Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Shenjing, Wenhan Street, Xiao’s Bookstore.

Xiao Jindong returned from a banquet at Rongguo Mansion. Although he was a little drunk, his expression was clear and he looked happy and excited.

As soon as he entered the shop, he met Uncle Qin, the old servant who was in charge of the shop.

He asked casually, "Uncle Qin, how is business today?"

Uncle Qin said, "In a few months, it will be the Spring Examination. Recently, the collections of famous scholars' Four Books and historical essays have been selling well in the store. Today, in just half a day, we sold more than 20 copies.

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, candidates from all over the country will come to Beijing to prepare for the exams. By then, these exam books will surely sell more, which will be a big business."

Xiao Jindong's mouth was full of alcohol, and he smiled and said, "Uncle Qin is proficient in business planning. His vision and ability in this regard have always been better than mine. You can make the decision on this matter.

The books and quantities to be imported were all based on Uncle Qin's wishes.

Back then, it was with Uncle Qin's help that my father was able to make the family business more and more prosperous. With Uncle Qin's ability, he could have taken charge of the Xiao family's store business in other provinces."

It's a pity that Uncle Qin is too low-key. He would rather work odd jobs in the shop on Wenhan Street than work in other provinces."

Uncle Qin smiled slightly, and his wrinkled face showed maturity and sophistication, as well as a barely perceptible tenacity.

He said: "When my family was in trouble, it was thanks to your father who rescued and helped. I helped him with some effort, but it was really not worth mentioning. Now I am old and my legs and feet are not flexible. I really can't stand the running around.

I have been to many places when I was young, but in the end, Beijing is the most comfortable place for me to stay. I am willing to bury my old bones here in the future."

Xiao Jindong smiled and said, "Since Uncle Qin likes staying in Shenjing, he can stay here for a long time. I am looking forward to it. With Uncle Qin helping me look after this shop, I can save myself a lot of trouble."

……

Uncle Qin added: "The exam books in the store are selling well, thanks to the three calligraphy works of Weiyuan Bo. Those students know that they were written by Weiyuan Bo when he was unknown, so they come here to see them.

They all knew that this young master was a twice-proud scholar, so why not come to broaden their horizons and share in his good fortune? "

Not only did the books sell well today, but several consigned calligraphy and paintings were also sold. Mr. Zhou's painting "Sunset over Clouds" was bought at a high price.

Since Mr. Zhou is your good friend, we will follow the prior agreement and only take 10% of the original 20% commission. I have sent someone to deliver the rest of the money to Mr. Zhou's house.

In addition, several people have come to inquire about He Qingzhu's painting of bamboo in autumn rain, but we haven't yet reached a suitable price. I think it will be sold in the next few days."

Xiao Jindong laughed and said, "Jia Yuzhang is really a man of great fortune. The three of us just went to his banquet and we all became rich when we came back. It's really strange."

Uncle Qin was stunned and asked casually, "Who is Jia Yuzhang?"

Xiao Jindong smiled and pointed at the three calligraphy works hanging on the wall and covered with gauze, and said, "These are the owners of these three calligraphy works."

Uncle Qin's eyes lit up slightly, and he said, "So it's Weiyuan Earl Jia Cong. Jindong hasn't been in touch with him for the past year or two. How come they're suddenly having a feast together?"

Xiao Jindong said: "When he came to the shop to sell calligraphy, he was just a ten-year-old child. I love his calligraphy. When we met at an ordinary age, it was natural for us to get along well.

However, he did not expect that in the following years, he would have many adventures and accomplish many remarkable things. His status became increasingly valuable and he even became famous throughout the world.

In addition, in the past two years, he has been traveling all over the country on imperial missions and has had little free time. How can people like me, who are businessmen of low status, associate with him and lose the sincerity we had in the beginning?

This time, we met Liu Bi who was returning from Jiangnan. He was not only a noble official, but also a fellow student of Yu Zhang. That's why he invited the three of us to a banquet to chat and reminisce about the old days.

Although Yu Zhang is not only an official appointed by the court but also holds two titles, and his status is extremely noble, but when he was chatting with his old friends, there was not a single bit of arrogance or boasting in his attitude.

Meeting today is just like the time when we gathered in Chunhua Tower to chat and laugh, so relaxed and easygoing. Time flies, but the old friends remain the same. His broad-mindedness is really extraordinary... "

Xiao Jindong was still drunk and in high spirits, talking eloquently, but he did not notice Uncle Qin beside him. As he listened to Uncle Qin praising Jia Cong, his eyes gradually became deep.

After a while, when Xiao Jindong was about to lose interest in talking, Uncle Qin smiled and said, "It is a great opportunity for Jindong to meet such an outstanding person.

I still remember the scene when he came to the store to sell calligraphy. He was just a childish kid.

I didn't expect that in just a few years, he would be so young and brilliant. It's really unexpected. Perhaps this kind of bloodline is born with perseverance and will eventually become successful..."

Xiao Jindong was still drunk, and he didn't notice the grim meaning in Uncle Qin's words. He just laughed and said, "Uncle Qin is right. Yu Zhang is the bloodline of the nobles.

In the past, the two masters of the Jia family, Ning and Rong, were such famous heroes. I think it was because of the good fortune of their ancestors that they could raise such an outstanding son like Yuzhang... "

……

Time flies, and the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is here.

Ever since Jia Cong inherited the title of Rongguo many years ago, the elders, relatives and nobles of various families have been visiting and fermenting for years.

Like Uncle Qin who runs Xiao's Bookstore on Wenhan Street, the belief that Jia Cong will become a big shot in the future has become a consensus among the nobles.

If he wanted to win over a new noble like Jia Cong as soon as possible, considering his age, marriage would be the best way to achieve the goal.

However, Jia Cong now needs to observe mourning for three years, and there was the ceremony of granting a marriage in the palace recently, so those noble families who were thinking about it wisely gave up this plan.

But when it comes to forming alliances through marriage, there are often other ways to do it.

Therefore, Yingchun, Jia Cong's biological sister and the eldest daughter of the Earl's Mansion, became an extremely rare commodity in the eyes of many noble families because of her brother's outstanding performance.

All the noble families who had frequent contact with the Jia family had heard of the deep affection between the eldest daughter and Earl Weiyuan, and that she was the most important person in the heart of the young Earl Weiyuan.

Moreover, Yingchun is the only girl in the Jia family who is over the age of marriageable age.

Therefore, the wives of several high-ranking families who visited each other during the New Year's Day expressed their desire to discuss marriage through their words and in various ways.

As for the marriage dispute between Yingchun and the Sun family of Datong, who would care about it at this time.

Whichever family could marry the eldest daughter of the Earl's Mansion would become related to both the Jia family and the other two families.

Not to mention that Jia Cong has a promising future in power, the network foundation left by the two Dukes Ning and Rong cannot be underestimated.

Grandmother Jia was very happy to receive these earnest hints, because these families were as prominent as the Jia family. The old lady had a warm conversation with Yingchun twice.

However, Yingchun's behavior and words are now very different from before. She responded to Lady Jia's lobbying for marriage without saying a word. Although her words are gentle and respectful, her refusal is obvious.

Grandmother Jia also knew that her granddaughter, who was once known as a wooden head, was no longer the same as before. Although she still looked soft and gentle on the outside, she was determined in her heart, not to mention that she had her brothers backing her up.

She said that she didn't want to get married too early and wanted to be filial to her ancestors for two more years. But although Lady Jia was old and had some self-awareness, she didn't just accept the advice.

I'm afraid that Yingchun's words about being filial to me for a few more years can't be taken seriously. It is true that she can't bear to leave her brother and wants to spend a few more years with that boy.

Grandmother Jia did not force Yingchun too much on this matter.

Because as Jia Cong inherited the title of Rong, his power and status in the Jia family became increasingly higher, and he became the rightful ruler of the East and West Palaces.

Even Jia Zheng had to avoid the situation according to etiquette, and although Grandmother Jia was the grandmother, she also felt a little overwhelmed.

Because of Jia Cong's biological mother, the two grandfather and grandson have always had grudges against each other and can never be said to be close. The second granddaughter, whom he raised with his own hands, became the best buffer and bond.

Therefore, Grandmother Jia did not want Yingchun to get married so soon. After all, Yingchun had a brother like Jia Cong, so she would not have to worry about getting married even if she got older.

After Jia Cong knew about this, he naturally agreed with his sister's wishes, because his views were very different from those of other people at that time. In the eyes of others, Yingchun should have been married long ago, but in his eyes, his sister could only be considered an adult.

Such a turmoil did not cause much trouble to Jia Cong and Yingchun. At most, it just became a topic of laughter for the sisters in their spare time.

However, this touched Mrs. Wang's nerves to a great extent. Even Yingchun, who had a flaw in her marriage, now had her love star moved because of Jia Cong, but no one was interested in her own Baoyu.

……

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard.

On this day, Aunt Xue brought Baochai to visit Mrs. Wang. This was also the first time that Aunt Xue went to the East Courtyard.

At the beginning, Aunt Xue fled all the way from Jinling to Shenjing because her son was involved in a murder case. The Xue family already had a decent villa in Shenjing, and also had male relatives like Wang Ziteng.

According to common sense, it makes no sense for her to live in the Jia family, but Aunt Xue did it anyway, and her brother Wang Ziteng didn't care about his reputation and seemed to have no objection or unhappiness.

The reason, of course, was that Xue Pan was too disappointing, and Aunt Xue was afraid that he would cause trouble again in Shenjing.

Although he had his elder brother Wang Ziteng to rely on, his brother's career prospects also originated from the Jia family.

Therefore, Aunt Xue's connection with the Rongguo Jia family through Lady Wang was of great benefit to both the Xue and Wang families.

In addition, Aunt Xue was proud of her daughter Xue Baochai's talent and beauty, and hoped that her daughter would marry a wealthy man in the future, which would not only add support to the Xue family, but also help to raise her eldest son Xue Pan.

The reason why he and Mrs. Wang were trying to arrange a perfect match was just this purpose. Living in the Jia family, he had the advantage of being close to the family.

However, he did not expect that the world is unpredictable and could not always go as one wishes. Now Baoyu's reputation is notorious, and it is nothing but a foolish dream to want to marry him to a rich family through a matchmaker outside.

Naturally, Mrs. Wang would grasp Baochai as a straw, but Aunt Xue had long since backed out of this marriage, and now she is still living in the Jia family. Is it still for Baoyu?
However, although the second branch of the Jia family had fallen into decline, whether out of sisterly affection or for the convenience of continuing to live in the Jia family, Aunt Xue could not avoid visiting the East Courtyard. …

Now, when Aunt Xue goes to see Mrs. Wang, it is not as convenient as before when she went from Lixiangyuan to the east courtyard of Rongxitang.

Because the East Courtyard was separated from the Rongguo Mansion Garden by a wall, a small connecting door was originally opened on the wall to facilitate communication between the two places.

However, when Jia Zheng moved into the east courtyard, he was afraid that he would be accused of moving out of the Rongguo Mansion as a trick, so he had the small connecting door sealed.

Therefore, to go from Lixiangyuan to Dongluyuan, one needs to exit from the west corner gate on the right side of the main gate of Rongguo Mansion, take a carriage through the main gate and the east corner gate, and enter the courtyard from the black oil gate of Dongluyuan.

But in reality, there was no way to walk this way, because from Lixiangyuan to Xijiaomen, one had to cross the entire Rongguo Mansion. A pampered lady like Aunt Xue could not bear the strength to walk a distance of three arrows.

She had to go out from the back street gate of Lixiangyuan, get on a carriage, go around the entire Rongguo West Mansion, and go west from Ningrong Street through the west corner gate, main gate, and east corner gate of Rongguo Mansion before she could enter the black oil gate of the East Courtyard.

The tediousness and alienation she had experienced along the way made Aunt Xue sigh inwardly. Her sister's second wife was no longer what it used to be. In fact, it had been separated from the Rongguo Mansion, and it would be extremely difficult for her to make a comeback.

……

But she was a shrewd and smooth woman. Although she thought so in her heart, she would not reveal a word.

She got off the carriage with her daughter Baochai. As soon as they entered the black oil-painted gate of the east courtyard, Mrs. Wang was already there with her maids and servants, waiting for them.

Aunt Xue saw that although her sister was smiling, the imperfection and stubbornness on her face were difficult to conceal.

But she pretended not to notice anything. When she saw Mrs. Wang, she held her hand and chatted with her, then looked around the east courtyard.

He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Sister, this courtyard is exquisite and magnificent, and it exudes the style of a nobleman inside and out. In my opinion, the East Courtyard where I used to live is even more magnificent and respectable, and it makes people like it when they see it."

Mrs. Wang felt suffocated and ashamed just to live in the East Courtyard. After hearing what Aunt Xue said, she felt a little relieved, but she still had a reserved smile on her face.

He said, "Sister, what you said is too much. It's just a side courtyard of Rongguo Mansion. It's not as respectable as you say."

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "I am not saying this nonsense. Everyone in the mansion knows that my brother-in-law and Baoyu are the old lady's favorites.

The old man personally ordered that the East Courtyard be tidied up.

I was walking around the mansion a few days ago and saw that Congge was personally in charge of the reconstruction of the East Courtyard. Even Feng girl was ordered around by him, which shows how dedicated he is.

It has been said in the past that Congge loves his brother-in-law the most. The other day I saw him humbly giving up the position of chief priest to his brother-in-law. That was still a respectable gesture from the outside.

Now looking at the neat and gorgeous courtyard, it can be seen that he also respects his brother-in-law very much. He treats his own father the same way. After all, my sister is blessed... "

After hearing what Aunt Xue said, Mrs. Wang's face relaxed.

He smiled and said, "Brother Cong is really filial to the master. It is not in vain that the master has taught and supported him, which is why he is so successful today..."

Although Aunt Xue's current status in Jia Cong's life was inseparable from Jia Zheng's guidance and support, she thought it was nonsense, but since everyone was riding in a fancy sedan, she naturally would not expose it.

She was best at creating a flattering atmosphere. She came to the main courtyard with Mrs. Wang. Along the way, she saw the various scenery in the east courtyard. She kept saying beautiful words over and over again, which made Mrs. Wang very happy.

So much so that when she first met Aunt Xue, the embarrassment and shame in her heart quickly subsided, and she even felt that the East Courtyard was quite good.

……

When they arrived at Mrs. Wang's main courtyard, Baochai asked the maid to serve tea. She then expressed her anger to Mrs. Wang and wanted to go talk to Tanchun.

Ever since Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue revealed their engagement a few years ago, Baochai has been like a frightened bird. She wishes she could never see her aunt again and stay as far away from her as possible.

Deep down, Baochai didn't want to come to the East Courtyard to visit Mrs. Wang this time, but Mrs. Wang's move to the East Courtyard was a time of decline in the eyes of outsiders.

It is necessary for the closest relatives to visit and comfort the child. If no one cares about the child, it would be too heartbreaking. Therefore, the etiquette of greeting and visiting cannot be omitted.

However, when greeting Mrs. Wang, Baochai tried to avoid her so that she wouldn't ask her some kind questions in front of her, which would make everyone lose face.

Fortunately, Tanchun has moved into the east courtyard now, otherwise Baochai would not even have a reason to escape.

Aunt Xue knew what her daughter was thinking, and hoped that she could avoid leaving at this time, so that no matter what her old sisters said behind closed doors, there would be room for them to smooth things over.

After Baochai left, Aunt Xue said, "Sister, everything is stable now. Among the sisters in the Wang family, sister has a very good and decent result. Now as long as you take good care of yourself, everything will be fine."

Mrs. Wang sighed, “How can my sister say it so easily? I am already nearly fifty years old. What hope do I have for my life? Zhu’er died a long time ago, and now Baoyu is the only evildoer left.

How can I live a carefree life when he has no settled down? Last time I mentioned the matter of Baoyu and Baochai to you, do you have any idea now?"

Aunt Xue was prepared for this. Her sister kept talking about this topic and she couldn't avoid it after all.

She also knew in her heart that the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion was now in decline, and Baoyu's reputation had been ruined by a series of punishments in the palace for insulting the retired emperor with his words.

Her elder sister was worried that her son would have no place to go in his life, so she was in a hurry to arrange this marriage, but Aunt Xue would never take this chance now.

Not to mention his beloved son Xue Pan, whom he had repeatedly told not to let his sister coax him.

Even when her brother Wang Ziteng came to visit her, he also praised Jia Cong highly. Although he did not say it explicitly, his words implied that the daughter of the Xue family was looking at the long-term and did not care about the present situation...

His knowledgeable uncle Xue Yuan, who had traveled all over the world and seen many strange people and things, actually admired Jia Cong very much.

These people are Aunt Xue's closest relatives and trusted people. Their indifference to Baoyu and their recognition and admiration of Jia Cong have shaken Aunt Xue's obsession with the aristocratic families...

But no matter whether the matter between her daughter and Jia Cong had an outcome or not, Aunt Xue did not want to use her own daughter to fill Baoyu's hole.

Although he was the apple of his sister's eye, now he had not only lost his title but also his reputation, and his whole life was hopeless.

……

Although Aunt Xue had made up her mind, she would not say it out loud. Otherwise, even if they were sisters, they would definitely turn against each other.

If the relationship with Lady Wang was gone, what excuse would the Xue family have to live in the Jia Mansion...

Aunt Xue said, "It is said that Baochai and Baoyu are cousins, and a match made in heaven is a good omen, not to mention that we sisters are even closer relatives.

But after all, I am not raising only Baochai. She also has an older brother, Pan'er. Pan'er is the eldest son of the eldest branch of the Xue family, and everyone in and outside the Xue family is watching over him.

Sister, you know that aristocratic families like Jia, Wang, Shi and Xue attach the most importance to the etiquette of seniority. If the eldest brother is not yet married, the younger brothers and sisters will take the lead.

If this matter were to get out, it would be too unpleasant to hear. The elders of the Xue family in Jinling would definitely blame my sister for not knowing the seriousness of the matter and breaking the rules of seniority. I would also not be able to face Pan'er's father in the future.

Therefore, the most important thing right now is not Baochai, but finding a suitable marriage for Pan'er as soon as possible. This is the serious matter right now."

……

When Mrs. Wang heard this, she was dumbfounded. She only thought that Baoyu was no longer the phoenix of Rongguo Mansion, and had lost his future support. Finding a good marriage for him as soon as possible was the most urgent task.

But she never thought that Baochai had an older brother. What her sister said about the rule of seniority was indeed the traditional etiquette of the aristocratic families and it could not be easily violated, otherwise it would be difficult for her sister, the mistress of the family, to live her life.

But Mrs. Wang could do nothing to help in this matter. She did not have a biological daughter who could be Xue Pan's wife. Even if she did have one, she would not marry her to someone as lawless as Xue Pan.

On this point, the two sisters agree...

Mrs. Wang asked, "I wonder what kind of wife you want to find for Pan'er. The Jia family has many old friends from aristocratic families, many of whom have unmarried young ladies. Maybe I can help you with that."

Aunt Xue said, "I will not hide my thoughts from you, sister. Pan'er is a useless man. Even if we find him a daughter of an official, he is not a good match for her.

In my opinion, it would be more reliable and appropriate to find him a daughter who is of the same family background as the Xue family."

After hearing her sister's plan, Mrs. Wang muttered the four words "well-matched family background" in her heart. Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind and she remembered an old story.

During the funeral of the eldest master, Taoist Zhang from Qingxu Temple came to the mansion to chant mantras to pray for the soul's soul to be reborn. He also recommended several young ladies who were both virtuous and beautiful and were all suitable candidates for Baoyu.

But since she had already fallen in love with her niece Baochai, she naturally did not take this matter to heart. However, Mrs. Wang still roughly remembered the origins of the names of those girls.

One of the girls was the daughter of the Guihua Xia family. The Guihua Xia family was also a royal merchant family for generations, one of the largest families with extremely rich family background.

The girl from the Xia family is named Xia Jingui, which sounds pleasant.

In the past, the Rongguo Mansion was known for its golden marriage because of the arrangement between him and his sister.

Although the old lady did not say it explicitly, she must have been unhappy hearing it in her heart. Once, when gossiping in Rongqing Hall, she even joked about Miss Xia's name, saying that she and Baoyu were a perfect match.

If Mrs. Wang had not been bullied by Lady Jia, she would probably not have thought of this matter at this moment. Now, she thinks that the Xue family and the Xia family are really of equal status.

If Pan'er were to be told about the girl from the Xia family and learn about the past events, the marriage between Baoyu and Baochai would naturally become a matter of course.

Mrs. Wang thought this through and felt that this matter was perfect. She smiled and said, "Since you want to find a man of equal status for Pan'er, I can think of someone who will probably be compatible with Pan'er..." (End of this chapter)