The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

The rain continued to rain and the wind started to blow again.

There were only Xue Baochai and her maid Ying'er in the room. They were sitting on the kang under the window, cutting cloth with scissors.

Ying'er picked up a piece of cut cloth and gestured on Xue Baochai's body, saying, "Yesterday I heard from Jin Chuan'er that Master Bao has made great progress recently and has already read all four books."

Xue Baochai stopped picking up the scissors. Ever since Mrs. Wang was forced to recuperate, she has put all her attention on Jia Baoyu and began to personally supervise his studies. If he failed to complete his homework for the day, she would beat him with a stick, the same stick that served as the maidservant around him. Once, Xiren was beaten so badly that she couldn't get out of bed for several days.

No one knows a child better than his mother. Mrs. Wang’s methods are simple and effective.

Ying'er stood up, gently folded the cloth, and continued, "Jin Chuan'er also said that the second wife asked about the young lady, saying that she hadn't seen her go out there for a few days, and asked if she had a cough."

Xue Baochai: "What's your reply?"

Ying Er smiled and said, "Of course I will reply according to her words."

Xue Baochai nodded.

Ying'er glanced out the window and lowered her voice, "My uncle sent me a letter saying that the bad guy Wang Ren has taken refuge in my uncle's military camp."

Xue Baochai didn't say anything and just lowered her head to cut the cloth.

Seeing that Xue Baochai didn't say anything, Ying'er cursed Wang Ren again in her heart. Because of him, her daughter's reputation was completely ruined, and it was impossible for her to marry into a wealthy family.

Do I really have to become a concubine of a powerful family?
Thinking of this, Ying'er took advantage of Xue Baochai's gaze on the flower, glanced at Xue Baochai's appearance and figure, and sighed silently, thinking, if only she could be reborn into a family of officials!

At this moment, the maid's voice came from outside: "The master is here."

Before he could finish his words, Xue Pan came in excitedly, shouting, "Dead, dead, that son of a bitch is dead."

Xue Baochai raised her head in surprise.

Xue Pan wiped the rain off his face and said excitedly: "That bastard named Mei was killed by a fast horse that was traveling 600 miles!"

Xue Baochai also stood up: "Really?"

Xue Pan pointed at the rain on his body and said, "I went to see him myself. The doctor in the clinic said that he died on the spot. He said that his entire spine was broken. My sister didn't see him, but Guang'anmen Street was very lively, with firecrackers everywhere. You can see how much people hate that little bastard!"

Hearing this, Xue Baochai's eyes revealed the joy of having her great revenge, but she soon returned to normal.

Ying'er held a cup of tea for Xue Pan and asked, "What about Censor Mei?"

Xue Pan had a look of gloating: "His son was killed in a collision with a war horse, which caused delays for the military affairs. The two members of the cabinet gave him a lighter punishment out of consideration for his son's death. He went back to where he came from, and Censor Mei became Hanlin Mei again." When he said this, he laughed out loud.

Ying'er couldn't help laughing and covered her mouth with her hands.

After laughing, Xue Pan said viciously: "Damn it! Anyone who dares to offend my sister will have a bad ending!"

Ying'er was slightly stunned. This master of hers really brought up something irrelevant. Then she secretly glanced at Xue Baochai from the side, observing her reaction.

Xue Baochai, however, remained the same as usual, her face as calm as still water.

The maid's voice came from outside again: "Madam is back."

"What are you talking about, so happy?"

Aunt Xue came in, was startled for a moment, then took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the rain off Xue Pan's head and face, while nagging: "The people who follow you don't care about you, and let you run around like a wild horse."

"Mom, sit down and listen to me." Xue Pan helped Aunt Xue sit down and told the story again vividly.

Aunt Xue was surprised and delighted: "Really?"

Xue Pan: “Really!”

Aunt Xue clasped her hands together and said, "Amitabha! God has opened his eyes, and that little beast has finally received retribution!" She hurriedly said to Tongxi, "Quick! Tell Baoqin and her mother the good news, and let them be happy too."

Retribution? I'm afraid it's revenge!
Thinking about this, Xue Baochai looked at Xue Pan and said, "Brother, do you know where the express delivery of six hundred miles came from?"

Xue Pan smiled: "I knew my sister would ask. I asked Feng Ziying, and he said it was an urgent message from Henan that had traveled six hundred miles to demand money, food and equipment. He said that Prince Zhongshun was preparing to attack Kaifeng City again." Xue Baochai understood that it was her uncle Wang Zitong who had intervened, and perhaps the eldest wife's wife was also involved.

At this time Ying'er came over with a bowl of tea.

Xue Baochai personally handed the tea to Aunt Xue and said, "I heard that Mom went to Feng's place?"

Aunt Xue took the tea and took a sip, then said, "I haven't seen you for a few days. Miss Feng has become thinner. Although she is not sick, the flesh on her face and body has dried up. It's just like the old saying, 'Mental illness is not a serious illness, but a serious illness is as serious as the sky.'" At this point, she sighed, "Miss Feng has been badly hurt by her brothers!"

Xue Baochai glanced at Xue Pan subconsciously.

Xue Pan suddenly remembered: "Look at me, I was so happy that I forgot about the serious things. I heard from Feng Ziying that the current emperor approved the Marquis's strategy to rebuild the six towns of the Northern Wei Dynasty to guard against the Mongols in the northern desert."

Xue Baochai: "When will the Marquis return to Beijing?"

Xue Pan shook his head: "Not sure."

A hint of disappointment flashed across Xue Baochai's eyes, but she did not show it and nodded slightly.

Xue Pan: "Today is not only a good day, but also a great day. I will go and inform the kitchen to prepare wine and food, and we will have fun."

Aunt Xue said angrily: "You are such a jerk! Look who has a party to celebrate Qingming Festival."

Xue Pan also reacted and smiled awkwardly.

Xue Baochai spoke up: "Is there any problem at the pawnshop recently?"

Xue Pan was stunned: "What's wrong?"

Xue Baochai was silent for a moment, then replied, "If there is nothing important, Baoqin and I will go to the Li family to stay for a while, talk to Miss Lin, and help her deal with the accounts of the Li family bank."

After a pause, he said, “It’s very busy over there.”

Xue Pan was a straightforward person: "The Marquis is not at home, so my sister should go over and help."

Aunt Xue hesitated for a moment and looked at Xue Baochai: "Just now in Feng's room, your aunt sent Jin Chuan'er to deliver ginseng. She asked about you. She asked when you would go to talk to her, and asked you to help supervise Baoyu's homework."

Xue Baochai suddenly lost her composure and yelled, "Why should I help her supervise her son's homework? I don't know what she is thinking!"

Aunt Xue was silent.

Xue Pan was puzzled: "What are you thinking?"

Ying'er glanced at him and thought to herself, what a fool! The Second Wife knew that her daughter could not marry into a wealthy family through formal marriage, so she wanted her daughter to be Baoyu's concubine so that she could swallow up the Xue family's property. She might have also set her sights on Miss Qin.

Thinking of this, Ying'er snorted in her heart. Why should she be Baoyu's concubine? If she was to be a concubine, she would rather be a concubine to a hero like the Marquis.

Even though Xue Pan's brain wasn't working very well, he realized that something was wrong. He coughed and said, "Well, I have an appointment with Feng Ziying to have a drink, so I'll leave first." Then he turned around and walked out quickly.

Aunt Xue stood up, thought for a moment, and said, "Sometime, I'll make things clear to your aunt and see what she says." After that, she also walked out.

Ying'er followed him out.

Xue Baochai was the only one left in the room. She slowly sat down on the kang, with disappointment and inexplicable panic in her eyes.
"Before you beat a dog, you have to look at its owner!"

The third prince grabbed the tea bowl on the desk and threw it to the ground, smashing it to pieces! The housekeeper standing there was frightened.

The Third Prince paced back and forth rapidly, saying as he walked: "Look at me, I don't know! Without his acquiescence, how dare Wang Ziteng do this?!"

The butler's forehead was covered with sweat: "Your Highness, please be careful with your words!"

The Third Prince stopped walking, his eyes flashing with a faint light: "I won't let you have your way! If you want to quickly pacify Henan, then I will cause chaos in the entire Central Plains."

After a pause, he said, "No one can get what I can't get. I would rather destroy it. At worst, we can all go to hell together!"

The housekeeper shuddered, and was in a state of madness! (End of this chapter)