Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong Courtyard.

Wu'er was sitting by the sink in the yard, washing a plate of bright red fruits.

She wore a pine green thin jacket with white plum embroidery on the cuffs and a wormwood green thin cotton long skirt. Her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, her expression was delicate and graceful, and she was as graceful as a lotus.

The shiny black bun on her head was adorned with a ruby ​​and jadeite hairpin, which sparkled brightly and beautifully under the sunlight.

There were two buckets of well water next to the trough in the yard, which Wu'er had asked the maid to fetch from the well.

She rinsed several fruits repeatedly with well water, and then arranged them neatly on a plate, looking like blooming red clouds, delicate and exquisite.

Then he brought the fruit plate into Jia Cong's study and said, "Third Master, these are the peaches that Lin Zhixiao's wife had just bought. They are freshly fallen from the tree and taste very sweet."

Jia Cong looked at a plate of bright red fruits, which looked very happy and attractive. Nowadays they are called peaches, but they are actually cherries in later generations.

It is very valuable in the market, but it is not a fruit that ordinary people eat. Jia Cong tasted one and found that it was sweet and not sour at all, and very delicious.

He smiled and picked up one and put it into Wu'er's mouth. Yinglian, who was standing next to him, saw this and felt greedy. She dropped the jar of nuts beside her and came over to try it.

The three of them were enjoying a plate of peaches, and were having a great time. Suddenly, they heard footsteps in the yard, and then they heard Ping'er calling Wu'er.

Wu'er walked out of the study and saw Ping'er followed by a maid carrying two bamboo baskets. The bottom of the baskets was covered with sparkling broken ice and was still dripping with water.

Ping Er smiled and said, "I have bought you the fresh and top-quality goat liver and venison you requested. They are free-range animals from farms outside the West City. They were slaughtered in the morning and served with crushed ice, so they are still very fresh.

Are these the ingredients prepared for the Third Master?"

Wu Er smiled and said, "Third Master studies every day and night, which consumes a lot of energy. Sheep liver can improve eyesight and reduce internal heat, and venison can strengthen the body and replenish qi. I will use them to make medicinal food for Third Master for two days to replenish his body."

After Wu'er finished speaking, he asked Juan'er to take the old woman to the kitchen and asked Sister Liu to arrange for people to clean, peel and cut the meat, ready for cooking.

……

Ping'er took Wu'er and found a place to sit and talk on the wind and rain corridor in the yard.

"Wu'er, don't just focus on housework. You should also pay more attention to the wind around you. It won't hurt in the end."

"I don't know what rumor Sister Ping'er is talking about. Tell me about it."

"Just now I accompanied the Second Mistress to Rongqing Hall, and the old lady mentioned that since the Third Master is about to reach the age of dancing elephants, according to the old rules of the mansion, two young girls with good looks should be placed in the room to serve him. This is not considered a big rumor."

When Wu Er heard this, her pretty face turned red unconsciously, but she said, "Second Madam has given you to Third Master, so you are very happy now. I will wait for you to come when you get married."

After hearing Wu'er's teasing, Ping'er's face turned red, her expression was a little embarrassed, and she pinched Wu'er's waist with some anger.

He said, "I'm not in a hurry. My second grandmother is pregnant now and needs reliable people to take care of her. I have to wait until the baby is born.

Besides, the first few months were dangerous, and I figured I had to get through the summer before I could feel at ease and fulfill my duty as master and servant."

Wu Er smiled and said, "Your grandmother is really lucky to have someone like you."

Ping'er couldn't help but look towards the study, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Grandma has been kind to me, and this is what I should do."

Wu Er naturally understood what she meant and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Third Master is smart and the people in the courtyard are easy to get along with. You will know when you come here later."

Ping Er smiled and said, "I have heard about this many times and I know this is a great place. I have never been worried, but now I am a little worried about you."

Wu Er asked curiously, "I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about."

Ping Er laughed and said, "Don't tell me that someone is going to come into the Third Master's room to have sex. You have never thought about this matter, and you have never thought about settling it earlier. Who would believe me if I told you that?"

Wu Er's pretty face flushed, and she said, "The Third Master is very clear in his mind. If he wants that person, then that person is the one. If he doesn't want you, even if you are placed in front of him every day, it will be useless."

Although she said this, how could she not have thought about it? After following Jia Cong for so many years, Jia Cong has always been close to her, and she also wants to get a result in the future.

Ever since the Third Master was granted the title and established his own mansion, and brought his mother to work in the East Palace, people from both mansions have said that the Liu family has struck gold.

After the New Year last year, my mother often nagged me, saying that the Third Master had to grow up and asked me to take good care of him every day, so that he could have a son or daughter in the future, and she would be able to close her eyes when she died...

Ping'er said, "You and Zhishao are both old people who have been through hardships with the Third Master, and the Third Master loves you so much, so there is probably nothing wrong.

But today in Rongqing Hall, my grandmother and I noticed something else, so we have to remind you."

Ping'er looked around and whispered a few words into Wu'er's ear.

Wu Er was also slightly stunned when he heard this, and said, "Last year, when the eldest master's incident happened, we all saw it more or less, and Miss Lin even teased the third master about it.

I didn’t expect the old lady would really have this idea.”

Ping Erh said, "I have known her since childhood. She is a very nice person, generous and forthright, and has no selfish motives. But when it comes to the old lady's affairs, it is a little difficult to deal with.

A person like the Third Master is very determined in his own mind. I guess if he likes it, he would rather ask for it himself than be controlled by others, so I am just reminding you."

Ping'er chatted with Wu'er again. When the old woman came back from the kitchen with Juan'er, she took them back to the West Mansion.

……

Wu'er sat alone on the corridor, daydreaming for a long time before she got up and went into Jia Cong's study.

Jia Cong and Yinglian had already eaten half of the plate of peaches. Jia Cong saw that Wu'er looked a little hesitant and remembered that it was Ping'er's voice just now.

He asked, "Sister Ping'er came to see you for something?"

Wu Er replied: "I asked her to help me buy fresh lamb liver and venison so that I can make some delicious food for Master San and nourish his body..."

Jia Cong said to Yinglian, "This peach is very delicious. You can give it to Zhishao, Qingwen, Lingguan and others to taste."

Yinglian agreed and left the room with the fruit plate. Jia Cong pulled Wu'er to sit beside him and asked, "Why are you hesitating? Did Ping'er say something to you?"

Wu'er's face flushed, and she had something in her mind but couldn't say it. She couldn't tell him that a girl was going to come into Jia Cong's room, and she was thinking about it.

She was also worried that someone would interrupt her and disturb her longing for something. That would be so embarrassing...

"These are private things that girls should keep to themselves. I am too embarrassed to tell you, Third Master."

Jia Cong held Wu'er's slender and smooth little hand and played with it in his palm. His bright eyes seemed to see into Wu'er's heart.

He smiled and coaxed her, "If you are too embarrassed to say it, then don't say it. When you want to say it one day, tell me."

Wu'er blushed, thinking about what Ping'er said. After all, it was just speculation and not worth talking about. Otherwise, it would seem like she was just believing everything she heard.

The Third Master has been very good to me over the years and has never treated me badly, so there is no need to worry about it.

She seemed to be relieved, and after hearing what Jia Cong said, she nodded softly.

……

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard.

Mrs. Wang came out of Baoyu's courtyard, went out of the west corner gate of Rongguo Mansion, and took a carriage back to the east courtyard.

Along the way, Mrs. Wang suddenly remembered that just now in Baoyu's study, she vaguely sensed that the smell of powder was a little too strong.

However, Mrs. Wang knew her son's temperament. He often liked to mix makeup with the maids, so it was normal for him to be stained with some smells.

But the smell of powder was a bit strange. It was not from the clothes or furniture, but vaguely the smell of Baoyu.

At that time, Mrs. Wang was so happy to see Baoyu remember to study that although she was somewhat aware of it, she did not take it too seriously.

Now that I have left Rongguo Mansion, my mind has calmed down and I can make associations.

Mrs. Wang had been in the inner court for half her life, and she had seen all the sneaky tricks used by the children of rich and powerful families.

She suddenly had a guess in her mind. She was afraid that it was because Baoyu was hanging out with the maids that got involved. Her son always loved to play around with the maids, so Mrs. Wang naturally knew this very well.

But just now, Baoyu was the only one in the study, without any maidservant to accompany him, and no one knew which slutty vixen had left him there.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Wang sighed inwardly. Her Baoyu was already fifteen, at the age of full vigor, and had begun to secretly yearn for matters between men and women.

Baoyu has been doted on by the old lady since he was young. Apart from the master, he can listen to others' words. It is indeed necessary for him to find a wife as soon as possible and take good care of his bed affairs.

Otherwise, with so many maids around him, making trouble every now and then, he would definitely ruin his health if it lasted for a long time.

Mrs. Wang's thoughts were in a mess all the way, thinking about the day when the master mentioned the marriage proposal to the Lin family.

Although Mrs. Wang dislikes Daiyu, the second branch is no longer the same as before, and the Lin family's family background is of great help to the second branch. For the sake of Baoyu's reputation, Mrs. Wang has no choice but to do it even if it is difficult.

She decided to go back and find an opportunity to urge the master to write a letter to Lin Ruhai to discuss the marriage as soon as possible, so that there would be a conclusion as soon as possible whether the matter could be accomplished.

……

As soon as Mrs. Wang got off the carriage and entered the inner courtyard of the east courtyard, a maid came to report that Mrs. Xia had sent a trusted maid to deliver a letter to her, and the maid was now waiting for her in the inner hall.

Mrs. Wang was cheered up after hearing this. Mrs. Xia would specially send a letter, so it must be about her daughter Yuanchun.

The last time Mrs. Wang invited Mrs. Xia to visit her, the two had already agreed that Mrs. Xia would ask the relatives in the palace to inquire about Yuanchun's current situation so that they could figure out how to help Yuanchun seek the emperor's favor.

I think Mrs. Xia's letter must have written the follow-up to this matter.

Currently, Jia Cong is in charge of the first house, Wang Xifeng is in charge of the household affairs of Rongguo Mansion, and under her are Ping'er, Wu'er, and Lin Zhixiao and his wife, who manage the entire Rongguo Mansion in a safe manner.

All of Wang Xifeng's original dowry servants were arranged by her in key positions in the mansion, but in the past few months, Wang Xifeng found various reasons to relocate, dismiss, or drive them away.

The foundation that Mrs. Wang had laid in Rongguo Mansion for many years was completely cleaned up by Wang Xifeng, who knew her foundation well. From this perspective, it was a wise decision for Jia Cong to use Wang Xifeng as the housekeeper.

Otherwise, considering that Mrs. Wang had been the mistress of the Jia family for more than ten years and had laid down so many clues, even if Jia Cong was extremely intelligent and had just taken over the family business, he would probably be completely confused and would not know where to start.

Therefore, it is sheer wishful thinking for Mrs. Wang to get her hands on the wealth and power of the Rong country.

Now she can only worry about her son Baoyu, but compared with her son Baoyu's affairs, her daughter Yuanchun's affairs are the most important.

Because even Mrs. Wang herself knew very well that no matter how she tried to deal with Baoyu, it would not help in changing the current decline of the Second House.

However, if his daughter Yuanchun could gain the emperor's favor in the palace, it would be a great thing for the second wife. The second wife would instantly become a royal relative and reverse the current downward trend. What a great honor it would be.

By that time, even the Rongguo Mansion's family business would have a chance to be retaken...

……

When Mrs. Wang entered the inner hall, she saw Nanny Xia who had come to her house to give gifts.

The old woman's surname is Zhang. The fact that she was sent by Mrs. Xia to do things several times shows that she is a trusted confidant of Mrs. Xia. Most likely, she was a maid who came with Mrs. Xia as a dowry.

The old woman Zhang said, "After my wife came to visit last time, she sent a message to the palace as soon as she got home. She has asked the noble relatives of the Xia family to help with the matter, and there are some signs of progress.

So, my wife specifically asked me to bring the letter, and my wife wrote everything clearly in the letter. "

When Mrs. Wang heard that things were beginning to turn out well, she was delighted. However, like Wang Xifeng, she could not read or write, so she asked the literate maid who came with her dowry to read to her.

When the old woman finished reading, Mrs. Wang felt hopeful but also heavy-hearted.

Mrs. Xia said in the letter that she had asked her family relatives to find out Yuanchun's situation in the palace.

Yan Yuanchun worked as a female historian in Fengzao Palace and was highly regarded by the Empress at that time. Among the female officials in the Shanggong Bureau, her character and appearance were considered top-notch. She had a good reputation in the palace and was qualified for selection.

Mrs. Wang had always been very proud of her daughter Yuanchun's talent and beauty. After hearing these words in the letter, she felt naturally happy and felt that her efforts in planning for her daughter were justified.

But the latter part of Mrs. Xia's letter made Mrs. Wang feel a little heavy.

Mrs. Xia said in the letter that in recent years, important people involved in the selection of palace officials have been frequently transferred and replaced, and many of them have recently come to power. The Jia family's arrangements in previous years had never involved such newcomers.

Such as the eunuchs in charge of the selection of the Inner Palace and the Imperial Household, the head official of the Shanggong Bureau, the important eunuchs who serve the emperor, and even the painters who participate in the selection of palace concubines.

These people are all closely related to the daughter's family's obtaining the emperor's favor, and they need to take care of everything in place. If there is any omission, it will cause resentment, and if someone happens to do something bad at that juncture, all the efforts will fail.

The relative in the Xia family palace spent a lot of time and effort to plan. In order to take care of all the key points, it would cost a total of 10,000 taels of silver to make it happen, and perhaps it would give Yuanchun a chance.

……

After reading the letter, Mrs. Wang felt heavy and complicated.

In the past few years, before the selection period, the Jia family would send money to the palace to bribe Yuanchun's future, and each time it would be between four and five thousand taels.

At that time, everything was done in the name of Rongguo Mansion. The eunuchs, officials and other related figures in the palace were intimidated by the reputation of the Rongguo Jia family and had some regard for them, and did not dare to plunder too much.

Therefore, four to five thousand taels of silver were enough each time. This was also the reason why Mrs. Wang only withdrew four thousand taels of silver from the West Palace at the beginning.

However, since Jia Cong decided that Rongguo Mansion would no longer be involved in seeking the emperor's favor, if Mrs. Wang wanted to do things her own way, she could no longer use the name of Rongguo Mansion.

This matter has lost the endorsement and support of the Rongguo Mansion. Those people in the palace who hold the power of selection will not buy so much face.

The amount of money used for the bribe would naturally increase significantly. Mrs. Wang had actually been prepared for this. She had originally prepared more than four thousand taels of silver from her own pocket.

But I never expected that after the planning by the Xia family relative in the palace, it would actually take 12,000 taels of silver to be enough.

Moreover, after spending this ten thousand taels of silver, it can only guarantee that there will be no major mistakes or omissions in the various levels of screen selection, but whether it can be accomplished is still uncertain.

Even if all the people involved are trying their best, there are still many unpredictable reasons for who will be selected in the end.

According to Mrs. Wang's thoughts, I'm afraid that the ten thousand taels of silver will include some commission from the eunuch Xia in the palace. This is also common sense when asking others to do things for you, and it cannot be avoided at all.

Ten thousand taels of silver could secure a position of concubine for the Jia family, which was actually not too expensive.

Mrs. Wang had been the mistress of the Rongguo Mansion for many years. In previous years, she and Wang Xifeng had planned the major expenses of the household. For example, when concubines such as Yingchun and Tanchun got married, the dowries were calculated at an amount of ten thousand taels.

Therefore, in Mrs. Wang's eyes, spending 10,000 taels of silver to smooth things over could help Yuanchun gain the emperor's favor, which was a feasible move.

But even if Tanchun gets married in the future, she will need 10,000 taels of silver to buy her dowry. Although Mrs. Wang is Tanchun's biological mother, she does not need to spend a single tael of her private money. The 10,000 taels of dowry will be drawn from the treasury of Duke Rong.

Now, the ten thousand taels that Yuanchun spent on the negotiation were real money taken out of her private savings. There is a world of difference between the two.

Mrs. Wang was born into a noble family in Jinling and had been the mistress of the Rong Kingdom for more than ten years. Although she had received some profits from the public property over the years, they were only small profits that were not worth mentioning.

With Lady Jia in charge above her and Wang Xifeng sharing the housework below her, these two women are the best in the harem, and with two pairs of eyes watching her, it is impossible for her to embezzle a large amount of money from the public treasury.

The Rongguo Mansion was a huge business, but the public treasury only earned more than 10,000 taels a year. Although Mrs. Wang had accumulated a lot of private money over the years, it was impossible for her to come up with 10,000 taels of silver at once.

The dowry shops she owned were indeed valuable, and if they were sold they would definitely fetch more than ten thousand taels, but they were the foundation of her life, and she must not touch them rashly.

Therefore, this ten thousand taels of silver really left her at a loss.

……

Mrs. Zhang from the Xia family, who was standing nearby, secretly glanced at Mrs. Wang's expression and probably saw through what she was thinking.

Thinking of his wife's reminder when he came here, he couldn't help but admire his wife's foresight, but was his wife's thoughts just to make friends with the Jia family...

He said, “When I came here, I also heard from my wife that although the affairs of the Jia family’s young lady in the palace involve a great future and wealth, it requires raising tens of thousands of taels of silver to purchase them, which is indeed difficult.

My wife said that dukes' families like yours are all noble and aristocratic families. Even if they are wealthy, they spend all their money on supporting their family members, supporting the elderly and the weak in the clan, and have always done many good deeds.

How could they hoard so much idle silver for no reason? Even though the Xia family was doing royal business and the amount of silver they dealt with was much larger than that of ordinary families, they could not come up with so much idle silver all at once.

If Mrs. Jia feels some difficulty, it is only common sense and should not be taken seriously. "

Mrs. Wang was feeling embarrassed and worried because of the difficulty in handling the ten thousand taels of silver, but she was also concerned about her reputation and did not want to show her weakness in front of the old woman from the Xia family. She looked tense and quite uncomfortable.

After listening to Mrs. Zhang's words of empathy, he not only felt relieved, but also felt that Mrs. Xia was truly rare, as she was such a generous and considerate person.

Every word she said touched my heart, and it really wasn't in vain that I got to know her.

It was because she had such a kind heart that she was able to raise such a beautiful and outstanding daughter...

He smiled and said, "Your wife is very thoughtful and considerate. She is really a caring person. Others think that a family like ours must be rich.

Who knows that the big families have to feed people and plan things, which are ten times more difficult than those of ordinary families. No matter how much money they have, it will be like water poured out. How much can they keep in their hands?

It is nothing more than a bell-shaped hammer made of yellow cypress wood, which looks respectable on the outside but is bitter on the inside. "

Mrs. Chen smiled and said, "Mrs. Jia is right. Our wife is also in charge of a large family. Sometimes she complains all the time. Every family has its own problems.

When I left, my wife told me that mother and daughter have always been connected. Mrs. Jia has been working hard for the eldest daughter in the family. My wife is also a person who raised a daughter, so she feels the same way.

The planning in the palace was a big event, and it cost tens of thousands of taels, which was indeed a lot of money.

Madam and Mrs. Jia hit it off right away, and they are destined to be together. If Mrs. Jia has any inconvenience in this matter, the Xia family is willing to help. Once Miss Jia succeeds, it will also be a token of friendship between the Jia and Xia families."

……

When Mrs. Wang heard this, she was very surprised. She really didn't expect that Mrs. Xia was so enthusiastic and affectionate.

Although she had some financial resources, she did not have the spare money to spend ten thousand taels of private silver. Moreover, planning such things in the palace was complicated and entangled, and the actual management would probably cost more than ten thousand taels.

She originally thought about discussing financial support with her sister. The Xue family and the Xia family were both wealthy and powerful merchants. In addition, she and Aunt Xue were sisters, so it should not be a problem for her to raise a few thousand taels of silver.

But at this juncture, she discovered that Baochai and Jia Cong were having an affair, thus ruining the golden marriage he had been planning for a long time.

Out of jealousy, she instigated Aunt Xue to move out of Rongguo Mansion in order to break up the affair between Jia Cong and Baochai.

However, she did not expect that her sister did not give in, but continued to settle down in Rongguo Mansion through Jia Cong's momentum, secretly breaking Mrs. Wang's face.

After these two incidents, an irreconcilable rift appeared between the two sisters. How could Mrs. Wang borrow money from her sister at this moment? She really couldn't afford to lose face.

Mrs. Wang was feeling embarrassed about this, but she didn't expect that Mrs. Xia was so considerate. Someone really handed her a pillow when she was just dozing off.

She smiled and said, "In this case, I really have to thank your wife. I will make some plans in the next few days, but I need your wife's help. I will definitely visit you to express my gratitude."

Originally, given Mrs. Zhang's identity, there was no need for Mrs. Wang to waste her energy talking to her, but now that Yuanchun's matter was obvious, the help from the Xia family could not be ignored.

In addition, Mrs. Zhang was Mrs. Xia's confidant, so Mrs. Wang had to lower her posture and chat with her attentively.

He said, "It has been quite a while since Madam Xia and Miss Xia came to visit us that day. Are your Madam and Miss all right?"

Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, "Mrs. Lao Jia is worried. The family business is managed by the experienced family members. Madam is just in charge of the overall situation. Don't worry too much.

My daughter is already 28 years old and is waiting to be married. Last time, she and the Xue family's son were not compatible and the marriage did not happen. Madam has been worried ever since."

Mrs. Wang was also very moved after hearing this. She thought that all her painstaking planning was for the sake of Yuanchun and Baoyu's dignity and honor. Mrs. Xia had the same idea as she did.

Mrs. Zhang continued, "Madam is only worried about one thing right now, which is to find a good match for her daughter and help her live a good life. This is the same as Mrs. Jia. Mothers are all worried about their children."

Mrs. Zhang seemed to be just talking casually, but Mrs. Wang was slightly moved when she heard it... (End of this chapter)