with only Baoyu's snoring on the kang and the light smoke from the incense burner. However, many things were on everyone's mind.

As she reached the corner of the doorway, Xue Baochai stopped.
"Thank you for seeing me off, Miss Ping'er. Now, please go back."

"Yes, Miss Bao, I'll go back right away."

After performing the proper courtesies, she returned to the house, but the words that Xue Baochai had been holding back for so long were swallowed back down.

(End of this chapter)