Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, the second gate inner courtyard.

After receiving Wang Xifeng's instructions, Xiaohong quickly went to Fengjie's courtyard to deliver the message to Ping'er. She was smart and eloquent, so these little things were no problem for her.

After a while, Jia Cong and Wang Xifeng were standing on the rockery. They saw Ping'er walking quickly with a book in her hand, and Xiaohong following closely behind her.

Wang Xifeng took the two pieces of loose paper, on which were written the market prices of bricks, stones and earthenware reported by the bricklayers in the West Market, as well as the labor and material resources required, every detail of which was clearly recorded.

That roster was a list of the household slaves in the West Palace that had just been compiled by Wang Xifeng and others. It even recorded the important servants in each room, their personalities and whether they were diligent or lazy.

Wang Xifeng was illiterate before she got married. Later, as a housekeeper for many years, she came into contact with accounting documents. Thanks to her intelligence and skill, she gradually learned a lot of words and had no problem reading the account books.

But it was not possible to ask her to write. When there was something to write or draw, she needed a young servant named Caiming to write for her. When Caiming was ten years old, he was sent to work in the outer courtyard, so she asked Baoyu to help her write.

Ping'er has followed Wang Xifeng since she was a child, and she is as good at reading and writing as Wang Xifeng.

Jia Cong saw that the words on the roster were delicate and exquisite, and recognized that it was Wu'er's handwriting. Wu'er had gone to Qingshan Academy with him since he was a child, and he taught him how to read and write, so he had already been quite proficient in literature.

Although Wang Xifeng and Ping'er knew the details of the servants in the mansion very clearly, they kept them all in their minds.

Now that Wu'er has come to help manage the household chores and is more literate than them, she can write everything down clearly, saving Wang Xifeng and Jia Cong the trouble of narrating.

……

Wang Xifeng saw Jia Cong casually flipping through the roster, and when he turned to the list of servants in Baoyu's courtyard, he seemed to pause. Wang Xifeng was sharp-eyed and immediately saw the words Lin Xiaohong, a third-class maid, written on it.

Wang Xifeng has noticed that Jia Cong seems to have a special interest in Xiaohong. She knows that Jia Cong is a capable man and his judgment of people is correct.

There must be some reason why he cares about someone.

She glanced at Xiaohong, who was still standing under the rockery and had not left immediately. Her pretty and clean face had clear eyes that were looking towards her, and she didn't seem to be stage-frightened at all.

Although the little girl was of ordinary appearance, her manners, speech and responses were indeed somewhat different from those of other maids.

She said to Jia Cong, "This girl is quite clever and intelligent, but it's a pity that she is only a third-class maid."

Then he said to Xiaohong: "My work here is over, you can go back now, I will remember you."

After hearing this, Xiaohong bowed and glanced at Jia Cong when she left. Seeing that his attention was still on the list in his hand and he didn't seem to notice her, she felt a little disappointed and turned away.

……

Jia Cong spoke a few more words to Wang Xifeng, and the three of them went down the rockery and headed towards Fengjie's courtyard. On the way, they happened to meet Lin Zhixiao's wife.

When Lai Da was still alive, Lin Zhixiao was the steward of Rongguo Foreign Courtyard second only to Lai Da, and Lin Zhixiao's wife had also been the steward of the second gate for many years.

Lin Zhixiao's wife holds a high position among the servants in the inner courtyard, but she is a man of few words and is diligent in her work. Although she inevitably engages in some selfish behavior, her reputation is still good, and she is respected by the servants both above and below her.

At first, Lin Zhixiao and his wife worked under Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng. Later, Jia Lian was convicted and exiled, and Wang Xifeng's power as housekeeper was taken away in disguise. Among the servants in the West Palace, there were quite a few who followed the wind and were sarcastic and mocking.

But Lin Zhixiao's wife was still respectful to Wang Xifeng, without any cold expression on her face, and they spoke to each other in a familiar manner as usual when they met in daily life.

When Jia Cong inherited the hereditary title of Rongguo, the Rongguo Mansion suffered a drastic change. Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang not only moved out of Rongxitang, but also had to move to the East Courtyard.

Many servants in the mansion were watching the fun, thinking that the once high and mighty Second Wife would end up in complete disgrace and would never be able to make a comeback.

But Lin Zhixiao's wife did not show the slightest bit of emotion. She made careful and detailed arrangements for Jia Zheng and Wang Fu-ren's moving out of Rong Xi Tang, and showed them respect everywhere.

After Mrs. Wang temporarily lived in the side courtyard, she said that she was ill and could not get up. Lin Zhixiao's wife then transferred capable maids from all over the place to the side courtyard to help organize and put away the household belongings.

Even though Mrs. Wang was extremely angry and sensitive at the moment, she could not find any fault with Lin Zhixiao's family's actions.

……

Lin Zhixiao's family behaves like this not because of her noble character, but because she has been immersed in aristocratic families all her life. She sees things more clearly than other servants, is tactful in everything, and knows how to leave room for others.

But the fact that she gave Mrs. Wang some leeway did not mean that she could not see clearly the current situation of the Rongguo Mansion. The Third Master Cong in front of her was the real master of the mansion now and in the future.

Besides, this gentleman is still so young, yet he has already achieved such an official position and rank. He will surely have a long future as the head of Rong State, and it won’t be long before his power surpasses that of the old lady.

Therefore, Lin Zhixiao's wife did not dare to be negligent in front of Jia Cong.

He said, "Third Master, Rong Xi Tang has been vacated. Please take some time to take a look and see if there is anything you need to add.

I have received the order and will do it as soon as possible, so that the Third Master can move in properly."

Now that Jia Cong has inherited the hereditary title of Rong State, it is his official position to live in Rong Xi Tang, but he is used to living in the East Palace, which was also granted by imperial decree. I am afraid that he only spends very little time in Rong Xi Tang throughout the year.

Therefore, he was not too concerned about how to decorate Rongxi Hall, and said, "You can ask Wu'er to go and have a look when she has time. She takes care of my daily life, so just follow her wishes, and there is no need to be extravagant."

When Lin Zhixiao's wife saw that Jia Cong had entrusted the layout of Rong Xi Tang to the maid named Wu'er, she realized that this level of respect and trust was truly extraordinary, and it was no wonder that she was sent to be the housekeeper of the West Mansion.

……

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace, and Winter Warmth Pavilion.

The heated floor heating exudes warm air, making the entire winter warm room cozy. Even though it is a freezing cold winter outside, the house feels like April.

Emperor Jiazhao was only wearing a blue brocade uniform with a double dragon pattern. The graying on his temples seemed to have deepened a little, but his spirit was still clear and sharp, and he exuded a solemn and steady aura.

In his hand he held a gray-white document, which was a secret document just submitted by the CRRC Shenjing Division.

The Deputy Chief Eunuch Guo Lin stood by respectfully like a statue.

Emperor Jia Zhao said: "This Jia Zheng is quite respectful. He not only moved out of Rong Xi Tang, but also moved to the separate courtyard of Rong Guo Mansion. If he had known this would happen, he would not have done it in the first place."

Guo Lin replied, "Your Majesty, Jia Zheng is a decent person. According to the secret report from the Central Vehicle Department, he mentioned moving out of Rong Xi Tang some time ago.

But he was stopped by Madam Jia and his wife Wang, otherwise he wouldn't have made such a mistake today."

Emperor Jia Zhao said calmly: "Although this man has a good mind, his talent and strategy are mediocre. He is obsessed with women's affairs. How can he be the head of a government?

I let Jia Cong inherit the title of Rong, which actually helped the Jia family a lot. But it's ridiculous that Jia Shi is still reluctant. It's really ridiculous.

Jia Daishan was a great man, but it is a pity that he married such a short-sighted and mediocre woman. "

……

Emperor Jiazhao put the secret letter aside. Jia Cong was given two titles, the title of Rongguo was weakened by the Earl of Weiyuan, and the old honors of the four kings and eight dukes were further weakened.

His goal had been achieved, and for him, the matter of Rongguo Mansion inheriting the title had come to an end.

Emperor Jiazhao asked again, "I ordered the Imperial Guards to investigate the documents and secret files left by Du Hengxin. How is it going?"

Guo Lin replied: "I have sent officers from the Central Vehicle Department from Shenjing to cooperate with the Jinling Jinyiwei Qianhu Division to search and confiscate Du Hengxin's houses in Jinling.

Apart from some old letters and documents, no other secret files related to the matter were found. All the seized items were carefully examined, and no information related to Mr. Xi Liu was found.

The China Railway Company had visited various places in Jinling to investigate. Nowadays, almost no one in Jinling knows about Mr. Xi Liu. Only some local elders know about the rumors about him.

It is said that nearly twenty years ago, Mr. Xi Liu was quite famous in Jinling. It was rumored that this man was a scholar and was highly respected by the celebrities in Jinling at that time. He also opened a school in Jinling to teach disciples.

However, his requirements for accepting disciples are extremely high, and only a few can be accepted. Anyone who can gain his favor can be considered an outstanding talent.

But some people also say that he is not a good person, because he has learned many different things, has many talents, is amazing, is good at speaking and misleading people, and acts in a way that seems righteous but is not, and is mysterious and unpredictable.

About fifteen or sixteen years ago, this person suddenly disappeared. Some people said that he had seen through the world and lived in seclusion in the mountains, while others said that he met with an accident and set sail and never returned.

Your Majesty suspects that Du Hengxin knows this person's background?"

……

Emperor Jia Zhao said in a gloomy tone: "Back then, I followed the order of the Supreme Emperor to go to Nanjing to sort out the matter of grain relief for the flood in Jiangnan. Du Hengxin secretly reported to me that the Du family of Nanjing colluded with the Hidden Sect to rebel.

The name of Mr. Xi Liu was told to me by Du Hengxin. He said that Mr. Xi Liu was a famous figure in Jinling. He had a close relationship with Du Hengchang and often went in and out of Du's farm in the east of the city.

He suspected that Mr. Xiliu and the Du family were in collusion with the Hidden Sect and had an unclear relationship, but Mr. Xiliu and Du Hengchang's dealings were secret and Du Hengxin did not know the details.

After I received the secret report, I arrested all the Du family criminals that night, except for Mr. Xi Liu, who was so powerful that he found out the news in advance at the last moment and escaped. "

As this matter is strange and there is no concrete evidence, I am worried about being taken advantage of, so I specifically ordered that Mr. Xi Liu's name should not appear in any of the documents related to the Du Hengchang case.

After Du Hengchang was executed, many strange things happened in Nanjing.

The documents concerning the Du family's crime of selling their female relatives were originally stored in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice in the secondary capital. However, within a few nights, they were either destroyed in a fire or disappeared suddenly.

Not long after that, several main officers who participated in the trial of Du Hengchang died under unclear circumstances. Some people speculated that these things might be related to Mr. Xi Liu who escaped.

That year, Du Hengxin was recommended as the assistant commander of the Jinling Military Command because of his great victory in suppressing bandits in the East China Sea, and later he ascended to the position of Jinling Military Commander.

When he wrote a letter of thanks to me, he mentioned that he had been looking for Mr. Xiliu's whereabouts.

And we found out that Mr. Xiliu might be from a noble family, and he might be related to the rebellion in Shenjing back then!"

...When Guo Lin heard that Mr. Xiliu was involved in the rebellion in Shenjing, he shuddered all over. He had served Emperor Jiazhao for decades and naturally knew what the emperor feared most.

No wonder His Majesty has not let go of Mr. Xi Liu even after so many years. He must track him down to the end!
Emperor Jia Zhao said: "I have also doubted whether Du Hengxin's words can be trusted. This man is treacherous and treacherous. In the past, he even sold out his fellow brothers for his career prospects.

It is very possible that he exaggerated the matter of Mr. Xiliu to me in order to increase his weight in my heart, but I would rather believe it than not!
I originally wanted to escort Du Hengxin back to Beijing to inquire about Mr. Xiliu, but I didn't expect that he would be assassinated shortly after he was arrested!"

Emperor Jiazhao asked again: "Did the Central Vehicle Division find out Mr. Xiliu's real name during their investigation in Jinling?"

Guo Lin replied, "Your Majesty, I have not found out his real name, but the names of famous people in the past are mostly related to their origins. I guess his real name may be related to the two characters Xiliu."

Emperor Jia Zhao frowned and said to himself, "But among the famous aristocratic families in the Great Zhou Dynasty, there is no family associated with the word Xi Liu..."

He stood up and walked back and forth twice. After thinking for a moment, he turned back and said to Guo Lin grimly, "Du Hengxin said that Mr. Xi Liu was born in an aristocratic family and was involved in the rebellion in Shenjing back then. I believe it for now.

Then his family background might be in Jinling, but it is also possible that it is in Shenjing. Instead of being helpless, he might as well give it a try.

I order you to mobilize the best personnel from the Central Vehicle Department to investigate the aristocratic families in Shenjing and Nanjing.

In the past fifteen to twenty years, many young men from various families have run away from home, or have been missing, or even left home to become monks or Taoists. They all had to be screened out for me to compare one by one.

See if there are any of them who are close to Mr. Xiliu. This matter must be carried out secretly, and those aristocratic families should not be alarmed…”

……

Rongguo Mansion, the second gate inner courtyard.

The rockery where Wang Xifeng and Jia Cong stood that day was often visited by a little maidservant these days.

Sometimes I would climb up the rockery and look out. I could see the East Courtyard in the distance being demolished and rebuilt, with many bricklayers busy laying wood and bricks.

Xiaohong has been coming here often these days as if possessed.

That day, Third Master Cong and Second Grandma were talking and looking around on the rockery. Xiaohong thought they would come again, but she didn't see them for several days.

Xiaohong herself didn't know why she did this. Could it be that the Second Mistress just happened to use her once, and she would be appreciated from then on and no longer be bullied in Baoyu Courtyard?
Although she was young and inexperienced, she was taught and guided by her parents every day and knew that nothing in the world happened without reason and that it was not a good idea to let her imagination run wild.

Originally, her parents were both housekeepers of the inner and outer courtyards of Rongguo Mansion, and their positions were among the highest among the servants in Rongguo Mansion. She was their only daughter.

Given her parents' background, she didn't need to do such a shameful job.

But she was arranged to work as a third-class maid in Baoyu's courtyard.

She naturally knew what her parents meant. Her family had been slaves for several lifetimes, and her parents didn't want her to be a slave again.

Because Baoyu had been close to girls since he was a child and had caused trouble for him in front of the old lady, all the maids in his room had to be released from slavery and allowed to marry when they reached a certain age.

Although there were maids in Baoyu's room who committed crimes in previous years, not only were they not released from the house on their own, but they were also randomly assigned to servants in the house by the Second Wife.

But as long as you don't get into trouble, act a little stupid and silly in your daily life, and don't annoy your wife, what Master Bao said will still work.

Her parents had a long-term vision and saw this point, so they sent her to Baoyu's courtyard to be a third-class maid. After a few years, she would be free.

They hoped that she would marry a decent man in the future, and that the children she would give birth to would no longer be slaves, but would be able to read and study like the boys in the mansion. That would be a dignity that could not be earned in several lifetimes.

Xiaohong listened to her parents' smooth talk on how to deal with things every day, and she thought that what they said was always right. As long as she fed the birds, watered the flowers, and washed clothes in Baoyu's backyard, she could earn a decent living in peace and stability.

……

Everything was going smoothly, but unexpectedly, Baoyu wanted to have tea that day and there happened to be no maid with him, so she just went to serve him.

She didn't expect to be humiliated by Qiu Wen and Bi Hen, and the scolding was so unbearable to the ears. We are all servants in the mansion, why can they be so unscrupulous? She was dissatisfied in her heart.

They regarded Master Bao as a treasure, and thought that everyone wanted to step on his stilts. To be fair, they couldn't even get a girl, but they were on guard against others day and night, and they didn't feel ashamed.

They were just short-sighted. Master Bao was handsome and kind, which was not bad, but he was not the most capable or outstanding in the mansion. Yet, every maid liked him.

But the incident of pouring tea had already happened, and Qiu Wen and Bi Hen had made a big fuss about it. She often heard her parents talk about the worldly affairs in the mansion, and she thought it would be difficult to resolve the matter amicably.

Although Master Bao wouldn't say anything, he couldn't stand Qiu Wen and Bi Hen's two big mouths. Xiaohong heard that they were always around the lady, and if the lady was happy, she would even reward them with some clothes.

These two people are much closer than me, and they are not good people. They will definitely lie about me in front of my wife.

His reputation was ruined because of this, and he would have no good days in Baoyu Courtyard from now on, and even his parents would be embarrassed.

Xiaohong knew a lot of things. When Jin Chuan'er was in the lady's room, she made some flirtatious remarks to Master Bao and was slapped in the face by the lady and kicked out of the house.

Jin Chuan'er was so angry that she tried to jump into a well. If she hadn't been saved by Master Cong Sanye, she would have lost her life. Xiaohong felt horrified when she thought about this.

She was a third-class maid in the outer courtyard, and she ran to the room to pour tea for the second master. Qiu Wen and Bi Hen started to make trouble for her. With the mistress's usual weird mind, she must have thought that she was trying to seduce Baoyu.

I heard that my wife has been in a bad temper recently, and I might end up like Jin Chuan'er.

Xiaohong became more and more scared the more she thought about it, but she didn't dare tell her parents for fear of being scolded. She couldn't find a way out for a while.

That's why I seem to be possessed by some inexplicable force and run to the rockery every day without any purpose...

……

Although she had never spoken to Jia Cong, she felt that the look in the Third Master's eyes when he looked at her was very gentle and warm, which made her feel secure.

I heard that the second grandma had a hot temper, but she was frank and generous when talking to me. Although she asked me to run errands and do things for her, she did not humiliate me or look down on me.

She felt like a drowning person, trying to grab hold of two straws at the critical moment.

She was wandering under the rockery, kicking a small stone on the ground out of boredom.

Suddenly she heard footsteps in front of her. She looked up and saw Jia Cong walking slowly towards her with brisk steps. The corners of his robe fluttered slightly in the cold wind, making him look indescribably noble and handsome.

Seeing him coming towards the rockery, Xiaohong's face showed surprise, and her clear eyes sparkled slightly.

……

Jia Cong would not come to the West Mansion today, but Lin Zhixiao went to the East Mansion specifically to deliver a message in the morning.

It was said that the magistrate of Zhen'an Prefecture had come to the mansion, and as it was near the end of the year, the government office was checking the family tree lists of aristocratic families as usual, and asked the mansion to take out the family tree from the ancestral hall in advance, as the government would come to check it tomorrow.

Because it involves the ancestral hall genealogy, even a steward like Lin Zhixiao does not have the right to make the decision.

In the past, Jia Lian was the one who dealt with such matters. Now Jia Lian was exiled to Liaodong, and Jia Zheng was not at home because he was attending the government office.

The only man in the mansion who could make decisions was Jia Cong, so Lin Zhixiao went to the East Palace specifically to let him make the decision.

Jia Cong had no choice but to go to Rong Xi Tang to meet the prosecutor who came to discuss the matter. Although the time for checking the list was confirmed, the content of the check made Jia Cong feel a little strange.

However, since it was a government matter and they were checking the records in the family tree, he didn't take it to heart.

After he finished speaking and left Rong Xi Tang, he did not return directly to the East Palace. Instead, he went to the rockery where he had been that day, ready to look at the progress of the reconstruction of the East Courtyard.

As soon as I got closer, I saw a maid standing under the rock. She had a slender figure, a pretty and clean face, and was wearing a skirt that was half new and half old.

It was Xiaohong, the maid in Baoyu's room, whom I had met that day.

Jia Cong smiled and asked, "Why are you here?"

Without waiting for Xiaohong to answer, he walked up the stone steps and looked out at the reconstruction of the East Courtyard from a high place.

He saw that they were working in full swing over there. Based on the current construction progress, he estimated that it would be completed before New Year's Eve.

After seeing the situation clearly, he went down the rock again and saw Xiaohong still waiting there, looking a little embarrassed. When she saw him, a slightly nervous smile appeared on her face.

Jia Cong smiled and asked, "Why are you still here? Is there anything wrong?"

"I saw that the Third Master didn't have any maids with him, so I was afraid that he would be like the Second Madam the other day and couldn't find anyone to help him, so I waited downstairs for a while."

After hearing what Xiaohong said, Jia Cong's heart moved slightly. He had known that Xiaohong was smart and clever, and her reputation was well-deserved.

He thought for a moment and said, "I really do have something for you to run errands for."

Xiao Hong's face lit up with joy when she heard this, and she quickly said, "Third Master, if you have anything to ask, please just tell me, Xiao Hong will definitely get it done."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Go and tell Second Madam that it was me who said this and ask her to find someone to get the family tree from the ancestral hall today.

"Select and record all the people in the family tree who have gone missing or converted to Buddhism or Taoism in the past twenty years. This will be used when Zhen'an Prefecture comes to check the population tomorrow."

Xiao Hong listened to Jia Cong's instructions, her face lit up, and she said, "I heard it clearly, Third Master, don't worry, I will pass on the message."

Under the bright sunshine, Jia Cong looked at Xiaohong's receding back with a clear sense of joy in his eyes.

He smiled thoughtfully. (End of this chapter)