Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

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

Upon hearing that the gifts were from the Xia family, Jia Cong lost all interest.

He took the black fur-lined jacket and saw that it was exquisitely made and luxurious, with buttons carved from white jade.

The fur is fine, dense, smooth, and feels wonderful to the touch.

As the skin rubs against the fur, a sense of warmth arises; only the finest fur possesses this quality.

Jia Cong once served in the army in Liaodong, and his Juechan Farm was also located in Liaodong. Various precious furs from outside the Great Wall were famous local products of Liaodong.

Whether it was gifts from his comrades in the army or products collected from noble estates, Jia Cong had come into contact with all kinds of furs.

Therefore, I have some knowledge about the difference between good and bad fur.

He said, "Pure black bear fur is quite common, but adult bear fur is thick and coarse, not as fine and smooth as this. This looks like a fox fur."

However, black fox fur coats are very rare, and Qingwen was right; this padded jacket is indeed unusual.

Qingwen said, "Third Master is right, this is a fox fur coat, and a very rare black fox fur coat at that."

Look at it, it's jet black and shiny, without a single stray hair.

This is an extremely fine piece of goods. I didn't recognize it before, but when I served at Rongqing Hall, the old lady had a black fox fur coat.

However, the old lady's fox fur coat was too small to be made into clothes. Instead, it was used to support her back in the dead of winter on the daybed.

I also heard the old lady say that black foxes are even rarer than white foxes, and some hunters never encounter one in their entire lives.

It is also said that black fox fur has strong yang energy, which can invigorate blood circulation, ward off evil spirits, dispel cold and promote blood flow, making it a top-quality fur material.

Third Master's black fur-lined jacket must be paired with at least three black foxes; this stuff is truly precious.

Miss Xia is the betrothed of Bao Er's wife, while Third Master is just Bao Er's cousin; even if they are very close, they are still distant relatives.

It's just a festival gift for the Lantern Festival, and the gifts exchanged between families are simple; it's just for the sake of celebrating the festival.

Everyone says that the Xia family is very wealthy, and it seems that's true.

Miss Xia presented Third Master with a holiday gift, but because of Second Master Bao, it was just a casual gift, yet she surprisingly brought a black fox fur-lined jacket.

"This Second Madam Bao is far too extravagant; she doesn't treat money like money."

……

Qingwen was skilled in needlework and clothing, and was familiar with and attentive to expensive fabrics, which is why she spoke offhand; it was merely out of curiosity.

However, while she spoke without thinking, Jia Cong took it to heart.

Ever since Xia Jingui came into Jia Cong's sight, he had always kept his distance from her, knowing her background and temperament.

Because Tan Chun was the daughter of the second wife, due to family etiquette, when the Xia family mother and daughter visited, Tan Chun was often called upon to entertain Xia Jingui.

Jia Cong worried that Tan Chun, unaware of the situation, would suffer at Xia Jingui's hands, and repeatedly reminded her privately to be careful, which shows that he had a deep rift with her.

Since the Jia and Xia families had frequent interactions, they eventually formed a marriage alliance. The Xia family members visited each other often, and Jia Cong and Xia Jingui met many times.

With his intelligence and keen perception, he could naturally sense the unusual intensity in Xia Jingui's eyes whenever she saw him.

Jia Cong was a normal man with a wealth of experience from past lives, so he naturally understood why a young woman would look at a man in this way.

But he wouldn't feel any smugness about it; on the contrary, he became even more wary, growing increasingly distant and distancing himself to avoid getting into trouble.

Whether it was due to the infighting between Wang Xifeng and Madam Wang, or out of respect for the patriarchal clan rules and etiquette of the two branches of the family, it was all due to internal strife between Wang Xifeng and Madam Wang.

Jia Cong was happy to help Baoyu move out of the West Mansion as soon as possible, and even encouraged it.

Not only to safeguard the stability of the main branch of the family business, but also to ensure the clean reputation of the women in the inner quarters of the West Mansion.

Furthermore, it was to prevent Xia Jingui from marrying into the Jia family and causing trouble in the Rongguo Mansion because of Baoyu's involvement there.

……

After Baoyu was moved to the East Courtyard, the impact of this strange marriage between the East and West Mansions was minimized and could not cause any trouble.

This current situation is the result Jia Cong wanted. He is about to go on a campaign and will be away from home for a long time, so he hopes that both mansions will be stable and secure.

We don't want any unforeseen events to cause this situation to become unbalanced, or even lead to gossip and changes.

Now that Xia Jingui has sent him valuable fur clothing for no apparent reason, something seems amiss. He doesn't think it's a good thing, so why invite trouble?

……

Ping'er, curious after hearing Qingwen's words, stepped forward to examine the black fox fur-lined jacket.

He laughed and said, "This fur-lined coat is indeed of excellent quality. Qingwen's words make some sense, but it's nothing special."

Although the Jia family was wealthy, their wealth came from their noble estates or from the houses and shops they had acquired over the years, and their annual harvest was always a fixed amount.

Although the Xia family did not hold official titles, they were major imperial merchants who ran a very large business. The amount of gold and silver they earned varied from year to year depending on the market.

In terms of wealth alone, his family probably surpasses the Jia family. Moreover, his family has an only daughter, and all their vast wealth is passed down through a single heir. They certainly wouldn't hesitate to spend money.

Third Master is now the head of two families and a prominent figure in the capital. Miss Xia is his fiancée, so it is only natural that the return gift should be appropriate and respectable, and it would be inappropriate to omit the head of the family's gift.

The gifts she gave away were naturally not cheap. If she could give Third Master a black fox fur jacket, what she gave to Baoyu would certainly be even better, which is only natural.

It's nothing more than a wealthy family; things naturally go on at an elevated level. Upon closer examination, it's not surprising.

Qingwen laughed and said, "Sister Ping'er is insightful. I didn't think of these principles. But it's really good to have money. I can give away black fox fur coats at will."

Jia Cong found Qingwen's words amusing and laughed, "Since you like this black fox fur jacket so much, I'll give it to you to wear. It's not worth much."

Although the black fox fur was precious, Jia Cong felt uneasy about giving such an extravagant gift to Miss Xia.

However, when it comes to exchanging gifts with relatives by marriage, he would not return the gifts simply because they were expensive, which would be considered petty and unseemly.

The East Mansion's warehouse has many top-quality medicinal herbs and furs; it's just that the return gift will be a bit more substantial.

He would never wear that black fox fur coat, no matter what his concerns were.

Since I've already received the gift, I can give it to anyone I want, so as not to be suspected of targeting anyone, and I won't have any extra worries, since it's just a piece of clothing anyway.

……

Qingwen was taken aback and said, "Third Master, I am not fortunate enough to wear something so valuable. You should keep it for yourself."

Jia Cong laughed and scolded, "It's just a piece of clothing, what does this have to do with good fortune? Just take it, I have better ones."

Qingwen laughed and said, "It turns out that Third Master is even more generous than Bao Er's wife. He casually gives black fox fur coats to the maids. It's really a good deal to be Third Master's maid, hehe."

Ping'er laughed and said, "With your mouth, you get the benefits and still act innocent. Just keep what Third Master gave you."

Jia Cong suddenly asked, "Sister Ping'er said that it would be better to give something to Baoyu, but has she seen the Xia family's gift list?"

Ping'er smiled and said, "I haven't seen that before, but according to human relationships, it must be like this."

The gift from Third Master was delivered directly to the East Mansion by Granny Xia, and another gift was sent directly to the East Courtyard, which must contain Baoyu's gift.

In the afternoon, while I was doing housework at the West Mansion, I heard from Lin Zhixiao's wife that there was another gift to give to the old lady, and the gift list was also sent to Rongqing Hall.

This Second Madam is organized and capable; she's sure to be a formidable daughter-in-law in the future.

……

Jia Cong smiled slightly and said, "She is naturally quite capable..."

Qingwen was fiddling with her black fox fur-lined jacket when she heard Jia Cong muttering something. Not quite understanding what he was saying, she casually asked, "Third Master, what are you saying?"

Jia Cong said, "I didn't say anything. This black fox fur jacket is a bit eye-catching. Don't talk about this with anyone, especially not to the West Mansion."

You all know that the second wife is a calculating person; it would be too boring to cause trouble and create unnecessary family squabbles.

Qingwen didn't care and just casually agreed.

Ping'er was the housekeeper, intelligent and quick-witted, and understood human nature. She was much more naive and straightforward than Qingwen, and had a more meticulous mind. She understood the meaning behind Jia Cong's words.

He said, "Don't worry, Third Master. We know what's important here. I'll explain to the sisters in the courtyard tomorrow morning."

Among us, only Wu'er and I frequently visit the West Mansion; the others only go a few times a year, so word doesn't easily spread.

Jia Cong said, "Ping'er, please keep an eye on this matter. I'm really tired after a whole day of running around. You should all go back and rest."

Tomorrow I'll have my second sister return the favor; I don't want to owe her too many favors.

……

When Qingwen saw Jia Cong enter the inner room, she suddenly said, "Sister Ping'er, Miss Xia is very polite. She never forgets to greet Third Master every time we exchange pleasantries."

But Third Master seemed completely unconcerned, as if he were keeping his distance from the Xia family. Am I overthinking this?

Upon hearing this, Ping'er's heart stirred slightly. She recalled that Third Master's words had indeed carried a hint of wariness.

Miss Xia is an outstanding person, with the demeanor of a well-bred lady, which makes her not disliked.

Third Master's words always carry a cold tone, as if he wishes to keep people at arm's length. What is the reason for this?
But she said, "Even so, it's not surprising. You know that whenever Master Bao causes trouble, it's because his second wife has a lot of selfish motives."

Miss Xia is the wife of Second Master Bao, so Third Master naturally doesn't want to have much contact with her to avoid unnecessary entanglements.

Moreover, even if Miss Xia enters the house, she will be separated from us by a room, unlike the Third Miss, with whom we all grew up together.

Even if Third Master keeps his distance from her, it's just proper family etiquette, nothing out of the ordinary.

Qingwen was simple-minded and only asked on a whim. When Ping'er's explanation made sense, she didn't take it to heart, and the two went back to their rooms to rest.

Early that morning, Yingchun and her sisters came over as usual, and everyone gathered together for breakfast, chatting about everyday things.

Before leaving, Jia Cong privately instructed Yingchun to prepare a return gift to repay the Xia family's favor.

He had just reached the courtyard gate when he suddenly remembered something and said, "Second sister, please help me pick out two diligent maids; I need them."

Just as Yingchun was about to ask what it was for, Jia Cong hurriedly left the courtyard.

The Fifth Army Battalion, having been ordered to join other troops, left the city yesterday and headed north. The last batch of porcelain bombs and ammunition rolled off the production line, and he too would lead his troops out of the city. Today, the firearms workshop was relocating into the city, and much work awaited him…

……

In the east of the capital city, there is an exquisite two-courtyard house.
As the sun rose to its zenith, it shone on the eaves of the side rooms, casting large patches of shadow.

On the stone table in the courtyard, two fledgling kestrels flapped their still-developing wings and tore and swallowed fresh mutton.

Ellie rested her chin on her hand, watching the two kestrels fight over food, feeling rather bored.

He reached out and stroked the kestrel's back feathers, muttering softly, "All you do is sweet talk and coax people. Such a big thing, and you didn't even say a word. You have no conscience!"

Don't even think about trying to coax me again. I'll never believe your sweet talk again, and you'd better never come back..."

She was talking to herself when she heard a knock at the front door. Her bright eyes lit up, and she rushed to the front yard, forgetting about the kestrels that were scrambling for food. She opened the gate in one swift motion.

Seeing Jia Cong standing smiling in front of the door, Ellie's bright eyes sparkled, and a smile appeared on her face, but then her pretty face turned slightly gloomy.

He said, "You're so free today, yet you still remember to walk around. You've almost forgotten which way this door opens, haven't you?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I was originally going to come the day before yesterday, but I've been too busy these past two days and just couldn't find the time."

Ellie frowned and said, "You're so heartless. Such a big thing, you can't come yourself, can't you even send someone to deliver a message?"

Jia Cong asked, "You know everything?"

Ellie said, "Your reputation as Earl Weiyuan is so great that it's known all over the streets. It's impossible not to know about you."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I came to you today for this very reason. This campaign to conquer the Mongols in the north is unpredictable and of great importance."

Your bird-taming skills are truly miraculous and incredibly useful on the battlefield. Without you by my side, I feel insecure and would like to invite you to join me on the expedition.

Ellie, who had been feeling unhappy, had all her displeasure vanished after hearing Jia Cong's words.

With a smug pursing of her bright red lips and a radiant smile in her beautiful eyes, she said, "At least you still have a conscience and remember the good things I've done for you."

Otherwise, if you go on your own, I'll be stuck at home all by myself and I'll be bored to death. When are you leaving? I'll make some preparations.

I can tell you really like being an official. This time, I'll help you achieve another great feat, and the emperor will promote you to a higher position.

We'll be like we were in Liaodong, riding horses across the battlefield, charging into enemy lines—that's what it means to be triumphant! But I can't say that to my mother…”

Ellie got a little carried away and unconsciously took Jia Cong's hand. Jia Cong knew that she was unrestrained and very different from ordinary women.

Hearing her mention the past in Liaodong reminded me of the time when the two of us traveled thousands of miles together, galloping on horseback, charging into battle and killing enemies.

A surge of heroic spirit welled up within him, and he took her palm in his own. Ellie's hand was delicate and smooth on the back, but her palm was calloused.

The fingers gently caressed her, producing a slightly rough texture, a unique kind of intimacy—the mark of Ellie's years of sword practice…

……

As the two were talking, Ellie suddenly pulled her hand away from Jia Cong's palm and said hesitantly, "Mother, Yu Zhang is here."

Jia Cong felt slightly embarrassed. Ai Li was cheerful and innocent, but he knew that Madam Xu was of refined manners and likely came from a prominent family, so she must be very proper and respectful.

It was inappropriate for Xu to witness his intimate moment with Ellie.

Xu glanced at Ellie, but showed no sign of blame; her eyes held a hint of helplessness.

Jia Cong said, "Auntie, I am about to go on a campaign by imperial decree. This time, the Mongol army is coming with great force and strength, which is related to the safety of the country."

Ellie is skilled in bird taming, which would be a great help in leading troops into battle. I would like to take her with me on this expedition, and I hope you will grant my request, Madam.

Madam Xu sighed, “She mentioned this to me yesterday when she heard that you were going to war. She went to war with you in Liaodong, and I didn’t stop her that time.”

I won't stop her this time either. Besides, given Ellie's personality, I can't stop her anyway.

She is my daughter, a descendant of Han blood. It would be a good thing if she could help you achieve your goals...

"Yu Zhang, Ellie is my only daughter. You must protect her and bring her back safely. Then I will take her back to the South."

Jia Cong said, "Don't worry, madam. I am the commander of the army and I don't need to charge into battle."

Ellie only does reconnaissance and messenger work; she'll be safe with me. I assured the old woman I would never let her take any danger.

Madam Xu said, "When the general goes on an expedition, he plans ahead of the battle and wins from afar. He has many things to attend to. You all focus on your work and don't need to worry about me."

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong felt a slight stirring in his heart, and a strange feeling arose within him.

He said, "Auntie, I will choose two maids. Ellie will accompany me on the expedition. They will take good care of you. As for the mundane affairs, my household will take care of them."

Madam Xu smiled and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

She then went into the main room, leaving only the two of them to talk. Jia Cong's mind was racing, recalling Xu Shi's words from earlier...

……

Rongguo Mansion, Sister Feng's Courtyard.

As the Lantern Festival approaches, the winter chill is lessening.

At midday, the sunlight streamed through the latticed glass of the west window, warming the daybed.

Wang Xifeng was sitting at a small table on the couch, looking through the daily household accounts. Wu'er sat beside her, wearing a pale yellow jacket with dark floral patterns and a moon-white long skirt embroidered with plum blossoms.

Since the account books were all kept by Wu'er, when Wang Xifeng saw something she didn't understand, she would ask Wu'er for the reason, and Wu'er would explain carefully. Both of them were unhurried.

Ping'er sat at the other end of the daybed, her back to the dazzling west window, blocking out the glaring sunlight, as she held her eldest daughter and rocked and teased her.

As the Lantern Festival was approaching, the New Year's greetings had already been paid off. When news of Jia Cong's departure for war arrived, the festivities lasted for two more days before quickly subsiding.

With the war at hand and Jia Cong going to war, the opera troupe in the West Mansion was suspended for the Lantern Festival, and the number of banquet tables was reduced, so there was naturally less housework to do.

They started working in December and had no rest for a whole month, but now they have a half-day of leisure.

The door curtain was lifted, and Lin Zhixiao's wife entered, followed by two maids, each carrying a gift box.

She smiled and said, "Second Madam, I have prepared all the return gifts for the Xia family from the old lady. Please take a look and see if they are appropriate, and if there is anything else we need to add."

Wu'er asked, "The Xia family said this gift was a return gift, so why is the old lady sending another one?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife said, "Miss Liu, you may not know this, but the other day, the second madam sent Lantern Festival gifts to the Xia family."

The Xia family returned the gifts yesterday, including those for the Second Madam, the Second Master, and Master Bao, as well as additional gifts for Master Cong and the Old Madam.

Although the Xia family is a merchant family, they are extremely wealthy. When they interact with our family, they are very courteous. As the saying goes, it's never wrong to be overly polite.

Therefore, the second wife doesn't need to return the gift, but the old lady should, so that the exchange of gifts will make the occasion lively.

……

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Originally, the old lady didn't think much of the Xia family's social standing and wished she could find Baoyu a daughter from an official family."

Now it seems that Baoyu's marriage to Miss Xia is a great stroke of luck for him, as Miss Xia surpasses Baoyu in both looks and wealth.

Ping'er held her eldest daughter in her arms. Thinking that the Third Master had also asked the Second Miss to prepare a return gift, she wanted to see how the etiquette was handled here. She was confident in the East Mansion's preparation of a return gift.

She carefully examined the gift box in the maid's hand and noticed that although the items were exquisite, they were not particularly luxurious or expensive, which made her slightly puzzled.

Thinking of the black fox fur coat that Miss Xia gave to Third Master, which was made of the finest fur, the gift for the old lady should naturally also be of the highest quality.

However, the gifts Lin Zhixiao's family purchased were all ordinary etiquette items, which were quite different from what I had expected.

She had some doubts, but said with a smile, "I'm a little curious about what the Xia family will give the old lady. The gift that you prepared, aunt, seems quite generous."

Wang Xifeng said, "Although the Xia family has money, they also pay attention to etiquette. They would not spend money recklessly, otherwise people would look down on them."

As he spoke, he took out a gift list from the cabinet behind him and said with a smile, "Since you're curious, let me show you. The Xia family's gifts are decent, but they're all ordinary things."

Ping'er was delighted to hear this. She took the gift list and flipped through it carefully, only glancing at the one for Grandmother Jia.

They quickly found the page with Baoyu, which read: "A finely carved sandalwood ruyi, two boxes of silver-flake ebony incense sticks, and a cloud-dragon blue satin brocade gray squirrel fur coat."

A box of peony-patterned coffee-shaped pastries with four kinds of fruit, a box of Eight Treasures Auspicious Cake, a box of Jujube Paste and Yam Cake, and a set of official kiln famille rose tea saucers...

Ping'er's heart skipped a beat, a very strange feeling rising within her. She asked, "Second Madam, a top-quality grey squirrel fur coat should cost several hundred taels of silver these days, right?"

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "You're from a family too, how can you talk nonsense? The best gray squirrel fur coat is only eighty or ninety taels, and the average one is fifty taels."

Only a good fox fur coat costs several hundred taels of silver, but in terms of warmth, gray squirrel fur and fox fur are actually the same, only fox fur is much more presentable..."

……

Ping'er was stunned by Wang Xifeng's words. She looked at the gift list and saw the words written in black and white: "One piece of blue satin jacket with dragon and cloud motifs and gray squirrel fur trim."

What better gift could Miss Xia have given Baoyu? What she could have given him would have been something very ordinary, but instead she gave Third Master a rare black fox fur coat.

She didn't send the wrong gift; she did it on purpose, disregarding etiquette and taboos to curry favor with the Third Master!

Ping'er was also a woman. After a little thought, she figured out the meaning. Her pretty face flushed red, and her bright eyes showed embarrassment and annoyance.

She quickly turned to the next page of the gift list, which listed the festival gifts to be sent to the East Mansion. Apart from the gifts for the Second Miss, the rest were for the Third Master.

The ruyi, incense sticks, and delicate pastries were all almost identical, except for the one that was described as a black everyday jacket, which made Ping'er feel very uncomfortable.

The so-called "casual jacket" is just ordinary cloth clothing, not high-quality black fox fur at all.

Although Ping'er was kind and honest, she was also very perceptive. After reading the gift list, she understood it perfectly.

This unmarried woman, Bao Er's wife, was quite shrewd. She wanted to send the Third Master some fine clothes, but she was worried about causing unpleasant gossip.

The gifts for the Third Master were carried directly into the East Mansion, not allowing anyone from the West Mansion to handle them. The gift list was sent to the West Mansion to make a good impression, but it was tampered with.

Not only were the old lady and the second wife kept in the dark, but even a shrewd person like the second mistress was easily kept in the dark.

If Qingwen hadn't mentioned it unintentionally last night, I would never have paid extra attention and that's how I discovered the clues.

She's the Third Master's sister-in-law, yet she's so delusional; her actions are utterly outrageous... shameless. (End of Chapter)