Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

The Earl's Mansion, Daiyu Courtyard.

Before dawn, candles were already lit in the main room and boudoir, and the room was filled with the fragrance of incense and perfume, warm and cozy as spring.

Daiyu, dressed in her nightgown, wearing a moon-white floral print cross-collar jacket and moon-white floral print trousers, walked back and forth in the room.

In recent years, with Jia Cong by her side, Daiyu's emotions and heart were at ease. She also received treatment from a renowned doctor, and her old ailments gradually subsided, no longer as frail as she had been in her childhood.

Although she has not yet reached the age of marriage, she has already grown into a graceful and elegant young woman, with a slender and plump figure, just like a budding spring branch.

The soft silk pajamas, bright and supple, accentuated her budding youthful beauty, making her slender waist and graceful figure appear exceptionally charming.

There were three boxes on the floor of the room, two small and one large, with various items neatly stacked inside. These were New Year's gifts sent by the Lin family from Yangzhou.

Daiyu was selecting gifts from the box, her expression delighted and full of interest. She then asked Zijuan to categorize and arrange the gifts on the desk.

Since Daiyu moved to the Jia family mansion when she was seven years old, Lin Ruhai would have Aunt Chen prepare New Year's gifts around the 20th of the twelfth lunar month every year and send them all the way to the capital.

The New Year's gifts were divided into two parts: one was specifically for showing respect to Grandmother Jia, and the other was for Daiyu to present to her elder sisters as a New Year's greeting.

This year's New Year's gifts were divided into three portions, one of which was specially given to Jia Cong.

The Lin family's actions were not only because Jia Cong had become the head of the family and his status was different from before, but also because they naturally became more cautious in their etiquette.

Furthermore, Lin Ruhai and Aunt Chen both understood each other and realized that their daughter had already fallen for someone else.

They were naturally happy to see it happen, but Daiyu was not yet of marriageable age and Jia Cong was still observing mourning, so there was still a long way to go.

……

Yesterday, Daiyu went to Rongqing Hall to pay respects to her maternal grandmother on behalf of her father, and this morning she got up to distribute gifts to everyone in the family.

Jia Zheng was not only Daiyu's maternal uncle, but also had a nurturing relationship with Jia Cong, so Daiyu naturally took him very seriously.

Following his father's instructions in his letter, he selected a few more dignified gifts, packed them in a small box, and prepared to send them to Jia Zheng and his wife.

He also selected a few more simple and elegant items and sent them to Madam Xing and Madam You, who lived in seclusion in the inner courtyard.

The other sisters of the same generation only sent gifts to make it a lively occasion, and the gifts they sent were all novel and ingenious items from Jiangnan.

On the long desk were four or five stacks of gifts, each stack containing writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, folding fans, paper umbrellas, sachets, seal stones, rouge, silk flowers, and other items.

With a smile on her face, Daiyu counted the gifts in her hands and murmured to herself, "These are for Second Sister, for Third Sister, and for Yun and Sister Xing."

There are also some for Sister Bao, and the last one is for little Sister Xichun..."

She opened one of the small boxes, looked at it carefully for a few moments, closed it, and said with a smile, "Zijuan, you and Xueyan carry this small box."

My third brother is off work today, so we went to visit him and deliver some gifts.

After finishing her work, she asked Zijuan to help her wash and dress, and after having breakfast, she got up and went out.

Although she herself was empty-handed, she was followed by several maids and servants, each carrying something in their hands.

On their way, they first went to Tan Chun's courtyard. Daiyu thought she would give Tan Chun a gift first, and then invite her to accompany her to the East Courtyard to give New Year's gifts to Jia Zheng and his wife.

But once inside the courtyard, it was eerily quiet. Just then, the maid Cuimo came out and asked, "Why is your young lady nowhere to be seen so early in the morning?"

Cui Mo smiled and said, "Miss Lin arrived a little late. She went to the East Courtyard early this morning, saying that the end of the year is approaching and she is urging Huan-ge'er to study hard."

Daiyu laughed and said, "Third sister is addicted to being a teacher. She won't stop until she turns her brothers into talented scholars."

She handed the New Year's gifts for Tan Chun to Cui Mo, and then went to Jia Cong's courtyard with Zi Juan and Xue Yan.

……

As soon as she entered Jia Cong's courtyard, she saw Qingwen and a maid tidying up the dishes on the table in the main room, presumably because everyone had just finished breakfast.

Zhi Shao came over from the other end of the veranda and said with a smile, "Miss Lin is here. Third Master is sitting idly in his study."

Hearing the noise in the study, Jia Cong asked, "Is it Lin Daiyu? Please come in and talk to her."

He saw Daiyu enter the room with a smile, accompanied by two maids carrying a small box.

He laughed and said, "I knew that my sister would send me something nice a few days before and after this time, just like every year."

I was really looking forward to this good thing. My sister has been incredibly generous this year; she actually brought me a whole suitcase! That's quite a favor.

Daiyu laughed and said, "It's nothing special, just a local product from Suzhou. It's just a festive gift for the New Year."

Jia Cong placed the small box on the desk, and the two of them fiddled with the items inside, chatting and laughing, quite content.

Daiyu smiled and said, "Actually, the best thing about Suzhou is its pastries and snacks. I loved them when I was a child, but my mother was worried that they would upset my stomach and damage my teeth, so she never let me eat too many."

However, the distance between the two places is far, and even in the dead of winter, these pastries cannot be preserved for long journeys; otherwise, we could satisfy our cravings.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "It's very easy for my sister to want to eat Suzhou snacks. You should have told me sooner."

There's a restaurant called Liuxiangju in the city that makes very authentic Suzhou-style pastries. I'm going back home today to buy a bunch for my sister.

……

Daiyu, curious, asked, "Third Brother, isn't today your day off? Why are you going out?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "That was originally how it was, but with the peace agreement between the two countries finalized yesterday, I, as the peace agreement clerk, have many more things to do."

I need to go to the Huitong Hall later, and in the afternoon I need to go to the palace with Lord Gu to meet the Emperor. Even this day off won't be peaceful.

However, it's still early, so I can chat with my sister and steal some leisure time.

I know my sister is going to deliver New Year's gifts to the master. Recently, Qin Yong's incident happened in the East Courtyard, and it's been in chaos there.

The second wife probably felt uncomfortable too. If her younger sister goes to deliver gifts, she should have her third younger sister accompany her; that way, someone can help her out if they encounter any problems.

Daiyu smiled and said, "I thought of this a long time ago. I went to find my third sister just now, but she went to the East Courtyard early this morning, and I just missed her."

Third brother, there's more to Qin Yong's affair than just this in the East Courtyard lately; there's been a lot of gossip circulating in the West Courtyard too. Haven't you heard anything about it, third brother?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Someone told me this before, but since this topic has been raised, Second Sister-in-law and the Old Madam will not sit idly by; they will handle it themselves."

In reality, for such a large household, a few dozen taels of silver a month is not much, even if one were to be frugal.

I do know the origin of my sister-in-law's twenty taels of monthly allowance, since she is a widow and also supports Lan, so the Jia family has a responsibility to provide for her.

The old lady, out of consideration for her and her son, allowed her to take over the monthly allowance for Brother Zhu, which was then increased to twenty taels. There was some reason for this.

Besides, my sister-in-law is a kind and honest person. She doesn't fight or compete with others, and she's a very easy person to take care of.

However, people are all different, and not everyone is like her; there will always be those who covet her.

If family rules are not strict, people will take chances and have unrealistic expectations, thus stirring up trouble. This is the fault of not managing the family properly.

Actually, the rumor came about rather coincidentally. Second Sister-in-law is a skilled housekeeper; we don't need to worry about her, just let her do her job..."

Daiyu was a clever and insightful person. After hearing Jia Cong's meaningful words, her bright eyes lit up, and she suddenly understood.

But they didn't say anything, since this matter involved the elders of the second branch of the family, and there were certain things to avoid saying due to etiquette.

The two chatted for a long time. Yinglian brought in Jia Cong's official robes, and Daiyu took the opportunity to help Jia Cong put on his robes and see him off to run his errands.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Baoyu Courtyard.

At dawn, Xiren, along with her maids Chunyan and Jiahui, was taking advantage of the rising sun to air out the freshly washed undergarments.

Xiren asked, "Chunyan, go knock on the door and ask if Second Master has gotten up yet."

Chunyan said, "Sister Xiren, Caiyun was on night duty last night and there's no movement now, so she's probably still asleep. What would it mean if I went to wake her?"

Second Master has been in a bad mood these past few days; if you anger him, he might start yelling.

Xiren frowned and said, "This Caiyun is becoming more and more out of line. Since she is keeping watch in the room, she should wake the Second Master up earlier."

"Men who stay in bed late are not allowed to do that in our household. The sun's practically beating down on the bedside; that wouldn't sound good if word got out."

Just as Xiren was about to knock on the door herself, a figure flashed at the courtyard gate, and a slender maid entered.

She wore a moon-white cotton-lined jacket with a dark floral pattern, over which was a blue satin vest with quilted edges, and a light green pleated skirt. Her waist was slender, her eyebrows and eyes were beautiful, and she looked graceful and charming.

Xiren asked in surprise, "Sister Yuchuan, why are you here so early? Did Madam send you to deliver a message?"

Yu Chuan smiled and said, "It wasn't Madam who sent the message, but Master who asked me to do so."

……

Xi Ren's heart skipped a beat. Whenever the master sent a message to the second master, it was usually about studying.

A few days ago, the Second Master went to the Grand Hall to watch a play, but was severely scolded by the Master, who reprimanded him for not studying diligently even though he was supposed to go to the Imperial Academy after the New Year.

The conversation had only been going on for a few days, and it hadn't even cooled down yet. Sending Yuchuan over to deliver a message so early in the morning—it couldn't possibly be anything good.

Yu Chuan said, "Today, Master is on leave. He sent me to deliver a message to Second Master, asking him to bring his books to the East Courtyard. Master wants to test his teaching skills."

Upon hearing this, Xiren's expression changed, and she secretly groaned inwardly, for what she feared most had come to pass.

Since the day Second Master was scolded in the main hall, he was so frightened that he spent two days reading books after returning home. It's unknown whether he actually absorbed anything from them.

By the third day, he stopped pretending at all, spending his time either wandering around, teasing the young girls, or reading leisurely books.

Now he's even lazing in bed, how is he supposed to take the lessons like this...?

Yu Chuan stopped at the entrance of the main house and refused to take another step forward, as if she were facing a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

She was often instructed by her older sister Jin Chuan that she should not get involved with the men of the second wife's family, and should keep her as far away as possible to avoid bringing bad luck and trouble upon herself.

With her elder sister serving as a cautionary tale, Yu Chuan was naturally very wary.

Moreover, every time Baoyu saw her, he disregarded the rules of the household and called her "Sister Yuchuan" in a sickeningly sweet manner, which gave her goosebumps.

Even without her sister's earnest admonitions, she would never dare to provoke them lightly.

She said, "Sister Xiren, please tell Second Master to hurry up and get ready to go to the East Courtyard. If we delay, Master will get angry."

Xiren's face stiffened, and she laughed, "Why doesn't Master send a servant to run errands, but instead sends Sister Yuchuan to fetch you personally?"

Yu Chuan said helplessly, "Last time, Master sent Granny Wang to deliver a message, but before Second Master even left the house, the old lady already knew the news."

So this time I'm the one who's here. Sister Xiren, please don't trick me. Let me take the Second Master away.

If the old lady stops me again, I'll be punished by the master when I get back."

Xi Ren smiled bitterly to herself. The master certainly knew how to pick people to pass on messages. This little girl spoke without mincing words, hitting people right in the heart. Now she couldn't even pass on the message.

Xiren smiled apologetically and said, "I'll go in and tell Second Master right away that it's too cold outside, and that Sister Yuchuan will be warmer in the side room."

Yu Chuan said, "I'm fine. I'll just stand here and wait. Sister Xi Ren can go and call the Second Master."

Seeing that she was methodical and unyielding, Xiren realized that it wouldn't be easy to fool her, so she had no choice but to go inside and call someone.

……

As soon as they entered the room, they saw Caiyun hurriedly getting dressed, and Baoyu just getting up, though he looked somewhat flustered.

She asked, "Sister Xiren, I heard Yuchuan's voice, and I also heard her mention the master. Did the master summon me?"

Xiren said, "Master asked Second Master to go to the East Courtyard to test his teaching skills. Second Master is too casual. The sun is already up, and he doesn't even know to get up earlier."

Caiyun was becoming increasingly absurd. "Since you're here to serve the Second Master, you should be in charge of his schedule. What if you harm your health by acting like this?"

Caiyun's face flushed red. She thought to herself that Second Master had been pulling strings and making empty promises all night. At most, he would be sleep-deprived. How could he possibly harm his health?

But he said, "Second Master is clinging to me. I need to be able to get up. If I hadn't heard Master's name, I would still be crooked."

Baoyu's face turned pale, and he said in a panic, "I haven't been feeling well these past few days. I can't remember anything even if I study hard. How can I possibly pass the exam? Master will definitely beat me to death."

Caiyun saw that Baoyu's face was pale and his forehead was covered in cold sweat, which looked rather frightening. She was afraid that this would trigger Baoyu's mental illness.

She quickly said, "Sister Xiren, how can Second Master be seen in this state? I'm afraid he'll fall ill before he even reaches the East Courtyard. Let's find an excuse to get rid of Yuchuan."

Xi Ren said, "Don't you know that girl well? She's a very honest person and not easily fooled."

Seeing Baoyu's condition, Caiyun's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said, "Let Second Master pretend to be sick and say that he caught a cold from the wind last night."

Look at Second Master, his face is pale and his forehead is covered in sweat. Doesn't he look like he's sick?

Baoyu hurriedly said, "Caiyun is right, I am indeed sick. My legs are weak, I'm sweating profusely, and I'm almost useless..."

Xi Ren sighed helplessly and said, "That's all we can do. We'll just have to take it one day at a time. Second Master, please take my advice and put more effort into your studies from now on."

Yu Chuan's voice came from the doorway: "Sister Xi Ren, is Second Master ready? We should hurry, Master is waiting."

……

After a while, Xiren led Yuchuan into the room. When they reached the door of the inner room, Yuchuan stopped and looked towards the bed.

They saw that Baoyu was leaning against the bed, his face was pale, his head was covered in sweat, and he looked sickly.

Xiren said, "Sister Yuchuan, Second Master kicked off the covers while sleeping last night, and this morning he has a fever and feels very uncomfortable. I'm afraid he won't be able to go to the East Courtyard."

Yu Chuan said, "Judging from Second Master's appearance, he has caught a cold. I will go back and report back truthfully."

After Yu Chuan finished speaking, she turned around and left, disappearing from the room in an instant. Seeing how swiftly she left, as if she didn't want to stay a moment longer, Xi Ren couldn't help but feel a little strange.

When Baoyu saw Yuchuan leave, he breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a thousand pounds of pressure had been released from his heart, and he felt truly refreshed.

Yu Chuan walked briskly outside the courtyard gate, hurrying to leave the inner courtyard of the West Mansion, but she was also a smart woman and couldn't help but feel a little confused.

Second Master looks like he's sick. Caiyun's clothes are disheveled and her hair isn't combed; she looks like she just got up.

Since the Second Master is ill, Caiyun should have gotten up early to serve him. The fact that she's still in this state is quite alarming; she's not a new maid...

Although she had some doubts, Xiren said that Baoyu was sick, so how could she say that he wasn't sick?

She was merely running errands and relaying messages; she would simply return and give a truthful reply, leaving the master to make his own decision.

……

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard, Aunt Zhao's Courtyard, East Wing.

Tan Chun wore a light blue round-necked robe embroidered with chrysanthemum branches. Her slender waist was graceful, her demeanor elegant, her eyebrows and eyes charming, and her red phoenix hairpin shimmered slightly in the morning light.

In front of her lay the handwritten copy of the Analects of Confucius, but she did not open it. She still held the ruler in her hand, listening intently as Jia Huan recited it.

After several days of recuperation, Jia Huan's injuries to his hip and back had greatly healed, and he was now able to stand and walk without any problems. He was standing in front of the desk reciting his lessons.

He recited the text much more fluently than last time. Although there were a few pauses, he finished reciting it smoothly without missing a single word, which surprised Tan Chun.

She said, "Your recitation this time is much better than last time. Your aunt said you've put in a lot of effort these past few days, and you should continue to do so in the future."

"As long as you make progress every day, little by little, like water dripping on a stone, you will surely make progress."

Tan Chun selected a few more excerpts and asked Jia Huan to explain the annotations. Although he stammered, he did not make any mistakes.

Tan Chun asked a few more probing questions, and Jia Huan was somewhat defeated. Tan Chun understood that his understanding was limited and that he was just memorizing the handwritten annotations.

She sighed inwardly, but then she thought that she had seen her third brother studying a lot, and she always felt that studying should be so elegant and brilliant.

But scholars like the third brother are extremely rare; not everyone can be like him.

Although Huan'er's reading is still somewhat rough, it's much better than last time, and I shouldn't be too eager for quick results.

……

When Aunt Zhao saw that Jia Huan had finished reciting his lessons, and that Tan Chun hadn't scolded him or hit him with a ruler, she happily pulled Tan Chun to the main room.

He asked, "Third girl, has your brother made progress this time? He's been really studying hard these past few days, always engrossed in his books, almost to the point of obsession."

Tan Chun said, "He has improved since a few days ago. It's thanks to Auntie's careful supervision. If he can continue like this, he will eventually succeed in his studies."

Aunt Zhao looked delighted and asked, "Third girl, if this boy studies like this in the future, will he be able to pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi? That would be a blessing from our ancestors' graves."

Tan Chun laughed and said, "Auntie, your ambition is too high. The Jinshi degree is one in ten thousand among scholars. It is not something that can be obtained easily."

Huan'er doesn't have the talent of her third brother, so I really don't dare to dream of her becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations); it's extremely difficult for her to achieve that.

If he could study hard for a few years and pass the imperial examinations to become a scholar, that would be a realistic possibility, and even then, it would be enough to make his concubine look respectable.

Aunt Zhao smiled and said, "You are a capable girl. Since you say it's promising, you will most likely be able to earn this respectable position as a concubine."

I'm not greedy. As long as Huan'er can be more successful than Bao Yu, I'll be content. Let's see if anyone will still call her a concubine's daughter then.

Hearing this, Tan Chun didn't know how to respond. She frowned and said, "Auntie, you should keep an eye on Huan'er. Don't involve Second Brother, or you'll cause trouble."

Aunt Zhao said, "I know you are cautious, but you don't need to be so careful. There have been a lot of accidents in the East Courtyard recently, and things could get very chaotic."

"You frequent the western part of the city, haven't you heard the recent gossip?"

……

Upon hearing this, Tan Chun's heart skipped a beat, but she said, "Since it's just gossip, Auntie must not pay attention to it, nor should she spread rumors."

Aunt Zhao laughed and said, "I would never flaunt anything, but I am just chatting with my daughter about these unusual things, which are actually quite reasonable."

The Jia family was a wealthy and powerful clan, and their patriarchal laws and etiquette were considered natural and proper. Where there is injustice, there will always be someone to trample on it.

The second wife is now considered a concubine, and the wife is treated like the first wife and housekeeper, which is extremely unpleasant to hear about.

If this donation isn't made, where will we put Cong-ge'er after he gets married?

Just wait and see how many disgusting things those foul-mouthed women from the Eight Houses of Shenjing will say.

There's also the matter of Zhu'er's wife's monthly allowance. That's another topic. Lian'er's wife only gets ten taels of silver a month, while she's the head housekeeper's wife..."

Aunt Zhao was by nature a gossip and chatterbox. She didn't do any serious work, but she was extremely useful at finding out gossip.

She didn't step out of the East Courtyard gate, but she knew all the rumors circulating in the West Mansion in great detail, without missing a single one, and she didn't know how she managed to do so.

……

Tan Chun saw that her aunt was talking non-stop, her eyebrows dancing, and the gossip she was rambling on about was even more detailed than what she had heard herself.

He frowned and said, "Madam, you should shut up. Since it's Madam's gossip, others can chatter away, but you can't say a word."

She is the mistress of the second wife. Even if the concubine doesn't care about her status, she still has to consider me and Huan'er. If the mistress finds out, how will the concubine maintain her position in the future?

Now that Sister Feng is in charge of the West Mansion, she will take care of any gossips from the servants there.

Even if Sister Feng couldn't make up her mind, there was still the old lady and her third brother above her.

Why should we be so nosy? Auntie, you should be more discerning. Huan'er has finally settled down to study and will be entering the Imperial Academy after the New Year.

This is our most important matter. If, because of your gossipy aunt, something unexpected happens and it jeopardizes Huan'er's future studies, I will never speak to you again!

Aunt Zhao was a little flustered when her daughter retorted, and said, "You always have so many reasons. I'll listen to you and won't say it again."

No sooner had the two finished speaking than the door was suddenly pushed open, and Jia Zheng entered, his face full of anger, his eyes seemingly blazing with fire.

Tan Chun's expression changed drastically, and she stood up abruptly. Aunt Zhao's voice trembled as she said, "Master, I didn't hear any footsteps. How did you get here?"

Jia Zheng angrily said, "If I hadn't come, I would still be kept in the dark. I'm busy with official duties every day, and I rarely concern myself with family matters."

Since you all know these details, why didn't any of you tell me?

If these rumors get out of the manor, what will become of the Jia family's reputation? How will I ever face anyone again! (End of Chapter)