Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 563: No Reason to Say Infatuation

Rongguo Mansion, northeast corner gate.

After receiving Baoyu's instructions, Xiren left the yard and went to the East Palace to visit Daiyu.

Although Jia Cong has opened his mansion for two years, Xiren has only come to the East Palace a few times.

The only times I went to the East Palace were during the Qiqiao Festival in the past two years.

The Qiqiao Festival is also called the Daughter's Day and is a major festival for girls in the year.

Ever since Yingchun moved into the East Palace, she would invite Daiyu, Baochai, Tanchun, Xichun and other sisters to her courtyard for a small gathering on the seventh day of every July.

People either drink tea, play chess, chat, or embroider, and always have a great time all day long.

When these sisters came, their personal maids such as Zijuan, Shishu, Cuimo, Ruhua, Ying'er and other senior maids would naturally follow.

Qingwen, who lived in Jia Cong's room, had been living in Jia Mu's room since she was a child, so she was naturally very familiar with the maids in the West Mansion.

She always liked lively occasions, and would also call Yuanyang and Amber from Lady Jia's room, Jinchuan and Caixia from Lady Wang's room to come to the East Palace to play, and have fun threading needles and praying for dexterity together.

Xiren was originally from Lady Jia's room and was familiar with Qingwen, so she was naturally invited as well.

But except for the Qiqiao Festival every year, Xiren never came to the East Palace at other times.

The reason for this is that although Third Master Cong is young, he is very rule-abiding. Ever since he set up his household in the East Palace and the second young lady moved into the inner courtyard, Third Master Cong established the rule that outsiders are not allowed to enter the inner courtyard.

Even Master Lian's elder brother, Master Lian, was not allowed to enter the inner courtyard of the East Palace, let alone his cousin, Master Bao.

Ever since the East Palace was established, because the second daughter became the eldest daughter of the East Palace, all the girls in the family like to visit the East Palace.

Even later, when the Third Master Cong was away on a mission to the emperor, Miss Lin and the Third Miss moved to the East Palace to accompany the Second Miss, and they never returned.

Master Bao had made a scene several times because he could not go to the inner courtyard of the East Palace to play with the girls, and he also complained to the old lady many times.

But the current Third Master Cong is no longer the illegitimate son of the Rong Kingdom in Qingzhizhai. He is an earl conferred by the emperor and an official appointed by the court. His status is completely different from the past, and even the old lady has to take him into consideration.

Moreover, because of his title and his residence outside the palace, he was already an independent household, and the East Palace was a mansion built by imperial decree bestowed upon him by the emperor.

The rules he set in the palace bestowed by the emperor were the French etiquette of the family, and even the old lady had no right to refute them.

In addition, Third Master Cong is a powerful man with a hidden agenda. He has already gained influence in the Jia family, and even the old lady does not want to offend him easily.

So Baoyu was not allowed to enter the inner courtyard of the East Palace, and the matter ended there.

Since the second master was not allowed to enter the East Palace, and Xiren, as Baoyu's maid, naturally had no reason to come to the East Palace under normal circumstances.

Xiren sometimes thought that the Third Master Cong was born in the same year as the Second Master. He was only one month older than the Second Master, but his abilities were rare in the world and truly amazing.

If my second master could be half as capable as Third Master Cong, I would be very lucky in my life. But with Second Master's personality, how can he achieve that?
Xiren left Baoyu Courtyard, passed Qingzhizhai and Lixiang Courtyard, and crossed the wind and rain corridor connecting the two mansions.

She knocked twice on the small door of the East Palace, and a gatekeeper came out.

Xiren smiled and said, "Hello, ma'am. I am Xiren, the maid of Master Bao of the West Mansion. Master Bao heard that Miss Lin was ill, so he asked me to come and visit her. Please let me in."

Because Xiren seldom came to the East Palace, the old woman thought she looked unfamiliar and did not let her in immediately.

Besides, Daiyu has lived in the East Palace for a long time and is favored by Jia Cong on a daily basis. The old women and maids in the East Palace all treat her as the young lady of the East Palace.

Moreover, the Earl had established a rule that outsiders were not allowed to enter the inner courtyard. It didn't sound right for him to ask the boy from the West Mansion to send someone to see his young lady when she was sick.

He said: "Miss, I have not seen him before. The rules in this mansion are very strict. Please wait for a moment while I go to Miss Lin to report."

After the old woman finished speaking, she asked another old woman to watch the door while she went to Daiyu's courtyard to report.

Xiren could only be stopped outside the door. She felt very depressed and somewhat unhappy.

Because she was originally Lady Jia's maid and now is Baoyu's trusted maid, she has a high status in the West Mansion.

Even though the second house moved to the east courtyard, Grandmother Jia doted on Baoyu and still let him live in the West Mansion. All the servants in the West Mansion had to give some respect to Xiren when they saw her.

But today, when she came to visit Daiyu, she couldn't even step into the threshold of the East Mansion. A gatekeeper in the East Mansion could rudely leave her outside. It was really infuriating.

……

Earl's Mansion, Daiyu Courtyard.

Early in the morning, Jia Cong heard the news that Daiyu was not feeling well and did not go to the West Mansion to pay her respects and talk to Lady Jia today.

Jia Cong originally thought that Daiyu had been getting better after taking the San Sheng Yang Hun Pills, but why was she feeling unwell again? Worried about this, he hurried to visit Daiyu.

When he arrived at Daiyu's room, he met Zijuan carrying a wash basin and asked, "Sister Lin was fine yesterday, how come you are suddenly unwell again? Did you catch a cold?"

When Zijuan heard this, she couldn't help but smile. Just as she was about to talk to Jia Cong, Daiyu heard a voice in the room and asked, "Zijuan, is it the third brother who is here?"

Zijuan smiled and said, "It's the Third Master who has arrived." Then she lifted the door curtain and invited Jia Cong in.

As soon as Jia Cong entered the room, he saw Daiyu sitting on the bed, busy taking apart the nine-ring chain with her hands. She looked very stable and comfortable, which made him feel a little strange.

The spring chill has not yet ended. At this time of year in previous years, Daiyu would still wear a thin coat and vest because of her weak constitution and fear of the cold. But this year, her energy and blood are gradually becoming stronger, so she dresses much more casually than in previous years.

She wore a white Songjiang cotton top inside and a pine green jacket outside. The cuffs and collar were decorated with floral and mugwort embroidery. She wore a pink and white embroidered plum and horse-faced skirt on the lower body. She was beautiful and graceful, and very pleasing to the eye.

Jia Cong saw that her eyebrows and eyes were clear and graceful, and her cheeks were slightly rosy, and she didn't look unwell at all.

Daiyu saw Jia Cong coming over and said with a smile, "Third brother is here, Zijuan, go and pour him some tea."

Jia Cong looked puzzled and said, "I heard that my sister was not feeling well, so I came here to check on her, but you look so energetic.

I will let my second sister deal with that troublesome person who spread rumors later. The servants in the East Palace have also become lazy now."

Daiyu chuckled, pointed at herself and said, "I was the one who spread this rumor. Third brother doesn't need to punish others, just punish me."

Jia Cong was surprised and said, "Sister, what kind of mystery is this? There are so many things that are not fun, but you are pretending to be sick for fun."

At this time, Zijuan brought in tea and said with a smile: "Miss, you are trying to avoid trouble. You curse yourself to be sick for nothing, and you don't even think it's taboo. You might as well let Third Master..."

Daiyu blushed when she heard what Zijuan said, and rushed to say to Zijuan, "Don't talk nonsense. Go and do your thing first. I'll talk to my third brother."

Zijuan smiled helplessly and didn't reveal the truth. She served Jia Cong hot tea and carried the tea tray out of the room.

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Why do you have to pretend to be sick to avoid something? This is obviously a big deal. Tell me what you think and I will give you some advice. You don't have to worry about it."

After hearing this, Daiyu's pretty face blushed slightly. She could ask Jia Cong to help her with anything, but she couldn't tell Jia Cong about this dirty thing.

And according to Daiyu, although this matter sounds embarrassing and scary, if you think about it carefully, there is no need to worry too much.

Why bother to say such nonsense in front of my third brother? It's really embarrassing and it's not worth it to distract him from his studies...

She smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. I can handle it myself. If it really doesn't work, I can ask my third brother to help me."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Now that my sister has grown up, she has become more capable. Even the matter that the old lady avoided must be very important. She can actually solve it by herself. I really admire her.

Why not tell me about it so I can learn more. "

Daiyu laughed and said, "You are a man who is good at coaxing people. Don't try to trick me with words. I won't be fooled. When I want to tell you, I will tell you naturally. I just hope you won't laugh at me then."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "If you don't want to tell me, then don't tell me. If you get into trouble, just ask me for help."

……

He walked over and sat on Daiyu's embroidered bed. "Sister has been playing with this nine-linked ring since she was little. She never gets tired of it and never changes the things she plays with."

Daiyu laughed and said, "How can I get bored? This thing can be taken apart and put back together, and then taken apart again. It's very interesting."

As she spoke, she saw Jia Cong sitting on the embroidered bed. Her pretty face flushed and she said with a hint of anger, "Third brother, why are you sitting on my bed? Go sit on the stool over there and let's talk."

Although Daiyu and Jia Cong have always been close, there are still some taboos in the boudoir, and it is not appropriate for men to touch the embroidered bed of a girl...

Jia Cong said, "It's far away from the stool, what's the fun? The bed is soft."

Daiyu's face turned red again, and she followed his suggestion and moved to the side to make more space for Jia Cong.

Outside the door, Zijuan looked through the agarwood scented beads curtain and saw the two people sitting on the edge of the bed, playing with the Nine Rings with their heads touching. They looked very intimate and she couldn't help but sticking out her tongue.

She took a small embroidery frame and sat at the door to embroider.

Jia Cong smelled the sweet fragrance of Daiyu and said, "Since you like playing with things like this, I'll ask a craftsman to make you a magic cube someday. It will definitely be more fun than this nine-ring puzzle."

Daiyu asked curiously, "What is a Rubik's Cube? How come I've never heard of it? How do you play it?"

Jia Cong thought for a moment and said with a smile, "The magic cube is the nine-linked ring puzzle of the Western barbarians. I saw foreigners playing with it when I was in Nanjing. It's not difficult to make. I'll have someone make a good one for my sister someday."

Daiyu smiled and said, "That's great, Third Brother, please don't say you forgot. I'll be waiting for you to do it and play with it."

The two of them chatted and laughed again, taking apart the nine-ring puzzle for each other's amusement, whispering to each other in the warmth and comfort.

An unknown amount of time had passed before the Xiyi clock in Daiyu's room struck the hour. Although Daiyu was a little reluctant, she still said, "Thank you for thinking of me, Third Brother. You have been with me for a long time. There is not much time left before the Spring Examination. Third Brother, you should go back and review your studies. If you delay your next exam, I will be guilty of a great sin."

Seeing that he had been sitting for a long time, Jia Cong gave Daiyu a few more instructions and left her room.

He walked to the door and saw Zijuan who was embroidering. He was curious and wanted to ask Zijuan why Daiyu pretended to be sick, but since Daiyu was unwilling to explain the reason, he didn't want to ask behind her back.

Moreover, he knew that Daiyu was extremely intelligent and knew how to distinguish the importance of things. Girls' thoughts were sometimes a little strange. Since she didn't want to mention this matter, she must have her reasons.

After all, Daiyu was in the East Palace, right under his nose, so Jia Cong was not worried at all that anything might happen.

……

Not long after Jia Cong left, a maid who was guarding the gate came to report that a girl named Xiren from the West Mansion had come to visit Miss Lin on the orders of Master Bao.

Zijuan was shocked when she heard this. Since the girl moved into the East Palace, Baoyu had never done anything like this. Yet, at this critical moment, he sent Xiren to visit the girl.

Most likely the marriage would be discussed in Rongqing Hall. She asked the old woman to wait at the gate of the courtyard and hurried into the house to inform Daiyu.

After hearing Zijuan's words, Daiyu thought about it for a moment, whispered in Zijuan's ear for a moment, and then asked her to reply to the old woman and invite Xiren into the yard to talk.

……

Xiren waited at the back corner gate of the East Mansion for a long time, but the old woman who brought the news did not come back, and she couldn't help feeling a little uneasy.

She is not as self-pitying and narcissistic as Baoyu.

Ever since the year when the Second Master broke the jade and Miss Lin was so angry that she vomited blood, Miss Lin has never been in a good mood towards the Second Master in the past few years. The relationship between the two has become much more distant than when they were young.

Now that Miss Lin is ill, she is probably in an even worse mood than usual.

When the young lady heard that the Second Master was so anxious and anxious, and begged her to come over to visit on his behalf, she felt uncomfortable and suddenly became petty, and would not even give herself, a maid, the face she deserved.

This is not the West Mansion, and the old lady is here to keep watch. If she finds an excuse to refuse to see me, I won't be able to do anything about it.

It would be embarrassing to go back home like this, not to mention that it would be difficult to explain to the Second Master when I get back.

When the gentleman in the family heard the news of the marriage proposal, he was filled with excitement. If he knew that Miss Lin ignored him and avoided him.

If the second master gets provoked and starts to act crazy, it will be a disaster. If the old lady is alarmed, the situation will be out of control.

When Xiren thought about this, she felt very nervous. Then she saw the old woman who had reported the news came back and said that she had already reported to Miss Lin and asked her to go in and talk.

Xiren was relieved after hearing this. She asked the old woman to lead the way, because she seldom came to the East Palace and had never been to the courtyard where Daiyu lived.

She had been to the East Palace twice before, but she just wandered around Yingchun Courtyard and didn't see the whole picture of the East Palace.

The courtyards that Jia Cong arranged for Daiyu and Tanchun were all in the most beautiful places in the East Palace. Therefore, as Xiren walked along, she saw that everything was magnificent and exquisite, even more so than the West Palace.

Xiren couldn't help feeling a little envious and jealous. Master Cong and Master Bao were both the same age, yet they managed to cause such a grand scene. It was truly the same person with different destinies.

With such a magnificent and exquisite place, it is no wonder that Miss Lin and the third lady moved in and never thought of moving back to the West Mansion...

……

When she entered Daiyu's room, she saw Daiyu sitting on the bed. Her face was rosy, she was in high spirits, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she did not look sick at all. She couldn't help wondering, could this be considered as being unwell?

Daiyu saw her enter the room and smiled slightly, "Sister Xiren, please sit down. Zijuan will pour the tea."

When Xiren saw Daiyu's appearance, although she had some doubts in her heart, she had to put them aside for the time being and said with a smile: "Our Second Master heard that the young lady was ill, so he specially asked me to come and see her.

The girl looks fine, but I wonder if she is okay?"

Daiyu said, "I am indeed feeling a little unwell, though it is not a serious illness. I just asked a doctor to see me this morning. I need to rest for a while. I am ashamed that Baoyu still cares about such a small matter."

When Xiren saw her coming, Daiyu treated her with no reaction. Besides, she had not been to the West Mansion today due to illness, so she probably didn't know about the marriage proposal.

Therefore, Xiren did not dare to speak out, and said with a smile: "The girl has grown up now. In a few years, she will reach the age of marriage. Maybe she will announce the good news soon. It is more important to take good care of her body."

Daiyu smiled slightly and said, "Sister, what you said sounds familiar. Father sent a gift to grandmother these days, and in the letter that came with it, he also said something like this, sister."

Xiren's heart was moved, and she asked, "What does Mr. Lin mean by this in the letter? Does he want to plan something for the young lady in the future?"

Daiyu blushed. Her father had said this in the letter. It was just her making it up.

He said, "As parents and elders, we always have these plans, but I am still young, so I don't need to pay too much attention to them. I will return to the south next year, and there is still a long time to come."

Xiren was shocked when she heard this and asked, "Why are you going back to the south next year? How come I have never heard of it?"

Daiyu smiled and said, "Sister Xiren, what you said doesn't make sense. My mother died when I was young, and there was no older, virtuous woman in my family to take care of me, so my father sent me to my grandmother's house to be raised.

Now that I have grown up, the bloodline of the Lin family's ancestors are all in Suyang, and I have a father still alive, so naturally I will have to return to the south sooner or later.

Besides, in another year, I will be of marriageable age. My father often said in his letters that although Shenjing is the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it is rich and noble and is the best in the world.

However, the capital is where many nobles and families from all over the world gather. The children of these families inherit the merits and wealth accumulated by their ancestors, but most of them neglect their studies and live in decadence. There are few talented people who can be trusted.

My father himself worked hard when he was young and achieved great success, so he often said that a man should be able to pass the imperial examinations with literary talent and stabilize the country with military talent, only then can he live up to the ambitions of a man.

He also often said that although the south was not like the capital, where noble families gathered, there were also many talented people from poor families, and great scholars and erudite people often came and went in the streets.

The Lin family of Gusu is a family of scholars and scholars. The descendants of the later generations return to their roots to live up to the wishes of their ancestors. I think my father will also plan this for me in the future."

……

Daiyu saw Xiren's expression stiffen after hearing these words, and said with a smile: "Sister Xiren, why are you saying these things? It makes me feel a little embarrassed..."

Xiren came back to her senses and said, "I just said it casually. We are all girls, so it's no big deal to talk about these things."

Although Xikou said this, her mind was already absent-minded. It turned out that she came to visit Daiyu on Baoyu's orders, and she also had the intention of finding out what Daiyu was thinking.

Although she secretly disliked Daiyu's relationship with her second master, since the mistress had changed her mind, how could a maid like her say no?

She really didn't expect that Daiyu had already said such words before she even mentioned the idea of ​​marriage.

Xiren also understood the ways of the world. The words of the master of the Lin family were very clear: the daughter of Lin Tanhua must be married to a talented and scholarly man who had a successful career, so that she could match the status of the Lin family.

The master of the Lin family even felt that the sons of the nobles in Shenjing were all spoiled and idle, and were not the right candidates for him.

This is probably why he wanted to take his daughter back to the south after she grew up...

There is no need to say more. Master Bao is not even fifteen yet and has not yet entered school. He must be a playboy and nobleman in Mr. Lin's mind. Yet the old lady and the mistress want to arrange a marriage for the two of them?
Miss Lin's father is still alive, so ultimately, how can the old lady decide her marriage?

What did Master Lin say? A man should be able to pass the imperial examinations and maintain peace and stability in the country. Only then can he live up to his ambitions. I'm afraid Master Bao will never be able to do that in his lifetime...

Xiren couldn't help but smile bitterly when she thought of Baoyu's ecstatic look when he heard that the old lady and the lady wanted to arrange a marriage for him with Miss Lin.

……

At this time, Daiyu said again: "Sister Xiren, I heard recently that my second uncle is very strict in supervising Baoyu's studies. This is a serious and good thing.

Baoyu is old enough to dance with elephants this year, but he has not yet entered school. My second uncle must be very worried. I am grateful that Baoyu is worried about me and asked you to come and visit him.

After all, we are sisters and brothers who grew up together. When you go back, please tell me a message, asking Baoyu to concentrate on his studies and enter school as soon as possible so that he can have a good chance of success in the imperial examinations in the future.

It can also make the second branch of the Jia family have a strong successor, and in the future, he can also take charge of the family's career and economic affairs. Isn't it a good thing?

Please help me convey this message. When Baoyu is successful in the future, I will pray for him even if I am in the south."

After hearing what Daiyu said, Xiren's heart felt even colder. She saw Daiyu smiling sweetly, with a beautiful appearance that was beyond comparison, and a pair of bright eyes full of autumn water, with a hint of coldness.

She suddenly came to an understanding. Miss Lin's words sounded quite meaningful. Could it be that she had known about the marriage proposal for a long time, but was unwilling to go along with it, so she claimed to be sick and stayed in the East Palace?
Miss Lin's words just now have really cut off Second Master's love. If I go back and tell him about it, Second Master will be so sad.

But there is no other way around it. Miss Lin still has her father at home, so even if the old lady wants to force it, it will be impossible.

It would actually be a good thing to go back and talk things out earlier so that the Second Master can wake up earlier...

……

At this time, Xiren was already on pins and needles. She chatted with Daiyu in a pretentious manner for a few words, then hurriedly got up to say goodbye.

Zijuan escorted the people out of the yard, then hurried back and said, "What the young lady said just now is a very good idea. As long as Xiren goes back and tells them, it will probably spread throughout the West Mansion.

The old lady and the second wife knew about it and decided not to mention the matter again.

But Baoyu is of that temperament. If he knows what the girl said, he will definitely go crazy and cause trouble. I am afraid that more trouble will come out then."

Daiyu's eyes were fixed, and she sighed, "I can't care about this matter anymore. It will be exposed sooner or later. If I continue to be so confused and cause trouble, I will have no choice but to return to the south.

Moreover, only if the matter is resolved in this way can it be truly smooth. Otherwise, when my third brother stands up for me, his usual cold and harsh words and tactics will definitely embarrass the old lady and my wife.

We are still a family, why should I let Third Brother cause a lot of gossip because of me? He is taking the Spring Examination now, I don’t want him to be distracted at all…”

(End of this chapter)