Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

When Wang Xifeng entered the hall and saw Mrs. Wang was also there, she felt strange. Her aunt now lived in the East Courtyard, and she came to Rongqing Hall so early in the morning. Most likely, something happened.

Seeing that Wang Xifeng was becoming increasingly fat, Jia's mother thought that it would not be long before she would have many great-grandchildren. Having many descendants would naturally be a good thing.

He smiled and said, "Yuanyang, have someone bring a rattan chair over here. Feng is not in good shape and cannot sit on a stiff armchair."

Then he asked, "I heard that Cong came back from the Imperial Examination Hall yesterday. Did he tell me whether the examination went well?"

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "I asked Ping'er to go to the East Palace early this morning to check on Brother Cong. It turned out that he had worked hard for many days preparing for the exam and was tired, so he was still resting.

But after hearing Wu'er say that brother Cong did very well in the exam and he himself was all smiles, I thought it must be true.

Old lady, you don’t know that Brother Cong’s ability in studying is well-known throughout the capital. You just wait for him to pass the imperial examination. Rongguo Mansion will soon have a Jinshi Gong. "

In those days, Jia Cong was recommended to study at Qingshan Academy because of his hard work and his outstanding talent. Therefore, he was highly valued by Jia Zheng, who felt that his son Baoyu was far less promising than his nephew.

Grandmother Jia was somewhat disapproving, thinking that there was no need for a noble family to rely on the imperial examination to change their status.

He even said that if Jia Cong could study hard and become an official in the future, it would be a good life he earned himself and his family would not take advantage of it.

At first, Grandmother Jia only thought that Jia Cong was just similar to her son Jia Zheng, and just had some interest in reading. Could he have the destiny to become an official like her son?

But I didn't expect that in just five years, things had changed so much and Jia Cong had become so successful today.

Now, Grandmother Jia is thinking of relying on her grandson's future to stabilize the Jia family's status, so that Baoyu and other descendants can also benefit from it.

Although she felt somewhat ashamed when she recalled what she had said that day, she thought that no one else would remember such old stuff, so she naturally chose to forget it.

After hearing what Wang Xifeng said, Jia's mother smiled and said, "This is also a great happy event."

Wang Xifeng said, “I asked Ping’er to go to the East Mansion this morning for another matter.

The twenty-first of this month was Brother Cong's fifteenth birthday, but he happened to celebrate it in the Imperial Examination Hall.

I thought that my son was reaching the age of dancing elephants, which was also a big day. Besides, Brother Cong was in a different position now, so we had to hold a birthday party for him.

Brother Cong had told Wu'er in advance that this matter should be handled according to the old rules of the mansion, but not to be too ostentatious.

If the old lady invites guests from outside, she only invites relatives and old friends, and does not invite friends in the officialdom. "

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Now I know his ways. He is such a great man, but he has four or five maids. He is so young, but he acts like an old scholar. He is a little too restrained.

Since it's his birthday, just do as he wishes and send a message to several of his in-laws and old friends.

Given Cong'er's seniority, it would be inconvenient for the heads of these families to come, so they would definitely send their peers to visit. This would also allow Cong'er to have more interactions with their family members.

In addition, you can also invite the ladies and girls from these families. While the men are drinking and having fun outside, we women can chat and drink tea in the inner courtyard, so that I can have a lively day.

I'll think about it when the time comes and ask the women to come over so you don't have to think too much."

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "I am very happy that the old lady is willing to worry about this matter. I am too young and I don't know all my relatives.

There is no female relative of each family who is not known to our ancestors, so the person you invite must be the right one.

As for the time of the banquet, I asked Ping'er to look at the almanac yesterday, and April 2nd is a good day."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Let's do it this way. Since you are not able to move around easily, just let Ping'er and Wu'er take care of it. If you are too busy, I will ask Yuanyang to help."

She then said to Mrs. Wang who was standing beside her, "Don't stay in the East Courtyard one day, come and help me greet those ladies.

Let Baoyu not stay in his room all day, it is boring, and get closer to Congge and his old friends and peers."

When Wang Xifeng heard what Lady Jia said, her heart skipped a beat and she felt something was wrong.

What did the old lady mean by that? It was Brother Cong's birthday and the inner courtyard was entertaining the female relatives. Even if it was inconvenient for her as the sister-in-law to move around, didn't she still have her second sister?

Now she is the eldest daughter of the East Mansion. Even if someone of higher seniority wants to come forward, isn't there still the first wife? A widow cannot meet outsiders, let alone female relatives, right?
This matter has nothing to do with the Second Wife in any way. What is the old lady doing?
However, it was normal for the old lady to ask that person to help with such social receptions in the inner courtyard, and it was impossible to find fault with it from the perspective of the rules.

As a junior, Wang Xifeng naturally couldn't expose the truth in person.

……

Earl's Mansion, Yingchun Courtyard.

The main room where Yingchun lived was very spacious. There was a Luohan couch in the middle of the room, and armchairs, footstools, and coffee tables on the left and right sides. This was where the sisters would sit, gather, and chat every day.

Yingchun lived in the warm room to the west of the main house. There was another bedroom in the green gauze cabinet to the east of the main house. When Shi Xiangyun came to the East Palace, she often lived here.

Last year, Baoling Hou Shi Nai took his family to Jinling to take up his post. Because Shi Xiangyun wanted to stay in the capital, Grandmother Jia took her in to live in the Jia family.

Because Xiangyun wanted to stay with her sisters, she did not stay in Rongqing Hall and was arranged by Yingchun to live in a more spacious room in the courtyard.

Now it is Xichun who lives in the green gauze cabinet in Yingchun's main room.

When Jia Cong was first granted the title of Earl, Xichun was still young and usually stayed and played in the East Palace, sleeping in the same bed with Yingchun at night.

Now more than a year has passed, the little girl has grown up, and it is a bit crowded for the two sisters to sleep in one bed, so Yingchun arranges Xichun to sleep in the green gauze cabinet.

At this time, the east-facing window of the green gauze cabinet was opened, and the bright sunlight shone on the small table in front of the window.

There is a nanmu pen holder on the desk, hung with many long and thin paintbrushes. There is a deep hole drilled on the pen holder, and an exquisite Huizhou clay figurine is inserted in it.

This clay figurine is of a young man wearing a blue robe, a scholar's scarf, and a flowing belt. He has a handsome appearance and elegant demeanor. His eyebrows and eyes look exactly like Jia Cong, and are very lifelike.

Last year, Jia Cong returned to the capital from Nanjing for the second time and brought back a box of Huizhou clay figurines.

That was when he, Qu Hongxiu and Qin Keqing went to Daci Temple to fulfill a vow and met a Huizhou clay figurine expert. The three of them thought it was fun, so they each made one based on the person.

None of the sisters saw this box of clay figurines, but it was seen by Xichun by chance. The little girl recognized it at a glance. One of the clay figurines was Rong'er's wife, which made Jia Cong quite embarrassed.

Fortunately, Xichun was just a little girl and would not notice the clues like the adults. She would have thrown it aside when she saw it, but she fell in love with the clay figurine that looked like Jia Cong.

In order to shut the little maid up, Jia Cong naturally gave it to her generously, and so the clay figurine became Xichun's most precious toy.

She took great pains to drill a deep hole in the pen holder using a hairpin, especially for inserting her beloved clay figurine.

The maids and old women in the yard all knew that this clay figurine was the fourth young lady's treasure and no one was allowed to touch it.

When the maids were cleaning the room, they were careful to stay away from the clay figure. If they bumped into it, the little girl would definitely throw a tantrum and get angry.

Since the decline of Ningguo Mansion, Jia Jing has been spending more and more time in the Taoist temple refining elixirs. He has ignored Xichun, his only daughter, and barely sees her all year round. She is almost like an orphan.

Jia Cong and Yingchun took into consideration Xichun's lonely background and were very accommodating and doting to this little cousin, which made Xichun reluctant to leave the East Palace and she seldom went back to live in the West Palace throughout the year.

……

In front of a small table in a green gauze cupboard, Jia Cong was painting on a piece of coarse linen rice paper with a thin piece of charcoal in his hand.

Xichun had her hair in two buns adorned with delicate pearl flowers, and wore a pink embroidered top and an ivory long skirt. She was sitting aside, looking very interested and appreciating with her eyes wide open.

This charcoal pencil was carefully selected by Jia Cong from a lot of red peat.

At this moment, as he used the charcoal pencil to outline and render, a magnolia tree outside the east window appeared on the paper with a straight trunk, stamens like clouds, and every detail seemed to jump out.

Jia Cong then worked around the magnolia tree, using brushstrokes of varying shades to paint rockery, eaves, corridors and other objects, making them appear far-sighted and appropriate, with a strange sense of transparency and three-dimensionality.

Xichun, who was standing by, had seen the scene and kept praising him, clapping her hands and praising him, "Third brother, everyone knows that you write well, but I've never heard that you can paint.

Charcoal can be used to draw, and it looks so good. Third brother, please teach me this skill."

Jia Cong's maternal grandfather in his previous life came from a family of calligraphy and painting mounting experts. Those who are good at mounting paintings are also good at calligraphy and painting.

He inherited his grandfather's teachings in his previous life, which enabled him to have excellent calligraphy skills. He also learned painting from his grandfather, and he was quite good at it, but not as good as calligraphy. However, he had a solid foundation in painting, and with the light and dark perspective of sketching in his previous life, it was no problem for him to use it to coax children.

……

After the imperial examination was over, he rested for a day at home and then went to Luocang Mountain to visit his teacher Liu Jing'an and report on his preparations for the examination.

After returning from Luo Cangshan, he rested and recuperated at home.

Now we no longer have to get up early and study scriptures late every day like we did in the past.

I just spend an hour every afternoon reading books on military affairs, agriculture, law, political commentary, etc.

If one can pass the joint examination, the palace examination will follow, and the palace examination only tests policy essays. These special essays outside the classics are to prepare for the policy essays in the future palace examination.

Apart from this, I spent the rest of my time chatting with my sisters, drinking tea, playing chess, writing poems and other such trivial things. I lived a very leisurely life and was able to relax from the hard work of studying for the past six months.

Today I went to Yingchun Courtyard to walk around and chat, and when I saw Xichun's paintings, I couldn't help but comment on them.

When he was in a good mood, he picked out a suitable charcoal from the winter stored in Yingchun Courtyard and started drawing, which made Xichun very happy.

Jia Cong handed the charcoal pencil to Xichun and taught her the tricks of charcoal painting one by one.

Xichun was extremely talented in painting. With a little guidance from Jia Cong, she was able to find the trick and her paintings began to look quite good.

Jia Cong was somewhat impressed, so he praised her generously, which made the little girl very happy.

There were footsteps outside the green gauze cabinet, and Yingchun came in with Xiangyun and Xing Xiuyan, and said with a smile: "What are you two so happy about? You talk so happily."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I came to talk to my second sister this morning, but you all went out, so I was just drawing for fun with my fourth sister."

Yingchun said, "Early this morning, Sister Feng sent someone to tell me to come over to discuss something, so I took Xiangyun and Xiuyan with me.

Sister Feng said that March 21st is Brother Cong’s 15th birthday, and coincidentally you spent it in the Imperial Examination Hall, so we are going to hold a birthday banquet for you on the second day of the first lunar month in a few days.

Add me to discuss the banquet guests. "

Shi Xiangyun chuckled at the side, as if she had thought of something funny, and said, "Second sister-in-law Lian also took out a list of guests to be cleared out, and many of them are the wives and daughters of the old relatives from aristocratic families.

Third brother, those girls are all unmarried. "

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Sister Yun is joking with me again. You know I am in the three-year mourning period now, which has nothing to do with this kind of thing."

Shi Xiangyun smiled and said, "Third brother, you are just as fragrant as I am. These unmarried girls are not prepared for you, third brother."

Yingchun looked somewhat helpless, and said, "This time, we held a birthday banquet for Brother Cong according to Brother Cong's wishes, and only invited relatives and noble families, and did not involve officials.

The ladies invited are all close relatives of the family, and the list was drawn up by the old lady herself."

After hearing this, Jia Cong seemed to understand a little, and a strange expression appeared on his face...

……

The fifteenth year of Jiazhao, the second day of April.

The Rongguo Mansion was cleaned inside and out, the servants were busy running around, and the whole place was filled with a lively and festive atmosphere.

Wang Xifeng asked four maids to carry the sedan chair, and Ping'er followed her, walking around the mansion and giving instructions.

The housekeeper of the outer courtyard arranged many smart servants to guide the relatives and friends who came to the banquet from the mansion gate to the ceremonial gate.

At the west corner gate, an experienced maid was arranged to guide the carriages and sedan chairs of the female members of each family. They entered the west corner gate and went straight to the hanging flower gate of the inner courtyard. After getting off the carriage and sedan chair, they were greeted by the maids in the inner courtyard to meet Lady Jia.

The Rong Xi Hall, which was deserted in the past, was open to welcome guests today. However, since the guests were all male, Xiao Hong was moved to the inner courtyard to busy herself, and the servants were replaced in serving tea and water in the hall.

Among the visitors, in addition to the old relatives of the Wang, Shi and Xue families, there were also many sons of the four kings and eight dukes, all of whom were of the same generation as Jia Cong.

Such as Chen Ruiwen, grandson of Chen Yi, Duke of Qi, Liu Hong, son of Liu Fang, the first-class son of Duke Li, Ma Xie, son of Ma Shang, Duke Zhi, and Liu Xing, son of Liu Xingwen, Marquis of Chengyang.

It is said that Prince Beijing Shui Rong went to his villa in Dezhou for leisure last month and has not returned yet, but the news was still received and the chief secretary of the palace was sent to deliver a gift of congratulations.

Jia Cong had a gentle smile and a graceful demeanor as he chatted and laughed with the children of the various in-laws and aristocratic families.

The guests who came today were all young people from various families, most of them were around 20 years old, and Jia Cong was the youngest among them.

But facing numerous visitors from all walks of life, he was able to receive them with ease and without showing any embarrassment, and his speech and demeanor were as graceful as a spring breeze.

This made the young men of various families secretly impressed, and they all thought to themselves that this Earl of Weiyuan was only old enough to dance with elephants, but he had achieved such success today, so he was indeed not an ordinary person.

Compared with Jia Cong's elegance, magnanimity and dignified bearing, Baoyu, who was accompanying him, seemed very pale in comparison.

Not only did he lose the handsomeness and elegance he had in the inner courtyard, but when facing outsiders, his movements were stiff, his eyes were embarrassed, his speech was slurred, and his whole body was awkward.

Originally, Baoyu extremely hated socializing in his official career. Moreover, many of the young men from noble families who came today were descendants of military generals, and in his eyes, they were just rough people.

If he could socialize as well as Jia Cong, he would not be Baoyu.

……

That day, Yingchun said with a strange look on her face that for Jia Cong's birthday party, Grandmother Jia specially invited the wives and daughters of the noble and old relatives.

Shi Xiangyun still used this topic to tease Jia Cong, and he already understood a little bit in his heart.

When the banquet started today to welcome guests, Jia's grandmother asked Baoyu to follow him to welcome the guests, and the meaning behind this became more and more obvious.

Although Jia Cong understood it in his heart, he didn't take it to heart at all. Grandmother Jia wanted to take advantage of her, but whether Baoyu had the ability to draw arrows with a straw boat was none of his business.

The young men from various families in Rong Xi Tang were all chatting and laughing with Jia Cong, but few people went to talk to Baoyu.

It is not only because Jia Cong is the protagonist today, but also because the young men who came here are all the eldest sons in the family, and are also the outstanding young generation in their respective clans.

These people were all educated at home since childhood and were trained to be future heads of the family. So although they are not too old, they are all sophisticated and shrewd among their peers. None of them is a fool.

Some time ago, Baoyu made some outrageous remarks and was reprimanded by the clan affairs office in a serious document, which caused an uproar in the whole city. All the young men present knew the truth.

Not to mention that Baoyu is not even a supporting role today. He is just a sidekick in the Rongguo Mansion. Even if he is Jia Cong's brother, the young men from other families will not take the initiative to get close to him and talk to him.

The one who didn't know that the reprimand from the clan affairs office was actually the will of the emperor in the palace. Which young man would be stupid enough to encounter such bad luck? If the rumors got out, he wouldn't know that he would become a fool himself.

At this time, Ma Kai, the son of Ma Shang, the Duke of Zhiguo, watched coldly as Baoyu, who was at a loss beside Jia Cong.

He said to Liu Xing, the eldest son of the Marquis of Chengyang, who was on good terms with him, "Xiao'an, I heard you say that the Rongguo Lady also invited your wife and your third sister to Jia Cong's coming-of-age banquet.

I thought that Jia Cong's arranged marriage did not go through, and the Rongguo Mansion was secretly planning a marriage for him, so they invited the wives of many noble families into the inner hall.

People say that your unmarried third sister is outstanding in appearance and character. I thought you were going to be lucky, but I didn't expect that this is not the case at all.

You better be careful, kid. Don’t pick up a piece of rotten copper instead of gold. It’s important, important, haha…”

Liu Xing, the eldest son of Marquis Chengyang, was not good at studying, but he inherited his ancestors' traditions and aspired to join the army and make achievements. He learned a lot of martial arts and was a straightforward person.

When he heard what Ma Yan said, his face changed. This time, the Jia family not only sent a formal invitation to Jia Cong's birthday banquet.

An invitation was also sent to invite the female relatives of all the old friends and the ladies in the boudoir to attend the banquet. I heard that it was the idea of ​​Mrs. Rongguo.

This had to make each family more concerned. The Chengyang Marquisate and the Rongguo Mansion had always had a good relationship, and the two families visited each other frequently during the New Year holidays. Liu Xing's third sister even visited the Rongguo Lady with her mother.

Everyone in the capital knew about Jia Cong's reputation. As the eldest son of the Chengyang Marquisate, Liu Xing was naturally happy to see such a thing happen.

But at this moment, he was reminded by Ma Kai and realized that something was wrong. He looked at Baoyu's stiff and effeminate behavior and couldn't help frowning.

After thinking for a moment, he quickly called over his personal servant and whispered a few words in his ear. After receiving the instructions, the servant hurried out of Rong Xi Tang... (End of this chapter)