Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Sister Feng's Courtyard.

When Xiren saw that Wang Xifeng was about to expose the matter, she was so frightened that she couldn't help but kneel down on the ground with a thud.

Wang Xifeng's harsh words shattered his attempt to conceal the truth, causing his defenses to crumble completely.

She pleaded, "Second Madam, this matter must not be exposed. If Master finds out, Second Master Bao will be dead."

If word gets out, the marriage between Second Master and the Xia family will definitely fall through, and how will Second Master face people after that?

Second Master is still young and acts recklessly without any sense of proportion. Second Madam, please forgive him this time, otherwise he'll be completely ruined.

As Xiren spoke, she kept kowtowing to Wang Xifeng, which moved Lin Zhixiao's wife, who was standing to the side.

She sighed inwardly. Although Xiren was quite outstanding among the maids, she was much more muddle-headed than Miss Ping and Miss Liu.

Second Madam didn't actually know whether the earring belonged to Baochan; she only deduced that it should be hers.

Second Madam was just trying to trick her, but she panicked and blurted out whatever came to mind...

……

Seeing that Xiren was still loyal, Wang Xifeng hardened her heart and said, "You won't shed tears until you see the coffin, but now you're willing to admit it."

Xiren quickly said, "I admit it, I admit it. It was all the Xia family's maid who was despicable. She seduced Master Bao several times, and the young master couldn't resist the temptation."

Second Madam has let Second Master off the hook this time. I will definitely persuade him properly, and Second Master will never dare to do it again next time.

When Wang Xifeng saw that Xiren had been fooled by her, she actually told the truth, and then heard Xiren mention several times that she had tried to seduce Baoyu.

She was surprised. Could it be that Baoyu and this wretched girl had been fooling around before, and that they had a previous affair? She just didn't know where they had done it...

I thought Mrs. Xia was a very capable person because she was in charge of the imperial merchant business, but I didn't expect her to be a complete idiot.

She didn't even notice that her own maid was being abused by Baoyu. Not only did she marry her only daughter to Baoyu, but she also lost a fortune. She was truly a sucker.

Wang Xifeng wanted to get to the bottom of things, but now was not the right time, so she had to suppress her gossipy nature.

……

Now that Xiren's mouth has been shut, the matter of the side room has been settled. Even if Xiren sounds pitiful, she will not let Baoyu off easily.

Regardless of how many methods she used in the past six months, she couldn't get rid of this precious little thing.

Now that Jia Cong knows about Baoyu's affair, he is extremely disgusted with him and has Ping'er convey a clear message: he wants Baoyu to get out of here as soon as possible.

Moreover, his aunt was still unwilling to give up, wanting to use Baoyu's long-term residence in the West Mansion to entangle herself with the eldest son's family business.

Wang Xifeng had already gotten Baoyu out of the Rongguo Mansion to put an end to her aunt's hopes. Now that she had such a golden opportunity, she was determined to act decisively.

He said, "Since you have told the truth and admitted to this matter, I will give you some face and you can leave this matter undisclosed to the old lady and the second master."

But this matter cannot be left unresolved, otherwise if everyone acts recklessly like this, even dirty and smelly women will mess around, and what kind of family tradition and discipline will there be?

Since we won't discuss this with the Second Master, we'll have to talk to the Second Madam. We must establish a plan. Aunt Lin, go and invite the Second Madam to speak with us."

Upon hearing this, Xiren felt a chill in her heart. Since the Second Mistress hadn't told the Second Master, he had escaped a calamity and temporarily saved his life.

But if the madam finds out about this, she'll probably be furious. And since I'm part of the second master's household, I'm afraid I'll be implicated too…

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

The banquet hall was filled with laughter and chatter. The visiting ladies, all experienced and shrewd housewives, were skilled and friendly in their conversations.

When the women gathered together, their conversation would always veer off to their descendants and children.

The ladies who brought their daughters to visit would always subtly praise their daughters, saying things like they were still unmarried, virtuous, and gentle.

The ladies who didn't bring their daughters would inevitably steer the conversation toward Jia Cong, showering Jia Mu with compliments and praising him to the skies.

These were social skills that noblewomen were well-versed in, each with its own purpose, which both Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang were fully aware of.

Although Madam Wang was very dissatisfied, she was also very clear in her heart that the ladies' words and tactics were all aimed at implicating Jia Cong.

Back when this young man hadn't yet gained any influence, these wealthy ladies would come to visit, praising their precious Baoyu in every word they spoke.

Lady Wang looked at the two beautiful young ladies from noble families, feeling a pang of envy and longing. However, her Baoyu was already engaged...

If Wang Xifeng were present, given her status as the matriarch of the Rongguo Mansion, she would undoubtedly be the second focus of the banquet, while Madam Wang would simply be an unnoticed side dish.

Fortunately, Wang Xifeng had to leave, and as the only Jia family lady present, Madam Wang received some of the courtesies and pleasantries expected of a noblewoman.

Lady Wang's heart, which had been cold and barren, was suddenly filled with joy, like rain after a drought. She became engrossed in chatting with noblewomen, as if her status had been elevated.

Just as Madam Wang was feeling comforted and full of confidence, seemingly having once again become the mistress of the Rongguo Mansion,

……

At this moment, Lin Zhixiao's wife suddenly entered and whispered a few words in Madam Wang's ear, causing her expression to change instantly.

She was initially delighted, but in an instant, her joy was shattered. With a forced smile, she complained to Grandmother Jia and the female guests at the table, saying that she had some household chores to attend to in the East Courtyard.

Grandmother Jia didn't care when she heard this, and the noble ladies present were even less concerned. As a woman from a minor branch of the Jia family, she had no right to sit at the same table with them.

If Cong-ge hadn't never married, his birth mother hadn't died young, and his stepmother hadn't been a simpleton, how could he have ended up with a concubine's aunt in this world...

Madam Wang walked out of Rongqing Hall, her face extremely pale, and asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened? How did this happen?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife said indifferently, "Yesterday, someone found Master Bao's purse and a daughter's earring in the side room of the granary."

Second Madam initially thought it was that woman in the inner courtyard who shamelessly seduced Second Master. Since it involved the inner family's reputation, Second Madam naturally wanted to find out the truth.

I questioned all the maids and wives in the inner courtyard, but I didn't find anything suspicious. However, someone recognized at a glance that the earring belonged to Baochan, a maid from the Xia family.

Everyone knows that Master Bao and the Xia family's maid did something improper in the side room yesterday, without anyone having to say it.

The Second Madam was naturally furious about such a disgraceful act to the family, so she summoned Xiren to ask her about it. Xiren originally wanted to cover for Bao Er Ye.

However, Second Madam is such a shrewd person that she can't get away with lying to Xiren's face. She can't withstand the accusations now.

Second Madam intended to consult with the Old Madam and Second Master about how to handle the matter, but Xiren knelt down and begged to stop her, so Second Madam summoned Second Madam to discuss it.

……

Upon hearing these words, Madam Wang was so ashamed that she wanted to disappear into the shadows, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.

The composure and self-satisfaction he had just felt at the banquet, after being greeted by several noble ladies, vanished instantly.

Although she was annoyed by her son's absurd actions, she hated even more that wretched maid who had harmed her precious son, Baoyu, time and time again.

Last time in the study of the East Courtyard, Baochan seduced Baoyu into having an affair with her, but the master caught them in the act, which almost led to Baoyu being beaten to death by his father.

Now she's luring Baoyu to the side room again, fooling around in broad daylight. She's a shameless scoundrel.

Baoyu, a perfectly good young master from a prominent family, has been ruined by this vile woman's instigation...

This Xiren is useless. It's a waste that I value her so much. She's so cowardly. She was scared by Feng'er a few words and she confessed everything.

If she were truly loyal to her master, she should have refused to confess even if it meant dying. Now she's given him ammunition to use against her. What a useless, good-for-nothing girl.

……

Fortunately, Xiren still had some conscience and knew that this matter was too serious to be known by the old lady and the master.

If the master finds out about this, he will surely beat Baoyu half to death.

If things escalate and the Xia family hears the news, Baoyu's marriage will be called off, and the reputation of the second branch of the Jia family will be ruined.

There's something even more serious: if the old lady finds out about this, outsiders will start gossiping, and even if the old lady dotes on Baoyu, she might start to dislike him...

If Baoyu loses the old lady's favor, the second branch of the family will lose half of its foundation, and no one in the Jia family will care about him anymore. What chance will he have of turning things around?

Thinking of all this, Madam Wang felt a great sense of panic. Wang Xifeng had seized this opportunity to discuss the matter with her, which clearly indicated that she had ill intentions.

……

Lady Wang entered Feng Jie's courtyard with a troubled mind. As soon as she lifted the curtain and entered the inner room, she saw Xi Ren kneeling there, while Wang Xi Feng leisurely drank her tea.

She frowned slightly and said, "Feng girl, how could such a thing suddenly happen? Baoyu has always been well-behaved and would never be so absurd."

"Xiren, with me here, don't panic. Speak clearly so you don't say anything incoherent in your haste."

Wang Xifeng covered the teacup and said with a cold laugh, "Second Madam, you'd better not say such things. We found Baoyu's purse and Baochan's earring in the side room."

These are undeniable items; I wasn't the only one who saw them. This whole day has seen a huge uproar, with many maids and wives in the inner courtyard being questioned.

Even if Xiren isn't summoned for questioning, this matter absolutely cannot be concealed.

What kind of shady business could a lone man and woman be up to in a secluded side room? It would be beneath my dignity to even speak of it. Brother Cong entrusted his family business to me; I would never dare to be careless about such a matter.

In the morning, Aunt Lin questioned the maids and wives, and Wu'er and Ping'er were also walking around in the courtyard, so they all knew everything.

They are Cong's wives; now that they know what happened, they will definitely tell Cong. Even I can't stop them.

If the second wife tries to cover it up, she won't be able to shut up so many mouths. If the servants start gossiping, it will be even harder to control the situation.

This involves illicit affairs within the inner quarters, which concerns the reputation of the Jia family. The Second Madam insists on clearing herself of the matter, and I can no longer bear the consequences. I can only report it to the Old Madam and the Second Master for handling.

If Second Madam doesn't believe this, there's no need to ask Baoyu. I'll have Aunt Lin take the earrings to the Xia family and find out the truth."

……

Lady Wang originally intended to use her seniority to stir up trouble and muddy the waters, but since Xiren had her backing, she might just recant her testimony.

Even if Wang Xifeng wanted to cause trouble, she would hesitate to act rashly. Only by putting the other woman at a disadvantage could she find an opportunity amidst the chaos and smooth things over.

She hadn't expected Wang Xifeng to be so shrewd, managing to shut down all the possible avenues with just a few words.

Unexpectedly, Wang Xifeng acted insidiously and had already stirred up the matter into a great deal of trouble, with even the servants in the inner courtyard having heard the news.

Even if the servants in the manor were talkative, it was still easy to keep quiet, but since even Jia Cong knew about this matter, the situation was quite different.

Although Jia Cong did not object to Baoyu's words and actions, Lady Wang was not oblivious; she knew that Jia Cong disliked her Baoyu.

They probably wish Baoyu would move out of the West Mansion and have no regard for the kindness the master had shown him.

Now that someone has found fault with Baoyu, given the boy's cunning and resourcefulness, he's bound to cause trouble.

The master has always trusted him, and if he were to reveal this matter to the master, my Baoyu would be in trouble.

Not to mention that if Wang Xifeng took the earring to the Xia family to inquire, it would expose Baoyu's affair, ruining his reputation and making it impossible for him to live in the future.

……

As Madam Wang figured all this out, a chill ran through her. She knew Wang Xifeng was too shrewd, and she feared her own methods wouldn't be effective...

At this critical juncture, she had no choice but to swallow her anger, otherwise Baoyu would suffer a great loss.

She softened her tone and said, "Feng girl, Baoyu is not only your brother-in-law, but also your cousin. You watched him grow up since he was a child."

He's still young and doesn't know his own limitations. He did something so foolish, and I will definitely teach him a lesson.

But this matter must not be blown out of proportion, otherwise if the Xia family hears about it, Baoyu's marriage will be ruined.

If the old lady and the master find out, you know the master's temper; he will definitely beat Baoyu to death.

I'm almost fifty, and this is the only child I have left. Please, out of consideration for our aunt-nephew relationship, forgive your brother this time.

……

Although Wang Xifeng remained outwardly calm when she heard Madam Wang soften her stance, she was secretly delighted.

She never intended to expose the matter, much less let Jia Zheng know about it.

Given Jia Zheng's temperament, once he finds out what happened, he will surely beat Baoyu to death.

With such a huge commotion, so many servants and mouths in the mansion, this matter can no longer be kept secret and will eventually be difficult to manage.

If even the slightest word gets out, the women of the Rongguo Mansion will be the subject of gossip.

If the Xia family were to learn of this scandal, given Mrs. Xia's shrewdness and resourcefulness, the widow and orphan would surely try to sabotage the Jia family to preserve their reputation.

By then, the Jia family of Rongguo would be utterly disgraced and would find it difficult to hold their heads high again. As the matriarch of the family, Wang Xifeng would never want to see such an outcome.

Even if things escalate, it should happen in the East Courtyard, not the West Courtyard. The second branch of the family has created their own mess, so they should clean it up themselves...

Therefore, Lin Zhixiao's wife, following her instructions, questioned the maids and young wives in the inner courtyard, leaving room for maneuver in her words beforehand.

They only questioned these women about whether they had lost their earrings and whether they had ever flirted with Baoyu. These maids and wives were unaware of Baochan's existence.

Even if rumors spread, it will likely only be Wang Xifeng who hears the news and starts cleaning up the family's conduct, without getting to the bottom of things, and it will all just fizzle out in the end.

……

But using this matter to properly control Madam Wang is what Wang Xifeng must do.

She said in a somber tone, "Brother Cong entrusted the family business of the West Mansion to me, his sister-in-law, and yet such a scandalous affair has occurred within the inner quarters. I have no face to see him again."

My aunt is a sensible woman. There are two widows living in the inner courtyard of the West Mansion, and then there's me, a widow living in a state of precarious existence. We live in constant fear.

If Baoyu were to commit such lewd acts and cause even the slightest disturbance, we women, to prove our innocence, would all hang ourselves!
How could I not be furious and terrified? If my aunt were me, she would probably be even more furious.

With Baoyu behaving so absurdly and recklessly, how could the women in the inner courtyard bear it? They all had to risk their lives because of him, and they couldn't sleep peacefully at night.

If he acts recklessly again, we'll all be killed by him.

However, since my aunt made such a earnest request, and considering we are all family, I can boldly keep this a secret from the old lady and the second master.

But this matter must not be handled carelessly, as it involves the reputation and chastity of the women in the inner court. There must be a proper procedure, and there must be an explanation for others if they find out later.

The most urgent matter now is that Baoyu must move out of the West Mansion immediately and return to the East Courtyard as soon as possible, so that the women of the West Mansion will no longer have to live in fear.

……

When Madam Wang heard Wang Xifeng reveal the truth, she was furious. "That little rascal is so cunning! Now she's showing her true colors and telling us what she's been planning."

The people in the eldest branch of the family are all heartless. They want to drive Baoyu out of the West Mansion, fearing that Baoyu will take advantage of them!

Although Madam Wang was furious, she dared not openly retaliate because Wang Xifeng had caught her red-handed. Otherwise, the fiery Wang Xifeng would not hesitate to retaliate without hesitation.

Suppressing her anger, she said, "Feng'er, you know that the old lady dotes on Baoyu the most. If we suddenly move out of the West Mansion now, the old lady will definitely become suspicious, and things will not be easy to handle."

Wang Xifeng sneered inwardly. She knew Madam Wang's temperament well; she would never give in so easily. But this time, she had no choice!

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said slowly, "What my aunt said makes sense, but I can't really worry about this matter."

How to bring this up with the old lady was naturally left to my aunt to do. After all, I'm still quite young, and if I were to let something slip, it would only make things worse.

My aunt has been a matriarch for over a decade, and she is far more shrewd and capable than us younger generation. As long as we prepare our excuses beforehand, we can definitely fool the old lady.

Aunt, I only dared to deceive my elders because I was carrying a huge responsibility.

I'll have to persuade Brother Cong later. He's a Hanlin scholar who has spent his whole life studying poetry and books. He values ​​things like propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame the most, so I'll have to spend some time persuading him.

Therefore, Baoyu swiftly moved out of the West Mansion, averting the danger of his absurd actions and preserving the family's reputation. This matter could not be delayed in the slightest.

If my aunt is unwilling to do this, then I really have no other choice but to simply abandon the matter.

Let Cong, the old lady, and the second master do whatever they want. If they want to keep Baoyu in the West Mansion, so be it.

If Baoyu causes another scandal, and even the First Madam and the others dare to hang themselves, I absolutely won't back down!

……

Lady Wang was furious when she saw that Wang Xifeng's words were extremely shameless, yet they were so subtle and impossible to decipher that no one could find a loophole. Her brows twitched in anger.

His niece was a notorious spendthrift and rebellious woman; she must have already conspired with Cong-ge to force Bao-yu out of the West Mansion.

If things don't go her way right now, she'll definitely throw a tantrum and ruin Baoyu's life.

Although Baoyu was supposed to move out of the West Mansion after his marriage, Lady Wang was arrogant, stubborn, and unreasonable, and she never admitted defeat. It would be better to postpone this matter for even one more day.

After a long pause, he said, "This matter came suddenly and is really troublesome. Please allow me to go back and think about it to see what is the best course of action."

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Auntie, just go back and think it over carefully. Just give me a message tomorrow morning. Once Brother Cong finds out about this, he will most likely send someone to ask about it tomorrow."

As long as Baoyu moves to the East Courtyard on the fifth day of the month and cuts off the conversation as soon as possible, things will be handled smoothly afterwards.

"I must silence the mouths of those servants in the inner courtyard, lest they spread rumors and tarnish Brother Bao's reputation and the Jia family's honor."

……

Lady Wang, hearing Wang Xifeng's arrogant words, which not only implied a threat but also told Baoyu to move out of the West Mansion on the fifth day of the month.

This eagerness to sweep them out without any mercy is truly despicable.

She suppressed her anger and said, "Feng girl, moving out on the fifth day of the new year is too hasty. Aren't you afraid people will become suspicious?"

Wang Xifeng's mouth was a little dry from talking, so she asked Feng'er to refill her tea and took a slow sip.

She said, "Aunt, I'm thinking of Brother Bao. After the third day of the new year, the number of old friends and relatives who come to visit will increase day by day."

There are many people in this household, and if any rumors leak out and get out, we'll all be doomed.

Brother Bao should move out as soon as possible to stop the conversation. Aunt should think it over carefully..." (End of Chapter)