Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

The Earl's mansion, inner courtyard garden.

The lanterns on the covered walkway shone with a warm yellow light, illuminating the path ahead. The shadows of the flowers and trees in the garden were dappled, filling the chilly tranquility of the spring night.

A graceful figure swayed on the veranda, her skirts and clothes fluttering in the wind, her black hair gleaming and fragrant. The sisters had returned from the West Mansion and, since it was still early, strolled and chatted in the garden.

Daiyu's words resonated with Yingchun, Xiangyun, and the others. The world was strictly hierarchical; a merchant's daughter marrying into a wealthy family would naturally face a vast difference in social standing.

While Miss Xia may possess some cunning and manipulative skills, in terms of social etiquette, these don't seem to constitute a heinous crime. In fact, putting oneself in her shoes, one might find them somewhat understandable.
Even though Daiyu was perceptive and had already seen through the situation, and even though she didn't quite agree with Miss Xia's behavior and just talked about it casually, she didn't really care.

But Tan Chun's thoughts were unclear after hearing Daiyu's words. Sister Lin was truly clever; although she had very little contact with Miss Xia, she could see through her scheming at a glance.

But Sister Lin didn't take it too seriously, because no matter how capable Miss Xia was, she wasn't really related to the sisters. Even after Miss Xia entered the family, she lived in the East Courtyard.

Just like the eldest sister-in-law, they spent every day together when they lived in the West Mansion, but once they moved there, they only saw each other once every ten days or half a month. The same was true after Miss Xia entered the family.

……

Sister Lin's nonchalant attitude stemmed from the fact that she had only met Miss Xia a few times, unlike herself who had spent several good days with her and had some knowledge of her character and cunning.

Even so, Sister Lin could tell at a glance that Miss Xia didn't care about Baoyu; she cared more about the Jia family's social standing and her own position within the Jia family.

Despite knowing that Baoyu disliked the books of sages, Miss Xia repeatedly presented him with the Four Books and Five Classics in front of others, merely to show off herself and showing no regard for Baoyu whatsoever.

Since she didn't care about Baoyu, why would the Xia family agree to this marriage? Even though Miss Xia didn't like Baoyu, she was very courteous during the New Year, which pleased the old lady.

Not only did the old lady find her pleasing to the eye, but her sister-in-law, who came from a scholarly and official family, also thought she possessed great virtues. When the news of this reached the master's ears, he would surely think she was also excellent.

Even the second sister in the hall today had to say a few words of praise for Miss Xia. This girl hasn't even entered the family yet, but she has already won the praise of everyone in the family. She really has a knack for it.

Only Sister Lin, with her keen insight and detached observation, clearly understood that even though she hadn't uttered a single word in Rongqing Hall, she had seen through Miss Xia's thoughts at a glance.

……

Marriage is a lifelong matter for a young woman, and all women are extremely cautious about it. She disliked Baoyu, but still insisted on marrying into the Jia family, even using poetry and literature as a pretext to invite him to join her family.

Tan Chun suddenly recalled a scene: when Miss Xia visited several times, whenever her third brother was occasionally present, the way Miss Xia looked at him was full of fervor and infatuation.

She herself was deeply in love, like someone terminally ill, filled with sin and shame, unable to escape it. Naturally, she understood the hidden meaning behind that kind of gaze from a young woman.

Could she really treat marriage like a game? What woman in the world would do such a thing? Tan Chun's heart trembled, a sense of unease rose within her, and a chill ran down her spine for no reason...

Seeing that Tan Chun was lost in thought and her pretty face was a little pale, Daiyu said, "Third sister, you look a little pale. Did the night wind make you feel unwell?"

Tan Chun snapped out of her daze and forcefully dispelled the strange thoughts in her mind. She realized that she had really gone mad. What woman in the world could be so obsessed?

He laughed and said, "I probably just caught a chill. I'll be fine after I go back and rest. It's already completely dark today, so let's all go our separate ways and talk again tomorrow."

……

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard.

The main room was brightly lit, and on the table were Xia family's return gifts, as well as several bolts of red satin that had been sent back.

Lady Wang was arranging several bolts of red silk, Jia Zheng was reading a book called The Doctrine of the Mean, and Baoyu stood in the hall with his head bowed and hands hanging down, his expression humble and his demeanor submissive.

On the surface, Baoyu was calm, but inside he was filled with anxiety and sorrow. During the day, he was humiliated at the Imperial Academy, listening to those old scholars spouting filthy, archaic language.

After finally returning home at sunset, they were supposed to go to the West Mansion before dark, but they heard that after Jia Cong went to war, the sisters were freed from their constraints and were having dinner in Rongqing Hall.

Such a wonderful opportunity was something Baoyu longed for, but his father was either at home or had returned to the mansion earlier than him, and his strict discipline prevented Baoyu from being unruly.

Now he envied Jia Huan. If he knew that being imprisoned would be even more uncomfortable, he would rather be imprisoned like Jia Huan. Although he could not see his sisters, at least he would be more at ease.

This thought only flashed through his mind, but he absolutely refused to be imprisoned, because four people shared a dormitory room at the Imperial Academy, and they slept on a large communal bed. How could Baoyu endure that?

Rather than let him share a bed with that filthy man and smell his foul breath all night, it would be better to kill him immediately. Between two evils, I should choose the lesser one and go home to be humiliated by my father.

Madam Wang smiled and said, "It seems that Miss Xia chose the one with the bamboo leaf pattern. I didn't expect that although she is young, she has a rather dignified personality and her taste in clothing is quite elegant."

……

Baoyu loved wearing red the most. Those few bolts of bright red wedding dress fabric were displayed there, so vibrant and dazzling. Under the lamplight, they looked like a ball of fire, which moved Baoyu and pleased him.

He saw a large red lotus pattern on a piece of fabric, which was his favorite color. He should have been pleased to see it, but instead, he frowned and felt displeased.

Thinking to myself, Miss Xia's taste is ultimately a bit lacking. Why didn't she choose the most beautiful lotus pattern, but instead picked the plain and sour bamboo leaf pattern? She still lacks a pure and innocent sentiment.

Did she not know that the greedy official loved to consider himself a gentleman, like bamboo, and thus tainted these beautiful, slender green stalks with vulgarity and filth, which he disliked the most?

Jia Cong loved to wear moon-white fabric with silver bamboo patterns, which he used to portray himself as a gentleman among bamboo. He was a man of superior appearance, but he insisted on wearing bland, pale, and meaningless clothes.

……

Baoyu felt a pang of regret, when he suddenly heard Jia Zheng laugh and say, "Miss Xia's annotations are quite insightful. She could not have done this if she were not deeply engrossed in the classics."

It is truly rare for a young lady from a secluded family to possess such sentiments. Her talent is probably not much different from that of the other daughters in the family, which is quite precious.

Madam Wang found it somewhat strange, but for a daughter-in-law who was not yet married to the master to receive praise from him was a good thing, indicating that she had chosen a good match.

Jia Zheng sighed, “Now the Jia family is a Hanlin family. Originally, I thought that the families of Baoyu were not a good match because of their social status, but now it seems that I was overthinking it.”

There's a saying that goes, "Beautiful birds come from deep mountains, and outstanding talents often emerge from the wilderness." While this saying isn't entirely accurate, it conveys a lot of truth, showing that societal prejudices aren't always correct.

Miss Xia not only possessed a love for poetry and literature, but also annotated her reading notes, giving them to Baoyu to read together and aid his studies. This virtue of supporting her husband and encouraging learning is a rare example of the ancient ways!

……

Upon hearing Jia Zheng's words, Baoyu felt dizzy and disoriented. He thought of Miss Xia's beautiful and charming face and her graceful and alluring figure, which he had longed for.

I never imagined she was also a person obsessed with fame and fortune. The thought of a beautiful woman turning into a skeleton in an instant is terrifying. How can this be? This can't be real; I absolutely refuse to believe it…

Jia Zheng said sternly, "Baoyu, Miss Xia is a good match for you in terms of talent and virtue. You must treat her well and listen to her advice. If you treat her with disrespect, I will not forgive you!"

Upon hearing this, Baoyu felt as if he were about to cry but had no tears left. Although he agreed verbally, his heart was breaking. He felt that life was hard and he was utterly helpless. Even a young lady from a noble family could feel this way.

However, his temperament is somewhat similar to that of Grandmother Jia. When faced with troubles and difficulties, he always finds excuses to get through the crisis and muddle through life.

At this moment, I recalled the first time Miss Xia delivered the book, Xiren had given her words of advice, saying that the Jia family had now become a Hanlin family due to Jia Cong's rise to prominence, and their reputation for scholarship and academic success had spread far and wide.

Miss Xia comes from a merchant family, which is already of a relatively high social standing. As she is about to get married, sending books is merely a way to conform to family tradition and please her in-laws and family members; it is just a temporary measure.

Baoyu, who was initially terrified, remembered Xiren's comforting words and instantly found a place to hide and survive. He not only calmed down immediately but also felt pity for Miss Xia...

…………

When Jia Zheng saw that Bao Yu's expression was a mixture of joy and sorrow, as if he were in a daze and acting out of character after hearing his words, he couldn't help but frown. He wondered what kind of mystery Bao Yu was up to.

However, Jia Zheng's mood had already cooled. Perhaps Bao Yu had disappointed him too much. Although he did not loosen his discipline, he was too lazy to scold or demand anything of him. He handed over the two books and waved for him to leave.

Baoyu felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He took the book and left the main hall. As for reading the annotations, he had no interest in such things. He had been listening to the talk of traitors all day long, so why should he further humiliate himself?

After Baoyu left, Lady Wang asked, "Master, is there any news about Feng Yuan's case in Jinling? What is Jia Yucun's current situation, and could it implicate you?"

Jia Zheng sighed, “Today I received a letter from my cousin Shi Nai. The Ministry of Personnel of Shenjing has sent someone to Jinling to suspend Jia Yucun from his post and investigate him. The Imperial Guard has imprisoned him.”

Jia Yucun's wife pleaded everywhere, even going to her cousin's house, but the case of Feng Yuan was closed only because Jia Yucun issued a document proving that Pan'er had died of illness. Now that Pan'er is alive and well, that is irrefutable evidence. There is no need for much trial to convict Jia Yucun. His wife pleaded everywhere, but who dared to help him?

My cousin's letter arrived outside the city the day before yesterday. However, because the nine gates were locked during the war, they could only be opened the following day for inspections, so the letter was delayed for two days before it finally reached me.

Although the review of the case in the wartime capital involves many complicated paperwork procedures and may take a few days longer than sending a letter from my cousin, official documents will definitely arrive in the capital within the next two days.

Normally, cases of corrupt officials like this do not involve important matters of state, and the Ministry of Personnel would handle them according to the law, and the emperor would not interfere too much. However, the involvement of Pan'er is a completely different matter.

Now that he has been dismissed from office due to the military storage leak case, anything related to important military and national cases will attract the Emperor's attention, and if any evidence of wrongdoing is found, the Emperor will surely punish him severely.

Moreover, this matter has already caused a stir in the Ministry of Personnel and the Court of Judicial Review, and has been officially announced in official documents. Under the watchful eyes of the public, it cannot be covered up no matter what, and I will certainly not escape punishment.

"Back then, I supported Jia Yucun's appointment as an official, and out of kinship, I asked him to handle Feng Yuan's case. Years passed peacefully; I never imagined things would turn out this way."

……

When Lady Wang heard Jia Zheng say that she could not escape punishment, she was filled with fear. The second wife had already been reduced to a concubine. If her husband also lost his official position, how could he ever face anyone again?

She recalled that when Xue Pan's incident occurred, Jia Cong was on an imperial mission to Jinling. Jia Yucun treated him with great courtesy, and if he had spoken up for him, Jia Yucun would have certainly done so.

But this boy is extremely cunning and scheming at such a young age. He found an excuse to shirk responsibility, which is why his sister wrote to him, and only then did the master step in to help Pan'er.

That little beast is a jinx; he pushes all the trouble onto others while keeping the benefits for himself. He gets promoted and makes a fortune every day, while leaving all the bad luck to others.

Madam Wang grew increasingly angry as she thought about it, and said, "When Pan'er had his accident, Cong'er was in Jinling. If he had been willing to say a word, the matter wouldn't have escalated to the point where it involved the master."

Jia Zheng frowned and said, "What are you saying? How old was Cong-ge back then? He had just been granted an official position and was ordered to do things. How could he be responsible for such a thing? Wouldn't that be losing more than he gained by being penny-wise and pound-foolish?"

If he had interfered in this matter back then, he would be the one to be blamed and condemned today. The honor and disgrace of the two Jia families would be on his shoulders. If something were to happen to him, none of them would have a good life.

Besides, the Xue family is related by marriage to the second branch of the family. How can I face my elders if I let the eldest son of the first branch take the risk? Do I even care about my reputation? Don't mention this again.”

Lady Wang was reprimanded by Jia Zheng, though not too harshly. She was disheartened, but dared not say more. Besides, bringing up the past would not help, and she only felt more resentment towards Jia Cong.

He said, “Master, I will visit my elder brother’s house tomorrow. He is a second-rank official and the military governor of the capital. He is someone who goes around in front of the emperor. He will definitely help you with this matter.”

Jia Zheng said calmly, "I advise you to save this trip. After Pan'er's accident, your sister and Bao'er went to ask Wang Ziteng for help, but the matter was dropped."

Bao-ya then wrote a letter to Jinling, asking the second brother of the Xue family to come to the capital to handle this matter. She said, "Your eldest brother is a shrewd official; he would absolutely not get involved in the military depot leak case."

……

Lady Wang remained silent upon hearing this. Aunt Xue and Baochai sought help from Prince Teng but ultimately failed, so they naturally kept quiet about the matter.

However, the daily comings and goings of carriages and horses could not be kept secret in the Jia family. Lady Wang naturally heard about this. Her elder brother would not even help his own nephew, so how could he help his brother-in-law?

Moreover, the relationship between the Jia and Wang families is not what it used to be, and this is ultimately due to Jia Cong. Lady Wang is depressed and feels that he is a cursed star in her life.

Jia Zheng recalled Yang Hongbin's reminder that day. After carefully considering his words, he felt that Yang Hongbin's words made a lot of sense. Although the matter was thorny, it was not without hope of a solution.

He sighed and said, “My colleagues have analyzed this matter. Because of this, I have been entangled in a karmic entanglement and am implicated in the military depot leak case. I will definitely not be able to escape it, and I will most likely lose my official position.”

However, Cong-ge'er has recently rendered great service and received immense favor from the Emperor. He only requests that the Emperor show leniency and that the Ministry of Personnel and the Court of Judicial Review consider the matter and act accordingly, so that things do not become unmanageable.

Lady Wang was devastated when she heard that she could not keep her official position, but when she heard about Jia Cong's achievements, she realized that her husband would not be completely defeated, and she found a chance to breathe amidst her despair.

But the master's matter had come full circle, and since her own brother couldn't help, she would ultimately have to rely on Jia Cong. This left Lady Wang feeling extremely frustrated and her heart was twisted with anguish, as if it were about to break.

……

The Great Zhou Palace, Qianyang Palace, the rear hall and warm pavilion.

Emperor Jiazhao was opening a book of memorials. Standing in front of his desk was Chen Mo, the Minister of Personnel. Although he was sixty years old and his hair and beard were white, he was still vigorous, with a straight back and bright eyes.

As Emperor Jiazhao perused the memorials, he asked, "According to the memorials, Jia Yucun has confessed to the corruption in the Feng Yuan case. Is there any gap left in the evidence?"

Chen Mo said, "Your Majesty, the Feng Yuan case was hastily concluded back then, based on the fact that Xue Pan had died suddenly. Now, Xue Pan is still alive and is involved in a major case of leaking secrets from military warehouses."

This alone left Jia Yucun with no way to deny it, so he was arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and interrogated in court by officials from the Ministry of Personnel. Before they could even use torture, he had already confessed to the truth.

Given Jia Yucun's conduct as an official, officials from the Ministry of Personnel investigated among the common people and discovered that, in addition to the case of Feng Yuan, Jia Yucun had committed several other acts of dereliction of duty and malpractice, which are now under separate investigation.

In an attempt to exonerate himself, Jia Yucun confessed to having secretly kept letters and notes. Officials from the Ministry of Personnel entered his private residence to investigate and obtained conclusive evidence, sufficient to prove his crime of abuse of power and malpractice.

One letter was written by Jia Zheng of the Rongguo Mansion, asking him to intercede for Xue Pan's release. Jia Yucun was implicated in this case and thus broke the law. The other note was written by Jia Cong years ago.

When Emperor Jiazhao heard Jia Cong's name, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. Jia Cong had annihilated 20,000 enemies and received praise for his military achievements, which shocked the court and the public. Now that he was involved in this case, the emperor was naturally displeased.

He said coldly, "This Jia Yucun is treacherous and cunning. He secretly kept letters as evidence, thinking it was a way to escape. He is quite shameless. The case occurred three years ago. How is he involved with Jia Cong again?"

……

Chen Mo immediately understood the meaning behind the emperor's words. Jia Cong had become the deputy commander of the army that was fighting against the Mongols, and he was a man of outstanding military achievements. His affairs were related to the overall situation of the campaign against the Mongols, and the emperor did not want him to be implicated at this time.

He quickly said, "The original letters and notes that Jia Yucun secretly kept are now kept in the Ministry of Personnel in the secondary capital as evidence in Jia Yucun's case, but I have already copied them into the appendix of the memorial."

Jia Zheng's letter has become evidence of collusion and corruption, but the note from the Earl of Weiyuan, although also written to Jia Yucun on this matter, did not overstep any bounds. We implore Your Majesty to make a clear judgment.”

After hearing Chen Mo's words, Emperor Jiazhao turned to the last page of the memorial, where an appendix contained a copy of Jia Zheng's letter of request and a note from Jia Cong to Jia Yucun pleading for his help.

Emperor Jiazhao had no interest in reading Jia Zheng's letter carefully. He simply glanced at the contents of the note, and a playful smile appeared on his face. He even shook his head sarcastically.

Seeing Emperor Jia Zhao's expression, Chen Mo understood somewhat what the emperor was thinking at that moment, because when he saw the note written by Jia Cong back then, he also had a similar amused and inexplicable feeling.

Jia Cong wrote on the note: "My cousin Xue Pan has been imprisoned in Yingtian Prefecture for some reason. Please ask my cousin to take care of him and not let him be humiliated or abused by the prison guards."

The note was casual and said nothing at all; it only asked Jia Yucun to take care of Xue Pan and not let the jailers mistreat him, without making a single plea for his release.

No matter how you look at the wording of this note, you can't find the slightest fault. It is the law of the land that prison guards do not mistreat prisoners, and it is the norm.

Emperor Jia Zhao smiled calmly: "Jia Yucun must have felt quite helpless upon receiving this note. Even if he had kept it for many years and wanted to use it to frame someone, he would have had no way to do so."

That year, Jia Cong was ordered to go to Jinling to copy scriptures and pray for Empress Dowager Xianxiao. If I remember correctly, he was not even fourteen years old at the time, yet he was already so cunning and shrewd.

He was calm and composed in the face of adversity, and even seasoned officials could not match his shrewdness. This note must have been written at the request of the Xue family to fill a position.

I am genuinely curious whether he foresaw today's situation and prepared a way out, while Jia Zheng, who has been an official for over a decade, is not as shrewd as a young man.

Although both are of the Jia family bloodline, the difference between the brilliant and the mediocre is as vast as heaven and earth. Although the late Duke Rongguo died young, he was blessed with such a lineage; Heaven has been kind to him.

……

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Although the Earl of Weiyuan is exceptionally talented, without Your Majesty's discerning eye to recognize his talent and support him, he will surely remain a hidden gem."

Emperor Jia Zhao said, "Looking at Jia Zheng's letters, he is already guilty of colluding with officials to commit malfeasance. Although he has a good reputation as an official, his talent is mediocre and he has no bad deeds."

However, as the son of a former noble family, he indulged in sensual pleasures and became arrogant and disrespectful of the law, unable to break free from his old habits. Otherwise, how could a mere letter lead to such a disregard for human life?

The case of Feng Yuan has become a tributary of the military depot leak case. The edicts from the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Personnel clearly state that if he is not punished to serve as a warning to others, how can we silence public opinion?
Chen Mo, as the Minister of Personnel, you are responsible for governing the country by rewarding and punishing officials of good and bad character. Jia Yucun's crimes are clear, and he should be dealt with according to the law without leniency.

Although Jia Zheng is guilty of a crime, he cannot be let off lightly. Do you have any suggestions for how to deal with him…? (End of Chapter)