Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

The Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

The night was cold and the bright moon hung high. In the quiet courtyard, under the eaves and under the corridors, every brick, stone, grass and tree was bathed in a cold and bright light.

As Jia Cong entered the inner courtyard, he encountered a night patrol woman carrying a lantern. One of them bowed to him.

He then said that he had received instructions from Miss Zhi Shao that after returning to the manor, Third Master would go to the small courtyard on the south slope to deliver a message, so that the young lady could rest assured at night.

Jia Cong understood that he had returned to the manor late today, and all the maids around him were worried about him.

He walked to the courtyard gate, gently pushed it open, and found the courtyard quiet, with a few lights still on in the side rooms.

The door to the second room on the left was pushed open, and Jia Cong saw Wu'er coming out wearing a cotton-padded coat.

He asked, "Third Master, you're finally back! We've been waiting for you."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "There were important matters to attend to at the workshop today, so I returned a little late."

The door to the side room was also pushed open, and Yinglian came out with disheveled hair, rubbing her eyes, looking like she had just been half asleep.

He said, "Young Master is back. There's still food warming up in the main room. Young Master, please eat quickly and go rest. Lingguan is still guarding the main room."

Fortunately, Qingwen was not disturbed. It seems that this girl is quite carefree and has probably already fallen into a deep sleep.

Jia Cong persuaded his fifth daughter, Yinglian, to go back to her room to sleep, and then went into the main room alone, where he saw Lingguan dozing off against the bamboo strips of the incense burner.

She wore a light green embroidered fur-lined jacket and an ivory-white cotton skirt with plum blossoms on her lower body. Her eyes were misty, and her little face was flushed pink from the firelight, making her look incredibly endearing.

Jia Cong stepped forward, patted her on the shoulder, and laughed, "You're so sleepy, why don't you go to sleep? If you doze off like that, you'll get dark circles under your eyes tomorrow."

Lingguan woke up with a start and said with a smile, "Third Master is back! There's food in the hot water steamer, it's still warm. Third Master, eat and rest quickly."

As she spoke, she got up, opened the steamer basket next to the smoker, took out four or five dishes from it, arranged them neatly on the table, and then served rice to Jia Cong.

While eating, Jia Cong chatted with Lingguan and suddenly said, "The braised pork is delicious today, it tastes like you cooked it yourself."

Lingguan laughed and said, "Third Master, you have a sharp tongue. Aunt Liu was busy with work tonight and couldn't get away, so I made this dish."

Jia Cong flipped his chopsticks, picked up a piece of braised pork, and fed it to Lingguan, saying with a smile, "You should try a piece too. It's no fun just watching me eat."

Lingguan opened her small mouth and bit down, and a silvery laugh echoed from inside the room.

After Jia Cong finished eating, Lingguan cleared away the dishes and chopsticks, then went out of the main room twice to fetch hot water, a towel, and a toothbrush to help Jia Cong wash his mouth and face.

Once everything was done, Jia Cong urged him to go back to his room to rest.

Jia Cong left the main hall and walked along the covered corridor. The night was cold, his breath turned to smoke, and the world was silent.

The lights that were originally on in the side rooms were all turned off, presumably because Wu'er and Yinglian had fallen asleep peacefully after seeing that he had returned to the mansion.

Only the lanterns on the eaves of the covered walkway cast a warm glow, bringing a touch of warmth to Jia Cong's heart.

He returned to the main room, gently pushed open the door, and saw that the candlelight was bright, the bed curtains were lowered, the incense burner was glowing, and the fragrance of burning incense was soothing and pleasant.

Ping'er sat under the candlestick, wearing a lake-blue satin jacket with a front opening, a snow-white cotton undershirt with a cross-collar, and a beige magnolia branch embroidered long skirt.

She wore a pair of bright gold shrimp-whisker bracelets on her wrists, which shimmered under the candlelight, making her slender wrists appear even more delicate and her skin as white as jade, dazzling to the eye.

A pink palace flower adorned her hair, exquisite and meticulous, adding a touch of allure to the already pretty and dignified Ping'er.

She was holding a small embroidery stand and was threading a needle to embroider a soft silk handkerchief. She was so focused that she didn't even notice Jia Cong entering the room.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "There isn't enough light at night, and embroidering can hurt your eyes. It's better to embroider during the day when there's plenty of sunlight."

Ping'er quickly put down her embroidery and said with a smile, "Third Master is finally back. I was waiting for you to come back, and I was worried that I would fall asleep, so I embroidered this to keep myself awake."

"Third Master, were you busy with yamen affairs today? Why did it take so long?"

Jia Cong said, "The workshop has an important matter to attend to. It is an imperial mission sent by the Emperor that needs to be completed before the end of the year. We have been busy with this one thing for the past six months."

It's finally almost over, and I can enjoy the New Year in peace now.

……

Ping'er smiled and said, "Third Master, it's a good thing that you've successfully completed the imperial mission at the end of the year. You've worked hard from dawn till dusk every day, and this year will have a good ending."

Now both the East and West mansions rely on Third Master for support, and we can only busy ourselves in the inner quarters, unable to help Third Master in any way.

"I just want to serve Third Master well in this life, accumulate more good karma, so that I can be reborn as a son in the next life, and serve Third Master faithfully."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "If there really is an afterlife, I hope Ping'er will still be a girl."

He glanced at the palace flower in Ping'er's hair and asked, "Ping'er, your hair flower is so exquisite. Is it a new one? I haven't seen it before."

When Ping'er heard him say that he would be a woman in his next life, it was filled with tenderness, and her heart fluttered, and a blush rose on her pretty face.

He said, "This was given to me by Miss Bao today. Third Master is a man who frequently visits the palace to meet the Emperor and has broadened his horizons."

It's immediately apparent that these palace flowers are of high quality, indicating that the palace flowers used here are indeed somewhat different.

Ping'er explained the origin of the palace flowers to Jia Cong in detail.

Jia Cong was naturally familiar with the story of the palace flowers, but he never expected that the country would be newly established, the old ways would not be followed, and everything would be reborn.

It has evolved into a completely new scene, which is quite interesting to think about.

He turned to look at it a few times and smiled, "Sister Ping'er, this palace flower will look better if you wear it on your left temple."

Ping'er plucked a palace flower and carefully placed it in her left temple, then adjusted it with her hand. Her bright eyes sparkled, exuding a natural beauty.

The shyness that had just risen in her heart faded, and she smiled and said, "Third Master, does it look better worn here?"

Jia Cong stepped forward and removed the palace flower from her hair, gently placing it slightly above her head. Ping'er involuntarily turned her head to let Jia Cong manipulate it in her hair.

She went to the dressing mirror to examine herself and said with a smile, "It does look better here. As long as Third Master likes to see it, I will wear it like this from now on."

……

The two chatted casually, and Ping'er stepped forward to help Jia Cong untie his belt and carefully take off his outer garment.

They drew closer, whispering sweet nothings, and Jia Cong smelled the intoxicating jasmine scent emanating from Ping'er's hair.

I also noticed a patch of snow-white, fragrant skin on her neck at the collar of her cotton-padded coat, and my heart skipped a beat.

She smiled and said, "Sister Ping'er, the hair oil you use smells so good. Is it the nine-steamed jasmine oil from Moyunfang?"

Ping'er smiled and said, "Doesn't Third Master like this flavor? Of course I use this. You even bought me two bottles last time."

Because I hadn't finished using the medicine that Second Grandmother gave me, I only used the medicine that Third Uncle bought today.

The two new bottles that Third Master bought were made with a new formula by Mo Yunfang, which included calming and soothing herbs. The scent was even better than the ones Second Madam had given him.

The hair oil box also contained a bookmark listing the benefits of the new formula, claiming that regular use could refresh the mind and darken the hair. It sounded quite unusual, but I don't know if it's true.

I also heard Yinglian mention that Moyunfang adds bookmarks to the hair oil boxes, a trick they learned from the Embroidery and Incense Shop.

Yinglian often visited Aunt Feng at the shop, saying that this was something Third Master had come up with back then. She remarked that Third Master was truly brilliant; he could come up with all sorts of strange and unusual ideas.

While chatting, Ping'er helped him take off his padded jacket and put on a loose, soft nightgown.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "The jasmine hair oil I bought has such benefits. I didn't smell it just now. Let me smell it again."

As she spoke, she leaned close to Ping'er's temple, a smile on her face, and gently inhaled the fragrance.

Ping'er bit her cherry lips lightly, her pretty face flushed, showing no resistance to Jia Cong's closeness, only tilting her head slightly to make it easier for him to smell the fragrance.

……

She had been in the room for several months, and the two were no longer as unfamiliar as they had been at the beginning.

At first, Ping'er felt quite anxious every time it was her turn to be on night duty. Although she had long harbored feelings for him, the two only spoke occasionally and had never been intimate.

Fortunately, Jia Cong was not in such a hurry. Although they gradually became more intimate, he always followed her wishes and did not do anything excessive.

This brought Ping'er great peace of mind, and she became even more enamored with Jia Cong. She gradually grew accustomed to Jia Cong's closeness to her and found it sweet.

Every time she was alone with Jia Cong, it was a strange experience for her. Although she was laughing and chatting on the outside, she was dizzy and increasingly unable to extricate herself from the situation.

She grew up in a wealthy family and often heard how domineering the men were and how unbearable their behavior was.

She married into the Jia family with Wang Xifeng and witnessed Jia Lian's outrageous behavior, including his attempts to seduce the wives of his relatives, which filled her with disgust and fear.

If the Second Mistress hadn't given herself to the Third Master, she truly didn't dare to think about what would have become of her...

Jia Cong was completely different in temperament and behavior from the young masters she had heard of. He seemed to take care of a young lady's feelings in everything he did and was unwilling to easily defile her.

This unusual behavior was truly remarkable; at least, according to Ping'er's knowledge, it was unheard of.

She had been in his room for several months, but he seemed afraid of scaring her and was reluctant to touch her on ordinary days...

People in the manor used to say that Master Bao doted on girls, and he would often flatter and please even a lowly maid.

However, Qianxue and Jinchuan, who were close friends with him since childhood, were both driven away and almost lost their lives because of Bao Erye.

Every time something happens, Master Bao is irresponsible and lets them be humiliated. This shows that his sweet words to the girls are all fake.

But Third Master is different. Even though Zhi Shao has been missing for several years, he will find a way to bring her back and treat her like a precious jewel.

The second daughter was a neglected concubine's daughter in the past, and her dull and unlikable personality meant that none of the masters in the mansion were warm towards her.

Even though the old lady favored her pretty daughter the most, she didn't value the second daughter as much as she did the third daughter or Miss Lin. Only the third master in the household truly loved the second daughter and respected his elder sister.

Even when the second daughter's marriage was fraught with trouble, the old lady just let it go, but the third master stepped in to stand up for her—that's what a real man does...

……

Ping'er saw Jia Cong approach her temple, seemingly somewhat intoxicated and reluctant to leave, her face flushed pink, yet a tender feeling arose in her heart.

Unable to resist asking, "Third Master, can you smell it? The fragrance is different from the one Second Madam gave me."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "How can I not smell it? Let me smell it again to make it clearer."

As he spoke, he moved closer and closer to Ping'er's temples and neck. Ping'er felt a faint breath from her temples and couldn't help but feel an itch.

She couldn't help but giggle and say, "Third Master, what are you doing? It tickles."

Ping'er instinctively turned her face away to avoid him, but Jia Cong was looking down to admire Xiang Ze when her pretty face bumped into him.

Suddenly, she felt a slight warmth on her neck; Jia Cong had unexpectedly kissed her.

Ping'er felt extremely embarrassed and said coquettishly, "Third Master, you're teasing me."

……

She instinctively tried to run away, but Jia Cong wrapped his arm around her slender waist and gently pulled her into his embrace.

Thinking of that fragrant, smooth neck, my heart stirred with desire, and I felt a pang of reluctance.

Ping'er's heart was pounding, her face was flushed, and she leaned against Jia Cong's chest, her body limp and unwilling to move.

Jia Cong whispered in her ear, "You promised to have Wen Xin buy you jasmine hair oil. You can't go back on your word about what's different about it."

"Sister, you mustn't laugh out loud this time, or Qingwen and the others will hear. That little girl is always saying funny things; I wonder what she'll say about us tomorrow."

Ping'er was completely flustered in Jia Cong's arms, and after being bewitched by his words, she even forgot her shyness.

She had known this day would come, and although she had arrived a little late, she was still filled with a mixture of joy and fear. She just wanted to ignore it and let the Third Master decide.

Feeling confused and lost in thought, Qingwen's mouth was always so sharp and she was quite jealous despite her young age. He really couldn't let her hear anything.

She was still somewhat confused when she saw Jia Cong lean closer to her temple to smell the fragrance, his expression mischievous and teasing.
Before even reaching that place, Ping'er couldn't help but burst into laughter.

She said tremblingly, "Third Master, please be careful, I'm very ticklish here."

Just then, Jia Cong leaned close to her temple and mischievously kissed her snow-white neck. Ping'er felt an unbearable heat and itchiness on her neck, and her whole body felt like it was on fire.

Fearing that Qingwen and the others would hear the commotion, she endured Jia Cong's lewd behavior.

Her slender yet voluptuous body instinctively struggled and twisted slightly in his arms.

As time passed, the two people, who were close to each other, became increasingly fragrant with warmth.

Whether it was because she was trying to hold back her laughter or because she was too shy, Ping'er's pretty face turned bright red.

Seeing Jia Cong's triumphant look, she reached out and lightly punched him twice in the chest.

But Jia Cong pulled her close, sealing her delicate, flower-like lips with a passionate, lingering kiss.

Ping'er subconsciously slapped him twice, then let her arms fall limply. Involuntarily, she raised her arms again and gently wrapped them around Jia Cong's waist.

The crimson gold shrimp-whisker bracelet encircling her fair wrist shimmered with a brilliant light in the flickering candlelight.

……

The two were intimate for a long time. Ping'er's soft and delicate body was buried in Jia Cong's arms, her eyes closed, a smile on her lips, and she remained motionless.

After a moment, she came to her senses, straightened up from Jia Cong's embrace, and said, "Third Master must be tired from his busy official duties today. I'll go and get him a hot water bottle."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Why are you pouring hot water into this pot now?"

Ping'er blushed and said, "Just now, I was waiting for Third Master to come back, and I was worried that I would fall asleep and not wake up, so I sat and embroidered."

Third Master's bed hasn't been warmed up yet; it's still ice-cold. How can Third Master sleep in this cold weather?

Jia Cong laughed and said, "What nonsense are you talking about, Sister Ping'er? What hot water bottle is warmer than you?"

Upon hearing this, Ping'er felt as if her whole body was on fire, and even her earlobes and neck turned pink.

If Jia Cong hadn't been supporting her slender waist, she probably would have been too embarrassed to stand.

A surge of emotion welled up in Jia Cong's heart, and he couldn't help but reach out and unbutton the collar of his lake-blue floral-patterned long coat.

He paused for a moment after unbuttoning his collar, as if a sliver of clarity had returned.

Ping'er saw that he was already moved, but still hesitated, as if worried that being too rash would make her feel wronged and unhappy.

A surge of tenderness welled up in her heart. She had already been his woman since the day she served tea to the old lady, and this day was bound to come.

He said tremblingly, "Since Third Master wants to warm the bed, you may do so without asking me."

Jia Cong's heart burned with excitement upon hearing these words. Perhaps no sweet talk could be more captivating than Ping'er's trembling tone.

……

The candlelight flickered motionless in the room, creating a gentle and sweet atmosphere.

Ping'er kept her eyes closed, her slender waist graceful, her breasts firm and beautiful, as Jia Cong unbuttoned her long jacket one button at a time.

Until that beautiful lake-blue dress silently slipped to the ground, followed by that cream-colored magnolia branch embroidered long skirt.

The moonlight outside the window was soft and gentle, shining into the room through the glass windows above the window frame.

A new pillow draped in feathered gauze, a fragrant quilt of red brocade, surging and rolling like waves, lips exploring softness, patrolling mountains and valleys, an endless tenderness.

Ping'er continued to pout and complain, her mind in turmoil. As if she had thought of something, she struggled to her feet from Jia Cong's embrace.

He covered his disheveled undergarment, concealing his fair skin and alluring figure, and jumped barefoot off the bed.

He walked to his side of the couch and pulled out a square piece of snow-white silk from under the pillow and quilt.

Jia Cong lifted the bed curtains and said, "Sister Ping'er, it's too cold at night. Be careful not to catch a cold. Do you remember to bring me anything important right now?"

Ping'er's pretty face flushed pink, and she looked incredibly beautiful. She said somewhat shyly, "This was given to me by Second Madam before I left home."

When Jia Cong saw the white silk in Ping'er's hand, he immediately understood what it was.

He smiled and said, "This item is indeed exquisite."

He didn't dare to laugh too much, worried that Ping'er would become even more embarrassed and nervous if she saw him. He took the white silk and carefully spread it on the couch.

He smiled and glanced at Ping'er, their eyes meeting again.

Ping'er couldn't help but reach out and stroke Jia Cong's face, a smile spreading across her face as her fingers traced the deep, captivating lines of his eyebrows and nose.

Jia Cong said softly, "Sister Ping'er, it's cold at night, and the bedding is freezing. We need you to warm the blankets."

As they spoke, they embraced and fell to the ground. Some were flustered and shy, while others were gently coaxed, and they were already enjoying the misty rain over the river.

Ping'er was worried that if she made a noise, Qingwen and the others would hear it and she would be teased when she got up the next day.

Despite Jia Cong's harassment and torment, Chunli endured the pain without daring to utter a sound.

Until Jia Cong whispered in his ear and laughed, "Now that it's winter night, the doors and windows are closed and the window slats are blocked, how can you hear any sound outside?"

Qingwen is incredibly perceptive; she's fast asleep and probably can't be woken up even if you call her.

Ping'er listened with a mixture of belief and doubt. She was so captivated by the allure that her mind was already clouded, and she soon let her guard down.

Warm tents sway gently, whispered tender words linger, youthful beauty blossoms beyond the mortal world, spring breezes pass through Yumen Pass many times, and once again the west wind sings outside the window.

After the tides had ebbd and flowed several times, and the battle subsided, the two of them, embracing each other and holding hands, fell asleep in each other's arms, enjoying a long and sweet night until the east began to lighten.

……

Footsteps echoed from the veranda outside, and graceful figures could be seen moving back and forth through the glass windows veiled in light gauze.

Ping'er was awakened early and struggled to get up to do her chores, but Jia Cong pressed her back onto the bed. She got up and dressed herself, but she couldn't tie her hair up in a bun.

Ping'er hesitated on the couch. She thought that Wu'er, Qingwen and the others would surely bring in water and sleep on Third Master's bed. Wouldn't she be mortified if they saw her like that?

Then he thought that it wasn't wrong for him to sleep on the third master's bed. Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Then, Qingwen's beautiful voice rang out as she asked, "Third Master, are Sister Ping'er up yet?"

Jia Cong subconsciously glanced back and saw Ping'er hastily wrapping herself in her clothes, getting out of bed barefoot, and silently going to the side couch.

She staggered to her feet and lay down, revealing a patch of snow-white skin around her waist and abdomen. She hastily spread out a red satin brocade and wrapped her body tightly, leaving no gaps.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I've already gotten up."

Qingwen used her body to push open the door, carrying a copper basin of hot water in her hand. She saw that the candles in the room were not lit, but Jia Cong was already dressed.

Ping'er, however, remained asleep on the side couch, covered tightly with a cotton quilt, her beautiful hair unkempt, simply piled haphazardly beside her pillow.

She couldn't help but wonder, Ping'er was always so diligent, why was she still lying in bed sleeping while Third Master was already up...? (End of Chapter)