Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Lixiangyuan.

Inside the main room, a pot of daffodils sits on a table. Its green leaves resemble orchids, and its white flowers with golden stamens exude a sweet fragrance, adding a touch of elegance to the room.

The maid Tongxi used iron tongs to stir the brazier, turning the red-hot charcoal from the bottom to the top, making it even warmer and steamier.

Madam Wang, wearing a long indigo-blue coat with a fur lining and gold leaf, was holding a white porcelain hand warmer with a copper scepter and was chatting with Aunt Xue with a smile.

Yu Chuan stood beside Madam Wang, wearing an extra sleeveless fur-lined jacket, holding two bolts of silk in her hands, her expression somewhat uneasy.

Recalling the scene in the East Courtyard, Madam Wang sent her out to the main hall so that she could talk to Qin Xian's wife.

She heard their conversation clearly from under the west window. Sure enough, that damned old woman Qin Xian was talking about marrying her off to Qin Yong again.

Yu Chuan was very disappointed to hear that Madam Wang only used her young age as an excuse and did not sternly refuse the matter.

She was angry and accidentally made a noise. When she heard Qin Xian's wife come out to check, she naturally ran away and hid.

Not long after, the lady sent someone to find her and asked her to come with her to the Pear Fragrance Courtyard in the West Mansion.

Throughout the journey, Yu Chuan was restless, feeling that the lady she had served for many years had suddenly become so unfamiliar, making her unwilling to get close to her.

……

When she reaches marriageable age, she won't have much time left. If her wife really marries her off to Qin Yong, will she have no choice but to die?

But she was so young, she didn't want to die like this, and she didn't want to be treated and manipulated like this.

Back then, she was only a young girl, and she and her sister served the mistress. Over the years, the mistress never beat or scolded the maids around her, and treated them quite leniently.

Although the wife later treated her sister harshly, forcing her sister to jump into a well, this made Yuchuan very afraid.

Fortunately, her sister was rescued by Master Cong, and the matter was quickly resolved. Moreover, her wife treated her the same as before.

This gradually dispelled Yu Chuan's worries, and she felt that the days to come would pass peacefully, just like before.

When I grow up to be sixteen or seventeen, I will be released to marry like other maids. Since I have been a maid of the mistress, I might be able to marry a respectable man.

But she never expected that she would be targeted by Qin Xian's family, who even wanted her to marry her to his scoundrel son.

After serving his wife for so many years, she knew exactly what kind of person Qin Yong was, yet she didn't even try to stop him. Her heart was far too cold...

As Yu Chuan thought about these things, she became increasingly uneasy, and the two bolts of silk in her hands seemed to become exceptionally heavy.

Madam Wang smiled and said, "I haven't been here for a long time either. Yesterday, the shop received some new silk from Suzhou."

I saw two of the patterns that would be perfect for making clothes for you and Bao'er. I brought them along while I was paying my respects to the old lady today.”

Madam Wang had Yuchuan bring over two bolts of silk. Aunt Xue smiled and said, "These are clearly top-quality goods from Suzhou. The color and style are also excellent."

As Aunt Xue fiddled with the silk, she was a little puzzled, as her sister's behavior was indeed rather strange.

Ever since she saw what happened between Cong-ge and Bao-ya, she was convinced that the two were having an affair, and from then on the two sisters began to dislike each other.

Later, they tried to force the Xue family out of the Jia family mansion, which further alienated the two sisters. From that time on, the elder sister never visited Pear Fragrance Courtyard again.

Aunt Xue was certain that there must be a reason behind their sudden visit to show goodwill today.

……

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "It's too much trouble for you, sister. These two bolts of fabric are of excellent quality. Your daughter will surely love the floral pattern."

Madam Wang laughed and said, "It's just two bolts of fabric, nothing to worry about. Why isn't Bao'er here?"

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "After Bao'er has lunch, she will go to the East Mansion to talk to her sisters."

The weather is too cold now, so the sisters rarely go out. They usually gather in the second sister's courtyard to keep each other company and chat to pass the time.

Upon hearing the words "Eastern Mansion," Lady Wang felt somewhat uneasy. She had hoped to utilize Baochai's talents, but unfortunately, she hadn't been able to find a suitable opportunity, leaving her somewhat disappointed.

He said, "I wanted to talk to my sister today because I have something I'd like to ask you for advice on."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xue realized that her sister was always determined and wouldn't come to her for advice unless she needed something. She was more likely asking her for help.

She laughed and said, "Why are you two sisters being so formal? Sister, just say what you have to say."

Madam Wang spoke with a warm expression: "It is said that Xinchunhao is doing very well in Jiangnan. Because they want to expand their business, they rented the Xue family's ancestral shop."

I thought that Xinchunhao was doing big business in Jiangnan, and it would be the same in Shenjing, but Xinchunhao only has one branch in Shenjing, Xiuniang Incense Shop.

This kind of extravagance doesn't sound quite right. They'll definitely open many branches in Shenjing. It just so happens that I have two dowry shops..."

……

Aunt Xue was startled. No wonder her sister had suddenly come to visit. It turned out that she had seen the Xue family making money by renting out shops and wanted to follow suit.

She quickly asked, "Sister, do you also want to rent your dowry shop to Xinchunhao?"

Lady Wang was disdainful upon hearing this, thinking that her younger sister, who had married into a merchant family, had a much lower standard of thinking than she did.

Not to mention that the young man from the East Mansion is a formidable character, I've never even met that woman surnamed Qu from Jinling.

His own sister actually dared to hand over the family business to someone else to run, especially in a place as remote as Nanjing.

She wasn't even worried about someone sabotaging her business. If someone were to use underhanded means to take over the Xue family's ancestral shop, I wonder who she would complain to.

I would never do something so rash, and besides, the method I used could earn me more money than renting a shop.

He laughed and said, "I won't rent these two shops. You know the current situation of the Jia family. Since the second branch moved to the east courtyard, it's not as good as before."

The monthly allowance from Xifu Gongzhong is barely enough to cover the expenses of so many people in the second wife's household, and I don't know how much I have to subsidize myself.

Most of the profits came from these two dowry shops, and besides, the shops had always been doing well, with plenty of high-quality goods in the warehouse that were easy to sell.

If we rent them all out, we'll lose a lot of money, not to mention the dowry servants who will have nowhere to go.

……

Aunt Xue was somewhat skeptical when she heard this. Just a few days ago, when she was speaking in Rongqing Hall, Wang Xifeng had mentioned the amount of silver needed for the Xifu public funds at the end of the year.

The monthly allowances for the masters and servants of the East Wing Courtyard are fixed for each person, while the allowances for the West Wing Courtyard are distributed monthly on a per-person basis.

The grains and vegetables used daily by the East Wing were also distributed from the public funds according to the per capita expenditure.

The old lady's favorite son was her brother-in-law, and besides, her brother-in-law and Cong-ge had a deep bond, and the old lady was also an experienced housekeeper.

A shrewd person like Feng would never skimp on the allowance for the East Wing Courtyard; it's simply not worth it.

Aunt Xue herself was a housewife, and she knew that this monthly allowance was enough to cover the daily expenses of the East Wing Courtyard.

There was absolutely no need for her sister to contribute her own money. Her sister's words could only fool laymen; anyone who knew the truth would not believe them.

……

Aunt Xue sighed inwardly. To put it bluntly, her sister was still resentful of the eldest son's family taking charge and of losing her power as the wife of the Rongguo family's steward.

Harboring resentment, she uttered these distorted words. If these words were to reach the ears of Feng'er and Cong'er, they would surely say that their sister was ungrateful.

This is clearly a case of using the West Mansion's provisions to eat, then throwing down the bowl and cursing.

If this angers Cong-ge and Feng-ya-tou, they'll cut off my rice and food every month and throw me a few pairs of shoes. Will I wear them or not?

He asked, "Since you don't want to rent a shop, why did you bring up the matter of Xinchunhao doing big business?"

Madam Wang said to Yuchuan, "Yuchuan, I'm talking to my concubine. You don't need to be served here. Go out and have a stroll by yourself."

Yu Chuan understood immediately; the mistress and the concubine were simply trying to keep her from overhearing their conversation.

She had been wanting to discuss this with her older sister, Jin Chuan, but hadn't had the chance. This was exactly what she needed, so she hurriedly left the main room.

……

Madam Wang smiled and said, "I think if Xinchun wants to grow big in the capital, it must expand its stores in Jinling as well."

Although my two shops are doing good business, there is still a lot of empty space.

If Cong-ge is willing to mediate, I can let Xin Chun Hao's perfumes, soaps, and other items be sold in my shop, saving them the expense of renting a shop.

As an elder, I won't take advantage of anyone. I'll buy the goods from Xinchunhao at market price, using real money, so that Cong-ge and Miss Qu won't suffer any losses.

Aunt Xue then understood and said, "Does Sister mean to distribute items from Xinchunhao?"

Madam Wang smiled and said, "After all, my sister is from a wealthy merchant family, so you'll understand as soon as I explain."

Seeing the delighted look on her sister's face, who seemed quite pleased with her idea, Aunt Xue couldn't help but find it amusing. Her sister was truly daydreaming, always thinking of good things. If such a convenience were truly available, the Xue family would have done it long ago; there would be no need for others to offer their suggestions.

Before he even considered renting out the Xue family's ancestral shop, he had already thought about distributing Xinchunhao Creations, as it was a highly profitable business.

However, Baochai, the daughter, solemnly stated that since its establishment, Xinchunhao has never distributed its own products, and everyone in Jiangnan knows about it.

The Xue family must not cross this line, otherwise they would break the rules of Xinchun Company's business, and their daughter would be looked down upon by Cong-ge'er.

My own sister went to great lengths, scheming and plotting, only thinking about how she could benefit herself, yet she insisted on stepping on her own hot potato...

Aunt Xue thought for a moment and said, "Sister's idea is certainly good, but I heard that Xinchunhao never does distribution."

Madam Wang smiled and said, "I've heard about that too, but both the East and West Mansions know that Xinchunhao is Congge's property, but it's managed by Miss Naqu."

As the saying goes, business is business, and it's only natural that Cong-ge doesn't want others to take advantage of him. However, he wouldn't do that with his closest family members.

Besides, selling goods in my shop will enhance Xinchunhao's reputation; it's a win-win situation, so why not?

Aunt Xue found it amusing. It was clearly you who took advantage of Cong-ge'er, yet you said you benefited from both sides. This elder's behavior was rather pathetic.

If word gets out about this, I'm afraid my sister will be the subject of gossip...

……

Madam Wang continued, "Sister, as you know, I'm not very good at doing business."

It's better for you, my sister, to be the mistress of a royal merchant family, as you are more familiar with business dealings. You have also negotiated the rental of the shop with Cong-ge, so it will be more convenient for you to talk to him.

Although if your brother-in-law were to mediate this matter, Cong-ge would definitely agree without hesitation.

But your brother-in-law is an official of the imperial court, so he has to consider the dignity of officialdom and can't bring up this matter, otherwise it would be too inappropriate for outsiders to hear it.

Therefore, I was thinking of asking my younger sister to help mediate with Cong-ge'er. If this matter is resolved, my husband and I will be grateful for your kindness.

Aunt Xue couldn't help but feel disgusted by these words. This older sister's plan was too clever, but it just sounded awkward to her.

My brother-in-law is an official of the imperial court, and he has to maintain his official reputation, so he can't talk about business matters.

Cong-ge is a Hanlin Academician, a position a hundred times more prestigious than his brother-in-law's, yet he doesn't seem to have any such reservations. Why bother putting on airs like this?

Cong-ge'er is also her sister's nephew. She herself puts on airs and doesn't try to mediate, but she makes an outsider like herself take the blame. How could she say such a thing?

If I were to actually follow my sister's instigation and try to reconcile with Cong-ge'er about this matter, wouldn't I be looked down upon as worthless?

The relationship that the two families had worked so hard to build would be severely damaged by this one blow. My daughter would definitely complain if she found out, so this is something I absolutely must not get involved in.

……

Although Aunt Xue was determined not to interfere, she wouldn't easily break off relations because her daughter Baochai had something on her sister.

She smiled and said, "Sister is right. Logically speaking, it is what sisters should do to bring this up."

The Xue family just rented the shop to Xinchunhao, and I owe Cong-ge a huge favor, which I haven't thought of repaying yet.

Now that he's trying to persuade his own sister to do something beneficial, he feels a little embarrassed to ask.

It seems like all the benefits of Xinchunhao have been taken by my sister and me. If outsiders spread this, it won't sound good for the Wang family.

If Cong-ge'er becomes suspicious because of this, it would be easier for me to make things worse if I tried to mediate.

……

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang felt a slight chill. Although Aunt Xue spoke unintentionally, Madam Wang, burdened by her own anxieties, overthought the matter.

Years ago, due to his nephew Wang Yi's matter, his elder brother Wang Ziteng and Cong Ge'er developed a grudge that has remained unresolved for many years.

If my sister were to mediate this matter now, it would seem as if the Wang family were reaping all the benefits from Xinchunhao, and that boy from the East Mansion might become suspicious...

Seeing that Madam Wang was hesitant, Aunt Xue knew that she had hit the nail on the head and breathed a sigh of relief.

She said, "Actually, why go through all this trouble, sister? There is someone else besides me. If she speaks up, it will be much more effective than my words."

Madam Wang came to her senses and said, "Sister, are you referring to the old lady?"

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "If it's not this old lady, then who is it? The old lady is Cong's biological grandmother, and she has always loved her brother-in-law and Baoyu the most."

As long as the old lady speaks up about this matter, Cong-ge'er will definitely give her face, and wouldn't the matter be handled more smoothly and conveniently?

In my opinion, we should strike while the iron is hot. My sister should talk to the old lady today, and maybe we can get this matter settled by the end of the year. That way, we can also earn some lucky money for my sister in the New Year.”

Madam Wang smiled and said, "My sister is so quick-witted. After thinking it over, the most appropriate thing to do is to ask the old lady to mediate."

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "Originally, my sister and I were supposed to go to Rongqing Hall together, but the old lady might be suspicious if she sees me going too."

It seems that our Wang sisters' joint efforts to benefit her own grandson have backfired.

Why don't I send someone to call Baochai back, and my daughter and I can go to Rongqing Hall in a few steps tonight?

By then, my sister had already spoken to the old lady, and we took the opportunity to chime in and say nice things, making sure it was all done subtly. That way, the matter was probably seven or eight tenths settled.

After listening to Aunt Xue's words, Madam Wang felt that her younger sister was also a remarkable person, considering things so meticulously and appropriately, and found it extremely reasonable.

She smiled and said, "Sister, you truly live up to your reputation as a wealthy merchant's wife. You think things through much more thoroughly than I do. I'll head to Rongqing Hall now, and you and Bao'er will follow later."

Aunt Xue breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Madam Wang leave with a happy expression.

She pondered for a moment, then called her maid Tongxi and instructed her to go to the East Mansion to send a message to summon someone...

……

In the Pear Blossom Courtyard, on the back corridor, the afternoon sky was clear and the sunlight was warm and dazzling, casting a dark shadow on the bluish-gray eaves.

Two slender maids sat side by side on a chair under the eaves.

They were both beautiful and charming, with black hair like clouds, bright eyes and red lips, complementing each other perfectly. They even looked somewhat alike, like twin sisters.

Yu Chuan had been unable to find a place to stay for the past few days, and when she finally saw her older sister Jin Chuan, she naturally told her sister everything about what Qin Xian's family had done.

She said with distress, "Sister, that Qin Xian family is really despicable. They don't even know what kind of person their son is. They're just trying to kill someone out of nowhere."

Upon hearing about this calamity, Jin Chuan's face turned pale. She said, "I managed to escape on my own, and I've been worried that you wouldn't be safe in the second wife's household."

"Unexpectedly, the bad luck came true instead of the good. You were already very careful and didn't get into trouble with the second wife's husband, but you were still tricked by the second wife's servant."

Yu Chuan said, "Sister, do you think if I beg Madam for mercy, she might help me avoid this dirty thing?"

Jin Chuan's face turned cold as she said, "The Second Madam may look like a kind bodhisattva, but she is hard and cold-hearted and doesn't treat us servants like human beings."

You didn't listen to what she said. She told Qin Xian's wife to wait until you turned fifteen before discussing betrothing you to someone else.

She's using you as bait to get Qin Xian and his wife to work for her—a despicable and shameless tactic.

Yu Chuan's pretty face turned pale, and she was so anxious that she burst into tears. She said, "What can we do? When my sister had her accident, the second branch of the family was still living in the West Mansion. The whole family still had some concerns."

Only Master Cong and Miss Bao were able to lend a helping hand. Now, the East Courtyard is Madam's territory; once the gates are closed, no one can get in.

"Don't even mention someone like Miss Bao; even if Third Master Cong were the head of the family, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to interfere in the affairs of the second branch. Does that mean death is the only option?"

When Jin Chuan saw that her younger sister was also flustered, she suddenly became wary. Her younger sister was quiet and reserved, not saying much.

She looked quiet and gentle, unlike herself who was so outgoing and eloquent.

But the two sisters were both stubborn and headstrong, and she worried that her younger sister might do something foolish if she had no other choice.

He quickly said, "Don't panic now. The second wife is very concerned about her reputation. Since she said that, she will definitely not give you away to someone else so soon."

Otherwise, how could she, as the second wife, maintain her dignity in front of the servants? Wouldn't Qin Xian's wife have seen through her weakness?

She will definitely wait until you turn fifteen before slowly working on this matter. The longer she delays, the more she can manipulate and control Qin Xian's family.

There's still about six months left, so there's no need to panic now. Just relax and avoid the Qin family as much as possible.

"I'll help you figure something out. My life was given to me by Third Master; even if it costs me my life, I won't let you suffer a bad end!"

With Jin Chuan's encouragement and words of comfort, Yu Chuan's anxiety and worries gradually subsided, but she remained in a daze, unsure of what the future held.

The two sisters were whispering to each other when they saw a figure moving at the other end of the corridor. Aunt Xue and her maid Tong Gui hurried over.

She said, "Sister Yuchuan, your mistress is going to Rongqing Hall to pay her respects to the old lady of the manor. She wants you to hurry over and serve her..." (End of this chapter)