Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong Courtyard.

In a hurry, Jia Cong hugged the person who was about to fall.

The sweet and intoxicating scent is refreshing and inspiring.

The delicate body in his arms is slender and graceful, fragrant and warm, with a soft and shy feeling. One can hear her rapid heartbeat, which makes people feel pity.

But she subconsciously protected her beautiful chest with her hands, her eyes were as clear as water, her pretty face was as red as clouds, and she seemed stunned for a moment.

Jia Cong felt slightly embarrassed, and naturally understood the meaning of her action. He had indeed touched the wrong place...

"Sister Ping'er, I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you just now?"

"It's nothing. I was just walking carelessly and bumped into Master San..."

Ping'er struggled slightly and stood up from Jia Cong's arms. She felt her chest soft and hot, and her heels a little weak. She was too embarrassed to look at Jia Cong.

Jia Cong felt a lightness in his arms, and the charm of the hasty embrace suddenly disappeared, and he even felt a sense of emptiness.

Ping'er glanced at Jia Cong, then looked away, her heart beating like a deer. Could it be that the Third Master did this on purpose? He chose to touch this place when there were so many good places to touch?

Fortunately, it wasn't someone else, otherwise I wouldn't have to live as a human being. Anyway, I'll be his from now on, so it shouldn't matter...

Ping'er, who used to be clever and quick in managing household chores, seemed like a different person at this moment. She was dazed and had all sorts of random thoughts in her mind.

She thought of the return gifts scattered on the ground, and quickly squatted down to pick them up. Seeing this, Jia Cong also squatted down to help.

Suddenly, both of them cried out "ouch!" It turned out that they had squatted too quickly and hit their foreheads.

Jia Cong couldn't help rubbing his own forehead, and used his other hand to rub Ping'er's forehead.

He and the girl around him were used to being close to each other and were always very close to each other, which led to such subconscious behavior.

When his hand touched Ping'er's smooth and soft skin, he suddenly felt something was wrong and retracted his hand in embarrassment.

After all, Ping'er is different from Zhishao, Yinglian and others. Although she and I have a formal relationship, we have never been close.

Ping'er felt a little aggrieved when she saw him reaching out his hand to her again. Thinking of the embarrassing touch just now, she realized that the Third Master could be so indecent.

When her forehead touched his gentle palm, her whole body trembled slightly. She wanted to dodge but was hesitant and reluctant.

But he touched her and then moved his hand away, then retracted it like lightning. Ping'er began to understand a little, and realized that she had misunderstood. She felt a little disappointed.

Jia Cong asked, "Sister Ping'er, did I hurt you again..."

This strange word "again" instantly gave rise to sexy thoughts, making both of them feel a little embarrassed.

Their eyes met, and they both sensed a kind of unspeakable intimacy. They couldn't help but smile at each other, feeling a little warm, and the awkward and ambiguous feeling gradually faded away.

Jia Cong asked, "Why did Sister Ping'er send these things over?"

Ping Er smiled and said, "This is a return gift for the full moon banquet for Third Master. The gold bracelet Third Master gave to Big Sister is very unique. Second Madam likes it when she sees it."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Just consider the etiquette for outsiders. Why should we send any return gifts to our own family?"

Ping Er smiled and said, "Second Madam has specifically instructed that the family should also be polite in their interactions, which will make things more lively."

Jia Cong picked up the pair of exquisite brocade clothes and said with a smile, "Second sister-in-law's return gift actually includes something so unique. It's quite rare."

Ping'er's pretty face flushed, and she said, "I made this pair of clothes myself. I looked at the size of Third Master's palm and I think it will fit him.

Winter is coming in two months. The Third Master goes out to the government office every day. I heard that he rides a horse more often than a sedan chair when he goes out. His hands are cold holding the reins in the middle of winter.

This pair of clothes is for you to keep warm, please don't despise it."

……

Jia Cong saw that the pair of hands were exquisitely made, with the back of the hands sewn with top-quality soft silk with dark patterns and floral patterns, which looked very beautiful.

The palm is made of wear-resistant Songjiang thick cotton cloth, and the inside of the gloves is lined with soft red deerskin, showing meticulous attention to detail.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "What a beautiful hand-made dress. Sister Ping'er must have spent a lot of effort on it. I am so fascinated by it that I cannot wait to dislike it."

When Ping'er heard his praise, her pretty face turned rosy and her eyes were full of smiles. She was very happy and boldly put her hands on Jia Cong's palms.

He said, "Master, try it on. If it doesn't fit, I'll go back and make some modifications."

Jia Cong stretched and retracted his fingers a few times and said with a smile, "It's just like it was made according to the measurements of my palm. It fits perfectly."

The two of them fiddled with the hands of clothes back and forth, talking and laughing to each other, and the awkwardness of their bosoms bumping into each other turned into a hint of intimacy that had never existed before.

……

What happens in Rongqing Hall can never be kept secret.

After Ping'er had chatted with Jia Cong and sent him off to the yamen, they had just returned to the West Mansion.

Another maid came over to congratulate her and told her everything that had just happened in Rongqing Hall.

When Ping'er heard the date of August 17, although she had some premonition in her heart, she still felt embarrassed and happy.

Knowing that Baoyu had actually spoken out to stop her from entering the Third Master's room, and that the Second Wife was also there to join in, she felt even more puzzled and filled with disgust and resentment.

How could it be their turn to interfere in the affairs between him and the Third Master? Baoyu is the master of the Second House, so he has the nerve to interfere in the affairs of the First House.

Ping'er thought of what Wang Xifeng had said about Baoyu being funny. It seemed that all the pretty girls in the mansion were related to him, which was absolutely true.

Originally, when she met Baoyu in the mansion, she treated him with courtesy. But now that this kind of thing has happened, she feels that people's hearts are sinister.

If I meet Baoyu again in the future and I still have a good face, I don’t know what Baoyu will say.

However, Ping'er didn't meet Baoyu in the West Mansion for the next few days. Maybe he knew that he had offended someone and was too embarrassed to hang out.

However, Wang Xifeng did not seem to give up...

……

Rongguo Mansion, Baoyu Courtyard.

Since the day when Baoyu kicked her in the heart, Xiren took good care of herself for a month and finally recovered.

As for whether it would leave her with infertility, she had no way of verifying it given Baoyu's current condition...

When it was time for Jia's mother's 70th birthday, Baoyu moved back to the West Mansion. It seemed that everything was just like yesterday and nothing had changed.

But the inside story is different. Although Baoyu is incompetent in bed, he keeps it a secret from outside.

But for the few people who knew the truth, the inside story of this hidden disease gradually became unbearable.

Xiren and Caiyun both knew the inside story. Baoyu was treated in the East Hospital for a month, taking care of his body every day and taking many precious medicinal herbs.

Even the thirty-year-old precious ginseng that was tricked from the East Palace entered Baoyu's stomach without a trace.

But Baoyu's hidden illness showed no improvement and he was still unable to sleep in bed at night.

Xiren had been with Baoyu for many times, and she could only accept her fate as Baoyu became what he is now, and would just go down this path till the end.

But Caiyun was a virgin girl who had been in Baoyu's room for only two months. She couldn't help feeling a little scared at the thought of living a widow's life.

She originally thought that she had climbed up the social ladder, but she didn't expect it was just a dream. She got the false reputation in vain. She was not as pure and free as Musk Moon and Qiu Pattern.

……

Since that day in Rongqing Hall, Baoyu's selfish desires could not be suppressed, and he was too talkative, which led to Wang Xifeng's ridicule and mockery.

After he came back, he tossed and turned, and was even more saddened by the corruption of the world. People were only obsessed with official careers and imperial examinations, and no one knew what true innocence was. He was heartbroken for a long time.

Because he felt a little ashamed, he stayed in the yard these days, relying on the erotic novels that Mingyan got to kill the long and boring time.

I was feeling bored that day and thought about my sisters living in East Mansion, which seemed so close yet so far away.

Nowadays, any decent daughter in the West Mansion is either Xiaohong, who likes to study hard, or Yuanyang, who admires a career in civil or military affairs, which makes him feel regretful and sad.

He had a beautiful and dignified Ping'er, who was polite and never talked about official career and economics, which made him feel extremely good.

I didn't expect that man to be so lustful. Having Zhishao, Wu'er and others already was not enough for him and he wanted to monopolize Ping'er. He really has no conscience at all.

Baoyu was just feeling that the day was long and he was feeling sad and unable to control himself, when suddenly Xiren came in.

He said, "Second Master, originally on the tenth day of every month, the monthly allowance would be distributed. Even if Second Madam has a lot of things to do in the courtyard, it would be delayed for one day at most.

But now she is already thirteen, and there is no movement at all. The monthly allowance from our courtyard has not been paid yet.

Usually around ten days ago, Feng'er or Ping'er, the Second Mistress's servants, would come to deliver the things, but now there was no sign of them.

Yesterday I casually asked Amber, and she said that the monthly allowance for the old ladies in the hospital was paid on the 10th, but our hospital has not yet received it.

The maids in the Second Master's room are not from well-off families, and they all rely on the monthly allowances they bring back to supplement their expenses. If they are left alone like this, I'm afraid they will complain."

After hearing these economic matters, Baoyu felt a little impatient.

He frowned and said, "There is so much money in the silver box, isn't it enough for you to spend? Why are you still talking to me like this now?"

Xiren smiled bitterly and said, "The money in the silver box is all Second Master's monthly allowance. How can we spend it? It would be embarrassing if rumors spread. I think Second Master should go to Second Madam's place and maybe he will get his monthly allowance."

……

That day, Baoyu was in Rongqing Hall and wanted to stop Ping'er from entering the East Palace. This matter had already spread secretly.

Xiren and Caiyun knew the whole story and were dumbfounded as to what their master was thinking.

Instead of worrying about how to cure his own illness, he is concerned about the third master of the first house having women. This is like a dog trying to catch a rat and getting into trouble.

Now everyone in the yard has received their monthly allowance, except hers, which has been withheld. Xiren doesn't need to think too much to know that it is the Second Mistress who is doing something bad.

The Second Mistress wants to give her maid away. Why should the Second Master stop her? You have humiliated her and she will definitely seek revenge.

Originally, things would not have been so extreme as to reach the embarrassing point of deducting monthly salary.

But the situation is different now. The West Mansion is the eldest son's family property, and the Second Master is just staying at someone else's house. How could people show him any mercy?

Besides, this matter cannot be made public. If we go to the old lady to complain, the monthly allowance can be paid, but the second master and the first wife will fall out.

Given the Second Mistress's fierce temper, she will force the Second Master out of the West Mansion sooner or later, and then the Second House will lose all its face.

……

Xiren really had no other choice. The monthly salary in the courtyard had been cut off and people were uneasy. Who would be able to work with peace of mind?

If the news spreads to the East Courtyard, the Madam will be angry and there will be trouble again, which will make the Second Master even more annoying.

Xiren wanted Baoyu to go to Fengjie's courtyard and say a few nice words to smooth over the relationship and give Wang Xifeng a way out.

Xiren relied on the fact that she had worked as a maid for Lady Jia to go to Rongqingtang to spread some rumors.

With the two sides attacking each other, the matter was covered up. After getting through this storm, they could find a way to ease the situation with the Second Mistress.

But Xiren didn't expect that Baoyu was an irresponsible man. This time he got a hidden disease in bed, and he became more jealous of Jia Cong's good fortune.

This made her angry and she boldly stopped Ping'er from entering the East Palace, but she didn't expect to be viciously mocked by Wang Xifeng.

Whenever Baoyu thought of Wang Xifeng's words, he felt as if someone had peeled off his skin, and his grief, anger and embarrassment were beyond words.

Now the matter is still hot, how could Baoyu dare to step over Wang Xifeng's threshold again?

Wang Xifeng's mouth is worse than a skinning knife. He has been abused once, and she still asks him to face the challenge head-on. He definitely does not have the courage to do so.

He only listened to Xiren's words and sneered, "This is not your first time here, and you are also here to handle old matters. These matters are not my business.

Just do it yourself. Why bother asking me again? You can ask my second sister-in-law yourself, or send a maid to ask. It’s up to you.”

……

Rongguo Mansion, Fengjie's courtyard, noon.

Ping'er was holding a tray with a stew pot of eight-treasure, white fungus, and bird's nest in it, and she walked briskly into the main room.

These days, many servants in the West Mansion came to congratulate her openly or secretly. Everyone felt that Ping'er had married into a rich family, so naturally they came to make good friends with her in advance.

Ping'er didn't care whether the people who came to congratulate her were sincere or insincere, she was very happy anyway.

Wang Xifeng often teased her, saying that her face was flushed with pink and she walked with a breeze, but she was afraid that her heart had already flown to the East Palace.

Ping'er entered the room and handed the stew pot to Wang Xifeng. It was lunchtime, and Wu'er had gone back to the East Mansion to eat.

Only Wang Xifeng and Ping'er were left in the room. Outside, a little maid was sitting on a small table beside the bed, serving the two of them dishes and rice.

Wang Xifeng took two sips of the stew and saw Ping'er looking through the account book for that month.

Said: "Second Madam, the monthly allowance for Baoyu Courtyard has not been paid yet?"

Wang Xifeng sneered, "I was the one who stopped him in advance. You didn't see what happened in Rongqing Hall last time.

It doesn't matter that Baoyu has a dirty mind and is delusional. He is useless anyway and can't cause any trouble.

But the second wife also followed Baoyu's words and started to talk nonsense, which was a bit unreasonable.

Now that my third brother has been ordered to inherit the title, the eldest son is the real owner of the West Palace.

When will it be the second wife's turn to take care of the first wife's affairs? You also know the second wife's temper. When has she ever been convinced by the third brother?

If she keeps harboring evil thoughts in the long run, if something goes wrong with the first wife, there's no telling what she might do.

This time, I will take advantage of this incident to give them a cruel and embarrassing lesson, and let them know that the position of the eldest son, Zhengsu, is not a clay Buddha for decoration.

Don’t let them suffer any hardship, and remember that after being beaten, they must sit on the stool and then on the table. How can we manage the household and control people in the future?”

……

Ping Er said, "Grandma's words do make sense. I'm worried that if the Second Madam makes trouble to the Old Madam, it will be difficult for us to deal with it.

After all, there is also the Second Master here, and the old lady loves this son the most, and there is also the relationship between the Third Master and the Second Master. "

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "I have thought of this a long time ago. If the Second Wife starts to make a scene, it would be a good idea for the First and Second Wife to quarrel.

There's no need to be so polite about everything, and just do everything according to the clan rules and etiquette. It's open and aboveboard, and everything goes smoothly, isn't that good?

By that time, how can Baoyu still have the face to stay in the West Mansion, so that he won’t always stare at the woman of my third brother, feeling ashamed and embarrassed.”

When Ping'er heard this, her face turned slightly red, and she felt that her grandmother was teasing her again.

Wang Xifeng sighed and said, “It’s a pity, though, that even if the Second Madam wanted to make a scene, she wouldn’t come directly to me to make a scene.

Because she knew my temper well, she would just start a fight with me, and I would have no more scruples, and she wouldn't gain any benefit at all.

Later, the Second Master will scold her for not knowing how to be an elder, so she will definitely go to the old lady to complain and use the old lady to pressure me."

Ping Er was a little worried: "I am worried about this. If the old lady speaks out, grandma won't be able to resist, and then it will be the second wife's turn to be proud."

……

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Although the old lady is old, she is not a fool.

If she really stepped in to suppress the matter, supported the second room, and forced us to pay the monthly allowance, it would be equivalent to causing the first and second rooms to fall out with each other.

How can the old lady continue to live in Rongguo Mansion and enjoy a life of luxury with the support of the eldest wife?
This is such a simple truth. The old lady, as a duke, has seen many disturbances in the inner court. It is impossible for her not to understand it.

You have to know that my third brother was conferred the title of nobility by imperial decree. The imperial decree is more important than family etiquette. The old lady also has to take care of my third brother, otherwise it would be a disrespect to the royal family.

Do you think that when the time comes, once the old lady steps in to suppress the matter, my third brother won't speak out?
Even though you have never been close to my third brother before, you are his woman of destiny.

He knows that Baoyu is having some troubles, and you can see whether he will protect him or not. His methods are deadly, and they are much more powerful than mine.

As long as the third brother opens his mouth, the old lady will be speechless. Even if the second house has a second master, I am afraid that life will not be easy in the future. "

……

After hearing what Wang Xifeng said, Ping'er's pretty face flushed, and she couldn't help but think of the day when she went to the East Palace to give gifts and how close and intimate they were.

I was intoxicated and my mind was filled with Wang Xifeng's words. I was his woman of destiny, and he would protect me from now on...

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Just wait and see. Whenever the Second Wife goes to complain to the Old Lady, the Old Lady will not intervene but will try to smooth things over."

After hearing what Wang Xifeng said, Ping'er came back to her senses from her reverie.

After thinking for a while, he said, "The monthly allowance was supposed to be paid on the tenth day, but now it's the thirteenth day, and the old lady's room has already received the monthly allowance.

Xiren was the maid in Baoyu's room. She came from the old lady's room, so it was impossible for her not to know about this.

These people either have children or have families to support. Their families depend on them for financial support, and they cannot sit still if they don't get their monthly allowance.

But they haven’t alerted the Second Madam yet. I’m afraid they are not stupid people and just don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "That's exactly the reason. The maids around Baoyu are definitely not foolish people.

Xiren was trained by the old lady in her early years, and she is quite smart. She knows how to scheme and also how to protect herself.

And there's Musk Moon. I heard the old lady mention her occasionally. She's also said to be a very insightful person.

They didn't dare to expose it casually, so it was better to let it go for a few more days, so that the second wife would learn her lesson and not dare to interfere in the future. "

……

Wang Xifeng was talking to Ping'er here when suddenly voices were heard outside.

One of them was the voice of the maid Feng'er, and the other was crisp, clear, and neat, like pearls falling on a jade plate.

"Feng'er, is the Second Madam at home? I have to ask Sister Xiren to come and talk to her about something."

"It turned out to be Sister Sheyue. Second Madam and Sister Ping'er are both in the room. I'll go in and inform them."

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "If we really say Cao Cao, then Cao Cao will come. They will not be able to stand it. Let's see what they have to say..." (End of this chapter)