Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard, Back Garden.

Jia Cong and Tanchun were talking when they were interrupted by an uninvited guest, and they both felt unhappy.

But today is Madam Wang’s birthday banquet, and the Xia mother and daughter are external guests invited by Madam Wang, so the minimum etiquette of hospitality must be followed.

Tanchun was a generous and shrewd person. The slightly embarrassing situation only made her hesitate for a moment before she reacted.

He said, "Miss Xia, this is my third brother. Third brother, Miss Xia is the daughter of the Guihua Xia family and is the distinguished guest invited by Madam."

After hearing what Tanchun said, Miss Xia calmed herself down a little, bowed slightly to Jia Cong, and said politely, "Mr. Weiyuan is very polite."

Jia Cong held out his hand and said, "Miss Xia, you are too polite. Today is the birthday party of the second wife in our family. It would be rude for us brothers and sisters to come out and talk. It would be rude to leave for too long.

We are about to return to the table. Please go in first, Miss Xia."

The East Courtyard Garden has an elegant scenery with luxuriant flowers and trees, and is graceful and peaceful. With Tan Lang by her side, it is the most beautiful scene for the bold Miss Xia.

In that warm scene just now, Jia Cong sat leisurely under the tree, treating her with courtesy and deep affection. This third girl, Tanchun, was the real protagonist, and he was just an intruder.

Miss Xia glanced at Tanchun. Although this third girl was also pretty and charming, she was just a young girl. How could she be so favored by Jia Cong?

She was standing right in front of him, but he didn't even look at her, but just stuck to the little girl, which made Miss Xia jealous...

She wanted to take the opportunity to say a few more words to Jia Cong, but Jia Cong proposed to return to the banquet and asked her to go first. Although he was very respectful, he was polite and distant.

Miss Xia was disappointed, but she could only start walking first. She felt that Jia Cong and Tanchun were following her, occasionally chatting and laughing with her, and they were very close. She felt envious again...

……

Tanchun is Jia Cong's cousin, but she does not have the same concerns as Daiyu. She did not put away the jade bracelet that Jia Cong put on her personally, but went back to the flower hall while wearing it.

When Yingchun, Daiyu and other sisters saw her come back, with jade rings on her wrists and a radiant look, their eyes were all focused on the pair of bracelets. After asking them if they were a birthday gift from Jia Cong, they all laughed and exclaimed in admiration.

Aunt Xue on the chair smiled and said, "It is very rare to find sisters in Cong's family who are as precious as him. The old lady's granddaughter is lucky to have such a brother to spoil her."

Mrs. Wang thought that on her birthday, Jia Cong gave her a pair of high-grade Liaodong wild ginseng, which was probably a common product from his Liaodong farm.

My concubine's daughter is just a yellow-haired girl, how could she deserve his giving her such an expensive bracelet to coax her? He really has no sense of dignity and no sense of propriety...

After hearing what Aunt Xue said, Jia Cong smiled and said, "Brother Cong, that's the only good thing about him. He is very kind to his sisters at home, which is rare. He cares much more about me than an old woman.

Baoyu is also nice to his sisters, but he is more sensible than him and not as spoiled as him."

Wang Xifeng, who was standing by, sneered in her heart when she heard this: Baoyu is so nice to his sisters, he even wishes that they would stay together and play with him all their lives, the old lady really has the nerve to say that...

Mrs. Xia, who was sitting at the same table, smiled and said, "The old lady has done a good job of educating her family, and the grandchildren she has raised are all excellent.

Not to mention that Earl Weiyuan is an outstanding person, the old lady's eldest granddaughter, who is an official in the palace, is also an extremely outstanding person.

I often hear from my family members that the eldest girl is very much valued by the Queen in the palace and will have a bright future."

The grandchildren that Grandmother Jia loved the most in her life, apart from Baoyu, were Yuanchun. Although Jia Cong was the most outstanding grandchild, in the heart of the old lady, he was not as close to her as the other two.

When she heard Mrs. Xia praising her eldest granddaughter, she was naturally very happy, and then she thought that there was something else behind Mrs. Xia's words.

Curiously, he asked, "Could it be that Madam Xia's relatives are serving in the palace?"

Mrs. Xia laughed and said, "I am really making fun of you, old lady. I have a relative who lost contact with his family and has been living away from home since he was young. He is helpless and has to work in the palace.

A few years ago, I worked as an internal palace supervisor and walked around the six palaces on a daily basis, so I know everything about your eldest daughter. He said that she is very good and is blessed in every way."

Grandmother Jia had been a duke for half her life and was a well-informed person. When she heard what Mrs. Xia said, she knew that her relatives were eunuchs working in the palace.

Moreover, he was able to move around in the six inner palaces and serve as the highest-ranking eunuch among the six eunuchs, so he was most likely a high-ranking eunuch.

When Lady Jia thought about this, she began to look at Mrs. Xia with a different eye. She had never expected that the Xia family had such a strong foundation.

……

Mrs. Xia was also quite shrewd. She only said something vague, saying that her relative worked in the Inner Palace, but she did not tell the relative's name or position, leaving people confused.

Grandmother Jia would never have imagined that Mrs. Xia was so scheming. According to etiquette and common sense, Jia Cong would naturally not ask for the names of Mrs. Xia's relatives. This would be too ungentlemanly and impolite.

Perhaps this is where Mrs. Xia's brilliance lies. She knows exactly what the ladies in the inner house like Lady Jia and Lady Wang are like, and she is full of sweet words and still handles things with ease...

When Grandmother Jia heard Mrs. Xia talk about her granddaughter Yuanchun and was quite familiar with her situation in the palace, she was moved.

She thought more about it and seemed to understand why her daughter-in-law suddenly became so close and respectful to the wife of a royal merchant.

Could it be that it was all about Yuanchun's future in the palace?

However, when the matter of Yuanchun was discussed in Rongqing Hall that day, Grandmother Jia had already agreed to Jia Cong's idea. Rongguo Mansion would no longer plan Yuanchun's future in the harem, and would only wait until the ten-year period was up before taking Yuanchun out of the palace.

Grandmother Jia is old and her ambitions have long since faded. As long as she can continue to enjoy wealth and prosperity, she will just go with the flow and think less is worse than more.

Even if Yuanchun really becomes the imperial concubine, it is hard to say whether it will bring other risks to the family.

But she is already so old, and she can only enjoy the dignity and honor of her granddaughter as a concubine for a few more years. It is better for her to live a stable life now.

This is also the most fundamental reason why Lady Jia agreed to Yuanchun's affair after Jia Cong's reputation grew and he was given two titles.

At this time, Jia's mother guessed something. Her second daughter-in-law was on good terms with the Xia family, and she was afraid that she wanted to use the Xia family's relationship to help her daughter Yuanchun get a place in the inner palace...

However, even though Lady Jia had such a guess, she couldn't be sure after all, so she didn't take it seriously.

Lady Jia was born into a noble family and married into a wealthy family. In her lifetime, she has seen many ways in which people seek wealth and status. The matter of gaining the emperor's favor in the palace has always been difficult and arduous.

Grandmother Jia knew better than anyone what kind of person her second daughter-in-law was.

If the second daughter-in-law was really a capable person, my granddaughter Yuanchun would not have wasted nine years in the palace.

No matter how much money the family has spent over the years, Yuanchun's affairs have achieved nothing. Just relying on the second daughter-in-law and getting a merchant to tinker with them, they think that this matter can be accomplished. That's nonsense.

However, looking at Mrs. Xia's behavior and words, Jia's mother felt that she was much more shrewd than her second daughter-in-law. It was still unknown whether the plan could be successful.

In short, my second daughter-in-law is a cunning woman who doesn't have the ability to achieve anything, let alone the qualifications to cause trouble. Why should I worry about her?

It would be better for me to just give it a try and stay out of the Rongguo Mansion. It would not be surprising if the matter did not succeed, but it would be a pleasant surprise if it did succeed.

……

After understanding what was going on, Grandmother Jia became more friendly to Mrs. Xia. They exchanged many affectionate words with each other. Grandmother Jia praised Miss Xia for her outstanding looks and cheerful personality, saying that she was everyone's choice.

In fact, what Grandmother Jia said was not a lie. Miss Xia's appearance was indeed worthy of Grandmother Jia's praise.

After hearing what Lady Jia said, Mrs. Xia was secretly happy in her heart, but she was quite humble in her words.

She said, "You are really exaggerating, old lady. My master passed away early, leaving behind only this one daughter, so I am usually a bit strict with this girl.

But even so, this girl still loses things every now and then and can never take care of everything. After all, she is still young and unreliable.

The Xia family has been in decline in recent years. All the old people from the previous life have passed away, and I am responsible for taking care of the family business on a daily basis. She doesn't have a senior or lucky person to help me with everything.

I don’t have the blessing of the other girls in the mansion, to have an old lady like me who is old and virtuous, to educate and nurture me every day. When I see you granddaughters so proud, I envy them from the bottom of my heart.”

Mrs. Xia said this beautifully, and Grandmother Jia felt honored after hearing it.

Mrs. Wang also felt that she had the ability to judge people. She made friends with the invited guests. Even in front of the old lady's super-ranking imperial edict, her manners and responses were very decent. She really did not make a mistake in judging people...

Wang Xifeng, who was pregnant, moved her bright eyes back and forth, always feeling that something was wrong. She looked at Mrs. Xia and then at the beautiful Miss Xia.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Mrs. Xia, you are too kind. I do love my granddaughters, but young girls are always inconsiderate in their daily lives. These are all normal things.

This wasn't always the case when I was a girl, but what you said is true: girls are different from boys, and it's always better to have an older person at home to take care of them.

Naturally, I like girls who are pretty and cheerful the most. My third daughter is just like that. I pamper her more in my daily life, so it’s no wonder that Congge also likes to be close to her.

I think your daughter is also very good. Since you and the second wife are close friends, we should not have different opinions. If you don’t mind, let your daughter come to visit more often in the future. I have many granddaughters at home, and they can also keep each other company. If you don’t mind the old lady’s nagging, you can talk to me more, so that we can all be intimate and lively. ”

Mrs. Xia was very pleased to hear this and said with a smile, "It is a blessing for my daughter that the old lady can be so compassionate."

She called her daughter over and said, "Jin Gui, come here and pay your respects to the old lady. It will be a great blessing for you if the old lady can give you more advice and guidance in the future."

Miss Xia was smart and knew that her mother's behavior was just to bring the two families closer together and create opportunities for herself to enter the family.

She knew in her heart that her mother went to such great lengths just for that precious jade.

Miss Xia suddenly remembered that just now in the back garden, Jia Cong was so graceful and elegant, full of affection and doting, and put a pair of jade bracelets on Tanchun's wrist...

That scene was like a demon, churning over and over in her mind, making it difficult for her to extricate herself. One day, she would let him treat her the same way!
There is more than just that precious jade in Rongguo Mansion...

Miss Xia showed an intoxicating and moving smile, which made her look even more graceful. She bowed respectfully to Lady Jia, but no one knew who she was thinking of...

……

Yingchun and other sisters were sitting next to the main table, and they were very happy to see this friendly and warm scene.

Yingchun's face was rosy and she watched Miss Xia bow with a slight smile, not taking it too seriously.

Daiyu looked at Miss Xia from time to time, with a look of cold observation in her eyes.

Just now, Jia Cong went in to pay his respects to the old lady. Daiyu was very observant and saw clearly from the side that when Miss Xia saw her third brother, her eyes seemed to light up.

Now, when she heard the old lady asking her to come to the West Palace more often, she looked so happy...

When Baochai saw this scene of the Xia mother and daughter, she just smiled faintly. She also came from a royal merchant family. Others might not be aware of what the mother and daughter were thinking, but Baochai could see some of it.

In addition, the Xia family and the Xue family did not get along that day, and only a short period of time had passed, but Mrs. Xia unexpectedly became close friends with her aunt. Baochai did not believe that it was all a coincidence.

Now that she had put aside the topic of a perfect match, she felt relaxed and at ease. It was none of her business, and she was too lazy to delve into it.

Xiangyun saw that Miss Xia was beautiful and cheerful, and seemed to be somewhat compatible with her own personality. She thought it would be a good thing if she could come to her house more often and have more people to talk and have fun with.

Xichun was very young and had no idea what was happening. She sat on an armchair, her feet not even touching the ground, and she was just chewing a piece of fruit...

Xing Xiuyan was a carefree person, and except for Jia Cong, she probably didn't care about anything else. So Miss Xia could just go around visiting the West Mansion in the future.

I only live in the East Mansion, so it seems like we don’t have any connection…

Wang Xifeng, who was standing by, picked up a sour plum from the fruit box in Ping'er's hand and put it in her mouth. She looked at the behavior of the Xia family mother and daughter, and a sneer appeared at the corner of her delicate mouth...

……

Among everyone, Tanchun knows the most about Miss Xia compared to Baochai.

Every time Miss Xia mentioned her third brother, she had a slightly strange expression on her face.

And just now in the back garden, when Miss Xia saw her third brother putting a bracelet on her, she had that dazed and weird look on her face.

Not to mention the fiery look she gave her third brother, she couldn't even speak clearly to him.

Now seeing that Mrs. Xia's clever words had actually caused the old lady to open her mouth and invite Miss Xia to visit the West Mansion more often, Tanchun had a bad premonition in her heart...

But in the current situation, Mrs. Xia and Miss Xia were distinguished guests invited by the Madam, and she was just a junior from the second branch. Could she still say anything to stop them?
Tanchun suddenly remembered that the Xia family had only come to the Xue family to look for a marriage partner, and she was just there to accompany the guests.

At that time, my third brother reminded me verbally that Miss Xia was difficult to get along with. Later, at the request of my stepmother, I went to visit the Xia family, and my third brother reminded me of the same thing again.

Now it seems that my third brother is really foresighted. It’s just that he had never met the Xia family before. How could he be so smart? It’s really strange.

……

When the birthday banquet was over, Jia Cong and Yingchun said goodbye to Jia Zheng and his wife. Daiyu, Xiangyun and other sisters naturally followed them back to the East Palace. Only Tanchun stayed behind to take care of miscellaneous matters such as the preparations for the birthday banquet.

When Baoyu saw Jia Cong leave, all the sisters dispersed like the wind and clouds, and followed him. Looking at the desolate East Road Courtyard, he couldn't help but feel sad again...

At this time, seeing his wife greeting and saying goodbye to Mrs. Xia, and the pretty and bright Miss Xia still standing quietly aside, Baoyu's eyes couldn't help but light up.

In his eyes, this Miss Xia was in no way inferior to her sisters in appearance and grace, and was also a first-rate beauty made of water.

Baoyu was just about to go up and talk to her, but he saw that Miss Xia seemed not to see him and was just staring blankly at the gate of the inner courtyard.

Baoyu also turned his head and saw a group of people going out. The tallest one was Jia Cong, and around him were naturally a group of beautiful girls...

When Baoyu saw Miss Xia's expression, he felt happy. He thought that Miss Xia must be the same as him, and also liked these sisters in the family, and probably wanted to visit and keep them company in the future.

Just now the old lady asked Miss Xia to come to her house more often. It would be a good thing for her to see more beautiful ladies like her in the future.

Thinking of this, Baoyu felt very comforted. Although Sister Lin was distant from him, God probably understood that he loved this beautiful world made of water.

Therefore, the sun rises in the east and the rain falls in the west. Sister Lin leaves and here comes Miss Xia. It is really hard to give up the romantic love...

When Baoyu looked at Miss Xia's graceful and charming figure, he was suddenly filled with hope and vitality, and became as ambitious as Mrs. Wang.

……

Jia Cong and his sisters returned to the East Palace, and most of them didn't take what happened at the birthday banquet to heart.

Although Daiyu was somewhat suspicious, she changed her mind and realized that even if the old lady asked Miss Xia to visit more often, she would only be visiting the West Palace, which had nothing to do with the East Palace.

Even though the Third Brother had passed the Spring Examination, he still had a lot of important things to do. Apart from paying his respects to the old lady, he rarely went to the West Palace. There were irrelevant things going on, so naturally he didn't take them to heart.

On the second day of March, which was Tanchun's birthday, she went to the East Courtyard early in the morning to pay her respects to Jia Zheng, Mrs. Wang, Aunt Zhao and others.

She and her sisters went to Rongqing Hall to talk with Lady Jia and hosted a small banquet for her.

When the sisters returned to the East Mansion, the doors of the East Mansion were closed early when the lights came on. Together with their trusted maids, a large group of people gathered in Tanchun Courtyard for a night banquet.

As there were no elders present, there was less formality and no restrictions on age or status. Everyone sat around the table casually, drinking, guessing numbers and making connected sentences. It was very lively.

Because it was night, there was no need to worry about disturbing others and breaking taboo. Xiangyun, who had heard of Lingguan's charming voice before but had never had the chance to listen to it, insisted on singing two songs with her, which drew applause from the whole room.

Jia Cong and his sisters enjoyed themselves for half the night. Tanchun and the others persuaded him to drink a lot of wine. They did not go their separate ways until after three o'clock in the morning.

After the excitement of the first two days of March, Jia Cong calmed himself down and concentrated on his daily studies.

After a few days, classmates from Qingshan Academy, such as Cai Xiaoyu, Cui Anzhi, and Liu Xiaoping, came to visit.

Cai Xiaoyu and Liu Xiaoping will both fail this spring examination. Cui Anzhi failed the last special provincial examination and will have to wait until three years later to take the spring examination.

Naturally, everyone's topic revolved around the Spring Examination. It was said that after the imperial court announced the examiners and their officials, there was a commotion outside again.

These days, students are visiting the residences of chief examiners Wang Shilun, Chen Mo, Huang Hongcang and others every day.

However, these three people are all old hands in the officialdom, so naturally they all refuse visitors because of the taboos and severity of the current situation.

After a few days of this, no more candidates came to show off. In addition, the spring examination was approaching, and they had to review their studies at the last minute.

The custom of candidates visiting the emperor in droves in the past has finally died down, which makes people feel much more at peace.

However, the ups and downs of the candidates outside did not affect Jia Cong at all. He did not have the passion and madness of most candidates to compete for fame in the spring examination.

For Jia Cong, he only wanted to pass the imperial examination and did not care about the honor and ranking at all.

Even if he only ranked among the top three, it would allow him to express his gratitude to Liu Jing'an for his many years of teaching, and it would be enough to open up the way for him to become a civil servant.

When he was studying with a calm mind in preparation for the imperial examination, Guo Zhigui, who was serving in the army in Liaodong, sent him a letter from home.

In addition to greeting Jia Cong, the letter also asked about the recent situation of his mother, Nanny Zhao, and said a few words about Jia Lian's recent situation in Liaodong. The rest of the content mentioned the fluctuations in the north in recent months.

This letter made Jia Cong understand that outside the bustle and stability of the capital, the nine borders thousands of miles away have become increasingly unstable... (End of this chapter)