The Red Mansion

Chapter 52 The Xue Family Mother and Daughter Arrive
Soon, Peng Jizhong, who had stopped, saw a young girl slowly getting off the carriage. She had a quiet demeanor and a gentle temperament. She looked about the same age as Qin Keqing, with a fair face, two curved eyebrows set off by bright eyes, a slender nose, and light rosy lips. Her appearance was only slightly inferior to Qin Keqing.

This young girl is Xue Baochai.

Although Peng Jizhong thought Xue Baochai was beautiful, he was not attracted by her. Instead, he could not help but be moved by the woman who had just lifted the curtain and revealed her face.

At this moment, Peng Jizhong saw the woman get off the carriage with the help of a young girl. She was wearing a royal blue brocade dress with golden peony embroidery on the hem, which sparkled brightly. She also wore a gold-threaded hairpin with jewels inlaid in her hair and pearls in her ears, which made her look elegant and noble.

This woman is Aunt Xue.

The more Peng Jizhong looked at her, the more charming she became. He sighed inwardly, "How could a servant like me covet such a noble lady? I wonder whose wife she is, and why she's visiting Master Jiang?"

Peng Jizhong only turned around and returned to the Qin family after seeing Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai enter the Jiang family's house.

……

……

Led by the servant girl Qi'er, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai walked into the gate of the Jiang family's small house and slowly walked towards the main house in the inner courtyard.

As they walked, both mother and daughter looked around and carefully examined the house.

When the two of them first saw this small house yesterday, they both thought it was old and simple and quite unattractive.

Now, when the two of them looked at it again, they felt that although this small house was not luxurious, it was quite quiet.

This was because the small house had been carefully swept and tidied, and also because, from yesterday until now, although only one day had passed, Jiang Nian's status in the hearts of the Xue family's mother and daughter had greatly increased, and even made the mother and daughter very awed of him.

Jiang Nian deliberately did not greet the Xue family mother and daughter, but waited for their arrival in the study.

At this time, Qi'er led Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai to the door of the study.

Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai saw Jiang Nian sitting at the rosewood desk with a calm expression, his fingertips lightly tapping the cover of a book on the desk.

Qi'er said to Jiang Nian respectfully, "Master, they are here."

Jiang Nian nodded: "You can leave."

Qi'er said "yes" and turned to walk out of the main room.

Aunt Xue, out of shame and awe, didn't dare to step into the room for a moment. She just stood outside the door, her face embarrassed, her throat slightly tightened, and she bowed and called out, "Uncle Jiang."

Jiang Nian saw Aunt Xue's expression was awkward, and behind her, Xue Baochai lowered her eyebrows and drooped her eyelashes, obviously due to shame. Jiang Nian's expression did not change, and he said lightly, "Come in."

After hearing this, the mother and daughter slowly walked into the study one after another.

As soon as she entered the study, Xue Baochai knelt down and bowed to Jiang Nian: "Greetings to Master Jiang."

She lowered her head, not daring to look directly at Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian pointed to the two official hat chairs in the room and said calmly, "Please sit down."

Aunt Xue hesitated for a moment and sat down. However, Xue Baochai did not sit down, but stood quietly beside Aunt Xue with her head bowed.

Jiang Nian looked at Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai with a playful look.

Although Aunt Xue tried to remain calm, her eyes were wandering.

Xue Baochai's cheeks were slightly flushed, and she was extremely reserved, even her breathing was as soft as silk.

Aunt Xue mustered up her courage, looked at Jiang Nian with a miserable expression, and whispered an apology, "Uncle Jiang, Bao's uncle had a quarrel with you yesterday. It was our fault. I hope you can forgive us."

Jiang Nian's lips curled up in a sarcastic arc when he heard this. "How can you say 'forgiveness' so lightly? Do you think this is just a trivial matter? Can it be easily forgiven?"

Aunt Xue felt an invisible pressure coming towards her, which made her breath stop and she felt panicky.

Jiang Nian's expression turned cold as he continued, "Miss Xue's promise to me as a concubine was already sealed on the Grand Canal. You personally wrote the promise in black and white. How could it be a joke? But you, on arriving in the capital, eagerly asked Wang Ziteng to come and subdue me!"

Aunt Xue felt even more pressured. She opened her mouth to argue, but was speechless and her face turned pale.

Jiang Nian snorted coldly, his tone sharp: "You know, yesterday Wang Ziteng first led a group of personal soldiers to threaten me. When the threat failed, he mobilized a large number of officers and soldiers to surround me, intending to capture my entire family. If I hadn't sent someone to urgently ask Prince Zhongyi to rescue me in time, I would be imprisoned now, and I'm afraid my life would be in danger!"

Aunt Xue was extremely anxious when she heard this. She quickly explained, "No! No! My brother has no intention of harming your life. He just... just wants to cancel the promise of marriage..."

Having said this, she felt so ashamed that her voice gradually lowered, not daring to look Jiang Nian in the eye.

At this moment, she seemed to be back to the shame she felt when she was scolded by her husband many years ago.

Xue Baochai, with her head lowered, glanced at Aunt Xue quietly. Seeing that Aunt Xue also lowered her head and looked ashamed, Xue Baochai couldn't help being surprised.

Xue Baochai had seen Aunt Xue behave like this before. She had already shown this to Wang Ziteng over the past two days. However, Wang Ziteng was, after all, Aunt Xue's older brother, a man of high rank and power, full of pride and authority. Aunt Xue hadn't been surprised to see her bow her head in shame before Wang Ziteng. But now, to see Aunt Xue bow her head in shame before a junior like Jiang Nian struck Xue Baochai as both novel and strange.

Just as Xue Baochai was feeling uneasy, Jiang Nian suddenly turned his gaze towards her and asked calmly, "Miss Xue, what brings you and your mother here today?"

Xue Baochai was startled. She glanced at Jiang Nian, then turned to look at Aunt Xue. Seeing Aunt Xue nodding, Xue Baochai understood and suppressed her shame as she whispered softly, "Master Jiang, do you know that the Emperor Retired and the Emperor have issued an order to punish you for what happened yesterday?"

Jiang Nian deliberately said indifferently, "Of course I know. This matter was reported to His Majesty by Prince Zhongyi, and then reported to the Supreme Emperor."

When these words were spoken, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai were both shocked and felt even more in awe of Jiang Nian.

The mother and daughter looked at each other, both puzzled: Jiang Nian was just a boy born and raised in Jiangning, so why was he so close to Prince Zhongyi? It was really puzzling.

Xue Baochai was so ashamed that she didn't want to say anything more. She could only whisper to Aunt Xue, "Mom, go ahead."

Aunt Xue sighed deeply, looked up at Jiang Nian, and pleaded helplessly, "Master Jiang, our family's position as imperial merchant has been removed! Yesterday's incident was all my fault for being confused and not telling Bao's uncle about the concubine. If her uncle didn't know about this, he wouldn't have come to bother you yesterday... Now that things have come to this, I know I'm in the wrong. I only ask that you consider... consider that Bao's concubine has been promised to you, and help us keep our position as imperial merchant."

Xue Baochai hurriedly lowered her head and stared at her dress, as if she wanted to stare a hole in the hem of it.

In fact, when Jiang Nian learned that the Xue family mother and daughter were visiting, he had already guessed that they were most likely coming to ask for mercy. However, when he heard Aunt Xue say this with his own ears, he still felt it was absurd.

(End of this chapter)