Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Apart from Jia Cong and Wang Xifeng, almost everyone in the family was present today, creating a harmonious and lively atmosphere with a great deal of energy.

It was Lady Li, the wife of Marquis Zhongjing, who came to visit again. At this very moment, her future granddaughter-in-law sent someone to deliver gifts, which were very polite and appropriate.

This allowed Grandmother Jia to maintain her dignity in front of her maternal family, which naturally made the old lady very happy.

Lady Wang, who had just heard Li's words and was feeling quite frustrated, suddenly felt a sense of triumph and was very happy.

Yingchun, Daiyu, and the other sisters were also curious. This Miss Xia was not even married yet, but she was already so polite and capable. She even looked a bit like Sister Feng.

A short while later, Lin Zhixiao's wife brought in Granny Chen from the Xia family.

Several strong women followed behind, carrying several large and small boxes on their shoulders and in their hands, filled with all kinds of gifts, which soon filled the hall.

Granny Chen smiled and said, "Greetings to the old lady, ladies and young ladies. I have been instructed by our young lady to deliver the traditional New Year's gifts to our relatives, elders and sisters."

The first item here is for the old lady to enjoy; it includes three bolts of Jiangnan tribute satin, a jade-inlaid bonsai, and a box of high-quality sandalwood folding fans.

Two boxes of Yunhaozhai ambergris fragrance, and five pots of exotic colorful chrysanthemums, all carefully cultivated by the Xia family's flower nursery, are about to bloom.

It will bloom in less than two days if placed indoors, bringing good luck for the new year. It won't freeze if placed outside, and you can enjoy it for more than half a month.

The second gift was to the Earl of Weiyuan in the East Mansion. This gift should have been the same as the one given to the old lady, but the young lady heard that the eldest daughter of the East Mansion was in charge of the household, so she couldn't be careless about showing proper etiquette.

So this one has two bolts of tribute satin and a jade-inlaid bonsai, but the rest are the same.

The third gift was for the second wife of the household, and it contained the same various gifts as the old lady's.

These words from Granny Chen were instructions given to her by Miss Xia before she left home. She was told to speak clearly and not to make any mistakes, or she would be punished according to family rules upon returning to the manor.

Although Granny Chen was Madam Xia's confidante and had some standing in the Xia household, she could only back down when faced with this young lady to avoid suffering.

Besides, what Miss Xia said didn't seem wrong, but the gift she gave to the Earl of Weiyuan was more expensive than the gift she gave to her own mother-in-law, which was a bit unpleasant.

However, since the eldest daughter of the Dongfu family, Yingchun, was also present, the etiquette was slightly more elaborate, but it was generally not a fault...

……

What Granny Chen could think of, the experienced women in the hall, such as Grandmother Jia, Aunt Xue, Madam Li, and Madam Wang, naturally also noticed.

Even the meticulous young ladies like Yingchun, Daiyu, and Tanchun sensed something amiss.

Therefore, as soon as Granny Chen finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the hall, and a slightly strange atmosphere seemed to emanate from the air.

Some people couldn't help but look at Lady Wang, who was sitting below Grandmother Jia, but they didn't look too obviously, and their gazes seemed somewhat wandering and evasive.

Although these gifts were somewhat strange, even an experienced woman like Grandmother Jia couldn't find anything wrong with them.

As the saying goes, excessive politeness is never a fault, and this is not something to nitpick, but it does leave one feeling somewhat awkward.

Just moments ago, Madam Wang felt that this future daughter-in-law was really making her look good.

Now, after hearing Granny Chen recite the gift list, his face instantly turned somewhat ugly, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong with it.

You can't just openly say that the Xia family shouldn't have given a gift to Jia Cong; if you said that, you'd become a laughingstock.

She felt that this New Year's custom contained an indescribable flavor, which made Madam Wang feel extremely conflicted.

The girl may give gifts, but regardless of seniority or the closeness of the relationship, she doesn't need to give Cong-ge a gift.

Even though she hasn't officially entered the family yet and doesn't know about the feud between the second wife and this young man, sending a gift would be fine.

Why should the gifts given to Cong-ge be more elaborate than those given to his mother-in-law? This is just making me a laughingstock.

I originally thought this Miss Xia was outstanding, but I didn't expect her to be so inconsiderate. After all, she's still young and doesn't understand the importance of things.

Although Madam Wang felt extremely uncomfortable, she still tried to come up with some reasons to exonerate Miss Xia.

Because she was extremely unwilling to admit that the girl she had always valued, the daughter-in-law who would be marrying into the family in a few months, was actually quite a handful...

……

In such a slightly awkward situation, Aunt Xue was usually the best at smoothing things over, but since she and her sister had already fallen out, she didn't know what to say for the moment.

Yingchun, Daiyu, Baochai, and others were the younger generation, so naturally they wouldn't say anything at this crucial moment.

However, Lady Li, the wife of the Marquis of Zhongjing, was a worldly and experienced woman.

According to her, it was only natural for the Xia family, as relatives of the second branch of the family, to send a gift for the Lunar New Year to Cong-ge'er, as it was a common practice to maintain good social relationships.

After all, Jia Cong was the head of both Jia family mansions and the most respected member of the Yu generation in the Jia family. For the second branch of the family to gain a stable foothold in the Jia family, Jia Cong's words and actions were of paramount importance.

If the elders of the Xia family were to deliver this festival gift, there would naturally be no gossip. However, it is somewhat inappropriate for the unmarried young woman to deliver it.

However, as Xia's old woman had just mentioned, the gift of sending Cong-ge'er should include Er-ya-ying-chun, which would cover up any impropriety.

If such meticulous arrangements were also the work of this Xia family daughter-in-law, then Li Shi thought she was quite shrewish and had considerable cunning.

She has a bit of the air of Miss Feng, and it's a great bargain for the second branch of the family to be able to marry such a capable wife.

Li saw that her aunt didn't seem to care much, because in her aunt's eyes, the Xia family's manners were not problematic.

However, Madam Wang's expression was rather unpleasant, probably because she felt that her daughter-in-law and Cong'er's gifts had embarrassed her.

The Jia and Shi families were very close relatives by marriage, and they interacted more often than other families. With the help of Shi Xiangyun, the two families knew each other even better.

Li had heard that Lady Wang had always been dissatisfied with Jia Cong inheriting the title of Rongguo and taking over the entire Jia family's western mansion.

At this moment, her daughter-in-law, who hadn't even entered the family yet, sent Jia Cong gifts that surpassed her own, which naturally made Lady Wang very uncomfortable.

However, the historians now have a close relationship with Jia Cong, and Lady Li, the Marquis of Zhongjing, is well aware of the significance of this relationship.

Not only did the aunt and the second sister-in-law have a tacit understanding to bring Jia Cong and Shi Xiangyun together in marriage.

Furthermore, since the master and Jia Cong were both trusted ministers of the emperor, the master praised Jia Cong's talents and strategies highly and valued him greatly.

Jia Cong was only fifteen years old, yet he already held two noble titles and was proficient in both literature and martial arts. He was destined for great things and would be a great help to historians.

In the eyes of Lady Li, the Marquis of Zhongjing, Jia Cong was already considered a member of the historian family, so her words and actions naturally showed her favoritism.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit strange, she smiled and said, "This future granddaughter-in-law of your aunt is truly a virtuous and well-mannered person."

Look at the gifts she sent; they were so thoughtful and meticulous. She even thought of Er Yatou. It's extremely rare for a young lady to have such thoughtfulness.

After this girl marries into the family, the sisters-in-law and other relatives will surely live in harmony. I always said the old lady is blessed; she's found a truly perfect granddaughter-in-law.

……

Li's words were very tactful, subtly covering up the impropriety of Miss Xia's gift-giving, making it seem quite reasonable.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "What you say makes sense. Miss Xia is only sixteen years old. It is quite rare to find someone who is so generous, straightforward, and knows how to be polite."

Aunt Xue also chimed in, saying a few nice things about Miss Xia. After all, everyone was helping out, so she just went with the flow.

After hearing everyone's praise, Madam Wang's discomfort gradually faded.

However, Daiyu, Tanchun, and others were all observant people, and they noticed some mistakes in what the old woman from the Xia family had said.

This Miss Xia has visited our residence many times. Last time, when Madam Wang celebrated her birthday in the East Courtyard, her sisters even sat at the same table with her.

They continued to talk, and she learned that besides her second sister, there were many other sisters in the East Mansion.

However, the etiquette presented to the East Mansion only mentioned the Second Sister, seemingly ignoring the other sisters.

Judging from the way she presented the gift, she seemed like a shrewd and discerning person, and it seemed unlikely that she would make such a mistake, which felt somewhat strange.

Daiyu had very little contact with Miss Xia, and they were not very related people, so she only thought of her briefly and didn't take it to heart.

Because Tan Chun was the daughter of the second wife, she had spoken with Miss Xia many times, but she had other thoughts in mind.

Upon hearing this somewhat ambiguous gift list, Tan Chun, for some unknown reason, subconsciously thought of the way Miss Xia looked at her third brother, which made her feel uneasy.

Because that look was exactly what Tan Chun could understand, filled with a burning passion and infatuation that made one's heart race...

After Li Shi, Aunt Xue, and others had finished their polite exchanges, Yingchun glanced at Granny Chen.

He smiled and said, "Please thank your daughter for me when you get back. Please come downstairs for tea and wait a moment. I have a return gift for you to take back."

Upon hearing this, Granny Chen quickly bowed and thanked her. Yingchun then instructed her maid Xiuju to send a message to Musheyue, asking her to prepare a gift for the December Festival.

Shi Xiangyun noticed that among the gifts on display was an exquisite wooden box, with beautifully carved patterns, which looked quite elegant.

He chuckled and said, "This little box is quite elegant; it's another gift for that person."

Granny Chen laughed and said, "I was so focused on the etiquette for the head of the household that I forgot to mention the holiday gift that the young lady gave to the young master."

When Shi Xiangyun heard the word "son-in-law," she found it quite novel and amusing, and couldn't help but chuckle.

Upon hearing the words "son-in-law," Baoyu trembled uncontrollably, feeling utterly ashamed and wishing he could disappear into the ground.

He subconsciously looked at Daiyu and saw her talking quietly with Yingchun, seemingly not caring at all, or even ignoring her completely. Baoyu felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

Hearing others address her like that, Lin Daiyu should be heartbroken like me. How could she be so oblivious? This must not be true. Turning his head, he saw Baochai quietly drinking tea, her demeanor elegant and dignified, her bearing graceful and refined. She didn't seem to care about him at all. Baoyu's heart grew even colder.

Then Granny Chen said, "Young Master..."

Upon hearing this warm address, Baoyu twitched again, and thinking of Daiyu and Baochai, he wished he could die immediately.

But then Granny Chen continued, "The young lady said that the gifts for the young master should not be ordinary food and clothing, so she sent this old servant to Wenhan Street."

The young woman said that the Jia family was a family of scholars, renowned throughout the city for their literary talent. Her son-in-law was young and would surely be busy studying hard to live up to the family's reputation.

So I went to the most famous Xiao family bookstore on Wenhan Street and bought Yu Wenxuan's set of the Four Books and Five Classics in red pine ink, as well as the latest collections of literary criticism and contemporary essays.

The girl also mentioned that the Xiao family bookstore had a remarkable history, displaying authentic calligraphy by the Marquis of Weiyuan, which attracted many students traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations.

Moreover, she would buy several books every time she went to the store, hoping to absorb some of the literary talent of the Earl of Weiyuan. That's why the young lady would buy books there to give to her son-in-law, hoping for good luck.

The young lady also said that if the young master used these books, he might even pass the provincial examination next year and become a scholar, thus living up to the Jia family's reputation as a Hanlin scholar.

……

When Granny Chen returned from buying gifts in the morning, Miss Xia specifically instructed her on how to respond.

Originally, Granny Chen thought it was a bit complicated and troublesome, but Miss Xia said that the Jia family was a scholarly family, and it was necessary to respond and speak in this way so as not to tarnish the Xia family's reputation.

Although Granny Chen is a shrewd woman and Mrs. Xia's helper in daily business dealings, she is illiterate and not good at literary or indirect matters.

Since it was specifically instructed by their daughter, there must be no mistake or oversight, after all, the Jia family is the daughter's husband's family.

Moreover, saying that someone studies hard and becomes a scholar is a very respectable compliment, and it will be well-received wherever you say it.

After saying only a few words, Granny Chen became more and more engrossed, speaking with a smile on her face, full of enthusiasm, and revealing sincerity and warmth.

Little did he know that he had fallen into the girl's trap. Although the girl was shrewish and domineering, she was also a clever and shrewd person.

Moreover, she was infatuated with Jia Cong, and every time she visited the Jia family mansion and met Jia Cong, she devoted almost all her attention to him.

Naturally, he saw everything about his surroundings very clearly.

Every time Jia Cong saw Bao Yu, although he appeared to be indifferent, he showed none of the familiarity that cousins ​​usually have, and the two did not exchange a single word.

Although Jia Cong behaved politely, Miss Xia could still keenly sense the subtle disdain and contempt in his eyes when he occasionally glanced at Baoyu.

This did not make Miss Xia unhappy; on the contrary, she felt closer to Jia Cong because the two had found another point of compatibility.

When Baoyu looked at Jia Cong, he was always somewhat timid and hesitant, as if he dared not look him in the eye, and he didn't even dare to say a loud word.

In Xia's eyes, Baoyu, that effeminate fellow, felt ashamed and couldn't hold his head up in front of someone like Jia Cong.

As for why the two were in this position, Miss Xia didn't need to think too much to guess.

The two were the same age, but Jia Cong had already passed the imperial examination and become a Hanlin scholar, while Baoyu couldn't even get into a good school.

It's no wonder that Baoyu was such a useless good-for-nothing that Jia Cong looked down on him. Baoyu felt ashamed in front of Jia Cong and couldn't even speak loudly.

……

On the day of the betrothal ceremony held by the Jia family, Miss Xia unexpectedly learned that Baoyu had gotten a maid pregnant before she even entered the family.

This was a great humiliation for Miss Xia, but since the two families had already gone through the six betrothal rites, she could no longer back out.

Moreover, the more this situation arose, the more deeply Miss Xia became obsessed, her resentment was hard to dispel, and she became increasingly morbidly fixated on the opportunity to enter the Jia family.

Even so, Baoyu had embarrassed her so much that she couldn't shake off her resentment and was bound to find an opportunity to vent it.

It just so happens that Granny Chen is delivering the New Year's gifts to the Jia family. If she doesn't seize the opportunity to make a big move, she won't be Xia Jingui.

She visited the Jia family several times and had long seen through Baoyu's mental illness. He was nothing more than a stupid fool who couldn't do well in his studies. Compared to Jia Cong, he was like a chicken compared to a phoenix.

If you want to punish Baoyu severely and vent your anger, you should naturally seize on his weakness, stab him with a knife, trample him, and humiliate him to the point of death, so that he will feel pain and fear and learn his lesson.

Otherwise, if you just let him be lewd and wanton without any means of control, wouldn't he become even more unscrupulous and be bullied as soon as he enters the house?

Miss Xia was infatuated with Jia Cong and paid close attention to everything about him. The fact that Jia Cong's authentic works were kept in the Xiao family's bookstore had long been a local legend.

Miss Xia naturally already knew this, so when she went to the Xiao family's bookstore to buy this box of books, it was Baoyu's scathing dagger.

All the words spoken by Granny Chen were carefully crafted by Miss Xia.

……

After Granny Chen finished speaking kindly, she explained that apart from Marquis Zhongjing Li, who was an outsider and not very clear about the inner workings of the Jia family, Granny Chen was aware of the situation.

Hearing these words, the others felt a sense of absurdity and strangeness. They all thought that Miss Xia was quite amazing, and coincidentally, she brought up the very thing they didn't want to talk about.

Baochai couldn't help but glance at Baoyu, and sure enough, she saw that his fair and round face had lost all color, and his eyes were full of shame and anger, as if he had been greatly insulted.

Her pretty face flushed slightly, and she forced a smile to appear on her lips. Holding the covered bowl, she dared not drink any more tea, for fear of embarrassing herself.

Daiyu listened to Granny Chen's witty remarks, but no matter how she listened, she felt they were full of sarcastic malice.

In winter, without a fan in hand or anything to cover herself, she could only force her pretty face to stay taut, until her face felt a little numb.

She pondered to herself, was this Miss Xia truly unintentional?
Shi Xiangyun stepped forward curiously, took out a brand-new Four Books and flipped through it, and said with a smile: "This is Yu Wenxuan's set of Hongsongmo Four Books. Third Brother also has a set in his study."

I've heard him tell a story: he once sold two pieces of calligraphy to the Xiao family's bookstore, and the shop owner not only gave him a generous fee for the calligraphy.

He gave Yu Wenxuan a set of four books by Hongsongmo as a thank-you gift. The set of books had been read so many times by his third brother that he couldn't bear to throw them away.

She even said that he was able to pass the imperial examination with top honors using this set of Four Books. Second brother, Miss Xia really knows how to give gifts; this is truly a great omen.

Hearing Xiangyun's naive words, Tanchun couldn't help but smile bitterly to herself. "Yun girl is too naive and straightforward. She doesn't even care about making things worse."

……

Upon hearing Shi Xiangyun's words, Baoyu's face turned somewhat pale, as if he had become extremely angry.

Xi Ren, who was standing nearby, noticed something and her expression changed drastically. She kept tugging at Bao Yu's sleeve, afraid that he would say something crazy and offend the Xia family's gift-givers, which would make things awkward.

Madam Li smiled and said, "Auntie, this Xia family girl is a sensible and considerate person. Although she has not yet married, she cares about Baoyu's studies and progress."

Such a well-behaved young wife is a rare sight these days. She clearly possesses the virtuous nature of a devoted wife and mother; the old lady is truly blessed.

Grandmother Jia's smile became somewhat stiff. To be honest, the gift that Miss Xia gave to Baoyu was not only flawless, but also very elegant and tasteful, which deserved praise.

But the old lady just couldn't shake the feeling that Baoyu's wife, at such a young age, had the same temperament as Baoyu's father.

If he were to enter the family and actually urge Baoyu to study and improve his education, Baoyu's father might be pleased with him, but who knows what kind of trouble Baoyu might cause.

However, ignorance is no excuse, so we can't blame this Xia family girl. Perhaps we can give her some pointers privately after she enters the family.

……

When Baoyu saw that Miss Xia not only gave him the Four Books and Five Classics, but also spoke of officialdom and career advancement, his heart turned ice-cold.

Although he coveted Daiyu and Baochai, he still felt quite pleased when he thought of the beautiful and charming Miss Xia.

Although he usually expresses deep hatred for marriage and fatherhood, his true intentions are nothing more than sordid covetousness.

It's nothing more than wanting to present themselves as innocent to their relatives and sisters, so that they can gain some favor and pity.

He secretly thought of Miss Xia; her charming and flirtatious manner far surpassed that of women like Xiren.

A night of bliss in the bridal chamber, so wonderful, even death would be worthwhile.

Unexpectedly, the seemingly pure and innocent young lady turned out to be someone who was keen on studying the classics and pursuing an official career, which made Baoyu quite fearful that the beauty could turn into a ghost in an instant.

Xia, a woman of such delicate beauty, had never spoken to Jia Cong, so how could she have been corrupted by him?

The old woman's words just now were all about Jia Cong, making it seem as if Miss Xia greatly admired him.

She is clearly my wife, how could she have a relationship with Jia Cong? It's utterly absurd and ridiculous.

How many young women will Jia Cong, this corrupt official, ruin?

……

At this moment, Musk Moon entered Rongqing Hall and said to Yingchun, "Second Miss, as you instructed, I have prepared a return gift, which is now placed outside the hall."

Yingchun smiled at Grandmother Jia and said, "Grandmother, since Sister Feng is not home today, I will take the liberty of sending the return gifts from the West Mansion as well."

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "What are you saying? I'm happy that you're so sensible, capable and efficient. It's just that you have to contribute your own money."

"Once Fengyatou returns, I will make sure she personally delivers the principal, plus interest, to you."

Yingchun repeatedly said she dared not, and told Mushe to give Granny Chen a string of cash for wine. The others also received a reward, and she saw them off from the mansion.

Just as Musk Moon and her entourage were about to leave the hall, Bao Yu, unable to contain his anger any longer, exclaimed in anguish, "How can this be? How can this be?"

Such a beautiful and talented young lady, yet she speaks of such corrupt officials…

He had only spoken halfway when Granny Chen was startled and turned around. Someone in the hall suddenly spoke, interrupting Baoyu's impassioned words. (End of Chapter)