Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongxi Hall.

Jia Cong, Jia Zheng, Shi Nai and others had already left Rong Xi Tang, but Baoyu deliberately slowed down.

He waited until Jia Zheng left the courtyard and then returned to Rong Xi Tang.

Seeing Xiaohong was cleaning up the teacups, she also ordered the maid to re-clean the hall. There were many guests coming and going during the New Year holidays, and the Third Master might come over tomorrow.

Baoyu saw Xiaohong packing her things swiftly. He looked at her graceful back, with her slender waist, shoulders as sharp as a knife, and a piece of white neck skin showing at her temples. She looked indescribably neat and lovely.

He couldn't help but feel annoyed. Such a lovely maid had been in his yard for so long, but he didn't even notice her and let her do chores in the backyard. He deserved it.

Now that he had been driven away, he realized the good points of Xiaohong. Thinking of this, Baoyu became sad and resentful again, and he stood there in a daze again.

Xiaohong packed up the teacup and was about to take it out, but when she turned around, she saw Baoyu still standing behind her and was startled.

He asked, "Second Master Bao, why are you still here? Why didn't you go with Third Master to entertain the guests?"

When Baoyu heard that Xiaohong no longer called him Second Master as she used to, but instead called him Second Master Bao, which seemed very distant, he felt uncomfortable when he heard that she called Jia Cong Third Master in a more intimate way.

He said, "Xiaohong, I was not in the yard that day, so I didn't know that my wife came to chase you away. I felt very sad when I found out about it later. I thought you had been wronged for nothing."

Xiaohong was heartbroken when she heard what Baoyu said. She felt a little uncomfortable and an embarrassed look appeared on her face.

However, she also knew Baoyu's personality. He was always affectionate and flattering in front of the maids, and he was not restrained in his words.

If he was not such a person, how could he have provoked Jin Chuan for no reason, angered his wife, and finally forced Jin Chuan to jump into the well out of shame.

Xiaohong has been listening to her parents talk about the affairs of the men in the family since she was a child, and her ears are covered with calluses.

Her parents were just worried that she would be too soft-hearted and be coaxed by the man in the mansion, and would never have a decent life again.

When Xiaohong saw that Baoyu had a sad face while speaking and was standing quite close to her, she frowned, held the tea tray in her hand against her chest, and took a step back.

He said, "Master Bao, don't say such things. Besides, I've already been chased away, so there's no point in saying anything. Besides, I'm fine now, so Master Bao, don't worry about me in vain."

Baoyu blushed and said, "Is it a good place for you to stay? Jia Cong always brings back some parasites and talks nonsense about official career and economy, which is a waste of time for a girl like you."

Baoyu was about to pull Xiaohong's hand, but Xiaohong blocked him with the tea tray. Her pretty face sank slightly and she said, "Second Master Bao, just say what you want to say. Why are you pulling and tugging?"

It was common for Baoyu to be criticized by the maids every day. He even enjoyed it. He did not take Xiaohong's sarcastic remarks to heart at all, and felt that Xiaohong was more interesting than the other maids.

Seeing Xiaohong's disbelief, he became bolder and said, "You must be angry. My wife chased you away, but I didn't care. You are obviously unhappy here, but you still say lies to coax me.

You don't have to be afraid, just follow me back to the courtyard and I'll just talk to Jia Cong."

Xiao Hong was surprised and asked, "What are you talking about, Master Bao? I've already been kicked out, how can I go back? Can you still ask Madam to let me go back?"

When Baoyu heard this, his arrogance weakened immediately. He would not argue with Mrs. Wang and get Xiaohong back, nor did he have the courage to do so.

But he still refused to give in and said, "I'll go find my wife and reason with her. You did nothing wrong in my yard. My wife will always understand..."

Xiaohong sneered in her heart, if you were such a person, Sister Qianxue would not have been driven out by the lady just because of a cup of tea. I didn't even hear you say a word, and now you come to coax that person again.

He said, "Master Bao, don't worry. Although I was kicked out, which is not decent, I am better off now than before. It can be considered a blessing in disguise.

They say that all good things must come to an end. Even if I am not kicked out of Master Bao's courtyard, I cannot stay there forever. This is just right now.

Now, Third Master thinks I can still do something, and gave me this job. I am very grateful, and I will do my best to not bring shame to Third Master, and that will be my way of repaying his kindness."

……

When Baoyu heard that Xiaohong had no intention of returning to his courtyard, he realized that even his friendly attitude towards her could not impress her.

It would be fine if a woman like me, a man with dirty hair, could never win the heart of a girl, but why could Jia Cong's coaxing make her fall in love with him?

He said unconvincedly: "Jia Cong is not a good man at all, he doesn't know how to cherish his daughter.

He put you here to guard the empty courtyard, serve tea and water, and face only four walls every day. Isn't that a waste of your life?"

When Xiaohong heard Baoyu's words, her pretty face darkened slightly and she said, "I am willing to do this. It has nothing to do with others. Even if I have to guard an empty yard for the Third Master for the rest of my life, I am happy with it.

Why did Master Bao send Master San to do this? Everyone has their own fate, so just live your own life well."

Baoyu's face turned red after being interrupted by Xiaohong. Now Xiaohong was Jia Cong's maid, and Baoyu was just a concubine of the East Courtyard. He really couldn't do anything to Xiaohong.

However, Baoyu is not like Mrs. Wang. It is common for him to be contradicted by maids in his daily life, but he has never felt jealous or had any thoughts of revenge.

He stamped his feet and said, "You all don't understand me. Even if I worry about you, no one will know. This matter doesn't matter to me. At most, I will go to the old lady..."

Xiaohong was shocked when she heard this. Just now, when she heard Baoyu slander Jia Cong, she was unwilling to speak up for Jia Cong. Now she regretted saying so much and actually provoked this gentleman's temper.

If Baoyu really goes to the old lady to ask for himself back, as long as he acts coquettishly, the lady will have to bow her head. If the old lady becomes partial and really goes to the Third Master, then everything will be ruined.

Now following the Third Master, she is considerate and respectful, and can broaden her horizons. Her mother also said that the Third Master has always been good to the maids, but his kindness is not like that of Baoyu...

I finally got to follow a man like this, so who would want to go to Baoyu Courtyard to watch people fighting over his favor?

Xiao Hong rolled her eyes and said, "Master Bao, please don't tell the old lady about this. I really like staying in Rong Xi Tang, and I won't just stay in an empty yard.

The Third Master is now studying poetry and books, waiting for the imperial examination at the end of spring this year. Last time, he told me that Rong Xi Tang is spacious and quiet, and is a first-class place to study.

Judging from the tone, I knew that after the New Year, the Third Master would definitely enter Rong Xi Tang to study. It was said that the Third Master's knowledge was world-famous, and I had been waiting for this day.

I can just ask Third Master to teach me how to read and write. I heard that the maids around Third Master can read and write, but I am the only one who is blind. Isn't that too embarrassing?

It would be best if Third Master could teach me the Four Books, the Four Books... yes, the Five Classics, that would be awesome."

As Xiaohong spoke, she secretly glanced at Baoyu and saw that his face became increasingly uglier and his eyes were dim, as if he was very disappointed in her.

Xiao Hong bit her lip slightly and continued, "When I was in Master Bao's courtyard before, I often heard Master Bao tell him to study hard, which I think is absolutely right.

The Third Master and the Second Master Bao are the same age. Now the Third Master can even take the imperial examination, so the Second Master Bao should listen more to the Second Master and study harder.

A smart man like Master Bao might be able to go to school this year, which would be respectable in public and would make the Second Master and Second Mistress happy.

From now on, Second Master Bao will be able to learn the skills of being an official like Third Master, and in the future he will surely be able to be granted a title and an official position like Third Master, bringing honor to his family…”

Xiaohong was smart and eloquent. She knew what Baoyu was thinking. She started talking quickly with clear pronunciation and crisp voice. She was so excited that she couldn't stop.

Baoyu's originally flushed face had turned somewhat pale, and he looked at Xiaohong with eyes full of sorrow. His daughter, who was once so pretty and clean, now spoke only corrupt and rotten words all the time!

Jia Cong really did a lot of harm to people. Such a good maid was ruined by him.

Baoyu said bitterly: "How could a girl like you become like this? You should tell Jia Cong about your nonsense as an official. I don't have that kind of luck!"

When Xiaohong saw Baoyu turning away and leaving in a hurry, she didn't know whether studying was too overwhelming for him, or her words about being an official made him flee in panic.

But there is one thing that Xiaohong is very sure of in her heart, from now on Baoyu will definitely be tired of her and will no longer have the heart to show sympathy to her, let alone go to the old lady to ask for her.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but chuckle with pride.

It seems that following the Third Master has indeed broadened her horizons. The things she and Baoyu just argued about were just what she heard when she was serving Jia Cong when he entertained guests in Rong Xi Tang several times during the year...

……

Rongguo Mansion, Lixiangyuan.

Baochai took Miss Xia back to the yard, but Tanchun did not come with them.

Because Aunt Xue was going to host a banquet to entertain the mother and daughter of the Xia family, the invitation was ostensibly a New Year's visit between the two families, but in reality it was about the two families looking for a match.

Originally, the girl from the Xia family always wanted to avoid suspicion and was not good at meeting Xue Pan directly, but when the two families got to know each other, it turned out that their ancestors were from aristocratic families, so the two families were considered old relatives and the rules of etiquette could be compromised.

Although it was inconvenient for Xue Pan to accompany the entire banquet, he entered once during the banquet to pay respects to Lady Wang and Mrs. Xia as a junior, and he was also able to meet Miss Xia without leaving any trace.

However, Tanchun was a relative from outside the family, and the etiquette and rules of the Jia family were stricter than those of the Xue and Xia families. It was inconvenient for her to meet Xue Pan, so she did not come to the banquet.

When Baochai noticed that Miss Xia had returned, she became a little uneasy. She remembered that on her way back just now, she happened to see Jia Cong and others walking towards her from the other end of the corridor from afar.

Because there were strangers around Jia Cong, Baochai and Tanchun avoided him as usual. But the girl from the Xia family was stunned for a moment, staring over there, and her original agility and cleverness were gone.

It was not until Tanchun went to pull her away that she came to her senses. Tanchun was just there to entertain the guests and there was no need to think too much about it.

But Baochai is different. This Miss Xia may be her sister-in-law in the future. She has the idea of ​​finding her for her brother, so she naturally pays special attention to Miss Xia's actions.

Therefore, Baochai quickly realized that Miss Xia lost her composure for a moment because she saw Jia Cong. The light in her eyes at that moment made Baochai blush and her heart beat fast.

She was also a woman, so she naturally understood the meaning of that look, and she couldn't help but feel suspicious of this Miss Xia.

Even if Brother Cong was good-looking, she was a girl visiting the family and there was an intention for the two families to meet each other. It was too inappropriate for her to look at an unrelated man in such a way.

But this was just Baochai's own observation of people's words and expressions, and there was no actual evidence, so she couldn't use it as a topic of conversation.

Tanchun went to the East Palace alone halfway, and Baochai accompanied Miss Xia back to Lixiang Garden. She was indifferent along the way and just chatted casually with Miss Xia.

...Before Miss Xia came to Lixiangyuan to look for a date, she had already heard of the famous young man Weiyuanbo of the Jia family.

She heard many related legends every day, which described Jia Cong as unique in heaven and on earth, talented in both civil and military affairs, a powerful young man, as handsome as Pan An, and like a god.

She was born into a wealthy family. Her father died early and she was her mother's only daughter.

She was born with outstanding looks, intelligence and cleverness, and was treated like a treasure by her widowed mother, who spoiled her and indulged her in everything, thus causing her to develop a spoiled and powerful personality.

Because she had been accustomed to a life of wealth and luxury with everything since childhood, she had high standards and an arrogant heart. She felt that all the good things in the world should belong to her. She thought she was as dignified as a bodhisattva, and others were as dirty as dirt.

When she reached the age of marriage, she felt that her family was wealthy and her character and appearance were outstanding, and only the best person in the world could match her and satisfy her needs.

With such a conceited mind, it is natural that he is curious and yearning for people like Jia Cong.

At that time, Taoist Zhang from Qingxu Temple came to the mansion to make connections, saying that the other party was the Xue family, a wealthy family in Jinling, and that like the Xia family, they were top imperial merchants listed in the Ministry of Revenue.

In addition to being a first-class imperial merchant, the Xue family is also a family of famous officials with a long tradition of scholarship. Their ancestors were once Ziwei Sheren and have produced two generations of high-ranking officials. The remaining prestige of their ancestors can still protect their descendants.

When Xia's mother heard that the man's family background was a good match for the Xia family and that his ancestors' foundation was even higher than that of the Xia family, she was naturally very moved.

Miss Xia agreed to this matter because she heard Taoist Zhang bragging that the Xue family and the Jia family were in-laws, and that the Xue family now lived in the Rongguo Mansion. There was a young head of the mansion with two titles, who was extremely powerful and prestigious...

The reason why Xia's mother came to visit this time was really to meet the Xue family.

Miss Xia was much more cunning than her mother. She came to the house with the intention of getting more and more.

The Xia family is merely wealthy but does not have much family background, and the orphan and widow do not have much experience either. However, their ability to weigh and calculate is completely that of a businessman, and they are much better than others.

Miss Xia would not even think about the fact that Jia Cong was of noble status and even his marriage was arranged by someone else, which was not something an ordinary family could possibly get, so she just kept daydreaming.

She is a shrewd person and has done all the calculations.

Because she heard Tanchun accidentally mention that Jia Cong was entertaining guests in Rongqing Hall, she suggested going to the mansion to admire the lanterns. She also made an excuse to walk around Rongqing Hall, which had the most exquisite lanterns, to create some opportunities for herself.

What was originally just a pipe dream actually came true for her. She met Jia Cong twice on her way back and forth. His handsome appearance and demeanor made it almost impossible for her to take her eyes off him.

Although she was back at Lixiang Courtyard, with Lady Wang and the Xue family mother and daughter accompanying her at the table, Miss Xia was still absent-minded, her mind always on Jia Cong's outstanding appearance.

……

Halfway through the banquet, Xue Pan came in and toasted Lady Wang and Mrs. Xia.

Xue Pan had been dressed up by Aunt Xue beforehand. He was wearing new clothes, had a slicked-back hair and a white face, and wore flowers in his hair. He was handsome and looked quite attractive at first glance.

Xue Pan was also used to going to places of entertainment and had seen many beautiful women. He had some knowledge about women.

But when he saw Miss Xia's beautiful and charming appearance, he was stunned for a moment.

When Aunt Xue saw her son's expression, she was happy and knew that her son had fallen in love with the girl.

When Mrs. Xia saw Xue Pan's silly look, she felt secretly proud in her heart, thinking that there was no way anyone would dislike a person like her daughter.

When Mrs. Wang saw Xue Pan's appearance, she frowned, thinking that her nephew was somewhat out of control.

How could he look at a girl like that? If it was his own Baoyu, he would definitely not be so rude. It was a pity for Miss Xia to have such a good character and appearance...

When Miss Xia saw Xue Pan's appearance, her expression suddenly turned indifferent, and the slight hope in her heart disappeared instantly.

Many things in this world will just pass by naturally if there is no comparison.

Although Xue Pan is a playboy and domineering, he inherited the Xue family's appearance and bloodline, and is more masculine than Baoyu.

If Miss Xia had disappeared, with the pearl and jade in front of her, maybe they could have found a marriage.

She had just admired the lanterns in the mansion and seen the Jia family's dragon and phoenix, and then seeing someone like Xue Pan was like seeing a black crow. Although her face remained calm, she felt nauseous inside.

Moreover, Young Master Xue's scorching gaze and his lustful eating habits made Miss Xia particularly annoyed. The fashionable hair on his temples was also extremely eye-catching.

Xue Pan exchanged greetings with his elders and left the inner hall reluctantly.

The whole banquet seemed stable and calm. Only Aunt Xue and Mrs. Xia maintained a lively conversation, while Mrs. Wang just agreed with a few words.

Miss Xia seemed to have something on her mind and was just chatting casually with Baochai.

Mrs. Wang was watching from the side. She saw that when Miss Xia met Xue Pan, she looked calm and behaved in a very proper manner without losing her composure. She was indeed a lady from a noble family, and she looked up to her in her heart.

After the banquet ended, before the Xia mother and daughter said goodbye, Aunt Xue and Mrs. Xia had some private conversation. It was unknown whether they were making an appointment to meet again or to arrange a matchmaker.

……

Earl's Mansion, Yingchun Courtyard.

Jia Cong sent away Baolinghou Shi Nai and his wife, but Shi Xiangyun stayed. As Shi Nai was about to go south to take up his new post, Shi Xiangyun would probably live in the Jia Mansion for the next few years.

Now that both the East and West Mansions belong to Jia Cong, it is naturally not a problem for him to place Shi Xiangyun there.

It turned out that Daiyu had suddenly fallen ill before, so Grandmother Jia planned to move her back to the West Mansion after she recovered after the New Year.

Unexpectedly, before the new year had even passed, Jia Cong inherited the hereditary title of Rong State and became the head of the West Mansion.

Grandmother Jia didn't even mention moving the topic back to her granddaughter. No matter which way she moved it, it was her grandson's territory. It would seem a bit awkward and alienated if she did so. After a while, she forgot about it.

Originally, Jia Cong wanted to set up an independent courtyard in the East Palace to serve as Shi Xiangyun's boudoir.

However, Shi Xiangyun was used to living in Yingchun's courtyard, so she just let Jia Cong stay in his original place.

Xiangyun is cheerful, talkative and cheerful. Wherever she goes, the place becomes lively and cheerful.

Jia Cong had just brought her to Yingchun's courtyard not long ago. Yingchun, Daiyu, Xing Xiuyun and others were sitting in the main hall of the courtyard, and there was laughter from time to time.

As they were talking, a rose-red shadow suddenly swayed at the door of the main hall, and Tanchun came in with a smile on her face.

After she separated from Baochai, she went to Rongqing Hall to pay her respects to Lady Jia. After coming out, she went to Jia Cong's courtyard and chatted with Zhishao and others for a while.

After hearing the news that Xiangyun had entered the East Palace, I hurried to Yingchun's courtyard.

Jia Cong said with a smile, "I haven't seen you for several days since Third Sister moved away. How come you have time to come here today? I just saw you and Sister Bao strolling in the garden.

There is also a strange-looking girl beside him, but which family is this woman from?"

Tanchun smiled and said, "Third brother is very sharp-eyed. That is the daughter of the Xia family. Today, my aunt invited the mother and daughter of the Xia family to visit Lixiang Courtyard. In fact, it is also to find a marriage partner for Brother Xue."

Jia Cong's heart moved, and he asked, "Are they the mother and daughter of the Guihua Xia family?"

Tanchun was surprised: "Third brother is really smart, how come he guessed it right at once?"

After hearing what Tanchun said, Jia Cong felt strange. He originally thought that he had made a mistake, and it was somewhat scary that Baoyu was matched with Xia Jingui.

Now it seems that things are returning to their original track. Could it be that Xue Pan is the one who marries this darling in the end?
Jia Cong casually replied, "When the eldest master was having a funeral, Taoist Zhang from Yuxu Temple came to visit the old lady. During the conversation, he mentioned several young ladies from the boudoir whose social status matched Baoyu.

The Osmanthus Xia family is one of them. There are not many wealthy Xia families in Shenjing City, and the one that can be comparable to the Xue family is probably the Osmanthus Xia family, so it is not difficult to guess. "

On that day, Taoist Zhang was proposing marriage for Baoyu in Rongqing Hall. Jia Cong and Daiyu were present, but Tanchun was not there, so she didn't know about this matter.

Tanchun laughed and said, "So there is a story behind this. It is also because Miss Xia and Brother Xue are destined to be together. She was originally going to tell Baoyu about this, but ended up going to the Xue family instead.

However, Miss Xia is beautiful, quick-witted, and can read and write poetry. She is also a first-class person. It would be a blessing for Brother Xue to really find her.

Sister Bao and I accompanied her to visit the garden. Miss Xia said that the garden in the West Palace was beautiful, and I said that the scenery in the East Palace was even better.

Miss Xia was very interested and asked me to take her to the East Palace for a stroll that day."

Jia Cong felt a little uncomfortable after hearing this. Although others didn't know Xia Jingui's background, he knew what kind of person this woman was.

It was said in her previous life that she not only seduced Xue Ke, but also wanted to poison Xiang Ling out of jealousy. In the end, by accident, she poisoned herself instead.

This is a woman who is cruel and unscrupulous and has no bottom line. The best way is to stay away from her.

In the future, if he marries Xue Pan, he will have no choice but to let her move around in the West Mansion. If he lets her wander to his own East Mansion, there are many sisters and maids here. It would be like a weasel entering the backyard, which would definitely cause trouble.

At this time, the two siblings were talking about the girl from the Xia family. Yingchun and Daiyu didn't pay much attention to it because Shi Xiangyun was talking about something that made them laugh.

Jia Cong took a step closer and said, "Maybe Miss Xia is outstanding in appearance, but you can't judge a person by appearance alone. The sisters have always stayed at home and rarely go out.

However, I often go out, so I have heard rumors about Guihua Xia's family. It is said that there is only one daughter in her family, Miss Xia, whose father died early and her mother was spoiled, which made her develop a domineering and powerful personality.

She is not an easy person to get along with. Third sister, please be careful and be mindful when you are around her."

Tanchun was extremely convinced of Jia Cong. It was the first time she heard him evaluate a girl in the boudoir. Tanchun was very insightful and could tell that he disliked this woman very much.

She knew that Jia Cong was intelligent and perceptive, and that what he said would not be without purpose, so she was slightly alert and nodded, saying, "Since Third Brother doesn't like this person, I will not associate with her in the future.

Even if she marries Brother Xue in the future, she will only live there. Even if there is some contact, she should pay more attention to it, and Brother San can rest assured. "(End of this chapter)