Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Fengjie's Courtyard.

The sky is clear and blue, there is a gentle summer breeze, the sun is bright, and the sycamore tree at the base of the west wall of the yard is lush and leafy.

Every leaf on the treetops, under the reflection of the bright sun, appears unusually green and translucent, full of vibrant vitality.

Behind the large painted screen wall, human figures swayed on the windows of the three-room porch.

The row of roses placed under the window suddenly bloomed this morning. The red, yellow and white flowers competed with each other in beauty, looking very gorgeous and lively.

Maids and old women were going in and out of the corridor carrying hot water and towels, and everyone had a nervous expression on their face.

In the room, Wang Xifeng kept groaning in pain and screaming from time to time.

Wu'er and Ping'er were standing in the yard, both looking anxious. Every time they heard Wang Xifeng's screams, their pretty faces would turn pale.

Early this morning, the maid from Wang Xifeng's courtyard came to tell Wu'er the news.

My second grandmother complained of abdominal pain when she woke up in the morning. At first I didn’t take it seriously, but later I realized that something was wrong and it seemed like she was about to give birth.

There is some chaos in the yard now, and Sister Ping'er has asked Lin Zhixiao's family to invite a midwife.

But the Second Mistress was shouting so loudly that Sister Ping'er asked Miss Liu to go over and take care of it.

After hearing this, Wu'er understood that Ping'er was also an inexperienced girl and had never seen such a scene before. She was probably scared and pulled herself over to give her courage.

The chaos in Fengjie's courtyard was not settled until Lin Zhixiao invited two of the best midwives in the capital.

The two midwives drove Wu'er and Ping'er out of the house and asked them to wait outside. Ping'er then asked a maid to go to Rongqing Hall to report the news.

At this time, Wang Xifeng's shrill screams were heard from the room again.

Wu'er couldn't help but shiver with fear, her little face turned pale, and she wanted to run away, but she felt it was inappropriate.

He asked, "Why is Second Madam making so much noise? She is screaming so miserably. It's been so long. How much pain must she be in?"

Ping'er also looked terrified and said, "Isn't this how women raise children? I've heard a lot about it in the past. I didn't understand it before, but I just saw it today. It's so scary."

……

At this time, footsteps were heard at the gate of the courtyard, and Jia's grandmother came with her maids and old women. When she heard Wang Xifeng's movements in the room, she looked a little nervous.

However, the old lady has seen too many births and childbirths, so she wouldn't make a fuss like Wu'er and Ping'er.

Asked: "How long has it been like this, Feng girl?"

Ping Erh said, "Madam, it has been an hour since I started complaining of abdominal pain this morning."

Grandmother Jia said, "That's good. It's not time yet. Let's wait another hour and see."

Wu Er and Ping Er were even more frightened when they heard what Grandmother Jia said. The second wife was in so much pain, and it turned out that only half of it was over...

Seeing the two of them turn pale, Jia's mother smiled and said, "They are just young girls who have never seen the truth. What is there to be afraid of?

Don't panic, I'm here. All women have to go through this, and you will have to go through this in the future too. It's good to see the world."

Yuanyang found a shady place under the paulownia tree, and asked a little maid to bring an armchair so that Lady Jia could sit down and wait.

This kind of birth news always spread very quickly in the mansion. Not long after, Mrs. Wang also heard the news and rushed over.

She heard Wang Xifeng's call from inside the room, but her face remained expressionless and the Buddhist beads in her hand kept turning.

Said: "Old lady, the movements of little Feng sound normal. After all, she is the first child, so she will always be a little bit troubled."

Grandmother Jia responded: "You are right. The first child is the most difficult for a woman. After getting over this hurdle, everything will be fine in the future."

Although the old lady said this, it was just a statement to suit the situation.

His eldest grandson Jia Lian was originally the son of a wealthy family. He had been pampered and brought up in luxury since childhood, enjoying all the splendor.

Now he has been exiled to Liaodong for fifteen years, a bitterly cold place with strong winds and snow. I wonder what he will look like in fifteen years.

So in Grandmother Jia's mind, Wang Xifeng might only have this one child in her life.

But after all, Jia Lian is the eldest grandson of the eldest son of the Jia family's Yu generation. Even though Jia Cong, the eldest son of the Jia family, has inherited the family business, Jia Lian's position in the Jia family cannot be ignored.

An old-fashioned woman like Grandmother Jia attached great importance to the eldest son of the eldest wife, and she hoped that Wang Xifeng would give birth to a son to bring more blessings to the family.

……

Mrs. Wang originally came to see Baoyu today. Baoyu injured his knee some time ago, so although Caiyun and Xiren entered the room, they were unable to do so.

Now that Baoyu's knees were strong, Mrs. Wang came to see whether her son's bedroom was going well and whether Xiren and Caiyun were serving him attentively.

However, as soon as she entered the West Mansion, she heard the news that Wang Xifeng had given birth. She did not even bother to see her son, but went to Fengjie's courtyard to see what was going on.

Although the second wife now lives in the east courtyard, Mrs. Wang is an exceptionally strong-willed woman and still has great ambitions.

Even though the threshold of the West Mansion did not face the East Courtyard, she would always carefully weigh any disturbances between the two mansions to see if they would hinder the future of the second house.

Originally, Jia Cong had not yet inherited the family business, the second wife was still the head of the West Mansion, and Wang Xifeng was still her niece.

She was very cautious and cautious about whether the eldest son had given birth to a child.

……

Because of the family rules passed down by the old Duke, the eldest son would inherit the title and the second son would inherit the house, she hoped that the eldest son's family would be extinct and the title would pass to the second son.

Fortunately, Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng have been married for many years and have no children, which makes Mrs. Wang very happy and she is willing to let the couple run errands for her.

She never expected that Jia Cong would suddenly rise up, take away all the family property, and even force the second branch to move to the East Courtyard.

Although the extinction of the first wife's family has become a delusion now, Jia Cong is already a high-ranking official at his age, and he has a woman in his room, so he will definitely have many children in the future.

Although Mrs. Wang was jealous in her heart, given her strong personality, she knew that even if the second house was not as good as the first, it must be better than the second.

Moreover, in a large family, the eldest great-grandson of the eldest son has an important position, and she didn't want Wang Xifeng to take away this honor.

She just wanted Wang Xifeng to give birth to a girl, but of course it would be even better if she couldn't...

Her Baoyu is going to get married at the end of the year, and then he will be able to give birth to another grandson for the second wife. It is also a source of pride for the second wife to always surpass the first wife in terms of the number of offspring.

……

Just as Mrs. Wang was feeling very confident about having a baby, footsteps were heard at the gate of the courtyard again.

Yingchun came into the yard with two maids, followed by two old women.

In the morning, after washing her hair to celebrate the festival, she was talking with Jia Cong and Xing Xiuyan in the yard.

After a while, Daiyu, Tanchun and other sisters came to visit, and the yard became more lively. The news of Wang Xifeng's childbirth just came from the West Mansion.

As a male, Jia Cong could not show up in public for such matters of childbirth, and Daiyu and Tanchun, who were girls waiting to be married, naturally could not go out either.

Although Yingchun is also a boudoir woman, she is currently the housekeeper of the East Palace. Her status is somewhat different. She has to act on behalf of the East Palace and observe etiquette with her brothers.

As soon as she entered the yard, she heard Wang Xifeng's loud noise, her pretty face turned red, and she went over to greet Lady Jia.

He said, "Madam, Sister Feng is very happy today. Although Brother Cong is in the mansion, it is inconvenient for men to move around, so I came to see her on his behalf.

I also brought two experienced maids from the East Mansion. They are both experienced people. If the old lady sees any use for them, she can just use them.”

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "You are also a girl, it is very good that you have such thoughts, you are worthy of being the head lady of a big mansion.

Brother Cong is a lucky man to have an elder sister like you who is so well-mannered. It is really rare. Although I was smart when I was young, I was not much better than you.

If Cong gets married in the future and is half as sensible and capable as you, I will be satisfied."

When Mrs. Wang heard Lady Jia praising Yingchun, she felt quite uncomfortable. She thought that this second girl was just a concubine's daughter with no background, so how could she deserve such praise from the old lady?

If it weren't for the kid from the East Mansion who was always protective of his elder sister and tried his best to make her look respectable, this second girl with incomplete parents wouldn't even want a matchmaker.

Mrs. Wang felt depressed. It was because her second wife was not doing well and there was no girl that satisfied her and could support her...

……

Yingchun, Wu'er and other young girls were terrified when they heard Wang Xifeng crying and wailing.

Grandmother Jia was just gossiping. She had seen many births and did not take the situation seriously.

Time passed little by little, and Jia's mother asked Yuanyang how much time had passed. Yuanyang said almost an hour had passed.

At this moment, Wang Xifeng's voice in the room became increasingly shrill, and then the loud cry of a baby could be heard...

Jia Mu, Yingchun and others were delighted when they heard this. After all, childbirth is a matter of life and death for a woman, and it is a great joy if the baby is delivered naturally.

At this time, a midwife came out of the room and said to Jia's mother with a smile on her face, "Congratulations, old lady, there is a new daughter in the family."

When Jia's mother heard the news, she was disappointed for a moment...

But soon he smiled and said, "That's great, I like girls, good luck and everything will go smoothly."

Yingchun smiled and said, "The old lady has been blessed with many blessings and a long life. Now she has a great-granddaughter. What a wonderful thing."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "The second girl is still good at talking. Now Lian'er also has blood, and the Jia family will have more descendants.

Go back and tell your brother that he also gave me a lucky charm that day, which is better than any filial piety."

When Mrs. Wang heard that Wang Xifeng had given birth to a girl, she felt happy. But after hearing what Grandmother Jia and Yingchun said, she felt a little bit of ridicule. Feng gave birth to a girl, not the eldest great-grandson. The old lady and the second girl kept hyping her up, but they could not fool anyone but themselves.

When I, Baoyu, get married at the end of the year, the girl from the Xia family will have a well-proportioned figure, beautiful looks and a graceful spirit. At first glance, it is obvious that she is a good childbearer.

When my Baoyu gives birth to a boy, the old lady loves Baoyu already, and she will be so happy that Baoyu will have a son.

By that time, the second wife had many descendants, and she could finally be proud of herself.

There's no need to be like this now. She's obviously a money-losing girl, but the old lady still has to save face in front of others and pretend to be extremely happy. It's so awkward and disgusting.

……

Once in the delivery room, the maids and old women cleaned it carefully, and burned top-quality sandalwood and borneol to dispel the bloody smell of childbirth.

When Jia Mu, Yingchun and others went into the room to check on Wang Xifeng, they saw that her face was as pale as paper and she looked a little depressed.

When she saw Lady Jia, she said, "Madam, your granddaughter-in-law is useless. She didn't give you a great-grandson."

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "What are you talking about? You are just a girl, a little better than a man, what's wrong with you?

I have raised sons, daughters, and grandchildren in my life, and the ones I care about the most are not the boys, but the girls.

From your Lin Daiyu’s mother, to your Lin Daiyu, the eldest girl, the second girl, and the third girl, each of them is my proudest.

You are such a capable woman. The girl you give birth to will probably be even better than them. What else do you have to be unsatisfied about?

Our Jia family's maid is precious, you can rest assured, not only will I cherish and pamper her, there are many people who will love her, and you will not suffer any loss in the future."

Yingchun smiled and said, "The old lady is right, the maid is loved by everyone.

Not to mention that the old lady likes her, Brother Cong has always loved the girl the most and will definitely dote on her in the future."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "That makes sense. We all know that Cong-ge treasures his sisters the most.

Ask him to come and have a look. Now that the baby is born, there is no need to be so cautious. "

Wu'er hurried back to the East Palace with a smile to report the good news. Not long after, Jia Cong brought Daiyu, Tanchun and other sisters to visit.

When Jia Cong saw that Wang Xifeng had indeed given birth to a daughter, and that the baby was born on the seventh day of the seventh month, exactly as expected, he could not help but sigh in amazement.

He looked at the baby girl in the cradle. Even though she was a newborn with her eyes closed, he could not tell what she would look like in the future.
But the shape and lines of her nose and lip corners vaguely resemble those of Wang Xifeng, and she already exudes a bit of beauty. This is Qiaojie.

Of course Jia Cong would not say this name. Who knows whether there will really be a village woman who will give the child this name in the future.

Even though many things have changed beyond recognition due to my appearance, it seems that everything has taken a completely new path.

However, some things that were not affected by me still stubbornly followed their original trajectory...

……

Wang Xifeng saw Daiyu and other sisters surrounding the child, laughing and playing, chattering, their expressions and words full of love, but no one dared to touch the child.

Then Jia Cong was seen standing aside, staring at the child intently, with a strange and curious look on his face, as if he was also inexplicably amazed...

Wang Xifeng's heart moved slightly. Although she gave birth to a girl, she was disappointed, but she was her own flesh and blood after all, and her lifelong support.

Now my husband Jia Lian has been exiled for fifteen years. When he comes back, I'm afraid his hair and beard will be white.

Now that he had an extra daughter, there was an extra burden and worry. If the mother and daughter wanted to live in peace in the Jia family for a long time, their greatest support had to be Jia Cong.

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Brother Cong loves girls the most. You have spoiled all the sisters like pearls and treasures. Now that you have a niece, you must take better care of her."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I will love this little niece. How about I hug her?"

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "You are just a boy, you haven't married yet, how can you hold a baby? A newborn baby is very tender, there are some rules to hold her."

Daiyu, Tanchun and other sisters on the side were already eager to try, but no one dared to do it.

When they heard Jia Cong ask for a hug, their eyes lit up with anticipation.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I've seen others hold it, and it was very proper, there's nothing wrong with it."

At this time, the child was being held by the maid next to Feng Ji. Jia Cong stepped forward and made a move, and the maid glanced at Feng Ji.

Wang Xifeng nodded, and saw Jia Cong put his left arm around the child and let the child rest his head on his arm.

Support the child's waist and back with the palm of your arm, and hold him/her with your right hand to hold him/her securely.

The child was still sleeping soundly. Even after someone turned his hand over, he was not awakened at all and continued to sleep soundly.

The old woman laughed and said, "A newborn baby is not used to being held, so he is very sensitive when being held, and he is probably going to cry.

The uncle held her in his arms and she didn't cry or make a fuss. He is truly an all-knowing person. The uncle is still so young, but he looks more mature than us when holding a child."

Grandmother Jia smiled at Wang Xifeng and said, "You really know how to hold a child. See, didn't I say that there will always be someone who loves the maids in our family?"

……

When Mrs. Wang saw Jia Cong holding the little girl, she looked very curious and fond of her, and Wang Xifeng was even more smiling.

She couldn't help but feel contempt in her heart, thinking that the people in the first house were just pretending to be so affectionate.

Miss Feng went through a lot of trouble and gave birth to a worthless girl, but she still wanted to use her to get close to this boy. She really doesn't care about her own reputation.

Mrs. Wang could no longer sit there because it was an eyesore, so she found an excuse to leave Fengjie's courtyard and go for a walk in Baoyu's courtyard.

She hadn't even reached the gate of Baoyu's courtyard when Qiu Wen suddenly jumped out from the side, which scared her.

He frowned and said, "You little girl, why don't you stay by Baoyu's side and serve him well? Why do you come here to hang out?"

Qiu Wen said, "I just saw Caixia go to the Second Master's room, and I knew that the Madam would come to the West Mansion today.

Because my wife hasn't been here for some time, I have some things to report to her, but I haven't been able to find a convenient time.

I knew my wife was coming today, so I waited for her here specially."

Mrs. Wang knew Qiu Wen's personality and knew that she would often gossip about her, so she didn't think highly of her and felt that she was not as loyal and sensible as Xiren.

But she never scolded or despised Qiu Wen, and would even say a few nice words to her to make her submit to her, because she also needed eyes and ears in Baoyu's room.

Mrs. Wang asked, "If you have anything to say, just tell me. I am not in the West Mansion most of the time, and Baoyu needs someone as loyal as you by his side."

After hearing this, Qiu Wen became even more excited and spoke more openly.

She was a maid with ambitions, and she longed to please Baoyu a few times. Mrs. Wang would assign herself to Baoyu to sleep with as if she were a colorful cloud.

……

Qiu Wen said, "If we talk about this matter, it was the day when the Second Master asked Xiren to go to the East Mansion to visit the Third Miss's injury."

When Mrs. Wang heard this, she felt a little unhappy.

The third girl was punished by her own family rules, but her son ignored his own dignity and went to visit the girl. He was a heartless person.

Qiu Wen continued, "Xiren went to visit the Third Miss with good intentions, but everyone in the East Palace didn't give her face, and it was obvious that they looked down on our Second House.

When Xiren went there, she met Third Master Cong in the Third Miss's room. Third Master Cong said a lot of bad things about Second Master, some of which were very unpleasant.

Xiren was worried that if she told the Second Master, he would get angry and make trouble.

She was also afraid of the Third Master's current power and did not dare to get involved, so she kept all these things to herself.

She only talked to Musk Moon in private, and Musk Moon instigated her to hide the matter even from her wife.

But I think my wife should know these words, so that she can be prepared if something happens..."

……

In fact, when Xiren and Sheyue were talking in private that day, Qiu Wen did not come last, but had been hiding aside for a long time and heard everything they said.

But Mrs. Wang did not come to the West Mansion every day, so she never had the chance to pass on a message.

Today, when she saw Caiyun getting on Baoyu's bed, she immediately became a party to Xiren. The two of them went out to talk in private, which made Qiu Wen very envious and jealous.

Now, the maids in Baoyu's room, Xiren and Caiyun, have been sleeping with him legally, and the slut Bihen has also been secretly slept with by the Second Master several times.

Musk Moon is smart and capable, and her tongue is as sharp as a knife. No one will buy into her, and no one can afford to offend her.

She was the last one in the group. Qiu Wen, such an ambitious maid, naturally couldn't stand this kind of cowardice. She dreamed of climbing up.

She happened to hear what Xiren and Sheyue said, so how could she not come to show her loyalty in front of Lady Wang.

So, she told Mrs. Wang all the cold words Jia Cong said to Xiren that day...

……

After hearing Qiu Wen's words, Mrs. Wang's face turned pale with anger, as if her scars were being exposed, and she felt indescribably aggrieved and angry.

She couldn't help cursing, "How dare he say such shameless words? It's really outrageous!"

Mrs. Wang not only hated Jia Cong for being so unreasonable, but also for scolding Baoyu with such harsh words.

She even blamed Xiren, the one she had taken a fancy to, for being so foolish and useless. She didn't even dare to say a word after hearing such words. The second house had lost all its face.

And that damned girl, Sheyue, who usually looks smart and capable, turned out to be so cunning that she actually instigated Xiren to deceive her master... (End of this chapter)