Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Xuanfu Town, southeast of Donggang Town.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, like torn cotton wool, falling ceaselessly, blurring the view and instilling a sense of gloom in the heart.
As a military officer of the Five Military Commands, this was not the first time Chen Ruichang had escorted grain supplies on the northward grain route.

He was a frequent traveler along this grain route, but being assigned to escort grain this time made him very unhappy.

As the second grandson of the eldest son of the Duke of Qi's family, his appointment as a military officer in the Five Armies Commandery was not the usual path for the eldest son.

Thanks to the connections of Duke Qi, Chen Yi, Chen Ruichang received considerable favors in the Five Military Commands and was given many lucrative and advantageous positions.

The daily transport of grain to border towns was safe and risk-free because the grain routes were within the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the officials in charge of transporting grain could easily accumulate merit.

However, with the Lunar New Year's Eve approaching, escorting grain supplies northward has become a difficult task, as the journey is long and it is destined that they will not be able to return to Beijing for the New Year.

The military officer who was supposed to be on duty to escort grain was from a poor family. This was supposed to be a tough job for him, but unexpectedly, he fell seriously ill.

Among the officials in charge of transporting grain, Chen Ruichang was the only military officer of the same rank. Even though he was a son of a duke, he dared not be so arrogant as to push the difficult task onto his superiors.

So he had no choice but to transport grain northwards during the Lunar New Year, which was a bad time for him. He was sullen and unhappy the whole way, and nothing seemed right to him.

That day, he finally delivered thirty cartloads of grain to the destination. He planned to find a familiar prostitute that night to vent his frustration and relieve his pent-up anger.

As the convoy passed the northern end of the town and soon arrived at the grain storage area in the valley, his gaze inadvertently swept across the area and he seemed to see a familiar face by the roadside.

But the man was carrying a bamboo basket with his head down, his hands were black, and his clothes were old and worn. He looked like a shop assistant. How could I possibly get acquainted with such a lowly person?

Chen Ruichang looked somewhat dazed as he stared at the heavy snowfall that obscured his view, and subconsciously shook his head.

Thinking back on my bumpy journey, I was quite exhausted, and my vision started to blur...

……

After the grain convoy left the town, the cloth shop owner who was watching the commotion said, "Boss Sun, why haven't we seen any grain being transported from the north lately? We've only seen grain being transported from the south."

Mr. Sun casually remarked, "A while ago, various border towns came to deliver grain, and half of the granary in the north of the town has already been emptied."

The imperial court has regulations stipulating that all military grain warehouses must maintain a reserve of grain in preparation for unforeseen circumstances.

So the north didn't come to collect grain, and the grain deliveries from the south continued uninterrupted. Once the granaries were full, the north would then come to collect more.

Mr. Chen, the owner of the fabric shop, suddenly realized and laughed, "Mr. Sun is truly knowledgeable and understands the regulations of the imperial court. I admire him."

Mr. Sun's face stiffened slightly, and he laughed, "What kind of insight is this? I was just talking nonsense, just repeating what I heard. Mr. Chen, just take it as idle talk."

When he returned to the shop, one of the shop assistants came up to him. This man was upright, had a refined appearance, and had a few specks of soot on his face.

He said, "Dali, every time a grain convoy enters the town, I calculate carefully. This grain convoy is the last one before the end of the year."

Once their grain is stored in the granary, the military granary will be full, and the military town will definitely send out grain teams to collect the grain in the next two days.

After half a month of planning, I have determined the approximate number of troops stationed in Datong and Xuanfu, as well as the rate at which food is consumed.

Once the message reaches beyond the pass, it will greatly assist in troop deployment there, and our mission will be accomplished.

Mr. Sun's eyes flickered, and his expression changed from the sturdy and smooth manner he had when chatting idly with the fabric shop owner to a sinister and unpredictable one.

He said, "You must leave the town immediately and personally deliver the message to the Sun family's spies along the way, clearing away any obstacles and making preparations."

It's only 120 li from here to Yaozikou by fast horse, a journey that can be completed in a day. As long as you pass on the message, we can have a good New Year.

I'll sell the remaining stock in this shop for another two days, then I'll close the shop. Just be patient and wait!

……

Shenjing, Rongguo Mansion, Rongxi Hall.

As the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month passed, both the East and West Palaces were cleaned and decorated anew, and the New Year atmosphere became increasingly strong.

The family's elders and relatives began to visit each other, which is a common practice among prominent families to maintain close ties around the end of the year.

Officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty had a ten-day holiday at the end of the year, following the old system of the previous dynasty. Long holidays were set for officials on the Winter Solstice, New Year's Day, and Lantern Festival.

Because these three festivals are close in time, the imperial court, based on the old rules of the previous dynasty, combined the three holidays and made adjustments.

Between the 19th day of the twelfth lunar month and the 20th day of the second lunar month each year, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau would calculate and select auspicious days, which would then be submitted to the Emperor for his approval.

As was customary, the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty issued an edict to grant officials holidays and rest periods for the year, which lasted for more than twenty days.

Before the New Year holiday, all government offices would hold a sealing ceremony, and the seals would be unsealed and the offices opened after the holiday, in order to mark the auspicious occasion of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new.

However, the sealing was merely a formality. During the ten-day holiday at the end of the year, officials from various government offices were on duty to handle daily official business during the holiday.

Starting from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, officials' holiday break had already begun, and Jia Cong, Jia Zheng, and others were already resting at home.

The firearms workshop outside the city closed on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, having completed the manufacture of more than 500 breech-loading guns since the beginning of November.

By the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, the firearms workshop had produced an additional 189 breech-loading muskets, bringing the total number of new breech-loading muskets to over 700.

Upon hearing the news, Emperor Jiazhao was overjoyed and issued an edict to grant the officials and craftsmen of the firearms workshops double their salary for the twelfth lunar month, and also rewarded them with a large amount of pigs, sheep, rice and grain.

As the head of the firearms workshop, Jia Cong was bestowed with a hundred taels of gold, tribute silk, and imperial wine by the emperor as a sign of honor.

……

In recent days, Rongqing Hall has been frequently visited by female relatives of family friends. As officials are on holiday for the year-end, many sons of prominent families also come with their female relatives to visit.

Jia Cong, Jia Zheng, and other male officials, according to the seniority and etiquette of their respective families, each stepped forward to entertain the guests.

Rongxi Hall, which was usually quiet, became noisy at the end of the year.

Xiao Hong, with her slender and graceful figure and radiant spirit, moved around the hall.

She wore an embroidered crimson floral jacket with a lace collar, a pink stand-up collar jacket with a side opening, and a light blue pleated skirt. She looked bright and pretty, and her face was beaming with joy.

She was busy assigning maids to clean the hall, serve tea and water, guide guests, and relay messages, all in a very orderly manner.

After she became the manager of Rongxi Hall, she became Jia Cong's head maid in the West Mansion, holding a high position among the maids.

In addition, she was quick-witted, clever and capable, which earned her the approval and praise of Jia Cong, and even Wang Xifeng thought highly of her.

However, Jia Cong rarely came to Rongxi Hall. Although she was the head maid here, she was quite idle and even a little bored.

Although she often visited the East Mansion to chat with old acquaintances like Musk Moon to relieve her boredom, Jia Cong was at the yamen during the day, and unless it was for important business, the two did not see each other often.

These past few days, due to the New Year's Eve celebrations and entertaining guests, Jia Cong has been frequently visiting Rongxi Hall, spending half a day there each day, which naturally keeps Xiao Hong busy as well.

……

At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), two scions of prominent families arrived together: Chen Ruiwen, the eldest grandson of Duke Qi, and Liu Fang, the grandson of Duke Li, Liu Biao, who was a first-class viscount.

Both of these men were direct descendants of the Eighth Master, and were of the same generation as Jia Cong. As the head of the family, he naturally received them personally.

Among the eight young masters, these two were considered ambitious, but due to the taboos associated with their aristocratic family status, they only held sinecure positions, resulting in a stagnant career path. They had always wanted to obtain a respectable and substantive position.

Those around him knew that although Jia Cong did not hold a high official position, he was a young master from a prominent family and one of the few people who had won the emperor's favor.

Both families' elders have made it clear that, given their long-standing family ties, they should become closer to Jia Weiyuan.

Today, taking advantage of the officials' holiday and the year-end visits, they went to Jia Cong's residence to chat and get acquainted, hoping to build a foundation for their official careers.

As the year drew to a close, such attempts to win him over came almost daily, which Jia Cong found quite tedious; he simply put on a show of enthusiasm to deal with them.

I originally wanted to take advantage of the long holiday to relax at home for a few days, but due to my current status, I really don't have the luxury of taking a break.

……

While serving tea and engaging in social interactions, Jia Cong was adept at handling these tasks and sometimes even became quite talkative, though he felt somewhat bored.

But Xiao Hong, who served him, listened with great interest, her big eyes sparkling with admiration.

Although she was born intelligent and quick-witted, she was originally just a third-class maid in Baoyu's room, responsible for feeding birds and watering flowers. Confined to the inner courtyard, she had little experience.

Since becoming Jia Cong's head maid, she often accompanied Jia Cong to Rongxi Hall to entertain guests, where she heard many novel conversations and learned principles she had never heard before.

At that age, she was extremely curious and clever, so she was naturally dazzled and mesmerized by the new world she had never been to before.

I feel I've really followed the right master; I've truly learned a lot.

That is why, when Baoyu harassed and pestered her that day, she uttered a bunch of talk about official career and economics, scaring him away in a panic.

Even now, when Baoyu sees Xiaohong, he is still afraid and avoids her from a distance, feeling very disappointed and contemptuous of her.

But Xiao Hong was not ashamed; on the contrary, she was proud, feeling that she had improved a lot by serving Third Master for only a few days.

Those seemingly profound truths, she could easily utter them to leave Master Bao speechless with just a few words; she's really quite capable.

……

Just as Xiao Hong was listening to Jia Cong chatting with someone with great interest, she saw Musk Moon enter the courtyard.

She wore a long, reddish-brown satin jacket with a cross-collar, over which was a white jacket with a cross-collar, and a white cotton skirt. She had a slender figure and walked with light steps.

She stopped at the entrance and said, "Third Master, the banquet in the side hall is ready. We can take our seats and entertain our guests."

When Jia Cong saw that it was Musk Moon, he was a little surprised, but he didn't think too much about it and invited Chen Ruiwen and Liu Fang to take their seats.

When Jia Cong led his men out of Rongxi Hall, Xiao Hong saw Musk Moon smiling broadly.

Curious, she asked, "Why does my sister have to relay this message? Wasn't it said that you were to accompany Second Madam to manage the New Year's sacrificial affairs in the West Mansion?"
"Why don't you just send a young girl to run errands instead of taking the time to do it yourself?"

Musk Moon smiled and said, "I've almost finished with my business, and I happened to have some free time, so I came over to run an errand and have a chat with you."

She pulled Xiaohong to sit on the veranda outside, glanced at her face, and couldn't help but smile. She said, "Look at you, your face is full of joy, like you've gotten a great deal. It's not even the New Year yet, and you're already this happy."

"You're always listless when I come over, but you're only feeling good because Third Master has been coming over a lot these past few days, aren't you?"

Xiao Hong chuckled and said shamelessly, "You're absolutely right. Third Master is handsome, and I'm happy just looking at him. What's so strange about that?"

Which maid in the West Mansion doesn't act like this? These past few days, Third Master has been entertaining guests frequently, and these maids have been taking detours to pass by Rongxi Hall, as if they think no one can tell.

Since they all seem so eager to see Third Master, and I am his proper maid, I should naturally do the same.

……

Musk Moon chuckled, her pretty face slightly flushed, and said, "Shameless brat, you're shameless enough, but you still speak with such self-righteousness."

After the two joked and laughed for a while, Xiao Hong said, "A few days ago, there was a rumor in Rongqing Hall that Second Madam said that Zhi Shao, Wu'er, and Ping'er had entered the room."

Yinglian and Lingguan are from outside the family, and the only proper maidservant by Third Master's side is Sister Qingwen, who is somewhat improper. Her words implied that Third Master should have more maidservants.

"You were on business at the East Mansion, and you were always around Second Mistress, yet you didn't hear a word about whether Third Master has taken a fancy to any maids?"

Upon hearing this, Musk Moon's heart stirred slightly; she had naturally heard about this topic before.

I've been hanging around Wang Xifeng these past few days and have overheard some rumors, so I have a pretty good idea of ​​what's going on.

However, since this matter concerned Rongqing Hall and there was still no word of it, she dared not tell anyone.

He laughed and said, "You greedy thing, so many people envy you for being the head maid of Rongxi Hall, yet you are still not satisfied."

So, seeing how handsome the Third Master is, she's truly bewitched. She'd become his bed-making maid just to get what she wants; she's shameless!

Xiao Hong retorted, "Sister Musk Moon, don't you know that being Third Master's personal maid is a very advantageous thing?"

The Third Master not only doted on the maids around him, but also taught them to read and write. It is said that all the maids around him are well-versed in poetry and literature.

Even with her fiery temper, Sister Qingwen is literate, which is something many people envy.

Third Master is a top scholar in the imperial examination and a Hanlin scholar. If I could have him teach me to read and write, my life would be worthwhile. I could show off like that even when I'm old. What a prestigious thing that would be.

"If I couldn't be his personal maid, how could I possibly benefit from reading and writing?"

……

Musk Moon laughed and said, "Why do you, a maid who does errands, have to study and write? Do you want to take the imperial examination for female scholars?"

Xiao Hong sighed, "Sister Musk Moon, a maid can't be a servant forever. When she gets old, she'll eventually be sent away to get married."

The thought of getting married and then returning to be a housewife is just unsettling and utterly meaningless.

But if they learn to read and write, the situation will be very different. Third Master now has a large and powerful family business, and I heard that he also owns a Xinchun Company outside.

Such a large business is entrusted to a young lady to manage, especially Miss Qu who often sends gifts to the mansion. You tell me how much Third Master favors his daughters.

Now I'm also Third Master's maid, but I'm completely illiterate. Even if he likes me, I feel so ashamed.

Musk Moon smiled and said, "What you said makes sense. It is certainly a good thing to be able to read and write, but you don't necessarily have to be a maid in Third Master's room."

Qingwen had a fiery temper and couldn't stand being wronged since she was a child, but she was good at needlework and was attentive and considerate to her master, so she was made for the job of a maid.

But you are different. You are clever, quick-witted, decisive, and eloquent. You were born to be a manager.

It's a waste of your talent to just have you make the bed for Third Master. You don't need to be by Third Master's side to have him teach you to read and write.

"Third Master has been in the hall these past few days. If you have a chance, try to persuade him. He's easy to talk to, he'll definitely agree..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hong's eyes lit up, and she said, "How come I didn't think of that? That's definitely a good idea."

She sighed and said, "But it would be even better to be both a personal maid and have the Third Master teach me to read and write."

Musk Moon couldn't help but burst into laughter, pinching Little Red's cheek with her hand and saying with a smile, "Let me give you a good pinch, just how thick is your skin..."

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

The incense burner in the hall emitted musk, the tea was warm and fragrant, laughter filled the air, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

With the Lunar New Year's Eve approaching, not only do many of the older female relatives from various families come to visit, but even the female relatives and sisters-in-law from the seven branches of the Jia family often come to Rongqing Hall to pay their respects to Grandmother Jia.

As proper daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law, such as Madam Wang and Li Wan, they naturally had to visit each other daily to observe family etiquette.

A few days ago, rumors were rampant in the West Mansion, which made Madam Wang very embarrassed and angry. However, seven or eight days have passed, and all that can be heard is thunder, but no rain has fallen.

Madam Wang's tense nerves relaxed considerably, and she felt that her guess was correct. It must be that the old lady felt sorry for her husband and stopped the matter halfway through.

At least during the Lunar New Year period, this disgusting matter will not be brought up. Given the old lady's wealthy and pampered nature, she would never allow anyone to disturb her joyful New Year celebrations.

So, after hiding in the East Courtyard for a few days, seeing that things were calm in the West Courtyard, Lady Wang felt relieved and began to show her face there again.

……

Coincidentally, not long after Lady Wang and Li Wan sat idly, Marquis Zhongjing, Li Shi, came to visit, and Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, also came along, which made Grandmother Jia very happy.

Shi Ding was the nephew most valued by Grandmother Jia. The hereditary title of Marquis of Baoling in the Shi family was inherited by his second nephew, Shi Nai.

My nephew Shi Ding was unremarkable in his youth. After growing up, he joined the Fifth Army as a captain. After years of hard work, he only rose to the rank of lieutenant general.

Not only was he unknown in the Five Armies Camp, but he was also a nobody among the scions of various prominent families in the capital.

Yet this seemingly unremarkable junior possesses remarkably astute insight.

When the current emperor was still a prince, he was just an ordinary prince, a figure who was overlooked compared to the brilliant Prince Wu of yesteryear.

For some unknown reason, his little nephew had taken a liking to the Prince of Qi, who was then a prince, and was now wholeheartedly devoted to serving and supporting him.

When scions of powerful families choose a side to side with, they either remain neutral and don't bet on either side, or they choose to align themselves with the strongest.

Back then, Jia Jing, the head of both the East and West mansions and a member of the Hanlin Academy, was no exception.

Since Jia She and Jia Zheng had no official positions and were mediocre in talent, they either stayed at home in idleness or indulged in debauchery, showing no inclination to serve the country or seek refuge, thus avoiding much trouble.

……

Back then, among all the princes, the King of Qi had the most mediocre birth mother and the most mediocre talent and reputation, so no one would choose him as their bettor.

However, his nephew Shi Ding was on good terms with the Prince of Qi, which made him a laughing stock among the sons of noble families in the capital.

It wasn't until sixteen years ago, when a dramatic change occurred in the capital, that Prince Qi rose to prominence, and his nephew Shi Ding finally gained recognition.

After the current emperor ascended the throne, he conferred the title of Second-Class Marquis of Zhongjing upon the previously unknown deputy general of the Five Armies.

When the upheaval in Shenjing took place, the bloodshed and turmoil were all kept secret by the imperial court, who remained completely silent.

The older generation, including Grandmother Jia, would not believe that someone could be granted a marquisate and noble title simply because he was a young attendant of the Emperor.

The title of Zhongjing is worth more than a thousand gold pieces. It cannot be honored without merit for following the emperor.

But what exactly Shi Ding did to help the emperor rise to power seems unclear to everyone, and he himself never mentioned it...

Regardless, he was granted the title of Marquis through his own efforts and held a high military position for many years.

Shi Ding later surpassed his predecessors and became the undisputed mainstay of the Shi family, which naturally made Grandmother Jia value him highly.

……

Grandmother Jia knew that Shi Ding held an important position and was usually very busy with official duties, so he could only visit her a handful of times a year.

Grandmother Jia was naturally pleased that he had come to visit her, and she originally intended to ask Jia Cong to come and keep her company.

After all, his nephew Shi Ding had always gotten along well with Jia Cong, and the two supported each other in officialdom. They were familiar with each other and had plenty to talk about.

In addition, since Grandmother Jia had Xiangyun's marriage in mind, she invited Jia Cong back to speak and show his face, thus demonstrating the goodwill between the younger generations of the two families.

He simply sent Yuanyang to deliver a message, but when she returned, she said that Third Master was hosting a banquet and since the head of the household's grandson couldn't get away, he naturally sent his son to keep him company.

Then, he sent Jade to the East Mansion to convey a message, inviting Shi Xiangyun and Tan Chun to come over and talk with their respective elders. The Jia and Shi families were close relatives, so the female relatives did not need to be too discreet.

When Jia Zheng entered the hall, he and Shi Ding began their conversation. The topic of women naturally lingered on the younger generation and their offspring.

Li Shi habitually praised Jia Cong, but habitually didn't mention Bao Yu at all.

After all, when Madam Li came to visit last time, Baoyu made a fool of himself by kneeling in public, a fact that was known to all the noble families in the capital.

Li, who frequented high society circles, knew all about the countless taunts and ridicule she had secretly incurred.

Asking her to praise Baoyu to his face again felt like going against my conscience...

Since it's not appropriate to praise the second son of the main wife, one should naturally praise the second grandson of the main wife, thus saving face for one's aunt.

She smiled at Li Wan and said, "It's the end of the year, where is your Lan'er? That little one is so adorable, where has she gone to play this time?"

Tan Chun smiled and said, "Auntie doesn't know, Lan'er is young but sensible. Every morning she gets up and does her homework for an hour and a half. She is still studying hard in the East Courtyard."

Madam Li smiled and said, "It was Cong-ge who set a good example, earning the reputation of being from a Hanlin family and setting a good example for the children of our family."

Even before she was a child, Lan'er already knew to study hard; she was sure to have a bright future.

Lady Wang was somewhat pleased to hear this, but the thought of Baoyu made her uneasy, and a bad premonition arose in her heart… (End of this chapter)