Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1194 Xu's mother has passed away
The next morning,

Early autumn in Beijing is still characterized by clear skies and crisp air.

In the alley south of the water bridge, inside the small courtyard rented by Xu Changwen, a bitter medicinal smell wafted from the main room. Suddenly, a violent coughing fit brought the young maid, who was busy cooking porridge in the kitchen, rushing into the room. Seeing Xu's mother lying in bed, she hurried over and gently patted her back.
"Grandma, please hang in there a little longer. I'll go to the Marquis's residence to fetch a doctor to prescribe new medicine for you."

The little girl looked anxious; the old lady had been taking medicine for several days, but she still wasn't getting better.

"Cough cough, girl, don't bother yourself. This old woman is probably not going to make it. There are only two things I can't let go of. One is the kindness of the Marquis's family, which I can never repay in this life. I can only repay it in the next life. The last is my son Changwen. Will he be able to come back alive? This imperial examination was forced upon him by me. I really shouldn't have done that. Cough cough."

When Xu's mother got to the point of sadness, she coughed violently again. The little girl's eyes were already blurry with tears as she comforted her.

"Don't worry, Madam. The Xu family's affairs are the Hou family's affairs. The mistress said that the Hou family will cover all expenses in the mansion. I'll go to the Hou family to call for help right away."

As soon as he moved,
He was pulled by Xu's mother's withered hand, and shook his head on his pale face;

“Girl, I know my own body. There is no cure. This is my way of settling my affairs. If Heaven is merciful and the Xu family has an heir, then let Changwen live well. Apart from the Marquis’s order, he should give up his official position and leave an heir for the Xu family.”

She managed to say it with all her might, but suddenly, Xu's mother's face turned deathly pale. After a violent coughing fit, she vomited blood and collapsed onto the bed.

"Old lady, old lady, sob sob sob."

The little girl burst into tears, the cold, withered touch of her mother's emaciated fingers still lingering on her wrist. The old lady's last words, "Leave an heir," echoed repeatedly in her ears like the last flickering light of a candle in the wind.

now,

The young girl felt cold all over and could only pull the quilt over Xu's mother. Then, she stumbled and rushed out of the room shrouded in the heavy smell of medicine and blood. The sunlight outside made her eyes blurry with tears. Her body swayed, and she didn't even notice that her skirt was covered in dust. She had only one thought in her mind: Go to the Marquis's mansion! The old lady is gone!
He rushed out of the Xu family mansion and ran along the street corner by the water bridge to the Marquis's mansion.

On Rongguo Mansion Street,
Servants from both mansions were already sweeping fallen leaves in front of the gate, while many gatekeepers and attendants were carefully wiping the main gate with rags, and even the two stone lions at the entrance were wiped spotless.

The gatekeeper, seeing that Steward Lai had just come out of the side gate picking his teeth, quickly brought over a chair, placed it behind the table, and apologized.

"Butler Lai, why are you here so early today? It's still early."

After all, the helpers had only just begun and were eating in the front yard; they would have to wait a while before they could start working.

Lai Da, with his belly protruding, let out a burp, sat down in a chair, took out the notebook he was keeping from his pocket, threw it on the table, and said with a smile;

“Whether others arrive early or not, they all follow the rules. As the steward, I can’t let my guard down for a moment. I need to take care of everything, both inside and outside. Not to mention anything else, I also have to keep an eye on all the servants who come in and out of the mansion.”

Remembering his second grandmother's instructions, he knew these things couldn't be taken lightly, so the gatekeeper immediately brought back a pot of tea, flattering him.

"It's all thanks to Steward Lai's dedication; all the servants have seen it."

was saying,

Seeing that the street sweepers were moving a little slowly, he immediately scolded them.

"You lot, are you slacking off? You're working so slowly. Hurry up and sweep the area in front of the door clean. And while you're at it, start sweeping the area under the courtyard wall today."

"Yes, Steward."

The servants quickly responded, and their work sped up considerably.

Lai laughed and glanced at the street. Suddenly, he saw a distraught little girl running wildly towards the west end of Ningrong Street, heading north.

The journey was fraught with stumbles and falls, attracting the attention of many people on the street, especially when they bumped into a servant boy as they passed the gatehouse.

The steward, finding it strange, muttered to himself;

"Whose crazy girl is this, running out so early in the morning?"

He does not mean that.

A glint flashed in Lai Dasan's eyes as he immediately recognized the little girl's face, but in his haste, he couldn't place her. Seeing her run off into the distance, he quickly called over a servant:
"Quick! Follow that little girl! Keep your eyes peeled and see where she goes, then run back and tell me!"

The servant darted out like a rabbit and gave chase.

However, the Marquis of Luoyun's residence,

Inside the main hall of the East Garden, Qin Keqing was holding a bowl of snow swallow soup, listening to the maids recount the trivial matters of purchasing for the household. Baozhu was also reading an account book, reciting the situation of the household over the past few days. The usually languid Qin Keqing was wearing a plain white jacket with silver thread lotus patterns, and there was a hint of weariness between her brows. There were indeed quite a few miscellaneous matters to attend to in the household.

suddenly,

From the front yard came faint, sharp cries and chaotic footsteps. The cries were heart-wrenching and urgent, instantly shattering the usual tranquility of the deep courtyard.

In an instant, everyone in the room felt a sudden jolt, especially Baozhu, who lost her grip on the account book and dropped it to the ground.

"Go check who's outside."

"Yes, Miss Bao."

The maidservant beside her hurried to the outer room. Before she even got there, she heard the door being kicked open. Several maidservants tried to stop her, but the little girl ignored them and started crying and shouting.

"Madam, Madam, the old lady of the Xu family... she... she's gone!"

The little girl collapsed onto the veranda outside the house, her forehead red from hitting the door, her whole body trembling like an autumn leaf in the wind.
"Madam, I'm useless... The old lady... before she passed away, she only thought of the Marquis's kindness... and of Young Master Xu... and told Young Master Xu not to become an official... to leave an heir for the Xu family!"

She spoke incoherently, tears streaming down her face. This time, Qin Keqing inside the room heard her clearly. The spoon in her hand fell onto the table, and the soup in the bowl splashed all over her. She immediately felt a chill and swayed. Her personal maids, Ruizhu and Baozhu, held her up tightly so that she wouldn't fall.

"Miss, you must not be upset."

Baozhu's expression changed drastically, and she hurriedly tried to comfort her.

"Bring the person in,"

"Yes, ma'am."

Then, a maid brought the little girl in. As soon as she entered the room, she burst into tears. Qin Keqing heard this and asked anxiously.
"Stop crying, what happened?"

"Madam, this morning when I got up, I was outside cooking porridge and decocting medicine, but when I returned to the room, the old lady was still not well. She vomited blood and passed away. Waaah."

Another sob.

Qin Keqing's heart skipped a beat. Xu's mother was gone? How could she explain this to the Marquis? Wasn't it said that Zixiang had gone to take the old lady's pulse? What happened?

"Baozhu, where is Zixiang? Didn't she go to take the pulse of Old Madam Xu before? Could it be that the medicine was prescribed incorrectly?"

"Madam, Zixiang went to take her pulse and said that medicine could not cure her and that she could only be kept alive with ginseng. In addition, Xu's mother was still mentally exhausted, so she was bound to be unable to hold on. I just did not expect that Xu's mother would pass away so quickly."

Baozhu knew the truth, but was worried about the lady's health, so she couldn't tell the truth before.

"Look at you all, quick! Prepare the car! No... call the housekeeper first! Go to the Xu family! Hurry!"

“Madam, you are pregnant and absolutely cannot see these things. Otherwise, I will go in your place.”

Baozhu refused. At this time in the manor, everything was for the sake of the Madam. Qin Keqing frowned, sat there thinking for a moment, and then nodded.

"Baozhu, take more people with you this time, make all the necessary preparations, and have the steward take some guards to help you."

"Yes, grandma."

At Qin Keqing's words, the entire Marquis's mansion instantly erupted into chaos. The stewardesses frantically directed the maids to prepare the carriages, mourning clothes, and incense, while the servants ran back and forth in panic, relaying messages. Amidst the chaos, the servant sent by the Lai family, like an eel, clung to the stone lion outside the corner gate of the Marquis's mansion, craning his neck to peek inside and taking in the entire commotion. Then, he turned and sprinted towards the Rongguo Mansion.

After running back to Ningrong Street, he saw the gatekeeper and Steward Lai still waiting there. He quickly ran over and, breathless, gave them a reply.

“Steward Lai, I followed the maid north and saw her. I saw her go to the Marquis of Luoyun’s residence. I vaguely heard the maid shout that the old lady of the Xu family is gone. I know that the old lady of the Xu family is the one who lived in the alley south of the water bridge.”

After stammering through his words, Lai Da suddenly remembered who the Xu family was. Weren't they the disciples of Marquis Luo Yun, that arrogant and ignorant Xu Changwen? How come his mother was gone? Thinking about it, it was a serious matter. He immediately stood up, took out some loose silver coins, and tossed them over.

"Here's your reward. Take a few more men and go over to the water bridge to keep an eye on the Xu family and see what's going on."

Whether it was someone else who did it, or something else, these things couldn't be said openly. The servant took the silver, his face beaming with smiles, and quickly nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry, Steward Lai, this servant will be right there."

He quickly grabbed two gatekeepers and rushed towards the south street.

After seeing the person leave, Lai Da didn't linger and went to the front courtyard of the mansion. When Lai Da, panting heavily, rushed into the east warm pavilion of Rongqing Hall, Wang Xifeng was leaning against the autumn-colored gold and coin python pillow, casually admiring her gold nail covers.

The old lady on the kang (a heated brick bed) would occasionally chat with Sanchun, saying a few words here and there.

At this time,
Lai rushed in, not even bothering to wipe his sweat, and said in a low voice:

"Grandma, Second Madam! The Marquis's residence is in complete chaos! This morning, I saw a little maid running north in tears on the street. I immediately took notice and sent someone to follow her. But the maid was heading to the Marquis of Luoyun's residence. Upon inquiring, I learned that Xu Changwen's mother had passed away! The Marquis's residence was thrown into turmoil on the spot, and they immediately sent someone to prepare a carriage to go to the courtyard by the water bridge!"

To put it simply, once these words were spoken,
Wang Xifeng's phoenix-shaped eyes suddenly snapped open, gleaming with sharp light. Her previously languid posture instantly tensed, and she slowly sat up straight, her tone somewhat incredulous:

"Which Xu family? Is it Xu Changwen's mother, the disciple of the Marquis's mansion who is imprisoned in the Imperial City Prison?"

This is strange. A few days ago, she inquired about the Xu family. She was told that the court was suppressing the case, and the Marquis's mansion had sent servants and doctors to check on the person. Even their meals were delivered by restaurant staff. Yet, in just a few days, the person was gone. She wondered who had done it.

"Replying to Second Madam, it is the Xu family. I passed by them when I went to Nantou to buy things."

The question-and-answer session between the two left Grandmother Jia somewhat confused.

"Feng girl, which Xu family are you from?"

"Oh dear, old lady, it could be the Xu family, the one who presented the congratulatory letter to the Emperor Emeritus."

If it were anything else, Grandmother Jia might not remember, but when it came to the one who delivered the congratulatory message to the Emperor Emeritus, how could she not know? It had caused quite a stir, and the case was still unresolved.

"Oh dear, it was him. Now that Mother is gone, and her son is still in prison, I'm afraid we won't be able to see each other again. What are the Marquis's plans?"

Grandmother Jia was startled. Xu Changwen's case could be said to have affected the entire capital. Although it was being suppressed for now, as soon as any news was revealed, it would become a battleground for various parties. However, the Marquis's family's affairs could not be ignored.

"Reporting to the old lady, the Marquis's residence has already sent people to the Xu residence, presumably to prepare for the temporary placement of the coffin."

Lai Da quickly replied, "Some things are better left to the servant to say."

"That"

Grandmother Jia hesitated for a moment, then looked at Wang Xifeng, who was also somewhat embarrassed. After a while, she nodded.
"Go, immediately tell Ping'er to open my private storeroom, select a few fine, plain bolts of silk, and prepare a decent funeral gift. Be quick! After the people from the Marquis's mansion arrive, send it to the Xu family's small, dilapidated courtyard south of the water bridge. Tell them that our Rongguo Mansion's old lady and madam know about this, and out of consideration for their past as officials in the same court, and out of pity for their orphaned and widowed family, they are sending this as a token of their goodwill."

Lai Da understood immediately and replied "I understand" repeatedly before turning around and leaving. Wang Xifeng watched his figure disappear through the door before letting out a long sigh of relief and leaning back against the pillow.

“It’s you, Feng’er, who spoke well. These things are the most taboo right now, but we are related to the Marquis’s family by marriage, so we can’t not ask. Our friendship as officials in the same court is something we can still offer.”

Grandmother Jia also sighed, and felt a little worried, but the matter of filial piety was something that could not be avoided.

"Grandma, your granddaughter-in-law is also anxious. I heard that my aunt from the Marquis's mansion is still living in Jing'an Temple. The affairs of this mansion are all managed by that Madam Qin. I can't just stand by and watch when something happens."

Thinking of the woman in the Marquis's mansion, who was the beloved of Marquis Luo Yun, how could she "stand idly by"?

“What you say is true, but the Xu family’s affairs have far-reaching implications, and I’m a little worried. You know, if a perfectly good person like him were to offend the Emperor Emeritus at a banquet, regardless of whether he has extraordinary talent or not, his future is ruined.”

Grandmother Jia knew what was going on in the imperial court. That order had already spread throughout the capital. But even if someone was extremely talented, what could they do if they were imprisoned?

"The old lady is right. Baoyu will be reporting to the military headquarters tomorrow. It's an official's job, and you can do it but you can't talk about it."

Wang Xifeng was filled with emotion, thinking that Baoyu would have to report to the military headquarters tomorrow, and there were some things she needed to tell him, so as not to implicate the family. When Grandmother Jia heard this, she nodded repeatedly.

“Feng’er is absolutely right. Yuanyang, send someone back to the First Madam and the Second Madam to tell them about today’s events. Also, give Baoyu a briefing. By the way, Feng’er, what is Lady Wang of the Marquis’s Mansion doing at Jing’an Temple?”

"Well, madam, your granddaughter-in-law doesn't know anything about this either."

Just as the Rongguo Mansion sent someone to the Xu family to deliver the plain cloth.

The matter concerning the Xu family south of the water bridge had already been discovered and quickly spread by spies from various prefectures.

Like a stone thrown into water, ripples spread outwards.

The residence of Grand Secretary Li

The study was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. In the main hall of the back room, the Grand Secretary Li was annotating a memorial with his pen at his desk. The steward stood by with his hands at his sides, serving him. At this moment, the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, hurried in. When he saw his father holding a pen at the table, he slowed down and approached him, whispering.

“Father, a servant just came to report that Xu Changwen’s birth mother passed away early this morning. The Marquis’s Mansion has already sent people to lay the coffin there, and the Rongguo Mansion, after hearing the news, also sent people to offer condolences.”

The room remained quiet as the eldest son finished speaking.

Li, the chief minister, paused for a moment, his hand holding the pen hovering in mid-air. A drop of full ink gathered at the tip of the pen, about to fall but not quite. He remained silent for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea before slowly placing the pen back on the jade pen holder. His movements were still steady, but deep within his eyes, it seemed as if there were turbulent waves crashing against the shore, churning up thousands of piles of snow.

"Father, I'm afraid you're getting sick from worry and overwork. You're getting old and can't take it anymore."

He slowly uttered a sentence, his voice as deep and resonant as an echo from the depths of an ancient well.

“What a word of ‘worry’! Every word is dripping with blood! The reason why Xu Changwen’s case has come to this point is all because of Chang Le Palace. Without the Emperor Emeritus’s approval, how can the case be closed? But the civil and military officials are pretending to be ignorant even though they know the truth.”

"Then, what does Father mean? Although all the civil and military officials are trying to avoid this matter for fear of getting involved, Xu Changwen's talent is rare in the world. Now that the Xu family has suffered a change and Xu Changwen has really been killed, the historical records will probably be as sharp as knives."

The eldest son gave a bitter laugh. If it weren't for that security document, this boy would have been beheaded long ago. But the document had already begun to spread throughout the land, and how could the reputation of the literati be erased?

"Yes, since the news has already spread, it's better to guide than to suppress. His Majesty is aware of this principle, so..."

Chief Minister Li raised his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, piercing through the window paper as he looked towards the direction of the imperial palace:

"Go, tell Zhang Cheng of the Hanlin Academy that he should be the first to submit his nameplate at tomorrow's morning court! Then have Li Ying of the Censorate come along and, in the Qianqing Palace, have him cry out for me the tragedy of Xu's mother dying of grief over her son and the extinction of a loyal and virtuous family. Cry loudly! Cry so that all the civil and military officials can hear it! Cry so that His Majesty... can't sit still!"

"Isn't this going too far? After all, Marquis Luoyun isn't in the capital."

The eldest son looked somewhat taken aback. Why would his usually composed father step forward? Weren't there Grand Secretary Lu and Grand Secretary Gu as well?

"What do you know? These things are said to be for the Emperor and the court officials, but they are actually for the Chang Le Palace and the people of the world. Filial piety is the foundation of a nation."

These few words left the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, dumbfounded. His father was truly a cunning old fox. In this way, not only others, but even he himself had nothing to say. What would be the final outcome for Xu Changwen?

"Should we contact the other Grand Secretaries? After all, that Eunuch Chen from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs will certainly be against it."

"You always speak without thinking. Go and arrange things first. Don't contact anyone else. Chen Hui is just a dog that's been let out to bite. But if a dog doesn't know its place, it's just a dog to be killed and eaten."

"Yes, Father."

(End of this chapter)