Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

The incense burner brings warmth, the fragrance of incense fills the air, and at the beginning of the new year, family members chat idly, which should be a relaxed and pleasant time.

Unfortunately, the struggles for honor and disgrace, rise and fall, within the gates of powerful and influential families are far beyond what ordinary households can compare to. As a leading figure in the inner quarters of the household, Grandmother Jia naturally understands the intricacies of this situation deeply.

Aunt Xue smiled slightly upon hearing Grandmother Jia's words. Although the old lady was getting on in years, her mind was still sharp and shrewd, and she was truly unambiguous.

She knew that the second branch of the family had fallen on hard times and that she favored her youngest son and Baoyu, so she weighed and balanced everything to prevent the second branch from being too neglected.

Now that the eldest branch of the Jia family is as stable as Mount Tai, the old lady's methods can only prevent the second branch from being too embarrassed; they are of no use whatsoever.

However, the elder sister lacked the old lady's shrewdness and mostly relied on the old lady's ideas, thinking that the second branch could turn the tables. That would be truly foolish.

When Baoyu heard the old lady mention the word "marriage," his face turned bitter, and he felt a surge of sorrow. His round, white face showed signs of grievance.

He hates it when people refer to him as their biological child, especially in front of his sisters, but no one in his family knows about this sentiment.

Every now and then, she would stab him in the heart with a knife, making him miserable, wishing he were dead, and utterly ashamed.

He looked at Daiyu and Baochai with deep affection and melancholy in his eyes, hoping that the sisters would also feel pity and resentment, so that they could empathize with him.

But they saw Baochai drinking tea, and Lin Daiyu talking to her second sister, seemingly unconcerned about the marriage proposal.

It must be because the family talked too much about marriage, which the sisters had become accustomed to, and they considered themselves to be vulgar and unwilling to pay attention, thus becoming increasingly distant.

They didn't consider that if Jia Cong hadn't lost his master, he would have been betrothed by the palace long ago, and wouldn't he be just another ordinary person? He was just lucky...

……

When Lady Wang heard Grandmother Jia mention the second branch of the family, she breathed a sigh of relief and immediately felt a sense of pride.

He smiled and said, "Although Uncle Baoyu is quite busy with official duties, he has already sent word that he will come to visit on the second day of the Lunar New Year and also wish the old lady a Happy New Year."

When Grandmother Jia heard about Wang Ziteng, she looked a little uncomfortable, but for the sake of her daughter-in-law's face, she could only smile and say "okay" in a perfunctory manner.

Aunt Xue, however, had a clearer perspective from the sidelines. She noticed the displeasure that Grandmother Jia was trying to hide, the indifference in her brother-in-law's expression, and Cong-ge'er's expressionless face.

Aunt Xue had lived in the Jia family mansion for many years and had long heard about the incident at Grandmother Jia's birthday celebration and the false accusation against Jia Cong.

The Jia family had severed ties with the eldest brother. The reason why the eldest brother failed to gain control of nine provinces was because he lost the Jia family's support.

But in retrospect, the Jia family can't be blamed for this; it was their sister-in-law who was too domineering and left no room for compromise.

In recent years, my elder brother has tried his best to salvage the situation. Every year during the Jia family's festivals and banquets, he would visit them with great respect.

However, Cong-ge'er and his brother-in-law did not change their minds because of this; they merely maintained superficial politeness to each other and were unwilling to get involved with their elder brother any further.

Rumors circulated in the capital that the eldest brother's position as the military governor of the capital garrison, while seemingly prestigious, was merely a facade.

It is said that his military power has long been usurped by the palace, and he will probably remain in a nominal position until he dies.

Last year, when my elder brother visited Pear Fragrance Courtyard, he knew perfectly well that the Xue family and Cong-ge'er were not a good match and that Baochai could not be the legitimate wife, yet he still showed his intention to match them up.

My brother is so desperate and at his wit's end that he's even considering using Baochai as a matchmaker...

Although Aunt Xue knew in her heart that if her brother's career took off, it would be of great benefit to the Xue family, she would not use her own daughter's marriage as a bargaining chip because of this.

……

Lady Wang smiled and said, "Yesterday, Madam Xia sent someone to deliver a message that the Xia family and the Jia family have become related by marriage, although Baoyu and Miss Xia are not yet married."

However, the Jia family has an elderly matriarch of noble status, and it is also the end of the year; the Xia family cannot be impolite. On the second day of the new year, they should pay their respects to the matriarch as juniors.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Although the Xia family is a family of imperial merchants, their rules and etiquette are meticulous, no less than those of aristocratic families. Madam Xia is a very particular person."

I had a pleasant New Year. Cong-ge'er has now achieved great success, and Bao-yu will soon be settling down and starting a family. There are many happy events in the family.

I've met this Miss Xia a few times; she's excellent in both appearance and character. Last time she came to deliver a Mid-Autumn Festival gift, which shows her considerable knowledge and talent.

"With such a daughter-in-law, the second branch of the family will have another strong support, and Baoyu will be able to hold his own in public with such a wife. This is truly excellent."

……

Hearing Grandmother Jia's cheerful words, Jia Cong felt a strange unease. He hoped that the old lady's high spirits were as she wished...

Grandmother Jia smiled at Yingchun and said, "Tomorrow, the Xia family's relatives will be coming. You sisters should also come and sit down. From now on, we'll be sisters-in-law, so it'll be good for us to get to know each other and have a lively time together."

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong involuntarily frowned, but this subtle expression went unnoticed by others.

Tan Chun's mind was entirely on Jia Cong, and since she happened to be sitting opposite him, she immediately noticed him.

She had a sudden realization. Her third brother had mentioned to her more than once that Miss Xia was not an easy person to get along with and seemed to be quite distant from her.

She noticed more than once that Xia's gaze towards her third brother was always strangely intense.

Whenever Tan Chun recalls that burning gaze, she can understand its meaning to some extent, and she feels quite unhappy.

Miss Xia is the wife of my second brother. What right does she have to look at my third brother like that?

Third Brother must dislike Miss Xia and doesn't want the sisters to get close to her, which is why he frowned. We can simply avoid her; it's not difficult.

……

Yingchun had never heard Jia Cong mention Miss Xia before, so she naturally didn't know the details. When Grandmother Jia brought it up, she didn't pay much attention to it.

He said, "Since the old lady has given the order, my sisters and I will come to visit."

When Baoyu heard Grandmother Jia mention marriage, he was already quite embarrassed. He didn't expect the Xia family to come and pay their respects for the New Year. The matter was getting more and more heated, and there was no attempt to cover it up.

The old lady even had her sisters entertain the guests. If people like Lin Daiyu and Baochai were to become familiar with Miss Xia, wouldn't they be even more likely to give up on her?

In front of her sisters, she felt increasingly worthless, truly relegated to the status of an outsider, a vulgar creature despised by them. Such humiliation was worse than death...

Tan Chun smiled and said, "Miss Xia will be my second sister-in-law from now on. When she comes to pay New Year's respects to the old lady, we sisters will naturally come to see her."

I'm afraid that on the second day of the Lunar New Year, there will be many guests coming and going at the East Mansion, and my second sister and sister Lin will be busy and may not be able to leave for a while.

Otherwise, I'll keep you company and we can talk. My second sister and the others can come over when they have some free time."

……

Yingchun and Daiyu were both puzzled by these words. The sisters had a tacit understanding and both realized that Tanchun was trying to make an excuse for them.

Although the reason is unknown, everyone knows that Tan Chun is shrewd and perceptive. She must have her reasons for saying such things. We will find out when we return to the manor and ask her in detail.

Moreover, Daiyu already disliked Baoyu and was afraid that he would talk nonsense and pester her, so she kept her distance from him as much as possible.

Miss Xia is Baoyu's wife and someone he has a close relationship with. If I get close to Miss Xia, and Baoyu uses this to get involved, wouldn't I be asking for trouble?

Therefore, Daiyu was delighted with Tanchun's excuse and was quite pleased with it.

Last time, Baoyu stopped Ping'er from entering the room, which Yingchun witnessed firsthand. She also heard that Baoyu had fantasized about Wu'er.

Yingchun cherishes her younger brother dearly, but Baoyu, with his impure thoughts, covets the people around his brother. She has long harbored a dislike for her cousin.

Naturally, she wasn't very interested in getting close to Baoyu's wife, but when Tanchun spoke up to help her out, she naturally went along with it.

Yingchun smiled and said, "Third sister is so thoughtful. I forgot for a moment that there were many guests coming to the East Mansion on the second day of the month, and I was indeed very busy with various tasks."

"But it's not a big deal. Let my third sister come and keep me company for now. Lin and I will come later when we're done with our business."

……

When Baoyu heard Tanchun's words that Daiyu could not come to accompany Miss Xia, he felt greatly comforted.

That would be best, so he wouldn't lose face in front of Lin Daiyu. As for whether it was a self-deceiving alarm clock, that wasn't something Baoyu was considering...

He was only happy for a moment when he suddenly felt something was wrong. It was perfectly legitimate for his second sister to help Jia Cong with household chores.

How come even Lin Daiyu is helping him manage household affairs? What kind of logic is this? Jia Cong is truly blessed.

He's truly beyond redemption. He's abducted all the sisters to the East Mansion; it's incredibly domineering and outrageous.

They even committed such shameless acts, making Lin Daiyu, a person of exceptional talent and status, do his dirty and mundane affairs.

Such desecration of a daughter is truly outrageous...

"Sister Lin has always been frail. It is proper for Second Sister to take charge of receiving and managing the guests at the East Mansion. Sister, why bother? Take good care of your health and don't overwork yourself."

……

Wang Xifeng almost burst out laughing when she heard Baoyu's careful words and obsequious tone.

He glanced at her with disdain. This Baoyu was already a married man, yet he was still trying to get close to a young lady. Last time, Lin Daiyu's few words had driven him crazy and made him look like a complete fool. Had he forgotten?

Don't let Lin Daiyu's gentle and refined appearance fool you; if you get her temper in check, her little mouth can be as sharp as a knife.

Wang Xifeng's heart stirred, recalling the intimate moment when Daiyu fed Jia Cong wine at the New Year's Eve banquet the night before.

She couldn't help but look at Jia Cong, her gaze filled with inquiry.

Jia Cong slowly put down his teacup and said, "Baoyu, what you said is wrong."

Upon hearing the familiar tone, Wang Xifeng felt a surge of joy, her eyes darting back and forth, and she immediately became very interested.

Jia Cong said, “My four mentors are all great Confucian scholars of our time, and they have always valued etiquette the most. They will not lower themselves to visit me.”

But those who came to visit were all their close relatives and nephews. These peers were all older than me and most of them were already married. To show respect, they all brought their female relatives with them.

Even colleagues in different departments mostly did the same, to show that they were like family.

Second Sister has many household chores to manage; how could she possibly handle entertaining these ladies of officialdom? Sister Lin, coming from a scholarly family, is perfectly suited to help.

……

Upon hearing this, Baoyu's face turned bright red. He felt that something was wrong and that it was absurd, but he couldn't find the words to refute it.

Jia Cong passed the imperial examinations repeatedly, achieving the highest rank and shining brightly in the examinations. Bao Yu outwardly dismissed him with disdain, but inwardly he felt extremely insecure and had no ability to argue with him.

Besides, her master was still by her side. If she dared to speak recklessly, her master would probably lash out, and she would lose face in front of her sisters...

Hearing Jia Cong's words, Wang Xifeng was secretly delighted. Not afraid of making things worse, she enthusiastically added fuel to the fire.

He laughed and said, "Brother Bao is still young and doesn't think things through very well. Brother Cong is very filial now, unlike you who can get married in three months. He has many conveniences than you."

For example, if you have guests visiting, the female relatives accompanying them will be received by their younger siblings, including Miss Xia who is not yet married into the family.

Brother Ke Cong isn't as fortunate as you are right now. There's no matriarch in the East Mansion to manage things, so he has to rely on his sisters to help out. There's nothing he can do about it..."

…………

As Jia Cong listened to Wang Xifeng's words, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. Her words seemed warm and friendly, but in reality they were cunning and vicious. Did she want to stir up trouble and make things worse?

Daiyu smiled slightly and said, "What Third Brother and Sister Feng said makes a lot of sense."

My third brother is unmarried, and when distinguished female guests come to our house, we sisters naturally help with the socializing.

When my father passed the imperial examination, he served as an imperial censor at the Lantai Temple, which is now the Censorate. My father was able to take up his post thanks to the support of Minister Chen of the Ministry of Personnel.

Back when my father was an official in the capital, he treated Lord Chen with great respect. I saw the visiting card my third brother received; it was Lord Chen's son and daughter-in-law who came to pay their respects.

I am my father's daughter. Not only should I help my third brother with the arrangements, but I should also fulfill my duty to my father, so as not to betray his kindness and generosity in the past.

Seeing that Daiyu spoke so politely and slowly, and that she was very much like Cong Laosan in her manner, Wang Xifeng couldn't help but smile.

Wang Xifeng didn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on.

Baoyu noticed that Daiyu spoke eloquently and spoke with great interest about officialdom and career, and seemed to enjoy helping Jia Cong with household affairs.

His heart was breaking, filled with grief and indignation, and he felt like he was about to collapse. He longed to sing a long lament, but with his father Jia Zheng present, he dared not act recklessly.

My heart is filled with endless sorrow. Lin Daiyu has stayed in the East Mansion for too long, and has been defiled and poisoned by Jia Cong. The stench of greed has seeped deep into her. How can I save her...?

……

Jia Zheng laughed and said, "I never expected that my brother-in-law and Lord Chen would have such a connection. Such a selection and promotion in officialdom is truly extraordinary."

I remember the year my brother-in-law passed the imperial examination, Lord Chen was appointed as the Director of the Selection and Recommendation Department of the Ministry of Personnel, which was responsible for the selection and recommendation of officials.

Given the karmic connection between the two families, Lin Yatou should indeed fulfill her duties of courtesy and properly assist Cong Ge'er.

He turned back to look at Baoyu, his smile gone, and said with a stern face, "Officialdom ties and family friendships require strict adherence to etiquette; how could you possibly understand that?"

"You've completely lost your sense of manners and etiquette, you shameless brat! If you dare to spout nonsense again, you'd better watch out!"

……

Seeing that her husband was scolding and lecturing their son in front of everyone, showing no mercy to him, Madam Wang felt very distressed and aggrieved.

But not daring to offend his father, he couldn't help but feel frustrated.

She couldn't help but resent her son. They were about to get married, yet he still had his eye on Lin girl, trying to win her over.

This Lin girl is ungrateful; not only does she not appreciate Baoyu's kindness, but she also says these sarcastic things.

Doesn't she know that Baoyu is born with a deep affection for his family and can't stand gossip about officialdom and career? She's clearly taking advantage of Baoyu's honesty, just as despicable as her mother!
When Grandmother Jia saw that everyone was having a good time talking about family matters and was quite happy just now, how did it suddenly go off track and become a son lecturing his grandson? She couldn't help but rub her forehead.

She said, "Cong-ge'er is unmarried. When female relatives come to the East Mansion, the sisters will naturally have to take care of things. Er-ya only has one mouth and two hands, how can she manage to do it all?"

It's common practice in the family for Lin Yatou and San Yatou to help out; it's not a bad thing to see many female relatives of officials of the same generation helping out.

He then said to Jia Zheng, "Baoyu is still so young. If he speaks inappropriately, you, as his father, should gently teach him. It's not worth being stern during the New Year."

After hastily mixing the paste, Grandmother Jia changed the subject and asked, "Feng'er, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Which old friends have come to visit?"

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "There are quite a few people here today, all from noble and prestigious families. There are about six or seven groups of them."

There is Niu Jizong, grandson of Zhenguo Gong Niu Qing, who currently holds the title of First-Class Earl; and Liu Fang, grandson of Liguo Gong Liu Biao, who currently holds the title of First-Class Viscount.

Ma Shang, grandson of Duke Zhiguo Ma Kui, inherited the title of Third-Rank General Weiyuan; Hou Xiaokang, grandson of Duke Xiuguo Hou Xiaoming, inherited the title of First-Class Viscount.

Shi Guangzhu, grandson of the Duke of Shan, has not yet received a title, and Chen Ruiwen, grandson of the Duke of Qi and General of the Mighty Guard…

……

On the first day of the first month of the sixteenth year of the Jiazhao reign, in Donggang Town.

The fiery red dawn illuminated the earth, the whole town was deathly still, filled with a heavy stench of blood, corpses were everywhere in the streets and alleys, the snow was crimson, a gruesome sight.

The town was filled with patrolling Mongol cavalry, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the air, sending shivers down one's spine.

Last night, a huge noise came from the Fuyun Restaurant, which startled many townspeople and caused quite a commotion in the town.

Fearing that the townspeople would panic and flee, causing news of the fall of the military granary to leak out, Sun Dali quickly mobilized troops to seal off the town and ruthlessly issued a kill order.

More than 900 civilians, regardless of age or gender, settled in Donggang Town. Overnight, most of them were slaughtered, and the entire town was like a living hell.

……

The nearest village to Donggang Town is five li away, and the area under the jurisdiction of the county government is even fifteen li away.

It is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and no merchants will come to the town. Most of the town's population has been slaughtered, and the survivors have been taken away and guarded.

The news of the fall of Donggang Town will be strictly blocked for two days and will not be able to get out at all.

However, by the third day of the Lunar New Year, the town's residents' relatives and friends would surely come to the town to pay their respects, and the news of the fall of the military granary might not be able to be kept secret.

Therefore, Sun Dali dispatched many scouts to patrol within two miles of the town. Whenever they encountered anyone who had traveled from afar to enter the town, they were killed on the spot to ensure that the news was not leaked.

……

The surviving able-bodied men and women in the town were driven to the military granary to move grain; their future fate was to be abducted to the grasslands and enslaved.

Fully loaded grain carts drove out of the granary one after another, escorted by Mongol cavalry, heading towards the north of the town.

The military granary was full of 650,000 dan of grain, and it would take more than a few days to move it all away.

Transporting them intact to the border region would be an almost impossible task, and such a large-scale transport of grain could not possibly go unnoticed by Zhou's army.

But Sun Dali seemed confident, mobilizing manpower and vehicles to move military rations from the air force's grain depots.

……

The Fuyun Restaurant in the town burned down in the middle of the night. The fire has been extinguished, leaving only ruins, thick black smoke, and a pungent, acrid smell.

Sun Dali examined the charred corpses in the ruins and asked, "Are you sure Chen Ruichang isn't among these people?"

A man nearby said, "Since the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, I led my men disguised as a merchant caravan to check into the inn, and coincidentally, Chen Ruichang also checked in at the same time."

I was instructed to keep an eye on this person, and I did so by paying close attention to him daily, which is why I remember his appearance clearly.

Although he stayed at the inn, he rarely returned to spend the night there, suggesting that he had other accommodations.

Last night we surrounded the shop, set it on fire, and shot people. I checked the military officers in the shop, and Chen Ruichang wasn't among them. I couldn't have been mistaken..." (End of Chapter)