Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Earl's Mansion, Dengxian Pavilion Dongpo.

Since the twelfth lunar month, there have been several heavy snowfalls in the capital. On the sunny slopes here, the stone paths and treetops are covered with snow. The snow has not yet melted completely, and everything is brightly white.

Dozens of plum trees transplanted in February bloomed one after another in the auspicious snow.

The cold stamens emit a refreshing fragrance that is refreshing and captivating. Some are red like fire, some are white like snow. The flower buds are scattered around. Although they are not as majestic as clouds, they have an elegant atmosphere.

Daiyu walked among the blossoming plum blossoms with a look of delight on her face. She was wearing a red satin crepe ermine cloak. The fiery red satin reflected a light golden halo under the sunlight, making her look extremely beautiful and luxurious.

Jia Cong knew that Daiyu had been weak since childhood and was prone to relapses of coughing in late autumn and winter. Although her health had improved a lot in recent years, it was still important for her to keep warm in autumn and winter.

This top-quality sable cloak was tailor-made for Daiyu by Jia Cong using the best fur from Liaodong. It was a gift to her when he returned from Liaodong.

The snow-white fur on the hood fluttered slightly in the cold wind, making Daiyu's pretty face look even more like a piece of jade.

The winter plum blossoms stand proudly in the snow, their beauty is so dazzling that it is three times more eye-catching than jade.

The plum blossoms planted on Dongpo were all from the best plum roots carefully selected by Zhishao from Luomeipo on the back hill of Panxiang Temple. Unexpectedly, they took to the new soil and bloomed only two months after being transplanted.

Early this morning, Xueyan went to the kitchen to get Daiyu's snow pear and bird's nest soup. When she came back, she said that she passed by Dengxian Pavilion and saw the plum blossoms blooming on the hillside from afar.

After hearing this, Daiyu came out to appreciate the plum blossoms in great interest. She had originally gone to Chia Cong's courtyard and asked him to accompany her, but coincidentally he was called to the West Mansion by Lin Zhixiao.

She took Xueyan to Dengxian Pavilion Dongpo by herself.

Daiyu had been away from home for many years. When she was young, she stayed in Suzhou for a few years. She went with her parents to see the plum blossoms on Xuan's tomb several times, and she has been unable to forget them ever since.

Now, even though I am thousands of miles away, I am very happy to be able to see the fragrance of plum blossoms in my hometown. The homesickness that has accumulated over the years is also relieved at this moment.

As she was enjoying the view, she saw Merlin's figure swaying. She looked carefully and was delighted to see that it was Jia Cong who was smiling and coming towards her.

When Jia Cong came back from the East Palace, he originally wanted to visit Daiyu's room. When he heard Zijuan say that Daiyu went out to appreciate the plum blossoms, he guessed that she came here.

The two were walking in the plum forest and encountered snow on the ground. Daiyu was afraid of slipping, so she held Jia Cong's hand tightly, and the little maid Xueyan followed from a distance behind.

The snow on the ground was shining brightly, and the sparse and sparse plum branches cast shadows, revealing a strange sense of tranquility and leisure.

Jia Cong held Daiyu's small hand, feeling it was soft and boneless, with a hint of coolness on the slender fingertips. He couldn't help but tighten his grip slightly.

The wings of my nose were surrounded by a gentle, refreshing and sweet fragrance, and I couldn't tell whether it was the fragrance of plum blossoms or the fragrance of Daiyu.

Daiyu said: "I still remember that it was also in the twelfth lunar month when my third brother went to the Nanxi Literary Association and composed that poem about plum blossoms. From then on, he became famous in the capital.

Wind and rain send spring away, snow welcomes spring. Even though the cliff is a hundred feet of ice, the flowers are still beautiful. They do not fight for spring, but only announce the arrival of spring. When the mountain flowers are in full bloom, he laughs in the bushes!

That year in Rongqing Hall, the old lady and others were curious and asked me to read this poem to her.

It is a cliff with hundreds of feet of ice, and there are still flowers and branches.

At the beginning, my third brother suffered a lot in Dongluyuan, but he never gave up. Isn’t it like a solitary plum blossom growing on a hundred-meter cliff?

The first time I read that poem, I knew that my third brother would be extraordinary in the future.

Now it seems to be true. Third brother has a connection with plum blossoms. He just inherited the title of Rong Guo, and the plum blossoms on the Dongpo Mountain have just bloomed. It seems like they are really announcing good news. "

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The megachan of Xuanmu Mountain was only planted this year, and it is not deep enough in the soil yet. By this time next year, the megachan will be deeper, and the flowers will surely bloom more abundantly than this year!"

Daiyu said quietly, "I can only look at the plum blossoms in my hometown from here. I don't know when I can go back to Yangzhou and Gusu and visit Xuanmu Mountain again."

Jia Cong coaxed, "It's not that easy. I'll accompany you there that day. We can get there in less than ten days by water."

Daiyu looked unconvinced and said, "Third brother, you are kidding me again. You run around everywhere every year and never stay at home for a long time. How can you remember to take me back to the south?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "If it doesn't work this year, then we can do it next year. If it still doesn't work, then the year after. Anyway, I will definitely take you back to the south in three years."

Daiyu laughed and said, "If you can't make a promise, then don't talk nonsense. You hit it three years later with one hammer. It must be a lie. Why don't you tell me why it takes three years?

If you can give me a reason, I will believe you. "

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Because after three years my mourning period is over, I will naturally take you back to the south. Does this make sense?"

After hearing this, Daiyu was slightly stunned, and then seemed to understand Jia Cong's meaning. Her pretty face turned red, and for a moment she looked so charming that she was even more beautiful than the plum blossoms blooming on the branches.

She pulled her hand out from Jia Cong's palm with a slight look of displeasure, her lips curled up slightly, her heart was filled with sweetness, but she said, "If you want to go, go ahead, I don't care.

Now I don’t believe everything my third brother says.

Three years is such a long time, you can't predict it, maybe a real girl or a fake girl will appear, and you will definitely be tripped up. Don't tell me when the time comes, I'll see what you can say to fool people."

Jia Cong saw that although she was talking back at him, her words could not hide her affection for him. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes were filled with joy, anger and shyness.

As the two were talking, they saw a figure swaying at the edge of Merlin, revealing Qingwen's pretty figure.

He shouted to Jia Cong, "Third Master, your servant Jiang Liu has sent a message saying that he has completed what you asked him to do and is waiting in the side hall outside the second gate to reply to you, Third Master."

Daiyu said, "Third brother has something important to do, so please go first." Jia Cong also told Xueyan to accompany Daiyu back early and to be careful as the ground was slippery.

……

Earl's Mansion, side hall in the outer courtyard.

When Jiang Liu saw Jia Cong coming in, he said, "Third Master, I followed your instructions and just went out to make some inquiries. Many of the famous noble families outside have been called to the government office to inquire about their population.

I estimated that no prestigious family in the capital could escape this matter. I spent some more money and asked two groups of people to inquire in the market. The news just came back and I returned home to report to the Third Master.

It is said that some people have appeared in the world recently, who are neither officials nor civilians, and have unusual behavior. They often wander around the market, inquiring about a man named Mr. Xiliu, who is said to be from a prominent family.

It just so happened that the government was investigating the population of the major families in Shenjing at this time. There would be no such coincidence in the world."

Jia Cong's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "The government has suddenly searched the genealogies of the major families, and is investigating people who have gone missing or become monks in the past twenty years. I'm afraid they are also looking for Mr. Xi Liu.

Those people in the market must have been sent by the government to conduct secret investigations. Don’t send anyone to investigate in the market to avoid attracting attention.”

On the way back to the inner courtyard, Jia Cong kept thinking about the name Mr. Xi Liu.

He was sure that those who were secretly investigating the streets were either members of the Imperial Guards or spies from the Imperial Chariot Department.

Who on earth is this Mr. Xiliu? He could mobilize all the government forces, even disturbing the major families in Shenjing. The only person who could mobilize such a large force would not be the commander of the Jinyiwei or the head of the Zhongchesi, but the emperor in the palace...

……

Rongguo Mansion, Fengjie's Courtyard.

Xiaohong helped Jia Cong pass the message to Wang Xifeng. Her words were clever and all the details were accurate.

Wang Xifeng asked the maid in the courtyard to pass a message to Lin Zhixiao, asking him to send someone to the ancestral hall to burn incense, open the box and take out the family tree.

She also transferred two accountants from the outer courtyard and her trusted servant Cai Ming to screen the population changes in the family tree over the past twenty years according to Jia Cong's words.

After Wang Xifeng finished giving instructions, she turned around and found Xiaohong still standing by the side. She smiled and said, "Now that things are clear, it's time for you to run again. Go back and get busy."

Xiaohong bowed and left with a smile. Wang Xifeng looked at her back and thought to herself that she was right. Cong Lao San did treat this girl differently.

Otherwise, there were so many maids in the West Mansion, so he could have found any one of them, but he chose Xiaohong to deliver the message.

At this time, Ping Erh brought in a bowl of Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup. Wang Xifeng asked, "The maid named Xiao Hong in Baoyu's room looks quite clever. Was she bought from outside, or is she from a family with a child?"

Ping'er laughed and said, "Grandma, how could you be so confused that you didn't even know that Xiaohong was Lin Zhixiao's daughter."

Wang Xifeng was in charge of the daily household affairs, and she left all the small and tedious matters to Ping'er to take care of. Therefore, Ping'er moved around more often than she did, and naturally knew a lot about the unfamiliar things going on there.

Wang Xifeng was somewhat stunned when she heard this: "Since she is their daughter, why did they send her to Baoyu's room to be a maid? That's strange."

Ping'er laughed and said, "Lin Zhixiao and his wife really treasure their daughter. They put her in Baoyu's room to do odd jobs, hoping that Baoyu would not treat servants harshly and that it would be easier for her to be sent out of the mansion in the future, so that their daughter could earn a decent living."

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "That couple are both so stupid that even a needle can't make a sound. One is born deaf and the other is dumb, but how come they raised such a clever girl? She is smart and capable, and she has a promising future."

Ping'er asked, "Could it be that Grandma has taken a fancy to this girl?"

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "It doesn't matter whether I like her or not. It's up to one of you to like her."

Ping'er was surprised and blushed when she heard this. People said that the Third Master kept a house full of pretty girls and was a lustful man. She didn't believe it at first.

Now it seems to be true. He has been the lord of Rong State for only a few days, but he has already fallen in love with a maid in the West Mansion, and she is in Baoyu's room. If the lady knew about this, wouldn't she be uncomfortable again?

Wang Xifeng saw Ping Er's expression and naturally guessed what she was thinking. She sneered and said, "Don't be jealous of this. If you keep doing this, you will end up in a vinegar jar."

Ping'er's pretty face turned red again, and she said, "Look at what you said, grandma. It's none of my business what woman the Third Master likes."

Wang Xifeng said, "You don't have to think too much. From what I've seen, Third Brother is not attracted to the girl's looks, but seems to be attracted to other parts of her..."

……

Rongguo Mansion, Baoyu Courtyard.

After Xiaohong passed the message to Wang Xifeng, she left in a relaxed mood. On her way back, she deliberately passed by the rockery, but Jia Cong was no longer there.

When she entered the yard, she happened to meet Qiu Wen and Bi Hen. They were coming back from the well in the garden, carrying a bucket of water together, holding their skirts with one hand, stumbling and spilling a lot of water along the way.

Qiu Wen felt annoyed when she saw Xiao Hong, and said, "I haven't seen you since early this morning, and you're going crazy everywhere. You didn't feed the birds, water the flowers, or hang out the clothes."

Xiao Hong defended herself, "I fed the birds early in the morning, and my sister hasn't gotten up yet, so of course she doesn't know. Second Master told me a few days ago that flowers don't need to be watered every day, otherwise the roots will rot and die. Just water them every other day.

It's not my turn to do the laundry today, so you can't blame me if the laundry isn't hung out."

When Qiu Wen saw Xiaohong talking back again, she became furious. She was a first-class maid in Baoyu's room, and Xiaohong was only a third-class one. Yet she dared to argue with her every time. There was really no law to follow.

But Xiao Hong was very cautious and couldn't find the sore spot for the moment, so she could only say coldly: "Listen, I just said one sentence and she said a hundred sentences, you can go wherever you want.

Go and ask Madam to judge the matter that day. How could you be a servant in Master Bao's room?"

When Xiaohong heard that she was going to ask her wife to comment, she couldn't help but panic and blurted out: "It's not my turn today. I have done my work and didn't go there.

Just now, when I walked to the rockery in front, I met Third Master Cong passing by. He didn't bring any maids with him, so he asked me to run errands to tell Second Madam a message. I came back after I finished my business, and I didn't go there to wander around."

Bi Hen, who was standing by, was also shocked when she heard Xiao Hong say that she had been ordered by Third Master Cong to pass on a message to Second Madam. Now these two people are the most popular masters in the mansion.

Xiaohong is quite a clever bitch. She has hooked up with both of them in one thing.

After hearing what Xiaohong said, Qiu Wen felt even more jealous. She went to curry favor with Master Cong's maid yesterday, but Wu'er ignored her.

Xiaohong, this coquettish girl, has actually gotten a job with Master Cong Sanye. Is she worthy of being ordered around by Master Cong Sanye?

He said in a stern voice: "I was wondering why you were nowhere to be seen this early in the morning. It turns out that you went out to seek a higher position. Third Master Cong, Second Madam, you are the most brilliant figures in the mansion now, and you really know how to choose people to order around.

He lost his mind after just saying a few words to others. He doesn't even look at himself and see who is worthy of this clever guy. Now that he has climbed up the ladder, he should stay away from this yard if he has the ability.

Perch on that high branch far away, and we will all surrender to you!"

After hearing what Qiu Wen said, Xiaohong became so angry that her face turned pale, but she suppressed her anger and did not dare to argue with her. If they started arguing, the matter would become a big deal.

Qiu Wen and Bi Hen are Baoyu's personal first-class maids. They have more background than herself and can have a say in front of the lady. If the two sides start quarreling, she will definitely suffer.

Qiu Wen's words were so sharp that they echoed throughout the front yard, alarming Xiren and Sheyue who were inside the house. They both went out to see what was going on, and Bihen stepped forward and told them what had just happened.

Xiren frowned and said, "You are yelling in broad daylight, aren't you afraid that others will get suspicious? There have been many things going on in the mansion these days, and Madam is not feeling well.

Besides, the Madam is focused on the Second Master. If you guys make such a fuss over such a small matter, it will not be good for anyone if it gets to her."

Qiu Wen held back her words when she saw Xiren talking. Although she had always tried her best to curry favor and climb up the social ladder, she could never surpass Xiren.

Because Xiren was originally the old lady's personal maid, she was specially placed in Master Bao's room to serve. Xiren was also capable and actually won the lady's appreciation. No one dared to compete with her.

When Sheyue saw Qiu Wen and Bi Hen walking away, she walked over and pulled Xiao Hong over unhappily, scolding and complaining, "I thought you were smart, but I didn't expect you to be a fool.

In the past, Third Master Cong would order you around, but now you don't realize the current situation. We are going to move out of the West Mansion tomorrow. Don't you know how angry you both are?

If you go to run errands for those two masters at this time, wouldn't you be walking on fire? Aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon yourself?

Don't leave the yard these days if you have nothing to do. Stay at home, or you will be chased away by others. I think you have a lot of trouble." (End of this chapter)