Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

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

In the study, Lingguan added new charcoal to the incense burner and stoked the fire to keep the room warm.

Yinglian then brought over freshly brewed tea and personally served it to Jia Cong and Baochai before the two of them left the study.

Baochai recounted the matter of Yuchuan in detail, saying, "Qin Yong has a bad reputation. I've heard he's not a good person. If Yuchuan were to marry him, she would be ruined."

Upon hearing Baochai's words, Jia Cong recalled the look in Yu Chuan's eyes when he left Rongqing Hall that day—a look of helplessness and pitiful vulnerability.

He was puzzled at the time, wondering what the reason was. Now he finally understood: she wanted to lend a helping hand, but didn't know how to ask.

Although he had little contact with Yu Chuan and had only spoken to her a few times, judging from her words and actions, she was indeed a clever and outstanding girl.

It would be utterly inhumane for such a pretty and well-behaved girl to be abused by a scoundrel like Qin Yong.

He said, "Last time, when Musk Moon got into trouble, she was kicked out of Bao Yu's room by the Second Madam. The Second Madam wanted to marry her off to Qin Yong, but Musk Moon refused, even at the cost of her life."
Later, I heard my second sister-in-law talk about Qin Yong. He was Qin Xian's second son. He was a spoiled and wicked young man who spent his days drinking, gambling, and causing trouble. He would quarrel with his parents when he was short of money.

However, Qin Xian's eldest son died young, leaving him with only this one son, and Qin Xian's family spoiled Qin Yong rotten.

It is said that Qin Yong also has a history of theft and fraud. Although he was born into a family, he had a bad reputation in both households, and the experienced stewards in the households dared not assign him any tasks.

So even though he's over twenty, he's still a good-for-nothing, able-bodied man who lives off his parents.

Baochai said, “Brother Cong is right. I also heard from experienced old women in the West Mansion that when the maids in the family reach a certain age, they are all sent out to get married.”

But all these girls knew Qin Yong's bad reputation, and they all tried their best to avoid him, fearing that they would get involved with him.

Moreover, these maids were generally assigned to servants who had proper duties, were diligent, and were favored by their masters.

Because of his bad reputation, Qin Yong had never been given any official work, and naturally no one would offer him a daughter in marriage, so he was still unmarried in his twenties.

Jia Cong said, "Given Qin Yong's situation, it's really strange that the Second Madam would treat him this way."

……

Baochai and Jinchuan looked puzzled upon hearing this, wondering what Jia Cong meant by being so strange.
Jia Cong said, "The second wife is also a shrewd woman. She has been the head of the household for many years and is quite calculating."

Knowing Qin Yong's disgraceful conduct, she should understand that any maidservant given to him would be a waste of a good person and would inevitably suffer.

Even if Qin Xian and his wife were in charge of the East Wing Courtyard, it would be fine if she wanted to win them over and marry an ordinary girl to Qin Yong.

Why would they repeatedly elevate Qin Yong to such a high level, betrothing him to figures like Musk Moon and Jade Blossom?

These two are the most outstanding maids in the second wife's household, this is too illogical.

Musk Moon offended the Second Madam and was kicked out of Bao Yu's room. It's somewhat understandable that the Second Madam wanted to vent her anger on Musk Moon.

Yu Chuan has served the Second Madam since childhood and has always been trusted and valued by her. Now she is the only first-class maidservant by her side.

Now that the second branch has become a separate branch, according to the family's custom, the public will no longer allocate first-class maids to the second branch.

Now that Caixia and Caiyun have entered Baoyu's household, Yuchuan is the only first-class maid of the Second Madam, and she is the Second Madam's face.

Without her first-class maidservants, her status as a mistress has plummeted.

……

Baochai deeply agreed with Jia Cong's words, for aristocratic families are not like ordinary families.

The status of women in the inner quarters varied greatly depending on their daily necessities, furnishings, clothing, and the number of maids they had, which was immediately apparent to outsiders.

Grandmother Jia was the highest-ranking person in Rongguo and a duke's wife of the highest rank. She had eight first-class maids on her daily life.

All other expenses were precisely regulated, and not a single detail could be wrong. These were the proper and respectable arrangements for a duke's consort, and were regarded as patriarchal rituals by prominent families.

Lady Wang was originally the mistress of the Rongguo family. Her husband was the eldest son of the Rongguo family. The couple reduced their expenses by half and only used four first-class maids.

The younger generation, such as Jia Lian and Bao Yu, could only use second-class maids. Even though Grandmother Jia gave Xi Ren to Bao Yu, because she was a first-class maid, her monthly allowance could only be paid to Grandmother Jia.

The expenditures were subject to strict hierarchical rules, and not a single mistake could be made.

Like Baoyu, Jia Cong was originally given two second-class maids, Wu'er and Qingwen, after entering the West Mansion.

When Jia Cong was granted a title and established his own mansion, and later inherited the Rongguo Mansion, he became the head of both mansions of the Jia family, and his status was equal to that of Grandmother Jia.

Wu'er and Qingwen, who were by her side, were promoted to first-class maids. Yinglian was not even considered a maid; she was a foster child bride wearing a necklace. Lingguan, who came later, was not included in this category either.

Because Zhi Shao had received gifts from the Empress, the Jia family dared not treat her as a maid. They set a monthly allowance of two taels of silver, the same as that of a young lady. This was all part of Jia Cong's pomp and circumstance as the head of the family.

Baochai felt resentful that her aunt had lost her power as the mistress of the West Mansion after moving to the East Courtyard, and she valued her former dignity even more.

Yu Chuan was her only first-class maid, how could she give her away so easily?
……

Jia Cong continued, "That's why I found it strange; it's not in line with the Second Madam's usual personality and behavior."

Why did Qin Xian's wife make such a plea, and why did the second wife not refuse outright, but instead use the excuse that Yu Chuan was not yet of marriageable age to delay and make excuses for the time being?

You should know that this kind of reason is completely useless. Yu Chuan will eventually grow up. It's just a matter of keeping Qin Xian and his wife in check for a while longer.

The second wife had already decided in her heart to marry Yuchuan to Qin Yong. This was tantamount to exchanging gold for scrap metal, utterly absurd, and could not help but arouse suspicion.

After hearing Jia Cong's words, Baochai realized that something was indeed amiss.

He said, "Brother Cong is right. I only thought of my aunt using the jade bracelet to win people's hearts, but I didn't think of this aspect."

Jia Cong said, "A gentleman understands righteousness, while a petty person understands profit. But if there is anything abnormal, there must be a root cause."

Although I can't see the truth right now, the relationship between the second wife and Qin Xian and his wife, or with this Qin Yong, is not as simple as just domestic power struggles.

There must be some hidden connection, otherwise they wouldn't have offered such a huge reward.

……

Baochai was surprised to hear this. After carefully considering Jia Cong's words, she vaguely felt that his guess must be correct.

Although I am considered a clever person, I am confined to the inner quarters and my knowledge and thinking are limited. Unlike my brother Cong, who has been out in the world and has a more thorough and meticulous mind, I am not as experienced.

Hearing Jia Cong's words, Jin Chuan became even more uneasy. She hadn't expected that her sister's situation was more troublesome than she had thought.

Terrified, she couldn't help but kneel down and say, "Third Master, you saved my life, and now my sister is also involved in trouble."

My sister doesn't talk much, but she has a fiery temper. If pushed too far, she'll definitely take her own life.

We beg you, Third Master, to have mercy and save Yuchuan! We sisters will never forget your kindness and righteousness; we will repay you even if it means serving you like an ox or a horse.

When Jia Cong saw her face, which was streaked with tears, showing both indignation and helplessness, his heart softened slightly.

He helped her up and said, "I am the head of both families. Now that I know about the injustices in my family, I will not sit idly by."

I've spoken with Yu Chuan a few times. She's a decent girl, and if she doesn't want to, I won't let anyone force her.

I have my own way of handling this matter. You should all keep quiet for now and keep it to yourselves.

Baochai asked, "I wonder if Brother Cong has any good ideas?"

Jia Cong said, "Now that the eldest and second branches of the family have not yet separated, the indentures of the maids of the second branch are all kept in the public treasury. Logically, the public treasury can allocate and manage them."

However, Yu Chuan had been the second wife's personal maid since childhood, and her status was different from that of other maids.

There's the master's face inside, and the old lady is sitting there. There are so many people watching, both inside and outside. It's not appropriate to just blatantly interfere, lest it cause unnecessary trouble.

Actually, the cheapest way is for me to talk to the master. As long as he doesn't agree to Yuchuan's marriage, this matter will definitely not go through.

Although it felt good to do this, my second wife knew I was involved in this matter, and she couldn't do anything about it.

But if they take their anger out on Yu Chuan, she will likely suffer in the second wife's household. Even if they can find another way, it will be a lot of trouble.

Therefore, the only option is to work on Qin Yong. If he were a kind person, there would be no way to get to him, but since he is a wicked man, things become much simpler..."

……

Seeing that Jia Cong was confident, Baochai and Jin Chuan were relieved. As the sun was about to set, Baochai took her leave.

Even after Baochai left, Jia Cong was still lost in thought, and there were some things he didn't say to Baochai.

Given Madam Wang's personality, she seemed to be somewhat biased towards Qin Xian and his wife, as well as the infamous servant Qin Yong, which made him secretly wary.

In fact, rescuing Yu Chuan was not too difficult for Jia Cong, but he did not want to take the unclear aspects of the matter lightly.

Recently, Madam Wang has caused quite a stir, whether it's her deliberate attempt to collect the Zhen family's hidden silver or her intention to get involved in Xinchunhao's business.

Lady Wang was shrewd and calculating, coveting wealth and being secretly greedy, which shows that she was not particularly clever.

However, her restless behavior was extremely dangerous in the grand mansion; a single misstep could easily bring disaster upon the family. Moreover, this matter involved the Qin family, who were no saints and were essentially the same kind of people as Wang Shanbao's family.

I fear that he may harbor resentment towards me in secret. As the head of two households, Jia Cong is involved in everything inside and outside the mansion, so I must be wary of him.

After thinking for a moment, he left the inner courtyard of the East Mansion and entered a side hall in the outer courtyard. He then sent someone to call Jiang Liu over to talk.

A short while later, Jiang Liu entered the side hall and asked, "Third Master, is there anything I can do for you?"

Jia Cong explained to Jiang Liu all of Lady Wang's unusual behavior, as well as his own doubts.

He said, "I've arranged for someone else to drive these past few days. You keep an eye on Qin Yong's movements and what he's been up to in the past."

If he does anything contrary to my wishes in his daily words or actions, he will immediately respond to me.

We also need to keep an eye on whether Qin Yong and the second wife have any connection, and whether Qin Xian and his wife's daily comings and goings show any unusual signs..."

…………

Rongguo Mansion, Sister Feng's Courtyard.

Under the east window of the main room, there was a long table with several stacks of account books, as well as writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones.

Wu'er and Ping'er sat side by side at the table, checking the amount of silver in the account. Sunlight shone in through the window, and the plum blossoms and orchids, twin flowers, each one dazzlingly beautiful.

Wang Xifeng sat on the daybed, holding a teacup in her hand, looking thoughtful.

Ping'er laughed and said, "Grandma, what are you still thinking about? Didn't you say when you came back that if you made a definitive statement in Rongqing Hall, the old lady wouldn't say a word?"

"It's a done deal that Baoyu will move out of the West Mansion after his marriage. Grandma will finally have some peace and quiet next year."

Wang Xifeng said, "You're thinking too conveniently. Don't be fooled by the resolute words you spoke in court today."

The point is that Baoyu got married and moved out of the West Mansion, which is about half a year ago. It's not a long time, but it's not short either.

With Baoyu's clingy, womanly temperament, he might suddenly have a seizure or go crazy one day, and the Second Madam isn't one to give up easily.

I don't expect to stay that long. They don't cause any trouble or annoyances. In short, there's nothing that convenient about it.

I understand Yuanyang's thoughts. The usually clever girl has become confused now.

But his speed was so fast that he actually caught up with Feng'er and brought him back. It would have been better if he hadn't caught him and exposed the matter; a swift and decisive action would have resolved everything.

Feng'er came in from outside the door and said with a smile, "Second Madam, please don't blame Yuanyang for not being quick-witted. It's just that she's a few steps slower than me when she leaves the house."

Outsiders figured they would definitely catch up with me, and with so many eyes and ears watching inside and outside the courtyard, they would probably all go to the old lady to inform her.

There's no way Yuanyang could fake it, so why drag her into this for nothing?

She had been following me for a while, and it took Mushroom a long time to catch up with me. We both left the inner courtyard, and it was impossible to fool her anymore.

Besides, what happened at Rongqing Hall can't be kept secret forever; it'll spread sooner or later, within a few days.

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "What you said can't be kept secret. It's just that the news has spread throughout the West Mansion. The East Courtyard is now a separate building, and the Second Master has sealed off the small gate."

Aside from the monthly rice and grain exchange, the two places don't usually visit each other much.

Even if the second wife knew about it, she would definitely keep it a secret on purpose; it wouldn't be easy for the second master to find out.

Even if the Second Master came to pay his respects to the Old Madam, the servants, fearing that Baoyu would be beaten and the Old Madam would be displeased, would certainly not dare to speak a word in front of the Second Master.

Feng'er's eyes darted around, her expression mischievous, and she laughed, "Grandma, how could you forget? On the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month, we invited an opera troupe. The old lady is going to watch the opera at the big flower bed."

Just now, Yuanyang in the hall said that Third Master was taking a day off on the fifteenth, so I suppose Second Master will also be taking a day off.

The old lady loves lively gatherings, and she will definitely invite the second master and second mistress to come and watch the opera...

Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she praised, "What a good girl! You're quick-witted."

Wu'er and Ping'er were both clever girls. As soon as they heard Feng'er's quirky tone, they understood what she meant. The two looked at each other and smiled.

They had heard Wang Xifeng talk about Rongqing Hall. Baoyu lived and ate in the West Mansion, never saying a kind word, and always causing trouble.

They were all disgusted that their Third Master had spoken such nonsense in court. They would be happy to send him back to the East Courtyard as soon as possible.

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "This is just the right time. I hope there will be a good show that day so that the time will pass quickly..."

……

Rongguo Mansion, Baoyu Courtyard.

After leaving Rongqing Hall, Baoyu made a scene and poured out his heart, but after being comforted by Xiren and Caiyun, he finally found a way to back down and stop his tantrum.

Back in his room, still filled with resentment, he stood by the window, gazing into the distance with his hands behind his back, revealing his prominent chin, and sighed endlessly into the wind.

When Xiren brought the tea into the room and saw Baoyu's state, she felt somewhat helpless.

He said, "Second Master, don't keep thinking about this. It's useless to think about it too much. It's just a waste of energy and will only make you sick."

Baoyu complained, “This mansion is becoming more and more unreasonable. Every day they do things that are petty and nitpicky. It’s so vulgar and disgusting. There’s not a single place where people can be honest and upright.”

Upon hearing this, Xiren trembled inwardly, fearing that Baoyu would spout nonsense again and most likely spread rumors about Third Master Cong, which would surely cause trouble if word got out.

The affairs of Rongqing Hall could never be kept secret, and Xiren, having come from Jia Mu's side, was even more well-informed than others.

The wife was quite audacious; she actually set her sights on Cong Sanye's Xinchunhao business, wanting to get a share of the profits.

Such a powerful figure as Master Cong would never allow himself to be taken advantage of by others, but this incident angered him to no end.

He not only humiliated his wife on the spot, but also took the opportunity to expose the fact that Bao Erye had moved out of the West Mansion in front of everyone, forcing even the old lady to comply.

Just now, when Xiren heard Emerald talk about what happened in the hall, who could not understand the meaning? The people of the eldest son's family already had a great dislike for the second master.

The implication in Second Madam's words was that she wished she could get Second Master out of the West Mansion as soon as possible, but Second Master was oblivious and tried to reason with her.

……

He said, "Second Master, you should think more positively. The West Mansion is now Third Master Cong's residence. After you get married, there's no reason for you to stay at your cousin's house for long."

This is an important matter of etiquette in a large family. If the Second Master really insists on staying, outsiders will laugh at him, and those snobbish people in the mansion will criticize him even more.

"It would be better to move back to the East Courtyard as soon as possible; that's where the second branch of the family truly resides, and the second master would be much more comfortable there."

Although Xiren tried to persuade him with kind words, she still said that it was not reasonable for Third Master Cong to stay at his cousin's house all the time.

Like a red-hot iron needle, it pierced Baoyu's heart, making him feel hot, ashamed, and furious.

He was about to leave the Rongguo Mansion in the West, and his noble and outstanding status as the legitimate son of a duke would be tarnished and disgraced. Others should know less about his merits.

These beautiful sisters in the family will now be worlds apart, and apart from the third sister, who will come to the East Courtyard?

To live such a stifling and humiliating life is worse than dying right now.

With his face flushed red, he cursed, "The patriarchal system, etiquette, hierarchy, and human relationships in this world are all incredibly foul things. Just talking about them would sully one's pure heart. They're utterly disgusting!"
Now even you're spouting these nonsense! What are we going to do? What are we going to do…”

Baoyu looked grief-stricken, as if he were beating his chest and stamping his feet. Even Caiyun, who was busy outside, was startled and rushed to the door to see what was happening.

When Xiren saw that Baoyu had suddenly gone mad again, his face turned deathly pale, she was afraid that Baoyu was going to cause trouble again.

He hurriedly advised, "I was just saying something casually, Second Master. Why did you take it so seriously? It's not worth getting so anxious and upset."

Second Master was also an extremely intelligent man. These patriarchal rules and etiquette have existed since ancient times, and they are not new. People in the world recognize these principles.

Even if Second Master was disgusted by these things, how could he possibly argue with others? As the saying goes, a wise man doesn't suffer a loss he can't avoid.

Even if Second Master moves out of the West Mansion temporarily, there's always a way to make amends later; he'll naturally have a chance to return.

Just as Baoyu was about to continue his grief-stricken outburst, he was startled by Xiren's last words.

She quickly asked, "What do you mean by 'turnaround'? I can come back in the future, dear sister, please tell me why."

When Xiren saw that Baoyu had regained some consciousness, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

He said, "A couple of days ago, Madam came to the courtyard and mentioned something to me privately: Second Master wants to move back to the East Courtyard after his marriage."

However, the old lady felt sorry for Caixia because she was pregnant and needed an experienced person to take care of her, so she wanted to keep Caixia in the West Mansion to rest and prepare for childbirth.

The old lady has doted on the second master since he was a child. If Caixia gives birth to a child in the West Mansion, the old lady will definitely cherish him dearly.

It's only natural that the Second Master would keep his son by his side to raise him. It would be perfectly reasonable for him to visit his son at the West Mansion frequently, and no one would dare to gossip.

However, Madam is still undecided; she wants Caixia to return to the East Wing to rest and give birth…” (End of Chapter)