The Red Mansion

Chapter 33: The Girl Next Door, Qin Keqing

The eastern suburbs of Shenjing City.

Next to Jiang Nian’s old house, there is another similar old house quietly sitting. The blue bricks and gray tiles are deeply engraved with the marks of time, as if telling the vicissitudes of life.

This other old small house is home to a family named Qin.

The head of the family is named Qin Ye, and he is a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works.

Qin Ye was nearly seventy years old. His wife had passed away at a young age. Since they had no children, he adopted a son and a daughter from Yangshengtang. Later, Qin Ye remarried, and his second wife gave birth to a son, named Qin Zhong.

Now, Qin Ye's adopted son has long died, and his second wife has also passed away. Only Qin Ye, his adopted daughter, his biological son Qin Zhong, and a few servants live in the family.

The adopted daughter's official name was Jianmei, her courtesy name was Keqing, and her nickname was Ke'er. She was at the age of coming of age and had a very beautiful appearance, with a graceful, bright and charming appearance.

Her existence seemed like a beautiful scenery in the Qin family's old house.

……

……

The Qin family's old small house.

On the west side of the inner courtyard is the west wing.

The afternoon sun streamed in through the window lattices, making the west wing bright and warm.

Qin Keqing sat opposite her maid Baozhu on the couch, both heads bent, absorbed in their needlework. Her delicate fingers gripped the silver needle, weaving it across the embroidery frame, creating delicate designs.

Baozhu was sorting silk threads on the side, occasionally chatting and laughing with Qin Keqing.

Suddenly, Ruizhu, the head maid, came in through the curtains, her face filled with excitement. She walked up to Qin Keqing and said, "Miss, I just heard something new."

Qin Keqing looked up at Ruizhu, curiosity flashing in her eyes, and asked softly, "What's new?"

Ruizhu smiled and said, "Someone has moved into the empty house next door today."

Qin Keqing was slightly startled and said softly, "This is a bit novel."

Ruizhu nodded and replied, "Isn't it novel? Ever since the original owner of the house next door got into trouble and had his house ransacked, it's been two years, right? That house has been empty the whole time, and now someone suddenly moved in!"

Unmarried girls from official families rarely go out.

Although Qin Ye loved his adopted daughter, Qin Keqing, he was a pedantic and serious person. Even now, after being raised by him for over ten years, Qin Keqing rarely left the house. Consequently, her maid, Ruizhu, was also trapped with her in the old courtyard of the family home for a long time.

Therefore, for Qin Keqing and Ruizhu, the master and servant, it was a novelty that someone suddenly moved into the house next door that had been empty for two years.

Qin Keqing put down her needle and thread, gently stroked the pattern on the embroidery frame, and sighed thoughtfully: "The family next door was raided and the people are gone. But as the saying goes, things may change, but the house is still there, and naturally someone will come to live there."

Ruizhu blinked, her smile growing wider, and said mysteriously, "There are even more surprising things."

Seeing her like this, Qin Keqing smiled and said, "Just tell me directly. Why keep me in suspense and be mysterious?"

Ruizhu then smiled and said, "I heard that there are more than a dozen people living in the house next door today. They are from Jiangning in the south, but they only have one master, a teenage boy named Jiang. This Mr. Jiang's mother is dead, and he has no father either, so maybe his father is also dead."

Upon hearing this, Qin Keqing sighed, "There are many orphans in the world, it's not surprising." She couldn't help but think of herself. She was adopted by her father from Yangshengtang when she was young, and she still didn't know who her parents were or whether they were still alive.

Ruizhu didn't consider Qin Keqing's situation for a moment and continued with a smile, "What's strange is that the steward of this family is actually a fifth-rank Dragon Guard. If even the steward is a fifth-rank official, that young man must be extraordinary. I don't know his exact background. Our servants went to investigate but couldn't find out anything. However, I don't think that young man's background is prominent, otherwise he wouldn't live in the house next door."

Qin Keqing's eyebrows twitched slightly after hearing this, and she lowered her head in thought. "Since the Jiang family has moved next door to mine, according to etiquette, my family should send a gift of congratulations. Moreover, from what Ruizhu said, Mr. Jiang is of extraordinary status, so this gift of congratulations should be prepared more comprehensively to show sincerity. When father returns from his shift today, I will ask him to deliver it personally to fulfill the neighborly friendship."

After Ruizhu finished telling the so-called novelty, she turned and walked out.

Qin Keqing watched Ruizhu's departing figure, her heart aroused with curiosity: "What is the origin of Mr. Jiang next door? Why is even his housekeeper a fifth-rank official? Can you please ask my father to find out while I'm giving you a gift?"

She withdrew her thoughts, picked up the needle and thread, and continued her needlework.

……

……

The Jiang family's small house.

The main room, which was originally dirty and messy, was quickly cleaned up by the servants.

However, in this small house, there was not even a bed, a couch, or even a chair or a stool.

This old house was ransacked two years ago and all the furniture and belongings inside were taken away.
Jiang Nian was sitting on a large camphorwood box. He Yun stood in front of him, talking about the list of items they were going to buy later, including large furniture such as beds, tables, chairs, and cabinets, as well as dinner for tonight. Since it was inconvenient to cook at home today, dinner had to be bought as well.

At this time, He Yun asked for instructions: "There is a family living next door to us. According to etiquette, we should give them a gift as a token of friendship."

Jiang Nian asked, "What kind of family lives there?"

He Yun replied, "It's a family with the surname Qin. The head of the family is called Qin Ye. He's an old official, nearly seventy years old, and currently serves as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Works."

A meaningful light suddenly flashed in Jiang Nian's eyes.

He stroked his chin gently, seeming to be quite interested in this matter.

He Yun continued, "Qin Ye's first and second wives are both deceased. He currently has a young biological son and an unmarried adopted daughter. What gift do you think would be appropriate for his family?"

Jiang Nian didn't answer immediately, but sighed inwardly, "What a fate! My neighbor is actually Qin Keqing! And she's not even married to Jia Rong yet!"

He Yun was puzzled when he saw Jiang Nian suddenly become dazed, but he did not ask.

Jiang Nian was stunned for a moment before smiling faintly and saying, "Since the Qin family is a family of officials, the gifts should be more elegant. Take out two bottles of the fine tea we brought from the south, and a pair of celadon vases, and send them to the neighbors."

This time it was He Yun's turn to be stunned. After a pause, he said, "Sir, it doesn't need to be so heavy."

Two bottles of high-quality tea and a pair of celadon vases, together they are worth more than two hundred taels of silver!

It was just a gift for the neighbor, but it was so valuable. No wonder He Yun was shocked.

Jiang Nian said calmly: "Do as I say."

I thought to myself, "Although I haven't met Qin Keqing yet, according to the description in the original novel, Qin Keqing can be called the most beautiful golden hairpin. Perhaps only Xue Baoqin can rival her in beauty. How can I not be willing to spend money to pursue such a beauty? As for the saying in the previous life that Qin Keqing is the daughter of the deposed crown prince, I don't agree. Those reasons are far-fetched. Considering the situation in this world of Red Mansions, it is almost impossible for Qin Keqing to be the daughter of the deposed crown prince."

(End of this chapter)