Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

North of the capital city, Muni Temple.

Jia Cong and Miaoyu chatted for a long time. Perhaps because of their similar backgrounds, or perhaps because Miaoyu felt lonely, she unconsciously revealed her feelings to Jia Cong.

There was no secret known to a third party; there was a subtle mutual appreciation and an unspoken, unusual closeness between them.

It made Miaoyu's heart flutter and her mind wander.

The statue of Guanyin on the shrine is solemn and elegant, seemingly watching with compassionate eyes as the worldly illusions, love, hate, anger, and delusion continue to sink into endless depravity.

Time flew by in the meditation room until Zhi Shao sent her old woman to tell them that the food was ready and to invite them over for a meal.

The two left the meditation room and walked along the road. The newly renovated Muni Monastery was brand new, with bright windows and clean tables, exuding a fresh and bright vitality.

Each meditation room has been improved with fire pits and heated walls, so that even in the harshest winter, elderly people like Master Xiushan can spend the winter peacefully and comfortably.

The newly planted holly shrubs are lush and green. Although the old trees in the yard have lost their leaves, their branches are strong and graceful, and new green will surely adorn their branches next year.

Miaoyu walked slowly, her silver whisk fluttering in the wind, like the carefree spirit of a pine tree.

Feeling Jia Cong's flowing robes as he walked beside her, bathed in the warm winter sun and gentle breeze, she felt an indescribable tranquility and beauty.

Unconsciously, her slender white fingers, adorned with Lancôme buds, unconsciously clutched the Bodhi prayer beads at her chest, unwilling to lose her last moments of clarity...

……

After the group finished their meal, Miaoyu brewed tea for the guests, and Jia Cong chatted with Abbess Xiushan for a while before taking his leave with Zhishao and Xing Xiuyan.

Miaoyu escorted them to the mountain gate, watching the carriage procession disappear into the distance before turning back to the Buddhist temple.

She walked alone through the quiet, empty inner courtyard and along the covered walkway, feeling a sense of emptiness in her heart.

When she entered the meditation room, she saw her personal belongings on the bed. When she returned, she helped her master out of the car, and Zhi Shao carried the belongings for her.

She must have helped her master into the room, so Zhi Shao put the package on her own bed.

After Miaoyu and Jia Cong entered the room, they talked in the outer room and didn't notice the bundle on the bed in the inner room.

She casually opened the package, inside were a young woman's personal items such as undergarments, a jade comb, hair oil, skin cream, and hairpins.

Since these were all private items belonging to young ladies, it would be too indecent for servants to discover them while carrying them, so they were always carried with them.

She noticed an extra wooden box in the package, made of ebony, which looked somewhat familiar.

Miaoyu sighed inwardly and gently opened the wooden box. Inside was a pink and blue palace flower, exquisite, beautiful, and lifelike.

This palace flower was originally given to Zhi Shao by Ying Chun. Miao Yu, encouraged by her junior sister, wore it once in her room, which greatly impressed Zhi Shao.

Because she was a nun practicing Buddhism, and according to the strict rules, there was no reason for her to wear flowers, so she returned them to Zhi Shao.

Miaoyu looked at the palace flowers in the box and couldn't help but smile. Her beauty was captivating, and her melancholy and loss instantly subsided.

It must have been that my junior sister thought she looked good wearing flowers, so she acted childishly and, under the pretense of helping me carry my bag, secretly slipped the palace flowers inside.

Miaoyu took out the palace flowers and held them up to her temples in front of the mirror, thinking of the unknowing confession she had made to Jia Cong in front of her parents' memorial tablets.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that he had never seen me wearing palace flowers, and I wondered if he would find them beautiful.

Just thinking about this made her pretty face in the mirror turn bright red, making her look exceptionally beautiful and captivating. She quickly put the palace flowers back into the wooden box and breathed a sigh of relief for no reason.

……

The Rongguo Mansion, the backyard of Rongqing Hall, the Grand Flower Hall.

The singing on the stage was powerful and melodious, the music was melodious, and the costumes were dazzling, making it quite a wonderful performance.

The women of the Jia family listened intently, and occasionally someone would exclaim in admiration.

Everyone else seemed to enjoy the conversation, but Madam Wang, subjected to Wang Xifeng's sarcastic remarks, had nowhere to vent her anger and resentment, though she maintained a facade of politeness.

Baoyu, on the other hand, was easygoing and easygoing. Although he was quite embarrassed and depressed by Jia Huan's seclusion and reading,
But in his heart, he despised and scorned Jia Huan, and using his unconventional reasoning to be angry at his lack of ambition, he cursed him with great indignation, and that was how he vented his pent-up anger.

After such scheming for a long time, his ambitions were finally fulfilled, and he felt at ease, so his words and actions were upright and beyond reproach.

Thinking about the corruption of the world, I feel regretful but helpless. All I can do is try to maintain my integrity and preserve my purity.

Before long, he was captivated by the wonderful performance, enjoying himself immensely and becoming completely absorbed in it...

……

Not long after, the recitation of "The Tale of the White Snake" was finished. Grandmother Jia, still not satisfied, ordered another book, "The Dream of Nanke".

As the performance began, figures moved about at the entrance of the main hall. Jia Cong was accompanied by Zhi Shao and Xing Xiuyan, followed by Wu'er, Ping'er, Yinglian, Qingwen, Lingguan, and Douguan.

The hall instantly became more lively. Wang Xifeng hurriedly greeted them with a smile and set up a new table next to Yingchun and the other sisters, allowing them to sit down.

In an instant, the newly opened table was adorned with plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, bamboo, peaches, and plums, their delicate beauty and fragrance dazzling and breathtaking.

Baoyu was overwhelmed by what he saw, his eyes wide with disbelief. He didn't envy Jia Cong's success in the imperial examination, nor did he envy his high official rank; he only envied the present moment.

He had quite a few maids in his own room, but compared to other people's maids, they were nothing more than clay chickens and earthen dogs. He was both overjoyed and heartbroken at the sight.

Lady You usually stayed in the inner quarters and rarely went out. When she saw Jia Cong's grand display for the first time, she couldn't help but be a little astonished.

She had met Ping'er and Qingwen before; they were originally maids of Grandmother Jia and Wang Xifeng.

Wu'er was in charge of affairs at the West Mansion, and she occasionally saw her. The others were seeing each other for the first time and she had never heard of them before.

Unable to resist, he said to Wang Xifeng, "I've long heard that Brother Cong keeps maids, and that he's surrounded by beauties. Where does he find them? Today I've seen it for myself."

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Half of the maids here were brought here by Brother Cong from outside. They rarely come to the West Mansion, so it's not surprising that you haven't seen them before."

Brother Cong's skill in finding maids is no less than his talent in studying and passing exams; this is something others can only envy.

Hearing the two whispering, Baoyu felt even more indignant. Those who studied for the imperial examinations seemed virtuous, but in reality, they were all worse than beasts.

Despite his supposed achievements in the imperial examinations and his appointment as a Hanlin scholar, Jia Cong is utterly shameless.

Every time he went out on an imperial mission, he appeared respectable, but in reality, he used his official position for personal gain, extensively collecting rare and beautiful places, indulging in debauchery and corruption, which aroused the wrath of both heaven and man!

……

He was consumed by jealousy when he suddenly saw Lingguan's charming smile, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

Since Lingguan followed Jia Cong home, she had always been in the East Mansion and had never been to the West Mansion. Even though Grandmother Jia had heard of her, she had never met her.

Only Wang Xifeng, Yuanyang, and others who frequently visited the East Mansion had seen it.

Although she was only a teenager and her figure had not yet fully developed, she was a performer who had been practicing her voice and body for many years, which naturally gave her a graceful and charming demeanor.

Even though she was still young and inexperienced, she had already blossomed into a graceful and slender woman, elegant and delicate, like tender buds and branches in March, graceful and charming.

Baoyu was shocked; this girl looked just like Lin Daiyu.

Jia Cong is truly shameless. He even tries to take advantage of girls who look like Lin Daiyu. It's outrageous!

He was lustful and covetous, but with Jia Cong present, he dared not speak recklessly.

Although he loved to indulge in sorrow and hatred, he only showed off in front of the maids and girls. Sometimes he would deliberately act foolish and crazy, only displaying his talents in front of Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

He wasn't completely insane; he knew perfectly well that these tricks wouldn't work in front of his master.

If he dares to act recklessly, Jia Zheng will surely lose all his civility and order his men to strip him naked and beat him until his buttocks are bruised and battered, showing him no mercy or leniency whatsoever.

Jia Cong, this parasite, is most favored by the master, and must share the same temperament as the master.

In short, when Baoyu saw Jia Cong, he felt either inferior or alienated. Whatever the reason, Jia Cong made him feel an unspeakable fear.

Just as he was feeling indignant, he saw Xichun skipping over, pulling Jia Cong up from his seat and leading him to sit down in the empty seat next to Yingchun.

Baoyu thought back to how Xichun had been so confident and righteous when she wanted to sit in that empty seat, but now she was insisting that Jia Cong sit there.

He was filled with grief and resentment, hating the injustice of fate, where filth and baseness ran rampant, and the innocent had nowhere to hide.

In a moment of heightened emotion, he became somewhat reckless and smashed his wine cup on the ground in anger. Xiren's expression changed, and she asked, "Second Master, what's wrong with you now?"

……

The crisp sound of the wine glass shattering attracted the attention of many people. Even Jia Cong looked over and saw that it was Baoyu who had smashed the glass. His face immediately darkened.

Baoyu was in a dilemma. He was wary of Jia Cong's presence and filled with grief and resentment. He was waiting for Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang to speak words of sympathy for him.

Suddenly, a maid at the door said, "The Second Master has arrived."

Baoyu's heart trembled, and all his anger, infatuation, and delusions vanished in an instant, as if an old monk had suddenly attained enlightenment. He wished he could disappear from the world forever and never be known by anyone. When Jia Zheng entered the main hall, Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "Even though the yamen is closed today, you are still so busy. We didn't even see you when the opera was being performed at home."

Jia Zheng laughed and said, "The old lady is right to criticize me. It just so happened that my student Fu Shi came to visit, and I spent some time with him discussing poetry and literature, which is why it took so long."

When Fu Shi came to visit, he brought his sister with him. Since it was the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, he dared not be impolite and had his sister come to pay her respects to the old lady.

I was just coming over to ask the old lady if she wanted to be invited in.

Although Jia Zheng was straightforward, he could see through Fu Shi's thoughts. Because his sister was exceptionally talented and beautiful, he wanted to use her to climb the social ladder.

Jia Zheng found the matter somewhat absurd, but since he moved to the East Courtyard, the officialdom had become much colder, except for Fu Shi, who remained as respectful to him as ever.

This touched Jia Zheng, who couldn't bear to offend the other party.

He only said he would go to the inner courtyard to send a message to see if it was convenient for the old lady at home. After all, a noblewoman of the Duke's rank could not meet just any family member.

When Tan Chun heard about Fu Shi's sister, she couldn't help but chuckle. Dai Yu's bright eyes lit up; she remembered everything about Jia Cong very clearly.

He asked, "Third sister, is Fu Shi's sister named Fu Qiufang? Did Third Brother visit our house once before the imperial examination?"

Tan Chun smiled and said, "That's right, this is the young lady. I heard she's a talented woman who is well-versed in both poetry and literature."

Shi Xiangyun said excitedly, "I remember this. It was that young lady Qiongyu who made a point of meeting with Third Brother when she came last time."

Every time I bring up this matter, even my third brother, such a smug person, has to run away in panic. It's really funny.

My third brother is home again today. Could there be another good show to watch? That would be hilarious.

The old lady really chose the wrong play; why sing "The Dream of Nanke"? She should have sung "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate" instead.

……

Shi Xiangyun gloated, seemingly wanting to stir up trouble, which left Jia Cong somewhat amused and exasperated.

Daiyu tugged at Jia Cong's sleeve and said softly with a smile, "Third Brother is truly blessed to have such wonderful friends everywhere. I am quite envious."

Jia Cong frowned and said, "She came to pay her respects to the old lady, how is that any of my business? My sister thinks too highly of me."

Daiyu couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that the Fu family's daughter was no good.

Fu Shi is ignorant and arrogant. He doesn't even know how to covet his third brother's current status.

She was just joking about it, which made Jia Cong look embarrassed, and she felt happy about it.

Then he thought again, with his third brother's appearance and reputation, he must have a lot of trouble. The more he looks like this, the less affection he has in his heart.

If he listens to my teasing and tries to coax me with sweet words, then he's probably having an affair...

……

Yingchun smiled and said, "I've heard of this girl. She comes from an official family in the capital and has a good reputation. It's said that she is both talented and beautiful, but she's already over twenty, a whole lot older than Cong."

Daiyu covered her mouth and chuckled, while Xiangyun became even more excited.

She said, "Listen to the tone of Second Sister. Whenever she talks about her maternal relatives' daughters, she acts like she's doing favors for her brother's wife."

Unfortunately, my third brother still had two years of mourning left, and despite my second sister's scheming and plotting, she ultimately failed..."

The sisters at the table were all amused by Xiangyun and couldn't help but laugh. Only Jia Cong was slightly embarrassed and simply poured himself a drink.

……

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Since she is a daughter of an official, and they are very courteous, we must see her. Quickly, invite her in."

Jia Zheng felt helpless upon hearing this, so he had no choice but to send someone to invite Miss Fu to come into the hall and pay her respects.

A short while later, a young lady from a wealthy family walked into the main hall, followed by two matrons.

When Baoyu saw Jia Zheng enter, he was immediately terrified, but now that the young ladies were visiting, he quickly came back to life, and his fear lessened.

He saw that this Miss Fu was in the prime of her life, dressed elegantly and gracefully, with a tall and slender figure, beautiful face, and a scholarly air about her.

Baoyu was overjoyed. Today, the inner courtyard flower hall was filled with handsome men, which broadened the horizons of this lowly man. Heaven still had mercy on him after all.

At this moment, Miss Fu walked up to Grandmother Jia, and an old nanny brought her a prayer mat. She knelt down to pay her respects to Grandmother Jia.

When Jia Zheng accidentally saw Baoyu, he noticed that she was staring blankly at the Fu family's daughter, and his anger immediately surged.

Baoyu was filled with excitement. Such an outstanding person had come to his house again. He thought about how he should greet Miss Fu as she sat down to watch the opera. It was bound to be a wonderful thing.

Suddenly, someone beside him said coldly, "You're going to the Imperial College for the New Year. Instead of studying hard, you have the nerve to come and watch a play!"
I came from the East Campus. Your brother has learned his lesson and reformed, and is now studying diligently. You, as the elder brother, are even worse than your younger brother—a shameless and wretched child!

……

Normally, with guests in the flower hall, Jia Zheng would restrain his temper and not be too harsh on Baoyu, out of consideration for the family's reputation. However, today's situation is unusual.

He received Fu Shi's invitation yesterday, so he was entertaining guests in the East Courtyard this morning and did not go to the West Courtyard with Madam Wang to watch the opera.

He remembered that his daughter Tan Chun had mentioned that she had been strictly disciplining her brothers these days, and that Jia Huan had improved and was now studying diligently.

Jia Zheng was somewhat skeptical of this, because his two sons were cut from the same cloth, both lazy by nature from a young age and unwilling to study diligently.

I have been disciplining my daughter strictly for many years, but there has been no improvement. Do you think that just because my daughter has a ruler, Huan'er will suddenly become smart and willing to study?

Before Fu Shi arrived at the mansion, Jia Zheng went to Aunt Zhao's courtyard and unexpectedly witnessed something unprecedented.

Even though his son Jia Huan's injuries hadn't fully healed, he was actually reading the Analects of Confucius with great concentration, shaking his head as he did so, which astonished Jia Zheng.

In Jia Zheng's memory, he had never seen Jia Huan recite scriptures spontaneously without being urged.

He was overjoyed, never expecting his daughter to have such abilities, which truly made him feel gratified.

Later, when Fu Shi visited the mansion, he had always intended to use Jia Zheng's influence to curry favor with Jia Cong.

After inheriting two titles, Jia Cong went even further, ranking first in the imperial examination and being appointed as a Hanlin Academician, which made Fu Shi even more envious.

However, he held a minor official position and had no family background. His only advantage was that he had become a disciple of Jia Zheng and had a beautiful and talented younger sister.

He was well aware of his family's background and dared not hope that his sister could become the principal wife of a nobleman. He had heard rumors in the capital that the Earl of Weiyuan had a large number of beautiful maids and was known for his youthful charm.

My younger sister is a proper daughter of an official, and she is both talented and beautiful. If she can't be the principal wife of the Rongguo family, then can't she at least be a concubine?

Fu Shi is thirty-five years old. Although he is a scholar who passed the imperial examinations, he has only become a sub-prefect in the prefectural government. Due to his limited talent and family background, he is afraid that he will stop here.

He was extremely ambitious for official rank and power, and his mind was full of thoughts of seizing every minute.

As long as one gains favor and secures a promising future, sending one's sister to Rongguo as a concubine is truly a shortcut to success.

He also knew Jia Zheng's thoughts well. After only a few words, he showered Jia Zheng with compliments such as "discerning eye for talent," "nurturing a promising young man," and "family background of a scholar."

In short, everything he said and did was related to Jia Cong. Jia Zheng was a straightforward and honest man, so he was naturally fooled by Fu Shi and became very happy and confused.

He thought of Jia Huan studying diligently, and a glimmer of hope arose in his heart. He wished that his son would also produce a distinguished person, so that his reputation for virtue would be truly deserved.

However, he came from a prominent family and had a deep-rooted sense of distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Although he was very happy that Jia Huan was willing to study hard, he hoped even more that his legitimate son, Baoyu, could also study hard and achieve success.

……

This incident left Jia Zheng with lingering thoughts, and when he entered the large flowerbed to speak earlier, he saw Baoyu also there watching the opera, and naturally he was extremely unhappy.

Seeing him staring intently at the Fu family's daughter, with such a lewd and obscene expression, was a huge loss of face for everyone, and made Jia Zheng feel even more ashamed and furious.

The intermittent mania caused by the desire for his son to succeed, coupled with an uncontrollable surge of anger, made it impossible for Jia Zheng to tolerate any longer. He bluntly reprimanded Baoyu in court.

Jia Zheng's angry reprimand echoed in the grand hall filled with melodious opera music, sounding unusually harsh and cold.

Everyone was shocked and looked at the father and son. Jia Zheng was furious, and Bao Yu was so frightened that he was completely at a loss.

Having just paid her respects to Grandmother Jia, Fu Qiufang couldn't help but turn around and look back. Her gaze involuntarily fell upon the exceptionally handsome Jia Cong, and a blush rose on her pretty face.

Only then did she glance at Baoyu, and saw that he was fair-skinned and broad-shouldered, dressed in expensive and gaudy clothes, but had no bearing or appearance whatsoever, and a hint of disgust arose in her eyes.

Seeing him being reprimanded by his father in court, he showed no response whatsoever, only fear and panic, which was truly unbearable.

Just now, Baoyu was thinking about getting a pretty maid. If she could even give him her favor, that would be a rare and wonderful thing.

Now that everyone is watching him closely, he feels utterly ashamed, terrified, and has nowhere to hide.

Those watery eyes were like the most vicious sharp blades, instantly stripping him naked and exposing his entire face, making him wish he were dead... (End of Chapter)