Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Shenjing, Qingyufang, Xiafu.

When Miss Xia saw Baochan interrupting and speaking very rudely, she didn't find her presumptuous at all.

Her beautifully shaped lips, slightly pursed, exuded charm and a hint of cunning.

She is the eldest daughter of the Xia family, and there are some things she shouldn't say. Letting the little girl shout them out is just the right thing to do.

Granny Zhao's face turned slightly embarrassed when she heard Baochan's harsh words.

He said, "You can't say that, girl. Things are always valued for their rarity. This black fox fur is indeed extremely rare."

Miss Xia said calmly, "The Xia family also runs a shop and does business. They can even obtain the imperial emblem. They know all the tricks and principles involved."

Asking for exorbitant prices and then negotiating them is just common practice in business. Every company does it this way. Everyone earns money based on their own abilities, and earning money is a skill in itself.

Those with ability and resources are the winners; those without ability and vision are just fools.

If I like something, I'm willing to spend any amount of money; I'm just afraid you won't have anything of real quality.

But if you want me to act like a fool, I won't agree. I can't stand being wronged. I'll let you know if you've tricked me.

I'm definitely going to make a big fuss about it, and then I guarantee you won't be able to sell a single one of those fur coats. Don't think I'm just kidding!

Upon hearing this, Granny Zhao couldn't help but shudder.

This Xia girl is quite beautiful, with a lovely figure, a real young lady. But why does she speak in such a sinister way, with some ill intent?

I thought that the young lady from the inner court, who had never seen much of the world, would be easy to fool with money, but I never expected that this girl was actually quite shrewish.

Granny Zhao knew that the Xia family were imperial merchants, one of the top merchants in the city, with an incredibly large business and extensive connections in the imperial court.

How could our small family compare? If we skim too much money and anger the young master of the Xia family, who might actually resort to underhanded tactics, we would suffer a great loss.

She quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Miss, you are too polite. Everyone knows the name of the Xia family of Guihua. How could an old woman like me presume to teach such a thing?"

Since the young lady has taken a liking to this jacket, I'd like to do her a favor and give it to her for seven hundred taels of silver.

Miss Xia fiddled with the black fox fur jacket without saying a word, only letting out a disdainful snort.

Granny Zhao had a headache. This girl was really difficult to deal with. She said with a bitter face, "Miss, six hundred taels is the deal. I can't go any lower. There's no profit left."

Miss Xia smiled smugly, took out a stack of silver notes from the silver box, and then took out a five-tael silver ingot.

He shoved the ingot into Granny Zhao's hand and said, "I like peace and quiet, so consider this a treat for you."

I bought this black fox fur coat, and I don't like it if you brag about it to others!

Old Mrs. Zhao smiled apologetically: "Young lady, you are so generous. My wife knows the rules of doing business. You can rest assured, young lady, I keep my mouth shut."

Miss Xia waved her hand, about to send the old woman away.

Baochan was quite resentful that her young lady only cared about flirting with her lover, while Bao Erye was her legitimate husband, and she never cared about giving him gifts.

He went up and whispered, "Miss, this black fox fur-lined jacket is too conspicuous. If we just send it out like this, what if someone sees it?"

"Why not buy one for Master Bao as well, and send them to both places as Lantern Festival gifts? That way, it'll be easier to cover up the difference."

Although Miss Xia was unwilling, she felt that what he said made sense. After all, she was not yet married into the family, so she could not be too presumptuous. She said, "You have finally been smart for once."

……

Miss Xia stepped forward and glanced at the fur coat chest a few times, then rummaged through it aimlessly.

I found a grayish-brown padded jacket that looked rather unremarkable, except that the fur was decent.

She held up two fingers, lifted the jacket, and asked, "What material is this? It looks quite neat."

The old woman paused for a moment, then said, "Miss, why don't you pick something you like? This one doesn't suit your style."

She picked up a white and brown fox fur coat and said, "This fox fur coat is not as good as the black fox fur coat, but it is still very good. Please take a look and see if you like it."

Miss Xia frowned and said, "Which one do you need to choose? I'm only asking this one question."

The old woman said, "The one the young lady chose is made of gray squirrel fur. Although it's rather ordinary, it's not something that ordinary people can afford."

Baochan was a little curious and asked, "What kind of fur is gray squirrel fur? I've never heard of it before."

Miss Xia looked disgusted and said, "What an ignorant girl! Gray squirrel skin is the same as squirrel skin."

In the southern province, they're called squirrels. They're everywhere in the forests. Although they're not worth much, they make quite a warm coat.

……

Baochan was somewhat stunned. The young lady bought Jia Cong a top-quality black fox fur coat, fearing it might be too much for the young master, but instead bought him a squirrel-shaped one…

Miss Xia said, "I want this one. Don't tell me this kind of stuff costs over a hundred taels, or I'll spit in your face."

Granny Zhao's face stiffened. Miss Xia was not only knowledgeable, but also cunning and sharp-tongued. She couldn't tolerate any nonsense, so she was really hard to manipulate.

She wouldn't dare to try any tricks, lest she end up offending the Xia family, the imperial merchants, instead of making any money.

He quickly smiled apologetically and said, "How could we dare sell squirrel skins for more than a hundred? We're an old shop with many years of history; we wouldn't dare do anything dishonest."

This gray squirrel fur jacket, given to the girl at a bargain price of fifty taels, is the best deal imaginable.

While not as luxurious as black fox fur, it wasn't something ordinary people could afford; only wealthy and powerful families used it, and wearing it was still considered very respectable.

Miss Xia said, "It's perfect for him, I'll take this one."

Granny Zhao thanked her profusely and accepted the money. Although the black fox fur coat was of excellent quality, she seemed to be forced to haggle, which was just a common merchant tactic.

She made a good profit from selling the two fur coats, so she decided to take her leave while she was ahead and quickly had someone take her trunk to say goodbye.

……

After Zhao Pozi left, Baochan said, "Miss, isn't the skin of this gray rat a bit too filthy?"

"Giving Jia Cong a top-quality black fox fur and having Bao Er Ye wear a gray rat fur—if people find out the truth, won't it cause gossip?"

Upon hearing Baochan's words, Miss Xia raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of doubt arising in her heart.

He said, "I feel like there's something strange about you. You always speak up for Baoyu. Could it be that I didn't notice that Baoyu gave you some favors?"

Upon hearing this, Baochan was startled and turned pale with fright. "If the girl knew that I had slept with her man, she would definitely sell me into a brothel."

She quickly shook her head and said, "What are you saying, young lady? I've never spoken to the Second Master, so how could I have ever received any favors from him?"

Miss Xia snorted coldly and said, "I don't think you have the guts. If you dare to have any disloyalty to me, you'll be asking for trouble."

She casually tossed the gray squirrel fur jacket onto the table, then fiddled with the black fox fur jacket in her hands, seemingly quite fond of it.

Baochan was terrified and blamed herself for being too talkative. She had been a little carried away and had spoken up for Master Bao, almost letting the young lady see through her secret.

He quickly replied, "I would never dare to be disloyal to you, Miss. I'm not siding with Master Bao; I'm just trying to help you out so you won't suffer any losses."

……

Miss Xia said disdainfully, "Baoyu is a blockhead. He looks the same age as Cong, but he can't even pass the county-level imperial examination."

He spends his days hiding in his mansion, eating and sleeping with maids, and he even keeps fifteen maids in his room. What a shameless wretch!

I hadn't even entered the house yet, and he dared to get a maid pregnant. What a shameless and rude scoundrel!

Even his own father looked down on him and humiliated him relentlessly every day.

He was also incredibly lucky; not only did he not die from being mistreated, but he also remained unrepentant and lived a effeminate life.

If it weren't for someone else's favor, he wouldn't deserve me buying him a padded jacket; I'm not afraid of shortening his lifespan.

Although the Jia family was wealthy, they didn't have mountains of gold and silver; even if they did, it belonged to Cong-ge'er.

With his mother's dirt-eating stupidity and his lack of any real background, do you think every piece of Baoyu's clothing is worth fifty taels? I'm already being too kind to him.

He's from a shady background, unable to lift a finger or carry anything, a nobody who relies on others for sustenance.

"Does he dare to complain about what I gave him? If that's the case, I won't give him anything. I'll give him a whole bunch of classic texts instead, and suffocate him to death."

……

Seeing that Miss Xia was getting more and more excited, and seemed to be enjoying humiliating Master Bao, Baochan's little mouth was chattering away, making Baochan's face turn pale.

He just wanted to shut the girl up as soon as possible, so he said, "What you say is absolutely right. A jacket worth fifty taels is extremely valuable, equivalent to several years' worth of Baochan's monthly allowance."

I only ask that the young lady act carefully, marry into the Jia family peacefully and steadily, and that both the young lady and the mistress maintain a respectable appearance, and that things go well for them both inside and outside the family. There is a long future ahead.

Upon hearing this, Miss Xia immediately stopped cursing and looked gloomy.

He said, "My mother made me marry into the Jia family just to find a backer for the Xia family."

The Xia family's old friends and relatives had been visiting each other since childhood, and each family had many children. I never thought they were any bad people.

Looking back at these things now, they are just like Baoyu—useless fools.

They might be better than Baoyu, but they were still incredibly vulgar, neither good at literature nor martial arts, and only knew trivial matters their whole lives, a waste of being born as men.

Every time these people see me, they have a lecherous and despicable look on their faces, which is really disgusting.

Unlike Cong-ge, who is always polite in his manners and never glances at me, he is not only outstanding but also different from others.

How many men like Cong-ge are there in the world? The rest are all the same, and I'm too lazy to pick and choose. I might as well just go along with my mother's wishes.

If I were to marry that bastard Baoyu, others would think I'm incredibly disrespectful, and I'd already suffered enough of a loss and lost face.

Baoyu got such a great deal, how could he still be dissatisfied? I'll only lose to him this one time, don't even think about interfering with me in other matters!
Have someone bring in all the festival gifts intended for the Jia family. I'll arrange them and send them to the Jia family today.

I labeled each box of gifts and had Granny Chen distribute them to the East Mansion, West Mansion, and East Road Courtyard, while only the gift list was sent to Rongqing Hall.

If she delivers it to the wrong place, I'll skin her alive when she gets back!

Baochan trembled upon hearing this. Although the girl was becoming increasingly mad, her mind was still perfectly clear.

The gift boxes were sent to the mansions separately, and the girl could write whatever she wanted on the gift list. Jia Cong received some good things from the girl, and he would most likely guess the reason behind it, and he would never be foolish enough to make a fuss.

The girl's methods for seducing men are truly impressive; perhaps she learned them from books? No wonder she's always reading.

This way of giving gifts is good; it saves a lot of trouble, and no unexpected events will occur before the girl gets married.

Otherwise, if Madam Jia found out that the young lady had given Jia Cong a black fox fur coat and Bao Er Ye a rat pelt, she would be furious...

……

The Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard. It was almost dusk, the night was a deep blue, a bright moon hung high, its pure light gently radiating outwards.

The flowers, trees, pavilions, covered walkways, and stone bridges in the inner courtyard were shrouded in moonlight, creating a serene and indistinct atmosphere.

As Jia Cong entered the inner courtyard, the old woman in charge of the courtyard immediately closed the gate tightly behind him.

He rarely returned to the mansion at this time of day, and since his sisters lived in the inner courtyard, the old woman in charge of the courtyard was naturally cautious.

He left home before dawn today and didn't stop for a moment all day, running around non-stop.

First, he went to the Fifth Army's Northern Camp to select 6,000 elite Shenji Battalion soldiers. He was busy until almost noon, and then rushed back to the Firearms Battalion to handle affairs.

Seeing a large influx of refugees into the city made him wartime risks unpredictable, and the firearms workshop, isolated outside the city, would inevitably face many hidden dangers.

So he drafted an urgent memorial and rushed to the palace gates without stopping. He wrote the memorial directly to the palace and waited for half an hour before being summoned by Emperor Jia Zhao.

The emperor and his ministers discussed the relocation of the firearms workshop. Emperor Jiazhao had always relied heavily on the power of firearms, which had become a crucial tool for purging the old order and seizing control of the state.

Regardless of how cautious the protective measures for the firearms manufacturing workshops were, Emperor Jiazhao believed they were perfectly reasonable.

Therefore, he deeply agreed with Jia Cong's request to relocate the neighborhood and immediately summoned Gu Yankui, Minister of War, Li Dekang, Minister of Works, and Shi Ding, Marquis of Zhongjing, to the palace to discuss the matter.

Before sunset, the emperor and his ministers finalized the relocation of the workshops, and Jia Cong, along with Gu Yankui, Shi Ding, and others, immediately entered the Northern Camp of the Five Armies.

A remote, vacant corner camp, far from the main camp of the Fifth Army, was selected as the relocation site for the firearms workshop.

Jia Cong immediately mobilized 1,000 elite firearms soldiers to conduct an emergency cleanup of the selected camp area.

The Ministry of Works also mobilized craftsmen overnight to carry out simple repairs and reinforcements to the barracks.

Thousands of people worked for two hours and completed the tidying up of the camp area with astonishing speed and efficiency. The workshops can be relocated one after another tomorrow.

During the relocation process, the workshop's artisans continued to renovate and reinforce the facilities to ensure that the relocated workshops had the best possible conditions for construction.

After a non-stop busy day, he returned to his residence late at night. Even though he was in the prime of his life, he was quite exhausted from all the activity.

……

He crossed a stone bridge, intending to return to his courtyard. As he reached the top of the bridge, he subconsciously looked into the distance.

In the distance, through the swaying bamboo shadows, one could clearly see the latticed windows of the main house, where warm lights were still shining.

There were still maids moving about on the covered walkway, which meant that Daiyu must not have gone to bed yet.

Jia Cong was a little puzzled. Since Daiyu received medical treatment and recuperation from Zhang Youpeng, her health had improved day by day, and she maintained a regular daily routine and took great care of herself.

According to his usual habits, he should be sound asleep by now, so why is the light still on?

Curious, he changed his path and headed straight for Daiyu's courtyard.

As they got closer, they saw a white wall covered with blue-gray tiles, and two courtyard gates that were ajar.

He gently pushed open the courtyard gate and walked along the winding corridor for a while, just in time to see the maid Xueyan coming over, carrying a teacup tray.

Upon seeing Jia Cong, she smiled and said, "Third Master, why are you here so late? The young lady is still awake and is inside."

Jia Cong asked, "Sister Lin should have been resting by now, why are you still staying up today?"

Xueyan smiled and said, "Third Master, go in and take a look, and you'll know everything."

I only made one bowl of tea. Since Third Master is here now, I'll go back and make another cup. Please come in first, Third Master. Sister Zijuan is in the outer room.

Jia Cong walked alone to the front of the main house, lifted the curtain at the door, and saw Zijuan wearing a thin jacket of ink-splashed silk and a vest of blue satin, sitting by the candlelight and tending the stove.

A white porcelain stew pot sits atop the stove, bubbling gently and releasing a sweet, glutinous aroma.

When she saw Jia Cong coming over, she looked somewhat surprised. Her eyebrows were arched, her eyes were pretty, and she was very approachable.

He gestured towards the inner room and said with a smile, "Third Master, what brings you here? The young lady is inside. Please come in, Third Master."

Jia Cong lifted the silk curtain of the inner room and saw that the room was brightly lit, with five or six candles lit on the candlesticks.

Daiyu was sitting by the candlestick, sewing clothes with needle and thread in her hands. She was wearing a moon-white printed cross-collar jacket, moon-white printed trousers, and a pinkish-green satin jacket draped over her body.

In the candlelight, her hair was as black as ink, her cheeks as white as snow, and she exuded a sweet fragrance.

Wearing a well-fitting bathrobe, she accentuated her graceful figure, exuding elegance and charm, like a fairy, captivating the heart.

Jia Cong rarely saw Daiyu do needlework, and feeling slightly curious, he quietly approached.

Seeing that Daiyu was concentrating intently, without any distraction, sewing a fur-lined jacket...

……

Jia Cong smiled and asked, "What are you busy with so late, little sister?"

Daiyu was focused on her studies when she was startled by Jia Cong's words. She couldn't help but let out a soft "ouch" and patted her increasingly full breasts.

She said with a slight reproach, "Third brother, how come you walk without making a sound? It's really startling."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "How could I not hear? I was just talking to Zijuan at the door. It's just that you were too focused and didn't hear me."

"This is the first time in all these years I've seen my sister make clothes; I never knew she had this skill."

Daiyu laughed and said, "What's so strange about that? Do you think I only know how to embroider purses?"

At this moment, Xueyan came in with a tea tray, served tea to Jia Cong and Daiyu, and then smiled and left.

Jia Cong took a sip of tea and smiled, "Sister, this fur coat is a man's style. Could it have been made for me?"

Daiyu smiled and said, "Besides making it for Third Brother, who else can I make it for? Yesterday, I went to Second Sister's courtyard and saw her making knee pads for Third Brother."

My second sister said that my third brother went to war, riding a horse and leading troops, braving the wind and snow, which was much more difficult than staying at home in the cold, so she made knee pads for you.

I'm thinking of making a fur-lined jacket for my third brother to wear next to his skin; it'll be the best way to keep him warm on horseback.

……

Jia Cong laughed and said, "My sister never used to do needlework for me, so why is she willing to do it now?"

Daiyu wrinkled her nose slightly and said, "I didn't think of doing it before, but now that I want to, I've done it."

If my third brother doesn't care, I won't do it. It'll save me from wasting my time and not even winning his favor.

I'll make it for my fourth sister. That little girl has a sweet tongue and can make me happy, unlike you, who's never home, and I can't find you whenever I want to talk to you.

Jia Cong hurriedly said, "It was all my fault for being so talkative. Please make it quickly, sister. I need your clothes before I go to war. I don't need anything else."

Daiyu smiled and said, "I've finished most of it. It will be ready in a day, so it won't delay Third Brother from wearing it."

By the candlelight, she saw Jia Cong's expression and asked, "Third brother, you haven't changed into your overcoat yet. Did you just get back? You look a little tired."

"What important matter have you been busy with today? You should take a break and conserve your energy before setting off again."

Jia Cong sighed, "There are some things to take care of before we go on the expedition, so that we don't run into trouble and cause headaches later."

Without asking any further questions, Daiyu said to the door, "Zijuan, go and fetch a basin of hot water so that Third Brother can wash his face and relieve his fatigue."

Zijuan readily agreed, and soon brought in a copper basin of hot water. Daiyu personally took a towel and wrung it out.

After Jia Cong washed his face, she pulled him to sit on a stool, took the half-finished padded jacket, and compared it to Jia Cong from the front and back.

……

Jia Cong saw Daiyu circling around him, her moon-white floral print cross-collar nightgown swaying in the wind, her slender waist accentuating her exquisite curves.

Like jade pillars swaying, or willows swaying in a gentle breeze, they are exceptionally charming and intoxicating under the candlelight.

This couldn't help but fill Jia Cong with longing, a sense of beauty welling up within him, accompanied by a strange impulse to embrace that graceful, spring-like figure...

Daiyu did not notice anything unusual about Jia Cong; she simply carefully compared the sizes of the jackets.

He laughed and said, "The size is just right. Once it's finished, Third Brother can wear it under his big clothes, and even when he's riding a horse and leading troops, it will keep him warm from the cold wind."

She glanced at Jia Cong again and said, "Third brother, you must be tired today. I think you are tired too."

It's getting late, go back and rest early. We'll talk in your yard tomorrow morning.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "I should go and rest too. I've been working too hard all day. Sister, you should go to sleep too. Don't stay up late anymore."

Daiyu laughed and said, "I'll do it one more time and then I'll rest. I don't have to go to the yamen. If I sleep for half an hour in the morning, I'll make up for everything."

When Jia Cong got up and left the room, Daiyu, wrapped in a bright red feather-trimmed fox fur coat and crane cloak, escorted him to the courtyard gate before returning home.

……

The Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

As soon as Jia Cong entered the courtyard, he saw that the lights were on in the main room. He pushed open the door and found everyone there, including Dou Guan, who was asleep in a chair.

Qingwen smiled and said, "Third Master is finally back. We've all been waiting for you."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "I had a lot of business at the yamen today, so I came back a little late. I also went to visit Lin Daiyu's room."

"You've all been waiting for nothing. Go back to sleep now. We'll talk tomorrow morning."

When Zhi Shao and the others saw her return, they chatted for a few more minutes before dispersing. Ying Lian, who was on night duty, went into the inner room to set up her bed.

Qingwen fetched hot water and helped Jia Cong wash up and change his clothes.

Jia Cong noticed a red lacquered wooden box in the main room. Its shape seemed unfamiliar, so he asked, "Where did this box come from?"

Ping'er walked to the door, turned around and smiled, "Guihua Xia family's Lantern Festival gifts, this box was delivered directly to the East Mansion."

The Xia family is very courteous; every time they send festive gifts, they always give a portion to Third Master…

……

Qingwen looked at her strangely and said, "The Xia family is far from being courteous. I've seen the gifts they sent, but they're far too thoughtful."

Jia Cong looked surprised, not understanding the meaning behind Qingwen's words, and asked, "What do you mean by that? Is the gift something unusual?"

Qingwen put down the copper basin in her hand, stepped forward, opened the red lacquered wooden box, rummaged around inside for a while, and took out a black fur-lined jacket.

He said, "Others might not realize the significance of this, but I'm used to sewing and making clothes, so I know more about it than others."

Having served the old lady in my younger days, I've seen many fine things. The moment I saw this fur coat, I could tell it was unusual…” (End of Chapter)