Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

The atmosphere in the hall was harmonious. The gifts that Miss Xia gave for the Lunar New Year, though they sounded a bit strange at first, were really not something to gossip about.

With the embellishment and praise of women like Madam Li and Aunt Xue, Miss Xia's reputation for virtue was firmly established in the hall.

Madam Wang was filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. She could only go along with the conversation and temporarily put the matter aside.

Unexpectedly, Xia's words about sending the book made Baoyu feel ashamed and indignant, and he finally couldn't help but speak out in a passionate and indignant manner.

Those two heart-wrenching words, "This is terrible!", caused many people in the hall to change their expressions.

Grandmother Jia and the others all knew Baoyu's temper; he had caused quite a bit of trouble several times because of his nonsensical talk.

However, these are all internal affairs and won't spread outside, so they won't cause any loss of face.

But today's situation is quite different. Not only is his own niece-in-law from his maternal family present, but the old woman from the Xia family who brought the gifts has not come out of the hall.

If Baoyu were to utter some more frivolous nonsense and his niece-in-law overheard it, it would be embarrassing, but it wouldn't be a major issue.

If the Xia family's in-laws heard this, the young couple would already have a rift before they were even married. How could Baoyu possibly have a smooth life in the future?

Just as Grandmother Jia was about to interrupt, she suddenly heard Xiren, who was by Baoyu's side, say, "Second Master, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell? Let me help you back to rest."

Xiren's voice seemed to be deliberately loud, and everyone in the hall could hear it clearly, thus interrupting Baoyu's boastful words.

As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his mother. Lady Wang knew her son's character well and naturally knew what he wanted to say.

If Baoyu were to speak carelessly at this juncture, causing a rift with the Xia family, things would become extremely awkward, and a perfectly good marriage would be jeopardized.

Fortunately, Xiren was loyal and quick-witted enough to stop Baoyu from speaking in time, which relieved Lady Wang and made her appreciate Xiren more.

She waited for Xiren to finish speaking before quickly interjecting, "Baoyu, I noticed this morning that you didn't look well; you must have caught a chill when you got up."

The hall is crowded and stuffy; you should go back and rest first. Xiren and Yuchuan, quickly help Baoyu back to rest.

Baoyu had barely begun his impassioned speech when he had intended to demonstrate his innocence to his sisters and shirk any involvement in the imperial examinations, as he held the provincial examinations in utter contempt.

He hadn't expected that his straightforward expression of his feelings would be abruptly interrupted by Xi Ren, leaving him feeling extremely uncomfortable and uneasy.

He said, "Madam, I'm not feeling unwell. I have something else to say..."

Madam Wang's face darkened slightly. She wouldn't let Baoyu continue. She said, "You look so unwell. You don't even take care of yourself. Hurry up and get down."

Grandmother Jia quickly said, "The New Year is just around the corner, so you mustn't get sick at this time. You must take good care of yourself. Quickly help Baoyu downstairs."

"Jade, you go with me too. Come back and report back after you've settled Baoyu."

With a combination of coaxing and persuasion from Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, Xiren finally felt relieved. She stepped forward to support Baoyu and pulled him toward the back of the hall, with Emerald and Jade Bracelet following closely behind.

……

When Granny Chen saw this, she was momentarily stunned and stood at the entrance of the hall, not quite able to react.

Yingchun gave Mushe a subtle wink, and Mushe stepped forward and said, "Aunt Chen, I'll take you downstairs for tea. I'll have the servants in the outer courtyard load the return gifts into the cart; you don't need to worry about it."

Granny Chen led several strong women from the Xia family out of the hall and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, what was wrong with the young master just now? He looked so angry."

Although Granny Chen was a shrewd and experienced woman, she was an illiterate bumpkin who couldn't understand a word or phrase like "extraordinary young ladies" or "corrupt officials" that Baoyu used.

But she could understand Baoyu's two lines of utter grief and indignation; she guessed he was saying that her young lady was not good enough...

Having just received Yingchun's hint, Musk Moon naturally understood her young lady's meaning: to smooth things over, shut the old woman up, and bring less trouble and more peace.

She smiled and said, "Auntie, you don't know the situation in your household. Master Bao has been pampered by the old lady since he was a child and has always been a pampered person."

He caught a cold a few days ago and hasn't fully recovered. Second Master is feeling unwell and his mind isn't clear; he often talks nonsense.

Once you've recovered, everything will be fine. Auntie, please don't make a big deal out of it and tell your daughter about it when you get back.

I've heard that your daughter is also a straightforward person. She's a lady from a respectable family and can't stand gossip or rumors. Don't make a big deal out of nothing.

Your daughter and our second master are about to get married and have a happy occasion. Don't let something that's not even true ruin the joy.

The old lady was clearly an experienced Taoist priest; she didn't need my reminder. It would have been pointless for me to give you this advice; just consider it idle chatter.

When Granny Chen heard this, she also thought it made a lot of sense. The son-in-law's expression just now was not that he was mentally ill or confused, and he was talking in a somewhat crazy way.

Everyone has headaches and fevers and talks nonsense sometimes. Besides, my daughter is a fiery and impulsive person. If I were to go back and spread such rumors, it would be disastrous.

Who knows how his own daughter might throw a tantrum, or even take it out on him, saying he didn't do his job properly.

In any case, the two of them had already gone through the proper formalities of marriage and the wife valued the marriage highly.

I should be clear-headed; it's better to avoid trouble...

Granny Chen laughed and said, "What you said makes sense, young lady. It's not a big deal. If you chat with your master about everything, you'll just become a fool."

Musk Moon laughed and said, "I knew Auntie was a meticulous person. With such a prestigious name as the Osmanthus Xia family, the people from their household must be top-notch."

Granny Chen smiled broadly upon hearing this, thinking that the Jia family truly lived up to their status as a noble family, being exceptional both inside and out.

Even a random maid is so eloquent and can see her own strengths; she is truly insightful.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Baoyu Courtyard.

Baoyu was pulled back to his own courtyard by Xiren, Feicui, and others.

He had a generous speech in mind, but he hadn't uttered it to his sisters. He couldn't help but feel anxious and disappointed, and he beat his chest and stamped his feet in frustration.

She complained loudly, "Sister Xiren, why did you interrupt me and drag me back?"

If I hadn't uttered those heartfelt words in that hall, others would have truly thought I had become a corrupt official.

What will my sisters think of me? I have no one to confide in, and others are tarnishing my reputation.

Upon hearing this, Xiren felt dizzy and had a headache. She said, "Why are you talking nonsense again, Second Master? Miss Xia is just giving you some books."

The things that Granny Xia said didn't seem too wrong to me, but Second Master started arguing like that in the hall. What did that mean to outsiders?

When the old woman from the Xia family went back and told Miss Xia, "Hasn't the second master offended the new mistress before even getting married? How is he supposed to live like this in the future?"

Baoyu said angrily, "Listen to what she's saying! Her mouth is full of pedantic talk about the Hanlin Academy, studying, and advancing in the imperial examinations."

A perfectly innocent daughter was married off, but instead, she was given such a greedy and corrupt heart, truly tainted by these ambitions for officialdom.

How can someone as innocent and pure as me possibly be with her for long? It's truly heartbreaking, pitiful, and lamentable.

……

Xi Ren was thoroughly fed up with Bao Yu repeating the same old tune, even though she was completely devoted to him.

He said, "Second Master, what Miss Xia said wasn't as bad as you think. Miss Lin said something similar before."

Upon hearing this, Baoyu's face turned deathly pale, as if his soul had been stolen and his face had been ripped off in an instant.

He retorted, sticking out his neck, "Don't talk nonsense. Lin Daiyu said those things because she was angry with me and was deliberately trying to put me down. She didn't mean it sincerely."

Emerald, who was standing nearby, felt a little uncomfortable listening to this. This Second Master Bao always liked to talk to himself.

Miss Lin was born into a scholarly family and was well-versed in poetry and literature. Her husband, the eldest son-in-law, was a top scholar, not much inferior to Third Master Cong.

Given Lin's background, how could she possibly dislike studying and pursuing education?

Last time, when Yuanyang and I went to the East Mansion to see the snow, I saw it clearly: Miss Lin and Third Master Cong were so close.

Miss Lin is probably attracted to Third Master's success in the imperial examinations, having passed and become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). She must really like him.

Sister Yuanyang also told herself to keep her mouth shut and not to go back and talk nonsense. Just wait and see, those cousins ​​will become a family sooner or later.

Bao Er Ye is about to get married, and his new wife is advising him to study hard—such a serious idea! But he not only doesn't appreciate it, he's still indulging in wishful thinking and making a fuss over nothing...

……

Upon hearing Baoyu's words, Xiren couldn't help but smile bitterly to herself. Had the Second Master forgotten how much trouble he had caused because of what Miss Lin had said last time?

It hasn't been long since this happened, and now you're just fooling yourself like this again. If you keep deceiving yourself like this, aren't you just getting more and more confused?
Baoyu said with a determined expression, "Look at the sisters in the family, whether it is Second Sister, Third Sister, or Sister Bao, none of them would try to persuade me to pursue an official career or make money."

If they really said those things to me, I would have distanced myself from them long ago, which shows that they have always understood my heart.

That's why I'm saying these things to your faces today at Rongqing Hall; otherwise, wouldn't I be letting down my sisters' sincere feelings?"

Xiren felt somewhat powerless and speechless as she listened to Baoyu's delighted words. The Second Master was not stupid; in some matters, he was even quite astute.

How come even we maids can see the truth, but the Second Master just can't understand it and keeps trying to fool himself with nice words?

The second daughter is Cong Sanye's own sister. As long as her own brother is successful, why should she come to persuade the second master to study hard? This is called distinguishing between close and distant relatives.

Although the third daughter was born out of wedlock, she was more astute than the other girls. She knew best that the second master disliked studying, and that the old lady and the madam doted on him.

Why would she still advise the Second Master to study? Wouldn't that just make things difficult for herself? The Third Miss would never do something so foolish.

Just by looking at how close the Third Miss and Third Master Cong have been since childhood, one can tell that the Third Miss is extremely fond of reading and cultivating her talents; it's just that she doesn't rely on the Second Master for that.

As for Miss Bao, she is the daughter of a royal merchant and is more worldly-wise than the girls in her family. She would never tell a blind man that the lamp is dark and make a fool of herself.

Apart from Bao, all these girls now live in the East Mansion and spend their days with Third Master Cong.

Isn't it clear enough which one they truly desire?

None of them encouraged the Second Master to study, not because they understood him as he thought, but because they had long since become estranged from him.

Xiren would never tell Baoyu these things, otherwise, if the young master heard the truth, he would probably cause a huge uproar.

Xiren coaxed, "Second Master, you can't judge things by appearances. Although Miss Xia gave you books, perhaps she didn't just want you to read them."

She was a future grandmother-in-law, and in the twelfth lunar month, when she was sending gifts, she had to act like a junior daughter-in-law in front of the old lady and the lady of the house.

Sending books to the Second Master and conveying a few words of encouragement to study hard would sound respectable to outsiders; it's just a matter of maintaining a good appearance of courtesy.

Second Master should also be understanding of Miss Xia's behavior. Perhaps after she enters the family next year, she and Second Master will find themselves compatible.

"I think it's inevitable that you two will become a harmonious couple in the future, so don't underestimate things, Second Master."

Upon hearing Xiren's words, Baoyu's eyes lit up, a blush rose on his round, fair face, and his mood seemed to brighten instantly.

He laughed and said, "Sister Xiren is so clever and thoughtful. How can a man like me compare? It's truly rare that you could see through Miss Xia's painstaking efforts."

The world's etiquette and laws are corrupt and difficult to understand, binding people and preventing them from being free. Naturally, a delicate young lady like Miss Xia could not escape them.

In order to secure her place in the Jia family in the future, she was willing to go through all this pretense and hypocrisy for my sake, yet I misunderstood her sincere intentions.

Thanks to Sister Xiren's understanding and kind words, I suddenly understood, and all my feelings were worthwhile.

Although my marriage to Miss Xia is truly unfair to Lin Daiyu and the others, what other choice do I have but to fulfill my filial duty to my master and mistress…

As Baoyu got into the conversation, a look of rapture appeared on his face. He then began to dwell on his sorrows and resentments, wanting to pour out his heart.

After hearing him say a few words, Xiren couldn't help but shudder, goosebumps rose on her back, and her face felt hot.

The jade and jade bracelet are still there, so why is Second Master talking nonsense again? Doesn't he feel ashamed to let outsiders hear him?

……

Xiren quickly said, "Second Master doesn't look well. You should go to bed and rest first. This is what the Old Madam and Madam instructed."

Just as Baoyu was about to give a heartfelt confession, he was interrupted by Xiren's words, leaving him feeling somewhat depressed and lost.

But thinking of Lin Daiyu and her sisters who were not present at the moment, she decided not to say these kind words now, and that she could do so later when she had the chance.

Xiren pulled Baoyu into the inner room, helped him take off his outer robe and shoes, and then helped him to bed to rest.

Jadeite and Jade Bracelet stood in the outer room, neither of them moving, but a strange feeling arose in their hearts.

Jade thought of how Baoyu had just been captivated by Miss Xia, but then turned around and started arguing with Miss Lin, talking nonsense, being lecherous, and behaving in a very unseemly manner. Jade felt a surge of disgust.

Compared to Cong Sanye, this Bao Erye is like heaven on earth; he's utterly pathetic.

Although Yu Chuan was sent by Lady Wang to help Bao Yu back to his room with Xi Ren, Xi Ren pulled Bao Yu away, so Yu Chuan didn't bother to get involved.

Thinking of Baoyu's shameless words, Jin Chuan, her sister, was absolutely right: the men of the second branch of the family must never be messed with.

When Xiren came out of the inner room, Emerald asked, "Sister Xiren, does Master Bao usually talk like this at home? It must be hard for you."

Xi Ren's face stiffened, and she said, "Second Master hasn't been feeling well lately, so he's been a bit confused. He'll be fine in a while."

"Don't just stand there. Go and tell the old lady and madam so they can rest assured that I'll look after Second Master."

……

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

Two boxes of gifts were placed in the main room, where the sisters Yingchun, Daiyu, Tanchun, and Xiangyun sat chatting.

Qingwen, Yinglian, and the others were busy serving tea when they suddenly heard footsteps outside the door. Just then, Jia Cong entered with a smile.

Yingchun smiled and said, "The sun hasn't even set yet, but Brother Cong is leaving the office earlier than usual today."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "At the end of the year, I'll mainly be busy with peace negotiations, which involves traveling between the Honglu Temple and the Huitong Hall in the city. Things aren't too hectic, so I can take a break and go back to my residence earlier."

Jia Cong saw the gift boxes on the ground and asked, "Where did these things come from? They look quite neat."

Yingchun smiled and said, "This is a December Festival gift from the Xia family's daughter. The Xia family delivered it to Rongqing Hall today, and I had someone bring it over so you can choose what you like."

Jia Cong was somewhat taken aback and said, "She's the second wife's unmarried daughter-in-law, so why is she sending festival gifts to the first wife's family?"

Daiyu smiled and said, "Although Miss Xia is the second wife of the Jia family, Third Brother is the head of the Jia family."

Born into a wealthy merchant family, she must be adept at social etiquette. Maintaining harmonious relations within the household, sending a gift to you, the head of the household, is a courteous gesture.

Yingchun smiled and said, "Sister Lin is right. Miss Xia's demeanor and actions show that she is shrewd and capable. Baoyu is very lucky to have married her."

Jia Cong found it strange; if this counts as good fortune, then Bao Yu's good fortune must be immense...

……

He laughed and said, "I have everything I need. Take whatever you like and use it."

Daiyu's gaze shifted slightly, and she suddenly said, "Third Brother, the courtesy others show you is nothing like how you take it for granted."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "What's the big deal? We can do whatever we want behind closed doors. It's all up to us."

Yingchun picked up a jade-inlaid bonsai from the gift box and said, "This jade-inlaid bonsai is quite exquisite and elegant. It will be displayed in Cong's study for your enjoyment."

Yinglian went up and tilted her head to admire it, saying, "Indeed, such exquisite items. This Second Madam Bao is quite good at giving gifts."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Since you like this thing, take it to your study and put it there. You spend half the day in your study anyway."

Yinglian smiled and agreed, then carefully carried the bonsai to the study.

Yingchun said, "The several bolts of satin that Miss Xia sent are all of the finest quality. However, the fabric for Cong and his sisters' new clothes for the New Year was already prepared a few days ago."

These new satins are useless now; they'll just sit idle for now.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "It would be a waste to leave them like this. It would be better to make new clothes for the maids."

Qingwen and Lingguan, you both come and choose. Use whichever one you like. We need new clothes for the New Year, both inside and out; make several outfits to rotate.

Qingwen listened with great interest and pulled Lingguan to rummage through the gift box, while Daiyu joined in the fun.

She glanced at them a few times and said, "Third brother, these satins are all in moon white, royal blue, and indigo patterns."

It's obviously made for men; girls and maids wouldn't wear it. But the satin fabrics I gave to my grandmother had rather fancy patterns.

"It seems Miss Xia is very thoughtful; she even carefully selected the satin pattern for Third Brother so that it would suit you."

Yingchun smiled and said, "That's really true. This Miss Xia is meticulous in her work and has a kind heart. She will definitely be a good housewife in the future."

Yingchun and Daiyu were just speaking casually, but Tanchun, who was standing nearby, felt something was amiss as she looked at the satin in the boxes…

……

Shenjing, Qingyufang, Xiafu.

Miss Xia seemed very concerned about delivering the December Festival gifts to the Rongguo Mansion. As soon as she heard that Granny Chen had returned to the mansion, she called her over to ask her questions.

Granny Chen quickly recounted the whole story of the gift-giving, explaining that everything had gone smoothly.

It is also said that after the old lady and the second mistress of the Jia family accepted the gifts, they praised the young lady for being proper and polite. He then added fuel to the fire and praised the young lady Xia lavishly.

She originally wanted to please her daughter so that the matter would be over.

Unexpectedly, Miss Xia did not show much joy upon hearing her words, which made Granny Chen somewhat uneasy.

Miss Xia asked, "When you went to deliver the gift this time, were there any other people from the Jia family present besides the old lady and the second wife?"

Granny Chen quickly replied, "The Earl's steward, the eldest daughter, and several young ladies from the Jia family are all here, as is our son-in-law."

When Miss Xia heard what our son-in-law said, she bit her pink lips and couldn't help but feel a little disgusted.

Granny Chen continued, "There are also two elderly women whose voices sound like old relatives of the Jia family."

These two women were adorned with gold and silver, looking very wealthy and extraordinary, but it was unclear whose family they belonged to.

Miss Xia asked, "Is the Marquis of Weiyuan not at home today?"

Granny Chen said, "He is not at home. Marquis Weiyuan is an official, and he must be at the yamen during the day."

Upon hearing this, Miss Xia felt a sudden pang of disappointment.

Baochan, who was standing nearby, understood her young lady's thoughts best. Seeing the wistful expression on her face, she felt very sorry for Baoyu.

The young lady is overthinking things. Jia Cong is so young, yet he has already enjoyed so much glory. He must have seen a lot of the world.

The girl sent him a small gift, as if she wanted to seduce him. She was just daydreaming and having unrealistic fantasies.

Miss Xia then asked, "Did Baoyu say anything when he received the books I sent him?"

Upon hearing this, Granny Chen's heart skipped a beat. Why did the young lady have to bring up such a sensitive topic? Fortunately, the maid from the Jia family had reminded me.

She quickly smiled and said, "The young lady is giving the young master books, hoping that he will study and make progress in his studies soon. When Old Madam Jia and Second Madam heard this, they both praised the young lady for being polite and sensible."

Miss Xia frowned and said, "I asked you what Baoyu said, who told you to say these useless things?"

Granny Chen swallowed hard and said, "The young master was very happy to receive the books from the young lady. He said many kind words and was very grateful for her kindness."

Miss Xia's bright eyes flickered slightly, then she glared and cursed, "You filthy old woman, how dare you try to fool me to my face!" (End of Chapter)