Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, inner courtyard, covered walkway.

It was nearly noon, and the sky was bright and clear. The holly shrubs in the flowerbed outside the corridor, bathed in the warm sunshine, exuded a pleasant fragrance of grass and trees.

When Baoyu came out of the side room, he was still in shock, whether from excessive fright or for some other reason, it was unclear.

I felt completely empty, my legs were weak, and all my energy seemed to have been drained.

Even the dazzling sunlight made him feel dizzy, and he wished he could hide back in the dim light of the side room.

That day in Mengpo Studio, the absurd and blissful scene was shattered when Jia Zheng, the father, burst through the door, bringing with it the shame of joy turning to sorrow and the deep-seated fear.

When the three old women burst into the side room, it seemed as if they had descended upon him again, pressing down on his heart with unbearable weight, making him feel suffocated and as if he were about to die.

At this moment, he was like a frightened bird, sitting on a cusp of fear. Suddenly, he encountered someone in front of him. Even the familiar Xi Ren was startled.

……

Early this morning, Rongqing Hall sent a message saying that the palace maid Baoqin had come to the mansion to deliver New Year's gifts on behalf of the eldest daughter, and invited Master Bao to come and meet her.

Xi Ren and Cai Yun helped Bao Yu put on his new clothes and sent the maid Chun Yan to accompany him.

Not long after, the maid returned with news that Mrs. Xia and Miss Xia had come to pay their respects for the New Year and were about to enter Rongqing Hall.

When Xiren learned that Daiyu and the other young ladies were also in the hall, she knew best that Baoyu was still harboring feelings for Lin Daiyu and was also against the marriage proposal from the Xia family.

In the past six months, Baoyu has often caused trouble, and his words are often absurd and reckless, which not only offends many people, but also often makes him lose face.

Xiren was still quite apprehensive about such things. She was worried that if Miss Lin and Miss Xia bumped into each other, Baoyu would talk nonsense again, and everyone would be embarrassed.

She couldn't sit still in her room, so she got up and went to Rongqing Hall to find out what was going on, so that if Baoyu caused trouble again, she could intervene and stop him.

……

Unexpectedly, just as they reached the vicinity of the veranda, they saw several old women carrying a large table out of the side room.

No sooner had the old women left than Xiren saw Baoyu and a maidservant sneaking out of the side room in a flustered and furtive manner.

Although the maid looked somewhat unfamiliar and was not a maid of the Jia family, Xiren had seen her twice in the East Courtyard; she was none other than Baochan, Xia's personal maid.

When Baoyu was diagnosed with impotence, Xiren whispered to him at night and found out what he was thinking.

Knowing that he was having an affair with Baochan, and that Jia Zheng had caught them in the act, Baochan, in her haste and shame, kicked Baoyu hard, but the kick landed squarely on the ground.

Although the two of them didn't understand the reasoning behind it, it was from that time that Baoyu gradually started to decline.

Baoyu feared that his impotence would be exposed, making it impossible for him to live in the Jia family in the future, so he strictly ordered Xiren not to let the news out.

Later, when Baoyu and Miss Xia got engaged, Xiren dared not reveal a word about it, and even Lady Wang was unaware of it.

But every night when Xiren thought back to the Second Master becoming a cripple, and that she would have to live a life of widowhood, she had nowhere to vent her resentment.

They then placed all the blame on that Xia family maid, saying that if that wretched girl hadn't seduced the Second Master, such a disaster wouldn't have happened.

If there is anyone that Xiren hates the most, it is undoubtedly Baochan, Xia's personal maid who caused her to live as a widow.

……

Unexpectedly, when she went to find Baoyu today, she ran into Baoyu and Baochan coming out of the side room. Even if she were a fool, she would know what kind of shady business the two of them had been up to.

Second Master, despite his own incompetence and that of Caiyun, is now useless at night, yet he still manages to fool around with this wretched girl.

Even though Baoyu is now in a terrible state in bed, Xiren still does her best for him, but at this moment, resentment arises in her heart.

Are we all so worthless, while that lowly girl from the outer region gets such good treatment?

Baochan came to pay New Year's respects with her new grandmother. At such a critical juncture, when life and face were at stake, the Second Master still couldn't resist having an affair with her.

Even someone as earthy as Xiren was finding it hard to cope...

"How could you be so absurd, Second Master? Don't you even know what day it is? In broad daylight, you're fooling around with this wretched girl again. Have you forgotten how she harmed you!"

Baoyu looked embarrassed and said, "Sister Xiren, don't misunderstand. Baochan and I didn't do anything."

Xi Ren frowned slightly, her eyes filled with resentment. She took a handkerchief, stepped forward, and wiped Bao Yu's lips, leaving a bright red stain.

"Second Master, there's no need to hide it. You haven't wiped the rouge off your lips yet. Neither Caiyun nor I use this kind of stuff."

Baoyu's face stiffened, his expression extremely embarrassed. When he left, Baochan had helped him wipe off the rouge, but he hadn't cleaned it up properly...

……

When Xiren saw that Baoyu's face was flushed and his expression was awkward, she felt a pang of sorrow in her heart, a mix of emotions, and an indescribable unease.

She pulled Baoyu aside to a secluded spot and whispered, "How could you be so foolish, Second Master? You know your illness isn't cured yet."

If you get intimate with that maid from the Xia family, wouldn't that make her realize that the Second Master is impotent? If she were to let Miss Xia know, it could cause a huge disaster.

The marriage between Second Master and Miss Xia is about to fall through. To clear their name, the Xia family will surely spread rumors about Second Master's faults everywhere, using this as an excuse to annul the engagement.

"How will Second Master face anyone then? The second branch of the family will never be able to hold their heads up again. Second Master has been far too reckless, only caring about his own pleasure, and acting too recklessly!"

Upon hearing this, Baoyu's face turned deathly pale, but recalling his earlier flirtation with Baochan, he seemed unaware that he was impotent...

She said softly, "Sister Xiren, I know you care about me wholeheartedly, and I will never let you down."

Just now, Baochan and I were a little close... but those old women happened to come in looking for something, and we didn't have anything, we didn't, so she didn't notice anything amiss.

Upon hearing this, Xiren breathed a sigh of relief, but Baoyu's words that he would not betray her heart made her feel somewhat disgusted, something she had never felt before...

Xiren, shamelessly pressing for more information, was only relieved to find that Baoyu hadn't been seen through by Baochan.

If Baochan sees through the deception and reveals it to Miss Xia, a major incident will surely occur between the Jia and Xia families.

If Jia Zheng knew the reason behind this, he would have ordered his household servants to kill Baoyu, and even Xiren would have met a bad end. Her disappointment in Baoyu would have become a minor matter...

……

Xiren quickly pulled Baoyu back to the courtyard, saying, "Second Master, you should go back to your room and tidy up first, so as not to give anyone away."

The two returned to the main room of the courtyard, where Xiren personally fetched water for Baoyu to wash his face and changed all his clothes.

While tidying his clothes, he suddenly asked, "Where is Second Master's purse? I put it on him myself this morning."

Second Master hasn't left the outer courtyard yet today, and those shameless servants haven't had time to beg for his things. So where did he leave them?

Baoyu thought about it carefully, but he couldn't remember. It was just a small purse, and he didn't care about it at all.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the door, and Chunyan said, "It's Sister Emerald. Are you here to deliver a message to the old lady?"

Then Jade said, "The old lady's table has just been set out, and Miss Xia has also returned from the East Mansion. Everyone is waiting to be seated."

The old lady asked me to invite Second Master over.

……

Upon hearing this, Baoyu told Xiren that although Baochan hadn't seen through him, his impotence was his biggest worry, so he naturally felt very guilty.

He was still shaken by the fact that he had almost been caught in the act of creating the side room. The thought of how not only Miss Xia and Baochan were present in Rongqing Hall, but also his sisters made him hesitant to show himself.

She said, "Sister Xiren, why don't you just go out and say that I'm not feeling well and won't be attending the banquet?"

Xi Ren frowned and said, "How can this be? Miss Xia is the new mistress who is not yet married into the family. The old lady is hosting a banquet, so how can we leave out the second master?"

Besides, when the Second Master came out, he was perfectly fine. If he suddenly felt unwell, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?

If Miss Xia feels that Second Master was impolite and made her lose face in front of her elders, wouldn't that mean that the young couple would have a rift before Second Master is even married?

Second Master must not hide now; he still has to go and socialize. Just be careful what you say and never get involved with her maid in front of others.

I accompanied the Second Master there and waited outside the hall. When he felt this was inappropriate, he simply sent someone to fetch me.

Upon hearing this, Baoyu reluctantly agreed. Xiren helped him change into new clothes and informed Emerald before accompanying Baoyu to Rongqing Hall.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Miss Xia toured the East Mansion with Yingchun and Tanchun, and was delighted to see Jia Cong residing there.

As soon as she entered the East Mansion, she felt that there were beautiful scenes everywhere, which was dazzling and far superior to the old-fashioned luxury of the West Mansion.

The East Mansion is elegant and magnificent everywhere, exuding grandeur and the air of a scholarly and wealthy family.

Perhaps it was because Miss Xia loved the house that she felt the West Mansion paled in comparison to the East Mansion, and that being able to settle down here would truly bring her a lifetime of dignity…

Just as she was enjoying her stroll and was about to look around, hoping to run into Jia Cong and exchange a few words with him, she realized that her interest in sightseeing was growing.

Unexpectedly, things didn't go as planned. Yingchun and Tanchun led her around for a while, showing her around several scenic spots in the inner courtyard, before taking her to Yingchun Courtyard to serve tea.

This was not what Miss Xia truly desired. When she came to the Jia family to pay her New Year's respects, it wasn't for Grandmother Jia, much less for Baoyu; it was naturally for Jia Cong.

She hadn't had enough of exploring the East Mansion yet, and hadn't even run into Jia Cong, so who would want to come inside for tea?

However, since the welcoming of spring was conducted with strict etiquette, Miss Xia dared not say anything and could only patiently submit to being manipulated...

……

In fact, Yingchun and Tanchun didn't take Xia Gu Niang out for much sightseeing, but instead kept bringing her to the courtyard for tea. Although they were of one mind, they each had their own thoughts.

Yingchun had grown disgusted with her cousin because of Baoyu's frivolous behavior, which dared to covet his brothers' female relatives. In addition, the second wife harbored deep resentment towards her brothers.

She is now the eldest sister in charge of the East Mansion. Although she still speaks gently in daily life, she is exceptionally strong-willed when it comes to her brothers' reputation and the stability of the eldest son's family business.

He had already made up his mind to keep his distance from the second wife and minimize contact with her to avoid causing trouble for his brother.

In daily life, just maintain the superficial courtesy between the two families in front of the old lady, cut off Baoyu's thoughts, and leave Lady Wang with no opportunity to take advantage, so that everyone can live their own lives.

Although Miss Xia was kind and warm to her, Yingchun had been in charge of the household for a long time and her mind had become increasingly clear and shrewd. She would not be fooled by such superficial gestures.

After all, Xia was Baoyu's wife, and Yingchun didn't want to get too close to her, lest Baoyu have an excuse to get involved with the main wife.

Having this idea, she naturally wouldn't show Miss Xia the way; she would just casually wander around a few places in the inner courtyard, merely going through the motions.

……

As for Tan Chun, she had a different idea. Jia Cong had mentioned Miss Xia to her several times, and she knew that her third brother disliked her.

Moreover, the way Miss Xia looked at Third Brother was infatuated and unrestrained. Tan Chun understood the meaning behind it and became even more disgusted and disliked by her.

He was even less willing to take her to wander around the East Mansion, in case she became familiar with the place and caused trouble, which would be bad for his third brother.

The proper course of action is to simply dismiss her. After Miss Xia marries my second brother, she will naturally settle in the East Courtyard.

We only see each other a few times a year; that's the safest and most peaceful way.

Despite her reluctance to marry Baoyu, Miss Xia was still deeply infatuated with him. Her visit to the Jia family to offer New Year's greetings was also for a specific purpose.

However, she never dreamed that, due to various reasons, the sisters around Jia Cong had long been estranged from her, making it extremely difficult for her to achieve her wish.

……

When Baoyu entered Rongqing Hall, Yingchun and Tanchun returned with Miss Xia and joined him at the table. Everyone at the table had their own thoughts.

Because Wang Xifeng was the mistress of the house, and the women of the inner courtyard were having a banquet, Grandmother Jia didn't want to leave her out, so she sent Yuanyang to invite Wang Xifeng to the banquet.

After receiving a message from Yuanyang, Wang Xifeng took her maid Feng'er to Rongqing Hall, chatting with Yuanyang along the way.

Walking to the nearby covered walkway, I saw several old women gathered under the walkway, whispering among themselves in a mysterious manner.

Wang Xifeng, who was in charge of managing the household affairs, paid closer attention to the behavior of the servants than others.

A passerby asked, "In broad daylight, instead of going to your posts, you have time to chat idly here. I'd like to hear what you have to say..."

When the old women saw that it was Wang Xifeng, their faces changed drastically, and they were so terrified that they didn't dare to even breathe.

Every servant in the manor knows that Wang Xifeng is shrewd and ruthless, with a hundred tricks up her sleeve, and ten men combined are no match for her.

Now that she has become the mistress of the West Mansion, her power and influence have become increasingly fierce. Any servant who offends her will definitely not have a good ending.

Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up when she saw an old woman holding a purse that was brightly colored and exquisitely designed.

The old woman noticed Wang Xifeng's gaze and said with a forced smile, "Second Madam, we would never dare to be lazy. We only discuss things together when something happens."

A few of us went to the east wing to move tables and chairs. After we finished, we went to move chairs. By chance, we found this purse in the wing. It was a top-quality item.

They said these things mostly belonged to Master Bao, but we hadn't spoken to him regularly, so we weren't sure.

Besides, the east wing is a storeroom, a very secluded place with no one going in or out normally. How could such a distinguished master as Second Master go there...?

……

Wang Xifeng took the purse and rubbed it in her hands a few times. The moment she saw it, she knew it belonged to Baoyu, because she had seen him wear it before.

Among the young men entering and leaving the inner courtyard of the West Mansion, only Jia Cong and Baoyu were allowed to. Cong, the third son, was a proper man; he must have lost his mind to carry such a brightly colored purse.

Wang Xifeng, a shrewd woman who had been through countless trials and tribulations in the inner quarters of the household, immediately sensed that something fishy was going on.

She pointed at the old woman carrying the purse and said, "You come with me to the side room. Everyone else, disperse. If you dare to spread rumors, I'll skin you alive!"

At this moment, Wang Xifeng couldn't care less about attending the banquet. She took Feng'er and the old woman and rushed to the side room like a gust of wind.

The three entered the side room, and the old woman pointed out the place where they had found the purse, which was by a window near the door of the side room.

Wang Xifeng stepped forward to take a closer look and saw a strand of hair stuck to the window frame. She gently picked it up with her hand and found that the hair was quite long and had a faint scent of balsam flower hair oil.

Her smile was somewhat eerie. She picked up the strand of hair with her fingers and stuffed it into Baoyu's purse.

After scanning the area near the windowsill carefully, I noticed a glint of light in the corner of the wall. I squatted down and picked it up, only to find it was an earring.

Wang Xifeng, with her delicate fingers raised, gently swayed her earrings, her eyes filled with disdain and contempt.

He chuckled softly, "Today is the new bride's first day at the door, and he still dares to pull such a stunt. He's got a death wish..." (End of Chapter)